Movie Review: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you are reading this.  I am back with another movie review, this time I am reviewing Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.  This is as I am watching all the Alien flicks (sorry no Prometheus blog, was paying attention to the flick).  As of 5/20 it has a 4.7 on IMDB.  It stars Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, Shareeka Epps.  "Warring alien and predator races descend on a rural US town, where unsuspecting residents must band together for any chance of survival."  

• YOUNG SHAWN SPENCER!
• You know it is going to be a cool movie when an arm melts off within minutes
• Now we REALLY know why Ricky Cricket is so fucked up
• Aliens must incubate quicker on earth than space
• We never really find out why the "Aliens" like to kill so much do we?  
• Could it be they were create by the "Predators"?
• For some reason I like the ritual of taking off the helmet/mask thing in the predator flicks
• Weird that the predator killed that cop, I guess you could say he was a threat...that is a thing isn't it?  I feel like we learned that in Predator flicks
• I didn't want to rewatch AVP but now I feel like I have to to get the full Alien experience prior to the new flick which I"ll be seeing in a few days (from 5/20, when I'm watching this)
• Why do the xenos like to get all up in peoples grill and "smell" them?  Doesn't they understand personal space?
• This flick really is what fans wanted for the clash of monsters, not the first AVP
• Wait....so this chick has always wanted this guy?  Or does she just REALLY like pizza guys?
• Aliens swimming is one awesome visual!
• Never look outside the window when it is dark, there might be something out there.  Movies have taught me that
• The blue goo is cool
• Unrated scene, very cool!
• Good sheriff or BEST sheriff for constantly listening and hanging out with convict
• The National Guard actually doesn't do horrible here, better than the space marines years later
• The hybrid is both cool and stupid at the same time
• Wait...the hybrid is both a face hugger and predator and an alien?  Damn!
• Why didn't the face hugger predator alien face tongue fuck the doctor?
• How do they not realize that it is a trap to go to the center of town?  Even I know that doesn't make sense
• Rickey Cricket i smart, go with the tank!
• GET TO THE CHOPPER!
• It is weird when the aliens look so good and randomly one of the shots are horrible
• The music isn't bad in flick most of the time
• This isn't a bad flick at all really, I think it gets a poor rep from the first flick
• I say that then the fight scene at the end is almost too dark to see anything, which is is sad
• Taking the mask off for a Predator is like Hogan doing the "you" finger or Jerry Lawler dropping the strap right?
• If only that chopper was like a 50's fridge, they'd have no problem after a nuke!
• Wait...they trust the military isn't going to kill them like they did the entire town?  
• And why wouldn't the military do that?  Can't have them telling everyone...or are they going to be looked after by top men
• I said TOP MEN

I forgot how much fun that flick is.  Overall I would give the flick a 6/10.    While there isn't a lot of character development in the flick there does not have to be.  This isn't a flick about characters, it is a flick about two sci-fi/horror icons clashing.  It gives the fans what they were looking for, although only briefly.

I should point out that I'm not a fan boy of either of these franchises so that might make a difference. I enjoy them both and have now watched every flick in both.  I enjoy them for what they are but neither are on my end all be all of movies....

As I type this I have the first flick on while I download the new Doctor Who and I forgot how bad THIS flick was (yes there will most likely be a blog).

As I was saying I enjoy the franchises bu they aren't my end all be all.  

The big question is how does these flicks fit into the franchises...if at all.  I have a feeling if Ridley Scott answered the question it would be not at all.  I just wondering.

Anyway if you are looking for a fun action flick this isn't a bad choice.  If I haven't posted it already (time wimey) expect a Alien: Covent review soon.  Until next time...Abyssinia

Alien: resurrection review

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, whenever it is you've found this entry.  Today we continue our march to forthcoming Alien flick with my thoughts on Alien Resurrection.  It stars Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Dominique Pinon.  "Two centuries after her death, Ellen Ripley is revived as a powerful human/alien hybrid clone who must continue her war against the aliens."  As of 4/26 it has an IMDB rating for 6.3  Let go see an....Alien Resurrection!

• Wait...are they cloning the alien version of Ripley?  Good grief humans are god damn stupid!
• Why are doctors in the future always so creepy?
• This isn't the best script in the world is it?
• Tamed them?  Really?
• Good grief, are all men pigs in the future too?  
• So in the future people get drunk and watch home shopping?  I guess things aren't that different after all
• What?  She knows about the xenomorph?  How does Call know?  I'm so confused right now
• Why breed more than one?  
• I think the General will be fine...mostly fine
• Running, always running in sci-fi movies.  
• 12?  THE GREW 12 OF THEM!?!?!
• Santa Claus, dealing with alien like creatures, that is just silly talk!

• And people say cloning can go wrong!
• Someone is going to die, strobe light!
• Wait...is she a Ripley clone too?  nope...Android
• Is that just a bunch of them or is that the queen?  Why are the movies always so dark and hard to tell what is happening
• IS THAT XENOMORPH HUMPING HER?!?!
• OH SHIT!  No eggs needed?  Then why take "hostages?"
• New teeth...that is weird

• That doctor is nuts!
• Really?  Damn Isaac Asimov and his stupid rules of not hurting humans
• I think the grandson wants to talk to grandma
• It is like a little kid and doesn't know what it is doing
• They did a good job of making the eyes expressive in the hybrid which is cool

Well that was interesting.  One thing I find interesting about the entire franchise is that each movie stands on its own and is almost completely different than the previous ones.  Part of it is a new creative team each time but it does keep it sort of fresh.

As far as this flick I enjoyed it but I think quite a bit of that is Ron Perlman.  He is so good in the roles he selects.

This was nothing to write home about and I think IMDB users have it right at a 6/10.  Not horrible but not the best of the series either.

Overall more enjoyable than #3 but that doesn't mean much since it was pretty bad.  With it being the end of the series future wise it'll be interesting to see if we ever come back to where this left off or if they'll continue to build up to the #1.

Until next time...Abyssinia!

Movie Review: Independence Day: Resurgence

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening...whenever it is you happened upon this set of movie ramblings!  Sunday afternoon I went out and saw the most recent big budget blockbuster Independence Day: Resurgence!  A movie 20 years in the making...that makes me feel REALLY old since I remember seeing the first one in theaters...over in East Lansing, Michigan.  "Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, Earth is faced with a new extra-Solar threat. But will mankind's new space defenses be enough?"  It stars Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman.  On IMDB as of 6/27/16 it has a 5.8 out of 10.

Let me start with what I didn't like about the flick.  First off the absence of Will Smith hurt the film in my opinion.  It was missing that fun factor that I really liked with the first flick.  I know there are people out there who don't like Smith but everything I've seen him in is fun.  Maybe not great but fun and honestly that is important in a movie especially most of the flicks he makes.  This movie was missing that fun comedy that was so well done in the first one...in my opinion.  I leaned over to my girlfriend and said something to the effect "you won't hear me say this often but this flick needed MORE comedy".  That isn't to say that it wasn't there, more on that later, but I felt it needed a few more moments.  I also felt like there was very little to this flick.  I know you can't re-create the big budget disaster invasion flick but it felt very much like a retread of the first, a few new characters and a new coat of paint so to speak.  

What I liked about this film was that it paid homage to the first film with the return of Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner and Vivica A. Fox.  I hate when films ignore their own past if there is a link/continual history.  On that front the inclusion of the Spiner character was fantastic and one of the best parts.  He was one of the highlights of the first and continued doing the same here. His character gave some of the best moments and the neurotic Dr. Brakish Okun is a welcome character, and actually gave one of the best scenes in my opinion near the end.  The same goes for Judd Hirsch character.  The character/alien designs were well done as well even though I felt like the Queen looked a little bit like the Cloverfield monster.  There was also the inclusion of an African Warlord whose people fought a ground war with the aliens and Nicolas Wright's character which was fantastic.  I'd actually would have liked to see MORE of these two characters together.  Wright's character was actually a bright spot for me and reminded me of a character John Oliver would have played.

There were a few things that were just there for me.  The young soldiers in the flick were just there. They tried to give them a backstory for their history but it felt flat.  It was typical best friends suddenly don't like each other but then get back together because they have a common goal stuff. Old story telling that isn't bad but just felt a little forced and not needed.  I was also surprised that Jessie T. Usher, who plays the son of Will Smith and Vivica A. Fox in the film, wasn't a more important character.  They focused more on Hensworth character which felt weird but from a marketing standpoint made sense...and possibly an acting standpoint as I wasn't real impressed with Ushers screen presence.  

Overall I give it a 6/10.  Nothing great or groundbreaking but it didn't shit the bed either.  It was basically what I expected.  Stuff blowing up, one liners and Jeff Goldblum doing his usual stammering which is good.  I don't know if it is something I'd check out again but worth a viewing if you like this type of flick.  I would recommending seeing this in a nice theater with good sound and picture.  I kind of wish we had gone to see it in IMax or other large screen format instead of a regular theater, it might have made me like it a little more.

Until next time folks, be kind to each other and.....Abyssinia!