ALIEN directed by Ridley Scott:
A mining ship lands on Earth in order to investigate a received SOS. During the course of their investigation an alien attaches itself to the face of a crew member. The crew try to separate the two, but cannot. Soon all seven members of the crew are affected.
ALIENS directed by James Cameron:
Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver – Working Girl, Avatar) survived the ordeal with the aliens that the rest did not. Unfortunately no one believes her story about the aliens on planet LV-426.
Fifty years later the colony established on LV-426 has been wiped out. The government decides to take Ripley out of cryostasis to lead a team of space marines to the planet to find out if there are any survivors or aliens left there.
ALIEN 3 directed by David Fincher:
Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) escape pod crashes on a prison planet and there she is stalked by an alien. She lives in an ore refinery until her employers come to rescue her.
On the planet she discovers why her pod crashed. There was an alien stowaway on it. The alien ages and begins to kill off the inhabitants. Ripley begins to realize that she does not only have to worry about the alien.
ALIEN Resurrection directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet:
Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) died 200 years ago and now she is resurrected as a human/alien clone. The purpose is for her to continue her fight against the aliens.
PROMETHEUS directed by Ridley Scott:
Legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott is back with a big budget sci-fi movie which looks into the age old question; “Where do we come from?” The story follows a group of scientists that travel far and beyond on a spaceship called “Prometheus,” in the quest to meet their maker and get answers about humanity.
Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and her companion Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) lead an eccentric team of scientists to investigate alien life forms and get a better understanding about their connection to humans. Supervised by Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), the team lands on some strange alien planet where they set off to explore nearby caves. David (Michael Fassbender), a genetically engineered human, assists the team on their journey but takes actions that are very dangerous for the rest of the team and sets off circumstances which puts all of humanity at risk.
The first half of “Prometheus” is fairly low key as the scientists explore unknown terrain. We also get to see further into the intentions of the characters and what is going on behind the scenes of this mission. The story does get a bit confusing at times and of course you cannot expect that the film will actually give a scientifically backed answer to questions like “What is our purpose and who is our maker?” But it is certainly a good thing to get audiences thinking about such questions as asking oneself such things is the first step on the road to self-discovery. In the case of the characters in the film, asking these intelligent questions leads to a series of horrific occurrences (some very gruesome and graphic) and just pretty much heads off into a different direction all together, leaving viewers with disturbing images and not really any sense of what the team was really battling. Was it really aliens? Is the alien land they are on some government set-up to divert attention away from something more sinister?
The grandeur of the landscapes and cinematography was impressive (the film was viewed in 3D), and the concept was a good premise for a film but the characters were not well developed, nor were any of them really likeable. The gross factor was also just too much at times and took away from the film.
Special Features:
-Digital Copy
-The Peter Weyland Files
-Deleted and Alternate Scenes that include an Alternate Opening / Ending
-Prometheus: Weyland Corp Archive Second Screen App
ALIEN: COVENANT directed by Ridley Scott:
For the first time in a long time I can say that the Alien series feels like i did in the beginning. Alien: Covenant is ageless director Ridley Scott’s (The Martian, Blade Runner) best work in a long time. And by a long time I mean at least a decade.
A large part of why it works is because it has the same tone and look of the original. It is dark, spooky, creepy, menacing, and gory. Scott cheekily even references his 1979 film with subtleties like a tank top, big alien eggs and a plastic toy bird. Oh, and a pretty bad ass lady who takes control. He has gone back to the basics and it is a good choice. Some might be rolling their eyes at this point thinking it is just a lazy rehash. I am here to tell you that it is isn’t. Yes, it uses long established themes and story patterns, but that is why after five Alien films you are still a fan. You approve of what has gone on before and want more of it. Plus, in the hands of a talented director there is still enough wiggle room keeping things moderately fresh.
Most of the visuals are stunning. Credit to Scott and his cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (Prometheus, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End) for creating such a rich yet dark and eerie world for us to feast our eyes upon. The shadows are everywhere succeeding in creating plenty of tension.
Though you could theoretically watch this film without having seen Prometheus it is helpful. Covenant is a sequel (though it is a prequel to the original Alien film) to that film that happens 10 years Prometheus. The only character that is in both films is the synthetic human David (Michael Fassbender – X-Men: First Class, Steve Jobs). Everyone else has gone bye bye.
This is a sci fi film but there are some nods to other films and genres. The biggest is to Frankenstein with all the playing around with creation going on here it is as plain as the nose on Barbra Streisand’s face. It adds to the creepiness going on. This is a mad scientist film that happens in space. Man and monsters. Man and his creation.
At this point I am going to let you in with the fact that I will not divulge much about the story here because the precious few surprises (and I don’t mean that in a bad way just in a the series has been going on for so long there is not much they can do) should be left as just that – surprises. Suffice it to say this is another film in the series that strives to show how the aliens evolved to become killing machines.
Besides all the horror and gore and scary moments there are some rather cerebral ones as well. Some are not as sharply executed as you might hope though none are disastrous. At times the dialogue is a little clumsy while others (largely due to Fassbender’s delivery and commitment) it is almost poetic. Moments of philosophy and existentialism creep into the party.
Special Features:
-Digital Copy
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Prologue (Extended)
- Walter in Greenhouse
- Oram and Daniels (Extended)
- Walter Visits Daniels
- Daniels Bedroom Flashback
- Jacob’s Funeral (Extended)
- Ledwards Fall
- Crossing the Plaza (Extended)
- Daniels Thanks Walter
- Rosenthal Prayer
- Walter Reports Back
- Stairs to Eggroom (Extended)
- USCSS Covenant
- Meet Walter
- Phobos
- The Last Supper
- SECTOR 87 – PLANET 4
- The Crossing
- Advent
- David’s Illustrations – Image Gallery
- Master Class: Ridley Scott – Documentary on the making of Alien: Covenant
- Director Commentary by Ridley Scott
- Production Gallery
-Making the Anthology
The Beast Within: Making ALIEN
**Star Beast: Developing the Story
**The Visualists: Direction and Design
**Truckers in Space: Casting
**Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
**The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
**The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
**Future Tense: Editing and Music
**Outward Bound: Visual Effects
**A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods
Superior Firepower: Making ALIENS
**57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
**Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
**Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
**This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
**The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
**Bug Hunt: Creature Design
**Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
**Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
**The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
**The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
**Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods
Wreckage and Rage: Making ALIEN3
**Development Hell: Concluding the Story
**Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
**Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
**Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
**The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
**Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
**The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
**Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
**Optical Fury: Visual Effects
**Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
**Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods
One Step Beyond: Making ALIEN RESURRECTION
**From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
**French Twist: Direction and Design
**Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
**Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
**In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
**Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
**Genetic Composition: Music
**Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
**A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
**Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film
**Enhancement Pods
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods
Disc 6: The Anthology Archives
ALIEN
Pre-Production
**First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
**Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
**Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
**Cast Portrait Gallery
Production
**The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
**Video Graphics Gallery
**Production Image Galleries
**Continuity Polaroids
**The Sets of Alien
**H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery
Post-Production and Aftermath
**Additional Deleted Scenes
**Image & Poster Galleries
**Experience in Terror
**Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
**The Alien Legacy
**American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
**Trailers & TV Spots
ALIENS
Pre-Production
**Original Treatment by James Cameron
**Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
**Cast Portrait Gallery
Production
**Production Image Galleries
**Continuity Polaroids
**Weapons and Vehicles
**Stan Winston’s Workshop
**Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
**Video Graphics Gallery
**Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers
Post-Production and Aftermath
**Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
**Deleted Scene Montage
**Image Galleries
**Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
**Main Title Exploration
**Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
**Trailers & TV Spots
ALIEN 3
Pre-Production
**Storyboard Archive
**The Art of Arceon
**The Art of Fiorina
Production
**Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
**EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
**Production Image Galleries
**A.D.I.’s Workshop
Post-Production and Aftermath
**Visual Effects Gallery
**Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
**Alien 3 Advance Featurette
**The Making of Alien 3 Promotional Featurette
**Trailers & TV Spots
ALIEN RESURRECTION
Pre-Production
**First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
**Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
**Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
**Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
**Storyboard Archive
**The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
**The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries
Production
**Production Image Galleries
**A.D.I.’s Workshop
Post-Production and Aftermath
**Visual Effects Gallery
**Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
**HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
**Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
**Trailers & TV Spots
ANTHOLOGY
**Two Versions of Alien Evolution
**The Alien Saga
**Patches and Logos Gallery
**Aliens3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
**Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
**Parodies
**Dark Horse Cover Gallery
**Patches and Logos Gallery
**MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience
