March 20, 2011 -- This is a love letter, a very funny love letter, to science fiction films like “Aliens” and “E.T.” Everyone is in on the joke, except maybe creationists who get trounced by evolutionists and aliens in this very enjoyable sci-fi send up. It is a road movie with a wise cracking alien on the run from Men in Black with more movie in jokes than there are grains of sand on the average beach. I'm looking forward to the DVD with the commentary track about all the films and TV shows (like Star Trek) referenced in this film.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of the Dead” star in this film and also wrote the screenplay. They play two nerdy sci-fi fans who attend San Diego Comic-Con International and then go on a road trip in a big Motor Home driving along the Extraterrestrial Highway (Nevada State Route 375) in southern Nevada, home of Area 51, the famed “Black Mailbox” and other places well known to UFO buffs. They also plan to stop later at Roswell, New Mexico, home of a supposed UFO crash in 1947. Along the way, they meet some hostile red necks and are chased by a mysterious car which turns out to be driven by an alien, who just happens to look like a typical “Roswell Gray” alien of the type depicted in movies and action figures sold in toy stores. The alien, Paul, who has escaped from Area 51 where he has been held captive for years, asks for help from the two travelers, Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost). The alien wants to go home, just like E.T.

Along the way, Graeme, Clive and Dave, pick up an unwilling passenger, Ruth Buggs (Kristen Wiig of “Date Night”). Ruth's father, Moses (John Carroll Lynch of “Zodiac”) follows in pursuit, along with three Men in Black, the bumbling duo Haggard (Bill Hader) and O'Reilly (Joe Lo Truglio) led by the determined Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman). Deeper in the background is the mysterious “Big Guy” in charge of the alien recovery operation. This road trip through the desert southwest is loaded with alien encounters of the funny kind. In a twist it turns out this alien has been working as a consultant to the movie industry for years, so there is an added ironic flavor to all these movie references. The alien says, for instance, “Fox Mulder was my idea!” Another scene has the alien, Paul, on the phone to Steven Spielberg advising him on how to depict an alien in “E.T.” Graeme and Clive reenact a scene from the Star Trek at the Vasquez Rocks where the episode “Arena” was filmed. They run away, embarrassed, when people see them in costume (wearing a Gorn mask). This is a very funny film. It rates a B+.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2011 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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