Tag: Lulu Wilson

On Earth, Don’t Scream When Xeno Comes Calling!

Jim Henson Company’s Creature Shop brings Croak to life with practical charm and heart. Xeno thrives on Lulu Wilson’s performance, though its predictable story keeps it from soaring.

Xeno movie poster featuring Croak the alien by Jim Henson Creature ShopBlue Fox Entertainment
Spoiler Alert

When Xeno features designs from Jim Henson Company’s Creature Shop, there’s every reason to check out this film. I couldn’t help but think of the Xenomorphs from Alien and even Marvel’s Venom. And what we see works best in shadow, where we’re not meant to see every detail. Parts of the body suggest something more amphibious than skeletal, slimy than decayed, and once you see its face, you’ll either be unsettled or charmed.

Even in the press, this film is labelled a darker riff on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it’s easy to spot the Spielbergian tropes director Matthew Loren Oates is leaning on. The premise of a teen bonding with an alien is competently handled, but rarely feels new. What’s presented is less about Beauty and the Beast and the leanings towards How to Train Your Dragon are noticeable. I like my pets/companions to be more feral.

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Ouija: Origin of Evil is a Better Treat for Fans of this Franchise

The game is hardly over with the prequel Ouija: Origin of Evil. A few more tales can be spelled out but just how long interest remains depends on the desire of players wanting to toy with fate.

ouija_two_xxlg-jpegThe game is hardly over with the prequel Ouija: Origin of Evil. A few more tales can be spelled out but just how long interest remains depends on the desire of players wanting to toy with fate.

This latest movie is better than the first (I reviewed it here) mostly because of the setting. The late 60’s was a time where plenty of geopolitical terrors were lurking about. The aspects of historical rife made it so; the ongoing Vietnam War was on the minds of some politicians, the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 began the year. The end of this decade was rife with uncertainty as the future looked grim.

People were looking for answers; some turned to spirit contact for messages in what the future may hold. Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) offered her skills as a medium (when she really had none) to give solace to those concerned about the world at large. Most of her clients wanted council because of the passing of a loved one. However, most of her séances were faked. The deception is known by her daughters Doris (effectively played with creepy finesse by Lulu Wilson), the youngest, and Paulina “Lina” (Annalise Basso), the eldest as they sometimes help mom out. However, when the Hasbro game is introduced and Alice decides to use it in her own game of deception, the supernatural forces lurking in her home are awakened!

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