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Aliens poster
Aliens

What’s Aged the Best?

Aliens The Rewatchables

Slow-burn structure, practical craft and the ensemble

In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:43Read transcript
  • An hour-long build before the first sustained alien action
  • Timeless hostile-terrain war structure
  • Physical sets, miniatures and creature effects
  • The war-focused promotional tagline
  • Paul Reiser as a comic actor playing a villain
  • Organic continuation from Alien
  • Video calling and other simple future technology
  • Michael Biehn’s screen presence
  • Hudson and Hicks as contrasting partners
  • Filming the Marines’ introduction late to capture their familiarity
  • The finale’s countdown matching elapsed time
Aliens poster
Aliens

Sean Fennessey Award for Stealth Homage That Gives Every Movie Nerd a Criterion Orgasm

Aliens The Rewatchables

Dark Star, The Shining, War of the Worlds, war films and 2001

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:17:07Read transcript
  • Bishop’s knife game compared with Dark Star
  • A child’s Big Wheel in the extended cut compared with The Shining
  • The opening probe compared with 1953’s The War of the Worlds
  • Military structure compared with Sands of Iwo Jima
  • Parallel Vietnam storytelling with Rambo: First Blood Part II
  • Dissolve from sleeping Ripley to the planet compared with 2001
Aliens poster
Aliens

Jesse Eisenberg “That’s good. You should be proud of that right there. Don’t worry if you don’t make it any further” Award for Best Line Reading

Aliens The Rewatchables

Bill Paxton as Hudson

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:13Read transcript
  • Bishop volunteering exchange
  • Confronting Burke
  • Reacting to the power cut
  • Seventeen-day rescue estimate
  • Express-elevator delivery
  • Sentry-gun morale joke in the extended cut
  • Game-over reaction after the dropship crash
Aliens poster
Aliens

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Aliens The Rewatchables

Burke’s scheme; Newt’s parents; Newt / missing motivation

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:31Read transcript
  • Burke’s plan to bring an alien specimen home is challenged
  • Newt’s parents bringing children to investigate the derelict ship is questioned
  • Newt’s prominence and self-assigned nickname are criticized
  • Ripley’s daughter backstory is defended as crucial motivation in the extended cut
Aliens poster
Aliens

What’s Aged the Worst?

Aliens The Rewatchables

Vasquez casting and omitted Ripley backstory

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:52Read transcript
  • Jenette Goldstein’s portrayal of a Chicana character is discussed critically
  • Omission of Ripley’s daughter from the theatrical cut
  • James Horner’s compressed scoring schedule
  • The scripted co-ed shower scene and its removal
  • Alien 3 killing Hicks and Newt
  • Later action movies unfavorably compared with Aliens
Aliens poster
Aliens

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Aliens The Rewatchables

Franchise direction, Vietnam comparison and Ripley’s final line

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:53Read transcript
  • Aliens may be the best entry while constraining the franchise around Ripley
  • Aliens may be a better Vietnam film than Full Metal Jacket, without necessarily being a better movie
  • Ripley’s famous final line delivery is criticized; another participant defends it
  • Craig is invited to prepare for this category in future and has no prepared take here
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