Welcome to The Morning After, where I share with you what I’ve seen over the past week either in film or television. On the film side, if I have written a full length review already, I will post a link to that review. Otherwise, I’ll give a brief snippet of my thoughts on the film with a full review to follow at some point later. For television shows, seasons and what not, I’ll post individual comments here about each of them as I see fit.

So, here is what I watched this past week:

Aliens

It’s hard to compare the original Alien and its sequel Aliens. Both films take a slightly different view of science fiction. While the first film focuses more on the horror elements, the second concerns itself with technology and its use as a destroyer and savior. As the Cold War pressed on towards its final days, films representing the perceived Communist threat, the concept of nuclear annihilation and foreign interference play heavily in Aliens, giving it a more relevant thematic thrust. It even takes an early standing on government, big business influence where money is more important than survival. That’s not to say this film can’t stand on its own without these important elements, it can.

Like Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver emerged from the horror muck to continue a rather fruitful career, but not before reprising her breakthrough role. Ellen Ripley returns having been found adrift in stasis long after her adventures in the Ridley Scott original. James Cameron who would use a number of his regulars like Bill Paxton and here Weaver to good use, also advanced much of the clunkier technologies of the 1970’s with this film. His efforts were rewarded with a franchise high in Oscar nominations. Of the seven Oscars the film was mentioned, it even took home two prizes for Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects (the second film in the series to win this award). He also managed a nomination for star Weaver, the film’s score, editing, sound and art direction (the latter of which was also nominated here in the ’79 original).

Weaver was very deserving of her nomination, marking the first time such a feat had occurred for this type of film. While she had no chance of winning, it became one of those iconic characters we’ll always remember. The film itself, aside from the Cold War allegory holds up fairly well in the tension department, keeping the audience on its toes as expected scares turn into brilliant action sequences and the adrenaline slowly ratchets up until its flowing fast by the film’s end. And instead of pulling one of those lame open-for-sequel conclusions, we’re left instead with a tender shot of Ripley and her newly-adoptive child settling down in the sleep chambers awaiting their return home, should they make it.