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On a distant space colony, a group of young workers looking to get off their miserable planet discover a derelict space craft capable of transporting them to a better world; unfortunately, once on board the ship, the previous crew’s fate is revealed along with the most terrifying life form in the known universe.Written by Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues, and Dan O’Bannon and Directed by Alvarez this return to franchise origins brings about plenty of stylistic throwbacks to 1979’s Alien, extra close shots in tight claustrophobic spaces, terrifyingly violated characters, shattering sound design, and of course the nightmare fuel of H.R. Giger’s creature design with both phallic and yonic references. It’s this latter point that gets emphasized repeatedly throughout the film, and in an essence is kind of the “secret sauce” of Alien, genitalia brutalized and on display in a most grotesque manner to unsettle the audience in the name of Sci-fi horror, and it’s effective. Digging deeper, the splatter and the spatter of Xenomorph acid and human flesh tortured further deliver the finer points of toe curling and seat shuffling as the ensemble is slowly dismembered. Of note, leads Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson carry the torch well giving memorable performances and delivering a few pulpy lines along the way. Running one hour and fifty nine minutes, this well edited and efficient carrier for terror is ready to make you hold your breath, even though you’ll want to scream. Alien: Romulus is rated R.

Detained at Sing Sing prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Divine G (Colman Domingo), is a founding member of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, a program aimed at giving prisoners a positive, constructive, and safe place to heal and develop their sense of self and purpose. But, when newcomer Clarence (Clarence Maclin), joins the group, the program’s healing powers will be put to the test as they attempt to produce an original theater production of their own, developing trust and security are tall asks of the group, might it be too much? Written by John Richardson, Brent Buell, and Clint Bentley and Directed by Greg Kwedar, this film, based on true events, was shot on a tight schedule of about 18 days, and features a cast largely made up of actors who all came through the RTA program and have lived experience in the prison system; end result, a performance nothing short of magic. Every character feels real, relatable, and genuine creating an ensemble piece unlike anything we’ve seen in ages covering the emotional spectrum from absolute elation to complete devastation, it’s heartache and heartwarming, inspiring and re-assuring, a healing and transformative journey and we are invited in to the session. Note to cast and crew, start getting your suits fitted for the Oscars, this will definitely be in the discussion come awards season. Running one hour and forty five minutes, Sing Sing is rated R.

After a tragic run in with a tornado takes the lives of several school friends, budding meteorologist Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) opts for a desk job with the National Weather Service; but, when old classmate and friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos), shows up with a proposal to get Kate back out in the field, the prospect is enough to get her going again. As it turns out, staring down tornados is like riding a bike, but, now with newcomer and Youtube sensation Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) in the field, sussing out fortune hunters from do-gooders will take extra effort.Written by Mark L. Smith, Joseph Kosinski, and Michael Crichton and Directed by Lee Isaac Chung this summer blockbuster person vs. nature adventure is poised with big action, big destruction, and big budget flair delivering the goods in whirlwind fashion. And, while the overall plot and character outlines don’t challenge the expected, the end result is still fun to watch play out, and the ensemble sell the drama nicely. Meanwhile, for the meteorology buffs, nice surprise, the science behind the plot actually holds up for the most part. Bonus, With a concise runtime of one hour and 57 minutes not too much of your weekend will get sucked away. Worthy of the big screen for the rumble and terror Twisters is rated PG-13.