Jules

This was a surprisingly pleasant little gem that was put together by relatively newb filmmakers. The pacing was a little slow for my liking, but the excellent performances by the cast, especially Kingsley, made me want to keep watching. There were even some entertaining wtf moments and lots of unexpected laughter, especially when you hear the first unexpected f-bomb. The story is a little laid back, so don't expect any action or Alien-film's type creature scares, but instead, a simple, sweet, heartwarming and (fun)ny story combining sci-fi, comedy, with character study about family, friendship and aging with dementia, and the beautiful metaphor that even the elderly simply just want someone to listen to them. It's a fun and entertaining 87 minute one-time watch that I'm sure everyone will enjoy.

Jules has a rather quirky yet simple plot, and it doesn't overstay its welcome in any way. The protagonist trio (played by Ben Kingsley, Harriet Harris, and Jane Curtin) share good chemistry and are fun to watch, as septuagenarians dealing with an unexpected guest. As old people, they're dealing with different kinds of things - ailments, emotional disconnect from their kids, and lacking a purpose.

The arrival of the alien proves to be a game-changer for each of them, especially Milton (Kingsley), who's suffering from increased instances of memory loss. As someone, who sits at home watching CSI re-runs all day, he suddenly feels like he has something remarkable to do. The ladies, Sandy and Joyce, enter the picture as allies, and the alien (named the titular Jules) turns out to be a friendly listener for all their troubles. They also want to help him out in his quest to repair his broken spaceship. This leads to interesting exchanges and wacky situations, all the while retaining the film's heartwarming emotional core.

The government surveillance angle was tackled poorly, and the CGI was really off in places, but the performances and the plot's irresisistible sweetness overcome most of it. The ending (and the change of mind for Milton) is somewhat sudden, and doesn't feel as impactful, but the scenes where the trio interact with the alien in the film's mid section made me smile a lot. I liked Marc Turtletaub's Puzzle with Irrfan Khan & Kelly Macdonald, and I guess I enjoyed this one a wee bit more.

An older man living in a rural Pennsylvania town is stubbornly set in his ways. His day-to-day life is turned upside down when a UFO crash lands in his backyard. The man welcomes the alien into his home, and they learn from one another. Things get complicated when a couple of the man's nosy neighbors discover the extraterrestrial. Together, they must figure out what the alien needs to get home, and with the alien's help, they can confront their internal turmoil and anguish.

A unique take on aging and how it affects the people around us. The movie is light-hearted and easy to watch. The runtime is short; the film quickly gets to the point and does not bother giving many backstories. There is a good mix of comedy and drama. There is more to this movie than three senior citizens and an alien. The underlying messages are plentiful if some thought and reflection is put in. This is a good watch for anyone interested in aliens, aging, human interaction, or looking for something different.

It had subtle humor and I loved it. For some reason it was just me and a bunch of seemingly 40+ year old men in the theatre and were all just commentating which made me enjoy the movie a little more. It was a minimalist movie, especially as far as sci-fi movies go. I called Prospect a minimalist sci-fi but this made me feel like I mischaracterized it. It felt like a mature little version of the 2011 movie, Paul, which I haven't seen in years now.

It also feels a little lovely to see elderly people get their own movie in the genre(if there was one or more made already, I haven't seen them). Also Harriet Sansom Harris kept reminding me of Aunt Lydia from Handmaid's Tale and I couldn't unsee it. I also loved the irony of Milton stressing over his flowers and not the alien visitor, added a little charm to a character that was already a gem.

It, of course, still is a fiction movie but it was very realistic in regard to the story; capturing believable human behavior and reactions to the events that unfolded. It's paced pretty slow but I was still pretty fun, it's an unexpected gem of a movie. One thing that surprised me is it didn't feel like a sci-fi movie as well, you don't have to like the genre to enjoy this.

Jules looked like your typical alien being, bald, short with a big head and weird eyes, although not so green. Jules raising his hands in toddler-like gesture was soo cute and adorable too. It's a more touching film that I expected. It didn't end the way I expected, or atleast initially, there were probably two points at which the movie could've ended, but it didn't feel like a drag. It's not a movie for everyone, it's pretty simple and minimalistic. Opting for a more toned down vibe without grand climaxes, but despite that, I genuinely enjoyed its unassuming charm.

First let me say that it takes a pretty strong reaction from a movie, either good or bad, to get me to write a review. Also my wife and I see just about every movie released, good and bad. Well, of all the movies we have seen this year, this has been one of my favorites. Sweet, thought-provoking, and just fun story telling. It wasn't perfect, but a really fun way to spend an hour and a half. I could have done without the swearing, references to sexual orientation, and Jayne Curtain singing, but they were not over the top issues. Ben Kingsley is just a master of his craft, regardless of the part he plays. And cat lovers beware - you might not like this movie. Sadly, this movie will never make the money that Barbie has, but this movie was far more enjoyable than Barbie.