Jules

No mind blowing special effects, no earth shattering explosions, no car chases, just a slow burn quirky small town film with a lot of heart.

As someone with a lifelong love of Sci-Fi who is fast approaching retirement age I could identify with the characters in this film. Ben Kingsley's portrayal of Milton is spot on and the inclusion of. Jane Curtin, who was known for her role in the Conehead sketches as Prymaat, is a nice little Easter egg that may go unnoticed by some. Plus there are subtle references to E. T. Alf, Men In Black, and even tangentially, Flight of the Navigator, there may even be others I missed.

Many sci-fi fans are fast approaching the autumn of their lives, and far too many science fiction movies overlook this segment of their audience. Good intelligent science fiction featuring older actors and mature story lines are few and far between.

Though the plots are significantly different, this film somewhat reminded me of Robot & Frank (2012), staring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon. If you like Jules I would recommend that you check out Robot & Frank.

Greetings again from the darkness. Senior citizens sometimes nearly cease to exist for the outside world, or at best, are humored in a 'there-there' manner. So, what do you think happens when an elderly gentleman in a small western Pennsylvania town repeats the same suggestions at multiple City Council meetings, and then, in a nonchalant way, mentions that a spaceship crash-landed in his backyard, damaging his azaleas and birdbath? Right, others just shrug and move on, assuming the ol' geezer is just imagining things.

But what if the old man is not imagining? What if that spaceship/UFO did crush his azaleas and he's now being quite hospitable and nursing the injured alien back to health? Well, that's the story here in the first feature film screenplay from Gavin Steckler ("Review") in a film directed by Marc Turtletaub, best known as a Producer on such fine films as THE FAREWELL (2019), LOVING (2016), and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006).

Oscar winner Ben Kingsley plays Milton Robinson, a gentle soul and widower whose veterinarian daughter Denise (Zoe Winters, "Succession") helps him out with finances, while also encouraging him to see a doctor in hopes that he'll agree to move into an assisted living home. We see her concerns as Milton is forgetful and repetitive and lonely ... yet we also see his insistence on maintaining independence. Obviously, this is a situation many families deal with on a daily basis.

Things get really interesting when a couple of the other town elders become involved. Sandy (Harriet Sanson Harris) is the chipper do-gooder who is always trying to better the community, while Joyce (Jane Curtin) is the nosy one who wants to know everyone's business. Watching these three deal with the quiet and calm alien they name Jules is almost a therapeutic experience in bonding over a secret.

Mostly a charming, feel-good movie, Ms. Curtin does deliver a dose of comedy with her rendition of "Free Bird", and having Milton admit to three jaywalking tickets while addressing the City Council is a nice touch. This little film is full of kindness - unless you are a cat - and most will recognize that sliced apples take the place of Reese's Pieces. It's likely the most pleasant and easy-going science fiction movie we've seen ... at least until the few moments when the government is involved. Let's hope we would all treat outsiders the way Milton treats Jules.

Opens in theaters on August 11, 2023.

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.

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.

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.