"Alien: Romulus," 2024 Toronto Film Festival Preview

·1 hr 51 min·5 clips

Tim Grierson and Will Leitch joke about their 'Intentional Talk' facial hair before revealing they'll be gone until after Labor Day.

The episode begins with hosts Tim Grierson and Will Leitch joking about their podcast voices and facial hair, noting they will be off the show until after Labor Day due to Grierson's travel to the Venice and Toronto film festivals. They reminisce about the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, with Grierson sharing trivia about Oscar-nominated films from that year, including Madonna's 'W.E.' The conversation shifts to a brief discussion of Jack White's new album, which Leitch critiques as 'too fun' and lacking effort. The main review segment focuses on 'Alien: Romulus,' directed by Fede Alvarez. Grierson outlines the plot, set between 'Alien' and 'Aliens,' following young miners trapped on a spaceship with xenomorphs. He praises the film's atmosphere and lead performances but notes its familiar elements and fan service, giving it a B-. Leitch is more critical, arguing the film feels like corporate brand management and a 'half measure' compared to the ambition of earlier franchise entries, rating it a C+. They debate the use of a digital Ian Holm performance and the film's overall effectiveness. The episode concludes with a preview of five films from the fall festival circuit: Joshua Oppenheimer's musical 'The End,' Brady Corbet's epic 'The Brutalist,' Mike Leigh's contemporary drama 'Hard Truths,' Justin Kurzel's white supremacist thriller 'The Order,' and Todd Phillips's musical sequel 'Joker: Folie à Deux.' They also mention Alex Ross Perry's Pavement documentary. Throughout, the hosts maintain their characteristic banter, blending film analysis with personal anecdotes.

As heard by us

A measured Alien: Romulus review about franchise expectations, craft, and competent theatrical fun.

Alien: Romulus gets a measured look here, closer to a careful temperature check than a victory lap. The episode frames the film as good, solid, and competent, with strong visuals and pretty good sound design and music.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a clear-eyed verdict on whether Alien: Romulus earns its franchise badge or just wears it competently.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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