It's Just Movies

— by JOSUE SANCHEZ —

There is a lot to be said about the clip for the movie “Planet 51” shown below.

To me, it is smart to not just show a montage of different clips from a movie, but to provide a two-minute clip of perhaps a key moment instead. In this case, that’s what we have here. It’s titled “Planet Landing,” and the clip simply gives us an idea of what to expect from this movie.

It’s funny that the aliens are so 1950s America. Their hairstyles, homes, and clothes give that feel. The style of the movie is definitely very ’50s to ’60s, yet we know it’s supposed to be the future. The next interesting thing is we cannot call the little green people “aliens,” for it is the American astronaut who is the alien outsider.

I enjoyed all the references to other alien movies such as “Alien” and “E.T.” in just this one clip alone. The graphics can be cartoony at times, but then realistic and detailed at others. It was funny that the “pet” outside the home, playing the role of a dog, looks just like a cute little Alien (from the movie “Alien”) but with a tongue that suctions onto things! Oh, and the rubber ducky lying on the floor, which the astronaut steps on, has the same antenna-looking things that the habitants of the planet have. Very clever.

One of the strengths this movie has going for it is its cast. Dwayne Johnson as Captain Charles “Chuck” Baker (the lead) will be interesting to see, but the rest of the cast is just as interesting: Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Sean William Scott and John Cleese. Yet I still ask: Will Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson be able to transmit his charisma onto a 3D animation?

“Planet 51” will land in theaters on Nov. 20.

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