Alien/Predator Franchises

[DestronMirage22]

These films have been around for years, have crossed paths on a few occasions, and have grown in popularity in the last few years. Because of this, along with the fact that each franchise is getting new entries in the near future, I thought it appropriate to make a thread discussing these franchises. What are your thoughts on these series'? Are you guys fans? Do you have any fond memories about these films?

[CyberCubed]

Alien 1 is a classic, Aliens is a fun action movie.

Alien 3 is OK, but it drags on too long and the CG is terrible. Alien Ressurrection is pretty awful, but fun to watch because of how stupid it is. Bringing back Weaver as a clone of herself and watching her play basketball is retarded.

Predator of course is amazing mainly because of Arnold and its a fun movie due to the mystery. Predator 2 is a step down, but a decent action movie and I like Danny Glover.

I've never seen any of the other movies, and from the reviews and what i heard online, I don't think I'm missing anything.

[DestronMirage22]

I agree with what you said about Alien(s) and Predator (2).
Alien 3 used rod puppets and costumes, no actual CGI was used in actuality.
I haven't seen AvP:R yet, but I hear it's on the same level as the 1st one: an ok movie that doesn't compare to other installments in eachs respective franchise. I haven't seen Predators or Prometheus yet, so I can't comment on either.

[CyberCubed]

Also killing off Newt and Kyle Reese off-screen was pretty bad, it retroactively ruined the ending of Aliens. But if you can look past that, Alien 3 on its own isn't too bad a movie. But I can understand why so many people don't like to acknowledge the films past the first two.

[Cure]

I like Predatorsss.

[Wildcat]

I like the Predator movies better and the predator monster too.

Aliens (part 2) was my favorite of that series. I liked Resurrection too. It was pretty cool.

[turtlefanforever]

They're good franchises. Actually "Alien vs Predator" has become like it's own franchise in a way with all the comics it has. If you havent seen AvP:R you arent missing much. It's a decent movie but

Spoiler:

it's basicially a superpowered predator coming to earth and killing f'n everyrhinggg!!! Thats essentially the plot of the movie. And he kills the girl before the nerdy guy gets laid. That was pretty lame too lol.

.

If you're a comic book guy predator has fought the likes of batman and many interesting people in crazy crossovers. (even archie!)

Theres no stop on site for these two franchises. I like most every movie. But prometheous and Predator 2 didn't do it for me.

On a side note i main Alien on Mortal Kombat XL. Unstoppable once you get his moveset down.

[The Deadman]

Predators was a pretty decent film for what it was worth.

[AT-Man]

Predators is good, not great. Predator 2 is great, and Predator is phenomenal.

Alien movies are alright.

[Andrew NDB]

Alien: *****
Aliens: *****
Alien 3: **1/2
Alien: Resurrection: **
Prometheus: ***

Predator: *****
Predator 2: ***
Predators: ***1/2

AVP: **
AVPR: *

Something like that.

[sdp]

As a kid I loved both franchises even if I hadn't seen any of the movies, I collected all the Kenner figures of Aliens and Predators and of course they fought and also dumped plenty of dollars to the AvP arcade game.

As a kid though I only got to watch most of Alien on TV, most of Predator 2 and I rented Alien 3 and watched like twice before returning it. Can't say I really liked 3, 1 was ok but probably not the best movie for a kid to appreciate and I remember really liking Predator 2 and its ending. You have to remember in the 90s it wasn't so easy to find movies like it is now. In my teens I got to see parts of Resurection on TV and eventually AvP and AvP2 on DVD. I actually think both AvP movies are pretty good, I don't know what people expected from them.

Now that I can watch all the movies without much problem I just don't feel like watching any of them. I still think the characters are cool but I can't even get excited to own any Aliens/Predators figures even for nostalgia purposes. I don't know why. Same with Jason/Freddy, I absolutely loved them but no nostalgia makes me want to get a figure or watch the movies. Rather odd since I can even feel nostalgia and want to watch stuff I never cared for much as a kid like say Biker Mice from Mars and yet these franchises I thought were awesome I can't be bothered. I wonder why that is.

[ProactiveMan]

I like the Alien movies, pretty-much in order of their release. I think I like Alien 3 more than a lot of people do, but I like the "director's" cut a lot more than the theatrical cut on that one. Conversely, the extended cut of Alien is pretty dumb, and the Aliens Director's Cut wrecks the tension and pacing of that movie. Alien Resurrection has an alternate cut as well, but it basically just changes the opening credits, and extends the ending by about a minute.

Predator is harder; I think Predator is better than Predator 2, but I like both of them a lot. Predators is alright, but I didn't think it was very cohesive or satisfying.

I really don't like AVP. The Predators look kind'a goofy, the characters are annoying beyond belief, and putting Aliens on Earth in the 2000s ***** up the timeline of Alien. I sort'a kind' like AVPR. It seems to be universally loathed, but I like it better than AVP, and it has some neat stuff in it. I especially like the opening on the Predator home-world, where the Predator version of Batman is watching the final scene of AVP in his hi-tech La-Z-Boy.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ProactiveMan

I think I like Alien 3 more than a lot of people do, but I like the "director's" cut a lot more than the theatrical cut

That's definitely not a director's cut. Fincher won't even talk about the movie, let alone would have had anything to do with their alternate cut. Though they reached out to him.

Conversely, the extended cut of Alien is pretty dumb

That one actually is a director's cut (and it's technically not extended... it's even shorter than the theatrical cut), though Ridley prefaces it by saying it's not his ideal version of the movie, his ideal version of the movie is the theatrical one. He approached it as "what if I were to approach it differently, made it leaner, used alternate material" and not "let's reexamine what my ideal cut would be."

I've seen it and I actually like the pacing. I'm not sure the "let's grow eggs out of Dallas' body" thing is really compatible with the other movies, though.

and the Aliens Director's Cut wrecks the tension and pacing of that movie.

You're technically right, though the movie is so good it's hard to not want more content.

Alien Resurrection has an alternate cut as well, but it basically just changes the opening credits, and extends the ending by about a minute.

It makes things a little bit more satisfying. A little. But it needs it. I wish they'd have put a bit more work into the opening animatics with the ship and the bug squishing and all that.

Predator is harder; I think Predator is better than Predator 2, but I like both of them a lot. Predators is alright, but I didn't think it was very cohesive or satisfying.

Agreed. Predators just needed a higher octane ending. Like I've said before, Predators is like Aliens... had Aliens ended with them escaping the planet, and no final showdown on the Sulaco with the Queen.

I really don't like AVP. The Predators look kind'a goofy, the characters are annoying beyond belief, and putting Aliens on Earth in the 2000s ***** up the timeline of Alien.

Not really. Though it's funny to see how closely the plots of AVP and Prometheus are. Both feature a dying Weyland commanding a mission with a ragtag group of people led to their destination -- both, basically pyamid-type structures, with statues and traps -- by coordinates derived from ancient pyramids on Earth. Literally. Think about it. The only difference is one is Antarctica and one is another planet but it's the same difference.

I sort'a kind' like AVPR. It seems to be universally loathed, but I like it better than AVP, and it has some neat stuff in it. I especially like the opening on the Predator home-world, where the Predator version of Batman is watching the final scene of AVP in his hi-tech La-Z-Boy.

If AVPR had the budget of AVP it would clearly be the better film. As is... it just seems so cheap. But yeah, neat to see the Predator homeworld.

[ProactiveMan]

The Alien Directors cut I've seen is the one in the Quadrilogy box set. It looks like the Dallas scene was rescued from under the carpet to me as the image looks a little crappier than the rest of the movie.

I knew Fincher had nothing to do with the Alien 3 cut - I heard that recording of him on set saying the studio was run by morons or whatever. Interestingly they didn't put that in the making of. I think the extended cut makes more sense than the theatrical, but it's plagued with technical issues. The sound is terrible - there is really noticeable noise gate effect, like a background hiss that stops when nobody is talking.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ProactiveMan

The Alien Directors cut I've seen is the one in the Quadrilogy box set. It looks like the Dallas scene was rescued from under the carpet to me as the image looks a little crappier than the rest of the movie.

I knew Fincher had nothing to do with the Alien 3 cut - I heard that recording of him on set saying the studio was run by morons or whatever. Interestingly they didn't put that in the making of. I think the extended cut makes more sense than the theatrical, but it's plagued with technical issues. The sound is terrible - there is really noticeable noise gate effect, like a background hiss that stops when nobody is talking.

I think I like the dog better than the ox, though.

[ProactiveMan]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I think I like the dog better than the ox, though.

Yeah, so do I. I don't really get how the Facehugger impregnated to ox undetected.

[joe-eyeball]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Alien: *****
Aliens: *****
Alien 3: **1/2
Alien: Resurrection: **
Prometheus: ***

Predator: *****
Predator 2: ***
Predators: ***1/2

AVP: **
AVPR: *

Something like that.

I agree with the rating you have for each of these films except I would add another 5 stars to Aliens! That movie is phenomenal and easily one of my top five favorite flicks Of all time!

[THGhost]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Alien: *****
Aliens: *****
Alien 3: **1/2
Alien: Resurrection: **
Prometheus: ***

Predator: *****
Predator 2: ***
Predators: ***1/2

AVP: **
AVPR: *

Something like that.

Yep, nailed it. I've always preferred Alien Resurrection over Alien 3 though, not sure why. Call it a guilty pleasure of mine.

Originally Posted by DestronMirage22

I agree with what you said about Alien(s) and Predator (2).
Alien 3 used rod puppets and costumes, no actual CGI was used in actuality.
I haven't seen AvP:R yet, but I hear it's on the same level as the 1st one: an ok movie that doesn't compare to other installments in eachs respective franchise. I haven't seen Predators or Prometheus yet, so I can't comment on either.

The rod puppet for the Xenomorph was then poorly composited using green/blue screen, if that counts as CG.

[CyberCubed]

is Sigourney Weaver ever coming back? She might as well return as the grizzly old woman role similar to Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallon reprising their old characters from old movies.

[DestronMirage22]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

is Sigourney Weaver ever coming back? She might as well return as the grizzly old woman role similar to Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallon reprising their old characters from old movies.

She will if Neill Blomkamp ever gets around to making his Alien 5 film.