Aliens

so glad ripley was forklift certified. anyways, this movie goes so hard it is kind of unreal how good it is. james cameron just took the original alien and said, “what if i added marines with heavy weaponry and a colony of those aliens?” i love how despite this being a very different movie, it still fits into what happened previously and deepens the lore. ripley is a fascinating character now, juggling taking care of newt and having to face her trauma head on. while the first film prioritized atmosphere and grand reveals, this film relishes in not just the bombastic, large scale set pieces, but also the smaller, more heartfelt moments. the special effects were revolutionary for the time and still look fantastic now. great acting all around and some surprisingly funny moments, especially with hudson. not one moment in this film is boring and it is definitely still my favorite. damn shame i am starting with the two best movies in the franchise because from what i’ve heard it just gets worse from here. still, i’m looking forward to some first watches for some of the next films.