Movies

The end of Noah Hawley’s *Alien: Earth* dramatically changes the backstory of the xenomorphs. They’re no longer presented as terrifying, flawless killers created by a powerful, ancient race. Instead, the series reimagines them as protectors of a young girl named Wendy, fighting against abusive adults who exploited her and other children for financial gain. The xenomorphs aren’t inherently evil-they’re simply misunderstood. The show essentially asks if you wanted a story where villains are created by circumstance, similar to Disney’s *Cruella*, with a thin layer of social justice messaging. If so, you get it, and it’s surprisingly silly.

Morrow is a complex character caught between worlds. He began as a security officer on the doomed *USS Maginot* and was later assigned by Weyland-Yutani to retrieve the Xenomorph cargo after the ship crashed in New Siam. Babou Ceesay delivers a standout performance as Morrow, portraying him with cold, calculated precision. Morrow represents the dark side of corporate power – a loyal employee who has been dehumanized and transformed into a ruthless instrument for his company. He’s unnervingly calm, intensely focused, and willing to resort to violence – even against those who seem innocent, like a child or a highly advanced synthetic being.

I’m bringing this up because the first season of *Alien: Earth* has a somewhat strange ending. Throughout the season, the show does a lot of things well – the monsters are darkly funny, it thoughtfully explores what it means to be human, and the actors really commit to their unusual roles (playing kids, robots, and robot-kids!). The first four episodes were tightly plotted and built nicely towards a big climax in episode five. However, the last three episodes feel a bit drawn out, like the showrunner, Noah Hawley, didn’t quite have enough story to fill them all.

In the series *Alien: Earth*, Atom Eins consistently supports Kavalier, helping him with both his business and scientific projects and offering him guidance. He frequently acts as the voice of reason, trying to temper Kavalier’s impulsive actions, though his advice is often disregarded.

This list might not agree with everyone’s opinions, as I’ve tried to consider how valuable, well-made, and fun each item is. I especially love the Universal Century series, so my choices are definitely influenced by that! But generally, most of the Perfect Grade models are pretty good.

I’m completely hooked on Season 5 of *Only Murders in the Building*, and honestly, I was laughing out loud when L.E.S.T.R. – Paul Rudd’s robot character – met his end! In the episode “Tongue Tied,” someone from the Arcadia building tossed him right off! John Hoffman, the showrunner, said killing off L.E.S.T.R. was an easy decision, and I totally get why. It just *made sense* for the story, and it was brilliantly done.

Black Widow first appeared as a relatively unimportant foe of Iron Man in 1964, and became a full-fledged villain the following year. Over time, she evolved from a stereotypical Soviet spy into a respected hero, eventually joining the Avengers and forming a close bond with Hawkeye. Though she’s been around for decades, some of the most compelling Black Widow comics have been published recently, fueled by the character’s increased popularity thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Apple hasn’t explained why, but many believe the show’s depiction of political violence is the reason for recent attention. The show’s trailer, currently still available on YouTube, reveals the plot: Jessica Chastain plays a mother who works with a group fighting hate by going undercover online as a white supremacist. She essentially works as a counter-terrorist, joining extremist online communities to try and prevent attacks. In the trailer, her character warns, with scenes of bombings, shootings, and fires in the background, that “We’re on the verge of serious violence.”

While watching Episode 5 with his wife and *Peacemaker* actress Jennifer Holland, James Gunn used Threads to invite fans to chat with him. He then posted:

Whenever a superhero movie needs a villain, certain actors are always mentioned – people like Giancarlo Esposito, Mads Mikkelsen, Cillian Murphy, and Ben Mendelsohn. They’re all talented, and any of them could play the part well. However, they’ve all portrayed similar roles before, so it might feel familiar.