I came across this movie when browsing through the latest movies. Maybe it was in my watchlist because I watched Jules a while ago. In sense they are similar movies. At first glance it is about aliens, but if you look deeper the story about aliens is just the wagon. The real story is about young kids finding their way in life, connecting and how they see the future. I thought the performance of the main actors was very good, only spoiled by the cardboard characters of the mean schoolgirl and the brother. We should forget the plotholes, the mother never getting into touch with her son, the disappearance of the father never reported or investigated and the grandmother not telling anything to her grandson and leaving him in doubt. Also the ending was cheap. Typical happy ending of an American movie. It would have been so much better if the father hadn't returned and the disappearance would have remained a mystery. It would have made the film darker and more mysterious. Pity. Nonetheless I had a good time watching this film so have given it a good score.
9 Reviews
Aliens abducted the proper ending, and now I feel kinda left out...
warren-872354 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This is actually a rather sweet little coming-of-age drama, and there's a lot to like. Sure, it's not doing anything groundbreaking and it was never going to compete with some of the greatest such examples (usually from the 80s!), but it has a pleasant charm of its own that overcomes the low budget.
The child actors are surprisingly good and in fact the lead character's young brother, Evan, often steals the show with some of the best lines. In addition, the young romance is innocent and endearing, and the characters are more nuanced than usual.
For example, the lead character, Itsy, treads a fine line and although she is the stereotypical 'moody teen who wants to go back to the city', young actress Emma Treblay manages to stop her becoming unsympathetic or too obnoxious. Likewise, the obligatory 'Little Brother' manages to be amusing and likable without going over-the-top and becoming annoying. The brother/sister dynamic is rather nice, playing into the 'teenager having to put up with young sibling' trope, but avoiding too much of the angst, in that they still talk and get along even if occasionally rolling their eyes at one another.
Likewise, the character of Calvin, who believes his parents were abducted, is played as an oddball without making his character cringe worthy or too embarrassing (despite one or two moments that come perilously close). The writer and director don't play into the obvious/over-used route of 'psychologically damaged' character.
A quick mention should also be made of Elizabeth Mitchell's brief appearance, playing a character that is ultimately unsympathetic and doesn't fit the usual Hollywood stereotypes. She does a great job with a small role.
There are a few stumbles along the way, such as the writer/director conveniently making Itsy blind to the obvious manipulations of fellow school pupil, Heather. Also, Calvin is a little too oblivious of some things, for example the Star Trek hand gesture joke. For a character as obsessed with aliens and Nasa, as he is, it makes no sense. It would be akin to a character obsessed with military history not knowing who Sun Tzu is, or a cooking obsessed individual who doesn't know what a Michelin star is.
Those issues aside, this was on track to be a rather pleasing little movie and then the final scene came around.... Oh dear... What were they thinking? It pulls the rug out from under the viewer, and reduces a relatively grounded and character-based drama into a cheesy parody. I have no issues with the alien abduction being real, and in fact would have been disappointed with a typical 'oh, there were real-world mundane reasons' story line. However, the execution just ruins the whole experience. If it had been kept to Calvin's father stepping out of the forest with bright lights behind him, implying the truth of what had happened, it would have been sufficient (not unlike a child of Roy Neary, meeting him years later, in a sequel to Close Encounters!). Instead, we are treated to some childish, 50's B-movie aliens, along with Calvin's father wearing what can only be referred to as a badly stereotyped costume that would have been rejected from the original Lost in Space! Don't get me wrong - I love 50's B-movie science fiction, but a parody of it doesn't work in this context.
The movie could have had a very satisfying conclusion, with no more budget or effort. Perhaps, after another ten years, Itsy and Calvin might have revisited the clearing, to introduce their five year old child to his or her grandfather, with an expression of awe, as the spaceship descends.... Anything, but what we got...
If only the writer and director could go back and fix the ending, this would be a rather nice and satisfying coming-of-age drama that would linger in people's memories. Instead, it pops the balloon in the final moments and destroys much of the effort that came before. It's rather a shame, for what is otherwise a well made small film.
The child actors are surprisingly good and in fact the lead character's young brother, Evan, often steals the show with some of the best lines. In addition, the young romance is innocent and endearing, and the characters are more nuanced than usual.
For example, the lead character, Itsy, treads a fine line and although she is the stereotypical 'moody teen who wants to go back to the city', young actress Emma Treblay manages to stop her becoming unsympathetic or too obnoxious. Likewise, the obligatory 'Little Brother' manages to be amusing and likable without going over-the-top and becoming annoying. The brother/sister dynamic is rather nice, playing into the 'teenager having to put up with young sibling' trope, but avoiding too much of the angst, in that they still talk and get along even if occasionally rolling their eyes at one another.
Likewise, the character of Calvin, who believes his parents were abducted, is played as an oddball without making his character cringe worthy or too embarrassing (despite one or two moments that come perilously close). The writer and director don't play into the obvious/over-used route of 'psychologically damaged' character.
A quick mention should also be made of Elizabeth Mitchell's brief appearance, playing a character that is ultimately unsympathetic and doesn't fit the usual Hollywood stereotypes. She does a great job with a small role.
There are a few stumbles along the way, such as the writer/director conveniently making Itsy blind to the obvious manipulations of fellow school pupil, Heather. Also, Calvin is a little too oblivious of some things, for example the Star Trek hand gesture joke. For a character as obsessed with aliens and Nasa, as he is, it makes no sense. It would be akin to a character obsessed with military history not knowing who Sun Tzu is, or a cooking obsessed individual who doesn't know what a Michelin star is.
Those issues aside, this was on track to be a rather pleasing little movie and then the final scene came around.... Oh dear... What were they thinking? It pulls the rug out from under the viewer, and reduces a relatively grounded and character-based drama into a cheesy parody. I have no issues with the alien abduction being real, and in fact would have been disappointed with a typical 'oh, there were real-world mundane reasons' story line. However, the execution just ruins the whole experience. If it had been kept to Calvin's father stepping out of the forest with bright lights behind him, implying the truth of what had happened, it would have been sufficient (not unlike a child of Roy Neary, meeting him years later, in a sequel to Close Encounters!). Instead, we are treated to some childish, 50's B-movie aliens, along with Calvin's father wearing what can only be referred to as a badly stereotyped costume that would have been rejected from the original Lost in Space! Don't get me wrong - I love 50's B-movie science fiction, but a parody of it doesn't work in this context.
The movie could have had a very satisfying conclusion, with no more budget or effort. Perhaps, after another ten years, Itsy and Calvin might have revisited the clearing, to introduce their five year old child to his or her grandfather, with an expression of awe, as the spaceship descends.... Anything, but what we got...
If only the writer and director could go back and fix the ending, this would be a rather nice and satisfying coming-of-age drama that would linger in people's memories. Instead, it pops the balloon in the final moments and destroys much of the effort that came before. It's rather a shame, for what is otherwise a well made small film.
Poor direction: a flub
johnconnorhq24 September 2023
The actors do the best they can with the poorly written dialogue and improbable disjointed plot.
The production values are surprisingly good.
Overall, most scenes are cringeworthy at best, with story development that seems full of missing parts.
Two main actors fall for each other but the moments that you would expect to see to understand this process are missing.
The protagonist who suffers from PTSD is treated like a one dimensional character something most of the characters have.
It was painful to watch this movie. If it could be re-edited with missing critical scenes added, it might improve dramatically.
The production values are surprisingly good.
Overall, most scenes are cringeworthy at best, with story development that seems full of missing parts.
Two main actors fall for each other but the moments that you would expect to see to understand this process are missing.
The protagonist who suffers from PTSD is treated like a one dimensional character something most of the characters have.
It was painful to watch this movie. If it could be re-edited with missing critical scenes added, it might improve dramatically.
Poorly written movie
mcvfwr18 February 2023
"Aliens Abducted My Parents and I Feel Kinda Left Out" is a disappointing and poorly written kids movie that fails to deliver on all fronts. The story is predictable and lacks depth, with characters that are one-dimensional and uninteresting. The humor falls flat; not funny enough for adults but tried way too hard to be TikTok relevant for kids to grasp. The dialogue is stilted and unrealistic, adding to the overall sense of disconnection. The pacing is sluggish and fails to build any real tension or suspense. This movie is a forgettable and unsatisfying that is best left un-watched. Save your and your kids time.
Cool Title But That's The Only Thing That is Good About This Film
chenp-5470829 January 2023
Saw this back at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Okay I get it, this is a children movie. Children movies are meant to be entertaining for young viewers to sit back and be in awe with something funny, fast paced and highly enjoyable. I understand. But "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" is one of the worst children films that I have seen.
The film suffers from a lack of charm as the characters, setting, and environment doesn't offer much to make the story creative or interesting in the slightest. The main story feels like it would work perfectly for Television either on Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon but the way it was written and it's direction doesn't make things better and very sloppy. Many of the performances were not good and the actors were trying their best but they seem to really struggle on trying their best. Most of the humor felt stale and the dialogue moments were really poor and felt forced as if the film was trying it's hardest to be in the TikTok eras. The special effects and costumes were poor as if they looked like something you would seeing from the early 2000s, the soundtrack was annoying, and the direction was all over the place.
Most of the characters were really uninteresting and if I had seen this a child, I may have been invested with them. I saw this online and I allowed my young siblings to see it since they enjoy watching science fiction stories. While he did enjoy some moments, he didn't seem to be able to fully grasp the film and did almost fall asleep halfway. That's really saying something. At the end, this is mainly for children and I understand this isn't a film for my demographic. I am sure many children might enjoy this film as there are characters and scenes they would like. But honestly, this was really really bad.
Rating: F.
Okay I get it, this is a children movie. Children movies are meant to be entertaining for young viewers to sit back and be in awe with something funny, fast paced and highly enjoyable. I understand. But "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" is one of the worst children films that I have seen.
The film suffers from a lack of charm as the characters, setting, and environment doesn't offer much to make the story creative or interesting in the slightest. The main story feels like it would work perfectly for Television either on Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon but the way it was written and it's direction doesn't make things better and very sloppy. Many of the performances were not good and the actors were trying their best but they seem to really struggle on trying their best. Most of the humor felt stale and the dialogue moments were really poor and felt forced as if the film was trying it's hardest to be in the TikTok eras. The special effects and costumes were poor as if they looked like something you would seeing from the early 2000s, the soundtrack was annoying, and the direction was all over the place.
Most of the characters were really uninteresting and if I had seen this a child, I may have been invested with them. I saw this online and I allowed my young siblings to see it since they enjoy watching science fiction stories. While he did enjoy some moments, he didn't seem to be able to fully grasp the film and did almost fall asleep halfway. That's really saying something. At the end, this is mainly for children and I understand this isn't a film for my demographic. I am sure many children might enjoy this film as there are characters and scenes they would like. But honestly, this was really really bad.
Rating: F.
Wholesome and Entertaining - Fun for Families with Kids
theemilydunn30 January 2023
Audience: Family
Rating (in my opinion): PG
This film delighted my family and I. The story and performances are adorable. Justin (Calvin) and Emma (Itsy) drew me in and gave solid performances. Well done you two. I found the main family to be endearing.
It made me laugh, cry a bit, and laugh some more. Funny, cute, and touching. My family was very entertained and kept guessing as to how it would end.
A lower budget film, but I didn't mind because I enjoyed the story and characters enough not to care.
Also, we recognized some areas in our home state of Utah. And recognized some familiar faces as well. Loved that.
Overall, I loved finding a wholesome family show we could all enjoy together. (Online viewing during Sundance Film Festival 2023). It's full of charm, innocent fun, and a bit of heart. I'm a fan. Watching it together with my family created a good memory for us.
Rating (in my opinion): PG
This film delighted my family and I. The story and performances are adorable. Justin (Calvin) and Emma (Itsy) drew me in and gave solid performances. Well done you two. I found the main family to be endearing.
It made me laugh, cry a bit, and laugh some more. Funny, cute, and touching. My family was very entertained and kept guessing as to how it would end.
A lower budget film, but I didn't mind because I enjoyed the story and characters enough not to care.
Also, we recognized some areas in our home state of Utah. And recognized some familiar faces as well. Loved that.
Overall, I loved finding a wholesome family show we could all enjoy together. (Online viewing during Sundance Film Festival 2023). It's full of charm, innocent fun, and a bit of heart. I'm a fan. Watching it together with my family created a good memory for us.
Disappointing...
paul_haakonsen19 December 2023
I had never heard about this 2023 movie titled "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" prior to stumbling upon it and opting to sit down and watch it. The movie's title is what drew me to pick up this movie, as it had a distinct comedy feel to it.
And having just sat through 87 sluggish minutes of watching "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out", I must say that this was a disappointing movie. I had initially figured that it was a movie about alien abductions, given the movie's synopsis, but instead writer Austin Osanai Everett delivered a teenage drama wrapped up in an alien abduction veil. Yeah, this movie was definitely not something that tickled me the right places, and I found myself somewhat bored throughout the course of the teenage drama.
The movie is listed as a comedy, drama and sci-fi; well, the comedy is non-existing, and the sci-fi is stretching it quite a bit. So that leaves us with a drama, which was exactly what "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" turned out to be.
Of the entire cast ensemble, I was only familiar with Will Forte, and he was hardly even in the movie. However, it should be said that the acting performances by the entire cast ensemble was actually good.
Visually then you're not in for anything extraordinary, should you opt to sit down and watch "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out". In fact, this is not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on, unless you are a teenager or young adult.
Having sat through 87 minutes of watching "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out", I must say that I also feel kinda left out in terms of being properly entertained.
My rating of director Jake Van Wagoner's 2023 movie "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" lands on a three out of ten stars.
And having just sat through 87 sluggish minutes of watching "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out", I must say that this was a disappointing movie. I had initially figured that it was a movie about alien abductions, given the movie's synopsis, but instead writer Austin Osanai Everett delivered a teenage drama wrapped up in an alien abduction veil. Yeah, this movie was definitely not something that tickled me the right places, and I found myself somewhat bored throughout the course of the teenage drama.
The movie is listed as a comedy, drama and sci-fi; well, the comedy is non-existing, and the sci-fi is stretching it quite a bit. So that leaves us with a drama, which was exactly what "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" turned out to be.
Of the entire cast ensemble, I was only familiar with Will Forte, and he was hardly even in the movie. However, it should be said that the acting performances by the entire cast ensemble was actually good.
Visually then you're not in for anything extraordinary, should you opt to sit down and watch "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out". In fact, this is not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on, unless you are a teenager or young adult.
Having sat through 87 minutes of watching "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out", I must say that I also feel kinda left out in terms of being properly entertained.
My rating of director Jake Van Wagoner's 2023 movie "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out" lands on a three out of ten stars.
Endearing and entertaining
abounds-0972931 January 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, not expecting the gut-punch it provided. The two leads, Jacob Buster as Calvin and Emma Tremblay as Itsy, provided outstanding performances. They were adorable, even though they both played outcasts. (Lesson: It's okay to be different. You don't have to change so you can belong to a certain group.)
It was a movie of laughs and tears, a movie for the entire family. It had the annoying little brother with his uncool antics as well as the parents who were deemed uncool by Itsy. There was the typical high school politics with the mean girl and the lone boy who was ridiculed. It was heart-warming to see the two main characters evolve.
I'm anxiously awaiting distribution of this entertaining film so I can see it again.
It was a movie of laughs and tears, a movie for the entire family. It had the annoying little brother with his uncool antics as well as the parents who were deemed uncool by Itsy. There was the typical high school politics with the mean girl and the lone boy who was ridiculed. It was heart-warming to see the two main characters evolve.
I'm anxiously awaiting distribution of this entertaining film so I can see it again.
Funny because it's so bad
lmlindeman27 March 2024
If you've seen The Room (or The Disaster Artist), you'll understand why this movie is funny. It resembles a real movie just enough to be taken seriously, which adds to the humor of it. I watched it late at night with the whole family. We didn't know what we were getting into and just kept watching like it was a slow moving car accident happening on the front lawn. We turned into the Mystery Science theater audience. I was at times groaning in pain it was so bad but couldn't stop watching, and by the end... omg. I was reminded of the Furlings in episode 200 of Stargate SG1. I recommend watching with friends when you're too tired to think critically.
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