ALIENS (1986) - SPECIAL EDITION - Full Watch Along
Added 2025-09-16 15:40:19 +0000 UTCComments
Oh you guys Iβm so sorry about the sync skip!! Ughh how annoying. Going to fix and re-upload. Will leave this post here since thereβs great discussion, but will put the new FWA up now. ππ» x
Coby Connell
2025-09-17 15:43:12 +0000 UTCSO glad you watched this one (and happy that you watched the special edition, partly because it IS better with the extra content and partly because barely ANYONE streams the theatrical cut, but so it goes.....). I have A LOT to say about this one, so buckle UP: I have to say that James Cameron is one of my favorite directors, in fact, I have a list of MY personal 100 favorite films, and he has no less than 4 in the top 30 (The Abyss #1, Terminator 1 and 2 #10, Alien 1 and 2 #12, and True Lies #28). He's a masterful storyteller. that being said.......... This IS one of those films that I simultaneously LOVE and HATE. The story IS amazing but stupidity and hubris causes SOOOO much crap for the characters. To some degree that IS necessary, but this one is just bursting at the seams. Due to my experience and interest in military stuff, a LOT of my complaints involve military related things. In NO particular order, here it comes: 1. Weyland Yutani part one (the evil, gigantic megacorporation that drives all the wheels) is SO large and SO wealthy, it seems ridiculous to me that they would even bother using US Space Marines in a situation such as this. Given their goal of acquiring a xenomorph for study and exploitation, having a purpose built unit that is fully inhouse and beholden to NO ONE but W-Y corp would be the best chance to have the most skilled, most competent and best equipped individuals on the job. 2. Colonial Marines part one Given that WYC knows very well the dangers posed by xenomorphs, it is preposterous to me to send ONE squad (AND call it a platoon....WTAF?!?!?!) with a severely inexperienced Looie in charge. If I was, say a full bird in charge of dispatching the marines, I would send a FULL STRENGTH company, 120 men to investigate the situation. With probably 200 or more xenomorphs, there's still room for the filmmaker to have battles, even epic ones. 3. Colonial Marines part two The fact that Gorman didn't think about the ammo in their rifles being a potential team killing explosion is inexcusable. ALSO, it seems like the marines didn't carry nearly enough spare ammo GIVE THEIR PROFESSION. (Seriously irritates me that even someone as level headed as Ripley, for her descent into the hive, didn't, as far as I can tell, take more than ONE spare magazine. Xenomorphs have basically TWO melee attacks (their jaws and their tails. The film doesn't delve deeply in to it, but the xenomorph tails have a naturally produced sedative that is used to make it easier to incapacitate prey in order to capture it for implantation, in fact, in the novelization by Orson Scott Card (excellent book, btw, adds a LOT of good stuff to the story and the lore), Gorman is actually incapacitated in this manner as they are trying to load the surviving marines on to the apc after the first disasterous run in with the xenos.) But basically, it's the idea of people with guns vs animals with claws and teeth. Colonial Marines part three weapon stuff: the weapons that drake and vasquez carry. Those are essentially the squad support weapons of the group, called the M56 Smartgun. Analogous to the light machine guns that a typical army squad carries in most modern armies, to lay down concentrated suppressive fire so as to enable the fire and maneuver part of the squad to do their thing. IN fact, the weapons are actually heavily modified mg-42 machine guns. The M41A Pulse Rifle that the other marines carried is actually a fire arm cobbled together from parts from a thompson submachine gun, a remington pump action shotgun, and a spas twelve shotgun. Only ONE fully functional example was made for the film (it's my understanding that Cameron owns that one), several weapons were made with JUST the 9 mm thompson portion functional for the actors to utilize. Xenomorph part one One thing that isn't mentioned onscreen EVER is the life cycle of the Xenos: pretty much everyone can figure the facehugger to chestburster to drone. In the second film, Cameron introduces the soldier class. One of the easy ways to distinguish is the ridge on the back of the xeno's head that is displayed so prominently. The Xeno in the first film didn't have time enough (and wasn't in a situation enough) to go through the transition, so it's head was just smooth all over. (also, ya'all watched the theatrical cut of the first film, which of course is fine, most people DO watch the theatrical cut of that one. The directors cut actually shows ripley, shortly before she enters the shuttle to escape, finding Dallas and at least one other (I think it is Brett but I'm not 100 percent sure) cocooned on a wall, in preparation the same way the colonists were for implantation, this has been the subject of much debate, since with only one NON-queen xenomorph and NO eggs......WHERE would the eggs have come from?? Does the xenomorph drone have some way of producing an egg? I really don't know the answer to that one) Weyland Yutani part two The early conversation between colonists about how long it takes to get an answer from corporate is important. It helps to establish how long the trip actually is to get to LV-426. My best estimate is that Newt had been on her own for roughly 6 weeks before Ripley and the others arrived, because it would take a while for WYC to even be aware that something was wrong, then they would have to mobilize a response, which likely would take AT LEAST 3 weeks to even get there. I'm presuming that Ripley and crew started FROM earth (nothing says otherwise), a response team that Hicks says would take 17 days likely would be coming from somewhere closer, so....less time in the freezer for the responders. I do have to give credit to Paul Riser, for making me HATE Carter Bourke with a fiery passion. That guy......Every time I watch this film, I want to reach through the screen and choke the life out of him. (in the extended cut, we actually see him cocooned and implanted as Ripley goes on her rescue rampage, she gives him a hand grenade to ease the suffering.....)
David Bennett
2025-09-17 12:48:42 +0000 UTCCoby, Lance (Bishop) was one of the Detectives at the Police station in Terminator.
Klyde
2025-09-17 10:06:52 +0000 UTCMmmm... it really isn't.
Doug Fisher
2025-09-17 06:56:34 +0000 UTC"Alien" is also my favorite and you will find it runs about 50/50 between 1 & 2. I also love "Aliens" as both are two different genres which was a smart choice for the sequel. There are only 2 Alien movies. π P.S. Coby, you might want to have a word with your editor as your reaction was about 10 seconds ahead of the movie so we were getting your reactions to things that had not happened yet. Just an FYI.
Doug Fisher
2025-09-17 06:51:28 +0000 UTCHe also became well known from the show Millenium which he starred in
Yoshio
2025-09-17 05:37:45 +0000 UTCDylan wig looks good. I am with you, I love the first ALIEN movie the best. but this one was also fun. I could say what the difference is regarding the special edition, and the Theatrical version, but I will let you watch it.
John A
2025-09-17 03:14:29 +0000 UTCLance Henriksen (Bishop) you seen him in: The Terminator (1984) Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) I think you seen The Right Stuff (1983) if you have not, you must watch it. So these are the ones you would have seen him in, that I am aware of
John A
2025-09-17 03:13:51 +0000 UTCI first noticed it a few minutes before the 2-hour mark. Tried to re-sync but unable to do so for the rest of the film. I was watching along with my own Blu-ray copy of the Extended Version. Sometimes a reaction upload will go out of sync if for some reason the content creator had to stop the reaction recording but didn't re-sync when they resumed. I don't know if this is the case in this instance. EDIT: This issue cropped up with the upload that Disney removed. Haven't tried this latest upload to see if it's any different.
ButtercupsTrueLove
2025-09-17 00:34:13 +0000 UTCOdd, but it seems like somehow you got out of sync with the movie toward the end. I sync up my movie with the blurred version behind you which held up the whole time, but it seemed like your reactions would come a few seconds early in the last hour or so. Maybe itβs something on my end? Anybody else notice this?
Matt Robinson
2025-09-17 00:26:46 +0000 UTCAlien is like when poor Cash has a bad case of diarrhea, Aliens is like giving Cash a bath and trimming his nails!! Lol
NEIL HOPPER
2025-09-17 00:12:29 +0000 UTCYou should also watch Alien Romulus. It is very good, and I understand there is a sequel in the works.
Joe R
2025-09-16 23:14:05 +0000 UTCLoved this reaction. Colby, the Ripley hair is ADORABLE on you. Lol
Frankie Crews
2025-09-16 21:38:15 +0000 UTCCoby, always coming throughπ. Iβve seen this now, and itβs so much fun going over it with you! But you also call it out on points I never even didπ
Chris Katsui
2025-09-16 19:49:26 +0000 UTCGreat movie and another great reaction Coby. I look forward to these each week
Michael Braton
2025-09-16 19:46:10 +0000 UTCGame over, man! Game ov... oh. It's up. Kay. Watching meow.
Jay Davis
2025-09-16 19:11:20 +0000 UTCMy comment was on the last post that went bye bye, so I'll try and recreate it. I'm glad you enjoyed Aliens and they are both great movies and of course whether you prefer the first or second movie is just a matter of preference and opinion with no wrong answer so it's ok you gave the wrong answer since Aliens is clearly better. It made the Mad About You Guy into a great villain and that's clearly impossible. It's also very quotable, I've used Mostly, Game Over, and Yeah, but it's a dry heat countless times. I'm surprised you didn't notice the David Bowie cameo as one of the colonists and as Bill Paxton's stunt double though after you were so disappointed he wasn't in the FoTC ep.
Nick Christensen
2025-09-16 18:42:40 +0000 UTC"Sneakers" is fun!
ButtercupsTrueLove
2025-09-16 16:43:39 +0000 UTCA heads up, Amazon is a good place to rent the SE. Unfortunately, I rented with Apple TV which doesn't include the SE, you have to buy it. But if you've rented it, you have to wait for it to expire before buying it π« So I rented again but with Amazon and it's all good now.
Yoshio
2025-09-16 16:32:44 +0000 UTCNot gonna lie, but I think this is bound to be a tad disappointing after your premiere. Not because your reaction wonβt be great, but we want to see the Ripley hair. Only you could look so adorable with that style. πππ
The Illiterate Mediums
2025-09-16 16:06:56 +0000 UTCOh, R.I.P to Robert Redford, he made so many classic movies, Butch Cassidy, The Sting etc etc... one film that may not have been his finest work but I always enjoyed was called Sneakers..worth watching even if it's just for you and not the channel. Love ya xx
Terry In the UK
2025-09-16 15:50:16 +0000 UTCThanks Coby.... shame on the copyright gods the first time round.
Terry In the UK
2025-09-16 15:46:57 +0000 UTCTy, can't wait
Shawn Ferguson
2025-09-16 15:45:55 +0000 UTCThanks Coby! Hope this one works better!
Dave Beth
2025-09-16 15:41:55 +0000 UTC
