Jules (2023)

A 79 year old widower (Ben Kingsley) living on his own has a spaceship crash in his backyard and he discovers an unconscious alien (Jade Quon) next to it. When he attempts to tell anybody about the alien and spaceship, they just think he's getting senile. Directed by producer (THE FAREWELL) turned director Marc Turtletaub. This heartwarming (in the best sense of the word) science fiction dramedy apparently went unnoticed when released last year. It's sort of like E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL with a touch of COCOON. It's special effects are minimal and the film is less concerned with science fiction fireworks than with its characters. In addition to Kingsley, there's Harriet Sansom Harris as a widow and the always welcome Jane Curtin as a cat lady. The film plays on science fiction cliches to both mock and reinforce societal attitudes toward senior citizens and fear of the unknown. I could have done without the seven dead cats though. Nowhere near the great sci-fi classics but a sweet little film that deserved a better fate. With Zoe Winters and Andy Daly.