Crooked Table Podcast: ‘Aliens’ (featuring Will Nexii)

For the second time, we’re covering a James Cameron film on the show. And just like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens is a testament to the filmmaker’s ability to deliver a thrilling, game-changing sequel. The 1986 follow-up to Ridley Scott’s Alien is the rare example of a second film elevating its predecessor by building on what’s come before in innovative new ways. And like T2, Aliens was so good it doomed its franchise to decades of desperate attempts for relevance.

Will Nexii joins the show to discuss why Aliens is one of his favorite films, the impact of Sigourney Weaver’s Oscar-nominated performance on mainstream cinema, and why it’s still not too late for Aliens to get a worthy sequel itself. And as a bonus, we’ll speculate whether Cameron — the man behind two of the best first sequels ever made — can possibly make the world excited about the Avatar franchise again.

So, just in time for Alien Day, join us to discuss the mother of all sequels: Aliens.

SYNOPSIS

After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine-year-old girl named Newt (Carrie Henn). But even these battle-hardened marines with all the latest weaponry are no match for the hundreds of aliens that have invaded the colony.