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My Stepmother Is An Alien Blu-ray Review

“My Stepmother Is An Alien” is relatively unknown for a reason.

Directed by Richard Benjamin, “My Stepmother Is An Alien” is a 1988 sci-fi comedy about a widowed research scientist (Dr. Steven Mills) who sends a radar signal to outer space. The signal travels out of the galaxy, but the experiment backfires and causes him to lose his job. The now jobless single father to a teen daughter (Jessie) soon finds his life turned upside down however when he meets a drop dead gorgeous woman (Celeste) at a party whom Steven soon falls for. However, Celeste is no normal woman but rather an alien sent to Earth to try and replicate the radar beam in order to save her civilization. Neither Steven nor Jessie know that she is an alien initially, but her strange behavior leads them to believe something isn’t quite right. Moreover, there might be more to Celeste’s mission to Earth.

“My Stepmother Is An Alien” is the type of movie in which you feel bad for everybody involved. There’s a lot of talent in front of and behind the camera, but the script by Jonathan Reynolds, Timothy Harris and Herschel Wingrod is so cringe worthy that it becomes painful to watch this movie. It’s like they wanted to make a comedic version of “Starman,” but the largely dramatic “Starman” still turned out to be funnier! You especially know your movie is in trouble when the best part is a clip from “The Man Who Came To Dinner.” Everything else surrounding this limp fish-out-of-water comedy is embarrassing unless you find battery gulping, a handbag alien, and Jimmy Durante impersonations to be the highest form of comedy. Not even the title makes sense because the movie isn’t even told from the POV of Jessie! Only in the second half of the movie does she sort of take on a bigger role. 

The cast is quite impressive with Dan Aykroyd, Kim Basinger, Jon Lovitz, and Alyson Hannigan (in her debut role) in starring roles. Look for bit parts by Seth Green and Juliette Lewis too. Basinger fares well here as she’s undoubtedly charming and sexy as the titular alien. It’s not hard to see why her career skyrocketed after this. The normally reliable Aykroyd is miscast here and Jon Lovitz is positively irritating. Hannigan shines in her big screen debut though.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? The disc boasts a 2K restoration from the original camera negative and the result is a nice colorful transfer.

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The Lossless 2.0 track does the job.

Extras:
* Original trailer
* A booklet with photos, restoration notes and an essay by Amanda Reyes,
* Commentary by film critic Bryan Reesman
* Image gallery
* A new 14 minute interview with director Richard Benjamin.

December 28, 2021 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Alien Movie, Alyson Hannigan, Arrow Video, Dan Aykroyd, My Stepmother Is An Alien Blu-ray Review, Sci-Fi Comedy