War of the Worlds (2005)

: Sweet Potato

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins, Miranda Otto

If you like action flicks (and I really do!), you should enjoy this one. It is packed with action and some amazing special effects. Based on the classic H.G. Wells novel about aliens attempting to destroy the planet, the story is modernized and focuses on the efforts of Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise), a weekend dad, to protect his children (Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin) from harm. Spielberg stuck to the tripod version of monster machines that emerge from underground and wreak havoc on New Jersey, where Ray lives, and these are some pretty bad ass machines! Ray and kiddies somehow manage to narrowly escape death, time and time again (but hey, who wants the hero to get vaporized?), as they flee to Boston, where Mommy is presumably waiting to make it all better. Okay, the script has some weaknesses, but the movie is fun, a little creepy, and still makes you ponder the question, “if aliens landed (or in this case, were already here), would they be friend or foe?” It isn’t going to burn your mouth with its hotness but, if you’re hungry for excitement, it’s pretty filling.

-PotatoPatti