Spaced Invaders (PG)
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This came out in 1990, and I feel like I must have watched it on TV sometime, maybe in the 90s, but I didn't remember anything specific about it if I did. I watched it again on Hulu in 2022, just to write a review. Before I watched it I wasn't sure if I'd put my review under "science fiction" or "comedy" or maybe "family". "Weird" would also be a decent fit. But since it's set on Halloween, that's the category I've decided to put it in. On the whole, it's a pretty bad movie, and I definitely never want to see it again. But it was at least bearable to watch it this time. (I'd understand if anyone else found it unwatchable, though.) There were probably a few things I kind of liked about it. The main thing is seeing Ariana Richards in an early role. It also starred Douglas Barr, of whom I was at one point a fan from The Wizard.

Okay, here's the story. Barr plays a widower named Sam Hoxly, who has recently moved to the small town of Big Bean to become sheriff. He's accompanied by his young daughter, Kathy (Richards). Meanwhile, a group of five incompetent Martians hear a radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds", and think their fleet has invaded Earth. (I do think it's a neat twist for Martians to make that mistake. And I liked the fact that the radio station is called WELZ.) So they decide to join the invasion, and crash land in the barn of a farmer named Wrenchmuller, who is soon going to be kicked off his land because he owes money to a credit union, or something. One Martian, Blaznee (who talks like Jack Nicholson), stays behind with the ship, while the other four go out to explore or whatever. The captain, Bipto, soon gets separated from the others. He does his own thing, including enslaving a gas station attendant named Vern with a mind control device, while the other three try to mount an invasion on their own. There's also a tiny droid whose purpose I have no idea of, but it befriends Kathy. She also befriends a boy named Brian, who is dressed like a duck for Halloween. (Kathy, ironically, is dressed as an alien.) There's also a clueless deputy named Russell Pillsbury, who is Vern's brother (but that's not really important). Anyway, lots of redonkulous stuff happens that I don't feel the need to get into. And ultimately some of the humans have to help the Martians get off the planet.

That's really all I can think to say. Did I mention it's utterly redonkulous? But at least Kathy is as cute as a button.