PopaHALLics #167 "Alien in Heartland"

Five people trapped in a house during what may or may not be an alien invasion begin to suspect one of them is a shape-shifting alien. That's the "Twilight Zone"-like premise of "Alien in the Heartland," an independent film made in Indiana and available to rent or buy on Prime Video. We interview writer/director Eric Pascarelli and four of the five key actors:

• James Tackett, who plays Thomas, a retired movie propmaster still grieving the death of his wife, on the anniversary of her death.
• Tori Behny, who plays Roxy, his daughter, dealing with her own emotions about losing her mom in addition to her dad's spiraling behaviors and this crisis.
• Daisy Paroczy Hickey, who plays Thomas' sister-in-law, Kim, who chooses a very bad time to visit.
• Holly Anspaugh, who plays Ellie, who gets trapped in the house with her younger sister Johanna (Chloe Lutz). The two sisters have dealt with the deaths of their parents in very different ways.

A fifth character in "Alien in the Heartland" is the Dr. Richard Davis House, also known as "Woodside," a historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Marion, Indiana. The futuristic-looking Usonian style home was constructed in 1955.

Here is the trailer for "Alien in the Heartland."

The trailer for Eric's next movie "Method to the Madness," a dramedy about a Method actor coaching basketball, just came out. It features several of these same actors.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes of comment and criticism.

PopaHALLics #166 "Lost and Found"

This episode's all about discovery: Finding a space villain's kidnapped son, rescued puppies and true love in NYC, a way to keep your creative spark against autism, and, yes, even creepy monsters hidden in the walls of a retirement community.

Theaters:

• "The Mandalorian & Grogu." In the latest "Star Wars" big-screen release, the masked gunfighter (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable sidekick take on a rescue mission of ... Jabba the Hutt's son?! With Signourey Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Martin Scorsese.

Streaming:

• "The Burroughs," Netflix. The Duffer Brothers try to repeat "Stranger Things" success, only this time their heroes are an intrepid band of senior citizens dealing with supernatural goings-on. With Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Geena Davis. There's no long life in this retirement community: The show's already canceled after just one season.
• "Room to Move," Netflix. When an autism diagnosis sets her world spinning, dancer and choreographer Jenn Freeman tries to regain her creative center in this intimate documentary.
• "Tornado," Kanopy. In this unusual period action thriller, a Japanese teen (Koki) faces off against a scruffy band of outlaws headed by the Sugar Man (Tim Roth) and his resentful son (Jack Lowden from "Slow Horses") in Scotland in the 1790s.
• "Emma Shay," YouTube and "Holistic Emma," Instagram. Chronicles her transforming an abandoned general store into a homestead and botanical farm.
• "Kathleen Illustrated," YouTube and Instagram. This illustrator, thrifter, and creative is focused on personal expression through sustainable style and craft.

Books:

• "Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About," by Isabel Klee. In this memoir, Klee tells the story of the dogs she's rescued and her journey toward love in New York City. Her first true love is Simon, a puppy saved from the meat trade.

The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted material for purposes of comment and criticism.