Extraterrestrial (2011 film)

2011 Spanish film

Extraterrestrial

Theatrical release poster

Spanish| Extraterrestre
Directed by| Nacho Vigalondo
Written by| Nacho Vigalondo
Produced by|

* Nahikari Ipiña
* Nacho Vigalondo

Starring|

* Michelle Jenner
* Carlos Areces
* Julián Villagrán
* Raúl Cimas
* Miguel Noguera

Cinematography| Jon D. Domínguez
Edited by| Jon D. Domínguez
Music by| Jorge Magaz

Production
companies

* Sayaka Producciones
* Apaches Entertainment
* Antena 3 Films

Distributed by| Vértigo Films

Release dates

* 11 September 2011 (2011-09-11) (TIFF)
* 23 March 2012 (2012-03-23) (Spain)

Country| Spain
Language| Spanish

Extraterrestrial (Spanish: Extraterrestre) is a 2011 Spanish science-fiction romantic comedy[1] written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Michelle Jenner and Julián Villagrán alongside Carlos Areces and Raúl Cimas.

## Plot

[edit]

The plot is primarily set in an apartment in Madrid.[2] Julio wakes up one morning in an apartment, unable to remember what happened the night before. He barely has a chance to speak to the girl he spent the previous evening with, Julia, when it becomes clear there is an alien spacecraft hanging over the city.

Before long they discover that the next-door neighbor Ángel who has a crush on Julia and Julia's boyfriend Carlos are both alive.

## Cast

[edit]

* Michelle Jenner as Julia[3]
* Carlos Areces as Ángel[3]
* Julián Villagrán as Julio[3]
* Raúl Cimas as Carlos[4]
* Miguel Noguera [es] as tipo[3]

## Production

[edit]

Extraterrestrial was produced by Sayaka Producciones alongside Apaches Entertainment and Antena 3 Films, and it had the backing of Gobierno de Cantabria, Antena 3 and Canal+.[5] Shooting locations included Lavapiés.[6]

## Release

[edit]

Extraterrestrial world premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2011.[7] Its festival run also included screenings at the Fantastic Fest and the Sitges Film Festival,[8][9] Distributed by Vértigo Films, the film was released theatrically in Spain on 23 March 2012.[3]

## Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.0/10.[10] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[11]

Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle rated the film 2½ out of 5 stars, declaring it as "slight, filled with lots of bark but little bite".[12]

Jordi Costa [es] of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting the "suspense at the service of the minuscule" as the best thing about the film.[13]

Chris Tilly of IGN rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be "a well-crafted romantic comedy that is chock-full of layers, managing to be both dark and light".[14]

Eduardo Galán of Cinemanía rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, praising the impeccable approach about "how two lovers put their fiction-camouflage before the future of the human race".[15]

Javier Ocaña of El País wrote that "although the idea, in principle, is great, the development, on the other hand, is disappointing.[16]

Scott Wampler of Collider gave the film an 'A-' rating, billing it as a "lightweight, charming little film".[9]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Spanish films of 2012

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "'Extraterrestrial': Hovering between sci-fi and romantic comedy". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
2. ^ Ripollès Iranzo, Joan (16 April 2012). "Extraterrestres de andar por casa (1). Ataraxia Vigalondo". Rinconete. Centro Virtual Cervantes. ISSN 1885-5008.
3. ^ a b c d e Zorrilla, Mikel (23 March 2012). "Estrenos de la semana | 23 de marzo | El extraterrestre de Blancanieves". Espinof.
4. ^ "Extraterrestrial (Extraterrestre): Toronto Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 September 2011.
5. ^ "Gran éxito de Extraterrestre en el Festival de Toronto". Atresmedia Cine. 12 September 2011.
6. ^ Belinchón, Gregorio (21 August 2010). "La muralla que había en torno al cine español ya no existe". Revista de Verano - via El País.
7. ^ "Pasarela de estrellas en el Festival de Toronto". ¡Hola!. 12 September 2011.
8. ^ "Vigalondo divierte a Sitges con su 'Extraterrestre'". El Correo. Grupo Vocento. 12 October 2011.
9. ^ a b Wampler, Scott. "Fantastic Fest 2011: Extraterrestrial Review". Collider.
10. ^ "Extraterrestrial". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
11. ^ "Extraterrestrial". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
12. ^ Baumgarten, Marjorie (13 July 2012). "Extraterrestrial". The Austin Chronicle.
13. ^ Costa, Jordi (17 May 2011). "Extraterrestre". Fotogramas.
14. ^ Tilly, Chris (26 September 2011). "Extraterrestrial Review". IGN.
15. ^ Galán, Eduardo (3 September 2014). "Extraterrestre". Cinemanía - via 20minutos.es.
16. ^ Ocaña, Javier (23 March 2012). "De croquetas y melocotones".

## External links

[edit]

* Extraterrestrial at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Nacho Vigalondo

Feature films|

* Timecrimes (2007)
* Extraterrestrial (2011)
* Open Windows (2014)
* Colossal (2016)
* Daniela Forever (2024)

Short films and segments|

* 7:35 in the Morning (2003)
* "A is for Apocalypse" in The ABCs of Death (2012)
* "Sins of the Fathers" in The Profane Exhibit (2013)
* "Parallel Monsters" in V/H/S: Viral (2014)

Television episodes|

* "Pooka!" of Into the Dark (2018)

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