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In a year as bizarre as this one, in which we’ve been bombarded by tragedy and trauma, nothing much surprises us anymore. In fact, we’ve come to expect the unexpected. So it comes as no big surprise when aliens attack in the quirky sci-fi comedy Save Yourselves!
Save Yourselves! ventures into the wilderness with Su and Jack (Sunita Mani and John Reynolds), a couple of New Yorkers who feel that they’ve gotten distracted from what’s important in life. They want to be better people—but, instead, they’re consumed by whatever’s happening on their phones. In order to reconnect with each other and find their true calling in life, they decide to unplug for a week at a friend’s cabin upstate. And with their phones turned off, they end up blissfully unaware of an alien invasion that’s taking place back in the city.
The week starts out peacefully enough. This lovable couple settles into the quiet cabin, surrounded by nature instead of the noise of the city. They pack away their phones and put on their flannel shirts, eager to spend time together enjoying the sounds of nothing but birds and frogs. The whole thing seems pretty perfect—and if weren’t already aware of the film’s plot, you might feel perfectly content to watch this couple enjoying a lightly comical week of adjusting to the Great Outdoors. But even this idyllic getaway has its challenges. While they both agreed to disconnect for the whole week, that didn’t stop Su from transcribing pages of self-help websites to her notebook, in hopes that they’ll spend the week assessing themselves and their relationship, opening up about their hopes and dreams, their fears and failures. As the couple stumbles along, mixing hikes and campfires with Su’s makeshift self-help seminar, bickering about where their lives should be heading, the hints play out unnoticed in the background.
When they finally learn about the alien invasion, this relaxing getaway quickly escalates into all-out panic—and the film goes from light and amusing to outrageous and over-the-top. Everything about it seems so ridiculous—from the puff-ball alien beings to the two city-dwellers’ awkward attempts at survival. It’s all just amusingly odd—and though it sometimes feels a little random and perplexing, that’s all just a part of its quirky sci-fi-rom-com charm.
If you’re still waiting for the alien-invasion part of this bizarre year, you’ll get a good laugh out of Save Yourselves! It’s a delightfully different adventure through modern life and otherworldly attacks.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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