SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Orla Zuniga It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Jason Forestein UFOria is among the strangest films I've ever encountered, but, frankly, I'm better for knowing it. Like True Stories, Raising Arizona, or Repo Man, it occupies that uncategorizable category of films that appeared during the 1980s--a little surreal, a little funny, and a little confusing. Of course, it's also a little great. Plot? I'm not entirely sure it's important to point out what the film's three characters accomplish (not much), but it is important to point them out: Arlene, a woman who dreams of flying saucers and awaits their arrival, Brother Bud, a con artist, and Sheldon, a good old boy. There is a story, and it's bizarre, but those three individuals (emphasis on that word) are the film's sole purpose. As much as anything can be, UFOria is a character study. And what does one need for a character study? Great actors. Fortunately, UFOria has them in spades. Cindy Williams is perfect as Arlene, so hopeful and faithful, and Fred Ward is great as Sheldon. For those that have seen Tremors, please know that that performance was simply a reprise of this one. Finally, we come to that master of American cinematic acting--Harry Dean Stanton. I could warble endlessly about his virtues and world-weary visage. I won't wax poetic. As he does in virtually every movie he appears, Harry knocks your socks off and makes you happy to watch him work. UFOria is not for every taste; it's completely off its rocker, but it's worth it if you can let yourself go. Fans of those aforementioned masterpieces of the 1980s should enjoy this little movie tremendously, if they can find it.

Woodyanders Cindy Williams gives a superb, luminous, heart-warming performance as daffy, but endearing small mid-western town grocery check-out girl Arlene, whose constant, deep-seated belief that she'll soon be visited by alien beings from another planet brings together a motley collection of New Age religious kooks, shiftless no-hoper losers, snoopy media newshounds, and other such colorful societal oddballs which include longtime Western movie bit player Hank Worden as a senile World War II vet and fellow ubiquitous Western character thesp Harry Carey Jr. in one of his standard affable good ol' boy roles. Arlene's nutty notions also attract the attention of aimless grifter drifter Sheldon (a grungily engaging Fred Ward, who's rarely been better) and amoral, cynical, opportunistic phony roadside preacher Brother Bud (the inestimable Harry Dean Stanton doing a splendidly sour reprise of his avaricious fake blind priest part from "Wise Blood"). Capably directed and smartly written by John Binder (who co-wrote the equally off-beat "Endangered Species"), with smooth, sparkling cinematography by David Myers, a lovely, lulling honkytonk score by Richard Baskin, and a top-rate country and western soundtrack (several choice Waylon Jennings and John Prine tunes are prominently featured herein, while the always great Roger Miller exuberantly belts out the wonderfully wacky theme song), this beautifully quirky and amiable sleeper offers a delightful, astute, pleasingly eccentric seriocomic look at how one person can indeed have a substantial positive impact on other people, the profound need to live a happy life, and how the ability to believe in something -- hell, man, just anything -- gives life purpose and meaning, thus making it easier for one to persevere and prevail through that dull, unceasing, sometimes disheartening daily grind we all must contend with. Intelligent, affectionate, often funny, and ultimately quite moving, this simply lovely favorite rates a sunny, uplifting, totally terrific little beaut.

bernard-doyle This is one of my favourite films. Unfortunately it didn't get a mainstream release here in Sydney. Instead it got released through an art-house theatre (The Valhalla). It could be classified as a country and western comedy with a dash of sci-fi I guess.The opening scenes establish that the central character, Sheldon, (played by Fred Ward) is a man, who, for all his external bravado is in fact an unhappy, lonely, drifter who badly needs an escape to a better life. He meets his perfect match, Arlene, played appealingly by Cindy Williams. She sees through Sheldon's facade immediately. She catches him shoplifting in the Supermarket she works in and sees through him in an instant (Waylon Jennings wouldn't go in for shoplifting). Not that Arlene isn't lonely herself. Sheldon manages to seduce Arlene, intending to leave her afterwards. Despite his misgivings about her belief in flying saucers, he finds himself unable to move on.As the other reviewers have said, the supporting cast is great as well. Harry Dean Stanton is great as the phony "Brother Bud", the hippy grocery packer, the "Colonel", etc etc.An absolute gem.

jim-600 I haven't seen this gem in years, which is my loss. I came to IMDB hoping to see that it was out on DVD. Alas, no. The characters are funny and quirky (not Hollywood phony-quirky) and the story unfolds organically. Having grown up in the 1960s, there were moments that made me laugh out loud in recognition.Two in particular: Toby (Darrell Larson) a wide-eyed hippie-innocent and his wife are cuddling their newborn son. Toby asks her "Do you think JesusKrishnaBuddha is too heavy a name for him?" Later, when supermarket checker Cindy Williams asks him if he believes in flying saucers. He replies, with a beatific smile, "I believe in everything." It's a great companion line to the hippie in Louis Malle's "Atlantic City," who is cautioned to buckle her seatbelt on the airplane and replies sincerely, "Oh, I don't believe in gravity."