Who Plays Who?

Carter Jenkins Austin Butler Ashley Tisdale Ashley Boettcher Henri Young Regan Young Doris Roberts Robert Hoffman Kevin Nealon Gillian Vigman Andy Richter Tim Meadows Malese Jow Megan Parker Maggie VandenBerghe Doug MacMillan Warren Paeff Thomas Haden Church Josh Peck Ashley Peldon Kari Wahlgren

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Tom Pearson Jake Pearson Bethany Pearson Hannah Pearson Art Pearson Lee Pearson Nana Rose Pearson Ricky Dillman Stuart Pearson Nina Pearson Uncle Nathan Pearson Sheriff Doug Armstrong Julie Brooke Annie Filkins Police Radio Dispatch Radio Announcer Tazer Sparks Skip Razor

What Do The Critics Say

"Generic aliens, pedestrian dialogue, initially annoying characters: this family action/comedy gets off to an inauspicious start. So it's something of a shock when you find yourself going along with it, belly-laughing the rest of the way. Despite a lacklustre beginning, this family film manages to keep its audience entertained right through to the end. Those looking for family fare can approach Aliens In The Attic without dread. Stay tuned for the gag reel in the last half of the credits." Annette Basile FILMINK "Humbly swinging from dorky set-up to decent alien tussles, hit-and-miss prattle and the odd inspired choice: wire-fu Doris Roberts; an old phone: director John Schultz’s space invasion is well suited to brighten a wet weekend. No kidding. Getting past the passages of forced teen coolness, this likable sci-fi romp brings some PG-tastic fun." Ben McEachen EMPIRE MAGAZINE "A children's movie mix of live-action and animation directed by John Schultz, Aliens has a few positive messages, a few laughs and a few comic throwdowns, one involving Doris Roberts of Everybody Loves Raymond going all Crouching Tiger on alien-controlled frat boy. Hilarious? No. But will you hate your kids for begging to see it? Nooooo." Roger Moore COURIER MAIL "Most of all, it comes as a bit of a relief to see a movie aimed at kids that doesn't come with the increasingly irritating 3-D gimmick, the distracting vocal contributions of big-name stars or elaborate backstories. Primarily here to make noise and stay frenzied enough to keep little minds invested." Peter Sobczynski EFILMCRITIC "The surprise here is that director John Schultz pulls this together and makes it seem fresh. The movie is thankfully free of the cheap fart-joke humour so prevalent in kids movies. Language is tame. One kid refers to the green guys as 'buggers' and another kid says, "Heck!" Another thing the kids might like, while their parents won't mind: Adults are useless in stopping an alien invasion. The heroes are all underage. For the youngsters, it offers a lot of fun; and it's funny." Bruce Kirkland JAM! MOVIES

"There is no attempt to take anything seriously, especially not the mini aliens, who are half ugly half cute. The gadgets and gizmos are fun, the romantic play between Robert Hoffman's Ricky and Ashley Tisdale's Bethany is like a running gag with bonus extras in the form of an alien gizmo that takes control of humans, and Doris Roberts gets into the swing of it all as Nana, the grandma whose false teeth have a cameo role. Undemanding and occasionally lol, Aliens in the Attic will have the youngsters in stitches at some of the fight scenes. Entertaining and sometimes goofy family comedy." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE "Aliens In The Attic is a movie solely aimed at children and it does exactly what it sets out to do. It's nothing more than a harmless comedy for kids and tweenagers chock full of slapstick comedy, cute-as-pie aliens and appealing child stars. It's a kid-friendly mix of "Men In Black" crossed with "Gremlins" with a healthy dose of "Home Alone" style violence thrown in. It's a perfectly pleasant way to wile away a few hours with your family." Lara Martin DIGITAL SPY "This is just a giant slurp of cinematic Sunny D, quenching the thirst for instant fun with CGI sweeteners and a fast-acting concoction of other slapstick additives. In a scenario not unlike kids-vs-beasties adventure The Spiderwick Chronicles, the ensuing battle sees Tom and the gang trying to outwit the cosmic villains (variously voiced by JK Simmons and Thomas Haden Church) before they can call the rest of the little green men." Elliott Noble SKY MOVIES "The film is pure pre-teen fantasy, as the children save the day through sheer ingenuity and a lot of whizzy gadgets they grab from the invaders. It helps that the characters are genuinely likeable: even the hilariously ugly little aliens, who bicker and do stupid things just like the adults. Yes, it's thoroughly silly, but the script never tries to be anything else. High energy levels and some genuinely hilarious set pieces make this kids' alien-invasion romp a lot more fun than expected. It's not, erm, rocket science, but it's a thoroughly entertaining ride from start to finish. And adults will be surprised that they like it too, although most would never admit it." Rich Cline SHADOWS ON THE WALL

The Inside Story "Aliens In The Attic" springs from the story by Mark Burton, who wanted to capture what he loves most about films for the entire family: high adventure, unexpected thrills, inventiveness and likable characters, both young and old. Burton, who also co-wrote the screenplay, was at home with his wife and family in London, enjoying the company of a group of their grown-up friends downstairs while his kids and their friends’ kids were having raucous fun upstairs. What if, Burton imagined, the kids were battling some alien invaders, while we adults remained oblivious to the goings-on upstairs? For Burton, imagination is king and central to the adventure transpiring in the attic. But his inspiration was very much of the real world. "When my kids were younger we often used to have the neighbors around," he recalls. "We'd sit in the kitchen whilst all the kids would disappear upstairs, get massively overexcited, and end up having some huge game running around throwing and firing things at each other. One day I just looked up at the shaking ceiling and thought: what if that was a real battle and we didn't know? That became the essence of "Aliens In The Attic": it's an alien invasion movie where the kids are in charge and the adults have to remain clueless." The screenplay, with further refinements from co-screenwriter Adam F Goldberg (Free Wheelin'), sparked the imagination of producer Barry Josephson. He had recently produced the hit comedy "Enchanted", another story rich with imagination, humor and fun. Josephson admitted that he "really loved the tone of the script." As he had accomplished with "Enchanted", Josephson’s aim with "Aliens In The Attic" was to produce a film the entire family would enjoy. "This is not just a movie for kids, because there are a lot of laughs, big action set pieces and original situations," Josephson ("The Last Boy Scout" & "Hide and Seek") explained. "You don’t always know where the story is going, or what the aliens are going to do next. And kids are always nothing less than surprising!" To direct, Josephson and studios Twentieth Century Fox and Regency Enterprises turned to John Schultz, who had helmed the Josephson-produced comedy hit "Like Mike". Their first meeting on the film was a harbinger of the free-flowing creativity that would mark the project through its development, pre-production, production and post-production. The two filmmaker's intense back and forth brainstorming session centered on the Pearsons vs the Aliens battles and character dynamics that were at the heart of the story. "I loved John’s enthusiasm for the project," says Josephson. "He really understood the character arcs for both the kids and the aliens. John wanted to make sure the aliens were inventive and different from anything audiences had experienced before." Schultz and Josephson then began meetings with visual effects powerhouse Rhythm & Hues ("The Incredible Hulk" & "The Golden Compass") and visual effects supervisor Douglas Hans Smith. Schultz presented the effects house’s design team with detailed alien character description and back stories, which Smith later expanded into full character 'biographies'. Schultz, Josephson, Smith and the Oscar ® winning animators at Rhythm & Hues made sure the alien quartet had distinct personalities. "You can identify each of them before they even speak or move," Josephson notes. Both he and Schultz were also determined to bring together a cast with an intriguing mix of comedy veterans and rising young stars. Taking on the role of love struck teenager Bethany is actress/singer/songwriter Ashley Tisdale, who starred in the wildly popular "High School Musical" films. Coming off that iconic series, Tisdale was looking for something different for her next project. Josephson asked Ashley, "What do you want your next movie to be?" She replied, "An action movie." He told her, "Well, here’s your action movie." He was, of course, referring to "Aliens In The Attic". Tisdale ("Picture This") embraced her battle with the aliens, even though her character Bethany enters into it at a late stage. But before Bethany becomes an alien-battling warrior, she is, says Tisdale, "a typical teen, trying to act older and more mature than she really is." She is besotted with boyfriend Ricky, so much so that "she’s oblivious to the craziness around her," meaning of course, her brother’s and cousins’ upstairs mêlée with the visitors from outer space. When Bethany does enter the fray, she’s a little out of her element. "Bethany’s used to being in control, and when she joins the battle, she loses control." Ultimately, though, Bethany’s a force to be reckoned with: on any planet. "When it comes down to the final battle, Bethany really stands up for herself," says Tisdale. "She’s not someone to be pushed around!" The object of Bethany’s affection is Ricky Dillman, played by Robert Hoffman ("Step Up 2: The Streets"). Ricky is the first to fall victim to the aliens mind control machine. "I had a lot of fun using my dance experience to really kick up the fun," the 2004 American Choreography Award winner ("You Got Served") notes. "I got to fall on my back, jump, magically rise to my feet (from a prone position), get kicked down a flight of stairs, and run into cars." One of the film’s action centerpieces is a knock-down, drag-out, martial arts battle royale between the kids’ grandmother, sweet and kind Granny Rose, who’s come under the influence of the mind control device (now controlled by the Pearsons) and the alien-controlled Ricky. It’s Ninja Nana versus Zombie Ricky, who’s no match for Nana as she attacks, swings, punches, lunges, leaps, ducks, dodges, triple-face kicks, flips off a wall, and springs up from the floor like a kung fu master. The chance to play a mind-controlled zombie was too good to pass up for five time EMMY Award winning actress Doris Roberts or, to be more accurate, for her two young grandsons, who insisted she take the role. "They were very excited about "Aliens In The Attic" and especially about that scene," says Roberts, best known for her role as Ray Romano’s meddlesome Marie Barone, on "Everybody Loves Raymond". "You’ve gotta do the movie! You’ll be a zombie!" they told her. "So I did it. It was a lot of fun to play a sweet grandmother who gets zapped, becomes a zombie, and then returns to being a sweet grandmother, again." Comedy veteran, Kevin Nealon (TV'S "Weeds"), portrays Stuart Pearson, father to Bethany and Tom. It is Stuart who insists on the family getaway, unaware that the idyllic vacation will soon erupt into an interplanetary warfare. Stuart organizes the vacation with the best of intentions. "He’s hoping to reconnect with his son Tom, who is going through some changes: some growing pains," says Nealon, who has appeared with Adam Sandler in: "Little Nicky", "Anger Management" and "You Don't Mess with the Zohan". Another 'SNL' vet, Tim Meadows ("Mean Girls"), plays local constable, Sheriff Doug Armstrong. Like all the adult characters, he’s clueless about the brouhaha erupting in the Pearsons’ attic: and perhaps just clueless in general. "He’s a one man police force," says Meadows ("Semi-Pro") of his character. "So he takes his job way too seriously." Gillian Vigman, (Stephanie in the recent comedy hit "The Hangover"), was cast as Nina Pearson: wife to Nealon’s Stuart and mom to Bethany and Tom. Nina is a stabilizing force in a wild situation (although she and the other adults remain clueless to just how out of control their vacation has become). Joining these comedy greats is a talented young ensemble portraying the kids who wage war in the attic of their vacation home against alien intruders. Carter Jenkins is Tom Pearson, Austin Butler is Jake Pearson, Ashley Boettcher is Hannah Pearson; and twins Henri and Regan Young are Art and Lee Pearson. The casting of the alien voices was also a mix of acclaimed veterans and talented younger actors. Thomas Haden Church, whose acclaimed body of work includes an Oscar® nomination for "Sideways" and a starring role as the villainous Sandman in "Spider-Man 3", voices Tazer, the muscle-bound hardcase alien; J.K. Simmons, whose numerous credits include the sympathetic dad in "Juno" and a trio of memorable turns as gruff editor Jonah Jameson in the "Spider-Man" franchise, voices Skip; Josh Peck ("Ice Age: The Meltdown") voices the geeky, four-armed Sparks; and Kari Wahlgren ("Bolt") is the dishy (in an alien kind of way), but dangerous Razor. In the story, the vacation home that serves as ground zero for the Pearsons vs the Aliens battle is in Michigan, but for production and weather considerations, "Aliens In The Attic" was filmed at the other end of the world: in New Zealand. The far-flung locale turned out to be perfect for the production, which found a house in Auckland that was a perfect match for the Michigan vacation home the filmmakers had envisioned. The Queen Victoria-era house was built in the early 1900's. A few years ago, the structure was to be demolished to make way for a more modern house. The house was spared from the wrecking ball and moved to a site in Auckland’s semi-rural outskirts. The move required the house being “cut up” into eight pieces for transportation by truck and then reassembled. Production designer Barry Chusid ("The Last Mimzy") oversaw the process of putting the finishing touches on what was already an appropriately quirky-looking house. "The house was nearly perfect because it’s large and oddly shaped, so you could believe that kids are battling aliens on the top two floors, rooftop and attic, with the parents on the first floor being none the wiser," he explained. Director of photography Don Burgess ASC ("Cast Away" & "Eight Below"), working closely with Chusid, embraced the opportunities afforded by the very special structure. "One of the reasons I was attracted to this story was that the house is such an important character," he notes. "It’s unique and provided a lot of ways to use light in ways we couldn’t necessarily do elsewhere." After principal photography wrapped in New Zealand, Rhythm & Hues, under the watchful eyes of Josephson and Schultz ("Bandwagon"); continued its work on the film’s extensive visual effects and bringing to life the alien quartet bent on vacation home attic; then world, domination. At the same time, film editor John Pace ("La Cucaracha"), three time EMMY award winning composer John Debney and music supervisor Billy Gottlieb (TV'S "Bones") were putting the finishing touches on their work, and the actors did their final recordings. Tisdale, who recently won the MTV Movie Awards™ Golden Popcorn for Female Breakthrough Performance, for her work in "THigh School Musical 3: Senior Year", offered some final thoughts on the film. "I really think there is something for everyone in this movie. Kids will love it, and the film has an edge that teens will respond to." Synopsis

Deciding the family needs some good old-fashioned togetherness, Tom Pearson packs up the clan and heads to a three-story holiday house in the middle of nowhere. Joining them is Uncle Nate, Nate’s son Jake, dear old Nana Rose, and identical twelve year old twins Art and Lee. An unexpected arrival is Bethany’s beau Ricky, who wrangles an overnight visit with the extended family. As day turns to night, dark storm clouds start swirling around the house. Suddenly, four glowing objects shoot toward the roof. Unbeknows to the Pearsons a pint-sized alien crew, made up of: Skip, the tough commander; Tazer, a muscle-bound dude armed to the teeth; Razor, a lethal female alien soldier; and Sparks a geeky four-armed techie, are advanced scouts who, should they find what they are looking for, will signal the main fleet for a full scale invasion of Earth. Until the kids discover their presence.

The Verdict "Parents can rest assured that they won't be nodding off or groaning their way through "Aliens In The Attic", the latest 'family' film to hit big screens across the nation. Shot in New Zealand, rather than in the U.S.A (not that you'd notice), this fun-filled, some-times goofey film has plenty going for it. In a big twist, it's the kids who must save the world from an alien invasion: make that a pint-sized alien invasion. These knee high little critters are hell-bent on accomplishing their mission, except the kids keep getting the better of them. In a full on 'battle of the wits', the kids use all their ingenuity to combat the aliens who are capable of turning their parents into mind controlled 'zombies'. But it's not all about the aliens. Bethany, who is at high school, has a boyfriend, Ricky, who is 'too good to be true'. He isn't fooling Bethany's brother Tom, even if he does ingratiate himself to their parents. Those who are familiar with "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Remington Steele" will recognise veteran actress Doris Roberts. In case it doesn't ring a bell, Roberts played Raymonds mum Marie Barone (210 episodes between 1996 & 2005) in ELR and secretary Mildred Krebs (72 episodes between 1983 & 1987) in RS. She turns from loving Nana Rose to Ninja Nanna in a no holds barred, full on kungfu (and anything goes) fight with Ricky, thanks to the effects of the aliens mind control device. It's a bonecrunching, eye-openning encounter that makes the WWE fights on TV look tame. If you're looking to spend some time with the family, keep "Aliens In The Attic" in mind. Well worth a look at. 3 1/2 STARS." The Production Team

Director Screenplay Story Producer Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Design

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John Schultz Mark Burton & Adam F Goldberg Mark Burton Barry Josephson John Debney Don Burgess John Pace Julie Ashton Barry Chusid Nigel Evans Milton Candish Mona May

Run Time 86 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Fox Films - All Rights Reserved ENDURING© - All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.