Defend the Turf

Attack the Block is a comedy/horror movie (think Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) with a surprising dash of morality thrown in. When an alien crash lands in their council estate, a gang of teenagers do what anybody else would: they kill it. However, this one fatal decision causes a full-scale alien invasion and the boys and their leader, Moses, are left to defend the block. They team up with Sam, a woman they had previously mugged, to thwart the police, fight against drug dealers, and protect their neighborhood. Along the way, both Sam and Moses begin to realize that they are responsible for the consequences caused by their actions and prejudices. HM

The Host

In a distinct departure from the vampire romances that have made her a teen lit icon, author Stephenie Meyer focuses on a different, more mature audience with her first adult novel, The Host. In this science-fiction thriller, which takes place in the not-too-distant future, parasitic aliens called Souls have invaded Earth. These creatures have taken over the bodies and minds of humans, all but driving the race to extinction. The Host focuses on one such Soul called Wanderer, who has been implanted into the body of a young woman named Melanie. Only Melanie refuses to fully surrender her mind as expected. Overwhelmed with feelings and memories from the very life she has been trying to erase, Wanderer is soon driven unwillingly to find a colony of surviving humans hidden deep within the desert. Among these survivors is the man Melanie loves and the child she'd do anything to protect. Wanderer's sympathy for the humans turns to curiosity and then to love. How can Wanderer put her feelings aside and complete her mission? Never before has this creature been so emotionally torn about a duty that, before, felt so right. An action-packed story that begs the question: What makes us human?