reviews

Summertime sci-fi: ‘Spider-Man,’ ‘Star Trek,’ & ‘Stuart’

Posted on by earthtoshawna

I have three reviews for you today; a gripe about captioning devices at the movies; and a fun phrase you’re going to want to add to your vocabulary.

First up: You may have heard of this obscure little film called “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”? Yeah, you probably have. It is the highest-grossing film of the year, the highest opening weekend gross for the United States and Canada, and the second highest worldwide (highest was “Avengers: Endgame”).

It was bumped from IMAX by “The Odyssey,” but on opening day, our theater was packed with Spidey fans, as evidenced by the sea of Spider-Man t-shirts in the lobby. I wore mine too. There is something exciting about going to a Marvel movie on opening day (or weekend), the shared energy which makes it more than just “going to the movies” and more of an experience, like going to see your favorite band live.

Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spidey has grown on me since he first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016 (in “Captain America: Civil War”), maybe because he’s grown from an earnest, innocent teen to an adult who has been somewhat beaten down by life. He is more relatable now.

We last saw him in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021), which ended with Peter asking Doctor Strange to cast a spell erasing him from everyone’s memory.

Everyone forgets who he is, including his girlfriend MJ and his best friend Ned. It’s a clever way to clean the slate for “Brand New Day,” which opens with Spider-Man anonymously protecting New York City.

Jacob Batalon and Zendaya reprise their roles as Ned and MJ, Mark Ruffalo is back as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Florence Pugh as Yelena, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher.

I will not give away the plot in case you’re one of the few MCU fans who have not had a chance to see it yet.

I loved the movie. I laughed, I cried. I love Ned and MJ. Yelena and Bruce are two of my favorite Marvel characters, and I also am a fan of “The Bear,” so it was also nice to see Mikey (Bernthal) and Tina (Liza Colon-Zayas, who plays Detective Jean DeWolff in this movie).

I think they did a good job with the plot reset, and even though the film is long (nearly two and a half hours), it is fast-paced and action-packed, so you probably won’t mind unless you got a large soda with your popcorn, or if, say, on your second viewing, your closed-captioning device isn’t working properly and after leaving the theater three times to ask an employee to fix it, it still doesn’t work.

Note to Cinemark: Please get the captioning devices sorted for your deaf and hard-of-hearing customers, I’m begging you.

If you don’t know what these things look like, I’m attaching a photo. It has a rectangular head and a flexible neck. The base fits into the seat’s cupholder. It is not a camera; I am not recording the movie. Yes, people ask me this.

It is inconveniencing to look back and forth between the screen and the captions, which are close enough to my face that I have to wear reading glasses, which make the screen blurry.

Having said that, I can barely understand the dialogue without it, so it really is cool. It would be even cooler if they worked every time. I also wish they had a few showings with captions on the screen, like we have on our TVs. That brings us to my TV reviews:

‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’

“The Big Bang Theory” has always been about nerds who like sci-fi, and the fourth series in the franchise goes all in on the genre.

Dorky but lovable comic shop owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) finds himself responsible for preventing a multiversal Armageddon after accidentally damaging a device built by Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard.

He gets some help (and sometimes harm) from Kripke, Bert, and Denise (John Ross Bowie, Brian Posehn, and Lauren Lapkus).

It’s a fun but silly show that places the characters in a different universe in each episode, and there are cameos from other BBT alums, including Raj, Penny, Bernadette, and Wil Wheaton.

At this point, it feels a little like the creators are cashing in on the familiarity of these characters. They know we love them. That’s why this is the third spinoff. But to make this series as good as BBT, they need to step it up. I don’t think the novelty of the show’s premise is enough to sustain it. It’s still early though, so maybe it will get better with time.

“Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” is on HBO Max.

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’

We are now on Season Four of this Star Trek series. The premiere aired on Paramount+ on July 23, and the rest of the episodes are being released weekly. We are only a few episodes into the season, so maybe it’s not fair of me to say I’m not loving it as much as I have loved previous seasons. My main beef is with the second episode, “The Griffin Incident.”

Let me preface this complaint by saying this iteration of Star Trek has fun episodes that diverge from the usual fare. There was an animated episode, an episode in which the actors were replaced by puppets, a musical episode, etc. “The Griffin Incident” was horror. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know I am not a big fan of horror, and I was completely unprepared and not in the right mood for this creepy, gory, supernatural episode. If you’re sensitive to horror also, skip that episode!

In the third episode, the burned-out crew gets some much-needed downtime on a resort planet where the atmosphere intoxicates everyone in a different way. Ortegas and Scotty wake up with no memory of what has transpired and must put the pieces together with the help (or lack thereof) of their inebriated crewmates. It’s sort of silly, like most shore-leave episodes, but it’s fun to see another side of these characters.

I also assume the actors enjoy doing these types of episodes, as well as the parallel or mirror universe episodes, so they can flex their acting skills. And more importantly, get a break from memorizing scripts full of technobabble.

And speaking of technobabble. …

The first episodes of both the aforementioned series blame the characters’ predicament on “quantum entanglement.” It reminds me of “Ant-Man and the Wasp.”

In “Stuart Saves the Universe,” it is explained that the damage to Leonard and Sheldon’s gizmo has led to quantum entanglement, transporting them to different universes, and in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” the crew of the Enterprise finds itself thrown back in time – to the age of the dinosaurs. This is explained, again, by quantum entanglement.

Yes, I know quantum entanglement is a real thing, a phenomenon having to do with particles, wormholes, Einstein-Rosen bridges … Something like that. I didn’t major in physics.

My friend and I have begun to blame quantum entanglement for any stroke of bad luck or disaster that befalls us. Your A/C broke while you were on vacation? It must have been quantum entanglement. Your captioning device didn’t work when you went to the movies? Quantum entanglement. If you get a flat tire and a jury duty summons on the same day, you are quantumly fucked, or a victim of quantum fuckery. I think it’s going to catch on. You heard it here first.

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‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is a fun ‘Star Wars’ adventure

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Is “Star Wars” suffering from franchise fatigue? “The Mandalorian and Grogu” was a fun movie, but it did not do as well as expected at the box office.

Maybe it’s because it’s a sequel to “The Mandalorian” series which ran for three seasons on Disney+. Or maybe the “baby Yoda” craze has worn off, which is unfortunate because baby Yoda, I mean Grogu, is actually so great in this movie that you forget he’s a puppet. Well, a combination of puppet, CGI, and animatronics.

Writer and director Jon Favreau breathed new life into this franchise, and the movie version of his creation is just as good as the series, if not better. Pedro Pascal plays Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (aka “Mando”) and Grogu is his apprentice/foundling/adopted child. Their father-son relationship was established in the series, but if you haven’t seen the series, you won’t be lost – it’s a brand-new adventure/plot for our fearless heroes.

Sigourney Weaver plays a leader of the New Republic who gives Mando the assignment of tracking down an Imperial warlord, Commander Coin. Mando also reluctantly agrees to work with the Hutts (Jabba’s siblings), who supposedly have info on Coin, but in exchange, they want Mando to locate their nephew, Rotta, voiced (unrecognizably) by Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”).

The bigger budget and the big screen make for a more fun viewing experience for audiences. Grogu is more adorable than ever, and there are a lot of cute and funny moments with Grogu and the little mechanic dudes, the Anzellans.

It’s also sweet to see how Mando and Grogu take care of each other, because that’s what family does. Having said all that, it’s not that deep, and it’s not going to change the world, but it’s a fun Star Wars adventure that isn’t about boring trade wars, so I’m happy.

‘Spider-Noir’

This live-action spinoff of the animated “Spider-Verse” films features Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly, an alternate-universe Spider-Man who is a detective in 1930s New York City.

Noir is not my favorite genre. Hardboiled detective, femme fatale, tragedy, corruption … yawn. I also am not a huge Cage fan. (And he’s 62. Only a man would be cast as the main character in a superhero series at that age.)

I am apparently alone in my criticism of the Amazon Prime series; it earned an impressive 92% on the Tomatometer. I found it boring and formulaic. Maybe it got better. I admit I could not stick it out to the last episode.

Sony had a great opportunity to create a series for one of the really cool Spider-Man alternates in the Spider-Verse. Gwen Stacy and Spider-Punk are reportedly getting spin-offs, but I don’t know if they will be movies or series, or if they’re animated or live action.

I also think the afro-haired, motorcycle-riding, pregnant Spider-Woman would be a great story to bring to the big or small screen.

I’m not sure why they picked one of the less spectacular iterations for their first Spidey spinoff. My theory is that they’re cheap, and noir costs less than the flashy special effects that would inevitably be a part of any modern-day setting. Or, judging by the reviews, other people like noir a lot more than I do.

‘Klara and the Sun’

I loved Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel “Klara and the Sun,” about a solar-powered android named Klara who is purchased as a companion for a sickly teenage girl. It’s dark and dystopian, and like most stories about androids, explores what it means to be human.

Should robots have rights?

It’s a timely question in this age of Artificial Intelligence. Humanoid robots are already being manufactured, and their mass production, for better or worse (my money is on worse), will likely come much sooner than we realize. But that’s a topic for another blog post.

I’m very excited that “Klara and the Sun” has been adapted into a movie, and that Taika Waititi is the director. I am a big fan and am interested to see his take on Ishiguro’s book.

Some of my favorite actors are in the movie too: Amy Adams, Natasha Lyonne, and Jenna Ortega, who plays the robot, Klara. The film will be in theaters Oct. 23.

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Sam Rockwell makes satire ‘Good Luck’ worth watching

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I have not posted in a while but I’ve seen a lot of sci-fi movies and TV series in the meantime – some good, some not so good. One good one that I saw recently was our Valentine’s Day date movie, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.”

The movie, directed by Gore Verbinski, is not terribly original: We are doing the time loop again, and the tech has taken over. Sam Rockwell plays an eccentric weirdo who shows up at a diner and holds the customers hostage, trying to recruit them for a mission to save the world from an Artificial Intelligence apocalypse.

It’s hard to tell at first what kind of movie this is. During a creepy scene in which phone-addicted teen zombies come after a teacher (Michael Pena), I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to laugh or be scared. Both, I guess – it’s a satire, and it’s sort of disjointed, but I suspect that was the goal.

Rockwell is one of my all-time favorite actors, and I don’t know if I would have liked it as much if he wasn’t in it. But as someone who constantly rails against AI, and as someone who loves time travel movies, it felt like the target audience was me. If that is also you, check it out.

“Good Luck” is still in theaters. If you’re looking for a great Sam Rockwell sci-fi flick on streaming, I recommend Duncan Jones’ trippy 2009 astronaut movie, “Moon.”

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’

If you saw the first two Avatar movies, you already know what this movie series is about. Even if you haven’t seen them, you probably already know what it’s about – humans colonizing a planet (actually a moon) called Pandora, where tribal clans called the Na’vi are just trying to live their lives without humans taking over.

The films, a combination of live action and CGI animation, are visually spectacular. I didn’t get really invested in these characters – or at least I didn’t realize I was invested in them – until this third film. The Sully family tugged on my heartstrings this time. And the messages about protecting our environment and letting others live in peace is more relevant than ever. You know you’re really enjoying a movie if it’s more than three hours long and you’re not annoyed and wishing they would just wrap it up.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is still in theaters. There are two more sequels in the works. The next one is expected to be released in 2029.

‘Predator: Badlands’

My husband has been a huge fan of the Alien and Predator films since the ’80s, so I’ve seen a lot of these movies – maybe all of them. I don’t have as much enthusiasm for them as he does, but this new installment is different. Instead of the usual, serious warrior action flick, this one involves a predator – a Yautja – named Dek, who is seen by others in his clan as a weakling.

To prove himself worthy, Dek decides to hunt an apex predator called the Kalisk. He meets an android named Thia. Their relationship is the departure from the typical plot of these movies, and is what made the movie more fun, a little sillier, and more enjoyable than I had expected. Also, Elle Fanning is wonderful and adorable.

“Predator: Badlands” is streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

‘Project Hail Mary’

I really liked the book by Andy Weir, on which this movie is based, and I also love “The Martian,” which was based on another Weir novel, so I have high hopes for this adaptation, which stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a man who wakes up on a spacecraft with no memory of how he got there or what he’s doing there.

I gave copies of the book to my stepmom and stepbrother for Christmas, and we all read it at the same time, and my husband has read it before too, so it holds a special place in my heart. Don’t let me down, Ken!

“Project Hail Mary” will be in theaters March 20.

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Summer picks: ‘Superman,’ ‘Strange New Worlds’

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Hey, sci-fi fans – let’s talk about “Superman” and “The Fantastic 4: First Steps.” How cool is it that we got both these movies in theaters this summer?

“The Fantastic 4” is a departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Sacred Timeline” (also known as Earth-616).

Our fantastic superhero team lives on Earth-828 – in the year 1964. That’s why their 1964 looks so different and futuristic. They are the only superheroes in their timeline/parallel universe/whatever you want to call it. There are no Avengers there.

Once you wrap your head around that, you can sit back and watch their story unfold.

Their origin story is not the main plot, but it is given in the movie: Reed (Pedro Pascal), Sue (Vanessa Kirby), Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny (Joseph Quinn) acquired their powers after a space mission exposed them to “cosmic rays.” They’ve been fighting villains and protecting their planet for years when a supervillain named Galactus enters the picture.

It was entertaining and fun, but like “The Eternals,” it doesn’t feel connected to the MCU. I know it is going to be tied into future Marvel films, however, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that plays out. I’m not really a big fan of the multiverse plot lines, and it’s mostly for this reason that I enjoyed “Superman” more.

I had mixed feelings about director James Gunn switching from Marvel to DC. He made some of my favorite Marvel movies, but when he ousted Henry Cavill (Superman) and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), I was bummed out. But he wanted to take these characters in a different direction, so it makes sense to re-cast them.

Gunn gave the Guardians of the Galaxy humor and heart, and he’s brought that same winning combo to “Superman.”

David Corenswet had big shoes to fill, and he did an amazing job as the pure and good Clark Kent/Superman. A model of goodness, hope, and compassion is exactly what we all need right now.

I honestly loved everything about this movie – the characters, the casting, the special effects, the dialogue, and of course Krypto, the adorable mutt with superpowers. (Gunn modeled the dog’s mischievous personality after his own pup!)

I’m also loving Season 3 of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” so far. This series was well cast, and I especially love Ethan Peck as Spock.

I was so excited to find out Rhys Darby was added to the cast, but unfortunately, he was only in one episode.

We are halfway through the season, with five episodes left. The finale will be Sept. 11. Season 4 is already in production, and a fifth and final season is expected to begin filming later this year. “Strange New Worlds” is on Paramount+.

My hubby is a huge fan of the “Alien” movies, so we could not pass up an opportunity to see the “ad” for the new “Alien: Earth” TV series on the corner of Hollywood and Vine.

The display features a life-size alien xenomorph and billboards, containment units with buttons and door handles, and sound effects. Here are some of the photos I took when we were in Hollywood last weekend.

The new series, a prequel set two years before the events of the 1979 film, will premiere on FX and Hulu on Aug. 12.

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‘Andor’ is must-see sci-fi TV; ‘Electric State’ misses the mark

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I will get my negative reviews out of the way first: I did not love “The Electric State.” It is set in the ’90s – an alternate ’90s in which humans have been at war with robots.

It stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, who I love, and is directed by the Russo brothers – it should have been a hit. Unfortunately, it was kind of dumb and I don’t recommend it.

I finally got through Season 3 of “The Witcher.” I really liked the first couple seasons of this series, but then it veered into “Xena: Warrior Princess” territory and now I’m over it. Henry Cavill will be replaced with Liam Hemsworth for Season 4, which clinches my decision.

Michelle Yeoh’s character in “Star Trek: Discovery” was cool, but the spinoff movie didn’t live up to my expectations. I can’t pinpoint exactly where it went wrong; I guess it was just too cliched and silly. (It seems to be going around.)

Let’s talk about Season 2 of the Star Wars series “Andor,” on Disney+. Although Season 1 took a few episodes to get interesting, Season 2 hit the ground running.

In the first episode of the season, Cassian impersonates an Imperial pilot in order to steal a prototype of a new ship – the TIE Avenger (I predict a new Lego set!), while Bix, Brasso, and Wilmon hide out on the agricultural planet Mina-Rau. On Chandrila, Mon Mothma prepares for her daughter’s arranged marriage.

It’s been two and a half years since Season 1; I sort of wish I’d rewatched it before beginning Season 2, and if you haven’t started Season 2 yet, I’d recommend doing that. Still, it’s very suspenseful and exciting. As much as I love Mando and Grogu, “Andor” is arguably the most well-done of all the Star Wars TV series.

In the last season and this one, the most powerful scenes are those in which the characters realize the consequences of their decisions and sacrifices. Sacrifice is a major theme in “Andor.” The writers also leaned hard into allegory this season, with the Empire and the Resistance mirroring our current political climate.

One more thing I will say about “Andor” is that while it’s essentially good guys vs. bad guys, there’s more of a blurring of the lines with some of the characters; for example, some of the “good” guys do some very bad things – for a good cause. It is a gray area that hasn’t been seen much in this franchise and boosts this series above the others.

Upcoming films and series

Neill Blomkamp is working on a new “Starship Troopers” movie! This is less a remake of the 1997 Paul Verhoeven film, and more an adaptation of the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein. I really like Blomkamp’s films “District 9,” “Elysium,” and “Chappie,” so I am looking forward to seeing his interpretation of “Starship Troopers.”

If you did not see “The Old Guard,” I wholeheartedly recommend it; it’s on Netflix. I may rewatch it myself before the sequel is released July 2 (also on Netflix), as it has been five years since the first film. Charlize Theron stars as Andromache of Scythia, an immortal mercenary who has been around for thousands of years. It is an adaptation of a comic book (which is also good) by Greg Rucka.

The sequel will have a different director than that of the first movie. Victoria Mahoney took over directing duties from Gina Prince-Bythewood, who is a producer on the film. Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, Van Veronica Ngo, and Chiwetel Ejiofor will reprise their roles, and Uma Thurman and Henry Golding have been added to the cast for the sequel.

I loved “Thunderbolts,” as you know if you read my last post. Next up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

After several not-so-great movies of this quartet, I’m not super hyped about another attempt, but maybe it will surprise me.

I do love the cast: Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Vanessa Kirby star as the team of four superheroes who must save their 1960s-inspired planet (a parallel Earth).

It will be in theaters July 25.

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Thunderbolts*, Academy museum, Ren Faire, & more

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Before I tell you about my latest sci-fi/fantasy themed outings, let’s talk about Marvel’s newest movie, “Thunderbolts*.”

We went on opening night (the IMAX “fan event”) and, fittingly, it was the same day as our rare Southern California thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the power went out halfway through the movie, and we had to come back the next night to finish it.

The setup is nothing we haven’t seen before – a ragtag team of misfits forced to work together to defeat a common enemy, blah blah blah. But it works. I laughed, I cried, I can’t wait to see these characters together again in another movie.

The MVP (unsurprisingly) is Florence Pugh. She always brings it, and as much as I love her as bratty Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” I love her even more as Black Widow’s little sister Yelena.

David Harbour reprises his role as the scruffy and comical Red Guardian. There are so many great actors in this: Sebastian Stan, Hannah John-Kamen … I will even reluctantly admit that the cast’s nepo babies were good. (Wyatt Russell is the son of Kurt Russell, who has also been in a Marvel movie, and Lewis Pullman is the son of Bill Pullman, who has not.)

My biggest issue with the MCU is that some of the villains (such as Gorr the God Butcher and Ronan the Accuser) are a little over the top. I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus but her character is also a bit one-sided, but that’s par for the Marvel course, I guess.

“Thunderbolts*” is a fun (and funny) action movie, but its greatest strength is its emotional impact. Early in the movie, Yelena is asked what you are supposed to do with your dark feelings, your emotional trauma? Well, you just stuff those feelings down. Way, way down. I laughed out loud at this dialogue (which I’m paraphrasing), but Marvel does not get enough credit for addressing things like PTSD and mental health. This movie in particular does a good job of exploring these topics, which are so important.

Even though I’ve seen it one and a half times already, I would go see this in the theater again, and I may do just that, as it’s playing at El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. There are even costumes from the film on display as well. For more information: https://elcapitantheatre.com/

If you’re a movie lover who lives in Southern California, check out the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Wilshire Boulevard, which opened in 2021.

We went for the Bong Joon Ho exhibition and happened to be there on May the 4th – Star Wars Day! There were photo ops with droids and Jedis, a Star Wars mural painting opportunity, and lots of people dressed up as Star Wars characters.

The Bong exhibition was pretty cool. Even though I have not yet seen all of his films, there were a lot of props, film clips, and story boards from his movies. I especially loved the drawings and concept art from the movie “Okja.” The only bummer: nothing from “Mickey 17.” The only nod to the new film is a copy of the novel from which the film was adapted, for sale in the museum gift shop.

Another current exhibition at the museum is “Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema.” Featured films include “The Matrix,” “Tron,” and “Videodrome” (a Cronenberg film from the ’80s that scarred me for life). There were props from the movies “Blade Runner,” “Ex Machina,” and more. Be sure to check out both floors of this (somewhat sparse) exhibition.

Don’t miss the other galleries – even though we had seen a lot of the costumes and props the first time we visited (in 2022 for the Miyazaki exhibition), there are a lot of new additions, including Barbie and Ken’s costumes from the Barbie movie. For more information, go to https://www.academymuseum.org/en

There are two weekends left of this year’s Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale.

We went opening weekend; the weather was nice, and the entertainment and food were great. We enjoyed the various shows and vendors. I especially love the Seraphim Arabesque Ensemble. Maybe I was a belly dancer in a past life?

Throw a costume together and bring the family! Make sure to follow the directions on their website – and don’t miss the joust! For more info, visit renfair.com/socal.

Photos of the Academy Museum and the Renaissance faire by Earth to Shawna.

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What to watch: ‘Omni Loop,’ ‘Arcane,’ ‘Flow,’ and more

Posted on by earthtoshawna

When I say I love sci-fi, people think I mean Star Wars and Star Trek, and I do love those (and will talk about them in this post), but I also count time-loop stories like “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Run Lola Run,” “Russian Doll,” and even “Groundhog Day.”

I know time travel stuff doesn’t always make sense, but I don’t care. I love the idea of getting time back, for a day or week or whatever, and thinking about the differences each of our actions make. The best science fiction makes us think: about the meaning of life, what it means to be a human being, how we should be spending our time on Earth – all the big questions.

“Omni Loop,” written and directed by Bernardo Britto and starring Mary-Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), is an excellent entry in the time-loop genre. Parker’s character, Zoya, is living the same week over and over when she meets Edebiri’s character, a fellow scientist named Paula. The two attempt to solve the mystery of a bottle of pills Zoya found when she was a kid. Taking a pill from the bottle sends Zoya back in time one week.

Unlike some of the other titles I mentioned, it’s not an action movie – more of a slow burn, and, more importantly, emotional and profound.

‘Flow’

Set in a maybe not so distant future, “Flow” is a beautiful but suspenseful fantasy about an adorable black cat who must rely on others to survive a natural disaster. It is the work of Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis, who made the movie using the open-source software Blender.

I love animals and I love dystopian stories; an added bonus was that I didn’t have to use a captioning device during this trip to the theater as the movie is completely free of dialogue. (I’m hearing impaired.) It was a refreshing change of pace to see animated creatures sounding like animals instead of Chris Rock or Ben Stiller.

I thought about the symbolism in this movie a lot after watching it. This isn’t “Kung Fu Panda”; this one makes you think. (No offense to “Kung Fu Panda.”)

The movie is rated PG, but I don’t feel it was made for kids. There are parts that may be too sad or scary for little kids, or kids who are sensitive. Obviously, every child is different; use your own discretion.

‘Arcane’

Season two of “Arcane” is every bit as visually impressive as season one, and has a lot of twists and turns. My only complaint is that it is confusing as it has been three years since season one. Admittedly, that’s on me; I should have rewatched the first season.

Season two is dark and intense, just like season one. If you liked season one, you’ll like season two. But don’t expect it to cheer you up or anything if you’re already feeling down.

The second season is the series’ last, but showrunner Christian Linke has said there will be more series based on other characters from “League of Legends,” the game on which the series is based. Linke has also suggested that the tone for future series may be less dark and more “whimsical.”

“Arcane” is rated TV-14.

‘Mars Express’

Like “Arcane,” this one is not for kids even though it’s animated (Amazon Prime age rating is 16+). It is also pretty dark. The movie, co-written and directed by Jérémie Périn, is a French, futuristic film noir, about a detective named Aline Ruby, who is tracking a suspect who illegally hacked robots. Ruby’s partner is an android replica of her partner who died five years earlier.

It is an interesting commentary on the relationship humans have with machines, and it’s hard not to wonder if this fictional future is what’s in store for Artificial Intelligence.

Star Wars

Only three episodes of the new series “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” have aired so far, but it’s interesting, and it’s different from recent series in the franchise in that it is centered on kids. It’s also different in that they live on a planet unlike any we’ve seen before in the Star Wars movies or series. It is reminiscent of the suburban “Counter-Earth” created by the High Revolutionary in “Guardians of the Galaxy 3.”

On this planet, called At Attin, a boy named Wim discovers what he thinks is an old Jedi temple, but his discovery turns out to be even more surprising.

There’s sort of a “Stranger Things” vibe here, with a group of kids who ride hover bikes instead of bicycles.

Spoilers incoming. If you haven’t watched the first three episodes, come back later.

OK, so Jude Law is in this, which is reason enough to watch it. (Obviously we watch every Star Wars title regardless of reasons other than “It’s Star Wars,” but you know what I mean.) The identity of Law’s character is (sort of) a mystery, but he can use the Force, which prompts some amusing repartee:

Oh – the thing the kids found wasn’t a temple; it was a ship and they accidentally end up in outer space. Oops! Adventures ensue.

I like it so far, but it’s not without cringey and yikes moments. My biggest gripe is the scene in which they’re fleeing from the authorities, and the kids are cheerfully shooting at the pursuing X-wings. This isn’t a video game, kiddos, you’re shooting at real people – the “good guys,” no less. I feel like the writers didn’t think that one through.

Star Trek

“Star Trek: Section 31” will be the franchise’s first TV movie, and is a spin-off of “Star Trek: Discovery.” The movie, streaming Jan. 24, follows Philippa Georgiou (played by Michelle Yeoh). An emperor when she was in the Mirror Universe, Georgiou has now joined Section 31, a black ops division of Starfleet.

This was originally supposed to be an ongoing series, but I imagine Yeoh’s schedule got a bit busier after winning an Academy Award. Just a guess. I really loved her character in “Discovery” and I hope this new movie is as good as her storyline in that show. The trailer looks a little cheesy, but we’ll see how it goes. Here it is:

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all my readers! See you in 2025.

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‘Agatha’ a good witch, I mean watch, for spooky season

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Hey sci-fi fans! Is it just me, or is there nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering on TV or the movies lately? I think the last movie I saw in the theater was “Deadpool & Wolverine.” I really wanted to love it, but I didn’t. That’s all I will say about that mess.

Let’s talk about “Agatha All Along,” the newest Marvel series on Disney+. I love Kathryn Hahn, but I’ve never been a huge fan of witches or witchy things. I blame it on the creepy witches from my childhood, like the Wicked Witch of the West and Witchie-Poo from “H.R. Pufnstuf.” I used to have recurring nightmares about being kidnapped by witches. Movies like “The Blair Witch Project” didn’t help.

I am fine with non-threatening witches like Samantha from “Bewitched” and Kiki from “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” but Agatha Harkness – the evil, dog-killing Agatha Harkness from “WandaVision” – is not a nice witch. Is she irredeemably evil in the spinoff series? That remains to be seen. There are three episodes left. I’m wondering if we will yet see a redemption of this villain, a la “Loki.”

If you’ve not watched the first six episodes, you may want to come back after you’re caught up – there are some spoilers after the photo.

It seems Agatha is an LGBTQ character, of note because we rarely see lesbian characters on Disney+ but when we do, they’re witches (in “Acolyte” and “The Owl House”). I’m not sure what to make of that. Is Disney testing the waters? Maybe if audiences accept villainous main characters who are queer, they’ll branch out to queer main characters who aren’t villains? Hmm.

Joe Locke (who stars in the series “Heartstopper”) plays a character known for the first few episodes as a guyliner-wearing teenager referred to simply as Teen because someone put a spell on him so he wouldn’t reveal his identity.

I thought he was going to turn out to be Agatha’s long-lost son Nicholas, but no. He has now been outed (see what I did there?) as none other than Wanda Maximoff’s son Billy! Well, not none other. He’s the spirit of Billy Maximoff inhabiting the body of William Kaplan. Such a great twist, and one I did not see coming, as I did not read the comics. Oh, and he is also gay. In the comics and in the series.

I am happy for all the queer fans who are finally getting more representation in the MCU, but it’s been a long time coming. Better late than never, I guess.

I’m enjoying the series more than I thought I would. It has a great cast which also includes Aubrey Plaza, Debra Jo Rupp, and Patti LuPone; and it’s Halloween-y in a fun way, and not a super-scary way. (Or maybe witches aren’t as scary to me now that I’m not 6?)

Another fun note: The Witches’ Road song is brought to you by the songwriting duo (Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez) who did the tunes from the “Frozen” movies – and now that you know, you’ll be able to tell when you hear it.

In other Marvel news, I’m looking forward to 2025, when “Captain America: Brave New World” (Feb. 14) and “Thunderbolts” (May 2) will finally be in theaters. I love Florence Pugh and based on the trailer, it seems she is the main character, so I’m here for it! Observe.

Well, that’s all I have to say for now. Until next time!

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Sci-fi sequels, prequels, remakes, and reboots …

Posted on by earthtoshawna

The movies I’m talking about today are my husband’s picks. They’re sequels or prequels to some of his favorite series, which are themselves remakes or reboots of series from the ’70 or ’80s, so us Gen Xers started watching them when we were kids.

First up is “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” I went into this with low expectations, as I did not love “Mad Max: Fury Road.” I normally like postapocalyptic stuff, but not this subgenre which seems to be revenge-flick/car-chase-movie-but-with-monster-trucks.

I do love Charlize Theron though (who was in “Fury Road”), and Anya Taylor-Joy did an amazing job playing the younger version of Theron’s character, the titular Furiosa. With a prosthetic nose, Chris Hemsworth was unrecognizable – and also amazing – as Dementus, the warlord of a biker gang.

I liked this more than “Fury Road,” if only because I was able to follow the plot better this time. I was on the edge of my seat the entire 148 minutes, which I guess is a good sign – if you’re the type of person who likes experiencing anxiety for fictional characters. There’s a lot of torture and other gross stuff that inspires disgust and dread (and I think that’s probably the goal here). Despite knowing Furiosa had plot armor, it was intense and suspenseful. I admit that’s better than watching a movie where you don’t care what happens to the characters, but I was relieved when it was over.

George Miller is a skilled filmmaker; he brings you right into this cruel and gritty futuristic world. The problem is that I don’t want to be there.

I felt the same way about “Dune: Part Two.” The cast is wonderful (I love Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet), the cinematography makes you feel like you’re in Arrakis – suffering with them. It is emotional and dark and not a place I want to be for 166 minutes.

Like “Furiosa,” it’s unsettling and creepy. If you compare “Furiosa” and “Dune” to say, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, which are also violent and sometimes dark, at least the Guardians series is balanced with lighthearted, hopeful moments, connection, and humor, whereas “Dune” and “Furiosa” are bleak and depressing.

Of course, I realize these movies aren’t trying to be Marvel movies. The new Dune films are directed by Denis Villeneuve, who has earned nominations and awards, but is not known for uplifting, feel-good movies. (And the books are bleak as well.)

My take is that real life is depressing enough. And I live in a hot desert; I don’t care to watch it onscreen. To make matters worse, we saw this in the theater and the electricity went out. We had to evacuate the building halfway through the film and didn’t get around to watching it again until a couple weeks later.

Another sequel to a movie franchise that began in the ’80s, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” came out in March and we saw it in theaters. It was a little more fun than 2021’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” maybe because we were just meeting the newer characters for the first time and now we “know” them. This time around, they’re in New York City, battling a powerful entity known as Garraka.

It’s not deep or earth-shattering; it’s Ghostbusters. But it’s entertaining enough and it’s less than two hours long (but not much less, at 115 minutes).

The fourth film in a franchise rebooted in 2011, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” takes place 300 years after the events of the previous film (“War for the Planet of the Apes,” 2017). This one was 145 minutes. Why are all these movies longer than two hours?

Even though the characters are mostly chimpanzees, it reminded me of “Furiosa.” Postapocalyptic worlds, kidnappings, revenge, etc. And again, it’s stunning and impressive. If you’ve seen any of these movies, you know the CGI looks convincing and real. I just wish they’d spent as much time and effort stitching up all the plot holes.

Another sequel coming up this summer is “Alien: Romulus,” the seventh movie in the Alien franchise. It is set between the events of the first two movies, “Alien” (1979) and “Aliens” (1986). It will be in theaters Aug. 16.

In yet more prequel/sequel/reboot news: The second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” will be available on Amazon Prime on Aug. 29.

Season 2 of the other long blond wig show, “House of the Dragon,” will premiere on HBO on June 16.

Here’s hoping they start off with a bang instead of the slow burn that characterized their first seasons.

Over on Disney+, the miniseries “Agatha All Along” (a spinoff of the Marvel series “WandaVision”) will air the first two episodes on Sept. 18, with subsequent episodes released weekly.

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What to watch now (‘Nimona’) and later (‘Loki’) and more …

Posted on by earthtoshawna

I’m a little behind on things lately (still not caught up on “Shadow and Bone” or “The Witcher”!) but my most recent favorite thing on Netflix is the animated film adaptation of ND Stevenson’s award-winning 2015 graphic novel “Nimona,” about a shapeshifter who joins forces with a disgraced knight. Anytime you read the book first, you expect the screen adaptation to pale in comparison, but this was well done, and I loved it. Chloe Grace Moretz voices Nimona, and Riz Ahmed is Ballister.

Bard and barbarian

If you missed “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” when it was in theaters, you can now find it on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime. Like “Nimona,” it’s fun and funny, and also unexpectedly sweet and touching. You don’t need to know anything about the game to enjoy the movie, and it’s a pretty safe bet for a family movie night (if you let your kids watch PG-13 movies).

Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, Justice Smith, and Sophia Lillis star. A spin-off TV series is reportedly in the works.

Star Trek

Capt. Pike and Ensign Boimler

While I liked “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Star Trek: Picard,” my fave new Trek right now is “Strange New Worlds.” I expected it to be a return to the classic Trek style (as it’s a prequel), but I love the way the series is breaking new ground in their second season. The musical episode and the crossover (with the animated Trek series “Lower Decks”) were quirky and fun.

You can watch “Strange New Worlds” on Paramount+.

Star Wars

Ah, the smell of starship fuel in the morning …

The first six episodes of “Star Wars: Ahsoka” are on Disney+, with Rosario Dawson reprising the role. (She played Ahsoka on “The Mandalorian” also).

“Ahsoka” is set in the same time period as “The Mandalorian,” and is also a continuation of the animated series “Star Wars: Rebels.” I never watched “Rebels,” so I can’t comment on how faithful it is to that show, but there are apparently a lot of the same characters.

I like Sabine, Ahsoka, and Hera, and I like the CGI animals, the loth-cat and the howler. But, like the Boba Fett and Kenobi series, it’s a little slow and boring. Maybe it’s just me?

“The Mandalorian” set a high bar, and I don’t think any series since then has lived up to it, except for “Andor,” but even that one took a while to hit its stride. Maybe the “Ahsoka” story will suddenly get amazing, but there are only two episodes left, so we’ll see.

Oh – I almost forgot to complain about waiting for Wes Chatham (“The Expanse”) to finally show up, only to have him covered up with that weird gold stormtrooper helmet/mask. It’s almost as bad as covering up Pedro Pascal’s face for almost the entirety of “The Mandalorian.”

Marvel

Coming to the big screen Nov. 10 is “The Marvels,” featuring Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau. In the trailer, we see the trio’s powers getting mixed up as the women end up mysteriously swapping places with each other.

I was looking forward to the Marvel series “Secret Invasion,” but it didn’t blow me away. It was a bit of a downer. Don’t get me wrong, Samuel Jackson was great, as usual, but they killed off some of the best characters, and it was just sort of depressing overall. There seems to be a lot of that going around lately.

He’s a Loki! Well, probably not.

My favorite Marvel series is still “Loki,” the new season of which will be released on Oct. 5. The trailer looks really cool; I can’t wait to see Loki, Mobius, and Sylvie back in action, and it was really cool to see Ke Huy Quan in the trailer, joining Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, and Sophia Di Martino in the cast for Season 2.

The “Hawkeye” spin-off miniseries “Echo” has been pushed to January 2024. Unlike other Marvel series, “Echo” will be released all at once, instead of one episode per week. “Echo” will focus on Maya Lopez, the leader of the Tracksuit Mafia, Clint Barton’s nemeses in “Hawkeye.” Alaqua Cox reprises her role as Lopez, who will reconnect with her Native American roots, and Vincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox will also return, as Kingpin and Daredevil.

Spider-Man and other delays

“Madame Web” is scheduled to be released in the United States on Feb. 14, 2024. Dakota Johnson will play the title character, Madame Web, a “clairvoyant whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the ‘spider world.’ ” Hopefully it won’t be as cheesy as it sounds.

In other Spider-Man news, “Kraven the Hunter” has been delayed till August 2024, and there is now no release date for “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” – the upcoming Ghostbusters movie took the March 2024 release date from the Spider-Verse sequel, pushing the latter off the release calendar until further notice.

“Dune: Part 2” has also been delayed by the writers’ and actors’ strike; it is now expected to be released in March 2024.

Fantasy (and fantasy adjacent)

Season 2 of the fantasy comedy “Good Omens” was released in July on Amazon Prime. The series, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, is about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant), and is a co-production between Amazon and BBC studios.

The second season of “Wheel of Time,” also on Amazon Prime, is now airing, releasing one episode at a time. Again, I like that there are a lot of women characters, and the actors (including Rosamund Pike as Moiraine) are really good, but it’s a dark, depressing show, and it’s also pretty gruesome. I imagine it’s more interesting to people who read the books, which I did not.

I loved “Barbie,” and saw it in theaters twice. It’s now streaming and is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and other platforms.

Time for tea on the high seas!

“Our Flag Means Death” is coming back! Season 2 premieres Oct. 5 on Max (formerly HBO Max). If you haven’t watched this sweet and funny series, now’s the time to get caught up.

Taika Waititi stars as Blackbeard and Rhys Darby plays Stede Bonnet, aka “the Gentleman Pirate.”

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