Life’s not fair, but at least there’s chocolate … & kittens

Posted on by earthtoshawna

I know it came out a month ago, but I’m just getting around to complaining about all the hate “The Marvels” got. I think the main reason it didn’t do as well as other Marvel films at the box office is because men don’t want to see a film about three women superheroes. Maybe it’s more complicated than that, but … I don’t think so.

Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris reprise their roles as Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau, and Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury. The actors had great chemistry together, and it was funny and fun. Also: Flerkittens! How can anyone complain about a movie that has Flerkittens? I would honestly like to know.

The movie was a little silly, yes, but so was “Thor: Love and Thunder,” and so was “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” I enjoyed it despite its silly moments and will watch it again. Headlines declared it “bombed” at the box office, even though it grossed $47 million its domestic opening weekend. Well, I guess that’s a bomb when you compare it to other MCU openings, but “Wonka” made $39 million, and everyone described that movie as a hit. (Worth noting: “The Marvels” is the highest grossing film directed by a Black woman.)

The Candy Man can.

Speaking of “Wonka” – we went opening weekend and enjoyed it. It’s a prequel of the 1971 classic, and is directed by Paul King, who also directed the “Paddington” movies. It definitely had the same vibe as “Paddington,” and some of the same actors (including Sally Hawkins and Hugh Grant).

I liked the film, but I don’t think it would have worked as well if the title character was played by anyone other than the very charming Timothee Chalamet.

It wasn’t a perfect movie, but the visuals were magical, the songs were catchy, and I approve of its message, which I am pretty sure is: Life is unfair but at least there’s chocolate.

Or something like that.

I want them to actually look like Jeff Goldblum and Robert Downey Jr. Is that asking for too much?

So far, the second season of “What If … ?” (Disney+) is as disappointing as Season 1, I’m sorry to report. I’m not sure what it is about this series that I don’t like. Is it the way the cartoon versions of the Marvel characters look and sound almost like the actors, but not quite? Are we in Uncanny Valley territory? Happy Hogan looks like Shrek when he temporarily became human.

Or maybe it’s the nonsensical storylines that are bugging me the most. I keep watching, thinking it will get better, but I’m not super hopeful.

The “Echo” trailer isn’t too promising either. It looks like a lot of people getting the crap beaten out of them. And it’s rated TV-MA. This seems like an odd choice, considering it’s a spin-off of the (Disney+) series “Hawkeye,” which was on the more family-friendly end of the MCU spectrum. I’m not sure I’ll watch it. They had a chance to do something interesting here, with their first real deaf Marvel character, but it looks like they are just spinning out more Kingpin drama. And as much as I like Vincent D’Onofrio, he was miscast here, in my opinion. He pulls off the look, but his voice doesn’t sound right. Maybe it’s just me.

(Some of these movies and series have been mentioned in previous posts and were delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes.)

“I.S.S.,” in theaters Jan. 19, is based on the International Space Station, obviously, and explores what might happen there if a world war broke out on Earth.

“Dune: Part Two” is coming March 1. Timothee Chalamet reprises his role as Paul Atreides, in this film adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert.

Also coming out March 1, on Netflix, is the film “Spaceman,” starring Adam Sandler as a Czech astronaut. Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Isabella Rossellini, and Kunal Nayyar also star.

The Netflix series “3 Body Problem” will premiere March 21. The show is based on the popular novel of the same name by Liu Cixin, and was developed by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo. If those names sound familiar, it’s because Benioff and Weiss were behind the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” Hopefully they won’t mess up the ending of this one the way they did GoT.

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” has a March 29 release date. Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Paul Rudd reprise their roles from the 2021 film “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.”

Bong Joon-ho’s new film, “Mickey 17,” is also scheduled to be released March 29. Robert Pattinson stars.

“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” comes out April 12. Kaiju movies are sort of hit and miss for me, so I’m not sure if I will check this one out. I may see what Rotten Tomatoes has to say about it first.

Also out April 12 is the Amazon series “Fallout,” based on the post-apocalyptic video game of the same name. I guess after the success of “The Last of Us,” everyone is scrambling to adapt another post-apocalyptic video game. The new series will star Walton Goggins and Ella Purnell.

Alex Garland’s films range from the trippy/cool (“Ex Machina”) to the creepy/disturbing (“Annihilation”). His new one, “Civil War,” looks like it will lean toward the disturbing, but we’ll see. In theaters April 26, the film stars Kirsten Dunst, Nick Offerman, and Wagner Moura.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the fourth film in the rebooted franchise, will be in theaters May 24. It’s set 300 years after the events in the third movie.

Also arriving in theaters May 24 is the prequel “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy as the title character (played in the 2015 film by Charlize Theron).

It appears the only Marvel movie on the slate for the new year is “Deadpool 3,” which is not great news for young fans, as it will likely have an R rating. (I’m not counting “Madame Web” which isn’t official MCU canon and also looks dumb.) I like Deadpool, but it would be cool if there were more Marvel movies coming out in 2024. (We got three in 2023!) The sequel is scheduled for a July 26 release.

“Borderlands,” another video game adaptation, will be in theaters Aug. 9. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have much interest in an animated movie based on a video game and geared toward adult audiences, but I liked “Arcane,” so you never know.

“Alien: Romulus,” the ninth film in the Alien franchise, is expected in theaters Aug. 16. Considered a standalone film, it is set between the events of “Alien” (1979) and “Aliens” (1986).

“Kraven the Hunter,” another Marvel movie that isn’t really a Marvel movie, is the fifth film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who played Wanda’s brother Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver, in the MCU) plays Kraven. In theaters Aug. 30.

Michael Keaton returns for Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2,” out Sept. 6. Winona Ryder reprises her role as Lydia, and Jenna Ortega plays her daughter.

The third SSU film of 2024, “Venom 3,” hits theaters Nov. 8. Tom Hardy reprises the role of Eddie Brock/Venom.

“The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” an animated prequel to LOTR series, will be in theaters Dec. 13, 2024.

Release dates subject to change.

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New ‘Loki’, ‘Our Flag Means Death’ episodes feed the soul

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Just when I was starting to think, “Maybe I just don’t like anything right now,” the second seasons of “Loki” and “Our Flag Means Death” started off with a bang and are exactly what I needed. (Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Scorsese!)

Loki and Mobius have the best friendship and make such a great team, and how great is Ke Huy Quan? He’s so funny and charming. I want to give all of them a hug. There are so many multifaceted characters in this series. I really wanted to see B-15 in her ’70s garb for more than just the few seconds she was on screen. Give us a whole episode in the ’70s please!

Taika Waititi as Blackbeard

“Our Flag Means Death,” everyone’s favorite gay pirate show, is soooo good. The mermaid (merman?) scene! The unicorn leg! There are so many flawless moments in these first few episodes, I can’t wait to see what is going to happen next. Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby are amazing, and the entire cast of characters and their neuroses are so ridiculously funny while at the same time being poignant and perfect.

I have been thinking a lot about the entertainment industry and the arts, and the writers’ and actors’ strike. Some people think things like TV and movies aren’t essential, and maybe they aren’t as essential as say, health care, but lately we have been using the word “comfort” a lot – as an adjective: “I am re-watching Mike Birbiglia’s stand-up; he’s my comfort comedian.” “I’m on my third viewing of Season One of ‘Our Flag Means Death’ – it’s my comfort show.”

When mass shootings and war are dominating our news headlines, and when bad things are happening in our lives or in the lives of our loved ones, there is only so much space we can hold for those feelings of hopelessness. Something art and entertainment offers is a break – however brief – from thinking and feeling all the things we don’t want to think and feel.

What are your comfort shows? Do you have a favorite sci-fi or fantasy movie that makes you feel warm and fuzzy, or like maybe someday everything will be OK? Leave me a message in the comments, here or on my Facebook page.

More Marvel

Tickets are now on sale for “The Marvels,” opening in U.S. theaters on Nov. 10. I am hoping our favorite flerken gets a lot of screen time.

Inktober

Some of my (admittedly amateurish) Inktober art

I am not a good artist by any stretch of the imagination, but my daughter is, and she convinced me to do Inktober with her this year.

The annual October art celebration, begun in 2009 by illustrator Jake Parker, offers a different art prompt for each day of October.

I think the prompts are supposed to be sort of spooky themed. For “rise,” I assume the word association is supposed to be a zombie or something, rising from the grave, for example. But that’s not what I did, and there are no rules, really; the important thing is to have fun.

For more information about Inktober, go to https://inktober.com/

Solar eclipse

I saved my solar eclipse glasses from 2017, which came in handy for the eclipse that was visible in some areas (including mine, in Southern California) this morning.

The picture taken on my phone through the glasses came out a little fuzzy. We also had fun taking photos of the crescents in the shadows of the leaves.

If you want to see when the next eclipse will be visible in your area, you can check
here: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html

Well, that post was all over the place. Anyway. Hope you all have a great rest of October and happy Halloween.

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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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SoCal fun: Hollywood, Ren Faire, & Disneyland parks

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Two years ago, I blogged about our visit to Disneyland and California Adventure and predicted it would probably be another seven years before I visit again but we decided to cough up the dough for park hopper tickets once again, and it was fun, but my gripe about long lines is still one of my major beefs about visiting these parks. They are still using the reservation system, which leads you (falsely) to believe the park will be less crowded.

My other main issues are the ridiculous amount of money you have to pay to get in, and also the audacity of charging people extra money to take cuts in front of us poor folk, making the lines that much longer.

We finally got to do Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which was extremely cool, but it broke while we were on it and had to wait 20 minutes for them to let us off. Fortunately, we were able to try it again later in the day, and I would say it is the best thing at Disneyland right now. It’s a combination of several different types of rides – the traditional Disney “dark ride,” motion simulator, a walk-through portion, and a small drop. It makes you feel like you’re in the movie, more than any other ride I have been on. I hope they figure out how to keep it from breaking. It was “temporarily closed” several times while we were there that day.

I assume the increasing price of Disneyland tickets reflects all the cool new attractions, but a lot of the time, you can’t even get on them because they’re closed, or you don’t have time because the lines are so long.

I guess I didn’t learn my lesson about park hopper tickets the last time we were there. You can’t do everything you want to do at both parks in one day. Maybe you can if you pay extra for their line-cutter passes. I wouldn’t know.

It is important that you put the (free) Disneyland app on your cell phone because you need to check it frequently to see the estimated wait times for rides and stuff like that. (You can just uninstall the app after your visit.) Also be aware that parking is $30, because apparently Disney is not making enough money from admission fees and overpriced food and drinks – and Genie and Lightning Lane and all the other ways they price-gouge those willing to pay more (whilst screwing over those of us who aren’t).

If you read my last post about the Avengers Campus at California Adventure, you know we had to wait more than four hours just to get into this new, Marvel-themed area of the park. This time, we walked right in, which was nice. Last time, we couldn’t get on the Web Slingers ride, but this time we did. It was a sort of video game/ride hybrid. It was fun, but not really what I was expecting. My daughter is more of a Spidey fan than I am and also more of a gaming type, so she was more into it than I was.

We also got to see the Guardians of the Galaxy dance-off this time, which was a little dorky, but that’s par for the course. Ha. We also got to see the Dora Milaje and Spider-Man shows again, which are short but very cool.

Costumed characters the day we were there included Black Panther, Ant-Man, Black Widow, and both captains – America and Marvel. Get in line early if you want to see the Doctor Strange show. We missed it both times we were there unfortunately, so I can’t comment on it.

My husband, daughter, and I have become somewhat obsessive Marvel fans. If you aren’t a huge fan of the franchise, you can skip California Adventure altogether, unless you have small children. Last time we were there, we only had time for the Avengers Campus, but this time we went on the Cars-themed Radiator Springs Racers, one of the park’s most popular rides. The line was super long, but it was fun.

I keep saying I’ve had enough Disneyland, but I’m a sucker. I say I won’t be going back anytime soon but … we’ll see.

The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale

We visited the Renaissance faire again this year, and it was fun. We love to go in costume, and also look at everyone else’s costumes – the employees’ and visitors’ costumes are always impressive. We didn’t attend the joust this time, but I would definitely recommend it if you go next year. Also, it’s usually hot, so I also recommend bringing an umbrella. I brought a paper parasol that I purchased there a few years back, and it helps when you’re not in the shade. My complaints from last year stand: The bird show has still not returned (maybe it’s gone for good, I don’t know); there aren’t as many bands playing on the stages; and it’s a bit of a hassle to get into the parking lot.

Hollywood

We went to a show in Hollywood recently, so we made a point of checking out the new Carrie Fisher plaque that was unveiled a few weeks ago (May the Fourth!) at TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman’s). That area is a bit annoying and touristy but it’s worth a visit if you’ve never been there, if only to cross it off your bucket list. Parking was $30 here too, in the lot we chose. It’s pricey, but if it’s nighttime when your show gets out, it’s nice to not have a long walk past dark alleys, which can be anxiety-inducing.

I feel very fortunate to live in Southern California. I don’t live in Los Angeles, but I’m about an hour or so away, depending on traffic, so there are lots of fun things to see and do. What cool sci-fi things are there to do in your hometown? Comment below or visit me on my Facebook page!

Tune in next time when I will return to my usual programming: reviewing my favorite TV series and movies! Until then:

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‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3′ is bringin’ on the heartbreak

Posted on by earthtoshawna

No, the Def Leppard song isn’t in the new movie, but the third and final installment of James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy brings on the heartache in a big way. This one hurts.

I don’t think I’m giving too much away to tell you that Rocket’s origin story is intense – he’s a talking raccoon with cybernetic implants and a past he won’t talk about.

I’m sure some will say the depictions of Rocket’s early years are too disturbing, but the truth is that animal experimentation is real, so in the interest of awareness, I’m OK with it, even if it was difficult to watch. (Go to navs.org if you want to know more about ending animal testing.)

Of course, the film isn’t just about our favorite feisty hero; there’s a lot going on in this movie. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and it’s the Guardians so it’s also fun and funny and heartwarming. It’s also dark and heavy. (Of the three Guardians movies, this one is the most disturbing and violent. Don’t bring young children.)

If you love these characters, prepare to feel all the feelings.

That was my spoiler-free review. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, come back and read the rest of this later.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

While I did like this more than the latest Thor, Doctor Strange, and Ant-Man sequels, I did not love it as much as I loved Guardians Vols. 1 and 2. For starters, it was too dark and creepy. If you’re going to put in animal torture, then maybe don’t also add a bunch of other awful stuff, like the genocide of an entire planet (Counter-Earth), or company headquarters (Orgocorp) built from biological material that looks like nasty human skin, or the horrific and disgusting face under the High Evolutionary’s mask, or … well, you get the idea.

It was arguably a little too violent for a PG-13 rating. I like bad guys getting what they deserve – and the Beastie Boys – as much as anyone, but there was an excessive amount of gun violence, even for a Marvel movie.

And the number of times a main character appeared to be beyond saving was way too high. I thought Rocket was a goner more than once, and I thought we were going to lose Drax. And Peter. At what point are you emotionally manipulating your audience more than you’re entertaining them? I had a feeling this would be a tearjerker, but I didn’t expect to be almost sobbing for half the movie.

I loved Cosmo (good dog!) and the way that the film continued to develop friendships (Mantis’ defense of Drax, Nebula caring for a heartbroken/intoxicated Peter, etc.). I also liked that they tied up a lot of storylines. Rocket got closure (and we find out why he likes to steal batteries), Drax got to be a dad again (and danced!), Peter went to see his grandfather on Earth, etc. Last but not least, the audience got to feel included in the end because we, like the Guardians, finally understood what Groot was saying. That was a nice bow that wrapped up the package.

Goodbye, Guardians. We will miss you.

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Marvel’s trip to the Quantum Realm could be more fun

Posted on by earthtoshawna

I saw the new Marvel movie “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” a few weeks ago, but I haven’t had a chance to write lately. Let’s get started: I really like Paul Rudd, and the first two “Ant-Man” films are some of my faves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But if you watch Marvel movies, you know that even if Ant-Man isn’t your favorite, you’re still going to see this movie. In that respect, Marvel is really smart. They know that we are going to see all of the movies and series in this franchise because if we don’t, we are going to be confused.

Some of the criticism I’ve seen surrounding this latest sequel is of the “it’s confusing if you haven’t seen all the films” variety, to which I say of course it is. That’s their goal. The movies are meant to be viewed as an episodic series, a series with multiple characters – and directors.

The director of the Ant-Man films is Peyton Reed, a comedy guy, and he was great at making the first two Ant-Man films funny. Unfortunately, this one is not as funny. First of all, Michael Pena (Luis) was missing from this film. The director’s explanation was basically that there were already a lot of characters in the film and there wasn’t room for Pena, which seems strange to me considering the inclusion of some other non-essential characters (no offense, guy who plays Baskin-Robbins manager).

Also, even though the special effects were great, the Quantum Realm sort of veers into the territory of silly, with its Star Wars-y aliens. I know I should love that stuff since I write a science-fiction blog, but I think Marvel isn’t really at its best here. It almost felt a little … Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

I’m not thrilled about the direction the MCU is headed with this concept of multiverses. It seems like a minefield of plot holes. But maybe they can pull it off. We’ll see.

Having said all that, I didn’t hate it. It was still fun and funny, just not as good as the previous Ant-Man movies.

More Marvel news

I have higher hopes for the next “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie, which is coming May 5. This may be the last Guardians film, which I’m sad about because they’re my faves, so I hope they at least go out with a bang.

The release date for “The Marvels” movie has been moved yet again, this time to Nov. 10. Bummer! Disney is reining in Marvel’s output. It was originally reported that six (new and returning) Marvel series would be released on Disney+ in 2023, but that has changed. Even “Echo” and “Ironheart,” which have already wrapped, are being put on hold. Now it looks like the only ones we’ll see this year will be “Secret Invasion” and Season 2 of “Loki.”

According to a February article in The Hollywood Reporter, “The pullback on Disney+ is coming amid an industrywide shift in rethinking the best way to achieve profitability in streaming.”

So, it’s about money. (I know, it’s shocking.)

I already mentioned HBO’s “The Last of Us” in my last post. It was really good, and I recommend it, if you haven’t watched it yet. I liked that the zombies aren’t super scary – and I love it when sci-fi proves that the scariest thing of all is really other humans. Pedro Pascal is amazing, as always. Apparently, some people complained that there wasn’t enough zombie action but there was enough for my liking and like I said, it’s not about zombies – it’s about human nature, and it was very moving. I laughed, I cried, I immediately wanted more. Enough said. Go watch it. Just don’t watch it with your kids or they’ll probably be scarred for life. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The new season of “Carnival Row,” on Amazon Prime, is out now, and it’s just as terrible as the first season. Why is this show so bad? Well for starters, it doesn’t make sense. There’s so much illogical plot stuff going on, I can barely keep up. If I ever actually had sympathy for rich successful actors, it would be for the stars of this ridiculous show. I haven’t finished watching Season 2 but I’m not sure I will.

What can I say about Season 3 of “The Mandalorian”? Hmm. It’s better than the Obi-Wan show. Because Grogu. And Pedro. I love Amy Sedaris, and Katee Sackhoff. But the plot isn’t blowing me away so far.

The story with the other Mandalorians is sort of boring, and I am not sure what is happening with Dr. Pershing. Are we supposed to care about him? Am I just being nit-picky? Maybe it will get more exciting in the upcoming episodes.

Lately I find myself being annoyed by their helmets. Just bugged in general because wouldn’t your face get all hot and sweaty under there? And more specifically, I want to see Pedro’s face, and also, is Grogu going to have to wear a helmet? Because NO.

The second season of “Shadow and Bone” (Netflix) has been released but I haven’t had a chance to see it yet. I have heard it’s good, so I’m looking forward to it.

“Willow” fans disappointed to hear the show has been cancelled will be happy to hear that it actually hasn’t. It’s reportedly just on hiatus. (The full explanation can be found on writer/producer Jon Kasdan’s twitter.)

If you are in Southern California, the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale is coming up, on Saturdays and Sundays from April 8 to May 21. The themed weekends this year are pirate and marketplace weekend (April 15 and 16) and RennCon™ weekend (April 29 and 30).

Please note that if you bought tickets during their “Holidazzle” sale, you may only use them through April 23.

The New York Renaissance Faire starts in August, and the Bristol Renaissance Faire (in Wisconsin) begins in July. Go to renfair.com for more info.

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Sci-fi and fantasy I’m looking forward to seeing in 2023

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Is it really 2023? Being a member of Generation X, I imagine 2023 as a destination in a time travel movie from the 1980s, not the actual present time. I guess I’m getting old.

There are a lot of science fiction, fantasy, and superhero movies scheduled to come out this year, which is exciting for all of us nerdy folks. Here are some on my watch list (in no particular order):

‘Quantumania’

Tickets are already on sale for “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” in theaters Feb. 17. The sequel will be the first film of Marvel’s Phase Five. Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer will reprise their roles and Kathryn Newton will play Cassie Lang, Scott’s daughter. The trailer, set to a trippy version of Elton John’s “Yellow Brick Road,” got me hyped up for this movie, so hopefully it won’t let me down like certain other Marvel sequels from 2022.

The “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” trailer also got me hyped up, with Spacehog’s ’90s hit “In the Meantime.” The Guardians soundtracks are usually full of 1970s tunes from Peter Quill’s Walkman, but now we are moving into a new era (remember when Kraglin gave Peter a Zune?). Although I’m sad that this will probably be the last Guardians film, it looks like it will be a good one. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Elizabeth Debicki, and Sylvester Stallone reprise their roles, Will Poulter has been added to the cast as Adam Warlock, and Chukwudi Iwuji is the High Evolutionary. Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel reprise their roles as the voices of Rocket and Groot, and Maria Bakalova voices Cosmo the Spacedog. It’s scheduled to be released on May 5.

‘Spaceman’

An adaptation of the Jaroslav Kalfar novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” is coming to Netflix in July. “Spaceman” is about a Czech astronaut (played by Adam Sandler) on a solo mission to explore a mysterious cloud of space dust. The film also stars Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Isabella Rossellini, and Kunal Nayyar.

Marvel seems to be dominating in theaters this year – or at least dominating my must-see list. Brie Larson and Iman Vellani will reprise their roles as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel in “The Marvels,” on July 28. The cast also includes Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. I think it’s interesting that so many characters introduced in Disney+ series are going on to the big screen. For example, we’ll see Kang from the “Loki” series in the new Ant-Man film (or I guess the one from Loki was a Kang variant?) and Kamala and Monica (from “Ms. Marvel” and “WandaVision,” respectively) in this one. It’s a smart – and sneaky – move by Disney to get us all to subscribe, so that we will be caught up when we head to theaters.

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is based on the Suzanne Collins novel and is a prequel to the other Hunger Games books and films. Tom Blyth portrays young Coriolanus Snow (the president played by Donald Sutherland in the other movies). The film also stars Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Peter Dinklage, and Viola Davis, and is scheduled to be released on Nov. 17.

Coming to theaters on June 2 is the computer-animated sequel “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” The theme of parallel universes seems to be a trend lately, and the Spider-Verse is another one doing the multiverse thing. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld reprise their roles as Miles Morales/Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman.

The next film on my list is from the people who brought you “A Quiet Place” (Scott Beck and Bryan Woods). At first glance, “65” looks kind of – how can I put this? – stupid. A sci-fi thriller with astronauts and dinosaurs? Hmm. But it has Adam Driver. That’s how they get you. “65” is in theaters March 17.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is (obviously) based on the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons and stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, and Hugh Grant. The effects and setting in the trailer are impressive, and it looks like it might be a really fun fantasy film. Or it could be a huge flop. Guess we’ll have to, um, roll the dice on this one. The film premieres at SXSW March 10 and will be in theaters March 31.

Films with release dates TBA

Another sci-fi film on the SXSW slate is “If You Were the Last,” starring Anthony Mackie, Natalie Morales, Zoe Chao, and Geoff Stults. It has been described as “When Harry Met Sally” in space. Make of that what you will.

The Zack Snyder movie “Rebel Moon” (Netflix) was inspired by Star Wars and Akira Kurosawa films. The ensemble cast includes Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, and Djimon Hounsou. Snyder has said he hopes the movie will become a “massive IP and a universe that can be built out.” Sounds very ambitious. I’m excited at the prospect of something original and new. It could be really cool. Or it could be really boring. Like “Dune.”

‘The Pod Generation‘

Sci-fi rom com/satire “The Pod Generation,” starring Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor, premieres at the Sundance Film Festival today (Jan. 19). Directed by Sophie Barthes (“Cold Souls”), the film may not be released in mainstream theaters, as it’s an independent movie, and it might not be released this year at all, but I will keep you posted. It looks interesting.

There were supposed to be new Star Trek and Star Wars movies in theaters this year, in June and December, respectively, but it doesn’t look like either of those will be happening. Hopefully we will have more news on those soon.

Now streaming

After we finished “Paper Girls,” which we loved, my daughter and I were looking for something similar to watch together. Our contenders were “The Wilds” and “Runaways” (both of which we only watched one episode), and “Parallels” (Disney+) which we declared the winner of the three. We binge-watched all six episodes of Season 1. A French series dubbed in English, “Parallels” follows a group of teenage friends who are accidentally separated into parallel universes during testing of a nearby particle collider. (Rated TV-14.)

‘The Last of Us’

A new series on HBO, “The Last of Us” is based on a video game and stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, a survivor of a creepy zombie plague. I’ve only seen the first episode so far (it just came out on Sunday), but so far it’s really good. The epic first episode walks us through the events before the apocalyptic plague hits, Joel’s harrowing fight to get out of the infected city with his daughter and brother, and the dismal aftermath. (Rated TV-MA.)

Franchise series expected in 2023

Star Wars series coming to Disney+ this year: “Ahsoka,” “Skeleton Crew,” and the third season of “The Mandalorian.”

New seasons of the three (live-action) Star Trek series are also coming this year: the second season of “Strange New Worlds,” Season 5 of “Discovery,” and the third and final season of “Picard.”

Marvel series coming to Disney+ this year: “Secret Invasion,” “Ironheart,” “Echo,” “Agatha: Coven of Chaos,” and the second seasons of “Loki” and “What If …?”

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The greatest (and not as great) sci-fi and fantasy of 2022

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Hey sci-fi people! I’m finishing up my end of the year roundup, right under the wire. I haven’t seen everything, obviously, and other than lack of time, the main reasons for that are: I don’t really love horror (in case you’re thinking, “What about ‘Nope’?”) and also, I don’t subscribe to every streaming service. It’s getting a little out of hand, all these increasingly expensive streaming services, am I right? But that’s a complaint for another post.

Wakanda Forever!

Here are my awards for sci-fi and fantasy films of 2022:

Favorite Movie of the Year: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Was it perfect? No. Is it going to win Best Picture award at the Oscars? Probably not. But I loved it. It was beautifully done, and after the disappointments that were the Thor and Doc Strange sequels, “Wakanda” was just what I needed. It was exciting and unpredictable without being too silly (“Love and Thunder”) or too creepy (“Multiverse of Madness”). It was a great tribute to Chadwick Boseman and a great addition to the MCU, but also a good movie in general.

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ lives up to its title.

Wackiest movie: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is getting all kinds of nominations for the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice awards, which is cool, and I love Michelle Yeoh; she’s one of my favorite actresses. This absurdist movie about parallel universes was so frenetic and crazy I don’t think I will watch it again, but it was definitely something, even if it wasn’t my favorite.

Favorite dance scene: “After Yang.” There were a lot of good dance scenes in movies and TV this year. I loved the dance-off in “Umbrella Academy,” and Frenchie and Kimiko’s old-timey musical number in “The Boys.” Wednesday Addams’ self-choreographed goth dance on the Netflix series even went viral. But the one that gets my vote is the family dance competition in the opening credits of the Colin Farrell film “After Yang.” I like funny, what can I say? Unfortunately, there isn’t much humor in the rest of the film, about a family dealing with the loss of their humanoid robot companion. Quiet and melancholic, “After Yang” is the polar opposite of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” in its pace.

This is not the happy-go-lucky genie from Aladdin’s lamp.

Movie that Put Me in a Funk: “Three Thousand Years of Longing.” Speaking of melancholy, this movie about a djinn (Idris Elba) released from his bottle by a professor (Tilda Swinton) gave me the sads. It didn’t earn big box office bucks, which I suspect may have been due to poor marketing, but also the way the story is framed: The bulk of the film is taken up with the djinn telling the professor stories of how he ended up in the bottle. I love Swinton and Elba, and I wanted to love this, but the djinn’s stories aren’t all that interesting, and they take up the whole movie so there’s no depth to the relationship the djinn and Alithea have with each other. I want more from a movie that’s supposed to be about magic and storytelling. What can we learn from a being that has been alive for thousands of years? Humans are awful, and loneliness sucks? I already know that. When the credits rolled, I didn’t feel charmed. Just depressed.

Most impressive effects: “Avatar: The Way of Water.” I just talked about this film in my last post, so I won’t go into detail. I also recently found out it’s being boycotted, and perhaps justifiably so. A topic for a different post. I’ll just say the controversy doesn’t change the fact that the effects are indeed impressive and leave it at that.

Sci-fi and fantasy series

I watched more series than films this year, and there were a lot of good ones. There were also some that were OK but could have been better. Here we go:

‘Andor’ – the best thing to happen to Star Wars since baby Yoda.

Started Out Boring but Turned Out to be the Best New Series of the Year (aka “The Expanse” award) goes to “Andor,” on Disney+. I think a lot of Star Wars fans got burned out on the barren desert boringness of “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Expecting us to get excited about a prequel of a prequel was a big ask. The first couple episodes had me feeling “whatever” about it, but by the end, I was blown away by this series. Diego Luna earned a nomination as the title character, and Andy Serkis was intense as Kino Loy, a floor manager in a prison complex. And I’m still thinking about that Stellan Skarsgård speech. Great writing, great acting. More Star Wars like this, please!

‘Undone’ – doing the time warp again.

Season 2 Which was Even Better than Season 1: “Undone,” on Amazon Prime. I have sung the praises of this awesome show multiple times, so I won’t go on and on but if you haven’t watched it yet, this is your reminder. It has cool animation and time travel and Bob Odenkirk. Runner-up: “Russian Doll” on Netflix.

Series That Should Get a Season 2 but Was Cancelled: “Paper Girls.” The Amazon Prime series is an adaptation of a comic book by the author of my favorite comic, “Saga,” Brian K. Vaughan, who describes “Paper Girls” as a cross between “Stand by Me” and “Terminator.” Four paper delivery girls living in 1988 are swept up in a time travel conflict and transported to the year 2019. One of my favorite comedians, Ali Wong, plays one of the girls as an adult in 2019. I really liked this one; it’s too bad it didn’t get the marketing or renewal it deserved. (I assume it’s because all of Amazon’s marketing budget went to the next series on this list.) Maybe “Paper Girls” will get picked up by another streaming service. Fingers crossed.

Most Expensive Series that Should Have Been Better: “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” on Amazon Prime. This wasn’t really bad, and in fact I will watch Season 2 since I did like the last couple episodes. But overall, it was a bit of a snooze fest, which it shouldn’t have been, considering it cost more than all the LOTR movies combined. The total reported price tag for Season 1 was $715 million. Yikes. Runner-up: HBO’s “House of the Dragon.”

Joseph Quinn mastered that Metallica cover.

Best Musical Scene: Everyone’s favorite dungeon master Eddie Munson on “Stranger Things” playing “Master of Puppets” to lure the demon bats away from his friends – the ultimate guitar hero! The actor who plays Munson, Joseph Quinn, is really playing the guitar in that scene; he practiced the Metallica song for months.

That’s it, folks! Happy New Year.

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‘The Way of Water,’ ‘Witcher,’ ‘Wonder Woman’ and more

Posted on by earthtoshawna

The long-awaited sequel to James Cameron’s epic 2009 sci-fi/fantasy film “Avatar” is finally in theaters. We saw it last night, and we loved it! But not everyone had positive things to say about it. I’ve seen some less than favorable reviews, with critics complaining about the film not being original or deep enough, which I guess is a fair point? The plot is a recycled version of the plot from the first movie, and the characters are clichéd (rebellious teenagers, snarling Marine colonel, etc.).

If you’ve seen the first movie – one of the critics in question admitted she hadn’t – then you know the point is not the story. You aren’t going to see this CGI movie in IMAX 3D expecting to be blown away by the plot. You’re in it because it looks cool. It transports you for three hours to another planet. It’s not “Citizen Kane.”

I know everyone says “Avatar” is a glorified version of “FernGully” or “Pocahontas” but how glorious it is! It’s no wonder the villainous Earth people want to move to Pandora. Who wouldn’t? The water is clean and phosphorescent; the forest is lush and magical.

In this sequel, we are introduced to the reef people, a separate clan from the one in the first film, which introduced the forest people of Pandora. And I know I mentioned in my last post that I have an issue with mer-people but 1) these people don’t have underwater homes so it doesn’t count, and 2) Cameron has said that one of the reasons this was so long coming was because he wanted to get the underwater effects just right, and it looked amazing! It may not be award-winning writing, but visually, it’s just about perfect.

Having said that, I didn’t hate the plot. It’s not subtle in its messages about environmentalism and colonialism, but so what. They’re good messages and bear repeating.

It’s possible this sequel struck a chord because, like me, Jake and Neytiri are now parents of teenagers, so I related to their worries. I was invested; the stakes are high and the action sequences are intense. It was breathtaking but it also had humor, and heart. It’s not going to change your life, but it has everything you want in a sci-fi/fantasy/action movie. If you liked the first one, you won’t be disappointed.

“Avatar 3” is scheduled to be released in December 2024.

Under the Gunn
Patty and Gal

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say, “WTF, James Gunn?” First we find out that he’s not going to direct any more “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, and now he’s taking over at DC, and the first order of business is apparently to ax the best things DC had going for it: Henry Cavill playing Superman and Patty Jenkins directing the Wonder Woman movies.

Jenkins has reportedly left the third Wonder Woman film over “creative differences.” This came as a shock as the first one was, in this fan’s opinion, DC’s best offering thus far. I can only hope Gal Gadot follows Jenkins to something bigger and better.

Cavill fans were already upset by the announcement in October that he will no longer be playing Geralt of Rivia after Season 3 of “The Witcher,” expected in mid-2023. (Season 4 will feature Liam Hemsworth in the role.) There have been many rumors, but an official explanation has not been given. It was suspected that his return to his Superman role could be the reason. But now we know this isn’t happening either, as Gunn is taking Superman in a different (younger) direction. Cavill announced last week he is working on a “Warhammer” franchise which will be on Amazon. Mystery (sort of) solved.

I don’t know much about “Warhammer” but as long as I get to see Henry in something, I’m happy.

More stuff …
Michelle Yeoh

In other Witcher news, a four-episode prequel miniseries, “The Witcher: Blood Origin,” starring Michelle Yeoh, will be released on Netflix on Dec. 25. I love Yeoh, so I will be watching this one. I was happy to see that she and her wacky sci-fi flick “Everything Everywhere All at Once” have been nominated for Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Movie awards. Yeoh is also in the aforementioned third installment of “Avatar,” coming in 2024.

If you are looking for something to binge watch, check out the first season of the fantasy series “Shadow and Bone” before the second season comes out March 16. This one is also on Netflix.

One last thing I want to mention is the new trailer for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Check it out.

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Willow, Wednesday, Wakanda … What’s worth watching?

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Somehow it is already December, and I know you all have holiday stuff to do. I know you don’t want to waste your time trying to find something to watch when you finally get some time to wind down. I’m here for you.

First up is the Disney+ series “Willow.” If you’re from Gen X, like me, you will remember the fantasy film “Willow,” starring Val Kilmer as Willow. Just kidding! Kilmer played Madmartigan who thus far does not appear in this series.

Willow is played by Warwick Davis, and my favorite part was when he showed up. His return had the same energy as the original Star Wars characters showing up in “The Last Jedi,” and and in fact Davis has said he was inspired by Mark Hamill’s portrayal of Luke Skywalker in that film.

I’m not sure how this is possible, but I did not realize Davis would be reprising his role from the 1988 film. I guess I haven’t been paying attention, and honestly, I don’t remember much from the original movie which I’ve mixed up with the 1985 fantasy film “Ladyhawke.”

As awesome as it was to see Davis back in the titular role, it doesn’t bode well that that scene was the best part of this show. Instead of reminding me of those earlier movies, this new series reminds me of nothing so much as Amazon’s adaptation of “Wheel of Time.” That’s not a bad thing, it’s just … a little confusing. It’s possible my middle-aged brain can only keep track of so many teenagers going on quests, but that’s probably a problem exclusive to myself (and maybe my fellow Gen X-ers).

One of these is “Wheel of Time” – the other is “Willow.” (If you’re confused, remember: The teens from “Wheel of Time” are on a dangerous quest to save their world, and the teens from “Willow” are on a dangerous quest to save their world.)

So is “Willow” worth watching? I’ve only seen the first two episodes and I’d love to say it started out with a bang but so far it’s just meh. I will keep watching, in the hopes it will go from boring to amazing (which seems to be the trend – I’m looking at you, “Andor”) but if you have Disney+ and are into fantasy, or you’re just plain nostalgic, you’re probably already watching this one.

‘Wednesday’

Netflix’s new series “Wednesday” is, of course, about Wednesday Addams from the 1960s TV show and the movie remakes from the ’90s. Actually, there are multiple iterations of this family’s story, but those are the only ones I’ve seen.

The earlier versions are dark comedies, but this one’s genre is a bit less clear. With Tim Burton producing (and directing the first few episodes), we know it will be dark, but is it a comedy? Is it horror? Or a murder mystery? I think it’s trying to be all of those, but not entirely succeeding.

Wikipedia calls it a “coming-of-age supernatural comedy horror television series.” I feel that’s at least one too many ingredients in the cauldron, but maybe I’m not the target audience. This Wednesday, now 16, is played by Jenna Ortega, who is perfect in this role. Christina Ricci (who also stars) is my generation’s Wednesday, and her deadpan Thanksgiving speech at Camp Chippewa is still one of my favorite movie scenes. The witch hunt story line in “Wednesday” seems to be a callback to that takedown of whitewashing American history in “Addams Family Values,” but it’s just one of many side plots in a somewhat tangled story.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. I did, and I’m not alone – “Wednesday” is so popular it even broke a record held by “Stranger Things” – the most hours viewed in a week for an English language series on Netflix. It is similar in some ways to “Stranger Things.” Both shows are creepier than I would like, but they also both have themes of friendship and perseverance against the odds. Both shows focus on teen outcasts, and they also both have some great musical scenes: Wednesday’s dance scene (accompanied by The Cramps’ “Goo Goo Muck”), is the one most talked about, but I prefer her cello cover of The Stones’ “Paint It Black” (although nothing can top Eddie Munson’s “Master of Puppets” moment).

Despite its flaws, “Wednesday” is suspenseful and addictive. If you like coming-of-age supernatural comedy horror, stock up on popcorn and binge watch this one.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

If you are a Marvel fan, you know “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is absolutely worth going to see in the theater as you’ve likely already seen it and don’t need me to tell you how great it is. If you haven’t seen all the movies, you might be confused, as this is not just a sequel to 2018’s “Black Panther,” but also … lots of stuff has happened since that came out, in the films and TV series, but also in real life. Sadly, the actor who played King T’Challa/Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, passed away in 2020.

The film did a great job in handling the death of his character and was a beautiful tribute to Boseman. I tried to avoid reading any spoilers, so I did not know who would be chosen as T’Challa’s successor. In that way, the film was unpredictable, which I liked. There are also some new characters introduced, who will likely have bigger roles in future installations.

I was less thrilled about the conflict the Wakandans had with the sea people, who reminded me too much of the underwater people from “Aquaman,” I guess because people who live in the ocean seem silly to me. Marvel has aliens and wizards and talking raccoons, but I apparently draw the line at mer-people. I don’t know why. Marvel villains always seem to lean toward the cheesy side anyway, so maybe it’s just par for the course.

Overall it was an exciting and emotional movie, and just as good as the first “Black Panther.” Maybe it was even better, since we already know and love these characters. I don’t think I’m giving away anything when I say this one is a tearjerker. Bring tissues.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

Despite the fact that it looked a little low-budget, I enjoyed “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.” It was silly and fun, and it was released the day after Thanksgiving, which I thought was a good choice. Mantis’ and Drax’s antics were funny and the ending was even sort of touching and sweet.

The Guardians are my favorite MCU characters and the upcoming “The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is rumored to be the last film with these characters, which I hope is not true.

The new movie is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 5, the second Marvel film of the new year, after “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” coming Feb. 17. The trailers for both films have been released.

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