Flow

Don’t miss ‘Mickey 17’; skip new LOTR & Captain America

Posted on by earthtoshawna

Sitting in the dark theater, watching the many horror trailers, or rather, trying not to watch them, I suddenly realized (with horror) that the movie I was about to watch, “Mickey 17,” might in fact also be a horror movie. I hadn’t even seen a trailer for it. I only knew it was the newest film from Bong Joon-ho, the director of “Snowpiercer,” “Okja,” and “Parasite.”

It isn’t scary. But, like his other films, it’s disturbing and intense (and not for kids). It’s also pretty great. You know going into a Bong movie that it’s going to be dark and funny and meaningful. That’s why I bought tickets for opening weekend, even though I knew almost nothing about it.

(If you also want to go in knowing nothing about it, you may want to come back after you’ve seen it, as the following description includes some spoilers.)

The film, based on an Edward Ashton novel, centers on a mission to colonize a distant planet. The titular Mickey (Robert Pattinson) has signed up to be an “expendable” – his job is to be a guinea pig for things like poisonous gases, radiation, etc. He repeatedly dies and is reborn – from a giant human printer.

Mark Ruffalo plays Kenneth Marshall, an egotistical politician who heads the mission. Most of the crew members have signed on because they’re crazed fanatics who would follow him anywhere. (Remind you of anyone?)

If it sounds silly, it’s supposed to be. It’s one of those crazy movies where you don’t know what is going to happen next. It had a similar vibe to Bong’s movie “Okja,” so if you liked that movie, you would likely enjoy this one. The great thing about Bong’s movies is that while he’s holding a mirror up to our own society, you are laughing and cringing and going along for the ride.

Bong’s style is reminiscent of another well-known director of outlandish and satirical movies, Yorgos Lanthimos. (I much prefer Bong’s style, as Lanthimos’ goal often seems to be inspiring disgust.)

I also was reminded of other clone stories like the 1996 movie “Multiplicity” and the 2019 series “Living with Yourself,” but the clone concept in “Mickey” was only one part of the larger story. Check it out for yourself; I don’t want to give too much away.

Two other movies I had been eagerly anticipating did not live up to my expectations. The first is “Captain America: Brave New World.” The Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was well done, and I hoped for this new movie to continue with that level of writing. Unfortunately, the new movie is not one of the better entries in the MCU franchise.

It is possible I was not following along very well, but I found the plot confusing, and a little cheesy. Sam Wilson (who has taken up the mantle and shield of Captain America) and Joaquin Torres investigate a conspiracy involving Thaddeus Ross, who is now the U.S. president and is played by Harrison Ford. (Ross was previously portrayed by William Hurt, who passed away in 2022.)

I will not go into detail, but among the many inconsistencies that don’t make sense to me: “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” ended with super soldier Isaiah Bradley in hiding. In “Brave New World,” Bradley is no longer in hiding, and no explanation or background is given regarding that plot point.

Another issue I have is with Bucky Barnes, who appears only briefly, and is running for Congress. No explanation is given here either, although there must be one, as this is out of character for the Bucky we have come to know. Perhaps that will be explained in the upcoming “Thunderbolts*” (scheduled to be released May 2), which will, I hope, be more fun.

(Did “Brave New World” meet your expectations? Let me know in the comments or on my Facebook page!)

The animated movie “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” was just OK. There is an anime vibe, but the backgrounds look like they were taken from photos, which was interesting but also slightly jarring, and I’m not sure if that was the intention.

The plot was formulaic and clichéd: Hera, the strong-willed daughter of the king of Rohan, turns down a marriage proposal from Wulf, the son of a Dunlending lord. Wulf feels entitled to Hera and is angry by the rejection, which leads to the two sides fighting in a long, drawn-out war. It feels Games of Thrones-ish, in that hundreds of people have to die in a war for someone else’s stubbornness and spite. I guess that describes most war stories – and actual wars, for that matter.

Southern California happenings

March is the 10th annual Mermaid Month at the Ventura Harbor Village. Enjoy mermaid-themed treats, scavenger hunts, and shopping specials all month long. Mermaid and pirate cosplay is encouraged.

A special event from 1 to 4 p.m. on March 22 will include mermaid photo ops, ice sculpting, bubble shows, arts and crafts activities for kids, live music, and more. Parking and admission are free.

For details, visit https://www.venturaharborvillage.com/mermaid-month-2025/?2025-03-04/

A Salute to the Women in Sci-Fi convention is coming to Burbank on March 22 and 23. Special guests include Tricia Helfer, Adrianne Palicki, and Denise Richards. All profits will be donated to Los Angeles charities including Defy: Disaster & Random Acts Natural Disaster Recovery Fund. Learn more about this event and purchase tickets here: https://www.creationent.com/cal/scifi_bur/index.html

There are a lot of sci-fi and fantasy conventions coming up – too many to list in this post. To find events in your area, go to https://fancons.com/

The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire will be Saturdays and Sundays from April 5 to May 18 in Irwindale. Themed weekends include Pirate & Marketplace Weekend April 12 and 13, Cottagecore Weekend April 19 and 20, and RennCon April 26 and 27.

If you have never been to the Faire, I recommend going at least once. It’s especially fun to dress up in costume, and there are lots of vendors and shows, live music, acrobats, jousts, and more.

One of the best things is seeing everyone’s costumes and pretending you’re living in a different era, at least for a few hours.

For more information, and tickets, go to: https://renfair.com/socal/

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced its new Universal Fan Fest Nights, select nights from April 25 to May 18. Themes include Star Trek, Back to the Future, Dungeons & Dragons, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Harry Potter, and Super Nintendo World, and will include “experiences,” themed food, and exclusive merchandise. You can buy tickets here: https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/things-to-do/events-and-seasonal-activities/fan-fest-nights

I didn’t watch the Oscars this year, but I was very happy to hear the movie “Flow” won for Best Animated Feature. It was the first indie film to win in this category, and it was the first Latvian movie to win an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Congrats to filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis!

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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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