movies

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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‘Supergirl’ doesn’t live up to potential

Posted on by earthtoshawna

I loved “Superman” (2025), and I was so excited for “Supergirl.” Milly Alcock is adorable and a great actress. She’s perfectly cast as Supergirl, aka Kara Zor-El. Her naughty pup, Krypto, is also adorable. They’re a spunky superhero duo! What’s not to love? Well, unfortunately there were multiple things about this movie that I did not love.

Don’t get me wrong – I didn’t hate it. It was entertaining, and it had its moments. But it could have been so much better! For starters, Kara is not a great role model for young girls, which is fine, but if you are thinking this is a cute movie to take your little girl to see, you might be disappointed to find out that Kara is less of a fun party girl and more of a full-blown alcoholic. I actually don’t mind this being part of the story except that they don’t really address her addiction in a meaningful way.

There is also lots of violence, and I know that’s par for the course, but I’m talking about massacres of whole families by space pirates who also abduct and imprison teen girls to be their “brides.” It isn’t the most feel-good, family-friendly summer flick, is what I’m saying. (And “Supergirl” doesn’t address human trafficking in any meaningful way either.)

Having said that, I am going to give a lot more spoilers after the following photo, so if you don’t want the movie spoiled, come back later.

I am sad to be giving this film a somewhat negative review, because I really, really wanted to love it. Women-centered films are often unfairly criticized, even before they’ve been released. Like “The Marvels” (2023) there was some anti-women hatred aimed at “Supergirl,” picking on Alcock’s appearance, of all things. There’s nothing wrong with her appearance of course. My issues with the movie are its plot holes and lack of originality.

My first gripe is with the origin story of Clark’s cousin. In “Superman,” we found out Clark’s birth parents were sort of evil and wanted their son to conquer Earth and to rule “without mercy.” Luckily, he didn’t get the memo because their message was cut off, so he became a good guy instead.

Now we are told Kara’s parents were awesome and told her to be a good person! Maybe there was a good brother and a bad brother, and Supergirl’s dad was the good one? That’s possible, but they don’t go into that. We are left to puzzle over it. (I know there’s a theory that the “Go conquer Earth” message translation in “Superman” was a lie, but there’s a line in “Supergirl” about Kal-El being sent off to be a conqueror, and anyway one would think Kara would be able to clear up any doubt, as she speaks fluent Kryptonian.)

It’s hard not to compare the two superheroes. The story and plot in “Superman” felt fresh and original, and also timely. But “Supergirl” felt like a mashup of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Mad Max: Fury Road.” And not in a good way.

The villains and the fight scenes were sort of boring, Supergirl’s sidekick, Ruthye, was one-dimensional. Her sworn-to-avenge-her-family storyline was very “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.” And as much as I love Jason Momoa, his character Lobo was extraneous. He could have been removed, and it wouldn’t change the story.

How did all of this pass the first-draft stage? I suspect movie makers don’t expect women superheroes to bring in the big box-office bucks, so they invest less effort in these films. Then when the movies do poorly, they can say, “See we told you, audiences don’t want women superheroes!” (Script writers and directors should study 2017’s “Wonder Woman.” The Patty Jenkins-directed film proved that we can have women superhero movies that don’t suck!)

Another issue I have with “Supergirl” is that, while Kara does help Ruthye and the other kidnapped girls, there’s no follow-up for the girls after they’re freed, because Kara’s main concern is her dog, left paralyzed by the brigands. Krypto spends most of the movie on a doctor’s table, waiting for the heroes to find him a cure, just like Rocket in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

Maybe I’m being unfair. Kara is younger than Clark, so it makes sense that she’s more immature and self-centered. She also has had childhood trauma which she’s still working out. It’s possible the writers are planning more growth for her in a future film.

I did love seeing Kara and her puppy meeting for the first time, and going to Earth, meeting Superman. Her flaws (and that space scream!) are relatable. I will re-watch the movie. Like I said, I didn’t hate it. But Alcock deserves a better script. (Another note to writers: If you want us to take women superhero movies seriously, don’t use cringey songs like “The Middle.”) I’m holding out hope Alcock will get to play Supergirl again and have a better story the next time around.

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‘Project Hail Mary,’ ‘Wonder Man’ bring the bromance

Posted on by earthtoshawna

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I love the Andy Weir novel “Project Hail Mary,” and I was excited about the adaptation. I am happy to report it lived up to my expectations.

Ryan Gosling was great as Ryland Grace, and everything about the film was beautiful: the cinematography, the story, the bromance between two dudes bonding over science in outer space. … I’m getting ahead of myself.

If you have not seen it yet, here’s a little background: Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there. He discovers he’s the only survivor of a three-person crew light years away from Earth. He slowly remembers the events that led him to this distant solar system.

There was a lot of detail in the book that didn’t make it to the screen, and that was to be expected. If they did everything that was in the original, it would have been a lot longer than two and a half hours, and it would have been more tedious, to be honest. They did a pretty good job deciding what to keep, what to cut, and what to add. (I loved the addition of the karaoke scene.)

I really liked the adaptation of Weir’s novel “The Martian” as well. “Project Hail Mary” was even better. My one gripe is that it’s a little too perfect. The book is grittier. In the movie, the conflicts that arise are solved with less blood, sweat, and tears.

The crew of Artemis II wearing special glasses to view the solar eclipse during their lunar flyby (NASA photo)

NASA’s real-life Artemis II flight is giving a similar positive vibe. The crew of four astronauts flew around the moon and launched from Cape Canaveral just a couple weeks after “Project Hail Mary” premiered in theaters. It was a rare parallel. A convergence? Maybe not so rare after all:

CBC reporter and film critic Jackson Weaver has pointed out astronaut movies often align with NASA milestones: “The Martian” (2015) was released a few weeks after NASA’s announcement about water on Mars. “First Man” (2018) came out a few months before the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. It’s not really coincidental; NASA has had a hand in this, having collaborated on many films.

Understandably, NASA will not put its brand on anything that depicts NASA in a negative light. The sci-fi horror flick “Life” was denied the use of the NASA logo, and Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity” had a major disaster in space, which NASA would not support.

Maybe this has something to do with the happy, shiny perfect-ness of the movie I mentioned earlier. Might the setbacks Grace encountered have been minimized in the film – compared with the book – due to NASA’s involvement?

Don’t get me wrong, I think NASA is “amaze,” and I think space exploration reminds us to look at the big picture and moves us to see each other as neighbors and collaborators, rather than enemies. As Jeremy Hansen, one of the Artemis II astronauts, recently said, “Our purpose on the planet as humans is to find the joy in lifting each other up by creating solutions together instead of destroying. When you see it from out here, it doesn’t change it; it just absolutely reaffirms that.”

In that context, it’s easy to see why NASA approved of “Project Hail Mary.” They want us to see them in a positive light, but they also want us to be inspired by astronauts – even fictional ones.

I’ve been seeing comments online about fans becoming “obsessed” with “Project Hail Mary,” and feeling encouraged and motivated by the characters to do something meaningful with their lives.

The Artemis II astronauts worked together, not just with each other, but with all the NASA people on the ground, to carry out their mission.

Ryland Grace felt alone in space, but he did not get there alone. And ultimately, Grace is not alone. He develops a unique friendship with another scientist light years away from Earth, a friendship which is really the heart of the story.

Even though I complained about it being too perfect, I really did love “Project Hail Mary,” and I give it all the stars! It is possible that I like to complain so much that I even complain that there is nothing to complain about. Or maybe I’m too jaded; I need more than a good movie to make me feel hopeful right now – even if it’s a really, really good movie.

‘Wonder Man’

Another bromance I enjoyed recently is Marvel’s series “Wonder Man,” which was released at the end of January on Disney+. The character of Wonder Man first appeared in comics in the 1960s, but this is his first live-action appearance!

In this version, Simon Williams, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Manta in the Aquaman movies) is an actor who is excited to hear about auditions for a remake of the “Wonder Man” movie he loved as a child. He hears about the auditions from fellow actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), whom you may remember from “Iron Man 3,” in which he was hired (by Tony Stark’s nemesis) to portray a terrorist called “the Mandarin.” (Trevor also appeared in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and the short film “All Hail the King.”)

Due to their shared love of acting, Simon and Trevor become friends. It’s not a typical superhero story. Often serious and suspenseful, exploring themes like trust and self-control, the show is also at times light-hearted and funny, and refreshingly unpredictable. “Wonder Man” is also interesting because it depicts what it’s like to be a struggling actor in Hollywood – and everything that comes with that.

There were reportedly two separate series planned, one about Simon and another about Trevor, and their stories were combined, which is surprising, as their friendship is my favorite thing about the show.   

One of the best episodes is a flashback story behind Hollywood studios’ “Doorman Clause,” which bans people with superpowers from working in the film and television industry. The episode is in black and white and features a cameo from Josh Gad, playing himself and singing his Frozen character Olaf’s song “In Summer” in a nightclub. It is very funny and surreal. 

I thought this might be a one and done miniseries, but it has already been renewed for a second season. It will be interesting to see what happens next for these characters.

The next new series on the Marvel slate is “VisionQuest,” a spinoff of “WandaVision.” Paul Bettany will reprise his role as Vision. The show is expected to premiere on Disney+ later this year but does not yet have a release date.

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Sam Rockwell makes satire ‘Good Luck’ worth watching

Posted on by earthtoshawna

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’

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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

Posted on by earthtoshawna

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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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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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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