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MOVIES

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

OPENING IN THEATERS TODAY

Marvel’s 31st screen offering (has it been that many already??) is the third in the Ant-Man trilogy. The cast is stellar: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, Michele Pfeiffer, Bill Murray and Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. Kang is the new “big bad” for this next phase of Marvel films and Majors steals every scene he’s in.

The plot may be a little hard to follow if you’re a Marvel newbie. Rudd and company are accidentally sucked into the Quantum Realm, a microscopic universe that exists in the tiniest place of space and time. The movie is very different from the previous two films in that it’s the most sci-fi of the franchise to date. It’s Marvel’s Star Wars, with Ant-Man, the Wasp, Douglas’ Hank Pym and Pfeiffer’s Janet Van Dyne assisting rebels fighting back against the tyranny of Kang. The rebel forces all look like characters from the cantina scene in Star Wars.

It’s not as funny as the first two Ant-Man films but it’s an enjoyable ride that sets up the next several Marvel movies and television shows where Marvel heroes will in some way battle Kang leading up to a big Avengers movie finale in 2025.

Bottom line, if you’re a Marvel fan or a science fiction film fan, you’ll really enjoy this picture. If the genre isn’t your cup of tea, it’s probably not for you.

Copie’s Choice: GO if you like Sci-Fi and Marvel movies.

TELEVISION

How I Met Your Father

Season 2

Hulu

After a slow start in the first season, I’m really enjoying How I Met Your Father, the long-awaited spinoff series of the great How I Met Your Mother, which ran for 9 seasons on CBS. The first season drew so many eyeballs that Hulu ordered 22 episodes for season 2. That’s the largest order for a show in the history of streaming to date.

How I Met Your Mother was a show about the trials and tribulations of love, dating, marriage and finding “the one” told through the framing device of Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) telling his children in the 2030’s how he met their mom and all of the heartache he had to go through. Future Ted was voiced by the late great Bob Saget.

How I Met Your Father follows hopeless romantic Sophie (Hilary Duff) as she tells her future son what she had to go through to finally end up with his father. Future Sophie is played by Kim Cattrall and she’s telling her story in the year 2050.

It’s taken a minute to get to know and care about any of the characters, but once you do, you’ll be hooked. I think that the show is finding its groove this season and it’s fun to see cast members from the original show pop up in their character roles.

Copie’s Choice: WATCH if you’re a hopeless romantic like me!

Have a great weekend and, if you’re in San Francisco tomorrow, swing by the Marsh and say hello!