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Tag: Lucy Liu

  • Lucy Liu on Mental Health, Motherhood, and the “Very Limiting” Hyphenate Hollywood Should Retire

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    On a chilly December evening, the sounds of Lucy Liu’s filmography echoed through an upper Manhattan cineplex. Liu had arrived for a post-screening Q&A in support of her new movie, Rosemead, only to hear dialogue from Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (a special project that combines parts one and two of Quentin Tarantino’s revenge thriller) emanating from a nearby theater. “I couldn’t believe it. I just happened to walk by, and I heard what sounded like my voice,” Liu tells Vanity Fair. “I walked over and it was that scene.”

    You know the one. Liu and Uma Thurman play rival sword-wielding assassins who battle to the former’s death in a snow-covered, blood-soaked blowout. It is one of many impressive moments from Liu’s lengthy career, which has seen her turn a successful late-’90s run on Ally McBeal into a diverse oeuvre of action (two Charlie’s Angels movies, two Kill Bill films), intrigue (seven seasons of the network whodunnit Elementary), and romance (Netflix’s Glen Powell springboard, Set It Up). In 2000 she became the first Asian woman to ever host Saturday Night Live, and nearly two decades later, Liu became only the second Asian American actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, following in the footsteps of Chinese American actress Anna May Wong, one of the few Asian performers to break through in Hollywood’s golden age.

    Liu in Kill Bill, 2003.© Miramax/Everett Collection.

    Liu is one of the most recognizable Asian women in film history, but grows weary when reminded of it. “I would love to get rid of the hyphenates. I would really love to just be an artist. I find it really strange that I have to have a title before my craft. I think it’s very limiting,” she says. “I don’t know that anyone’s saying, ‘This is an Australian actress’ or ‘This is an English-slash-Spanish [actor].’ It’s kind of like if you’ve been attached to somebody, and then you have to carry their last name because you were married to them.”

    As Liu, now age 57, explains: “I find it to be very imprisoning. Not for me, but for them. Because I don’t walk around looking at myself and saying it out loud. I’m proud of who I am, but I don’t need to always label myself as something.”

    Liu’s recent double feature seems to have paid off: Rosemead generated more than $50,000 in ticket sales from a single venue during that aforementioned weekend, netting one of the biggest per-theater openings of last year. Based on a 2017 Los Angeles Times column by Frank Shyong, the film dramatizes the tragic true story of a single Taiwanese American mother named Irene, who secretly undergoes cancer treatment while navigating her teenage son Joe’s (Lawrence Shou) recent schizophrenia diagnosis. Rosemead, which she also produced, marks a rare dramatic leading role for Liu, who adopted a Mandarin accent and shrunken physical posture to play a terminally ill Irene.

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    Savannah Walsh

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  • How Mothers on the Brink Became the Main Characters of 2025

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    Through his attorney, Alex told People that Fuller and Carr’s series “mischaracterizes Alex’s relationships with his wife Maggie and his son Paul, both of whom Alex loves so dearly.” To that, Fuller tells VF: “I do truly believe, to whatever extent I can understand, that he did love Maggie and Paul. I think that’s one of the reasons he can’t open that door of monstrousness to acknowledge what he did.”

    In one final, prescient twist, Alex used a visit to his elderly mother, Libby, then suffering from dementia, as an alibi for the murders. “After the most dehumanizing, monstrous thing someone could do, he went and sat there with his mom,” Fuller says.

    Like Alex fleeing from the darkest moments of his life and into the arms of his mother, Fuller ventures that the rocky last few years have led us back there culturally too. “We’ve been through so much in the past 10 years, particularly the past five. The collective psyche has just been so traumatized, and there’s so much uncertainty when we’re dealing with AI, what the economy’s going to look like, climate change—all these massive things,” says Fuller. “We dramatized [Paul’s older brother] Buster Murdaugh saying at the end of his father’s murder trial, ‘I just want my mom.’ There is something fundamental that a mother in the most general way provides. But what we’re seeing, with If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Die My Love, is the burden of that on the individual.”

    Die My LoveMubi/ Everett Collection

    In a year where men channeled their inner demons into vampires (Sinners), gods (Superman), and even a new Frankenstein, motherhood served as a trippy catalyst for many writer-directors. “We are thinking about ourselves as mothers, but also our own mothers. If you have a good enough mother, those problems and demands and terrible feelings that we’re putting forth in these movies are all behind the scenes,” says Bronstein. “Those are mommy’s little secrets. Kids go to bed, wine comes out or whatever it is, but we don’t see that as kids. We don’t see all the work that goes into even something as simple as a birthday.”

    The unflinching portraits of maternity have had a profound effect on mothers, but also on young people deciding whether or not to procreate. “Women are really openly expressing a total disinterest in marriage and children,” says Gallagher, citing a recent Pew Research Center study that found a 22-point drop over the last three decades in teenage girls’ desire to get married. As of 2025, teenage girls are officially less likely than teenage boys to say they want to get married. “So, it makes sense to me that we’re finally free enough perhaps to explore and say out loud that having kids isn’t for everyone, and/or you can love your kids to death and still acknowledge that the life of having kids is really hard,” she continues.

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    Savannah Walsh

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  • Lucy Liu’s ‘Rosemead’ Boarded by Picture Tree for International Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

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    Picture Tree Intl. has acquired international sales rights to “Rosemead,” the dramatic thriller headlined by Lucy Liu, alongside breakout newcomer Lawrence Shou.

    The feature marks the directorial debut of cinematographer Eric Lin (“The Exploding Girl,” “The Sound of Silence,” “Hearts Beat Loud”). Vertical will release the film theatrically in the U.S. on Dec. 5 and has launched an awards campaign.

    Following its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival, “Rosemead” quickly gained momentum on the international circuit, winning best narrative feature at the Bentonville Film Festival, and capturing the Prix du Public UBS Audience Award at the Locarno Film Festival, where Liu was also honored with the Career Achievement Award.

    Liu continues to be fêted with numerous awards for her performance in “Rosemead” and her career, including the Critics’ Choice Trailblazer Award, Bentonville’s Rising to the Challenge Award, Philadelphia Film Festival’s Artistic Achievement Award, Miami Film Festival’s Precious Gem Award, Belfast Film Festival’s Réalta (Star) Award, and Denver Film Festival’s John Cassavetes Award.

    The next international festival outings for “Rosemead” include the Mexico premiere at Morelia Film Festival, Brazil premiere at São Paulo Intl. Film Festival, Germany premiere at Hof International Film Festival, U.K. premiere at Belfast Film Festival, and England premiere at Leeds Intl. Film Festival, to be followed by further regional premieres yet to be announced.

    “Rosemead’s” screenwriter Marilyn Fu was also recently nominated for a Taipei Golden Horse Award for best adapted screenplay.

    Critics have embraced the film, saying it “builds to a most unexpected crescendo, giving [Liu] her best role in years” (Deadline), and “forces its audience to hold its breath” and “will leave you speechless” (Loud & Clear). Liu’s performance has been cited as “a revelatory turn” and “career-redefining” (Variety) and “a highlight of her storied career” (Next Best Picture).

    PTI will pick up negotiations at Mipcom this week and launch “Rosemead” at the upcoming AFM in Los Angeles.

    Set against the quiet tensions of a Chinese American household, “Rosemead” tells the story of an ailing mother who uncovers a terrifying secret: her teenage son is consumed by violent impulses. As her health rapidly declines, she is forced into a desperate struggle—how far will she go to stop what she fears he is becoming, and what will she sacrifice to protect him?

    “’Rosemead’ is both an intimate and urgent drama with global relevance. Lucy Liu delivers one of the most powerful performances of her career, anchoring a film that will resonate strongly with audiences worldwide,” said Andreas Rothbauer, managing partner at Picture Tree Intl.

    Written by Marilyn Fu (“The Copenhagen Test,” “The Honor List”) and adapted from Frank Shyong’s award-winning Los Angeles Times article, the film is produced by Mynette Louie (“I Carry You With Me,” “Swallow”), Andrew D. Corkin (“A Vigilante,” “Martha Marcy May Marlene”), and Liu.

    “Rosemead” is a production of The Population and Untapped, in association with MyVideo, Taiwan Mobile, and L.A. Times Studios.

    Executive producers include Theo James, Eric Lin, Peng Zhao, Fanghua Jiang, Julia Xu, Chris Argentieri, Frank Shyong, Jamie Lin, Chiling Lin, Jeff Yang, Daniela Ruiz, and Julia Gouw. Co-producers are Tony Yang and Hao Zhang.

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    Leo Barraclough

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  • The Tiger’s Apprentice Review: A Rushed Adventure

    The Tiger’s Apprentice Review: A Rushed Adventure

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    When you think of the best animation studios in Hollywood, your mind likely does not go straight to Paramount Animation. Ever since the Oscar-nominated Anomalisa, this studio has found itself languishing in box office failure with Monster Trucks, Sherlock Gnomes, and Wonder Park. It’s no wonder their latest films have gone either direct to VOD or streaming on Paramount+. The Tiger’s Apprentice is the latest in the studio’s feeble attempts to make a strong impression on the genre, with wonderful intentions behind this film that get lost in the execution.

    Based on Laurence Yep’s 2023 novel, this movie follows Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), a Chinese-American boy who must protect a phoenix egg. As an Asian-American person, it’s always great to see this culture represented onscreen. The protagonist looks and dresses like me. There’s a lot about this movie that I should have loved, but The Tiger’s Apprentice falters due to how familiar it feels. It’s an amalgamation of every storyline and character trope that you’ve seen in other films, with nothing unique about it besides how it explores Chinese culture. Although it’s fun to showcase Chinese people through the lens of a superhero film, there isn’t enough here to distinguish it from what you’ve seen.

    There’s a lot here that feels like the most simple, traditional execution of a story. An early scene features Tom getting roughed up by a bully in school when he suddenly uses a superpower to fend him off. Soon after, he hangs out with a girl he might have a crush on. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because you already saw it in the 2002 Spider-Man movie with Tobey Maguire. The storyline afterward surrounds Tom being given an object of supreme magical power and needing to protect it from the villains who are after it. If this sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve seen it in tons of movies, including last year’s Blue Beetle.

    Soon enough, Tom finds himself on an adventure with a more experienced mentor, Mr. Hu (Henry Golding). If this sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve seen it in Star Wars, The Matrix, and in perhaps the most accurate comparison, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. They butt heads, exchange some banter, and eventually form a bond. This is the type of movie that does everything you expect but with much less of the quality. Part of that is the fact that this film is a mere 83 minutes long, including credits. When you have a film that goes by that fast, you’re basically just hopping from story beat to action sequence to story beat without slowing down to breathe.

    That prevents the characters from feeling as if they have complete journeys. The so-called bond that forms between Tom and Hu does not land, which is an issue because there are story beats that ask you to really care about these two. Unfortunately, they are no Miles Morales and Peter B. Parker. Furthermore, Tom’s relationship with a possible love interest never gets the treatment it deserves, with that storyline also feeling rushed and unsatisfactory. We don’t really see their relationship grow and evolve in a meaningful way either because the movie is breezing by.

    Fortunately, there are a few cultural details here that are fun to see. From the characters drinking boba together to the fights, which feel inspired by both modern superhero fare and classic wuxia. There are bits of Mandarin all over this movie, and one moment that resonated with me was when the more fluent speakers jokingly corrected Tom’s pronunciation of a certain word. The stakes in The Tiger’s Apprentice feel high but vague. Before you know it, we’re in our big final battle, and it’s never a boring movie. This film can be entertaining often, but the comedy isn’t as strong as it should have been, and the drama falls short as well. There are moments that are supposed to be crowd-pleasing that end up cringe-worthy instead. To add salt to the wound, some of the voice performances can be a bit flat.

    But The Tiger’s Apprentice offers a stacked cast. We have Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh as Loo. She really commits to her villainous role here. Throw in Lucy Liu, Henry Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh, Golden Globe failure Jo Koy, Sherry Cola from last year’s Joy Ride, Leah Lewis from last year’s Elemental, Greta Lee from last year’s Past Lives, and more. It seems like the only Asians missing from this cast are Awkwafina and Randall Park. Most of the performances in this ensemble are fine, but there isn’t always much on the page. The film introduces the idea of having a group of characters who exist as the 12 zodiac animals. It’s not dissimilar to the Spider-People from the Spider-Verse series, but it doesn’t work as well here because the characters generally don’t feel distinct, nor are they particularly funny.

    All in all, The Tiger’s Apprentice is a predictable movie that never packs the punch it should have, even if it offers middling entertainment in its animated superhero action sequences.

    SCORE: 5/10

    As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 5 equates to “Mediocre.” The positives and negatives wind up negating each other, making it a wash.

    Disclosure: ComingSoon received a screener for our The Tiger’s Apprentice review.

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    Jonathan Sim

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  • ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Review: Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh Lead a Top-Notch Voice Cast in Paramount+’s Animated Adventure

    ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Review: Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh Lead a Top-Notch Voice Cast in Paramount+’s Animated Adventure

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    Even in animated form, as a cartoon tiger, Henry Golding is handsome. It’s an incarnation that figures prominently in the new film based on Laurence Yep’s best-selling 2003 fantasy novel, the first of a trilogy. Featuring an array of notable Asian and Asian-American talents providing the voiceover work, The Tiger’s Apprentice is a fast-paced adventure that should prove highly engaging for its younger target audience when it premieres on Paramount+.

    The title refers to the central character, Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (an appealing Brandon Soo Hoo), who lives with his grandmother in San Francisco. We immediately know that Tom is not an ordinary teenager from the pre-credits prologue, set 15 years earlier in Hong Kong, when he and his grandmother are suddenly chased by otherworldly creatures. “They found us!” she cries in alarm, before being rescued in the nick of time by similarly strange beings.

    The Tiger’s Apprenctice

    The Bottom Line

    A game cast and brisk pacing work their spell.

    Release date: Friday, Feb. 2
    Cast: Henry Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michele Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Leah Lewis, Kheng Hua Tan, Sherry Cola, Deborah S. Craig, Jo Koy, Greta Lee, Diana Lee Inosanto, Patrick Gallagher, Poppy Liu
    Director: Raman Hui
    Co-directors: Yong Duk Jhun, Paul Watling
    Screenwriters: David Magee, Christopher Yost

    Rated PG,
    1 hour 24 minutes

    Cut to the present day, when Tom is mercilessly bullied at school thanks to his grandmother’s proclivity for adorning their house, both inside and out, with elaborate charms and amulets that make it resemble a temple. But Tom is more than capable of defending himself, as demonstrated by his sudden revealing of strange powers that send his tormentor flying to the ceiling.

    Upon returning home, Tom discovers a visitor in the form of Mr. Hu (Golding), who seems to go way back with his grandmother. Eons, in fact, since it’s revealed that she’s part of a long line of Guardians of the Phoenix, whose task it is to prevent the magical talisman from falling into evil hands. Evil hands such as those belonging to Loo (Michelle Yeoh), who suddenly shows up to steal the Phoenix, in the process killing Tom’s grandmother. Tom is rescued by Mr. Hu, who miraculously transforms into a tiger to do battle.  

    As you might have already figured out from the title, Tom becomes Hu’s apprentice, teaming up with a dozen warriors assuming the form of animals from the Chinese zodiac — including the dragon Mistral (Sandra Oh), Dog (Patrick Gallagher, Big Sky) and Horse (Diana Lee Inosanto) — to take on Loo and her evil minions.

    While the convoluted fantasy elements may make some older viewers’ eyes glaze over, the film fortunately features generous doses of welcome irreverent humor, as when the reluctant Tom informs Hu, “I don’t know what you’re thinking with all this apprentice stuff, but I’m not waxing cars.” The interactions among the Zodiac animal characters are frequently amusing, and the musical accompaniment for the climactic sequence makes fun use of, what else, “Eye of the Tiger.”

    The powerhouse voice cast is another plus; besides the aforementioned, it includes Lucy Liu, Bowen Yang, comedian Jo Koy and Greta Lee (Past Lives), among others. Director Raman Hui, making his feature debut, keeps the proceedings moving at a suitably brisk pace, with the colorful CGI animation providing one diverting image after another. The Tiger’s Apprentice doesn’t really have the heft for the big screen, for which it was originally intended, but it’s easy to imagine it spawning sequels or perhaps a streaming series. 

    Full credits

    Production: Paramount+, Paramount Animation
    Distributor: Paramount Animation, Jane Startz Productions
    Cast: Henry Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michele Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Leah Lewis, Kheng Hua Tan, Sherry Cola, Deborah S. Craig, Jo Koy, Greta Lee, Diana Lee Inosanto, Patrick Gallagher, Poppy Liu
    Director: Raman Hui
    Co-directors: Yong Duk Jhun, Paul Watling
    Screenwriters: David Magee, Christopher Yost
    Producers: Jane Startz, Sandra Rabins, Bob Persichetti
    Executive producers: Maryann Garger, Kane Lee, Carlos Baena
    Production designer: Christophe Lautrette
    Editor: James Palumbo
    Composer: Steve Jablonsky
    Casting: Monika Mikkelson

    Rated PG,
    1 hour 24 minutes

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    Frank Scheck

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  • Director McG Wouldn’t Pass Up A Third ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Movie: ‘I Think We Have One More In Us’

    Director McG Wouldn’t Pass Up A Third ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Movie: ‘I Think We Have One More In Us’

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    By Brent Furdyk.
    Published:

    It’s been more than 20 years since Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz teamed up for 2000’s “Charlie’s Angels”, and the film’s director is revealing that he’d be open to producing a second sequel (“Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle”, which came out in 2003).

    Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, director McG said he’d be open to reuniting with the women for a third film — despite the failure of the 2019 big-screen reboot, starring Kristen Stewart and directed by Elizabeth Banks.

    “It would take a long discussion with those three wonderful performers who I adore,” McG said of the trio.


    READ MORE:
    Lucy Liu Took Nude Photos Of Drew Barrymore On The Set Of ‘Charlie’s Angels’

    “I was very happy to see Elizabeth Banks take the helm and do what she did, which was fun. There always seems to be chatter about that. I’m very happy to discuss it with Drew and Cameron and Lucy, but at the same time, I’m very happy to pass the torch. I mean, I love the Tim Burton Batman movies, I love the new Batman movies. It’s just sort of like there can be a keeper of the flame and you can pass the torch,” he continued.

    “Who knows? Maybe we’ve got one left in us that tells a very compelling story if the opportunity presents itself,” he adds. “I love the three of them so much. They put me on the map. They looked out for me when I was a first-time filmmaker. I was very nearly fired off that film on many, many occasions, and Drew stood up for me and I’m forever indebted to her. And obviously, those are three performers where God broke the mold. They don’t make ’em like that. I mean, those are three special ones,” McG added.


    READ MORE:
    Drew Barrymore Says ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Stars Were ‘Inspired By Destiny’s Child’ As She Looks Back At 20 Years Of Her Style

    “The movie was insane at the time,” McG recalled. “[Former Sony executive] Amy Pascal would come down and go, ‘What? Am I supposed to laugh? Am I supposed to take it seriously? Why is there so much colour? Why are they always dancing? Why is there so much music?’ I said, ‘Amy, you got to trust me. It’s all going to come together in the end.’ And to her credit, she trusted me, yes, but by the skin of my teeth.”

    McG isn’t the only member of the OG crew who’d be down for a sequel.

    “I would be surprised if any one of us ever decreed that we wouldn’t [do a third movie]. I would. I would in a heartbeat,” said Barrymore on her talk show last year. “The answer is an emphatic yes. I will always say yes.”


    READ MORE:
    Drew Barrymore Is On Board For A ‘Charlie’s Angels 3’, Says She’d Be ‘Surprised’ If Cameron Diaz And Lucy Liu Weren’t 

    “Charlie’s Angels” — starring Farrah Fawcett, Kate and Jackson and Jaclyn Smith — made its TV debut in 1976, and ran until 1981. A TV reboot, with all-new Angels, debuted in 2011, but was axed after just four episodes aired.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nflzdX8mrAk

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    Brent Furdyk

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  • 15+ Games We Simply Must Install On Every New PC

    15+ Games We Simply Must Install On Every New PC

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    Image: Square Enix / Kotaku

    My life changed forever when I got a copy of Final Fantasy VII in 1997 (losing those discs has haunted me ever since). While I enjoy much of the 2020 Remake, the original experience is irreplaceably special to me. I start a new playthrough of it at least once a year, every year. Other times, I’ll just jump into a random save file I was working my way through at some point. It must be on anything I own that can run it.

    Since 2015, the remaster (not Remake) has made the experience much smoother; and it’s always fun to occasionally mess around with mods that tweak character models or apply AI upscaled backgrounds to clean up the image.

    The story, the characters, the landmark soundtrack with gorgeous compositions and tear-jerking melodies surpass the limitations of the rather humdrum sounds the midi-controlled sequencer on the PSX produced, it culminates into not just one of my favorite video games of all time, it’s one of my favorite media experiences, period.

    Watch: Let’s Mosey: A Slow Translation Of Final Fantasy VII

    Final Fantasy VII, in its original form, is an epic story of identity, friendship, love, and struggle in the face of insurmountable odds against seemingly unstoppable foes. I delight, as I did in my youth, blissfully getting lost in it. Its world, with blocky polygonal models might seem primordial by today’s standards, but to me its graphical limitations are an abstract that paints a bigger picture in my head—one that no amount of modern, hyper powerful game engines with all the bells and whistles will ever be able to touch.

    And, yeah, you were right, Aeris; it was always the only way.

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    Claire Jackson

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  • Lucy Liu “Didn’t Do a Lot of Research” Before Deciding to Welcome a Baby in Her 40s

    Lucy Liu “Didn’t Do a Lot of Research” Before Deciding to Welcome a Baby in Her 40s

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    Lucy Liu says she jumped head first into the deep end of motherhood without a lot of guidance.

    The actor shared in a new interview with The Cut published on Thursday that when she decided to have her son Rockwell in 2015, she went into the process completely blind. “I didn’t have a plan. I just thought, ‘I want to change the conversation a little bit,’” she explained. “I didn’t mull it over too much. I didn’t do a lot of research, I just pulled the trigger.” Liu added that she needed to act on her desire to become a parent quickly before she started thinking of all the reasons not to become one in her mid-40s. “I can think myself out of something easily,” she said. “If I think too much I won’t do it. It’s better for me to feel something and just go for it. A lot of people read books about parenting. I didn’t do any of that. I was like, ‘When the child is here, I’m just going to figure it out.’”

    The Charlie’s Angels star went on to say that while it’s difficult to raise a 7-year-old in an urban environment, it was important to her to give her son that “experience.” Liu shared, “I definitely wanted to raise a kid in New York. People will say, ‘It’s not convenient, you don’t even have a car,’ but this way, they’re going to see all the things.” She continued, “You’re going to show them what’s safe and what’s not, and they’re going to understand that through experience. It’s hard to build common sense when you’re in a car all the time. They’re going to smell the smells.” Liu concluded, “I grew up here. I don’t take anything for granted. I take my son on the subway all the time. If I don’t feel comfortable I’ll walk out. I don’t need to sit somewhere to be polite. I’m a person of action in that sense. I have to trust my instincts. Just having an awareness helps me, but I don’t want to live in fear. I’m not going to not take risks in my life. I’m just not stupid about it.”

    When the actor initially decided she wanted to become a mom back in 2015, she told People at the time that surrogacy, “just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn’t know when I was going to be able to stop.” She added, “I decided that was probably the best solution for me, and it turned out to be great.” And in January, she told Elle Canada of the choice, “It’s a dramatic change because it’s an emotional decision. And even once that happens, you don’t know what’s going to follow. I didn’t read books, and I didn’t follow certain guidelines. I think it’s something you do, [something] you experience. And I kept very much to myself [during that period].”

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    Emily Kirkpatrick

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  • Review: ‘Strange World’ explores big themes in bold colors

    Review: ‘Strange World’ explores big themes in bold colors

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    Is Searcher Clade the most millennial dad in all of animated moviedom? He has that telltale hipster beard. A sensitive voice sorta like Jake Gyllenhaal. And he feeds his kid avocado toast, with an egg on top.

    Oh wait, that IS Gyllenhaal in “Strange World,” Disney’s pleasantly entertaining, gorgeously rendered but slightly heavy-handed meditation on climate change and father-son dynamics. The actor charmingly voices a character drawn to look so much like him, you almost expect an animated Swiftie to come around, asking for that infamous scarf back. (Sorry, but it’s been a Taylor Swift kind of month.)

    The very name “Searcher” sounds vaguely millennial, too, but actually it’s a reference to both the blessing and the curse of the Clade family, a storied clan of explorers. In a prologue, we see the young Searcher set out on a family expedition led by his dad, burly Jaeger Clade, whose life goal is to find what’s beyond the forbidding mountains that ring their homeland, Avalonia. But before they get there, young Searcher discovers something shocking.

    It’s a group of plants that seem to be lit up, glowing from an unseen energy. What is this magical crop? Searcher argues that they need to bring it back to Avalonia, where it could serve many uses. But Jaeger (voiced with appropriate gruffness by Dennis Quaid) refuses to turn back. He tosses his young son his compass and continues by himself. Twenty-five years go by.

    Wait, what? Dad stays away for 25 years? This is truly deficient parenting, and it’s no wonder that when grownup Searcher has his own son, Ethan (an adorable character sweetly voiced by Jaboukie Young-White), he’s a helicopter parent, doting on the boy a bit too much. Grandpa is still lionized in town with a large statue attesting to his exploits. But Searcher tells Ethan that despite his fame, Grandpa was a majorly absentee dad.

    Let’s pause to consider the themes at play. We have climate change issues in the form of “pando,” the crucial energy source that Searcher now farms and has modernized Avalonia. And we have three generations of men: the very different Jaeger and Searcher, a boomer and a millennial if you will, and then young Ethan, trying to find his way. There’s much dialogue here about breaking from expectations to forge your own path.

    There’s also the not-insignificant fact that Ethan has a same-sex crush. This has led some to call the film the first Disney animated gay teen romance. That’s a bit of a stretch, because this budding romance is a side plot, referred to by a number of characters, but by no means a major topic of discussion.

    But maybe that’s the point — if it’s not a major plot point, nor is it a sneeze-and-you-miss it moment like, for example, that quick glance in “Beauty and the Beast” in 2017 that was heralded as the first Disney “gay moment.” It’s just a given that when Ethan talks about his crush, he’s talking about Diazo, a boy, and nobody, not his parents nor his crusty old granddad, bats an eyelid. It’s also refreshing that the Clades are a biracial family, and that too, is not discussed.

    The movie, it must be said, is definitely about men, despite the welcome but underused presences of Gabrielle Union as Searcher’s wife, Meridian — a fearless pilot — and Lucy Liu as Callisto, president of Avalonia, It is Callisto who gets things moving, plot-wise, when she arrives at Searcher’s front door in her pando-powered airship with a stark warning: the pando crop is failing. Everywhere. Searcher must come help. Now.

    Reluctantly, the homebody Searcher hops aboard. Someone on the ship asks him immediately if he can, like, forge an autograph from his more-famous dad. Aargh. In any case, the ship travels down to the roots that power pando. Meanwhile, Searcher soon discovers that Ethan has stowed away on the ship, eager for his own adventure (and more Jaeger-like than Searcher would want to admit). Meridian has followed, and now they’re on a family trip.

    And who should turn up but Jaeger himself? He has some explaining to do. Turns out he got stuck in a stunning, scary, strange underworld. And it’s beautiful. Directors Don Hall and Qui Nguyen have created a stunning universe of psychedelic colors and creatures, most memorably in hues of deep pinks and purples. Wondrous creatures emerge, and also one of the cutest little blobs you’ve ever seen, the aptly named Splat, who befriends Ethan.

    Will the family discover what’s imperiling pando, and fix it in time to save Avalonia? Will Jaeger and Searcher come to a better understanding of each other? Will Ethan follow his own path?

    Well, there’s not a lot of mystery here, nor nuance to the plot. Energies have been focused on the visuals, and they make the experience worthwhile. That, and an appealing collection of human characters that look a lot more like the real world than usually seen in these films. And that’s not strange at all. That’s progress.

    “Strange World,” a Walt Disney Studios release, has been rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America “for action/peril and some thematic elements.” Running time: 102 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

    MPAA definition of PG: Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

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  • Review: ‘Strange World’ explores big themes in bold colors

    Review: ‘Strange World’ explores big themes in bold colors

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    Is Searcher Clade the most millennial dad in all of animated moviedom? He has that telltale hipster beard. A sensitive voice sorta like Jake Gyllenhaal. And he feeds his kid avocado toast, with an egg on top.

    Oh wait, that IS Gyllenhaal in “Strange World,” Disney’s pleasantly entertaining, gorgeously rendered but slightly heavy-handed meditation on climate change and father-son dynamics. The actor charmingly voices a character drawn to look so much like him, you almost expect an animated Swiftie to come around, asking for that infamous scarf back. (Sorry, but it’s been a Taylor Swift kind of month.)

    The very name “Searcher” sounds vaguely millennial, too, but actually it’s a reference to both the blessing and the curse of the Clade family, a storied clan of explorers. In a prologue, we see the young Searcher set out on a family expedition led by his dad, burly Jaeger Clade, whose life goal is to find what’s beyond the forbidding mountains that ring their homeland, Avalonia. But before they get there, young Searcher discovers something shocking.

    It’s a group of plants that seem to be lit up, glowing from an unseen energy. What is this magical crop? Searcher argues that they need to bring it back to Avalonia, where it could serve many uses. But Jaeger (voiced with appropriate gruffness by Dennis Quaid) refuses to turn back. He tosses his young son his compass and continues by himself. Twenty-five years go by.

    Wait, what? Dad stays away for 25 years? This is truly deficient parenting, and it’s no wonder that when grownup Searcher has his own son, Ethan (an adorable character sweetly voiced by Jaboukie Young-White), he’s a helicopter parent, doting on the boy a bit too much. Grandpa is still lionized in town with a large statue attesting to his exploits. But Searcher tells Ethan that despite his fame, Grandpa was a majorly absentee dad.

    Let’s pause to consider the themes at play. We have climate change issues in the form of “pando,” the crucial energy source that Searcher now farms and has modernized Avalonia. And we have three generations of men: the very different Jaeger and Searcher, a boomer and a millennial if you will, and then young Ethan, trying to find his way. There’s much dialogue here about breaking from expectations to forge your own path.

    There’s also the not-insignificant fact that Ethan has a same-sex crush. This has led some to call the film the first Disney animated gay teen romance. That’s a bit of a stretch, because this budding romance is a side plot, referred to by a number of characters, but by no means a major topic of discussion.

    But maybe that’s the point — if it’s not a major plot point, nor is it a sneeze-and-you-miss it moment like, for example, that quick glance in “Beauty and the Beast” in 2017 that was heralded as the first Disney “gay moment.” It’s just a given that when Ethan talks about his crush, he’s talking about Diazo, a boy, and nobody, not his parents nor his crusty old granddad, bats an eyelid. It’s also refreshing that the Clades are a biracial family, and that too, is not discussed.

    The movie, it must be said, is definitely about men, despite the welcome but underused presences of Gabrielle Union as Searcher’s wife, Meridian — a fearless pilot — and Lucy Liu as Callisto, president of Avalonia, It is Callisto who gets things moving, plot-wise, when she arrives at Searcher’s front door in her pando-powered airship with a stark warning: the pando crop is failing. Everywhere. Searcher must come help. Now.

    Reluctantly, the homebody Searcher hops aboard. Someone on the ship asks him immediately if he can, like, forge an autograph from his more-famous dad. Aargh. In any case, the ship travels down to the roots that power pando. Meanwhile, Searcher soon discovers that Ethan has stowed away on the ship, eager for his own adventure (and more Jaeger-like than Searcher would want to admit). Meridian has followed, and now they’re on a family trip.

    And who should turn up but Jaeger himself? He has some explaining to do. Turns out he got stuck in a stunning, scary, strange underworld. And it’s beautiful. Directors Don Hall and Qui Nguyen have created a stunning universe of psychedelic colors and creatures, most memorably in hues of deep pinks and purples. Wondrous creatures emerge, and also one of the cutest little blobs you’ve ever seen, the aptly named Splat, who befriends Ethan.

    Will the family discover what’s imperiling pando, and fix it in time to save Avalonia? Will Jaeger and Searcher come to a better understanding of each other? Will Ethan follow his own path?

    Well, there’s not a lot of mystery here, nor nuance to the plot. Energies have been focused on the visuals, and they make the experience worthwhile. That, and an appealing collection of human characters that look a lot more like the real world than usually seen in these films. And that’s not strange at all. That’s progress.

    “Strange World,” a Walt Disney Studios release, has been rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America “for action/peril and some thematic elements.” Running time: 102 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

    MPAA definition of PG: Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

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