[Anchor]
It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.


[Report]
The weather is starting to slowly cool as we move into September. The fall means we can look forward to beautiful Jeju skies as well as a break from the big-budget summer movies, many of which were pretty underwhelming this year.

Keep your emotions in check with Equals, and then next week, be sure to watch your step. Otherwise you’ll be joining alice in Alice through the Looking Glass.

[Slug CG]
Mike Laidman

Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.

[Slug CG]
Equals (2016, Drake Doremus)
Two people fall in love In an emotionless utopia.

Opening this weekend is Equals, starring Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult. A futuristic love story set in a world where emotions have been eradicated, Equals follows Nia and Silas as they regain their feelings following a mysterious disease. This of course sets them at odds with their people and society.

Equals is beautifully shot, and is a pleasure to watch. Stewart and Hoult put in some solid performances, as well. But while the visuals and acting are fine, the same thing cannot be said for the story as a whole.

The movie’s idea of repressed, forbidden emotions is nothing new, and a dystopian, futuristic setting doesn’t necessarily remedy this. The plot is predictable, the pace meandering, and while there is value in simplicity, there’s maybe just a touch too much of that here for this to be a solid recommendation.

[Slug CG]
Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016, James Bobin)
Alice returns to Wonderland and travels back in time.

Skipping ahead to next week, we have Alice Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to 2010’s phenomenally successful Alice in Wonderland.

After her return from Wonderland, Alice spends a few years following in her father's footsteps, sailing the high seas. Then upon her return to London, she comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the fantastical realm of Wonderland and her friends. The Mad Hatter has lost his Muchness, and so Alice is sent on a quest to borrow the Chronosphere, a metallic globe inside the chamber of the Grand Clock, which powers all time. Returning to the past, she embarks on a perilous race to save the Hatter before time runs out.

The sequel is just as visually splendid as its predecessor, but the story is underwhelming, and doesn’t hold up to its classic characters. The plot is listless, the actors bored, and Wonderland has lost much of its magic. There’s a disconnect between the source material and what has ended up on screen. Those looking for the wonder in Wonderland will likely be disappointed.