TUESDAY | 09.03.2019 | EXPRESS | 17
entertainment
Pulling all the right strings Netflix’s ‘Dark Crystal’ series is magical return to Jim Henson’s world
Sitcom legend Valerie Harper dies at age 80
NETFLIX
TV REVIEW See how we sift and scroll through these endless TV menus and grids, scoffing at what the algorithms recommend, defaulting yet again to old sitcom reruns. In theory we want to be swept up in something new, but we’re sometimes not very good about trying new things. Sometimes the biggest challenge is a genre bias — to watch a show that looks unbearably hokey. Too elfy, too childish, too derivative. This may have been the problem 37 years ago, when the brilliant Muppet master Jim Henson and his colleagues poured their creative energies into a full-on fantasy film that was a shade too frightening for a kid audience. Critics admired its technical achievements but disliked the Tolkien-lite feel of it; parents steered clear; lunchboxes and other merchandise went unpurchased. Fans, however, cared for “The Dark Crystal.” They hoped for more stories about the world of Thra and the tribes of Gelflings who defend it against the greedy, alligator/vulture-faced gang called the Skeksis. Finally, the right sort of sorcery occurred: Netflix and its pots of gold. Lo, “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” arrived Friday — a wondrously realized, 10-episode prequel overseen by Lisa Henson, daughter of Jim and CEO
The “Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” heroes are Gelflings (which are not the same as elves, thank you very much).
of his namesake production house. Instantly captivating, expertly paced and thrillingly fun to watch, “Age of Resistance” checks off a number of boxes that viewers claim to seek in their next favorite TV show, especially this one: Is there a show that will take me away from it all? To be clear, escapism is not the same as being a “mindless” watching experience. “Age of Resistance” can be as complicated or easy as the viewer wishes it to be, but, like all fantasy tales, it comes on fast and strong with a number of characters, plot threads and all sorts of creatures and cultures to sort through. Set long before the events of the original film, “Age of Resistance” finds the ruling order of
$2.2B
Skeksis (voiced by Andy Samberg, Awkwafina, Mark Hamill, Simon Pegg, Keegan-Michael Key and more) in full plunder of Thra’s resources. The Skeksis rule because they long ago seized a giant crystal that kept Thra and its inhabitants in a state of harmony. Having sapped the crystal of most of its life-giving force, the Skeksis have now started sacrificing Gelflings to it. As the crystal’s ancient guardian, Aughra (Donna Kimball), awakens from a spell that the Skeksis put her under, a group of rebellious Gelflings (voiced by Taron Egerton, Nathalie Emmanuel and Anya Taylor-Joy, among others) must band together to restore the crystal and overthrow the Skeksis.
That’s a somewhat oversimplified summary, but what it doesn’t convey is the joy evident in every frame of “Age of Resistance,” where puppetry skills and computer-generated artistry combine to exult in seamless perfection. The series also features obvious metaphors that both address and stir current anxieties: The Skeksis are too greedy to realize they’re destroying the planet as the crystal begins its irreparable darkening — in other words, they deny climate change. Intentionally or not, “Age of Resistance” sports a number of bumper stickers on the back of its proverbial Subaru — “COEXIST” being the primary message, beautifully delivered. HANK STUEVER (THE WASHINGTON POST)
BOX OFFICE HAUL
The domestic box office take for Disney films from late April through Labor Day weekend, according to Comscore. No other studio came close to challenging Disney for the top slot during the summer movie season, with Sony coming in a distant second at $705 million. Disney’s dominance was fueled by the record-breaking success of “Avengers: Endgame,” which made $858 million domestically, along with strong performances from “The Lion King,” “Toy Story 4” and “Aladdin.” (EXPRESS) “Angel Has Fallen” tops domestic box office with estimated $14.5M for holiday weekend
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1939-2019 Valerie Harper, who scored guffaws, stole hearts and busted TV taboos as the brash, selfdeprecating Rhoda Morgenstern on back-to-back hit sitcoms in the 1970s, has died at age 80. Longtime family friend Dan Watt confirmed Harper died Friday, adding the family wasn’t immediately releasing further details. She had been battling cancer for years, and her husband said recently he had been advised to put her in hospice care. She won three consecutive Emmys (1971-73) as a supporting actress on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and another for outstanding lead actress for “Rhoda,” which ran from 197478. Beyond awards, she was immortalized — and typecast — for playing one of television’s most beloved characters, a best friend the equal of Ethel Mertz and Ed Norton in TV’s sidekick pantheon. In recent years, Harper’s other appearances included “The Simpsons” and “2 Broke Girls.” “It is indeed a sad day,” Harper’s “Mary Tyler Moore Show” co-star Gavin MacLeod wrote in an email. “My life has been so enriched by having the experience of working with Valerie and calling her a friend. … The thing I remember so much about Val is that she loved her family, she loved the actors that she worked with and she loved the underdog. She was always helping someone.” JOHN ROGERS (AP)
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