PAST LIVES

As Nora (Greta Lee) is about to share a first kiss with her future husband, Arthur (John Magaro), she explains the Korean phrase in-yun—fate’s hand in human connection and reconnection. Intentionally or not, she’s referring just as much to Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), her best friend and crush from before she immigrated from Seoul to Canada. Ever since, Hae Sung has reappeared to Nora like a 12-year comet, and in director Celine Song’s Past Lives, Hae Sung visits Nora in present-day Brooklyn. Both unambiguous romance and genre experiment, Past Lives sustains itself on love’s textures and musings: endless gazes, mirrorlike skyscrapers, a twinkling synth score (by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen) and a vibrant but melancholy obsession with New York City. Gorgeous 30-somethings who can’t keep guileless vulnerability off their faces, these characters aren’t looking to blow up their lives for the sake of movie contrivances, but through every private conversation, they’re drawn to discussing the same narrative possibilities on the audience’s minds. Who is the right lover in a story sense? Even Arthur wonders. Are in-yun and Nora’s brief, almost multiversal encounters with Hae Sung potent enough to alter the years in between? And when she glimpses the past in his kind, mournful eyes, is she dreaming or seeing? PG-13. CHANCE SOLEM-PFEIFER. Cinema 21, Hollywood.

Elemental

Though AI tech is still a bit too raw for Pixar productions to be wholly computer-generated, the studio that launched the age of CGI animation with films largely ignoring humanity keeps churning out iterations of the same master code, Elemental included. Adorably anthropomorphized animal-vegetable-mineral thing? Climactic epiphany plucked straight from college admission essay? Aggressive punnery so relentless it begins to feel like a tic? So far, so Pixar. As newly humanized dramatic personae, the classical cornerstones of our universe are easily enough rendered recognizable tropes yet nimbly evade the worst ethnic stereotypes. Within the bustling metropolis of Element City, cloud-hoppers huff and puff like aggro Scandinavians, while society largely dismisses the earthen denizens as stolid civil servants transplanted from the Low Countries. Still, the spotlight remains fixed on the unlikely pairing of Firetown lass Ember Lumen (voiced by Leah Lewis) and Old Water scion Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie). You can guess the rest; he carries a torch, she’s wet, things get steamy. Lush visuals and trenchant wordplay be damned, the studio’s target audience remains young children, and a whiff of regressive unease curdles all supposed love story trappings. Whereas early Pixar’s best echoed the far-flung imaginings of an especially gifted, somewhat creepy preteen, the neutered rom-com narrative reveals a blinkered worldview and a stunted emotional maturity all too, sigh, elementary. PG. JAY HORTON. Academy, Cedar Hills, City

Center, Clackamas, Eastport, Evergreen Parkway, Fox Tower, Lloyd Center, Oak Grove, Pioneer Place, St. Johns, St. Johns Twin, Studio One, Wunderland Beaverton, Wunderland Milwaukie.

IT AIN’T OVER

Sports documentaries are typically fueled by controversy, but It Ain’t Over is about Yogi Berra, a man who was anything but typical. A cinematic love letter from his granddaughter Lindsay Berra, who narrates, the film sets out to reframe a man mocked for being seemingly molded out of Silly Putty, rather than chiseled from bronze and marble, though the 5-foot8 “everyman” with a Forrest Gump-like charm and Chauncey Gardner-like wisdom consistently found levels of success far exceeding most Hall of Famers. Yogi’s story had humble beginnings: The son of immigrants in an Italian working-class neighborhood, he joined the U.S. Navy and was wounded during the D-Day landings, an experience that defined him before the Yankee pinstripes did. The film admirably conveys the spirit of a man who never punched down, choosing instead to see individuals for whom they were (exemplified by his embrace of Jackie Robinson and his feud with sports villain George Steinbrenner). The disarming honesty of his simple “Yogi-isms” impacted people in messianic ways, most poignantly displayed here when confronting his son caught in the death grips of drug addiction. All in all, It Ain’t Over successfully recontextualizes Berra’s legacy beyond that of his Hanna-Barbera pantless cartoon bear counterpart, leaving us with the story of a loving husband, a devoted family man, and a world-class winner. NR. RAY GILL JR. Bridgeport, City Center, Fox Tower.

FLAMIN’ HOT

Despite the title implying that it’s about the development of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, the directorial debut of Eva Longoria is actually a biopic of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia), the man who claims to have invented them. Emphasis on “claims,” since the Los Angeles Times published a fairly convincing story in 2021 suggesting that Montañez’s account doesn’t match the timeline of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos’ origin. And in the context of the script (adapted from Montañez’s book A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie), the story is hardly convincing. Setting aside the truthiness issue, Flamin’ Hot is at best an extended motivational speech about a guy who worked his way up from janitor to marketing executive. It’s an interesting story, if you’re the sort of person who’s inspired by tales of meritocracy in corporate America. It’s hard to imagine who else this movie is supposed to appeal to. PG-13. WILLIAM SCHWARTZ. Hulu.

THE FLASH

After Tom Cruise saw The Flash, he allegedly declared it to be “the kind of movie we need now” (or hyperbole to that effect). And he’s right—assuming he sincerely believes we need superhero films so bland they barely exist. The Flash ’s bludgeoning marketing campaign may have spread whispers that it would be the best DC Comics-based blockbuster since the Dark Knight trilogy, but it’s as lifeless as the airbrushed babies that tumble through the air in a tasteless opening sequence played for laughs. Rescuing said babies is Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller), an agitated young vigilante who wants to save his dead mother (Y Tu Mamá También ’s Maribel Verdú) by tweaking the time-space continuum. Alas, his meddling creates a doomy alternate reality in which Zod (Michael Shannon) is about to obliterate humanity, Batman (Michael Keaton) is a hippie recluse, and Eric Stoltz wasn’t booted from Back to the Future (the horror!). The plot— callow crimefighter discovers the danger of cheating fate—is derivative of Spider-Man: No Way Home, but that film made its hero pay a haunting price for his machinations. The Flash, on the other hand, has Barry learn to let history take its tragic course, then permits him to have his multiversal cake and (voraciously) eat it too. This is the way the DC Extended Universe ends: not with a bang, but with grating comedy, momentumless action, and convictions so flimsy that they cancel themselves out. PG-13. BENNETT CAMPBELL FERGUSON. Academy, Bagdad, Cedar Hills, Century Eastport, City Center, Clackamas, Fox Tower, Joy Cinema, Lake Theater, Laurelhurst, Lloyd Center, Oak Grove, Pioneer Place, St. Johns Twin, Studio One.

LYNCH/OZ

Discussing David Lynch is a delicate dance with the freedom of ideas running from definitions that leaves documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe stumbling. Lynch has stated: “If you have a name for something, like ‘cut’ or ‘bruise,’ people will automatically be disturbed by it. But when you see the same thing in nature, and you don’t know what it is, it can be very beautiful.” This simple idea encapsulates Lynch’s legacy, but not so much Philippe’s documentary. Lynch/Oz does succeed in uncovering some fascinating deep-cut similarities between The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Lynch’s body of work, but meanders into the realm of a wordy public autopsy as blunt as a hammer. Lynch is even quoted in the film saying, “There’s not a day that goes by I don’t think of The Wizard of Oz,” but he also famously avoids explaining his films out of respect for individual interpretation, which the documentary tends to ignore throughout its six-chapter presentation narrated by filmmakers and industry types. While the exploration of storytelling lures you into a desire to revisit Lynch staples like Mulholland Drive, Wild at Heart and Lost Highway Lynch/Oz too often strays from its Yellow Brick Road into frustrating attempts at peaking behind the curtain. NR. RAY GILL JR. Cinema 21.

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

Following Michael Bay’s increasingly deranged march through the evidently endless Transformers saga’s first five chapters, 2018’s simple, sweet, Smiths-sampling Bumblebee felt miraculous. It was a delicate girl-and-her-fighting-car pearl somehow harvested from the murky depths of an unfathomable franchise—and newfound fans might have assumed the series had turned a corner. Alas, the title of the latest installment, Rise of the Beasts, speaks volumes (the series isn’t called Evolvers, y’know?). Set after Bumblebee and a bit before the first live action iteration, Beasts opens on a far-flung planet where close relations of Autobots leader Optimus Prime have taken the shape of apex predators (yes, they’re led by a metallic monkey named Optimus Primal, and yes, the Autobots evidently believe our world’s ruled by sports cars and tractor trailers). Cue a ’90s NYC demolition derby and the arrival of the villainous Unicron, with a new pair of humans (plucky art curator Dominique Fishback, soulful veteran Anthony Ramos) shoehorned in. The Bay pentalogy so brazenly defied the fundamental laws of visual and narrative consistency that watching the films was like mainlining an entire season of NFL coverage amid the death spiral of a Gulf Stream RV. Taking over from Bay, director Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II ) offers decidedly more supple, graceful filmmaking, letting Ramos and Fishback develop their characters and minimize the damage wrought by a uniformly awful screenplay. But doesn’t that make the inevitable downshift to robot-on-robot violence all the more joyless? Transformers don’t need moments to breathe. PG-13. JAY HORTON. Bridgeport, Cedar Hills, City Center, Clackamas, Eastport, Evergreen Parkway, Fox Tower, Living Room, Lloyd Center, Mill Plain, Oak Grove, Pioneer Place, Progress Ridge, Studio One, Vancouver Plaza.

OUR KEY who served as Queen of France from 1385 to 1422. Was she a corrupt, greedy, and indecisive fool who harmed France’s fortunes? Or was she a talented diplomat with great skill in court politics and an effective leader during the many times her husband, King Charles VI, was incapacitated by illness? I bring these facts to your attention, Libra, hoping they will inspire you to refine, adjust, and firm up your own reputation. You can’t totally control how people perceive you, but you do have some power to shape their perceptions—especially these days.

: THIS MOVIE IS EXCELLENT, ONE OF THE BEST OF THE YEAR.

: THIS MOVIE IS GOOD. WE RECOMMEND YOU WATCH IT.

: THIS MOVIE IS ENTERTAINING BUT FLAWED.

: THIS MOVIE IS A STEAMING PILE.

"Change of Pace"--by only one letter. (Note: This puzzle is a 2022 Reprint.)

ARIES (March 21-April 19): When I was still an up-and-coming horoscope columnist, before I got widely syndicated, I supplemented my income with many other jobs. During one stretch, I wrote fortunes for a line of designer fortune cookies that were covered with gourmet chocolate and sold at the luxury department store Bloomingdale's. The salary I got paid was meager. Part of my compensation came in the form of hundreds of delicious but non-nutritious cookies. If you are offered a comparable deal in the coming weeks and months, Aries, my advice is to do what I didn’t do but should have done: Ask for what’s truly valuable to you instead of accepting a substitute of marginal worth.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My mentor Ann Davies said that of all the signs of the zodiac, you Tauruses are most likely to develop finely honed intuition. At least potentially, you can tune in to the inner teacher better than the rest of us. The still, small voice rises up out of the silence and speaks to you clearly and crisply. Here's even better news: I believe you are entering a phase when your relationship with this stellar faculty may ripen dramatically. Please take advantage of this subtly fabulous opportunity! Each day for the next 14 days, do a relaxing ritual in which you eagerly invite and welcome the guidance of your deepest inner source.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The next four weeks will be an excellent time to create and celebrate your own holidays. I recommend you dream up at least four new festivals, jubilees, anniversaries, and other excuses to party. Eight or more would be even better. They could be quirky and modest, like Do No Housework Day, Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day, or Write Bad Poetry Day. They could be more profound and impactful, like Forgive Your Parents for Everything Day, Walk on the Wild Side Day, or Stay Home from Work Because You’re Feeling So Good Day. In my astrological opinion, Scorpio, you should regard playful fun as a top priority. For more ideas, go here: tinyurl.com/CreateHolidays . . . tinyurl. com/NouveauHolidays . . . tinyurl.com/InventHolidays

Across

1. Trevor Noah's soon-to-be former gig, briefly

4. Winner of the 2022 World Series

9. Bring together

13. Eight, in France

15. "For real"

16. 1890s gold rush city

17. "Umbrella Academy" actor

19. Font style, for short

20. Collect little by little

21. Wrinkly "Dick Tracy" villain in a Ned Flanders flashback

23. Mizuho Bank currency

24. Put to the test

26. Scand. nation, at the Olympics

27. Green Starbucks offering

29. Watch

31. Third word in many limericks

34. Cold War-era treaty of 1955

37. "Allow me"

39. Hobart hopper

40. Italian coffee brand that doesn't look so well?

41. Add-on that adds new objects and characters to a game

46. Concert souvenir

47. "Don't block my path" noise

48. "Fifty Shades of Grey" star Johnson

51. Iceland-to-Ireland dir.

52. Multi-PC hookup, for short

53. "Criminal Minds" org.

54. Down-to-the-wire election

59. "The Things We ___ Love" (Isy Suttie podcast)

61. "Back to you," on a walkie-talkie

62. Glass sheet

64. Philosopher Descartes

65. Best-case

66. Part of NAFTA, for short

67. "Star ___: Lower Decks"

68. Dapper

69. Mag execs DOWN

1. Place to "hit" for a workout

2. "2001: A Space Odyssey" star Keir

3. Person of few words

4. Formic acid producer

5. Excessively sentimental

6. Main land vehicle for the Teen Titans (it makes sense 'cause of the letter)

7. "Chunky" pasta sauce brand

8. Pirates' place

9. Plastic restaurant freebie that may be serrated

10. "This is ___ drill"

11. Computer debut of 1998

12. Prefix before kinetic

14. Mowry of "Sister, Sister"

18. "Home ___ Range"

22. "That is sooooo nasty"

25. Like the fish in poke bowls

28. "Pet" plant

29. Racecar engine sound

30. "This ___ you ..."

31. Where to see stars in Hollywood

32. Knee injury site, briefly

33. Unclean quarters

©2023 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle #JNZ990.

35. Indy 500 winner Luyendyk

36. Selection

37. ___ Gala (annual NYC event)

38. Battle weapon

42. Thomas who drew Santa Claus

43. Comedian/rapper

Zach seen in "Epic Rap Battles of History" and "The Crossword Show"

44. Activity that makes squeamish parents cover their kids' eyes, for short

45. Root beer brand

49. Crashed into at 90 degrees

50. TV networks and radio stations, e.g.

51. Animated movie series with Gingy

52. ___ the half (was ahead)

54. Wrongful act, legally

55. "Skinny Love" band Bon

56. "Bob's Burgers" keyboard-playing son

57. Verdi opera set in Egypt

58. Online tech review site

60. ___-Locka, Florida

63. Former West Coast beer brand, briefly

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): New College in Oxford, UK has educated students since 1379. Among its old buildings is a dining hall that features beams made of thick oak trees. Unfortunately, most oak wood eventually attracts beetles that eat it and weaken it. Fortunately, the 14th-century founders of New College foresaw that problem. They planted an oak grove whose trees were specifically meant to be used to replace the oak beams at New College. Which they are to this day. I would love you to derive inspiration from this story, Gemini. What practical long-term plans might you be wise to formulate in the coming months?

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Northern Hemisphere, the astrological month of Cancer begins with the sun in its greatest glory. Our home star is at its highest altitude, shining with maximum brightness. So then why is the sign of the Crab ruled by the moon? Why do the longest days of the year coincide with the ascendancy of the mistress of the night? Ahhh. These are esoteric mysteries beyond the scope of this horoscope. But here's a hint about what they signify for you personally. One of your assets can also be a liability: your innocent openness to the wonders of life. This quality is at the heart of your beauty but can also, on occasion, make you vulnerable to being overwhelmed. That's why it's so important that you master the art of setting boundaries, of honing your focus, of quaffing deeply from a few cups instead of sipping from many cups.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The coming weeks will be a delicate time for your spiritual unfoldment. You are primed to recover lost powers, rediscover key truths you have forgotten, and reunite with parts of your soul you got cut off from. Will these good possibilities come to pass in their fullness? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how brave you are in seeking your healing. You must ask for what’s hard to ask for. You’ve got to find a way to feel deserving of the beauty and blessings that are available. PS: You ARE deserving. I will be cheering you on, dear Leo.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Whether or not you have been enrolled in a learning institution during the past 12 months, I suspect you have been getting a rigorous education. Among the courses you have almost completed are lessons in intimacy, cooperation, collaboration, symbiosis, and togetherness. Have you mastered all the teachings? Probably not. There were too many of them, and they were too voluminous to grasp perfectly and completely. But that's OK. You have done well. Now you're ready to graduate, collect your diploma, and apply what you have learned.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): History has provided contradictory reports about Isabeau of Bavaria,

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a god who stole fire from his fellow gods and gave it to humans to help them build civilization. His divine colleagues were not pleased. Why? Maybe they feared that with the power of fire, people would become like gods themselves and have no further need for gods. Anyway, Sagittarius, I hope you’re in a fire-stealing mood. It’s a good time to raise your whole world up to a higher level—to track down and acquire prizes that will lead to major enhancements. And unlike what happened to Prometheus (the other gods punished him), I think you will get away with your gambits.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s discuss magical doorways. Each time you sleep, you slip through magical doorways called dreams. Whether or not you recall those adventures, they offer you interesting mysteries utterly unlike the events of your daily life. Here’s another example: A magical doorway opens when an ally or loved one shares intimate knowledge of their inner realms. Becoming absorbed in books, movies, or songs is also a way to glide through a magical doorway. Another is when you discover an aspect of yourself, a corner of your being, that you didn't know was there. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect the coming weeks will present an extra inviting array of magical doorways.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Psychiatrist Myron Hofer specializes in the mother-infant relationship. Among his findings: The first emotion that a newborn experiences is anxiety. Struggling to get out of the womb can be taxing, and it’s shocking to be separated from the warm, nourishing realm that has been home for months. The bad news is that most of us still carry the imprint of this original unease. The good news, Aquarius, is that the coming months will be one of the best times ever for you to heal. For optimal results, place a high priority on getting an abundance of love, support, comfort, and physical touch.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Curious blends and intriguing juxtapositions are in the works—or at least they should be. Improbable alliances might be desirable because they’re curative. Formulas with seemingly mismatched ingredients might fix a glitch, even if they never succeeded before and won’t again. I encourage you to synergize work and play. Negotiate serious business in casual settings and make yourself at home in a wild frontier.

Homework: Is there any area of your life where you are not giving your best? How could you improve? Newsletter. FreeWillAstrology.com