Dear Watchers,Sometimes I'm looking for an "everything but the kitchen sink" movie: something that throws as many scenarios and ideas at me as possible, an "Everything Everywhere All at Once" kind of experience. If you, too, like to add some occasional overstimulation to your viewing calendar, we have just the right pick for you on this Genre Movie Wednesday. Our sci-fi expert, Elisabeth Vincentelli, highlights a sequel that continues the time traveling, genre hopping thrills of the original. That means 14th century alien action matched with modern mayhem. Then sprint forward to the near future for a different recommendation, a sports thriller involving A.I.-enhanced prosthetics. Read below what Elisabeth has to say about both movies, then head here for three more of her picks. Happy viewing. 'Alienoid: Return to the Future'
Where to watch: Stream "Alienoid: Return to the Future" on Hulu. Can't decide if you want to watch a movie involving tentacled aliens or one with a sorcerer? "Wire fu" or time travel? How about ominous spaceships? The Korean director Choi Dong-hoon has you covered with his two-part "Alienoid" epic, which includes all of these elements. The second installment begins with a serviceable recap so newcomers can jump in, but starting with its predecessor, "Alienoid" (2022), makes the overall experience more enjoyable. The madcap action goes back and forth between the 14th century and 2022 Seoul, when an alien menace nicknamed the Controller is threatening to kill the entire population with a lethal gas. The key to defeating the Controller lies in the past and involves a weapon called the Divine Blade. Even more important are the actions of a ragtag team that includes the spunky Ean (Kim Tae-ri, from "Space Sweepers") and her possible love interest, Muruk (Ryu Jun-yeol). Choi keeps up a steady pace, peppered with goofy humor and surreal touches, as when Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" plays during a big moment. Narrative coherence is an afterthought in the "Alienoid" universe, so it's best to go with whatever wackadoo scenes the movies throw at you: What matters here is pure fun, and this installment delivers. 'Bionic'
Where to watch: Stream "Bionic" on Netflix. Set in 2035, this Brazilian movie looks at the intermingling of the human and the robotic from an interesting perspective: the world of sports, where concerns over equal opportunity and unfair advantages are evergreen. Maria (Jessica Córes) has always wanted to follow the example of her mother, a long-jump champion, but her feats are eclipsed by that of her sister, Gabi (Gabz), who acquired near-superhuman abilities when she was fitted with a prosthetic leg. Maria is left to train on dilapidated tracks while Gabi's performances and popularity soar — she belongs to a growing number of athletes competing in Bionic Games dominated by artificially enhanced performances. The crowds don't care as long as the feats become more eye-popping. "They say self-mutilation is the new doping," the handsome crook Heitor (Bruno Gagliasso) tells Maria, who holds to a high moral ground until she gets a high-tech prosthesis of her own. Regarding that crook: The movie, directed by Afonso Poyart, adds a plot about heists. This is an unforced error because the subject of robotics in sports is juicy enough to power a film. Still, if "Bionic" is flawed, I'm still thinking about some of the issues it raises.
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