Remembering the storyline of the original animation from three years ago may not immediately jump to mind, but that matters little for the sequel of a movie that struck an emotional chord with audiences who love household pets.

The appealing prospect of domesticated, for the most part, animals having a thought process and a plan of action when the humans are away at work or school is what once again drives “The Secret Life of Pets 2” into the amusing territory of anthropomorphic antics.

The structural weakness for this continuation of the saga of pets is running three disjointed storylines where the common thread shared by the main characters is that they live with their owners in the same New York apartment building.

Yet, this flaw of plot construction takes little away from the transitory enjoyment of the lovable animals charting their own course all the while adapting to the vagaries of the human condition.

Having previously been subjected to adapting to the oversized mutt Duke (Eric Stonestreet) entering the picture in the first film, the terrier Max (voiced by Patton Oswalt) now has to cope with a more drastic change.

Max’s owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) marries the big lug Chuck (Pete Holmes) and soon thereafter along comes baby Liam, who quickly becomes a handful during the toddler stage.

Overly protective, Max becomes a nervous wreck following the kid around the apartment and while Duke is far less neurotic, they both adapt their canine reputation of a man’s best friend to be watchful guardians.

One thread of the storyline is that Max and Duke join a family vacation trip to a relative’s farm where country life is unsettling to Max who is soon prodded by crusty ranch canine Rooster (Harrison Ford) to ditch his neuroses and discover his inner courage.

Rooster is the most welcome new addition to the lineup of animals. Harrison Ford’s steady, confident and gravel voice makes Rooster a formidable character, and all the more so when he pulls off the cowboy image by wearing a cool neckerchief.

Back in the city, Max has entrusted his favorite yellow squeeze toy called Busy Bee in the care of fluffy, perky Gidget the Pomeranian (Jenny Slate) when he leaves for the trip to the countryside.

In short order, the pampered Gidget loses the toy as it bounces down the outside fire escape steps into the apartment of an old lady who harbors so many feral cats that it’s a surprise that animal control has not taken notice of the hoarding.

Faced with the obstacle of being a dog trying to retrieve the toy, Gidget enlists the help of slothful, spoiled Chloe (Lake Bell), a rotund fluffy feline who would rather cough up fur balls on its sleeping owner that do anything relatively useful.

Nevertheless, facing a tough situation to infiltrate a hostile environment, Gidget takes lessons from Chloe on being more catlike in presence and attitude, which is partly achieved by wearing headgear to simulate feline features.

On another front, Snowball (Kevin Hart) is an energized rabbit who fervently believes that he’s a superhero, because, well, he dresses like one and seeks opportunities to rescue other animals in distress.

This is where Daisy (Tiffany Haddish), a brave Shih Tzu, enters the picture, putting Snowball to the test of living up to his heroic exploits that are mostly the fabrication of his hyperactive imagination.

Daisy has encountered a white tiger cub that is being held captive by cruel circus owner Sergei (Nick Kroll), appropriately dressed in black, speaking with a sinister Russian accent, and only missing a dark mustache to twirl.

This story arc has the dynamic duo of Snowball and Daisy freeing the tiger from its cage and then having to elude Sergei’s henchmen and his vicious pack of nasty wolves and a menacing monkey.

While arguably there may be nothing extra special about the film’s animation, physical settings and disconnected storylines, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” delivers the expected goods for family entertainment geared to a younger audience.

Admittedly, the animal characters interact very well with plenty of funny lines. Seeing the gruff Rooster tutor the anxious Max in the ways of life outside the comfort zone of dwelling in the safe space of an apartment is one of the delightful highlights.

Cat lovers are sure to identify with the lackadaisical, indifferent attitude of self-centered Chloe’s grasp of reality, while dog owners have a wide choice of canine companions that are relatable on different scales.

The bottom line is that those who enjoyed the first round in “The Secret Life of Pets,” a worldwide blockbuster, are really the target audience for a sequel that brings some new dimensions to the budding franchise.

Equally important, at the start of summer, is the need for films that can be enjoyed by children.

“Pets 2” fits the bill, because some upcoming films like the gritty action of “Shaft” and the horror tale of “Child’s Play” are definitely not PG-rated fare.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Art Center invites the public to enjoy the opening reception for its new exhibit, “Nature,” on Friday, June 14, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Middletown Community Farmers Market will also be open at the MAC Art Garden from 5 to 8 p.m.

Since opening in 2015, the MAC has held a companion exhibit to the EcoArts Sculpture Walk in June at the MAC Gallery in the theme of Art in Dialogue with Nature.

This tradition was upheld during the past few years of fire recovery, “holding space” for the Sculpture Walk which reopened at Trailside Park on June 1.

This year's exhibit, “Nature,” includes the work of about 20 Lake County artists.

“We have an intimate relationship with nature here in Lake County and MAC’s artists express a gamut of concerns, admiration, observation and appreciation for the natural world in this new show,” said MAC director and co-curator Lisa Kaplan.

The exhibit features fiber artist Alana Clearlake’s powerful new piece, “Hard Rain.”

Clearlake worked on the 13-panel, 16-foot long piece daily between November and June. It was a labor of deep concern and love of both family and the planet.

“I worry for my children and grandchildren, and regret that my generation did not act quickly enough to make change,” she explained.

The panels depict a progression of climate conditions and intensity. Clearlake’s execution of rain, storm, and sea are both brilliant and dramatic. Her rendering of light and transparency through layering in the opaque medium of felt is striking.

Come see the artwork during the opening reception Friday, June 14, or any Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until mid August.

The 14th annual EcoArts Sculpture Walk, free to the public, will remain on view through October 15.

Middletown Trailside Park is open dawn to dusk daily. Hiking shoes, hats, and water bottles are advised.

Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29 in the heart of Middletown. Stay up to date on all classes, exhibits and events, and consider a membership to support this valuable Lake County arts and culture resource at www.middletownartcenter.org .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A special assembly of musicians from Japan come together for an evening of jazz on Saturday, June 29, at 7:00 pm at the Soper Reese Theatre.

Tickets are now on sale at $20, open seating.

Group leader and drummer, Akira Tana, brings his friends all the way from Osaka, Japan, for a show packed with swinging, unadulterated jazz organ music.

On the Hammond B3 is Atsuko Hashimoto who started playing the organ at the age of four. Joining the group for a special guest appearance is vocalist virtuoso, Kenny Washington, who has been called “one of the finest male jazz singers in the world” by JazzTimes Magazine.

The group is completed by Osaka musicians Yutaka Hashimoto on guitar, and Hideki Kawamura on tenor sax.

The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.

Tickets may be purchased at www.soperreesetheatre.com ; at the theatre’s box office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, two hours before show time; and at The Travel Center, 825 S. Main St., Lakeport, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The theater telephone is 707-263-0577; Travel Center phone is 707-263-3095.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 1969 adventure film, “The Reivers,” starring Steve McQueen and Rupert Crosse, screens at the Soper Reese Theatre on Tuesday, June 25, at 1 and 6 p.m.

Entry to the film is by donation.

Lead character, Boon (Steve McQueen), is a reiver. That's a cheat, a liar, a brawler and a womanizer, and he had just four days to teach young Lucius the facts of life.

Set in early 1900s Mississippi, this well-acted adaptation of William Faulkner’s last novel brought Rupert Crosse an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor, and John Williams also received a nomination for best original score.

The movie is sponsored by Alex Valiansky. Rated PG. Run time is 1 hour and 47 minutes.

The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-0577, www.soperreesetheatre.com.

When I was a nasty little kid I once made fun of a girl in my school because her father worked cutting up dead animals at a rendering plant.

My mother sat me down and said, "Ted, all work is honorable."

I've never forgotten that.

Here's a fine poem about the nobility of work by Sally Bliumis-Dunn, from her book “Echolocation,” published by Plume Editions, Asheville, NC.

The poet lives in Armonk, New York.

Work

I could tell they were father and son,
the air between them slack, as though
they hardly noticed one another.

The father sanded the gunwales,
the boy coiled the lines.
And I admired them there, each to his task

in the quiet of the long familiar.
The sawdust coated the father's arms
like dusk coats grass in a field.

The boy worked next on the oarlocks
polishing the brass until it gleamed,
as though he could harness the sun.

Who cares what they were thinking,
lucky in their lives
that the spin of the genetic wheel

slowed twice to a stop
and landed each of them here.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2017 by Sally Bliumis-Dunn, "Work," from Echolocation, (Plume Editions, 2017). Poem reprinted by permission of Sally Bliumis-Dunn and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.

The psychological thriller of twisted obsession in “Ma” has a thematic connection to “Carrie” in that the titular characters of both films suffered bullying and public humiliation during high school.

The big difference is that in “Ma” the revenge factor, though much less violent than sensitive teen Sissy Spacek’s retribution, emerges when the abused victim has reached middle-age.

Octavia Spencer’s Sue Ann, an assistant to the acerbic veterinarian Doctor Brooks (Allison Janney) who belittles her work ethic, is a loner who keeps to herself in the quiet Ohio town she never left after unpleasant high school memories.

Meanwhile, Erica (Juliette Lewis), a graduate of the same high school during Sue Ann’s time, moves back to the her hometown from California, with her teen daughter Maggie (Diana Silvers), after a failed marriage and loss of a job.

While her mom takes the job of cocktail waitress at a casino, Maggie is left pretty much to her own devices and falls in which a bunch of fellow teens who like to party with alcohol at the rock piles in a deserted area.

Prompted by ringleader Haley (McKaley Miller) to ask strangers to buy beer for the group outside a liquor store, Maggie is constantly rebuffed until Sue Ann comes along walking a three-legged dog and reluctantly agrees.

On a subsequent occasion, Sue Ann offers the teens the chance to avoid drinking and driving and being harassed by the police by hanging out in the basement of her home located in the countryside.

Laying down some ground rules, the most important of which is to never go upstairs, Sue Ann, who asks to be called Ma, joins the fun with a tight group that includes Andy (Corey Fogelmanis), who becomes Maggie’s boyfriend, Chaz (Gianni Paolo), and Darrell (Dante Brown).

Without a great deal of subtlety, Sue Ann is seen in flashbacks to her school days when she was badly treated by the classmates who now have their kids in high school. Andy’s father, Ben (Luke Evans), was a key instigator of the abusive behavior that has not been forgotten.

It doesn’t take long for Sue Ann to exhibit patterns of strange behavior. At one basement gathering, she orders Andy at gunpoint to strip naked, and then laughs that it was all a joke as he stands fully exposed in his birthday suit.

Recoiling at the bizarre turn of events, the kids decide to forego the party scene until Sue Ann pursues their forgiveness with endless text messages and weird selfie videos, and before long, half of the school has joined in the festivities in the basement.

For very good reason, Maggie grows suspicious of Sue Ann’s intentions, when everyone else in her group is oblivious to the signs of Ma’s malevolent, psychopathic behavior shining bright like downtown Las Vegas neon.

Not to spoil how the revenge-horror unfolds, suffice it to say that Octavia Spencer’s role, while not exactly understated, is sufficiently creepy and gleefully twisted that “Ma” proves entertaining despite its often inane plot twists.





‘Blood & Treasure’ on CBS

The location of the tomb of Antony and Cleopatra, the most ill-fated lovers in history, presumed by many experts to be somewhere near Alexandria, Egypt, has so-far eluded archeologists during search expeditions.

“Blood & Treasure,” a summer adventure series on CBS designed to offer easy, comfortable viewing, solves that mystery, Indiana Jones-style, upon the revelation that the Nazis snatched the sarcophagus of Cleopatra in 1942 from an Egyptian pyramid.

With Nazis involved, it’s no wonder that “Blood & Treasure” is derivative work that is inspired not only by “Raiders of the Lost Ark” but the entire canon of Indiana Jones adventures into archeological mysteries.

The series fun comes with the globe-trotting action that uneasily pairs former FBI agent Danny McNamara (Matt Barr), now working as an antiquities expert, and cunning Egyptian art thief Lexi Vaziri (Sofia Pernas) in a hunt for ruthless terrorist Karim Farouk (Oded Fehr).

Danny and Lexi are former lovers who had a falling out over the tragic bombing death of Lexi’s father, which she blames on Danny, even though Farouk was the culprit behind the deadly explosion.

In search of blood antiquities to finance terrorism and having kidnapped archeologist Dr. Anna Castillo (Alicia Coppola), Farouk discovers a sealed vault in a pyramid that the Nazis had already plundered, and so he blows up the place.

Danny is anxious to rescue Dr. Castillo because she was his mentor on antiquities, and with the backing of an eccentric billionaire (John Larroquette), the former FBI agent and Lexi chase leads in Europe, with a lot of attention to Italy.

As they chase after Farouk and his goons, they encounter unscrupulous individuals who may either be useful allies or dangerous enemies, including arms dealer Aiden Shaw (James Michael Shaw) who acts solely in his self-interest.

“Blood & Treasure” might be frivolous and loose with the historical artifacts, but it brings breezy summer fun that fills a void now that ABC’s “Whiskey Cavalier” has finished its run.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.