Santa Ana is apparently done playing marijuana whack-a-mole with illegally operating dispensaries, as its strong-arm policing has failed to dislodge the last few operators, while also causing some embarrassment to the city.

“Based on nuisance conditions, city council members have authorized the filing and prosecution of receivership actions against four owners of illegal marijuana dispensaries — including a shop subject to a controversial raid — as a first step toward permanently shutting them down,” the Register reported.

The number of illegal operators in Santa Ana is now down to 10 or so, after being as high as 120. But, “Despite previous enforcement actions, the operators of these marijuana dispensaries have refused to comply with the city’s regulations, and the property owners have refused to cooperate with the city,” according to the staff report.

The change in tactics is certainly preferable to the black eye left by police officers getting caught on video dismantling surveillance equipment, playing darts, making derogatory remarks about an amputee, and helping themselves to candy and snacks during a raid. But it’s also questionable how effective the new strategy will be, given basic economics.

Demand for marijuana is high, and access to legal options remain low. That isn’t really Santa Ana’s fault, although the city’s taxes on marijuana are high. The city has even made efforts to improve the business climate for legal operators.

But, the reality is, until other cities stop looking at marijuana with moralistic disdain or merely view it as a cash cow, illegal sellers are likely to continue filling the gaps created by above-market prices and limited access.

If Prohibition taught us anything, it’s that making something illegal doesn’t end demand for it. Similarly, the quasi-legal limbo that marijuana is in now won’t do much to modify people’s behaviors — especially when they’re already comfortable acquiring it illegally. Until marijuana sales are treated like the legally permissible business they are, legal sellers will remain incapable of running illegal dealers out of the market.

Let reputable marijuana business do what beer companies did to organized crime’s hold on the liquor market. Let them compete.

When it comes to the writing, directing and producing categories at the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards at 5 p.m. Sunday, women still lag far behind men in the number of nominations.

Acting, however, is a different matter.

Emmys 2017: We’re covering the Emmys. Get all the latest on the red carpet, the awards and the big winners

Honestly, if the best actor in a drama category were gender-neutral, women would dominate.

This is despite the fact that men still make up about 60 percent of the lead roles on TV, according to the Women’s Media Center. In the categories of writing, directing, editing, and producing, women only received an abysmal 26 percent of the nominations this year.

Emmys 2017: HBO vs. Netflix: Who will win more?

Of course, with the way the nominations are split between men and women, women automatically get 50 percent of the nominations. But if you consider the powerful performances given this year, women are far and away the big winners.

Just look at the drama category.

Among the best-actress nominees are recent Oscar winner Viola Davis for “How to Get Away With Murder”; Golden Globe winner Claire Foy, who plays Queen Elizabeth II in “The Crown”; and the much-acclaimed Elisabeth Moss in “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Photos: See the Los Angeles Convention Center transformed for the Emmys Governors Ball

All three characters are at the center of swirling plots in which the actresses are given ample space to show off their firepower.

Bob Odenkirk in “Better Call Saul” and Liev Schreiber in “Ray Donovan” are also the focus of their shows, but neither compare. Both work on decidedly low-key series with quirky characters, and as skillful as both actors are, that doesn’t often make for scintillating viewing.

There are two male nominees who you could see as equal to their female counterparts since they share so much screen time on their respective shows. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys in “The Americans” and Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey in “House of Cards” have consistently upped their game year after year.

I would argue, however, that both actresses have had trickier terrain to traverse with their characters during this past season.

In a way, Evan Rachel Wood and Anthony Hopkins of “Westworld” illustrate the differences in the lists of nominees.

They didn’t share a lot of screen time. Sir Anthony played a shadowy puppeteer figure, mostly ensconced in an underground lab. The Oscar winner provided a certain gravitas and menace needed in the HBO series, but the role calls for little beyond that.

Wood’s role as Delores –the android who doesn’t know she isn’t human – is at the heart of “Westworld.” Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker critic Emily Nussbaum called her performance “spectacular” and a key to making the tricky series work.

She’s right. Delores, in Wood’s hands, gives the effect the series is after – she’s almost too human. Yet viewers never lose sympathy for her as an exploited character.

As for the “This Is Us” duo Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia, both could have easily been put in the supporting category. Don’t get me wrong: their performances were quite good, but the NBC show is an ensemble cast. Neither of them is really a lead.

If you think this is harsh, then why is Chrissy Metz, whose role on “This Is Us” is easily equal to Brown’s and Ventimiglia’s, nominated in the outstanding supporting actress category?

My guess is that someone looked at how loaded with great work the best-actress category is and thought she might have a better chance in the supporting category. That also tells you something about the men’s side: It’s not as strong.

In the year of “Wonder Woman,” the wonderful performances by women are what we should be applauding at the Emmys this year.

Here’s a list of the latest retail openings:

• A 24 Hour Fitness opens Saturday, Sept. 16 in Santa Ana at 1400 W. Edinger Ave., the 39th fitness center for the company in Orange County. A grand opening from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. will include tours, prizes, training demonstrations and classes. Recently, a 24 Hour Fitness opened in Fullerton. “The largest percentage of our clubs are located in Southern California, where there is continued demand for fitness options that 24 Hour Fitness can provide,” General Manager Yatrik Bhatt said in a statement.   The 24 Hour Fitness is 40,000 square feet and has group exercise classes and cycle studios.
• Fitness studio Total Training opened in Costa Mesa on Saturday, Sept. 9. The gym offers a high-intensity interval training  (H.I.I.T)  workout which burns 500-1,000 calories in a night club atmosphere. Total Training also offers nutritional counseling. The group’s first studio opened in Laguna Hills. Gregg Niemann, co-founder of Total Training, this expansion is “hopefully the first of many.” Total Training has a variety of membership offers. A single class costs $25. It is at 1941 Newport Blvd.
• Sephora is expected to reopen today, Sept. 14, in a larger space at South Coast Plaza. The bigger location is moving from Level 2 to Level 1 in the Bloomingdale’s Wing. The new shop will expand lines to include Burberry, Huda Beauty, Pat McGrath and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna.  The store will also have a workshop station where shoppers can learn about the latest beauty tips. South Coast Plaza said this new store will be “the biggest Sephora store in Orange County and one of two at South Coast Plaza.”

Sultry, sassy and smooth jams of jazz legend Fats Waller will kick off the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts’ 40th season opening musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’” – starring “Rent” Broadway star Frenchie Davis.

Directed and staged by Ken Page, who was an original cast member of the 1978 Broadway premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, the production will open with a preview on Friday, Sept. 15 and regular performances beginning Sunday, Sept. 17 through Oct. 8.

Davis, a 2003 contestant on “American Idol” and in 2011 top 12 finalist on “The Voice,” said she has found theater to be a satisfying outlet for her to do what she loves most: perform. Soon after her “Idol” run, she was cast in the Broadway musical “Rent” for a four year-run and a west coast touring production of “Dreamgirls” in 2004.

“My favorite thing in the world is performing live and being on stage. I enjoy that feeling over anything, so any chance I get to do just that, I will,” said Davis, who will reprise her role as Nell Carter, which she performed in the musical’s 30th anniversary national tour in 2008, which earned a Grammy Award nomination for best musical theater album.

The revue pays tribute to Waller and other artists of the 1920s and 1930s jazz era, with the character roles representing the original cast members, including André DeShields (played by Thomas Hobson), Armelia McQueen (Amber Liekhus), Ken Page (Boise Holmes) and Charlayne Woodard  (Natalie Wachen).

“All of the characters in the show kind of symbolize different facets of Fats Waller, and I could relate to him in a lot of ways, especially his big personality and love for music,” Davis said. “This was such a defining era in music history, and it’s just really exciting each time to perform because most of my favorite songs come from this era.”

Since Page is directing and staging the production, Davis said the La Mirada Theatre production will stay “respectful” to the original Broadway musical. Memorable songs such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Ain’t Misbehavin,” “Black and Blue,” “This Joint is Jumping,” and “I’ve Got A Feeling I’m Falling” will be performed.

Paying tribute to the Harlem Renaissance era, the stage will be set to look like old Manhattan nightclubs, such as the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom, and the iconic Lenox Avenue swing and jazz clubs of the 1920s. The five cast members will take turns performing high-spirited, rowdy and entertaining song and dance numbers.

Because it is such a high-energy production with a small cast, Davis said the role can be exhausting, but over time, she has become used to the physical and vocal demands of each number.

“Singing five-part harmonies can get difficult with such a small cast, because it’s not like you have another singer to find your note,” Davis said with a laugh. “And dancing and singing at the same time without sounding winded is another challenge. But thankfully your body gets used to it and follows the rhythm, and then it’s just fun.”

Written by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz, the musical opened on Broadway in 1978, winning three Tony Awards including best musical and best featured actress for the late Nell Carter, who played herself. The musical ran for a total of 1604 performances overall at the Longacre Theatre, Plymouth Theatre and Belasco Theatre.

“This is one of the shows where I love every number, every part of it. Even the parts that I’m not in, I love watching my castmates make magic on stage. I just love that,” Davis said. “And the audience will want to sing along and even dance along with us; it is just a really fun time for everyone off and on stage.”

‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ – The Fats Waller Musical Show’

Where: La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd.

When: Preview: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. Regular performances: 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Oct. 8.

How much: $20-$70

Call: 714-994-6310

Online: lamiradatheatre.com

As Gov. Brown closes in on the final year of his term in office, one of his stated goals is to mitigate the affordable housing crisis across the state. Even now, as the Senate and Assembly sessions come to an end with Sept. 15 as the last day for each house to pass bills, plans are in the works to present the governor with a package of legislative options for his signature.

Among the proposals are Senate Bill 2 and 3, which provide a reservoir of state dollars as permanent funding source solutions. SB2 proposes nearly $250 million a year in new funding for low income housing development through real estate document transaction fees. SB3 would create a $3 billion bond to spend on low income housing for voters to consider on the 2018 statewide ballot.

One of the most common rejoinders from both sides of the aisle on additional state spending to provide affordable housing, is that cities are not pulling their weight when it comes to authorizing developments. In fact, a third legislative “fix” — SB35 — proposes a new by-right process, which creates additional reporting requirements for cities. By-right zoning allows for the streamlined development of projects, which comply with the zoning standards, to receive local approval without a discretionary review process.

Unfortunately, punitive measures to force municipalities into action on affordable housing misses the mark on the real issue facing communities … the biggest barrier to affordable housing for cities is financing.

In Orange County, affordable housing is a particularly acute problem. According to the California Association of Realtors, the county is now the most unaffordable housing market in Southern California. Only 21 percent of households can afford a typical house payment on the median price of a single-family home. As multi-family developments become the only available option for residents, the necessity of delivering affordable units to the market is critical.

However, demand is far exceeding supply for multi-family residencies in the region. According to demographic projections, Orange County is facing a workforce housing shortage of between 50,000 and 62,000 units in the coming years. In order to maintain the economic vibrancy of the county, the talented workforce that businesses depend on must have far more affordable housing options to retain individuals locally.

It is not for a lack of effort that cities have been unable to effectively deliver more affordable housing to the regional landscape. There have not been significant, dedicated funding sources to ensure the production of subsidized housing since the loss of redevelopment agencies in 2012. Succinctly, cities do not have the financial resources to work with developers in offering below market rate housing without assistance at the state and federal levels.

Even when there is political will and agreement between a city council and a developer, the gap in funding often times exceeds what a city is able to finance from its own general funds, or “Low and Moderate Income Housing Funds,” resulting in missed affordable housing production opportunities.

So, while mandates such as SB35 posit a turn-key solution to clear the roadblocks for cities to provide affordable housing, the most critical component in the equation — dollars — remains unaddressed.

Take the city of Mission Viejo, which over the last eight years has three by-right sites, yet only one has actually been developed. The remaining two sites are languishing because of funding gaps between what the developer can offer and what the city can financially assist with.

There are numerous examples of cities across the county that are facing similar funding shortfalls.

In Anaheim, lack of money has delayed a 50-unit senior housing development, while in La Habra a 71-unit affordable housing project is in jeopardy, because of a $6.5 million lacuna. These scenarios are all too common. Typically, gaps in subsidies range from $1 million to $6 million.

Of course, there are successes too, notably the construction of 403 affordable housing units built in the city of Irvine in 2016. Interestingly, this development would not have passed the scrutiny of measures such as SB35 designed to quicken the process.

In the end, cities in Orange County are working diligently to expand affordable housing options. The reality is that sustainable financing channels must be in place for municipalities to meet the growing demand. The focus of affordable housing legislation should be on helping and incentivizing cities, not penalizing them. A comprehensive solution to the state’s affordable housing dilemma must include local governance in conjunction with a dedicated funding mechanism to promote and spur needed projects from concept to completion.

Working collaboratively, Orange County can serve as a model for communities across the state, in an overall effort to combat the predicament of affordable housing for residents and stakeholders.

Heather Stratman is CEO of the Association of California Cities-Orange County, an organization dedicated to representing the interests of Orange County’s 34 cities through education that empowers, policy that is collaborative, and advocacy that is service-oriented.

Sears, which is struggling to stay afloat amid a vastly changing retail environment, is expanding its partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon to peddle its Alexa-enabled smart appliances to intenet shoppers in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties.

Over the summer, Sears began selling “smart” Kenmore air conditioning wall units across the U.S. through Amazon. Now, the retailer, which also owns Kmart, has expanded the Kenmore Smart line on Amazon to include large appliances such as laundry machines and refrigerators.

In addition, Southern California customers can buy standard Kenmore dishwashers, ovens, ranges and air and water treatment appliances through Amazon.

Southern California Amazon customers are the first to purchase the Smart Kenmore appliances, which work with Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa. Other West Coast and the Midwest markets are expected to offer Kenmore Smart appliances “later this month and into early October,” Sears said.

Nationwide availability of all Kenmore products, including small appliances, is slated for early 2018.

Tom Park, president of Sears’ Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard division, said the  company chose to first debut the smart appliances for Amazon customers in Southern California because the Kenmore brand has strong recognition in the area.

Each smart appliance also can be controlled through Kenmore’s app.

Want to be notified if someone in the house left the refrigerator door ajar, the app will ping your phone. Homeowners can also control the temperature of wall unit air conditioners through the app and Alexa.

Last month, Sears reported second-quarter sales dropping to $4.4 billion, compared with $5.7 billion in the prior year period. Store closures contributed to approximately $770 million of the decline, the company said. Sales at stores open at least a year, a key measure of a retailer’s health, decreased 11.5 percent.

In March, Sears dropped a bombshell on investors when it said in a regulatory filing there is “substantial doubt” it will be able to keep its doors open.

A town hall on human trafficking will be held on Thursday, Sept. 21 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Laguna Niguel.

The event, featuring survivors and human trafficking experts, will inform residents about how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and protect youth from being targeted.

Guest speakers include Capistrano Unified School District Superintendent Kirsten Vital and Jim Carson, program manager of the Orangewood Foundation, which provides services to Orange County’s foster youth.

IF YOU GO

What: Town hall on human trafficking

When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21

Where: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 28291 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel

Information: cityoflagunaniguel.org or 949-362-4300.

At about 4:56 a.m, Friday, NASA’s Saturn-exploring Cassini spacecraft died after flying into the ringed gas giant’s atmosphere at 77,000 miles per hour.

Cassini was 20 years old.

Spacecraft Operations Manager Julie Webster announced the loss of signal within a minute of the predicted demise.

“That would be the end of the spacecraft,” she radioed to her colleagues in mission control.

A round of applause erupted in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s von Kármán Auditorium as team members and the media heard the final call.

“We just heard the signal from the spacecraft is gone, and within the next 45 seconds so will be the spacecraft,” announced Earl Maize, Cassini’s project manager. “I hope you all are as deeply proud of this amazing accomplishment.

“Congratulations to you all,” he said.

Cassini was estimated to last about a minute and a half in Saturn’s atmosphere before high temperatures ripped apart and melted its components. Cassini’s iridium-encased plutonium power source was likely the last part to be destroyed, according to NASA.

NASA planned Cassini’s destruction in advance and used a gravity assist from Saturn’s moon Titan on Monday to send the spacecraft barreling into the gas giant’s atmosphere. In the final year, Cassini completed 22 orbits through a gap between Saturn and its rings.

In its final moments, Cassini used the last of its fuel to fight against Saturn’s atmosphere in an effort to keep its antenna pointed toward Earth for as long as possible. NASA hoped to use the death dive to analyze the composition of the atmosphere. The final signal was received by the Deep Space Network.

Cassini launched in 1997 and traveled for seven years before reaching Saturn in 2004. In the 13 subsequent years, Cassini collected unprecedented data from the ringed planet and its many moons. Titan and Enceladus, two of Saturn’s moon, offered the greatest surprise. Though very different, the two moons have the potential to have developed life.

On Titan, NASA found liquid methane seas and lakes, the only other sources of surface liquid known in the solar system. A study earlier this year estimated those methane lakes could power human colonies for hundreds of years.

Enceladus, an icy moon, is believed to have vast, potentially warm oceans beneath the surface with evidence suggesting many of the building blocks necessary for life may also exist. Cassini found plumes of water erupting into space and flew through the material for a closer look.

Though Cassini didn’t have the right instruments to fully test the plumes, the discovery made Enceladus a prime target for future missions and provided compelling evidence for the possibility of life outside of the habitability zone where Earth sits.

The potential for life on those two moons sealed Cassini’s fate, with NASA deciding to purposefully use up the last of the spacecraft’s fuel to destroy it in Saturn’s atmosphere in an effort to prevent inadvertent contamination of the ocean worlds.

Coming this fall to Orange County: New residences, built by one of the region’s top luxury-home developers, priced around $350,000.

That’s not a typo. It’s not a marketing gimmick. Nor is it some in-fill urban project located in a questionable gentrifying locale.

Inside New Home Co.’s 80-unit Azure project at Rancho Mission Viejo in south Orange County’s foothills lies what could be a turning point in the quest for more affordable housing in the region. Sales are scheduled to begin Nov. 12.

Yes, the eye-catching price is for just 10 townhomes in this densely built community. Yes, these units are small: One-bedroom, 707 square feet with a one-car garage.

But change starts slowly.

Larry Webb, New Home Co.’s chief executive, is a veteran local builder whose companies are known for their deft touch with high-end housing. The last time New Home Co. was making a market breakthrough it was quickly selling out Lambert Ranch in north Irvine, one of Orange County’s earliest luxury developments in the post-recession era.

So, how did Webb’s team switch gears to create such apparent affordability? (FYI, Webb has built at all price levels in his career.)

He says affordable housing can be simple.

“It’s all about compromise,” he says.

On all sides, he says.

Landowners and creators of master-planned communities must be reasonable with pricing and construction requirements. City planners, lawmakers, and neighbors have to be sensitive to the benefits of expanding housing needs. Development critics have to acknowledge that density will grow, with or without new housing, as long as the region remains a jobs magnet.

Affordable housing advocates have to tone down their finger-pointing, too. Plus, it’s key that house hunters must have reasonable expectations for what can be constructed at lower prices. It’s not a niche for everybody.

Look, “affordable” detached single-family homes on the cul de sac with a pool will not happen. But there are creative ways to offer cheaper housing to buyers who embrace those realities.

And, yes, Webb willingly admits his building industry must rethink how they do things, too.

“We’ve all gone over the top,” he says of the industry’s pursuit of the deep-pocketed house hunter. “We’re trying to be more sensitive … we are listening to people.”

Webb said developer Rancho Mission Viejo deserves much of the credit for Azure for its flexibility with land-use and design rules for its NorthWalk neighborhoods, which feature lower-cost options.

Paul Johnson, a Rancho Mission Viejo senior vice president, says New Home Co.’s willingness to push the price envelope downward was a good fit for NorthWalk, a densely packed but amenity-filled community.

“Attainability is an important issue for us,” Johnson says.

In a county where residences sold for a median $675,000 in 2017’s first half — and new homes went for $829,000 — Azure could be a trendsetter. Consider new townhomes in a densely built project in Irvine — Parasol Park at the Great Park — start high in the $500,000-range. Countywide, ReportsOnHousing found only 254 of 5,544 existing properties for sale this week were listed below $350,000.

On top of Azure’s 10 one-bedroom units, 20 townhomes will have two bedrooms and 1,158 square feet of space priced in the low-to-mid $400,000s. The remaining 50 homes will start in the high $400,000s.

And New Home Co. is also building 72 paired homes in the nearby Cobalt neighborhood with two or three bedrooms up to 1,575 square feet priced “from the low $500,000s.”

But Webb also reminds me Azure isn’t charity work, saying “it’s fair to want to make a profit.” And as a public company reporting to Wall Street, many eyes are on New Home Co.’s bottom line.

So when builders often bemoan the high costs of local construction, how can New Home Co. make Azure fly financially?

The financial secret sauce is a fast turnaround. More expensive housing projects have fatter profit margins, yet it can take years of costly planning and marketing to cash in on pricey lots. Time is money, especially when the financial backers of homebuilding efforts want solid returns on their money.

At Azure, Webb is eyeing the project’s alluring “internal rate of return” — a yardstick incorporating timing of sales into its profit scoring.

How does that work in real life? Think of supermarkets, businesses that thrive in an industry with razor-thin markups by enjoying repeated, quick turnover of inventory. So New Home Co. is betting these units will sell quick.

Webb thinks relatively uber-low-end homebuilding is a growth opportunity, and not just in Orange County. His team is scouring Southern California for similar situations. Near Rancho Cucamonga, there’s a chance New Home Co. can do something like Azure in the mid-$200,000-range.

And others have taken notice. Like Emile Haddad, CEO of Five Point Communities which is developing the Great Park. He knows of Azure. And he’s impressed.

“Larry Webb is a great product guy. His products are ones I usually can’t wait to see,” Haddad says.

FivePoint is exploring its own spin on Azure at the Great Park. Haddad said his designers are working hard to get starting prices below $400,000 — tossing a friendly barb at Webb’s seemingly lower prices by saying comparing pricing is like looking at car models on dealership’s lot.

“Does it include windows and doors?” he jokes.

Take a moment, Orange County, please! We are hearing two local home-building heavyweights happily talk about building homes at working-class prices.

To me, that offers far more hope for affordable housing for the region than any academic study, statistical index, blue-ribbon panel, bureaucratic rethinking, legislative action or ballot-box initiative.

“We’ve done tons of research to find out what people are looking for,” Webb says. “What would they need to move out of their expensive apartments?”

So ponder Webb’s insistence on compromise.

Just build it.

Stop right here if you didn’t see the first season of “The Good Place,” one of the best new comedies of last year.

I’m going to have to reveal a big spoiler.

It came in the final episode, and everything about the new season, which starts Wednesday in a one-hour special, jumps off that revelation.

“The Good Place” stars Kristen Bell as Eleanor Shellstrop, who in life had been a pretty awful person. After being unceremoniously killed in a runaway shopping cart accident, she is sent to the Good Place instead of the Bad Place, thanks to a clerical error.

In the first season, Eleanor desperately tries to avoid being detected by the perfect cohabitants of her heavenly home or Michael (Ted Danson), the sometimes-bumbling overseer.

Along the way, though, Eleanor finds herself learning to be kinder, while she begins to see cracks in those around her. She has been given what she told is a perfect soul-mate in Chidi (William Jackson Harper), a kindhearted philosophical type who is so indecisive it’s maddening.

Tahani (Jameela Jamil), her gorgeous neighbor,  is awfully needy for someone who had it all in life and was known for her charity work. And there is something just off about Jianyu (Manny Jacinto), a Buddhist monk who has taken a vow of silence.

There is even something goofy about Janet (D’Arcy Carden), a device in human form who pops up whenever you need something.

OK, here’s the spoiler: What Eleanor began to figure out last year was that the good place wasn’t what it was supposed to be.

I’ll leave out the specifics, but the revelation allows for a reset this year.

First off, you should know that “The Good Place,” from executive producer Michael Schur (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Parks and Recreation” and “Master of None”), is very funny. It’s not a dramedy, the laughs are there.

Also, Bell should have been nominated for an Emmy. She has wonderful comic timing, and yet she is still able to make despicable Eleanor someone to care about. Meanwhile, Danson is priceless as the minor bureaucrat finally given his shot to run something.

When makes “The Good Place” such great television is that it often amusingly subverts expectations. By being herself, Eleanor learns how to be a better person in a place designed to bring out her worst.

And along the way, the series offers you a chance to ponder serious questions like: What is good? What does it mean to be good? Is hell other people? That’s when you’re not laughing, of course.

Season 2 opens with an episode called “Everything is Great!”  It refers to that reset, but you can see what happens yourself. Yes, it’s great “The Good Place” is ––back.

The Good Place
What: Season 2 of comedy about a woman wrongly sent to heaven after she dies, starring Kristen Bell and Ted Danson.
When: One hour premiere 10 p.m. Wednesday. Moves to its regular time of 8:30 p.m. Thursday, starting Sept. 28.
Where: NBC.

This list includes the significant film releases through the year. Since movie studios always amend schedules, nothing here is set in stone.

SEPTEMBER 22

1. Battle of the Sexes: The famed 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King (Oscar-winner Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) is dramatized in this film from “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. Cast includes Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Alan Cumming and Elisabeth Shue.

2. Friend Request: When a college student unfriends a mysterious girl online, she finds herself fighting a demonic presence that wants to make her lonely by killing her closest friends.

3. Kingsman: The Golden Circle: The second installment of the franchise finds Taron Egerton’s Eggsy battling an evil drug lord (Julianne Moore), who has targeted his secret service for extermination. Colin Firth, Jeff Bridges, Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry and Channing Tatum are along for the ride in the Matthew Vaughn film.

4. Last Rampage: True story of a convicted murderer Gary Tison (Robert Patrick) who staged a daring escape in 1978 from an Arizona prison with the help of his three teenage sons.

5. The LEGO Ninjago Movie: In the third feature for the toy empire, six teenagers are hired by an old ninja master (Jackie Chan) to become heroes. Features the voices of Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Michael Peña, Kumail Nanjiani, Fred Armisen and Olivia Munn.

6. Shot: Drama about three lives that are forever changed when a gun is accidentally fired on a busy Los Angeles street. Directed by Jeremy Kagan, starring Noah Wyle.

7. Stronger: Inspirational true story of Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal), a working-class Boston man who was at the finish line of the marathon to try and win back his ex-girlfriend (Tatiana Maslany) who was running in the race when the terrorist blast occurred. Directed by David Gordon Green.

8. Victoria & Abdul: Director Stephen Frears tells the true story of an unexpected friendship of Queen Victoria (Academy Award winner Judi Dench) and a young Indian clerk who works in her household. Through him, she begins to see a changing world through new eyes.

9. Woodshock: In the feature film debut of fashion designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Kirsten Dunst stars as a haunted young woman torn between her fractured emotional state and the reality-altering effects of a potent drug.

SEPTEMBER 29

10. American Made: Tom Cruise stars in this comedy-action film based on the life of pilot turned drug smuggler turned DEA informant Barry Seal. The film reunites Cruise with director Doug Liman (“Edge of Tomorrow”) and co-stars Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jesse Plemons and Lola Kirke.

11. Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House: Liam Neeson plays “Deep Throat,” the pseudonym given to Watergate whistleblower. His identity remained a mystery until in 2005 when FBI special agent Mark Felt revealed himself.

12. Flatliners: The 1990 movie about med students taking themselves to the brink of death and being brought back to life moves on to a new generation. From Swedish “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” director Niels Arden Oplev, it stars Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton and Kiersey Clemons with original star Kiefer Sutherland reprising his role of Nelson Wright. Original cast member Julia Roberts is also dropping in.

13. Lucky: Actor John Carroll Lynch’s directorial debut follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist (Harry Dean Stanton) and the quirky characters that inhabit his desert town.

14. Our Souls at Night: (on Netflix and in theaters) Reunites Robert Redford and Jane Fonda as neighbors who reach out to each other to overcome their loneliness.

15. Spettacolo: Story of a tiny Tuscany town whose residents must reinvent their traditions in the internet age.

16. ‘Til Death Do Us Part: A wife leaves her husband after his controlling ways become too much and establishes a new identity. Just when she thinks she is safe, he shows up to recreate the nightmare. With Taye Diggs and Annie Ilonzeh.

OCTOBER 6

17. Better Watch Out: A babysitter protects her 12-year-old charge from a home invasion.

18. Blade Runner 2049: Thirty years after the events of Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, a new blade runner (Ryan Gosling) unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Sicario”) directs.

19. Brawl in Cell Block 99: A former boxer-turned-drug runner (Vince Vaughn) ends up in prison after a deal gets deadly only to find the fight continues. With Jennifer Carpenter and Marc Blucas.

20. Florida Project: Set on a stretch of highway just outside of Disney World, the film follows six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) and her rebellious mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) over the course of a summer. Willem Dafoe plays the manager of a budget motel where the two live week to week.

21. The Mountain Between Us: Based on the novel by Charles Martin, this survival drama tells the story of two strangers (Idris Elba and Kate Winslet) whose charter flight crashes in the middle of the snowy wilderness. They have to band together to beat the elements and maybe find romance.

22. My Little Pony: The hit TV series comes to the big screen in an all-new animated epic.

23. Overdrive: A couple of top car thieves (Scott Eastwood and Freddie Thorp) are forced to steal a priceless car from a crime boss’ enemy.

OCTOBER 13

24. Breathe: The directorial debut of Andy Serkis tells an inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish (Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy), a couple who refused to give up in the face of his devastating disease.

25. The Foreigner: Martial arts legend Jackie Chan plays a London businessman seeking revenge on the man (Pierce Brosnan) he suspects of planting an IRA bomb that killed his daughter. Martin Campbell (“Casino Royale,” “GoldenEye”) directs.

26. Goodbye Christopher Robin: Biopic of Winnie-the-Pooh creator A. A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) who develops the world of the Hundred Acre Wood through interactions with his young son. Margot Robbie co-stars as his wife.

27. Happy Death Day: Jessica Rothe stars as a college girl forced to relive the day of her bloody murder over and over again.

28. Marshall: Chadwick Boseman, who has already portrayed James Brown and Jackie Robinson, takes on another real-life hero in this biopic of Thurgood Marshall. The story follows the first African-American Supreme Court Justice during one of the first big cases of his career. With Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens and Sterling K. Brown.

29. The Meyerowitz Stories: (in theaters and on Netflix) Noah Baumbach’s comedy centers on a New York City family head by sculptor Harold (Dustin Hoffman) who is pondering his legacy. Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller play his sons in the film that was well-received when it premiered at Cannes. With Emma Thompson.

30. Night of the Living Dead: New version of horror classic.

31. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women: Angela Robinson directs the true story of what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston to create the iconic Wonder Woman character in the 1940’s. With Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton, Oliver Platt.

32. 78/52: Hitchcock Shower Scene: Documentary on the infamous scene in “Psycho.”

33. Te Ata: True story of Mary Thompson Fisher, a woman who traversed cultural barriers to become one of the greatest Native American performers of all time.

34. Una: A young woman re-enters the life of an older man whom she was with as a teen. With Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn

OCTOBER 20

35. Geostorm: Writer/producer Dean Devlin (“Independence Day”) makes his directorial debut with his own sci-fi disaster epic. When the network of satellites designed to control the global climate start to attack Earth, an astronaut (Gerard Butler) must save the day.

36. Killing Gunther: A group of young assassins hires a docu-crew at gun point, to have undeniable proof that they’re the ones who will kill the most infamous hitman of all time, Gunther (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

37. Leatherface: A teenage Leatherface escapes from a mental hospital and kidnaps a young nurse while being pursued by an equally deranged lawman out for revenge.

38. Only The Brave: Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a unit of local firefighters who face a fateful fire. Starring Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, James Badge Dale, Taylor Kitsch, Jennifer Connelly.

39. Same Kind of Different as Me: Based on the best-selling book by Ron Hall, Greg Kinnear plays the author as he befriends a homeless man (Djimon Hounsou) as he tries to save his marriage with his wife (Renée Zellweger).

40. The Snowman: Michael Fassbender plays Detective Harry Hole, who is investigating an elusive serial killer he believes has re-activated his old habits. Based on Jo Nesbø’s best-selling and directed by Tomas Alfredson (“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy”). With Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer, and J.K. Simmons.

41. Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween: The scares and laughs are at a haunted campground.

42. Where’s The Money: A quick-witted young man from the streets of South Central must rush a lily-white USC fraternity to recover a stash of stolen money in this comedy.

43. Wonderstruck: Todd Haynes’ film – based on Brian Selznick’s critically-acclaimed novel – interweaves the stories of two children from different eras out to solve mysteries in their lives. Starring: Julianne Moore, Oakes Fegley, Millicent Simmonds, Jasen Michael, Corey Michael Smith, Tom Noonan, Michelle Williams.

OCTOBER 27

44. Jigsaw: The eighth installment in the “Saw” franchise follows a group of detectives investigating a new series of murders that fit the pattern of the Jigsaw killers, who were believed dead.

45. The Killing of the Sacred Deer: The life of a brilliant surgeon is thrown into disarray when his friendship with a bizarre teenager threatens the lives of his entire family. Starring Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman.

46. Novitiate: With the dawn of the Vatican II era, a young nun finds her faith repeatedly confronted and challenged. From director-writer Maggie Betts and starring Margaret Qualley, Julianne Nicholson, Dianna Agron, Morgan Saylor, Melissa Leo.

47. The Square: Directed by Ruben Ostlund, the film centers on Christian, a respected contemporary art museum curator whose latest installation invites passersby to altruism, reminding them of their role as responsible fellow human beings. However, the public response to the campaign is unexpected. Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

48. Suburbicon: A ’50s-era satiric thriller depicts a seemingly idyllic community which hides a dark, violent underbelly. Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac star in the film directed by George Clooney from a script by the Coen Brothers.

49. Thank You for Your Service: Miles Teller stars in the drama that follows three American soldiers who come back from their tour of Iraq and try to reintegrate into civilian life and deal with PTSD. With Haley Bennett, Beulah Koale, Amy Schumer, and Scott Haze.

OCTOBER TBA

50. Jane: An intimate documentary about Jane Goodall, featuring restored footage from the National Geographic Archives that has not been seen in 50 years.

NOVEMBER 3

51. A Bad Moms Christmas: The slightly unhinged trio of Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn are back just in time for the Christmas season, and have brought their own moms along — Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines, and Susan Sarandon.

52. Blade of the Immortal: A samurai meets a young girl who enlists him to be her bodyguard as she seeks vengeance against the sword fighters who slaughtered her family.

53. Last Flag Flying: Based on Darryl Ponicsan’s sequel to his own “The Last Detail,” the film follows three old Marine buddies from the Vietnam War who band together after one of their sons dies in combat in Iraq. It stars Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell and Laurence Fishburne with Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”) directing.

54. LBJ: Rob Reiner’s take on the former president star Woody Harrelson as the Texas politician went from Senate bigwig to a forgotten vice president, who suddenly must lead the nation after the assassination of John F. Kennedy (Jeffrey Donovan). With Jennifer Jason Leigh as his devoted wife Lady Bird.

55. Roman J. Israel, ESQ.: Legal drama directed by Dan Gilroy (“Nightcrawler”) has Denzel Washington as a liberal lawyer who discovers his law firm has been up to shady business, forcing him to take extreme action. Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo co-star.

56. Thor: Ragnarok: Chris Hemsworth returns as God of Thunder, who is banished by Goddess of Death Hela (Cate Blanchett) to the planet Sakaar. There he is forced to do battle with his old Avengers compatriot The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Tom Hiddleston is back as trickster brother Loki. With Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban and Sir. Anthony Hopkins.

NOVEMBER 10

57. Daddy’s Home 2: Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg return as rival fathers who after becoming friends in the first film must now deal with their own intrusive fathers played by Mel Gibson and John Lithgow. Linda Cardellini and John Cena co-star.

58. Lady Bird: Greta Gerwig makes her directorial debut with a coming-of-age dramedy about a rebellious young woman (Saoirse Ronan) navigating the constraints of Catholic school and life in Sacramento (Gerwig’s hometown). With Laurie Metcalf, Lucas Hedges, Tracy Letts.

59. Murder on the Orient Express: Kenneth Branagh directs and stars as famed detective Hercule Poirot in this new film version of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery. The star-studded cast includes Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer and Daisy Ridley.

60. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: The dark comedy from Martin McDonagh (Oscar-winning writer of “In Bruges”) stars Frances McDormand who is angered by the lack of progress in her daughter’s murder case. So she paints three signs directed at town’s revered chief of police (Woody Harrelson) that stir things up.

NOVEMBER 17

61. Justice League: Director Zack Snyder’s third film (with directing assistance from Joss Whedon) in the DC Extended Universe has Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) banding together to recruit a team of superheroes to combat the threat of villain Steppenwolf. Jason Momoa plays Aquaman, Ezra Miller is the Flash, Ray Fisher is Cyborg, and Henry Cavill is back from the dead as Superman.

62. The Light of the Moon: Writer-director Jessica M. Thompson’s film looks at the aftermath of the rape of a young woman. (Stephanie Beatriz).

63. Mudbound: (Netflix and in select theaters) Two men return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to life after the war. Starring: Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Jonathan Banks, Jason Clarke, Rob Morgan.

64. The Star: Christian-themed animated family movie tells the story of a donkey named Bo who, along with some other animal friends, becomes a part of the first Christmas.

65. Wonder: Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson star in this drama about a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) who struggles to overcome the stigma of being born with facial disfigurement. Stephen Chbosky (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”) directs.

NOVEMBER 22

66. Coco: Pixar serves up this animated film about a 12-year-old aspiring musician who takes a magical journey through Mexico’s fabled Land of the Dead. Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”) directs.

67. Darkest Hour: Gary Oldman – who already is being touted as an Oscar favorite – stars as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the crucial period at the beginning of World War II. Joe Wright (“Atonement”) directs.

68. Death Wish: Bruce Willis takes over the franchise that Charles Bronson once headlined. He plays a doctor and family man turned violent vigilante after the murder of his wife. Eli Roth directs and Vincent D’Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris, Kimberly Elise and Mike Epps co-star.

69. The Man Who Invented Christmas: Dan Stevens portrays Charles Dickens in this tale that recounts how the acclaimed author blended real-life inspirations with his imagination to create “A Christmas Carol” in 1843.

70. Molly’s Game: Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin makes his directorial debut with this adaptation of Molly Bloom’s bestselling memoir about her time running a high-stakes underground poker ring for Wall Street and Hollywood elites. Starring Jessica Chastain as Bloom, with Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, and Michael Cera.

71. Villa Capri: In this comedy from Ron Shelton (“Tin Cup”), Morgan Freeman is the freewheeling manager of a luxury Palm Springs retirement resort. Everything is cool until he butts heads with a new arrival – a charming former military man (Tommy Lee Jones), and a regional director (Renee Russo) wants to check the books.

NOVEMBER 24

72. Call Me by Your Name: A young man named Elio, living in Italy during the 1980s, meets Oliver, an academic who has come to stay at his parents’ villa, and a passionate relationship develops between them. Starring Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by James Ivory.

73. The Current War: Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Thomas Edison while Michael Shannon plays his main competitor George Westinghouse in this biopic about the rivalry between the two to become the kings of electricity. Nicholas Hoult plays inventor Nikola Tesla, while Katherine Waterston and Tom Holland also star.

NOVEMBER TBA

74. Thelma: In this thriller from Joachim Trier, a female student experiences a seizure and then finds she’s attracted to a beautiful young student of the same sex but also finds she has dangerous supernatural abilities.

DECEMBER 1

75. The Disaster Artist: (Limited, opens wide Dec. 8) James Franco directs and stars in the true story of aspiring filmmaker and infamous Hollywood outsider Tommy Wiseau — an artist whose passion was as sincere as his methods were questionable. With Dave Franco, and Seth Rogen.

76. Polaroid: When a high school girl comes across an old Polaroid camera, she discovers that everyone who gets their picture taken by it dies. Newcomer Lars Klevberg directs, based on his own short film of the same name.

77. Wonder Wheel: The latest from Woody Allen is described as a period drama set in New York in the 1950s. It stars Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet, James Belushi, Juno Temple.

DECEMBER 8

78. All the Money in the World: Ridley Scott directs this harrowing true story of billionaire J. Paul Getty (Kevin Spacey) and his refusal to pay kidnappers ransom to free his grandson John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer). Michelle Williams is Gail Harris, the victim’s mother, alongside Mark Wahlberg as the agent trying to help her.

79. The Shape of Water: Director Guillermo del Toro returns with an emotional monster movie about a mute janitor (Sally Hawkins) who befriends a strange gill man (Doug Jones) trapped in the Cold War-era lab where she works. Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer co-star.

DECEMBER 15

80. Ferdinand: A computer-animated adaptation of Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson’s children’s book about a bull who would rather smell the flowers than fight. John Cena, Kate McKinnon, and Gina Rodriguez provide voices.

81. Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The great sci-fi space fantasy continues as director Rian Johnson (“Looper”) picks up right where J.J. Abrams left off in “The Force Awakens” with Rey (Daisy Ridley) reaching the planet where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) lives in self-exile. Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) are also back for the adventure.

82. Gotti: The film from Kevin Connolly follows infamous crime boss John Gotti’s (John Travolta) rise to become the “Teflon Don” of the Gambino Crime Family in New York City.

DECEMBER 20

83. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle: Something of a sequel to the 1995 Robin Williams adventure only with a new group of kids sucked into the weird world of Jumanji, this time it’s a video game that transforms them into adults played by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black.

DECEMBER 22

84. Bastards: Focuses on two brothers (Ed Helms, Owen Wilson) whose eccentric mother (Glenn Close) raised them to believe their father died when they were young. When they discover this to be a lie, they set out to find him, learning more about their mother than they probably ever wanted to know.

85. Bright: (On Netflix and in theaters) David Ayer directs the fantasy-action flick, which stars Will Smith and Joel Edgerton as two cops — one human and one Orc, respectively — who must outrun law enforcement, criminals, and even supernatural beings in order to protect a magical wand.

86. Downsizing: Alexander Payne’s high concept sci-fi satire has Matt Damon and Reese Witherspoon as a couple who believe their lives have gotten out of hand and decide to voluntarily have themselves shrunk down.

87. Happy End: From Oscar-winner Michael Haneke (“Amour”), the drama focuses on a family in Calais with the European refugee crisis as the backdrop. Starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Isabelle Huppert.

88. Pitch Perfect 3: Now graduated from college, the Bellas find themselves apart and discovering there aren’t many job prospects as singers until they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour. Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Anna Camp are back.

89. The Post: (limited, goes wide Jan. 12) Formerly called “The Papers,” Steven Spielberg’s film centers on the Washington Post’s decision to publish the classified Pentagon Papers in 1971. Tom Hanks plays editor Ben Bradlee and Meryl Streep is Katherine Graham, the paper’s publisher.

DECEMBER 25

90. The Greatest Showman: Hugh Jackman stars as P.T. Barnum in this original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of the rise of this visionary who created spectacles that became worldwide sensations. With Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya Coleman, Rebecca Ferguson.

91. Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Film: The director of “There Will Be Blood” continues his creative collaboration with Daniel Day-Lewis – in what the actor says is his last film – in a story set in the couture world of 1950s London about an uncompromising dressmaker commissioned by royalty and high society.

America’s most famous choral ensemble, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, will make its first visit to Orange County since 2004 when it begins its West Coast tour here next spring.  The choir’s performance on June 19 at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, part of the Philharmonic Society’s season, will be the first stop on its 2018 Classic Coast Tour.  The last time they were here, the 360-member chorus and accompanying 110-member orchestra sold out three performances at Segerstrom Hall; this will be their first performance across the plaza in the Segerstrom Concert Hall.

Led by director Mack Wilberg and associate music director Ryan Murphy, the choir will perform selections from its vast repertoire, which ranges from choral masterworks to non-Western music and American folk hymns and spirituals. Tickets will go on sale to the public in October. For more information visit philharmonicsociety.org

It’s fall, the time when people who think about movies usually get excited about thoughtful films.

Maybe not so much this year, though. Following a disastrous summer at the box office, cinephiles of all stripes are most concerned about the health of the theatrical industry. Many, therefore, hope that the season’s surest things among summer-like blockbusters – “Thor: Ragnorok,” “Justice League,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – do well enough in the next three-and-a-half months to financially save the year.

Fall Film Release Dates: The 91 most-anticipated movies this fall

Add to that the phenomenal success of “It” over the last week or so, and you can bet there are cautiously high hopes from Burbank to Boston that other fall fantasies might find the sweet commercial spot enjoyed by the likes of “Gravity” and “The Martian” in recent autumns.

These could include the long-awaited sequel “Blade Runner 2049” with Ryan Gosling and the 1982 original’s star Harrison Ford, Guillermo del Toro’s fall festival darling “The Shape of Water,” reboots of “Jumanji” with Dwayne Johnson and “Guardians of the Galaxy’s” (one of last summer’s few megahits) Karen Gillan and “Flatliners” with Ellen Page and the 1990 film’s Kiefer Sutherland, and several reimagined horror franchises (“Leatherface,” “Jigsaw,” “Dementia 13,” the probably not-at-all reimagined “Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween”) with dreams of spillover from “It’s” nightmarish popularity.

Fall Films: 10 films to look for this fall

None of this will inhibit moviemakers with serious intentions, though, from flooding us with their wares through this traditional awards-chasing season. This year especially, it seems like everybody who’s ever lived is getting that easiest of prestige picture, the biopic, for consideration.

This batch double dips at the very pinnacle of Famous English People, with Judi Dench once again playing the 19th Century queen in “Victoria & Abdul” and Gary Oldman revisiting the moment of this summer’s lone historical hit, “Dunkirk,” from the perspective of ubiquitous media subject Winston Churchill in his “Darkest Hour.” A pair of equally famous, beloved British authors, Charles Dickens and Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne, get the treatment too in “The Man Who Invented Christmas” and “Goodbye Christopher Robin,” respectively.

But don’t worry, patriots, Great Americans will not be overlooked. Woody Harrelson is “LBJ.” Marvel’s Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, portrays a pre-Supreme Court Thurgood “Marshall.” A much lower-key GA is brought to life by Liam Neeson as FBI official and Watergate scandal leaker “Mark Felt – The Man Who Brought Down the White House.” From roughly that same period, Steven Spielberg’s “The Papers” stars Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep as Washington Post crusaders Ben Bradlee and Kay Graham. And I can tell you that Jeff Bauman, who lost his legs in the Boston Marathon bombing, may have had trouble being the kind of hero everyone wanted him to be, but is a fascinatingly relatable human being as Jake Gyllenhaal plays him in “Stronger.”

Whether about politicians, folks who risk their lives for others (“Only the Brave,” Clint Eastwood’s “The 15:17 to Paris” if he finishes it in time for a 2017 release), or celebrities (Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in “Battle of the Sexes,” “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool’s” Gloria Grahame, the P.T. Barnum-inspired musical “The Greatest Showman”), biopics tend to follow pretty rigid formulas. But some this season, whether by dint of their protagonists’ peculiarities or their makers’ reputations for doing things their own way, may transcend the usual genre cliches.

“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” examines the menage a trois that informed the creation of comic books’ – and last summer’s – most notable superheroine. James Franco examines the creation of everybody’s favorite bad movie, Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room,” in “The Disaster Artist.” Tom Cruise reteams with his “Edge of Tomorrow” director Doug Liman for “American Made,” a portrait of duplicitous1980s Drug War pilot Barry Seal. And Paul Thomas Anderson (“Boogie Nights,” “There Will Be Blood”) directs what Daniel Day-Lewis threatens is his last film performance as “Phantom Thread’s” fashion designer Charles James.

It looks like Alfonso Gomez-Rejon took a similarly quirky approach to “The Current War” between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse that he did to his previous film, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.” Hotshot Hollywood writer Aaron Sorkin makes his directing debut with “Molly’s Game,” starring Jessica Chastain as the woman who hosted exclusive celebrity poker parties. And you never know what to expect from the first “Blade Runner” director Ridley Scott, who this year helms the Getty kidnapping thriller “All the Money in the World.”

That’s an awful lot of reality, or at least based-on true stories. But if superheroes and space opera aren’t your ideal escapism, rest assured that a passel of auteurs will explore purely fictional concepts, with any luck artfully and intelligently.

Prepare to be gifted with the latest from Todd Haynes (“Wonderstruck”), Richard Linklater (“Last Flag Flying,” a spiritual if not actual sequel to “The Last Detail”), Alexander Payne (“Downsizing”), Woody Allen (“Wonder Wheel”), Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me by Your Name”), Sean Baker (“The Florida Project”), Dan Gilroy (“Roman J Israel, Esq.”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Killing of a Sacred Deer”), Dee Rees (“Mudbound”), Martin McDonagh (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) and Cannes Film Festival prize winner Ruben Östlund (“The Square”).

Should we include George Clooney in that group? Well, he directed “Suburbicon,” based on a script by the Coen brothers. And film festival reports indicate Greta Gerwig belongs in that classy company for her semi-autobiographical, solo directing debut “Lady Bird.”

Of course, there’ll be all kinds of other dramas, comedies, mysteries, book adaptations, action attractions, animated features and anything else you could ask for. If the film industry doesn’t find some degree of success before 2018, it won’t be for lack of trying.

Check out our daily cartoon gallery featuring some of the best cartoonists from around the world, and across the political spectrum, covering current issues and figures.

The Orange County Water District’s mission is to provide the 2.4 million people it serves with a reliable, adequate, high-quality water supply at the lowest reasonable cost in an environmentally responsible manner. Because of its dependence on climate-challenged, heavily regulated imported water, OCWD’s policy is to develop new local and drought-proof sources of water. In the process of doing this, OCWD has identified the proposed Huntington Beach Desalination Project as the single largest source of new local drinking water supply available to the region. Thus, in May of 2015, OCWD entered into a Term Sheet with Poseidon Water for the purchase of the entire 50 million gallons a day the plant will produce.

What is essential to understand is that despite its landmark wastewater recycling program, which is affected by drought, Orange County is a semi-arid region that currently doesn’t have enough local drinking water resources to meet current or future population demands. The groundwater basin is at 38 percent capacity despite recent rainfall and record GWRS Basin recharge. One wet winter does not mitigate the need for a project that will provide long-term water supply reliability. OCWD is wisely considering adding the drought-proof water the Huntington Beach plant would produce to its water portfolio.

Being mindful that the interests of the Latino community on local water issues has historically been overlooked, the William C. Velasquez Institute undertook in 2016 a survey of Orange County Latino voters regarding the drought and water reliability. The survey found that both were of high concern, with three-in-four supporting desalination. WCVI followed this up, in May of 2017, by sponsoring a state-wide poll, conducted by Tulchin Research, that found California voters overwhelmingly support seawater desalination, across all demographic groups. This poll was verified in July of 2017 by research conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California which found that state-wide 67 percent of Californians favor desalination, increasing to 78 percent when respondents were presented with both anti and pro desalination arguments.

When put in the context of Orange County’s, and Southern California’s, dependence on imported water, climate change and the threat of future severe droughts, the Latino community’s support for desalination makes sense. Orange County and Southern California receive its imported water from two increasingly tenuous sources.

The Colorado River provides water for more than 40 million people in seven states and Mexico. The Colorado River Basin, however, has been experiencing a historic 16-year drought. Over the past 16 years there have only been three years when flows have been above average, with authorities saying there is a 50-50 chance of cuts in deliveries starting in 2018. Continued reliance on the Colorado River presents a sever challenge to water managers.

The other source of Orange County’s imported water is the State Water Project which is responsible for bringing drinking water to 25 million Californians and providing irrigation for 750,000 acres of agriculture land. Its signature feature is the 444-mile long Aqueduct which delivers water to Southern California. The aqueduct itself is yet another tenuous factor in managing Orange County water. It is vulnerable to earthquake and subsidence.

Even with the “California Water Fix,” the water it conveys from the Sierra’s is vulnerable to drought, higher yearly temperatures causing early runoff, and the many controversies which embroil the Delta including water for endangered species and challenges from agricultural and municipal water rights holders.

Because of these uncertainties, the William C. Velasquez Institute and the vast majority of Latinos throughout Orange County support desalination. But water reliability is important for all demographic groups and all O.C. residents are entitled to the sustainable drinking water this project would provide.

Cathy Green is the Division 6 director of the Orange County Water District Board and former mayor of Huntington Beach. Antonio Gonzalez is the president of the William C. Velasquez Institute, a non-profit organization dedicating to improving the level of political and economic participation in Latino and other underrepresented communities.

In recent months, there has been a great deal of news coverage that contrasts the nation’s low unemployment figures with the “hidden unemployed” population — individuals who are working part-time but would really like to be employed full time.

In June, the New York Times published a story that highlighted low unemployment, but warned the “economy’s weak spots remain.” Huffington Post headlined “The Unemployment Rate — what the numbers do and don’t tell us.” This is just a couple of examples; many more exist.

The issue involves the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ well-reported unemployment rate that only tracks people who don’t have a job and have actively looked for work in the last four weeks, and are currently available for work. The argument goes, as the nation’s unemployment rate drops as it has from January’s 4.8 percent to August’s 4.4 percent, is it a result of people finding jobs and therefore advancing out of unemployment or is it because many Americans just stopped looking for work?

Complicating the matter is that workers are classified as employed if they performed any work at all for pay, whether part-time or full-time, during the week when the government conducts its Current Population Survey. Even further clouding the picture is that the labor force participation rate has cratered to its lowest rates since the late 1970s, according to a March 2017 Pew Research study.

Interestingly, the total number of Americans who were not counted in the U.S. BLS labor numbers rose to 94.7 million in June, up more than 660,000 people from the previous month. Some of them are retired or going to school. However, many of them have simply stopped looking for a job.

Fact is, many economists and industry analysts believe the lowered unemployment rate is the result of hundreds of thousands of Americans exiting the labor force rather than finding employment.

There may be another explanation that is less about dropping out of the labor force and more about transitioning to a new, fast-emerging category of employment that traditional tracking methods may not capture.

Freelancing, also called free agency or gig work, among U.S. workers has been steadily growing in numbers over the last eight to 10 years. Several market factors have contributed to this growth: the impact of the economic downturn that occurred in the 2008-2010 timeframe, an aging workforce, and changing attitudes about the personal freedom that freelancing enables.

The important point is that this growth has had and will continue to have a long-term, likely permanent, effect on the nation’s workforce.

The benefits of freelancing are well-documented, especially setting your own schedule and reducing sick or down time. The best talent in the market wants greater control and ownership over how they integrate work with their personal lives. In many cases, they also want to maximize their earning potential.

This new way to work will be felt by employers who currently have difficulty finding workers to fill jobs. On one hand, many more workers are opting toward gig work as a means of making a living. On the other, if an employer doesn’t know how to tap into this quickly growing workforce to fill labor shortages, their business will stagnate and lose ground to competitors.

Free agents are the workers of the future, according to 62 percent of global talent managers who use free agents in their departments.

There is a percentage of workers who — for varying reasons — have left the labor force in the wake of the Great Recession, and a portion of that population could indeed comprise the “hidden unemployed.” However, a much larger percentage of workers, ranging from tech-savvy millennials to Boomers staying in the workforce longer, now represent a shift in the U.S. economy.

Gig work is here to stay and may play a definitive “behind-the-scenes” role in the decline of the nation’s unemployment rate. It’s time for employers and workers to determine where their opportunities lie in the fast-evolving new workforce reality and act quickly.

Genine Wilson is the Southern California territory vice president for Kelly Services, a global leader in providing workforce solutions. She oversees the staffing and business solutions operations for Kelly throughout Southern California, with a focus on engineering, information technology, light industrial, office clerical, science, and finance and accounting staffing. For additional information, visit www.kellyservices.us.

Nearly 800 high school seniors from across Orange County were named this week as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which in its 63rd year will dole our about $32 million to 7,500 students in the spring.

About 16,000 students nationwide were named as semifinalists on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Of those, 15,000 are expected to advance to the final round, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation said in a statement.

The semifinalists were chosen based on their scores on the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which they took as juniors. The semifinalists comprise less than 1 percent of high school seniors in the United States and received the highest scores in their states.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation added that the number of each state’s semifinalists “is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.”

The semifinalists from Orange County represent 25 cities as far north as La Habra and Brea, with one and two seniors respectively, and as far south as Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, with three and eight.

Irvine has the most students in the semifinalist round, with 109 students – 32 of which came from University High School.

Fullerton has 46 semifinalists, most from Troy High School, and Santa Ana had 14.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists will advance to the finals.

To become a finalist, the candidates and their high schools must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes their academic record, participation in school and community activities, examples of leadership, employment,  and honors and awards received.

Orange County semifinalists

Aliso Viejo: 8

Anaheim: 8

Brea: 2

Cypress: 8

Dana Point: 3

Fountain Valley: 3

Fullerton: 46

Garden Grove: 4

Huntington Beach: 8

Irvine: 109

La Habra: 1

Laguna Beach: 4

Lake Forest: 2

Los Alamitos: 4

Mission Viejo: 7

Newport Beach: 10

Orange: 2

Placentia: 7

Rancho Santa Margarita: 13

San Juan Capistrano: 8

Santa Ana: 14

Tustin: 2

Villa Park: 2

Westminster: 2

Yorba Linda: 3

IRVINE – University was missing six injured starters, including junior quarterback Thomas Keeling, for Friday night’s nonleague game with Calvary Chapel at University High.

So Coach Mark Cunningham had to adjust his lineup to come up with a winning combination.

The Trojans, with senior Tristan Lucas leading the way at quarterback, defeated Calvary Chapel, 43-14.

Lucas passed for 55 yards, including a 35-yard TD to Austin Lake which put the Trojans ahead, 30-7, late in the third quarter.

“He’s a very good back-up quarterback,” Cunningham said of Lucas. “He did a very good job.”

Cunningham said that Keeling, who was injured in last week’s game against Pioneer, will be evaluated at the end of next week but may be able to play against Estancia on Thursday.

With Keeling out, University used a run-oriented offense.

Zachary Goodfriend led the way, rushing for two touchdowns and 96 yards.

Uni’s offense was led by Zachary Goodfriend, who rushed for 96 yards and 2 TDs in 43-14 win over Calvary Chapel. His comments: @ocvarsity pic.twitter.com/5vgfDx8ugt

— Tim Burt (@TimBurtIrvine) September 16, 2017

Claudell Martinez rushed for 54 yards and one TD, Tristan Lucas rushed for 49 yards and Branton Lucas rushed for 45 yards and one TD.

“That was our plan (to run more) and even on the pass, we wanted him (Tristan Lucas) to, if it wasn’t there, take off because he’s a pretty good athlete.”

Calvary Chapel (0-4) was led by quarterback Cole Boop, who passed for 118 yards. Noah Bustillos rushed for 88 yards for the Eagles.

University (3-0) jumped to a 3-0 lead on a 25-yard field goal by Sam Kelley with 5:53 left in the first quarter then extended its lead to 9-0 on Goodfriend’s 3-yard TD run early in the second quarter.

Boop scored on a quarterback keeper in the second quarter to cut University’s lead to 9-7.

But Martinez scored on a 30-yard TD run and Branton Lucas scored on a 9-yard TD run to put the Trojans ahead, 23-7, at halftime.

Goodfriend and Daniel Dolan had TD runs in the fourth quarter for Uni to seal the victory.

Jonathan Carnevale scored on a 10-yard TD run for Calvary Chapel late in the game to make it 43-14.

SANTA ANA – Angel Lopez rushed for a season-high 224 yards and one touchdown, and Segerstrom’s defense turned in yet another stellar performance to lead the Jaguars to a 21-7 victory over Godinez on Friday, Sept. 15, in a nonleague game at Santa Ana Valley High.

In Segerstrom’s three victories this season, the Jaguars have allowed just seven points. Their first two wins were shutout victories over Santa Monica, 39-0, and Saddleback, 38-0.

“Those guys beat our offense up throughout the week (during practice), and it carries over into the game,” said Jaguars coach Joe Tagaloa. “They play with a chip on their shoulder. They really fly around to the ball.”

For the first 24 minutes, Godinez (1-2) – ranked No. 3 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 12 poll – matched Segerstrom’s intensity on defense, as both teams headed into the locker room at halftime scoreless.

Segerstrom (3-1) – ranked No. 10 in Division 11 poll – struck first offensively on its first drive of the second half, marching 61 yards on 14 plays before scoring on an 18-yard run by Keith Morales. The extra point failed.

Segerstrom RB Angel Lopez performed with a heavy heart in leading the Jags to a 21-7 win over Godinez Friday night. pic.twitter.com/QwSt7BHx8X

— Mark Garcia (@MarkGarciaOCR) September 16, 2017

It didn’t take nearly as long to score on its next possession, as Lopez took the second play of the drive to the end zone on an 81-yard touchdown run.

Segerstrom quarterback Sagel Simon, a transfer from Tustin, converted the ensuing 2-point conversion with a run up the middle to give the Jaguars a 14-0 lead.

Godinez finally got its offense on track early in the fourth quarter, but turned the ball over on a fumbled handoff inside Segerstrom’s 10-yard line with 8:18 left in the game.

After a 3-and-out, Godinez took over on the Segerstrom 30 and scored two plays later on an Eddie Bravo 25-yard reception in the back of the end zone from quarterback Jesse Cendejas with 5:32 left.

Segerstrom then put the game in Lopez’s hands. The senior, who moved over to the fullback position for this game following an injury to Bui Hiep, ran the ball six consecutive times – the last on a 29-yard run to the Godinez 5-yard line. Simon then finished the drive with a 5-yard run up the middle to complete the scoring with 2:00 left.

“Angel was basically our offense in the fourth quarter,” said Tagaloa. “I put it on his shoulders and he came through.”

Godinez let’s a scoring opportunity slip through their hands as Segerstrom recovers this fumble with just minutes left in the game pic.twitter.com/ePvo2RbaOr

— Mark Garcia (@MarkGarciaOCR) September 16, 2017

Godinez managed just 179 yards of total offense. Running back Patrick McMorris finished with 79 yards rushing on 20 carries, and also added two receptions for 32 yards.

Segerstrom totaled 316 yards – all on the ground.

This is the place to find all of OCVarsity’s stories, scores, photos, videos and more from the high school football games on Friday night.

PHOTOS
OCVarsity Photos: See the great plays, fun moments from Friday’s football games

VIDEOS
Highlights from Servite’s convincing win over Villa Park

OCVarsity Friday Night Football Wrap-up for Week 3

Highlights from Mission Viejo’s win over Long Beach Poly

SCPL Friday Night Football RoundUp – Week 3 Highlights and Scores

SCORES & SCHEDULE
Orange County football scores and stats for Friday (9-15-17)
High school football scores from Friday (9-15-17)
Orange County high school schedule: Saturday, Sept. 16

GAME STORIES
STORY: Griffin’s interception, TD spark Mission Viejo to victory over Long Beach Poly
STORY: Servite shows its strength as it overwhelms Villa Park
STORY: Manning shakes off rough start, leads Capo Valley past Yorba Linda
STORY: San Clemente turns rematch with Murrieta Valley into a blowout
STORY: Edison dealt more pain but still too strong for San Juan Hills
STORY: El Toro finishes strong, escapes with win over Tesoro
STORY: Carr provides the burst as Tustin charges past Trabuco Hills
STORY: Corona del Mar makes it five wins in a row over rival Newport Harbor
STORY: Orange Lutheran leans on passing attack to get past Norco
STORY: Esperanza puts on masterful display as El Modena rolls over Fullerton
STORY: Lopez, Segerstrom defense make it a long night for Godinez
STORY: University finds a way past Calvary Chapel
STORY: Togia scores three TDs as Pacifica roars to another win over Garden Grove
STORY: El Dorado survives wild ending to top Valencia in ‘Bell Game’
STORY: Sonora rallies to top Esperanza, improves record to 3-0