Flashy fight scenes move along a story that’s pretty much nonsense.

Why listen to me for an explanation of the bang-bang sci-fi action thriller “Infinite” when Mark Wahlberg’s Evan McCauley does it for us at the outset? In one of the more listless and uninspired narration jobs in recent movie history, Mark/Evan tells us:

“There are among us a people gifted with a perfect memory of all their past lives. They call themselves ‘Infinites.’ Among the Infinites, two groups have vied for powers. On one side, the Believers, dedicated to using their knowledge for the protection and growth of all humanity. Against them stand the Nihilists, who see this power as a curse. New technologies have given the Nihilists an opportunity to end all life on Earth, and the race is on for its control.”

Oh boy. That sounds … complicated.

From that setup, director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day,” “The Equalizer”) plunges us into a slick, loud, well-photographed and utterly unoriginal action sequence set in Mexico City, with speeding sports cars and hopelessly outmatched police vehicles and a helicopter swirling above and shots ringing out everywhere. It’s the cinematic equivalent of empty calories, and it sets the tone for the rest of the film. “Infinite” has some impressive set pieces combining practical effects and CGI, and the terrific cast approaches the material with grim-faced sincerity, but it’s ultimately a big bag of nonsense wrapped in glossy packaging.

Wahlberg’s Evan lives in New York City and is struggling to make ends meet, as his history of mental illness and the occasional bursts of violent temper make it nearly impossible for him to keep a steady job. Not that Evan doesn’t have mad talents. He’s a walking Wikipedia of historical and scientific knowledge and is a skilled swordsmith who can make one-of-a-kind weapons, even though he’s never had any training. Things just … come to him.

After a harrowing encounter with Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Ted, who is one of the aforementioned Nihilists and wants to destroy the planet because, well, because he’s the bad guy and we don’t need to get any deeper into his grand plan, Evan gets the scoop from Sophie Cookson’s Tammy, who explains to him he’s not crazy — he’s just the latest reincarnation of someone who has been around for centuries. THAT’S why Evan dreams in other languages, and sometimes has memory flashes from distant locales and times and feels like he’s being pulled in a million different directions. He’s an Infinite, Believer Division, with multiple past lives, and it’s up to him to lead the resistance against the evil Ted and his minions!

“Infinite” has some cool sets and some awesome futuristic weaponry, and we get entertainingly hammy supporting cameos from Toby Jones and Jason Mantzoukas as eccentric sideline players. Wahlberg does his best mini-Clint Eastwood impersonation, but seems almost as nonplussed by all the exposition as we are. For all its ambitions to be a thinking person’s action film, “Infinite” has us thinking this is a relatively dumb action film.

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Moon Alert

Caution! Avoid shopping or making important decisions after 12:30 p.m. Chicago time. The moon is in Gemini.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a confusing day, so don’t beat yourself up if you feel lazy or you want to spend a lot of time daydreaming. Jot down any creative ideas that you might have because you can think outside of the box. Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Everything to do with finances, shopping and earning money is subject to confusion. Therefore, tread carefully! Postpone important financial decisions. Do not shop except for food or gas, especially after the moon alert begins.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

The moon is still in your sign, but now it’s at odds with fuzzy Neptune, which makes you very sensitive to your environment. It also encourages daydreams. This is why it’s a poor day to make important decisions. (Caution with drugs and alcohol.)

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You might seek a dreamy escape because you want to “get away from all this.” This is a poor day to embark on something new that requires clear thinking. It’s also a poor day to make important decisions. But you will be interested in studying supernatural phenomena or “secrets.”

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

A conversation with a friend might be confusing. For starters, you might idealize this person in an unrealistic way. Or perhaps, the conversation between the two of you will be like two ships passing in the night. Many interactions are confusing today. (Yikes!)

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Conversations with partners and close friends as well as bosses and parents are subject to misunderstandings. Your best defense is to clarify anything that’s important. Make sure others know what you are saying. Make sure you know what they are saying.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

You might be interested in ancient subjects, philosophies and fables, especially stories that hearken back to the times of Arthur and Merlin. Today your curiosity is aroused because you are more sensitive to everything around you, which, in turn, puts a new possibility on everything.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Although you might be focused on shared property, taxes, debt and insurance matters or anything that you hold jointly with someone else, this is a poor day to make decisions regarding these matters. For one thing, most of this day is a moon alert; in addition to which, it’s a foggy day all day anyhow. Oy!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Be extra clear in all your communications with family members and partners because there’s a lot of room for confusion today. If you feel offended by what someone says, wait a minute — because you can probably chalk this up to a confused communication. Don’t take it personally.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

It’s important to know that information concerning your health might be mistaken today or confused. Therefore, this is the classic time to get a second opinion on another day. (Not today.) You might also have an issue with a pet, particularly with poison or food that is bad. Be vigilant.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You will spend a lot of time daydreaming today; however, for those who work in the arts, some of these daydreams might be creative possibilities. Make notes but do not act on them during the moon alert. Parents should know where their children are.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

A family conversation could be confusing today, especially if drugs and alcohol are involved. Or perhaps you will resort to some childhood attitudes, which ultimately will mislead you. This can happen. Hey, you’re an adult now.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Kate Flannery (1964) shares your birthday. You are mentally sharp, creative and you love music. You are independent and persistent. You are also generous. You are entering a busy, fast-paced year full of many different kinds of activities. You will enjoy the company of others and, vice versa. You might join forces with someone you have not seen for a while.

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Beer anniversaries for Miskatonic, Lo Rez, RT66, and Urban Forest!Read More

Five Sky players finished the game scoring in double digits on 45.1% shooting as a team.

Candace Parker made her long-awaited debut at Wintrust Arena on Wednesday night in the Sky’s 92-76 victory against the Indiana Fever which snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Parker made an impact immediately, grabbing a defensive rebound and finding Kahleah Copper in transition for an easy lay-up in the opening seconds. Parker, who finished with three points, five rebounds and two assists, was limited to less than 20 minutes by coach and general manager James Wade, but the mental impact she had on the team was more significant than any stat line. Wade said having Parker back on the court provided the team an instant sense of calm and a boost of energy.

“I rehabbed my ass off for the last three weeks to be back on the court,” Parker said. “I’m just happy to be back out there playing basketball.”

Courtney Vandersloot (17 points) led a group of five Sky players with double-digit scoring. The team shot 45.1%.

The Sky enter the game with the worst field-goal percentage in the league. Wade stressed the need to simplify the offense to get back to last years first-place form. He took out 60% of the playbook, most of it walk-up sets. He said the complex playbook created overthinking.

Containing the Fever’s guards and slowing down their attack in transition was critical, but the Sky had no answer for Kelsey Mitchell. She finished with a game-high 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting.

Limiting Teaira McCowan’s catches in the paint was another focus defensively, and the Sky were able to hold her to nine points. Still, the Sky’s issue with late-game breakdowns persisted. Their 12-point lead at the half was cut to as few as four in the third quarter.

“A lot of it had to do with our focus on the ball,” Wade said. “We were trying to jump into schemes before we had the ball controlled. We have to make sure the ball is contained before we start thinking about schemes.”

With four minutes left in the game, Tiffany Mitchell fouled Diamond DeShields who fell hard on the right side of her body. On the floor she appeared to say “It’s my back.” She was helped off the court by trainers. Wade said she was a little sore but was doing fine.

DeShields finished with nine points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Coming into the season she said she wanted to be known more as a playmaker than a scorer. She played a complete game Wednesday.

The Sky’s bench came up huge. Azura Stevens (12 points) and Allie Quigley (10 points) were key contributors, while rookie guard Dana Evans finished with nine points off the bench.

Vandersloot, who added nine assists and two steals to her 17 points, said Evans’ style of play fits well with the Sky. She has been most impressed by Evans’ ability to show up in the middle of a losing streak and immediately contribute.

The game was the Sky’s first Commissioners Cup game since their 90-83 loss to the Atlanta Dream on May 25th. Five of their next eight games count towards their Cup standings.

Next up, the Sky play the Fever on the road at noon Saturday.

“What’s crazy is we still have so much more that we can do,” Parker said.

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They were outside about 9:20 p.m. in the 400 block of East 134th Street when someone opened fire, striking them both, Chicago police said.

Two teenage boys were wounded in a shooting Wednesday on the Far South Side.

They were outside about 9:20 p.m. in the 400 block of East 134th Street when someone opened fire, striking them both, Chicago police said.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in the back and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

Another boy, 16, was struck in the foot and taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where he was in good condition, police said.

Area Two detectives are investigating.

Earlier Wednesday, another 17-year-old boy was shot in Brighton Park on the Southwest Side.

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The boy was treated for a broken leg and arm, according to his aunt, Carmelita Fleming.

An apparent road-rage incident Wednesday afternoon on the Dan Ryan Expressway — and the subsequent chase and shooting after — led to a 5-year-old boy being injured in a hit-and-run incident on the South Side.

A blue SUV and a red sedan were involved in a road-rage incident on the Dan Ryan about 4:45 p.m., and both vehicles then ended up in the 8700 block of South Michigan Avenue, according to Chicago police.

While both vehicles were headed northbound on Michigan, someone inside the SUV fired shots at the sedan, police said. The SUV struck Wisdom Parker, who was nearby, while it was fleeing the scene.

The boy was treated for a broken leg and arm, according to his aunt Carmelita Fleming.

“I’m just glad my nephew’s OK,” Fleming said.

Fleming described the chaotic scene following the incident. She didn’t hear the gunshots, but said her family did. Her neighbors rushed outside and dialed 911 after Parker was hit.

“It was horrifying,” Fleming said. “We didn’t know if someone was shot, we didn’t even know who was hurt at the time because when I come out the house, all I hear is ‘Get him! Don’t touch him!’ … So I didn’t know what to think and then I saw blood.”

Provided

Parker’s family was coming to Fleming’s West Chesterfield home for a barbecue on her back porch. Fleming said her 5-month-old nephew was also near the family’s car when Parker was struck.

“We were just hanging out at my house today … just having a good get together, you know, a good time” before that happened, Fleming said.

Though the SUV fled from the area after the crash, Fleming said the driver of the red sedan stayed and filled her in on what allegedly happened.

The motorist told Fleming that the SUV sideswiped his car on the Dan Ryan. He chased that car off the expressway and into Fleming’s neighborhood. That’s when someone from the SUV began shooting at the other driver.

“He said he wished he would have known to not follow the guy,” Fleming said. “He was ignorant. I’m like, ‘Why would you follow him, though?’ I said, ‘Sir, they’re killin’ people now. Just keep going.’ And I have young sons, and they explain, ‘Mom, things aren’t like they used to be back in your day. These young folks, they’re not thinkin’.”

Fleming said her nephew is a “joy to be around.”

“He’s just the normal 5-year-old boy, he wants to play video games, he wants to be mischievous, he wants to work his mom’s nerve,” she said. “He’s a good little boy.”

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The man had been under the water for more than 20 minutes, fire officials said.

A man was in critical condition after being pulled from Jackson Park Harbor Wednesday on the South Side.

Divers found the man underwater about 8:50 p.m. near the 6500 block of South Promontory Drive, Chicago fire officials said.

The man had been under the water for more than 20 minutes, fire officials said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.

Divers were able to locate the man thanks to good directions from onlookers, officials said.

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Former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has important early leads in endorsements and fundraising in the secretary of state’s race. Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia has also won crucial endorsements. But observers agree the race remains anyone’s game.

Though it shares a title with one of the top posts in the U.S. president’s cabinet, the Illinois secretary of state’s office shares none of the prestigious responsibilities of its federal namesake.

Instead of international diplomacy or foreign policy intrigue, the state office deals largely with driver’s licenses and license plates.

Nevertheless, presiding over that state office is one of the most coveted prizes in Illinois politics.

“Next to being governor, that’s the biggest political office statewide,” said former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar.

And harvesting that political plum typically involves plenty of Illinois domestic intrigue and campaign intelligence — if lesser amounts of diplomacy.

Right now, five Democrats are already waging a pitched battle to succeed retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White — who, despite the rather mundane tasks involved, was regularly one of the Democrats’ top vote getters.

Political insiders say former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is leading the pack, racking up crucial endorsements and building the most fully stocked political war chest. He is closely followed by Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, who has won her own share of endorsements, but in the money contest has so far been outraised by Giannoulias more than five-to-one.

“Alexi has kind of set the curve and changed the standard for this race,” said Dave Mellet, a political consultant who helped Mayor Lori Lightfoot win office and is not aligned with any candidate in the secretary of state’s race.

“I think Anna Valencia — with the cash on hand she has and the money that she’s raised — she’s doing all the things that you would expect somebody running for a down ballot, statewide office to do, and she’s doing it well. It’s just really hard to be in the field against somebody who has that much money and is able to raise that well.”

But while the race is off at a “very fast pace,” Mellet said it’s still anyone’s to win.

Rounding out the field are Aldermen Pat Dowell (3rd) and David Moore (17th) and state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park.

So far, no Republicans have entered the race.

One of the allures of the office is its potential to serve as a political stepping stone.

Edgar, a former Illinois secretary of state who parlayed his tenure into a successful gubernatorial bid, said the current crop of candidates may be looking to do the same, since the office offers plenty of the tools to do so, from jobs to fill to publicity to take advantage of.

“You also have respect throughout the state. Your name — next to the governor’s — is the most visible name in state government, because you’re on everybody’s driver’s license,” Edgar said. “There’s a lot of political advantages.”

Giannoulias already likely has the best statewide name recognition in the field, having served one term as state treasurer and waging an unsuccessful, but high profile, run for U.S. Senate ten years ago.

He’s got the money advantage — roughly $2.4 million, state board of election records show. And he’s bagged early support from the SEIU Illinois State Council, which will mean more money and boots on the ground.

The council includes SEIU Locals 1 and SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana, which have an ownership stake in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Just as important, Giannoulias won the support of U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.

The Southwest Side Democratic congressman’s endorsement over Valencia, the only Latina in the field so far, could give Giannoulias a boost among Hispanic voters and progressives.

Edgar said getting those larger endorsements is especially important in a Democratic primary, where turnout is likely to be lower and “name recognition is the name of the game here.”

But Giannoulias’ early advantages don’t “guarantee he’s going to win it,” Edgar said, pointing all the “unknowns” that will determine how the race pans out.

“How they campaign and how the turnout is,” the former governor said. “Turnout is so important in a primary, because it’s somewhat sparse.”

In fundraising, Hastings is a distant second to Giannoulias. The state senator had $604,001.46 in the bank at the end of March. Valencia had $428,236.18.

Neither Hastings nor Valencia have reported any new contributions since then.

Dowell had just $67,880.79 on hand on March 31, and has raised $218,500 since then, meaning she likely has nearly $286,380.79 at her disposal. Moore had $73,986.58 on hand on March 31 and has added $2,500 since then.

Giannoulias had $2,104,762 in the bank at the end of March and has raised $303,500 since then.

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, who weighed a run for the office herself but opted to support Dowell instead, said the race is “very fluid,” and while Democrats have a “good crop of candidates,” there’s also “a long row to hoe” from now until the primary.

“I think it’s early, and I’ve seen lots of things happen over the course of an election cycle, but this one will be a long, drawn out process now,” said Yarbrough, who also represents Proviso Township in the party’s ranks and is a member of its statewide selection committee.

Mellet also stressed it’s too early to tell how the race will shake out. The Democratic consultant said Giannoulias’ strong war chest means he “doesn’t have to pinch pennies” and will be able to “sprint and force everyone to run as fast as they can behind him.”

That could mean early TV ads from Giannoulias in an effort to cement the lead.

But Valencia’s profile — a Latina from downstate who has City Hall experience, and name recognition, in Chicago — could help her overcome the early money imbalance, Mellet said.

Valencia was endorsed Wednesday by the national group Latino Victory Fund and has also received some union support and the early backing of Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood.

Dowell has shown an ability to raise money and a willingness to get around the state and meet local elected officials, a strategy that could see her rise as the race continues, Mellet said.

“Women, especially diverse women, have done really well in recent years, and this is a primary, and women are breaking through,” Mellet said.

Dowell has also taken a page out of White’s playbook — promising not to use the office as a stepping stone.

And she’s shown a willingness to mix it up on the campaign trail. The South Side alderman took a shot at Giannoulias for his 2014 endorsement of Republican Tom Cross for state treasurer.

Giannoulias brushed that off in a Cook County Democratic Party forum Saturday, saying he was just saying “good things” about the Oswego Republican, and “no one should question my commitment to the Democratic party.”

The Cook County Democratic Party is likely to endorse in the race in December, said executive director Jacob Kaplan.

And White, who won all 102 counties in 2002, said in a statement he doesn’t yet have a preferred candidate in the already “strong field.”

But the Near North Side Democrat plans to “keep the option open to making an endorsement at some point.”

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