Dune [2021] ★★★½
No surprises there: Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve delivers yet another knockout with “Dune”, an epic Science-Fiction saga that gives you everything you would expect from the man behind “Blade Runner 2049”, “Arrival”, “Sicario” and “Incendies”. Villeneuve isn’t the first one to adapt Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel (David Lynch tried and didn’t entirely succeed in 1984). But he’s certainly the first one to make it look so visually appealing. But all of this wouldn’t mean a damn without a compelling narrative, and this is where this version of “Dune” truly succeeds. The film is not only stunning to look at, but it also sucks you in and holds you spellbound from start to finish. That’s no easy feat, especially for a movie that runs for 150 minutes and yet never feels long. In terms of story, what you need to know is that Timothée Chalamet is perfectly cast as the gifted son of a noble family. Circumstances force him to travel to a dangerous planet in order to fulfill his destiny. There’s a lot to say and discuss here, but that would require me to enter spoiler territory. I will say this though: prepare yourself for an incredible ride, fueled with twists and turns you don’t always see coming. Add to it Hans Zimmer’s superior score and a supporting cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista and Zendaya, and you get one of the year’s best movies. Word of advice: watch it on the biggest screen possible. It’s an unforgettable experience.
I rarely say this about any movie, but I truly struggled to finish “The Midnight Sky”, Netflix’s latest Science-Fiction film directed by and starring Georges Clooney. He plays a lone scientist whose sole purpose is to warn a crew of astronauts about a global catastrophe. Or something like that. The film is all over the place from the word go, with Clooney failing to deliver on an emotional level. How can anyone give a crap about all these characters if we’re not given a single reason to do so? But that’s just one of the things that bothered me here. Visually, the movie earns some extra points. But everything else is a dud. Space movies have never been this dull. Skip “The Midnight Sky” and stream the limited series “Away” instead.
As someone who admired 1950’s B Sci-Fi films for so long, I thought “The Vast Of Night” was a fitting tribute to a bygone era that still entertains audiences even in 2020. Directed by Andrew Patterson and starring Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz, “The Vast Of Night” tells the story of two young adults who discover a strange audio frequency one night while doing their regular radio show in New Mexico. What could it possibly be? That’s the hook that will lead you into this intriguing little film. It’s talky for sure, and takes a while to take off, but once it does, you’re in for something truly fascinating. So if you’re familiar with such classic films as “It Came From Outer Space”, War of The Worlds” and “Close Encounters”, you’ll feel right at home here. I know I did.
It doesn’t take much time for this Netflix action film to take an intriguing premise and turn it into something way too familiar. “Project Power”, starring Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, imagines a world where a pill can give you unpredictable superpowers for five minutes. But every fairytale has its dark moments, which is why it’s up to Foxx and Levitt to team-up and take down the people responsible for its creation. It’s a hell of a premise, and for about 45 minutes, the movie truly delivers some pulse-pounding action sequences. But from that moment on, it’s obvious that the people behind this project don’t have enough ideas to keep things moving along. Foxx and Levitt are always a pleasure to watch, and the movie is still entirely watchable. But surely a premise like this one should have been exploited to its maximum potential. Too bad.
I don’t pretend to understand everything that goes on in this vast Terminator universe. And I admit: I have been chronologically confused about the series ever since “Rise of the Machines” hit cinemas in 2003. Know that? It doesn’t matter. Even with all its up and downs, this franchise has maintained its ability to entertain audiences. “Dark Fate” is the first Terminator movie since 2015’s underrated “Genisys” (sue me), and all you need to know is that we’re in the year 2020 this time around (doesn’t feel like the future anymore, huh?) and there’s a new Terminator sent from a distant future to kill Dani, an everyday Mexican woman. Why? You’ll have to see for yourself. But yes, Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor returns to the franchise to save our girl from being terminated. And get a load of Mackenzie Davis as an enhanced human also sent from the future to protect Dani. Director Tim Miller doesn’t pull his punches. The result is a thoroughly entertaining entry in the franchise that doesn’t always stay on track, but still delivers some pulse-pounding action sequences, especially early on. I didn’t think I’d care for yet another Terminator movie, but “Dark Fate” was a fun ride anyway.
Plot-wise, “Gemini Man” isn’t groundbreaking by any means, but if you’re going to see it, do it for the sake of the highly advanced technological visuals. This is one of the few 3D movies that made me feel completely immersed in its world. It also helps that it was shot at a high frame rate and that it stars Will Smith as a retired hitman who finds himself pursued by a younger, quicker version of himself. It’s a fun premise that never truly reaches its full potential, but director Ang Lee stages some pulse-pounding action scenes that look and sound great. And seeing a much younger Will Smith poke fun at his older self doesn’t get old (no pun intended). So yes, despite an uneven story and a sense of deja-vu, “Gemini Man” does offer something new. I wish it had more surprises up its sleeve, but it’s still a fun movie to experience on the big screen.
Let's Talk About Movies 