The New Review - Dune(2021)

Copyright belongs to Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures

Dune

Directed By Denis Villeneuve

Starring Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Issac, Rebecca Ferguson, and many more

Concept: Frank Herbert's legendary novel that inspired decades of sci-fi epics, including Star Wars. Sci-fi mixed with geopolitical plots at the forefront of a Messiah story. Hollywood has struggled to get this movie made... and aside from one particular critically panned classic, this is the test to see if it can be done.

Execution

Here we go...

Cast: A LARGE cast. Chalamet, Issac, Ferguson, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya, Brolin, Momoa, and did I see a David Dastmalchian? AND a Javier Bardem? AND a Dave Bautista? Stacked. And no part seems small. Even the ones that COULD be small serve a purpose. But breakout performances from Timothée Chalamet and Oscar Issac...... Score: 20/20

Presentation: An Epic score you would expect from a sci-fi epic film. One or two off CGI moments, but I saw an homage to old school sci-fi with a paper maché explosion and practical effects mixed with beautiful CGI. And if you feel comfortable enough, watch this on the biggest screen you can. Because Denis uses ALL of the screen real estate he could. Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So, if you aren't aware... this is a part 1. One of the biggest issues I had with the original movie was how so much story was crammed into one movie. Sacrifices had to be made, like the nerfing of The Weirding Way. This one, however, showcases what Hollywood couldn't figure out... split it into 2 movies. Focusing on the Geopolitical portion of the story, it was built around the emergence of the heir to an empire he really doesn't feel ready for. Clever uses of premonition and foreshadowing, while making it a CHARACTER ATTRIBUTE. Even the short roles of certain characters, everyone has good to GREAT character development. Only the beginning. Score: 30/30

Impact: The Novel was the inspiration for MANY sci-fi franchises. And this movie is a masterclass on how to inspire many more. Hollywood has been afraid of making this into such an epic because of the plots and subplots throughout the first book... and well... the series of books overall. Denis Villeneuve did a WONDERFUL job at making Blade Runner 2049 as a vessel to bring Blade Runner to modern audiences...... and I TRUSTED him with making Dune as amazing as he could. And... not only did he not let me down, he exceeded my expectations. And it is an example of how if you believe in the material, you should take it... and run with it. So... not only do I hope Dune inspires more sci-fi franchises, I also hope other directors look at Hollywood's fear materials... and run with them(as much as I was okay with John Carter... I would LOVE someone else to take a stab at A Princess of Mars... I've even started a fancasting for it). Hopefully this(and subsequent part 2) inspire DECADES more sci-fi epics. Score: 20/20

Extra Oomph: So this one is gonna be a little spoilery, but not for this movie... for the trilogy as a whole, as compared to the original cult classic and the novels themselves. There are FIVE actors/roles I want to point out. They are Brolin/Gurney, Momoa/Idaho, Zendaya/Chari, Bautista/Rabban, and Skarsgård/The Baron. Brolin, Momoa, and Bautista... all feel a little typecast, each with only a small role this time around(at least 2 of them will get featured more going forward... up to you to figure out which 2), but each one serving a MAJOR purpose in the story regardless. And Denis did the same thing with Bautista in Blade Runner 2049. Then we look at The Baron... I thought that was Stellan Skarsgård, but I wasn't for sure the whole movie. And dammit...... I like that. And that leaves Zendaya. I credit my friend Bob for this one... because I saw it... and he put it into words. Chani isn't featured with solid lines until the end, but she was shown as the central figure in Paul's dreams/visions throughout the film(trailers spoiled that, sorry not sorry). And with that, she had MORE character development and was used in a much better way than she is as MJ in the MCU Spider-Man films. Denis Villeneuve's vision... but Zendaya's range. Zendaya has an Emmy already. I'm calling it... she will end up with an Oscar someday. And I'm ready to see what she does in Part 2. Thank you to Denis for bringing out MORE that potential in her. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 100/100

Final Grade: A++ or S-Class

Conclusion: Frank Herbert's legendary novel has been brought to life as it should be. Stunning. Emotional. Detail oriented. Fierce action met with rich storytelling that it NEVER lost hold of. Even the battles told stories(something that I feel Star Wars lost more times than not). Sci-fi Masterclass. Denis Villeneuve does it again.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I have some evaluating to do for where to put this movie in my top 10 of all time. That should tell how bad I want each of you to see...... no... how bad I want you to EXPERIENCE this movie. Come back and thank me later.

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Well there you go...... Dune get a 100!!!!!!!! A perfect score!!!

Full disclosure... this was going be a make/break movie. I was looking forward to it. I had very high expectations. But... I do try to be fair. Small oopsies would've been forgiven, but this one... was important to me. So if Denis Villeneuve would've screwed up ONE part in a major way, this score might've been drastically different. But I put my faith in Denis, and he did me proud... so much so, I say once he gets through this trilogy, give him A Princess of Mars... give him any other sci-fi novel and just let him go do his thing. This was VISIONARY! And it could've gone wrong in someone else's hands.

I think the delays for release due to Covid made it that much sweeter. Great things come for those who wait...... well... get me a part 2... now!

So what did you all think? Comment down below. Share the hell of this. And if you haven't seen it... go... do... so... as soon as possible. You won't regret it.

My movie of the year for 2021. What else could top it? Yeah... nothing.

Whether you watch it at home or in the theater, don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - Slasher Films

Another edition of Horror Themes Top 10!

Already posted the Non-Slasher Horror Films... now it is time for the Slashers.

Some of these will mention whole franchises. Some will be an individual movie in a franchise. And some will be multiple movies in the franchise when I only liked a few of them. You'll understand as you go along.

Also... some of these franchises have had reboots... and sideboots... and Erasequels. And that may or may not factor in each franchise. Like I said... You'll understand as you go along.

Oh... and the killer MUST have been human at some point.

So......

Top 10 Slashers Films/Franchises

Here we go...

11. Child's Play: The franchise centered around a serial killer possessing a doll, and contining the killing spree. Very successful franchise... with a recent reboot with Chucky being voiced by Mark Hamill AND a new TV series.

10. Sleepaway Camp: During the dawn if the Campy Slasher film, here is another one about a killer... in a camp. This one makes the list because it contains one of the GREATEST twist endings in movie history. So great...... you have to watch it. You won't find it here.

9. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Franchise... remake... prequel. One of the main franchises inspired by real life killer Ed Gein. The original film made for less than $140k($700k adjusted for inflation). All centered around a family of cannibals and the chainsaw wielding Leatherface.

8. Friday the 13th: Long standing franchise... machete... hockey mask. Iconic when it comes to the slasher genre. Not every movie in this franchise is gold... the idea of "Campy" horror... I associate with this franchise. And if you need proof of how Campy it is... look no further than Jason X, set... in space.

7. Candyman: Written by Clive Barker. Son of a slave murdered in the late 1800s comes back and spreads fear and terror. Tony Todd with one of the most iconic voices breathes life into this amazing Slasher Urban Legend. I haven't seen the new one yet, so for now... this is just for the original movie.

6. Scream: Wes Craven decided it was a good idea to start a franchise that lampoons the genre and the tropes. And one of the best openings, using a huge start like Drew Barrymore, and killing her outright. An enjoyable franchise with a new one coming very soon.

5. Hellraiser: Clive Barker directed inter-dimensional hellspace hellscape movie franchise(Barker directed the original... wrote the books). A lot to unpack about the franchise. But yes... even though the Cenobites are Extradimensionial beings, all of them but one were human at one time... even Pinhead.

4. Maniac(2012): A remake. But I will be honest, I didn't watch the original. This one though... stars Elijah Wood. And unless you knew that ahead of time, you would have a few small moments to see him... because he plays the killer, and the ENTIRE movie is filmed through the killer's eyes. Great idea. And the movie is a pretty good movie. It gets a high spot due to the uniqueness.

3. Psycho: Alfred Hitchcock's masterclass in horror. Psychological. Norman Bates has inspired many a parody and other copycats. And the shower scene is just as iconic and Hitchcock himself.

2. A Nightmare On Elm Street: Wes Craven. Freddy Krueger. The Razor Fingers gloves. The Boiler Room. A franchise about a man who was brutally murdered by the parents of children he was harming...... turning into a demon that can kill people in their sleep. Some very unique, over the top stories. Not all of them good... but still entertaining. New Nightmare was a very cool meta movie about Freddy coming to kill the ACTRESS that played Nancy. And then... a remake of the original film that was darker, and more fun(with Wes Craven's vision for Freddy's origin story). Plus... I share a birthday with Robert Englund.

And now... the Number 1 Slasher Film/Franchise

1. Halloween: THE Slasher. Michael Myers. This has had more than a few movies... some strange one. A remake helmed by Rob Zombie(2 movies... and I liked them). And we are in the middle of an Erasequel trilogy(as of posting, I haven't seen Halloween Kills yet). And you can point out any of the movies in this franchise that you want to...... but I want to focus on the original. As I said...... THE SLASHER. But look at this movie now, it gave birth to the modern Slasher, but this movie is NOT a Slasher at heart. It was a Psychological Thriller. Once Michael makes it to Haddonfield, his presence is in every scene. Not even just the obvious ones. Rewatch this movie. Look for the car. Even in scenes you shouldn't be thinking about the car... LOOK FOR THE CAR. Yes... Michael gets Slashy. But until then, it is 100% Subliminal for the audience. And this is why it takes the Number 1 spot!

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There you go... my TOP 11 Slashers. The pool I used was smaller this time, and Honorable Mention felt like it was disrespectful to whatever one got it. And they all belonged on the list.

Missing one? Different order? Leave a Comment. Share the post.

Happy Halloween and Spooky Season!

And don't forget...

Renewed Top 10 - Horror Films

It is time. It is that time of year. We are going to tackle TWO Best of Lists for the Horror genre. One for Slasher Flims... and one for Non-Slasher Horror films(just going to call it... Horror Films... hope you understand)

Disclaimer... there were ALOT of films that I had in the pools for both lists... and it was incredibly difficult to decide. If there is one on either list you think I'm missing, just know it was probably considered.

So...

Top 10 Horror Films

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: The Ring: Adapted from a Asian Film, about a tape(yes, VHS, scary I know) that if you watched it, you died in 7 days. Sad they made a sequel where it was a viral online video, and it FAILED. Great concept too.

Honorable Mention 2: The Amityville Horror: I'm citing both versions here. Brolin and Reynolds helming their respective versions. A well done psychological thriller. Smart, yet doesn't hold the hands of the viewers.

Honorable Mention 3: The Alien and Predator franchise: Yes, I am lumping them all together because it needs to be done. The penacle of the action horror genre, and they are one franchise, due to the Alien vs Predator movies.

10. Thir13en Ghosts(remake): Gory, more special effects heavy version. But this is the movie that started my love for Matthew Lillard. Enjoyed the lore that goes with this movie, but the overall story was weak... but the movie is goriously beautiful.

9. 1408: A skeptical author visits a supposed haunted hotel room and spends a night in hell. Based on a short story written by Stephen King. Oh... 1+4+0+8=13

8. The Exorcist: One of the most famous horror films of all time. And if you are reading this list, you most likely know about this film. Linda Blair... projectile vomit... "The Power of Christ Compells You"

7. The Silence of the Lambs: FBI Academy Student seeking counsel with Hannibal Lector to catch a killer. Iconic... Legendary... and Anthony Hopkins MADE this movie what it is.

6. Bram Stoker's Dracula: There are many version of Dracula in cinema. Including legends like Christopher Lee and Bela Lugosi. But none are as close to the novel as this one...... and talking about legendary Draculas, this is the movie that made me love Gary Oldman.

5. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: Speaking of movies close to the books, this one was SO close, I got to use it as my book report in 12th Year English. It started my love for Kenneth Branagh. And when you think of Frankenstein, you think of Igor, Boris Karloff, a lightning storm, and "IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!" But...... really, it is Robert DeNiro, electric eels, and a self taught "monster".

4. The Sixth Sense: The movie that made M. Night Shyamalan a household name. One of the greatest twists in movie history. "I see dead people." Who doesn't know that line at least?

3. IT Chapters 1 & 2: This one is where I might lose some people, but I really loved the IT remakes. Tim Curry and the original movie/miniseries(2 episodes) is legendary, and a stacked cast. But I have to go with the remakes for a reason. The book and the original relied heavily on the flashbacks. And I get it. That is the story, set in the adult era, the flashbacks are the members of the Losers Club remembering Pennywise...... but the remakes separated them. The era when they were kids, the era when they were adults... and they still made clever use if the flashbacks. But what we got felt like a complete story. Fluid... and easier to follow. Still had a stacked cast(and helped push Finn Wolfhard's star into outer space). And as much as I love Tim Curry and his Pennywise... I commend Bill Skarsgård in making Pennywise TRULY terrifying.

2. The Shining: Stanley Kubrick... Jack Nicholson... iconically noted for making Stephen King angry for changing the aesthetic of the story, but I loooooooooove this version. And simply... when I think of Jack Nicholson, I think of The Shining. 

And my Number One Non-Slasher Horror Film is...

1. Doctor Sleep: Did it surprise anyone? I really loved this film. A sequel to The Shining. Follows Danny when he is older. And it has one of the most unsettling scenes I've ever seen in a film... and I loved it. Story is solid. And... I didn't think it would do either the Kubrick film of the book justice, and I think it did wonderfully well.

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What do you think? Anything I missed you think I should've added? Any shock you?

Comment... share...

And check out the other Spooky List!

Until next time... remember...

Renewed Top 10 - Horror Directors

It is October again, time for Spooky season. And that means it is time do some horror related content!

So let's start with some directors. Those that make some spooky, creepy, scary stuff.

Now, the list is going to highlight the directors that have made an impact for my viewing. But it does not reflect those that director my favorite horror films overall(that list is coming). Maybe it is the overall portfolio influence, rather than one movie in particular. Consistency and legacy are key for. Body of work as opposed to one shining example. Get the rules?

Top 10 Horror Directors

Here we go...

Honorable Mention 1: Terence Fisher: British director who focused on Gothic Horror. Hammer Films versions of Dracula, The Mummy, The Curse of Frankenstein. Now, the movies are pretty good, but the reason he is here is because he launched the careers of LEGENDS Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

Honorable Mention 2: Stanley Kubrick: Kubrick is that one crazy, eccentric artist that just wants the masterpiece. A Clockwork Orange and The Shining are 2 of the greatest artistic movies of all time.

Honorable Mention 3: Guillermo del Toro: I enjoy Del Toro's work. Pan's Labyrinth is creepy as hell. And Hellboy is iconic. But while Hellboy is spooky, it is also a fun superhero movie. A visionary.

Honorable Mention 4: Tim Burton: Burton is one of my favorite directors. Period. But the secret to his spooky is that... it is his style. Famous for movies like Beetlejuice, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland...... it is more the art style, and less the content that makes it spooky, and thus more of his movies are family accessible. Sleepy Hollow was the only real horror movie Burton did. But creepy and spooky is just in his art style

Honorable Mention 5: Ivan Reitman: Ghostbusters. There really isn't anymore you need to say. Ivan Reitman is the reason the Ghostbusters franchise came to life. From an idea... to a realization. And I'm going to mention Jason Reitman, for tackling Ghostbusters Afterlife. It isn't out yet, but if it is a smash hit like the originals, then he deserves to be mentioned here.

10. Andy Muschietti: Responsible for the IT remakes and wonderful unique film called Mama. I personally think he did a GREAT job getting that done. The reason he isn't higher on the list... he is an up and comer. He is has only just begun. And that is what he did? Impressive.

9. Jordan Peele: Who would've thought this comedian would be a genius in horror? I didn't. But Get Out won him an Oscar and Us was a unique take on the doppleganger story. Another who has only just begun.

8. Mike Flanagan: He put out some really good stuff. Responsible for Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil. But the reason I'm a fan is simply... Doctor Sleep. Sequel to one of my favorite horror films off all time, and...... it felt like he made it as an homage to the Kubrick's classic AND adapted the book fairly well. I hope for more, and if he were to do more with King's works, I wouldn't be mad.

7. Tobe Hooper: So many good B horror movies; but also brought us The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist, Salem's Lot, and Night Terrors. The resumé speaks for itself.

6. David Cronenberg: Dead Ringers, Stephen King's The Dead Zone, Scanners. All great movies. But... The Fly. The Fly is legendary. Why? Two words: Jeff Goldblum.

5. Tom Holland(no, not that one): The Father of Chuckie!! Created Child's Play... the original Fright Night, The Langoliers mini series, and Thinner! But he gets the spot for giving us such a twisted tale with Child's Play... and launching a franchise that is STILL putting out new content.

4. Sam Raimi: Before he was known for Spider-Man, Sam Raimi gave us BRUCE CAMPBELL. And how? The Evil Dead/Army of Darkness franchise. Sam Raimi also gave us Darkman, which was the first movie I ever saw of one Liam Neeson. But the really reason he makes the list is because...... post Spider-Man, he gave us one amazingly terrifying movie title Drag Me To Hell. If you haven't seen it, do it.

3. Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense. His own series, titles "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". But we are talking LEGENDARY movies: The Birds, Psycho, Vertigo, Suspicion, Dial M for Murder. If you don't know who Alfred Hitchcock is, then why are you here?

2. John Carpenter: Vampires, Village of the Damned, They Live(with Roddy Piper!), Prince of Darkness, Christine, The Thing, The Fog. Such diversity in his horror portfolio... but... he is also responsible for creating what we know as a Slasher Film, when he brought to us Michael Myers and the classic film Halloween.

This was a tough one to call... but here it is...

The Number One Horror Director is......

1. Wes Craven: The original version of The Last House On The Left. The People Under The Stairs. Shocker. Night Visions. Cursed. Red Eye. He is also responsible for The Hills Have Eyes... and he is the father of The Nightmare of Elm Street franchise. But the reason I put Wes Craven at Number 1 isn't because of those movies... it is for the Scream franchise. Freddy Krueger is my favorite slasher killer of all time... the movies are good, but Freddy is what elevated them. But Scream was different. It felt different. And the reason I feel that way is because the Scream franchise is a parody. I know what you're thinking... "No, that is the Scary Movie franchise". And yes... yes you're right. But look at what Scream set out to do. It purposely lampooned the horror franchise and things you are/aren't supposed to do. And then paid off for all of those rules/tropes but swerving the audience out of the killers' identity reveals. And I can appreciate Wes Craven do that in one of his own movies about the genre he helped make famous. That is pretty damn cool to me. And... Wes Craven is responsible for Swamp Thing getting its live action start. Swamp Thing may be an anti-hero now, but that original movie was absolutely a B level horror flick.

(Side note... one omission I have is Clive Barker. Yes... he created and directed Hellraiser... the first one... and with hits like Night Breed and Lord of Illusions... Clive Barker should be noted for his work in horror, but he isn't a director. His largest contributions to horror comes from putting pen to paper. Playwright, Screenwriter first, including Candyman. And his contributions do not go unnoticed. His directed movies are great, but so few.)

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There it is. Top 10 Horror Directors.

Anyone you think I left out? Anyone you are surprised I put in it? Let me know down below.

Don't like my list? Make your own.

And as always... share this thing...

Thanks for you time. More Halloween/Spooky themed lists coming this month, and some good reviews hopefully this week.

Until next time...

Don't forget...

The New Review - Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Copyright by Sony Pictures and Marvel Comics

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Starring: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Andy Serkis

Concept: Sequel to Sony's solo Venom outing, starting an attempt at a Sony-verse of Spider-Man characters.

Execution:

Cast: Tom Hardy reprises his role as Eddie Brock. Still done very well(but I do wanna point out... Brock in the comics felt like a brute... this Eddie is a putz). And of course, Woody Harrelson having fun, being Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady. And a shout out to Stephen Graham as Detective Mulligan with a very "Danny Reagan from Blue Bloods" vibe going on. And that is a compliment. But for reasons...... everyone else feels like a background character regardless of role. The new characters introduced get ALL of the character development. And that... is okay too. Score: 17/20

Presentation: Andy Serkis knows his CGI. A smaller budget... but still had better CGI than the first movie. Whereas in the first movie, the big fight between Venom and Riot could be attributed to colors blending together, the big fight between Venom and Carnage felt cleaner, more vibrant... and Serkis didn't shy away from better lighting. Visually, it is a STUNNING action flick. Soundtrack-wise... it was missing something. But... it is SO visually stunning for the budget that any point I would deduct for sound would be made up by visual. So... yes... Score: 20/20

Chronicle: So... the plot is paper thin. But... I like to refer to a phenomenon I call "The Expendables Effect". A movie that doesn't have the best plot, but... you shouldn't be watching it FOR the plot. This movie should be looked at as a Symbiote Smackdown and how to get there. And... that's it. Simple... why is Kasady deranged? How does he get the Carnage Symbiote? When is he gonna fight Venom? There... there is your storyboard. Sprinkled in character development. Lack of world building development. I might've been okay wit it being longer(it is a fairly short film), but it really didn't need it. Here for a good time, but not here for a long time. Score: 27/30

Impact: The movie... the movie itself doesn't feel like it has any Impact. It doesn't. I thought Sony was building their own Universe? And Venom was supposed to feel like a cornerstone of that Universe? Why didn't it feel like it? Granted, the movie didn't leave enough time FOR that... aside from Ravencroft, there isn't anything to build off of. Mulligan? But even then... that is self contained. But... mid-credit scene sets up to make the "Venomverse" part of the MCU Multiverse. And... that has some major ramifications. It is the first official non-MCU Marvel movie to be considered canon to this new Multiverse. That makes the moment extra special. But still... I'm struggling with this one. Score: 12/20

Extra Oomph: This goes to Andy Serkis. First MAJOR film he solo directed(2nd Director for Lord of the Rings and some other non-blockbuster stuff). And Serkis showed that he is the master of CGI. But there is an element that some might overlook...... this is a sequel of detailed elements(I tried to find a better why to word it). What I mean is this...... when I director gets hired to take over a franchise or to do a sequel... most of the time, it doesn't feel like the same franchise. But if you didn't know it was a different Director for this movie, would you have been able to tell? Same feel, same banter, same locations, new characters casted within the same puzzle. Look at the X-Men franchise... X-Men and X2 felt like they fit together... but The Last Stand doesn't. Different director. Andy Serkis had new puzzle pieces for Venom that he was able to cut to fit the existing puzzle. And I think that is an impressive feat. I hope he gets to do the 3rd Movie. Score: 9/10

Final Score: 85/100

Final Grade: B!!!!

Conclusion: Don't go into this movie think you are going to get this amazing plot or for it to solidify a franchise in the "Sony-verse". But... if you are looking for a fun, entertaining movie with some action and some humor, this movie has all of that.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: See this movie. It is a great anti-hero romp that will keep you entertained for 90 mins. See this movie... and support any theaters. I don't care if it local or national chain. Let's all go to the movies. Especially this one.

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There ya have it folks! Venom: Let There Be Carnage gets a B!

Not sure what my next review will be, but stay tuned!

Hit up your theaters. Show some love to the movies.

And don't forget...