REVIEW: “Dune: Part Two” (2024)

March 1, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Upon hearing that Denis Villeneuve was making “Dune”, I remember thinking there was no better director to take on Frank Herbert’s science-fiction classic. That sentiment was proven right with the release of Villeneuve’s 2021 feature – the jaw-dropping first chapter of his masterful big screen epic. After a brief delay following last year’s Hollywood labor disputes, “Dune: Part Two” is finally here and sees Villeneuve reuniting with the first film’s incredible cast and talent behind the camera.

Villeneuve’s first venture was an immersive and breathtaking introduction to Herbert’s universe, captured through the passionate lens of a visionary filmmaker. Part Two picks up the story right where its predecessor left off and then expands on it through intensive world-building and character work. A few brilliantly cast new faces are added, seamlessly fitting into the rich and complex world. Then there are the many returning faces – a star-studded ensemble who once again bring their fascinating array of characters to life.

**Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures**

Much like the previous film, “Dune: Part Two” offers up a visual feast. The spectacular locations, the thrilling set pieces, and the outstanding costume design are just some of what makes the movie such a stunner. But perhaps more impressive is Villeneuve’s amazing ability to artfully translate Herbert’s dense and complex story to the big screen. Politics, religion, and mythology play significant roles in “Dune” and add intriguing layers to the storytelling. And Villeneuve and his co-writing partner Jon Spaihts don’t shortchange any of those elements.

As a refresher, the “Dune” films are set in the distant future within an empire known as the Imperium. Leading the Imperium is the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (played in Part Two by Christopher Walken) who oversees several Great and Minor Houses. Among them is the noble House Atreides and their mortal enemies, House Harkonnen. At the center of the main conflict is Arrakis, a harsh desert planet that is the lone source of the most valuable commodity in the universe, Spice Melange. Through devious plotting and subterfuge, Shaddam uses House Harkonnen to annihilate House Atreides after feeling threatened by the popularity of its beloved leader, Duke Leto. What he didn’t count on was Leto’s son Paul surviving and forming an alliance with the Fremen, the native inhabitants of Arrakis.

Part Two picks up with the lone survivors of House Atreides, Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and his pregnant mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), working to earn the trust of the Fremen people. Many among the Fremen suspect them of being spies. But tribe leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) defends them, believing Paul to be their prophesied messiah. Meanwhile Paul continues to grow closer to Chani (Zendaya), a Fremen warrior who thinks the prophecy is nonsense but who stands by Paul as he assimilates into her culture.

Paul and the Fremen intensify their guerrilla raids on the Harkonnen spice harvesters which inevitably gets the attention of the ruthless House leader Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (a devilishly sinister Stellan Skarsgård). Out of patience with his nephew Rabban (Dave Bautista) – the overseer of spice production on Arrakis, the Baron replaces him with his younger nephew, the psychotic Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler). Elsewhere the word of Paul’s survival and rise to power among the Fremen reaches the Emperor who has desperately worked to conceal his involvement in the House Atreides slaughter.

Those are just some of the tensions that grow throughout the absorbing story with its many moving pieces. Part Two has its rousing moments, some romance, and even prickly family drama. But it’s the thematic depth that makes it so intriguing. Take the wicked undercurrent of manipulation and deception that’s felt throughout the film, almost always in the service of power and control. We see it in the hegemonization of cultures through the planting of false religions and in the wielding of political might to maintain power. We even see it the efforts to build an army in the name of the greater good.

To no surprise “Dune: Part Two” is a technical achievement, complete with thrilling action, dazzling visual effects, and unmatched artistic vision. DP Greig Fraser captivates with his camera whether shooting the vast sun-scorched dunes of Arrakis or intimate close-ups that peer deep behind the eyes of the characters; whether capturing hypnotic and sometimes unsettling dream sequences or fierce sprawling combat sequences and sandworm surfing. There is never a moment when his images aren’t appealing in one way or another. And it’s all accented by Hans Zimmer’s penetrating score.

“Dune: Part Two” clicks perfectly into place with the first film and builds upon it in a number of scintillating ways. The performances shine from top to bottom (none brighter than Austin Butler’s). And the sheer craft on display, along with the extraordinary storytelling, results in an awe-inspiring and mature science-fiction blockbuster that immediately left me hoping for a Part Three. Will we get one? Rumor has it a script is nearly finished. But as always it will depend on how this one does at the box office. Hopefully it gets the audience it deserves. “Dune: Part Two” opens in theaters today.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

REVIEW: “Madame Web” (2024)

March 1, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Spider-Man is easily one of the most popular superheroes in existence. Among the many things that fans love about the revered webslinger is the amazing array of characters who fill out his world. Allies, villains, non-superpowered side characters – the list is long and diverse. Over the years many have found their ways onto the big screen and one thing has become abundantly clear, some characters have fared considerably better than others when it comes to Spidey movies.

Adding to the list of those who haven’t fared well is Madame Web, a supporting character in the Spidey comics who now gets her own movie in Sony’s Spider-Man cinematic universe. Unfortunately what we get is an exercise in futility that stretches the Spider-Man brand beyond its limits. Directed by S.J. Clarkson and (somehow) written by a team of FOUR screenwriters, “Madame Web” is a hodgepodge of fair to downright terrible ideas, thrown together to form one of the more excruciating superhero movies to endure.

Opening in 1973, deep in the Amazonian jungles of Peru, Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim) provides security for a science and research expedition led by Constance Webb (Kerry Bishé). There they discover a new species of spider with healing properties capable of curing all kinds of diseases. In true villain form, Ezekiel turns on Constance and their team, claiming the discovery for himself and leaving Constance for dead. A mysterious local tribe attempt to save Constance and her unborn baby using some kind of magical spider venom. But Constance dies while delivering her daughter, Cassie.

**Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing**

From there we jump ahead to 2003 as what happened in the thirty years between is mostly left unanswered. Cassie (Dakota Johnson) is a New York City paramedic working alongside Ben Parker (Adam Scott). When an emergency call ends with Cassie having a near-death experience, she begins having strange and unexplainable visions. She first tries to dismiss them as simple déjà vu. But over time she realizes her visions are actually glimpses into the future.

Meanwhile Ezekiel, who has premonition and physical powers all his own, has set his sights on three unconnected teenagers, Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Anya Carazon (Isabela Merced), Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor). Ezekiel has been haunted by visions of the future where these girls (somehow) gain their own spider-powers and use them to kill him. Determined to prevent his death, Ezekiel sets out to kill the girls first. But when Cassie’s newfound powers reveals Ezekiel’s plans, she’s compelled to save and protect the girls, all while trying to understand her strange abilities.

As vague and poorly defined as it is, there are hints of an original and potentially interesting premise. But Clarkson and the team of writers never get beyond teasing those ideas. Instead their movie meanders to the point of tedium. The characters are dull and uninspired as is the action which is hampered by poor staging, choppy editing, and mediocre-to-bad CGI.

The dreadful script doesn’t help things. It’s full of gaping holes, narrative shortcuts, and some astonishingly bad dialogue. The glaring oversights (and there are many of them) are especially funny. Take Cassie being wanted by police for kidnapping the girls she actually saved. Yet she drives all over New York City in a stolen cab, walks around in broad daylight, gets flights in and out of the country without the cops every getting wind. It’s as if the movie completely forgets the whole police angle.

“Madame Web” is capped off with an unimaginative and utterly preposterous finale that leaves you scratching your head at how poorly its pieces come together. There’s no real stakes and as a result there’s no real suspense. Add to it our general lack of investment and you have a doomed ending with no real chance of offering up a satisfying conclusion. Its best quality is that it mercifully ends what is a flailing mess of a movie – one that seems perfectly content with riding Spider-Man’s coattails rather than trying for something smart, original, and coherent. “Madame Web” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 1.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Spaceman” (2024)

February 29, 2024 by Keith Garlington

A cerebral space drama and Adam Sandler – not exactly a ‘peanut butter and jelly’ kind of combination at first glance. Now throw in a giant extraterrestrial spider voiced by Paul Dano and you have “Spaceman”, a movie that on paper defies description. It’s directed by Johan Renck, best known for his work on the award-winning mini-series “Chernobyl”. His involvement adds another curious piece to the enigma that is “Spaceman” while also adding to the film’s allure.

It should be said, “Spaceman” is not a Happy Madison production and that’s a good sign. Written for the screen by Colby Day, the film is based on the 2017 novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfař. Sandler fans who haven’t tapped into his more thoughtful work might be surprised by his ability to pull off such a somber and restrained meditation. But “Spaceman” is a welcomed reminder of how good he can be whenever he ventures outside of his exhausting comfort zone.

Emotionally layered, necessarily slow, yet ever absorbing – “Spaceman” is the kind of movie that is sure to provoke a fascinating array of responses. For me, I have a real soft spot for these kinds of movies. When they’re done well it’s easy for me to get lost in them. Such is the case with this rich exploration of the human condition set against the backdrop of the daunting vastness of space. It’s something that’s been done before and Renck’s inspirations are impossible to miss. But that doesn’t take away from what he accomplishes.

Sandler plays Jakub Procházka, an astronaut on a Czech space mission to study an ominous yet beautiful purple-hued particle cloud in deep space that’s large enough to be seen in the Earth’s sky. 500 million kilometers from home and on the outskirts of Jupiter, Jakub is entering his 189th day in space – the halfway mark of his journey (I’m not sure the math adds up but oh well…).

Back on Earth, Jakub’s mission is tightly guarded by the head of Mission Control, Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini). She keeps a firm and calculated grip on information. In doing so she has captured the public’s interest by commercializing Jakub and turning his mission reports into must-see television. At the same time, she closely monitors and screens information given to Jakub, withholding anything that she and her team feels may jeopardize his fitness to complete his mission.

But what Mission Control doesn’t realize is that by keeping certain information from him they’re actually contributing to his downward mental spiral. In addition to being lonely and overcome by feelings of isolation, Jakub desperately misses his wife, Lenka (played by the always terrific Carey Mulligan, an actress who can make reading a cereal box compelling). But this yearning of his is driven mostly by deep feelings of guilt and regret, even if he’s not ready to admit it.

Jakub tries to keep his worsening mental state hidden from his Mission Control handler Peter (Kunal Nayyar). There’s even a sense of denial as Jakub struggles to convince himself that he’s fine. But he’s forced to come face to face with his distress after he discovers an uninvited visitor aboard his ship. Elegantly voiced by Dano and in the form of a giant brown spider, the extraterrestrial reveals itself to be an explorer who has been studying human behavior.

Through their interactions we begin to see deeper into the reluctant Jakub’s psyche. The more the alien arachnid probes the more we see what has driven him to such a fragile place. Most of what we see centers around his marriage to Lenka. Mulligan is an aching hypnotic presence seen mostly as a silhouette pulled by the alien from Jakub’s memories. We see the two fall in love and soon after learn that Lenka’s pregnant. But Jakub’s obsession with his mission drives a wedge between them. And his eagerness to leave her alone to have their baby feeds a growing frustration that leads Lenka to question their entire relationship.

It’s never said for sure when the movie takes place, but there are features that seem firmly grounded in the past and others that feel near-future. Similar ambiguity is found in the characters as well, more specifically in the choice to have the cast use their natural accents. It’s a decision that fits nicely within the film’s enigmatic framework. Equally effective is the claustrophobic yet immersive cinematography from Jakob Ihre and Jan Houllevigue’s rigorously detailed production design.

“Spaceman” can best be described as a psychoanalytical character study set as much in the depths of one man’s soul as it is the vastness of space. Director Johan Renck pulls from a variety of films such as Tarkovsky’s “Solaris” and Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. He even throws in a dash of Malick and a smidgen of Spielberg. But even with its deeper musings, there is a simplicity at the film’s core that considers a number of potent themes including the meaning of love, neglect, and the need for human connection. Altogether it makes for an unexpectedly moving experience that some will have a hard time connecting with. Me…what can I say, I was captivated. “Spaceman” premieres March 1st on Netflix.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Retro Review: “Face/Off” (1997)

February 28, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Renowned Hong Kong action director John Woo’s first venture to Hollywood was great for us fans but frustrating for the acclaimed filmmaker. 1993’s “Hard Target” and 1996’s “Broken Arrow” were bullet-riddled blasts but they came with intrusive studio management. It wasn’t until 1997’s “Face/Off” that Woo was finally given the creative control needed to tell the kind of story he wanted to tell and make the kind of movie he wanted to make.

“Face/Off” was a big hit both critically and commercially and the film has aged incredibly well. Without question a major part of the movie’s success was Woo who brought his full arsenal of action-fueled style and imagination to the film. But equally as crucial was the unquestioned talent and charisma of the film’s two leads, John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. Both take on dual roles in portraying the same two characters (sound confusing?) and they absolutely crush it.

**Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures**

Travolta plays plays FBI Agent Sean Archer, the leader of a covert anti-terrorist unit dedicated to taking down a ruthless international terrorist and assassin named Castor Troy (Cage). For Archer the pursuit of Troy is personal. Six years earlier Troy attempted to assassinate Archer, inadvertently killing Archer’s young son Michael instead. Since then Archer has been driven to bring his nemesis down, culminating in a violent shootout at a remote airstrip that leaves several of Archer’s team dead and Troy in a coma.

But Archer’s victory is short-lived after Troy’s captured younger brother and accomplice Pollux (Alessandro Nivola) reveals that a bomb has been placed somewhere in a densely populated area of Los Angeles. But he refuses to give up the location. Out of options, a frustrated Archer is introduced to a top-secret and highly experimental procedure headed by Dr. Malcolm Walsh (Colm Feore) that just might help persuade Pollux to reveal the bomb’s location.

Archer agrees to the procedure which has Troy’s face, voice, and body appearance transplanted to him. From there Archer, who now looks and sounds like Troy (and is now played by Cage), is sent to the same high-security penitentiary where Pollux is being held. But while he’s on his undercover mission to win Pollux’s trust, the real Castor Troy wakes up and forces Dr. Walsh to put Archer’s face on him. Troy then kills everyone who knows about the mission, leaving Archer languishing in prison and stuck as Troy with no way of proving his true identity.

It goes without saying that “Face/Off” has a bonkers premise, but Woo does a great job making it thrilling, suspenseful, and at times surprisingly heartfelt. He injects many of his favorite trademarks from the stylish slow-motion, dual-wielding pistols, and graceful white doves. All of those things on top of his methodical pacing, steady tension building, and layered storylines.

The action is top-notch whether its intensely choreographed gunfights or jaw-dropping (and expensive) set pieces. As for the storytelling, it ranges from funny and over-the-top to downright unsettling. Cage’s wild-man demeanor comes out on several occasions and you can’t help but laugh. At the same time, Travolta slithers under your skin portraying Troy, especially as he infiltrates Archer’s family. His scenes with Archer’s wife Eve (Joan Allen) and their troubled teen daughter Jamie (Dominique Swain) can legitimately make you squirm.

In a time when the action genre seems to struggle to find its identity, it says something that the 27-year-old “Face/Off” still holds up against much of what passes for action cinema today. It’s vintage John Woo who shows why he is such a big screen legend. And it’s a wildly entertaining showcase for John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, both of whom were in the heydays of their careers. So if you’ve never seen “Face/Off” or it has been a while, what better time. It’s now available to own on 4K Ultra HD courtesy of Kino Lorber.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

First Glance: “Horizon: An American Saga”

February 27, 2024 by Keith Garlington

Comfortably nestled among my most anticipated films of 2024 is Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga”. The 69-year-old Costner directs, co-writes (along with Jon Baird), and stars in this sprawling four-part big screen event. This ambitious cinematic adventure is a true passion project for Costner and seems pulled from the great Western epics of old. We were teased with a first look just a few weeks ago. Now we have the first full trailer and needless to say “Horizon” looks amazing.

Costner brings together a massive cast that includes names like Danny Huston, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Thomas Haden Church, Michael Rooker, Abbey Lee, Will Patton, Luke Wilson, Jeff Fahey, and of course Costner himself. The film spans four years during America’s Civil War and tells the story of a country at war with itself through the eyes and families, friends, indigenous people, and cold-blooded invaders. The size and scale of “Horizon” is truly breathtaking and I can’t wait to be swept away.

Chapter one of “Horizon: An American Saga” opens exclusively in theaters on June 28th. Chapter two opens “August 16th”. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Mea Culpa” (2024)

February 26, 2024 by Keith Garlington

It seems that Tyler Perry’s latest self-branded feature “Mea Culpa” wants to be a number of things including a legal thriller, an erotic thriller, and a psychological thriller. The problem is there’s not a thrill of any kind to be found in this astonishingly bad, completely hollow, and downright trashy straight-to-streaming debacle. In fact, it’s only the unintentional laughs (and there are MANY of them) that make the film the slightest bit bearable.

Produced, written, and directed by Perry, “Mea Culpa” is the kind of movie that will find an audience just by being plastered all over the Netflix homepage. And to be fair, a lot of people will watch it just because Perry’s name is attached. But that doesn’t excuse the kind of shoddy quality that we get in “Mea Culpa”. While Perry’s direction is nothing to write home about, the real culprit is his writing from the utterly absurd storyline, to the incredibly shallow characters, to the laughably bad dialogue.

Kelly Rowland is given the unenviable task of playing Mea Harper, a defense attorney whose marriage is on the rocks. Her husband Kal (Sean Sagar) lost his job as an anesthesiologist for showing up to work wasted. Even worse, he may have cheated on Mea. To complicate matters even further, Kal has an unhealthy attachment to his domineering and dying mother, Azalia (Kerry O’Malley) – a baffling addition to the story that plays out about as poorly as possibly.

While at her law firm, Mea is approached by an edgy contemporary artist named Zyair Malloy (a bone-dry and lifeless Trevante Rhodes). He’s suspected of killing his girlfriend and is set to be prosecuted by the District Attorney. The police have gobs of evidence against him yet Zyair claims his innocence. He wants Mea to defend him in court and after lengthy consideration she agrees. After all, with her husband not working they need the money.

There’s only one problem with Mea taking the high-profile case – the District Attorney is her brother-in-law, Ray (Nick Sagar) who has aspirations of running for mayor and plans on using a conviction of Zyair as part of his campaign. Obvious family conflicts ensue, most of which begin sending the story in a new direction that happens to be as predictable as it is implausible.

To avoid the paparazzi (and to provide a convenient reason for them to be alone), Mea begins meeting in Zyair’s loft to discuss the case. But to no one’s surprise the legal talk quickly takes a back seat to seduction. Despite there not being an ounce of notable chemistry between Rowland and Rhodes, the insipid sexual deviant Zyair begins wooing the supposedly sharp and intelligent Mea.

And that gets to one of the film’s biggest problems. Everything that plays out makes the allegedly ‘strong female lead’ as dumb as a box of rocks. The terrible choices she makes, her inability to see the obvious, her overall lack of good instincts and judgement – Mea gets shockingly dumber as the story progresses which I’m guessing wasn’t what Perry was going for. Yet the material is so bad leaving Rowland in a no-win situation. There’s simply nothing she can do to make us believe in the Mea that Perry wants.

None of the supporting cast or characters fare any better (and I do mean NONE). I mentioned the deflated Rhodes who can’t muster a spark of energy or charisma. Everyone else is cranked up too high – the overly oblivious Kal, the overly ruthless Azalia, the overly haughty Ray. And then there’s Mea’s friend, Jimmy (RonReaco Lee), one of the worse private investigators you’ll find in a movie. But again, the cast can only do so much with such a dreadful script. And Perry’s direction routinely puts them in positions that no amount of good acting could overcome. “Mea Culpa” is now streaming on Netflix.