Dune: Part Two released

Dune: Part Two Released: February 6, 2024 Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Genre: sci-fi Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 282.14 Worldwide: 714.64 Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: -- Worldwide: --

Directing: Denis Villenueve Screenwriting: Denis Villenueve, Jon Spaihts Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken Review: When director Denis Villenueve took on the daunting task of adapting Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 sci-fi novel Dune, he made the wise choice to stretch the complicated story line over two movies. The first movie, released in 2021 (see that review here), focused on the House Atreides arrival on the planet Arrakis and the assassination of their leader, Duke Leto. That forced his son, Paul (Chalamet) and his mother (Ferguson) to retreat to the desert and the primitive world of its native people, the Fremen. That leaves the second part to focus on Paul ingratiating himself into the Fremen’s way of life, being accepted by their leader Stilgar (Bardem) and becoming romantically entangled with Chani (Zendaya). Paul finds himself at the center of a prophecy to become a messiah figure for the Fremen as he rises up to lead the attack against the House Harkonnen responsible for killing his father. Like the original story, the movie focuses on the danger of charismatic leaders who become too power-hungry. In Paul’s bid to oppose the evil Harkonnen’s, there is a lingering threat that he could also succumb to the same temptations. The movie does tend to subscribe to the “‘natives good, white colonialists evil’ narrative” RN in depicting Fremen culture “as largely good, its problems caused almost entirely by evil outsiders.” RN For example, the book depicts the Fremen as a hierarchical, male-led society but the movie downplays these aspects. Regardless of any reservations about the movie, the result is “an impressive film version of one of the most famous of all science fiction novels.” RN “The acting, storytelling, and visual images are all top notch.” RN Sources: RN Reason.com movie review by Ilya Somin WK Wikipedia

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Eras: Oscars: Wins: ? Nominations: 5, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects Lists: First posted 3/2/2025.

Dune (part one) released

Dune Released: September 3, 2021 Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Genre: sci-fi Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 108.90 Worldwide: 410.67 Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: -- Worldwide: --

Directing: Denis Villenueve Screenwriting: Denis Villenueve, Jon Spaihts, Eric Roth Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista Review: Frank Herbert’s 1965 epic sci-fi novel Dune was first adapted to the screen in “a fatally flawed 1984 version” GN from director David Lynch. It was adapted into a television mini-series in 2000. After Legendary Pictures acquired the rights to Dune in 2016, Denis Villenueve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) signed on to direct. The story focuses on the House Atreides, led by the Duke (Isaac), and their move to the desert planet of Arrakis which is the sole source of the universe’s valuable spice. The House Harkonnen, led by the Baron (Skarsgård), had previously been in control and plots to take down the House Atreides. After the Duke is assassinated, his son, Paul (Chalamet) and his mother (Ferguson) flee to the desert where they are taken in by the desert natives known as the Fremen. Villenueve offers an “astonishing visual sensibility” GN to a “novel that has become part of the fabric of popular science fiction.” GN There are “explosive action sequences and a booming Hans Zimmer score, but there are also low-key moments.” GN In a savvy casting move, multiple successful franchises are tapped for signature actors, including Issacs (Star Wars), Marvel movies (Brolin, Bautista), and DC Comics (Mamoa). Given the huge scope of the story, Denis Villenueve “sensibly tackles only manageable section of the story,” GN leaving the rise of Paul as a Messiah figure to a sequel released in 2024. See the review of Part Two here. Sources: GN The Guardian movie review by Mark Kermode WK Wikipedia

Awards/Honors/Lists: Eras: Oscars: Wins: 6. Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects. Nominations: 10, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling Lists: First posted 3/2/2025.

Avengers: Endgame caps off the first phase of the Marvel Universe

Avengers: Endgame Released: April 26, 2019 Studio: Disney Genre: super hero Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 858.30 Worldwide: 2799.44 Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 934.68 Worldwide: 3165.00

Directing: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Screenwriting: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin Review: This is a movie that was “designed to be the most blockbuster of all the blockbusters.” BT “It’s an epic cultural event” BT about “rewarding commitment, fandom, and expectations.” BT It features “familiar faces from over 20 other movies.” BT It “elevates its most iconic heroes to the legendary status they deserve.” BT “It’s hard to see serious MCU fans walking away from this disappointed…It’s a satisfying end to a chapter…that will be hard to top for pure spectacle.” BT The story picks up where 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War left off: the villain Thanos got all six of the Infinity Stones and used them to “wipe out half of existence, including beloved heroes like Black Panther, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man.” BT The remaining heroes are left to find a way to reverse the destruction wrought by Thanos. This is “a more focused piece than Infinity War…It’s a more patient, focused film, even as its plot draws in elements of a dozen other movies.” BT There is “a sense of looking back instead of merely tring to set the table for something to come.” BT It revisits the charm of the first Avengers movie “in which strong personalities were allowed to bounce off each other instead of just feeling like they were strapped into a rollercoaster headed in the same direction.” BT “It also allows space for some of the best acting work in the franchise, particularly from Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.” BT as Captain America and Iron Man respectively. Endgame “provides the MCU’s two most popular heroes the story arc they deserve instead of just drowning them in a sea of cameos.” BT Sources: BT Brian Tallerico (4/24/2019)

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Box Office: Oscars: Wins: 0 Nominations: 1 – Best Visual Effects First posted 5/26/2023.

 

No Country for Old Men the Best PIcture Oscar-winning deconstruction of the classic Western, released

No Country for Old Men Released: November 9, 2007 Studio: Miramax Genre: crime/film noir/western Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 74.28 Worldwide: -- Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: -- Worldwide: 111.05

Directing: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Screenwriting: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin Review: Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen deliver “there best film since FargoPD They “didn’t let the dense prose of Cormac McCarthy inhibit them from faithfully adapting No Country for Old Men,” ST a “thriller about a drug deal gone to hell and an ensuing manhunt into a staggering deconstruction of the classic Western.” PD The movie “is a tension-ratcheting, 1980 Texas-set chase movie” E18 in which “a man (Josh Brolin) comes upon $2 million in missing drug money and soon finds himself being hunted by a ruthless killer (Javier Bardem).” ST “Terrific performances bring every character even further to life.” ST Bardem “makes an awesome villiain;” E18 his “chilling killer Anton Chigurh, [is] often cited as the most realistic depiction of a psychopath in film history.” PD “Pitch-black modern themes and characteristically gorgeous Roger Deakins cinematography linger in the mind.” PD Sources: E18 Empire (3/20/2018). “The 100 Greatest Movies” PD Parade.com (5/22/2023). “…We Ranked the 100 Best Movies of All Time!” by Samuel R. Murrian ST Stacker.com (4/14/2023). “100 Best Movies of All Time” by Jacob Osborn

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Genre Lists: Awards: Oscars: Wins: 4 – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Bardem), Best Adapted Screenplay Nominations: 8 – including Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing Lists: Hall of Fames: Experts’ Picks: First posted 6/9/2023; last updated 3/5/2025.