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Film reviews

Dune: Part Two Review

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“A longstanding dream of mine is to adapt Dune, but it’s a long process to get the rights, and I don’t think I will succeed.”

-Denis Villeneuve.

An exhilarating and unforgettable experience continued. Dune: Part Two defines the craft of cinematic filmmaking from writer and director Denis Villeneuve. Not only is the writing invigorating, but the film is a fantastic continuation filled with fascinating moving parts. I remember reading a condensed version of the novel back in middle school. Dune: Part Two focuses like a book with components that make the film feel like an exploration of literary devices. The direction of protagonists and antagonists is a visionary tale that creates an atmosphere that is surreal for its audience. Villeneuve has accomplished his dream and is a director of expert craftsmanship which resulted in an unparalleled and vibrant sci-fi adventure. The setting and futuristic feel is enticing and breathtaking in IMAX. My experience of Dune: Part Two blew me out of the water. Villeneuve’s technical direction of shooting the entire film for IMAX immerses its audience deeply within the story. Further, a rotation of aspect ratios shows what going to the movies is all about.

The first Dune (2021) ended with victory and the expectation that there was more to fulfill. The range of characters in these films creates a story with many levels of dynamics. Timothee Chalamet is Paul Atreides, Zendaya is Chani, Rebecca Ferguson is Jessica, Josh Brolin is Gurney Halleck, Austin Butler is Feyd-Rautha, Florence Pugh is Princess Irulan, Javier Bardem is Stilgar, Dave Bautista is Beast Rabban, Chrisopher Walken is Emperor, Lea Seydoux is Lady Margot Fenning, Souheila Yacoub is Shishakli, Stellar Skarsgard is Baron Harkonen, and Charlotte Rampling is Reverend Mother Mohiam. The ensemble of this cast of characters is of great importance to the film’s foundation which involve new dangers from previous events in the first Dune. However, Dune: Part Two has a whole new level of authority and factors that collide for an adventure that is one of the best experiences yet from Villeneuve.

I recall from the book that the timeline would go back to the 19thcentury. The fascination behind the continuing saga in Dune: Part Two is the result of Villeneuve’s vision and creative mindwhich brings his audience even further into the world of Dune. Villeneuve is faithful to making the fictional setting and the various moving parts sync up with the novel.

The plot of this sci-fi thriller that defines mesmerizing wondersis worth diving into. The film begins with Paul, Jessica, and Chani. They are with the Fremen. With Paul’s victory and powers of evolvement, he seeks revenge. Paul still has the power to see visions into the future. The turmoil he sees motivates him to become a conqueror and stop events from happening. Stilgar trains Paul to fight with their people. Since Paul comes from a high-ranking powerful family, the struggle involves his acceptance of equality. He must learn to do what is right for him given he was the victor in the first film.

Baron Haronken and his nephew Feyd-Rautha are the conquerors and the ones that Paul seeks vengeance with. Paul’s love for Chani is questioned. The fate of the future that Paul envisions is inevitable. He is willing and bound to take risks. While wanting to avenge the death of the ones he loved, he must understand the reality of his choices. Dune: Part Two is a literal and visual experience for the masses. Paul’s dreams still have a mental impact on him. Learning to handle the new ropes heightens the excitement in this film’s uncharted territory. As Paul screams, “SILENCE,” the wrath of his past makes Dune: Part Two an amazing and unforgettable experience. Rage, power, corruption, and politics are at the boiling point in this sensational film. Dune: Part Two is a journey of wonders that is pure adrenaline. Four stars!

Film reviews

Miller’s Girl Review

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What is appropriate when it comes to teachers and students? What behaviors cross a line? How awkward or uncomfortable can situations get? In Miller’s Girl boundaries are crossed when there is an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student. When things take a turn for the worst in the story, things become misconstrued as the characterizations and dynamics are an utter mess. Overall, the film’s presentation falls flat. While Miller’s Girl is rich in context and dialogue, the continuity is lacking. There is limited background to explain why the scenarios end up being so dreadful and miscalculated. As someone who respects boundaries, Miller’s Girl was a-disappointment.

The film takes place in a rural Tennessee. Jonathan Miller (played by Martin Freeman) is an English teacher. He is lucky to have his job because the school he works at has difficulties with funding. His friend Boris (played by Bashir Salahuddin) is a science teacher and they both end up in a strange dynamic with two female students. Cairo Sweet (played by Jenny Ortega) and Winnie Black (played by Gideon Aldeon) both have uniquepersonalities with Cairo being stranger. Jonathan assigns Cairo to write a paper about an author that speaks to her. The author she chooses is Henry Miller which is a red flag. This choice is questioned by Jonathan because of the context of the novels written by Miller. There is a level of closeness that Cairo learns about from Winnie. Both girls figure out ways to be seductive for their own benefit. Cairo’s goal is to have her piece grasp a lot of attention to help her have a bright future. This is where the real trouble in the film sets in. The seductive relationship between Jonathan and Cairo crosses boundaries. From this point on, Miller’s Crossing turns into an unbearable mess with poor writing and limited continuity.

The film is poorly displayed, and the connections happen too quickly. The seductive scenes are just thrown in. Even the teachers have poor judgment. The story includes one poor choice after another. Miller’s Girl just keeps repeating the same bad mistakes. To add to the mess, weird personalities overtake the film’s writing. The sole purpose seems to be to expose the stupidity among its characters, including the sexualized brains of the students.

There is a scene where Cairo adapts her essay about Henry Miller and correlates it to the seductive (and inappropriate) experience she had with Jonathan. This is an example of how this movie displays mediocrity at its finest. Comparing a famous author and linking it to a teacher with poor morals seems wrong. Although the basic idea behind this movie had promise, it is the approach it took to become enticing or haunting that failed. Miller’s Girl is not only poorly written but also poorly executed.

The film finds no resolution to any of the foolish conflicts. Although there is some seductive chemistry, it seems rushed. When boundaries are crossed, there are irreparable consequences. The story goes around in circles. In the end, this film was a poor experience because it was disgusting and confused. One out of four stars for Miller’s Girl.

Film reviews

Monolith Review

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I love news stories and am fascinated by the way true stories aretold. Monolith spoke to me because it is both enticing and mind-boggling. Directed by Matt Vesely, this film is unique due to the way in which the characters feel empathy with the story they are researching. The writing is strong and stays on point as it dives into cinematic aspects of realism and human emotions. Monolithis a sci-fi thriller that keeps its audience thinking through thethrills of finding answers and making connections. Monolith speaks the universal language of finding the right pieces to solve a puzzle. The movie showcases how invigorating the work of a journalist can be.

Monolith focuses on The Interviewer played by Lily Sullivan. She is an investigative reporter with a podcast that is titled Beyond Believable which covers crime stories and mysteries. The Interviewer is just getting over some turmoil based on disputes at a previous outlet. She is finding new direction and a new audience when she comes across a story that will change her world forever.

The story involves bricks which are artifacts that have meaningful symbols. The bricks have fallen into the hands of a few individuals who have had past experiences which create an attention-grabbing story for The Interviewer. Sullivan’s role as a reporter is quite keen as she deeply investigates the brick artifacts. Living in her solitary home in the mountains, the revelations about the bricks become her story.

The film’s writing demonstrates that her reporting is no joke. The Interviewer speaks to Floramae (played by Ling Cooper Tang), Klaus (played by Terence Crawford), and Laura (played by Kate Box). They describe how the bricks made them feel powerful and that there have been weird psychological outcomes when the bricks were around them. The process of putting together the pieces is where Monolith shifts gears from serious to surprising. The revelations in the story cause it to blow up and increase the following of the podcast as the number of listeners and comments skyrocket. “I want to expose the truth,” accurately describes Monolith as an investigative thriller where a theory is deeply explored to find meaning.

Monolith is audacious in the way the story goes back to afoundation that is at times overwhelming, descriptive, and theoretical. The power of the artifacts brings darkness to the life of The Interviewer. She is the soul focus because the film is justshows her while everyone she talks to is on the phone. As the truths are unveiled, the safety and anxiety of The Interviewer becomes questionable. Is her research making her the next target? Is someone who has had the artifact targeting her? Does someone wish for negative consequences to impact her?Monolith is a true thriller where there is no turning back.

The film is a reporting story that I found spellbinding. The clues and theories in Monolith lead to a harrowing twist. There is an unexpected revelation in the film that makes the audience shake. My curiosity was piqued with all the interesting evidence revealed—the artifacts, the stories, and the puzzle astonished me. One artifact leads to multiple meanings in Monolith. What is the outcome? Is there a risk or other hidden factors? Is there more to the story? Find out in Monolith. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.