Blockbuster Drama

“Dune”

By Brett_G on

7.3

The prodigal son is cast out into the desert. Let me guess, for 40 days?

Yes, the Jesus metaphor is that on the nose for all 3 hours of the runtime.

I went into this film expecting spectacle, and spectacle I got. All three stories of the IMAX screen were bathed in the cinematic beauty of this film. The score crafted by the masterful Hans Zimmer thundering through my chest… all for me to leave the theater underwhelmed and confused. Similar to the “Hobbit” series, “Dune” attempted to be too careful not to overwhelm the audience with lore and instead errors on the side of feeling ultimately empty. The disbelief and shock on my face when I was greeted with “Part 1” immediately after the title flashed across the screen must have been a sight to see.

This cake is all frosting. Somewhere between “Star Wars” and “Mad Max,” the world they build is breathtaking. Then there’s nothing really behind the curtain. I felt like they were trying to avoid the cramped confusion of the cult-classic original film adaptation and overcorrected.

If you don’t care about the story, have at it. Just don’t disrespect it by watching on a TV or, God forbid, a mobile device. Highly recommend the most massive screen possible for the spectacle factor. Here’s to, I guess, hoping there’s enough box office success for them to fill in the gaps in part 2.

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Shudder Suspense/Thriller

“Superhost”

By Brett_G on

6.4

I haven’t wanted protagonists to die this bad in a long time. I was rooting for Rebecca the whole time. The story was pretty predictable and over the top, but wonderfully done. The film is incredibly aware of itself, and leans into it in all the right ways.

Pro tip: Don’t stay in an AirBnB when the host seems a little “off,” there are cameras covering the place like a casino gaming floor, and the basement is locked with little to no explanation. Just because they cook you breakfast doesn’t mean bad things aren’t going to happen.

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Amazon Prime Horror/Thriller Streaming

“Eaten Alive”

By Brett_G on

5.1

“A new horror classic” for all of the wrong reasons.

This was somewhere between painful to watch and laughable. It misses the mark that the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” nailed. It succeeds in making the viewer uncomfortable, but not much else. The alligator is an interesting creature choice, and could have been great on the heels of JAWS’s success, but this film didn’t quite have the budget, directorial direction, or intent as that legendary series. If it resembles any of them, it’s the ridiculousness of “JAWS: The Revenge.” Grindhouse filmmaking at its finest!

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Horror/Thriller

“Candyman” (2021)

By Brett_G on

7.6

If you enjoyed the original, you’ll enjoy this one.

They dive deeper into the lore of Candyman and into the psychological connection between a community and the myths they pass down through generations. Jordan Peele was involved, so you know it will be time well spent in the theater. The originality of the kills was a nice change from the typical horror movies lately. Very Freddy Krueger-esque at times. Where you’re not quite sure which reality you’re currently standing in and witnessing. That instability keeps you on the edge of your seat and attempting to look around corners before the camera does. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II nailed the manic paranoia of the character being drawn into Candyman’s grip. He went all-in, and it pays dividends in how captivating he is on-screen. He keeps you invested in going deeper into the insanity of the story. Very well done and well worth a watch!

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Drama HBO

“Many Saints of Newark”

By Brett_G on

6.7

If there was such a thing as a “Goodfellas” cover band… this would be it.

They check off all of the boxes for “making a mob movie,” but with little to no creativity. Almost purely riding the coattails of the legendary series. It was cool that they cast Michael Gandolfini to play Tony Soprano, but that was about all of the novelty you get here.

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