I've wanted to read the novels and see this film as well as the SciFi Channel's late 1990s
Dune miniseries for a long time.
So, having no time to read for pleasure, I rented the extended cut of this film from Netflix. The opening sequence had obviously been tacked on as extra prologue/exposition, because it was a series of paintings with a voice over that sought to explain EVERYTHING at the very beginning. It would have been forgivable if not for its rushed nature and the incomprehensible names, planets, and terms tossed around with no frame of reference. At least "Mordor" and "Gollum" are names I could spell out phonetically...
Needless to say I was asleep before the prologue was finished.
Upon its release, critic Roger Ebert gave
Dune one star out of four and wrote "This movie is a real mess, an incomprehensible, ugly, unstructured, pointless excursion into the murkier realms of one of the most confusing screenplays of all time."
Needless to say, despite my initial encounter with the film and Mr. Ebert's blurb, I am always intrigued when a director tries to tackle an epic from literature, and while they tend to fail miserably, perhaps with
Dune having no love or familiarity with the source, I'll find something redeeming ina film with a troubled production history and generally negative reviews.
A movie by Tim Burton about the man who was voted the "Worst Director in Film History"? Sounds good! Starring Johnny Depp as the infamous Edward D. Wood, Jr., Ed Wood is really a fun movie to watch. Wood's unstoppable optimism and clear and complete lack of talent and ability make for an extremely enjoyable watch.
Although it is obviously an extremely romanticized account of the killers and robbers, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, this movie was an extremely enjoyable watch. All the acting, from the likes of Dunaway, Beatty, Hackman, and Pollard, was absolutely top-notch. The directing was excellent as well, and brought about a clear picture of Depression-era times. The ending was perhaps one of the most violent and, somehow, cathartic of any movie I've seen.
After seeing that Penelope Cruz won the Oscar for "Best Supporting Actress" for her work in this film, and that it was directed and written by Woody Allen, I decided to give it a shot. Definitely not the type of film I typically enjoy (or even watch), but this movie really wasn't bad at all. The Wes Anderson-esque narration of the film was a nice touch.
I've wanted to read the novels and see this film as well as the SciFi Channel's late 1990s Dune miniseries for a long time.
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this movie. The film has earned praise and award nominations galore, and at the same time, the subject matter of the film did not appeal to me. However, the presence of Philip Seymour Hoffman in this film made me finally decide to see it. And I'm so glad that I did.
Written by and starring Woody Allen, this movie is, quite simply, hilarious. Allen's deadpan, self-deprecating humor is right on. His supporting cast is pretty funny as well. If you're someone who enjoys Allen's brand of humor and can watch and enjoy a Woody Allen movie without thinking about Woody-Allen-the-person-in-real-life, then this movie is highly recommended.
Following on the heels of the excellent 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later picks up 28 weeks after the initial outbreak of the rage virus on the British mainland. The infected have all died of starvation, and, with the help of the U.S. military, the island is being re-populated.
