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Reviews
Dune: Part Two (2024)
A Completely Ravishing Sci-Fi Experience.
I have no idea....what's truly going on behind the scenes in today's Hollywood. I feel that there are entities that constantly devalue the true art and passion that filmmaking exudes. It feels like lots of studios have and are slowly forgetting how much one film can change the world.
However, I now feel that there still is hope for genre-filmmaking on a holistic level.
Dune: Part Two is one of the most palpably remarkable film experiences I have had in my entire twenty-one years of living so far. It was an experience that had my soul held captive. Between this and Across The Spider-Verse, we have pure evidence that the traditional elements of genre-filmmaking/storytelling can truly be deconstructed.
On a thematic and narrative level, you really feel the different types of esoteric fanaticism on planet Arrakis that every character has in the film. The unanimous dynamic between knowledge and belief. Perhaps, even a blatant satirical allegory toward religion in today's society. Fear of the unknown reigns supreme....across several houses and planets. And you feel almost every ounce of bleak, touching weight that it carries across the board. The screenplay/writing is superb in that aspect already.
But, those tangible, richly poignant emotions you get from the story could not be done without the monumental visuals and career-defining performances. Cinematographer Greg Fraiser has seriously outdone himself here. Some of the shots in this movie, specifically from the first and final acts, were just extraordinary. Plenty of shots you can frame on a wall or in an exhibition, and not have a single regret about doing so.
Without Denis Villeneuve's complementary directing (and writing) skills, these ideas and layers would not be able to realize their full vision. Villeneuve is someone who really knows how to make something fantastical and pseudo feel extremely intimate and real. He's almost...like a hybrid between Kurosawa....and Kubrick. The battle sequences/hand-to-hand combat are visceral, and some of the best in modern filmmaking. The production design is god-tier in its details. The special effects might feature some of the most revolutionary CGI work to date, I think. The mix of natural and artificial lighting is completely gorgeous. The score by Hans Zimmer is sublime, moving, eargasmic, and euphoric.
However, the biggest compliment is must give this film is the performances. This film, in my opinion, features some career-defining roles from quite a few people. Chalamet is honestly showing range that I would've never expected. Zendaya adds such a wholesome and earthy vibe with her sincere, yet fervent role. Butler is almost unrecognizable as this sadistic emperor-elect who kills people simply out of boredom. Bardem, Ferguson, Skarsgard, Brolin, Pugh, Walken even. Every actor in this film falls into their roles and you feel it.
Those aspects of the film are one thing. The true standout here is the execution of the story. Dune was initially a novel written by Frank Herbert in 1965. The mid-60s. People read this book and considered it for filmmaking, with it then being labeled as "impossible to film" for decades. An attempt was made in 1984, has a big cult following, but I am not a fan of how that film holds up. The first Dune from 2021, and now this movie (along with Across the Spider-Verse), are showing you that what feels impossible can always....be possible. We take a deep, deconstructive dive into the fanaticism, verisimilitude, mysticism, prophecy, and lore here on all fronts. It's so thought-provoking, impactful, and maybe a bit scary.
Dune: Part Two is a magnificent, uncanny, ravishing film experience. Everything from the first film is amplified to the tenth power. It is organic on a different level. It is one of the most compelling and thematically rich dramas, masquerading as a modern blockbuster. A cautionary tale about messianic figures wrapped up in esoteric dystopia. It feels like a reality check and an expressionist film all in one. In 1977, we got our first taste of the primal blockbuster. In 2024, I believe we got our first taste of the contemporary blockbuster.
Not only will this be considered one of the best sequels of all time, but this will also be considered one of the best movies ever made. I cried 3 times. I cannot recommend Dune: Part Two enough.
The Flash (2023)
Not Every Problem Has A Solution.
Speaking of which, my cons for this film lie within some of the visual effects and certain aspects of the story. There are plenty of times throughout where I could definitely see the green screen and the artificiality of the CGI. I also feel that the more I sit down and marinate on parts of the story/screenplay, the more messy they can get.....
....and most of it IS spoilers regarding this film AND the overall DCEU timeline (which I won't reveal).
With all that being said, though, I do think The Flash is one of the better superhero/comic-book films in recent memory. It's fairly consistent with the story it wants to tell and does add some profound emotional gravitas that I was quite... proud of. The action sequences (despite some iffy special effects) were really fun and lively. The humor mostly lands and I laughed my ass off in specific scenes. Andy Muschietti proves himself to be a great genre-fluid director with some notably gorgeous framing compositions & unanimously great performances.
Benjamin Wallfisch's score is phenomenal, by the way. I thought was hearing Danny Elfman at first. That's how good it is.
Controversies regarding Ezra Miller aside, that is someone who can truly carry a film on their own. In the case of this film, it's a difficult performance to translate to the big screen. There are two incarnations of Barry Allen in this film (which is revealed in the trailers), and dual roles are usually challenging. But, Ezra Miller does it so effortlessly, and I have to give credit where credit is due.
I appreciate that The Flash has a timely message: you can't always rekindle or rewrite mistakes and tragedies in your past. It's in the past for a reason, and no matter how much you wanna alter it, those things can't always be altered. That is a real aspect of life, despite it being displayed through the lens of the superhero genre. It captures the true beauty of this character through said message.
Lastly, I'm proud to say that the superhero films we've gotten in recent memory have not used the multiverse trope just for gimmicks.
After what almost feels like countless decades of this film being in development hell, and even despite its flaws, The Flash (to me) is largely a worthy accomplishment.
See this one in theaters, too.
The Batman (2022)
A New, Seasoned Start for the Caped Crusader
Matt Reeves' The Batman is such a hyper-realistic and a thoroughly nuanced approach to the caped crusader we all know and love.
For me, it didn't quite reach such olympian heights that most people have raved about since its release. The film does meander a bit in the first to second act, and is very meticulous in the portrait it is trying to carve. Not just for the portrait of Batman and Bruce Wayne, but for the portrait of Gotham City in and of itself. And that can be to the film's fault...at times.
However, this film emphasizes the goth in Gotham (if you get what I'm saying).
The performances across the board are all fantastic, the cinematography is pure exotic bliss, the score by Michael Giacchino might be on of the best scores I've ever heard, the film doesn't even feel remotely close to three hours, the writing is seasoned yet nuanced, and the direction by Matt Reeves is... trendsetting.
The Batman establishes a brand new motif on the legendary character in ways we never could've imagined on the big screen. It's a neo-noir, political detective thriller, basked in the ambience of Gotham City through the eyes of the Bat. The filmmaking itself is like the perfect marriage of Fritz Lang and David Fincher, through a shiny altar. Even with my flaws, this film is not to be missed.
All the talk about Twilight talk about Robert Pattinson will cease.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
Satire and sci-fi class in its purest form.
In my opinion, the BIGGEST surprise of this entire year.
I did not expect to be so incredibly invested and satisfied with the end result of The Matrix Resurrections.
Sure, the film has its duds....but what film doesn't?
This film is not only a respectful product of its predecessors, it's also quite the exuberant, satirical, and rejuvenating entry for stories and characters we've grown to love.
Thank you, Lana Wachowski.
Eavesdropping on the Elders (2020)
A short film with an epic canvas.
"Intelligence rules the world, ignorance carries the burden."
My dear cousin, Kiah Clingman, co-wrote and co-directed this short film. Anytime I see reflections of myself on screen, regardless if they're family or not, I always support. Our stories should be told more often. Our stories should also be presented to the masses every chance we get. It's all due to the fact that we have so much history and lore within our community. Eavesdropping on the Elders is a prime example of that.
I really admire the fact that this film highlights the personal struggles of our main character (Kiah Clingman). Her father struggles with ALS and she's overwhelmed with distractions. So much to where she becomes almost oblivious to her educational future. However, something rather....unforeseen occurs. I won't give away too much, but our main character finds herself in a spiritual dilemma with her ancestors.
From the trailer alone, I fell in love with this concept. Being able to witness our forefathers have discussions and debates through a...modern lens, I'd say. The subject matter/narrative alone is easily my favorite aspect of the film. As an audience member, it literally gives you so much to think about. I also admire that the film examines how difficult it can sometimes be to balance both sides of the coin: the ancestors' side and your side. They're both completely different perspectives. When someone like me, a 19-year-old African-American male, relays their input with my debating ancestors, it may come off as rude.
A lot of people in my generation often lose sight of what has been leveled out for us in the past. We get so caught up in new technology and things like designer outfits. We never pay much attention to how we can maintain financial growth and freedom on our own. With our main character's dilemma, we see her progress from a headstrong college student to a rising successor. People like her father have given so much to our community, but with nothing in return. As a result, it slowly becomes our responsibility to fill in those gaps.
From a filmmaking standpoint, I could tell that everyone who participated on and off-screen were on one accord. Everything was put together in a very professional and tasteful manner. Kiah's entire dilemma felt believable and in-the-moment from each scene. It was almost like I was sucked into everything, the same way she was. Lastly, there's some really nice visual storytelling near the end that I believe speaks volumes.
In all honesty, I do wish this story had a bit more depth to it. In that way, I feel it'd be more authentic. We have a story that many people can relate to, and we have a story that is very easy to follow. I really think if there was more to latch onto and much more to take away, the film's impact would be more wholesome.
With all my issues aside, Eavesdropping on the Elders still managed to be a thought-provoking and heartwarming short film. It's pretty amazing how a film of this length can spark so many long conversations an debates. It shows the contrast between young and old in the most tasteful way possible. Not only does it realize the perks of being young, it also realizes the importance of our origins. This is why our stories need to be told. This is why our stories need to be shown.