What is The Last Movie You Watched?

[danoblue]

Dune

Lynch Dune is better

[Stavros]

Dune (Frank Herbert, 1965)
Dune (David Lynch, 1984)
Dune (Denis Villleneuve, 2021)

Frank Herbert's ambitious series of six novels begins with Dune, which is set in 10191 and tells the story of two families squabbling over a previous commodity found only on a Desert Planet called Dune. The inhabitants of Dune do not benefit from the trade in 'Spice' or 'Melange' and believe one day a Messiah/Mahdi will come and liberate them from the oppression they have experienced. The main character in this, Paul Atreides is a direct descendent of Agamemnon who led the unified Greek armies against Troy. The book is an object lesson in theft, perhaps when JK Rowling was stealing names and ideas and themes from European literature, she figured 'if Frank Herbert could do it so can I'- even creating a young man who doesn't realize at frst that he has special powers and a special mission to accomplish...yawn....

David Lynch in 1984 attempted to compress all of the first book into one film, thus being forced to leave out a lot of plot and characters, and having to rely on 1980s technology to represent the sandworms, spacecraft etc, but actually does a good job considering the material he has to work with. He also had the benefit of Francesca Annis, in her prime one of the most astonishing beauties on screen, but with a lame hero who never rises to the challenge.

Denis Villeneuve has filmed half the first book, the assumption being Part One will be followed by Part Two -and Three? His hero is as feeble and uninspiring as Lynch's, but the film does offer more detail close to the book, but cannot avoid the bland fact that this is a film that is not really about more than some rival families fighting each other. If there are 'deep' issues in Herbert's book about the power of international finance, a global trade in one precious commodity, and the resonances with the Middle East, Petroleum, and mind control, this film doesn't expore them. And though the desert Planet is supposedly a variation on Iraq, Arrakis could just as well be a merger of the Arabic Arak or the Turkish Raki.

The first link offers a claim that Herbert was influenced by the author Lesley Blanch, as well as obvious lifting from European and Asian literature and religion. The second link goes much deeper into Herbert's background, his hard labour, and the fact that just as Herbert poached from others, others poached from him -there is a checklist of 'similarities' between Dune and Star Wars, for example.

All in all, a disappointing experience, not one I shall be keen to follow. But imagine, after 12,000 years, men are still fighting each other with daggers and swords...

https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/...story-of-dune/

http://www.moongadget.com/origins/dune.html

[Stavros]

Going Clear (Alex GIbney, 2015)

Based on the book by Lawrence Wright, this explores the highs and lows of the universal fraud called Scientology -lots of ology, little or no science. Banned in the UK, it can nevertheless be seen on the internet here-

https://watchdocumentaries.com/going...son-of-belief/

[sukumvit boy]

Going Clear (Alex GIbney, 2015)

Based on the book by Lawrence Wright, this explores the highs and lows of the universal fraud called Scientology -lots of ology, little or no science. Banned in the UK, it can nevertheless be seen on the internet here-

https://watchdocumentaries.com/going...son-of-belief/

Looks interesting ,I read and found Wright's 2013 book to be fascinating.

[Stavros]

This looks like a hoot, so I hope to see it when it is released...if I am still alive!

[sukumvit boy]

The Nutcracker ,the movie 1986
Beautifully done ,happy holidays
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091658/

[Stavros]

Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay, 2021)

Don’t look up, don’t look down, don’t look to the sides, but do look now. Is this a film about climate change or disaster management in the age of Covid? Does it trivialise the important, or expose our fear of fear, causing us to prefer to do nothing as catastrophe looms?

Well, for all its naughty hysteria, over the hill acting, and a supremely unattractive Jennifer Lawrence (but I can confirm female PhD candidates can be sexy and intelligent), it was entertaining, that at least is true.

[corbindallas]

No Time to Die

Even for a Bond film it's an incredibly stupid title. It's like they pulled a word from random ones and were like this makes sense. It doesn't. Worst Craig Bond film by far. Contrived plot and under written villain. Bad send off.

[Stavros]

I Care a Lot (J Blakeson, 2020)

Sarcasm taken to the Nth degree, and if there is one, Rosamund Pike gets the Oscar for smiles...even if they are phoney.

[Stavros]

The Blind Side (John Hancock 2009)

There is a tall building in Chicago named after John Hancock. This version would be a tall story if it were not based on the truth, though the real Michael Oher isn't impressed with it. I don't think films about sport ever make it past the half-way line, or the basket, and this ain't no different. I watched it because I like Sandra Bullock.