JASMINE's THOUGHTS on Dune (2021)

Genre:

Action/Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama

Rating:

PG-13

Release Date:

October 21, 2021

Run Time:

2 hrs 35mins

Directed by:

Denis Villeneuve

Based on the novel Dune by:

Frank Herbert

Screenplay by:

Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts

Production Co.:

Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Entertainment, Villeneuve Films

Distribution Co.:

Warner Bros. Pictures, HBO Max

Social Media:

     

Cast:

Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac,Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Dave Bautista

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) directs Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Dune,” the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestselling book.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Villeneuve directed “Dune” from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth based on the novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. Villeneuve also produced the film with Mary Parent, Cale Boyter and Joe Caracciolo, Jr. The executive producers are Tanya Lapointe, Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present “Dune”.

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

Wow! What an epic film... AND, it is the only part one! The cinematography was amazing. The story was compelling and intense. AND... Oh my goodness!!! The worms.... WHOA! 😲 It was impressive! The whole time I was watching this first part, I kept replaying the Dune 1984 film in my head. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to make a comparison between the two films. I enjoyed this 2021 film, and it was just the "tip of the iceberg" into the Dune Saga. I have to admit that while not comparing this to the 1984 movie, I found some similarities in some scenes. And... It was great! Ha! Moreover, this 2021 version is not trying to cram the entire book into about two hours, and was giving viewers more details. And, that's what I really enjoyed about this 2021 version. Although the 1984 version is probably a cult classic for me, I am also loving this 2021 film.

I was absolutely blown away with the beautiful cinematography and costumes. With a strong and fascinating story, I was in complete wonder watching the story of Dune being laid out in this first part of the film series. I love when film adaptations of books get made as close to the book as possible. Although I haven't read the book series... yet, I have watched other film adaptations of books not "following" the book (that I have read), and was ruined by it. I will have to read Dune to find out... Ha! Other than that, Dune was well worth the 2 hours and 35 minutes to watch this captivating and entertaining film adaptation. And... I am so looking forward to watching the next parts in the Dune Saga.

Yup! It is only the beginning!

My rating:

JASMINE's THOUGHTS on Malignant (2021)

Genre:

Horror/Crime/Mystery/Thriller

Rating:

R

Release Date:

September 10, 2021

Run Time:

1 hr 51 mins

Directed by:

James Wan

Production Co.:

Atomic Monster/Boom Entertainment/Boom! Studiow

Distribution Co.:

Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema/HBO Max

Social Media:

   

Cast:

Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, Jake Abel

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

“Malignant” is the latest creation from “Conjuring” universe architect James Wan (“Aquaman,” “Furious 7”). The film marks director Wan’s return to his roots with this new original horror thriller.

In the film, Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.

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*My Thoughts*

Well, hmmm... It wasn't great. it wasn't bad. It has its ample amount of scares and twist. It was entertaining. I did enjoy watching it. There is such an abundant mix of movie tropes that it's not hard to miss. I guess that's what made it so different and entertaining. I did enjoy the creativity of the twist in the plot.

Not much else to say about this. Malignant was just an "meh" movie. Fans of horror/slasher movies will either enjoy it or not. Either way, I found Malignant fun to watch and creative with that twist-y plot.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

Genre:

Mystery/Thriller/Horror

Rating:

R

Release Date:

June 4, 2021

Run Time:

1 hr 52 mins

Directed by:

Michael Chaves

Screenplay by:

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick

Story by:

James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick

Based on the Characters Created by:

Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes

Production Co.:

New Line Cinema

Atomic Monster

Safran Company

Distribution Co.:

Warner Bros. Pictures

HBO Max

Social Media:

   

Cast:

Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ruairi O'Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, Julian Hilliard, John Noble, Eugenie Bondurant, Steve Coulter, Shannon Kook, Vince Pisani

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.

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*My Thoughts*

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It involved law, reality, and the demons or themes that when combined piqued my interest. It was based upon events from the 1981 trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson. In 1981, the Warrens were working on the case of a demonically possessed David Glatzel, Johnson’s brother-in-law. Arne, seeing that his fiancée’s brother was in pain, invited David’s demon into himself setting off the events of the movie. The atmosphere was consistently sinister by using religious symbolism, contrasting lighting, dark hallways, ominous soundtracks, and creepy glowing eyes. Throughout the movie, there wasn’t a moment to breath or take a break because the demon continued to haunt Arne and the Warrens which led to the central culprit who released the demon into the world, an occultist who become fascinated and obsessed with the Disciples of the Ram. To a new person watching a movie from The Conjuring universe, The Devil Made Me Do It was easy to follow despite jumping from scenes between Arne in prison and the Warrens who were investigating in Massachusetts. Ed and Lorraine Warren were pushed to their physical and spiritual limits as they collected evidence of demonic activity and save Arne’s soul from the demon. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It surpassed its predecessors as it not only had well timed scares but an engaging story for those interested in biblical studies or demonology.

 

The only regrettable thing in this movie is the demon being a throw away character. The demon isn’t named or given a chance to show its true form. It is an entity that could have taken a life of its own but disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Godzilla vs. Kong 2021

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Genre:

Action/Science Fiction/Thriller

Rating:

PG-13

Release Date:

March 31, 2021

Run Time:

1 hr 53 mins

Directed by:

Adam Wingard

Screenplay by:

Eric Pearson & Max Borenstein

Story by:

Terry Rossio, Michael Dougherty, & Zach Shields

Production Co.:

Legendary Pictures

Distribution Co.:

Warner Bros. Pictures & Legendary Pictures

Social Media:

   

Stream it now on HBO Max

Cast:

Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall,  Brian Tyree Henry, Julian Dennison, Kyle Chandler, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Demián Bichir

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes the long-awaited face-off between two icons in the epic adventure “Godzilla vs. Kong,” directed by Adam Wingard.

Legends collide in “Godzilla vs. Kong” as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans—instigated by unseen forces—is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.

The film stars Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies,” “The Little Drummer Girl”), Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”), Rebecca Hall (“Christine,” “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Joker,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”), Shun Oguri (“Weathering with You”), Eiza González (“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”), Julian Dennison (“Deadpool 2”), with Kyle Chandler (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”) and Demián Bichir (“The Nun,” “The Hateful Eight”).

Wingard (“The Guest,” “You’re Next”) directed from a screenplay by Eric Pearson (“Thor: Ragnarok”) and Max Borenstein (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “Kong: Skull Island”), story by Terry Rossio (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”) and Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”), based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO CO., LTD. The film was produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod, Jon Jashni, Thomas Tull and Brian Rogers, with Jay Ashenfelter, Herbert W. Gains, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira executive producing.

The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Ben Seresin (“The Mummy,” “World War Z”), production designers Owen Paterson (“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Godzilla”) and Thomas S. Hammock (“Blair Witch”), editor Josh Schaeffer (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”), costume designer Ann Foley (“Skyscraper”) and visual effects supervisor John “DJ” DesJardin (upcoming “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”).

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, A Film By Adam Wingard, “Godzilla vs. Kong.” The film will be released nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX on March 31, 2021 and will be available in the U.S. on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release. It is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of creature violence/destruction and brief language.

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*My Thoughts*

The point of view is that you are here for the monster fights and you wouldn’t be wrong in doing so. Godzilla vs Kong is visually stunning and entertaining. The fighting is elaborate with a sense of natural flow on either side of the battle. My favorite parts are Kong’s facial expressions. His face said everything that is needed without speech or even sign language. Things like sorrow, fear, and rage are easily interpreted. Godzilla reminds me of one giant cat, one that is tired of humanity’s shit but puts up with it anyway because he’s the only one allowed to be the best Titan. But the visuals were the only good thing about the movie. The plot is predictable simply from viewing the trailers and there is little to no character development throughout the one hundred and fifty-three-minute movie. If anything else came out of Godzilla vs Kong, it is that this movie opens a doorway to a new Kong universe to explore.

My rating:

JASMINE's THOUGHTS on Zack Snyder's Justice League 2021

Genre:

Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Science Fiction

Drama

Rating:

R

Release Date:

March 18, 2021

Run Time:

4 hrs 2 mins

Based on the Characters by:

DC Comics

Directed by:

Zack Snyder

Story by:

Zack Snyder, Chris Terrio, Will Beall

Screenplay by:

Chris Terrio

Producers:

Deborah Snyder, Charles Roven

Production Co.:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Distribution Co.:

HBO Max

Social Media:

   

Cast:

Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane 

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

Determined to ensure Superman’s sacrifice was not in vain, Batman and Wonder Woman recruit Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash to form an unprecedented league of heroes to save the planet from the catastrophic threat of Darkseid, Steppenwolf & DeSaad.

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This Review contains NO spoilers

So... It has been a few days since watching Zack Snyder's Justice League. And now, after taking a few days to mull over what I had watched, I think I can put my thoughts on this movie down in this review. But, one thing I will not do is compare it to the 2017 Justice League theatrical release.

I really enjoyed this "version" of Justice League. It felt whole. Each of these superheroes stories were told which further built that character development. It just made the story tie and flow together. What I also liked was that this 4 hour 2 minute film was broken into parts or chapters. The break up made for a flow of the storyline that made sense. It was like each "chapter" was telling and setting up for the next. It was visually magnificent masterpiece!

Of course, the length of the film made for a long movie night. At least, we were able to pause for intermission... Haha! But, this was the story that I was waiting for in continuing the story of these superheroes. Be it 4 hours long or 2 hours long, the movie should satisfy viewers/fans. And, I was definitely satisfied with Zack Snyder's Justice League in telling the story for each of them: Cyborg, Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman. Oh... Can't forget we got our first look at another soon-to-be Justice League member, too. 

It was so worth the wait to get this version out. And, it was so worth the 4 hours 2 minutes. 😁Thank you to all the fans for fighting for this. Thank you to Zack Snyder for completing this and allowing fans to see his vision of the Justice League.

Bottom line... I really enjoyed this amazing and stunning film. So, yeah, I am so fan gushing on this movie. Zack Snyder's Justice League told so much with it's well developed characters and narratives. There is so much more to tell, too. And... This is just the beginning for the Justice League! This was just beautiful! So damn worth the 4 hours 2 minutes of it!

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Wonder Woman 1984 (WW84) 2020

Genre:

Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Rating:

PG-13

Release Date in theaters and HBO Max:

December 25 2020

Run Time:

2 hrs 31 mins

Directed by:

Patty Jenkins

Based on the Characters by:

DC Comics

Screenplay Writtten by:

Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, David Callaham

Story by:

Patty Jenkins & Geoff Johns

Executive Producers:

Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Wesley Coller 

Producers:

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones

Production Co.:

Atlas Entertainment

DC Comics

DC Entertainment

Stone Quarry Production

Warner Bros.

Distribution Co.:

Warner Bros.

Social Media:

   

Cast:

Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielson, Robin Wright

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah.

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*My Thoughts*

“The 80’s never dies,” is what I would like to say.

 

Wonder Woman 1984 is an action, adventure movie based upon the poplar DC comics character, Diana Prince. This movie is phenomenal in which it contains multiple character inner conflicts that tie together. It didn’t feel like a traditional or linear story line. To start, a glimpse of Diana Prince’s childhood is played in the form of an athletic competition. Here Diana is taught a lesson about truth and sincerity. Skip ahead and Diana lives a normal life. She lives in solitude until she meets coworker Dr. Barbara Minerva, a rather awkward but warm and friendly woman. Through her, the movie begins to build suspense when Maxwell "Max Lord" Lorenzano decides to enter their workplace at the Smithsonian and become friendly with Dr. Minerva. He steals the Dreamstone which connects these three characters and acts as the catalyst of the movie. It is a gift from the gods that grants the holder any one wish, but like every tale in mythology and lore, all magic comes with a price.

 

Wonder Woman 1984 packs a lot of information into its one hundred and one-minute run time. Each of the three aforementioned characters wishes for something deeply rooted in their insecurities and pasts; three simple wishes turn into a worldwide catastrophe. Diana, who is still grieving the loss of Steve Trevor, wishes for more time with him. Dr. Minerva wishes to feel less inadequate and to be more amazing, to be special. Which brings us down to Max Lord who is a rather predictable con artist and antagonist. Throw in the dream of becoming important and respectable, these three wishes create a domino effect that involves the wish of every person on the planet. Even with these different stories playing together, they can be intertwined into one final showdown.

 

The fallacy of WW84 would have to be that the deuteragonists, also antagonists, seem shallow. They don’t hold a candle to their comic book counterparts. A younger Max Lord came from an abusive father, poverty, and he was often bullied for it; hence, his desire for riches and greatness. Barbara is intelligent and sweet but desires more strength and beauty. She is timid and cannot even garner the attention of her male coworkers but will get the attention of a drunkard in the middle of the night. In the end, they are defeated and their loss leaves much to be desired. Max and Dr. Minerva are skimmed over, like they won’t be seen again.

 

WW84 is also an interesting movie because of the subtle messages it places into the plot. Dr. Minerva and Max represents feelings of self-consciousness and loathing, the desire to take the easy way out of a difficult situation. Diana represents a knowledgeable, courageous, but not infallible woman that anyone can aspire to become. She is a creation of Zeus and raised to be a warrior, but she is still susceptible to grief and loneliness and it shows. Her wish costs her godly powers, diminishing her strength throughout the movie until she realizes that she needs to let go and the lesson her aunt Antiope had taught her years ago comes circling back. Truth and sincerity play a major role in the climax and final fight. The world’s people may wish for something that they desire, but everyone simply can’t get what they want without causing more pain and chaos. Diana brings this lesson from her past into the present and teaches it to the world. How she does it exactly should be left for the viewer to find out.

My rating: