Minggu, 23 Januari 2022

Amazon Prime’s REACHER Advance Screening

Did you want to see REACHER, starring Alan Ritchson? Would you like to see it early and free? You’re invited to a free virtual advance screening of the first two episodes of Amazon Studios’ upcoming action-packed TV show, REACHER.  As an added bonus, this screening will include a special pre-recorded ... [Read More]

The post Amazon Prime’s REACHER Advance Screening appeared first on The Movie Blog.



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Sabtu, 22 Januari 2022

Malignant Review: James Wan's Unexpected New Horror Original

 This Malignant review will not contain any SPOILERS .


James Wan . Yes, who is not immediately excited when they hear the name and figure of this Australian horror director? This director of Malaysian descent is always synonymous with original horror works which are really cool.


Or even if it's not horror, the 44-year-old director still makes the films he directs, still looking fantastic. Just look at Aquaman (2018) as one real example. For his involvement, Aquaman at that time succeeded in repairing the image of the DCEU which had already been destroyed in the eyes of critics and fans .


So with this statement, it's no wonder that we too are super excited to welcome Wan's latest original horror work. Some media and critics who have watched it since yesterday, have super mixed responses to Malignant .


So to be honest, it made me, who was a horror film lover since birth, worried. But at the same time I still want to be positive. Because this is JAMES WAN! Is the movie not cool? So how is this cool or not or what? Just take a look at the following Malignannt review .


The Woman Who Always Haunted


Okay, before going into the review , I will first tell you the plot of this film so you don't get confused. Malignant tells the story of a woman named Madison Lake (Annabelle Wallis). She has long been married to her husband, Derek Mitchell (Jake Abel).


Madison is now pregnant. And it was revealed that she had been pregnant several times before, but unfortunately always miscarried. Well one day after he got into an argument with Derek, Madison had a bleeding head.


But somehow even though he had treated the bleeding, the blood was still dripping. Then somehow after the incident, his house always experienced supernatural events.


Yes, you can already guess what supernatural events I mean, such as: the lights flicker, Madison looks like she's seeing a shadowy figure, and mystical "home" events in general.


Well all of this ended with Madison's constant fear and curiosity. Even this incident also led to the death of close relatives and other people around him. Wow, what kind of supernatural event actually happened? Does it have anything to do with Madison?


Super Short Review


Maybe I can say, this Malignant review will be a fairly short film review in the history of Dafunda's review . Why? Because all aspects of this film including the genre of the film are also SPOILERS!


Yes, if you have watched it, you will agree with that statement. In essence, Malignant is better for us to see for ourselves. Anyway, once again, if you've watched it, you'll understand why I'm saying this.


Wan's Newest Original Work That Is Very Unique


Maybe what I can say in this Malignant review is, this film is the most unique original James Wan film. But this uniqueness is not to the taste of all audiences and even Wan fans as usual.


Yes, we do still get the look and feel of the typical horror film Wan. Like the jumpscare angles that make you sweat, the "right" ones (there's something scary when you jumpscare ), and mystery after mystery that makes you curious like detectives until the end of the film.


But at the same time, as the film progresses, we will suddenly feel confused and amazed by the choices that Wan chooses. I guarantee that you will exclaim, “yeah”, “how come”, “what the hell?”, “hmmmm”, “still okay”, “exciting”, and others.


The point is, once again, it will be mixed because some will like it and some will not like Wan's choice. But in the end, for me personally, all the decisions that Wan made still look right, okay, and fun .


Annabelle Wallis the Best Scream Queen Right Now


Do you understand the term scream queen in the horror genre shutter ? Yes, Scream Queen means a horror actress who is considered to have a very good scream. Anyway, when he shouted, we as the audience were also carried away by the danger he was facing.


Or it could also mean, actresses who are subscribed and always cool in horror films.


And names like: Jamie Lee Curtis ( Halloween ), Janet Leigh ( Psycho ), and Neve Campbell ( Scream ), are some examples of scream queens . And in fact, many successful actresses today fall into this category.


But of all, it seems for now, no one beats Annabelle Wallis. Not only does he regularly appear in horror films (especially Wan's films), he also has a fantastic scream or "money" in terms of his entertainment business .


His screaming voice in this film is absolutely fantastic. I guarantee that if he screams like in this film in our house, a neighbor or even a village will come to our house immediately. And to support his cool scream, Wallis' performance in this film is also fantastic.


We can say, his performance as Madison in this film, is the best performance in Wallis career so far.


Still Entertaining Even If Not 100% Perfect


With this Malignant review , we can conclude that this film is not 100% perfect like James Wan's previous original films.


The choices and exploration that he chooses in this film once again, will not suit all fans . So don't expect this and that. A bit low expectations before watching the film. However, Malignant is still very entertaining.


For those of you who are horror fans or Wan fans , or both, you will still find fun entertainment when watching it. Hopefully this Malignant review can give you the right decision whether you want to watch it through the cinema, or via online / streaming only.

Kamis, 20 Januari 2022

Jungle Cruise Review (2021): Much More Fun Than Pirates of the Caribbean

 Maybe this is a super subjective statement. But for me, the hit fantasy film franchise , Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2017), is too complicated for us to digest.



In fact, if we look again, the adventure story of the gokil Rocker pirate Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), has a fun and light concept and premise. But for some reason, the light story looks and feels complicated (complexed).


Moreover, if we remember, the franchise is an adaptation of one of the rides in Disney theme parks. Now seeing this fact, it's no wonder then, I immediately got worried. The reason is, Jungle Cruise is also an adaptation of rides that are also available at Disney theme parks.


But despite feeling traumatized, at the same time I still have super positive hopes. Because first, this isn't Pirates of the Caribbean . Then second, the film features a super charismatic WWE actor and star, The Rock aka Dwayne Johnson.


And oh yeah, besides that, this Jaume Collet-Serra ( Orphan, Run All Night ) film features Emily Blunt ( Mary Poppins Returns ). Whether you're a Blunt fan or not, of course we know that this beautiful actress from London, England is always cool in every appearance.


And it is proven, that optimism produces very beautiful results. So from this statement, we can conclude that Jungle Cruise is a cool film. In fact, better than Pirates of the Caribbean . And yep, this is true.


But before explaining further why the film is cool, let's first look at the plot discussion of the following Jungle Cruise Review .


Pain Cure Flower Leaves

Jungle Cruise is set in 1916 and, tells the story of a botanist, Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt). He was obsessed with convincing all British science academics of the power of Tears of the Moon .


What are Tears of the Moon ? None other than, is a tree whose flower leaves are believed to be able to heal all diseases and various injuries in an instant. Now the reason Lily desperately wants to convince, is so that she can help advance medical personnel in this world.


In addition, he also wanted to help all British soldiers who were fighting on the battlefields of World War 1. However, because of the nature of the tree and its leaves, which clearly looked "naughty" , none of the scientific academics believed or supported Lily's determination. .


But Lily was still determined to prove it. In short, he and his younger brother, MacGregor Houghton (Jack Whitehall) decide to go to the Amazon. This is because, Tears of the Moon are believed to be in that place.


So to get to the Amazon, both of them have to transit in Brazil first. When they arrived in Brazil, they met the captain of the cruise ship , Frank Wolff (Johnson). At first Frank refused to take the two of them. But after going through various dramas and convincing actions here and there, Frank agreed.


However, the two of them certainly did not go as smoothly as they thought. There are just these kinds of obstacles. Not to mention, Lily and Frank often argued with each other during the trip.


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That's not enough, a respected figure from Germany, Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons), is also eyeing his Tears of the Moon . As a result, chases and fights are unavoidable.


Then, how is the continuation of the action of fighting for Tears of the Moon ? Well , just go to your favorite cinema to find out.


Fun and Not Disturbed

As I explained in the first paragraph of this Jungle Cruise review , I say this film is much better than Pirates of the Caribbean . And this, again, is not a hoax.

Even from the beginning of the film, we can immediately digest and understand the plot of the story. And this is increasingly felt as the plot of the story goes. And more importantly, unlike the POC plot which sometimes feels "forced" , the Jungle Cruise plot makes a lot of sense.


Of course, this positive aspect cannot be separated from Serra's cold hands as a director. If I watched from the beginning, for some reason every film he handled ended up really well.


Yes, you just look at the phenomenal horror film 2009, Orphan , and also his work with several films starring Liam Neeson ( Run All Night, Non-Stop, The Commuter ).


And considering that Serra will also direct the DCEU film, Black Adam , which also features Johnson as the main star. So, we can be sure that the film of Shazam's arch enemy will be just as fun.


Chemistry Gokil Johnson & Blunt

Another positive aspect that I can mention in this Jungle Cruise review , is Johnson and Blunt 's chemistry . The two of them have chemistry that we don't expect, really gokil.


The two of them successfully competed with each other in funny and playful acting with each of their characters who were both tough. Anyway, we really don't think so.


The reason is, when we see Blunt and Johnson, who do of us think that the two are the right on-screen couple ? But yes, in fact, this is what happened. I really hope that Jungle Cruise , is not the first and last project of the two.


Because Johnson and Blunt, we can say, are a really cool new comedic duo. The potential for fabric success is enormous. Oh yes, one more thing I should not forget to mention, is composer James Newton Howard ( The Bourne Legacy ).


Because, without the composition of the notes in the film, not only the appearance and chemistry of Johnson and Blunt are not exciting. Also, it will make this film very bland.


The scoring composition is very upbeat and fantastic, successfully opening our childhood imagination further when watching this film.


The Most Fun Fantasy Adventure Movie

So what are the drawbacks of this film? Well , maybe it's more about the overall feel of the film, which is rather ordinary. After all, the fact is, aren't there a lot of films that focus on adventures in search of valuable artifacts or treasures?


In addition, Prince Joachim in this film is very generic and less attractive as the main villain . Plemons is already acting as cool as possible (even already entered the shutter over the top ), but still the figure of Joachim is already very typical in similar films.


However, despite all these shortcomings, we can conclude from this Jungle Cruise review that this film is fun for us to watch. Moreover, if you are a fan of the fantasy adventure genre /premise or looking for treasure, you will really enjoy Jungle Cruise .

Review There's Someone Inside Your House (2021): James Wan Really Needs To Rest

 We can say 2021 is the year of the top director, James Wan . How come? Unlike in previous years, 2021 is the busiest year. Whether it's to become a director ( Malignant ) and a producer like in this film, we will continue to see Wan's name throughout this year.


But while we are all happy to see this, at the same time we are also a little disappointed. The reason is, the five film projects that he handled in 2021, look and feel less consistent.


More specifically, there are cool films like Spiral , decent like Mortal Kombat , and disappointing ones like Malignant . However, every time we see his name in the film project, we will automatically watch the film.


This includes the film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Stephanie Perkins. Then will James Wan's last release in 2021 be the closing release of a thunderous year? Come on, just take a look at the following review of There's Someone Inside Your House .


Just Moved, Jump Horror

Unlike Malignant, which is a supernatural horror genre or even body horror , There's Someone Inside Your House is actually a teen slasher horror genre based on the 90s hit film Scream (1996).


The film tells the story of a transfer high school student from Hawaii, Makani Young (Sydney Parker). Immediately moved, he immediately had his own gang of friends. And his gang friends, have unique and different personalities.


Now from this explanation, it can be seen that Makani's move from his hometown went very smoothly and pleasantly. But slowly but surely, this new, calm and pleasant life turned into a terrifying terror.



The reason is that he had just moved for a few days, suddenly in his new environment, a sadistic murder took place. And his murder occurred against his fellow high school students. However, Makani and his gang try to calm down and go about their lives as normal.


But when the killer kills one of their gang mates, now they must be vigilant and most importantly, find out the identity of this killer. But of course their intention to reveal the true identity of the sadistic killer, is not easy.


Besides being very agile, the killer also wore an anonymous hoodie and an anonymous mask that made it difficult for Makani cs to identify him. Then, who is the real killer who terrorized Makani, his friends and all the people in his new neighborhood?


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So if we read the plot review of There's Someone Inside Your House , it looks and feels like the films of the 90s and 2000s.


Specifically, this film is like the Scream franchise, the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise, the Urban Legend franchise , and other slasher horror films / franchises . And that's exactly what this Netflix horror film is all about.


So if you are a fan of films like that, chances are you will like this film. However, it is also possible that you will be disappointed. Okay, indeed the look, feel , and even the motives of the masked killer follow today's social life.


But overall, this film does not show other fresh aspects . Anyway , apart from the motives and contemporary feel , this film is not much different from Scream cs.


Fresh Motives and Likeable Cast

As you read in the previous paragraph, the motive of the masked killer is very closely related to today's social life. And it's undeniable that this fresh and contemporary motif is what makes the film still watchable .


Anyway, the freshness of this motive makes us slightly support the killer in carrying out his sadistic actions. ALTHOUGH whatever the motive, the act of taking one's life away is totally unacceptable.


This aspect is further strengthened by the ranks of the actors ( cast ) who are very likeable . Especially, Parker as Makani. As the main character, Parker makes us care and concern ourselves especially, about Makani's bad past before finally moving.


Honestly if not for these 2 aspects, this film would be more ordinary and boring. Because yes, to be honest, the story in similar slasher films is still much more interesting than what is presented in this film.


James Wan should rest first

Based on all these assessments, we too can provide the core conclusions of this There's Someone Inside Your House review .


And the point is this film does not provide a very significant distinction or freshness. Anyway, this film is not much different from other similar slasher films . Fortunately, the look, feel , and motifs are very contemporary, successfully saving a little of the film.


But for those of us who are big fans of these types of teen slasher horror , maybe you will still enjoy it . What is clear is that through this review of There's Someone Inside Your House , it is very evident that James Wan must take a break first.


If he wants to be a producer, executive producer, scriptwriter, let alone a director, just stop everything first. This is considering the last few releases that have not been so kicking. The hope is of course, by resting for a while, he can return with a fresher condition .


So, his film projects are back as cool as before. But yeah , I don't think that's possible. Because if we look at his Wikipedia page , in 2022 alone, he already has 2 projects, one of which is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom .


Not to mention the awaited Insidious 5 project (tentative title). So, let's just hope that even though we may continue to "step on the gas", Wan's future works will gradually improve again.


For those of you who want to watch There's Someone Inside Your House , you can already watch it legally via Netflix , October 6, 2021 local time.


Venom Review: Let There Be Carnage (2021): A Sequel That Should Be R Rated

 Regardless of those who like it and those who do not, but there is no denying that the premiere film Venom (2018), received a warm welcome.



How come? Once again after waiting for so long, finally our geeky dream to see Eddie Brock aka Venom in his solo story/adventure, has come true.


Plus his current figure is displayed with CGI technology that is much more sophisticated than when he appeared as a supporting character in Spider-Man 3 (2007) first. And oh yes one more thing, his figure is played by a cool and intense actor from England, Tom Hardy ( The Dark Knight Rises ).


And indeed, once again, there are those who like and there are those who don't like the film. But overall, the film is still entertaining. And most importantly, carry a very large box-office coffers .


Specifically, from its $116 million budget , the film took home $856.1 million. Seeing all these facts, it is not surprising that a sequel was produced. Well , if you want to be clear, even if Venom at that time got less than that amount, a sequel would still be made.


Because as we know, the end of the film's credits itself has prepared for the appearance of a favorite Spider-Man villain besides Venom, Cletus Kasady aka Carnage (Woody Harrelson). And yes, when the credit scene appeared, many of us were very excited to see the sequel soon.


And finally, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is out too. Now the question is, is this sequel much cooler than the first film? Also, is the figure of Carnage here as scary and sadistic as what we saw in the comics and the animated films/series?


Just find out by listening to the Venom: Let There Be Carnage review below.


Eddie Meets Cletus Kasady

Venom Plot : Let There Be Carnage is basically, continuing what we saw in the Venom credit scene . Specifically when Eddie came to Cletus who was locked up in prison.


Cletus asks Eddie to interview and write an article about him. Basically, through this article and his interview, Cletus wants to tell his long-lost girlfriend, Frances Barrison aka Shriek (Naomie Harris), that he is still alive and safe.


After successfully publishing his article through the Daily Buggle , Eddie meets Cletus again. But in this second meeting, everything went tense. Because when they met, Cletus insulted Eddie. Unaccepted, the Venom symbiote inside Eddie, bit Cletus' hand.


Because of his bite, Cletus contracted the Venom symbiote. But instead of being black like Venom, the color of the Cletus symbiote is red. And slowly, this symbiote which was later named Carnage, merged with Cletus.


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The two of them then made a mess around New York, USA. Seeing this, Venom and Police Detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham), separately start moving to stop the chaos that Carnage has created.


But even though they are separated, the two of them still often face various obstacles this and that. Especially for Eddie, who not only has to keep his alter-ego identity as Venom, but also has to be able to manage this symbiote who always acts very aggressively.


Then with all these obstacles and obstacles, will the two be able to stop the action that Carnage is doing?


Not as bad as the reviewers say

For those of you who are diligent in looking for reviews of new films, of course you really know. Specifically, you know that the reviews for Venom: Let There Be Carnage so far haven't been that great. Alas, the review is bad.


And the reasons are varied. Some say the story is bad, others say Carnage is not optimal, and so on. No doubt, when I found out about this, I was very skeptical.


So, is this sequel really as bad as all the reviewers say? Well , not really guys . Honestly. I enjoy watching the film. Yes, it's not super good 5 out of 5 stars or A+++.


But overall the film, which is now directed by actor and motion-capturer , Andy Serkis ( The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars ), is still good and easy for us to follow. For me, there is no shortage of things that really hurt our brains and our eyes.


Should Have Adult Rating ( R-rated )

Well, it could be, the main factor why there are so many negative reviews that attack this film, is because of the general film rating or G-rated or maybe PG-rated .


And indeed, I was really heartbroken from the first time I watched it until I wrote a review of Venom: Let There Be Carnage on this decision. If you're a fanboy , you 'll also agree with what I'm saying.


Yes, just logic. This film has characters like Carnage. Which as we know is the saddest and most brutal character. Anyway, there is no pity. And indeed, in this film, fortunately, the Carnage character is still shown as brutally as in the comics.


But still, what we see is very "bearable" . The analogy is like a biscuit that has only half a bite left but we don't finish it. Or in other words, really REPAIR. And it is this aspect that once again makes me unable to stop thinking. Why?


After all, even though they are both Marvel, Venom: Let there Be Carnage , Marvel is still a Sony production, not Marvel Studios. But in the end, I have a bit of a logical theory as to why they made this non-R rating decision.


But unfortunately, I can't share this theory, considering it will lead to spoiler territory . Therefore, please wait and watch this film first when it's released in theaters, okay?


Venom-Eddie's Relationship & Chemistry Are Getting Cooler

Fortunately, these shortcomings were successfully covered with Venom and Eddie's relationship and chemistry which was getting cooler. Anyway, if we liked this aspect when we watched the first film, then I guarantee you, you will like it even more in this sequel.


The relationship between the host and this powerful parasite, is more like the relationship between humans in general. Evidently as I said in the previous plot explanation paragraph, we will later see a scene where Eddie is very frustrated with Venom's aggressiveness.


Or in other words, Venom will be very difficult for Eddie to manage / say. Which, in the end, will cause some conflict between the two. Yes, it 's really freakish when we feel emotional when we witness this aspect. But yes, that is what we will feel later.


True Origin Story and Harrelson's Great Acting

Another coolness in this sequel, is the greatness of Serkis in presenting the origin story of Carnage. Serkis, Sony, and Harrelson seem to have great respect for the origin story of the Carnage comics.


As a result, for those of you who were not at all familiar with the origins of Cletus. Or in other words, how did he get that crazy as a human, you will find out with great satisfaction.


Because of the origin story that we see in this film, it's pretty much the same as the one in the comics. Although yes, there are still some technical modifications. But overall, that's the origin story of Carnage guys .


In addition, we are increasingly satisfied with Carnage's treatment in this film after seeing Harrelson's appearance as Cletus. Again, there may be slight modifications. But for the most part, Harrelson is really cool in playing him.


But it's not surprising either. Because as reported from Harrelson's interview with Collider some time ago, for his Carnage role, this Mickey Knox actor in Natural Born Killers (1994) reads a lot of his Marvel comics.


Specifically, comics that show the origins of Carnage. And once again, we must give a round of applause to this 60-year-old actor. Because he is very smart in studying one of the most iconic characters in the world of superhero comics .


Chemistry Venom-Shreik Seperti di Film Natural Born Killers

Oh yeah by the way Mike Knox and Natural Born Killers , either on purpose or by accident.


But if we see, the chemistry between Cletus and Shreik in this film is really like the chemistry between Harrelson's Mike Knox and Mallory Wilson's character (Juliette Lewis) in the film.


Anyway, both of them are gokil, sadistic, and crazy. Yes, we can say it's like the chemistry between the Joker and Harley Quinn. The point is, if you have watched this film later, you will definitely have the same opinion.


IMPORTANT Post-Credit Scene!

As a result, the conclusion of this Venom: Let There Be Carnage review is that this film is not as bad as all reviewers say. Everything is still entertaining and serviceable . After all, this sequel also features a post-credits scene that we shouldn't miss at all.


Because, the credit scene is VERY IMPORTANT! If we miss it, it is guaranteed that later we will be confused and complain when we later see the figure of Eddie Brock and his Venom.


Okay, indeed this scene has been leaked everywhere . But PLEASE REALLY respect our fellow fanboys or moviegoers who are anti- spoiler . If you already know, DO NOT spread spoiler mines okay?

Dune Review (2021): A Much Epic And Easier To Understand Reboot

 This Dune review contains no SPOILERS at all.


When a few years ago we heard that the 80s sci-fi hit, Dune (1984) was going to be rebooted . And it's undeniable, for those of us who are fans of the sci-fi genre and of course, this film directed by David Lynch ( Mulholand Drive ) is immediately curious but also anxious at the same time.


Because the first film, which also featured the vocalist of the legendary rock band The Police, Sting, was really bad. Anyway, if there really isn't anything to watch in this world, don't watch this Dune movie instead of losing a lot.


However, like The Room (2003), which was considered the worst film of all time, Dune was ultimately considered a cult classic . And, not a few are also big fans of the film, which is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Frank Herbert which was released in 1965.


His 1984 film Hard to Understand


Some of the main reasons why Dune 's 1984 adaptation was so bad, firstly, the story of Dune 's novel is in fact very deep, and very broad in mythology, characters, and so on. So it should be, the widescreen adaptation requires more than 1 film (can be 2-3 films).


Second, when offered to handle the Dune adaptation, Lynch had never read the novel. And the third as quoted from the Wikipedia page Dune (1984 ), in the end Lynch read his novel. And after reading it, he also drafted the adaptation script up to 7 drafts.


Now, after seeing the entire draft of the script, he realized that this Dune story does require more than 1 film. He also initially took the initiative to make the film into 2 films ( parts ).


However, whether due to the urging of the studio or other specific reasons, in the end this Dune film only became 1 film with a duration of 137 minutes. As a result, because of this, the film looks very rushed, shortened.


There are a number of plots and sub-plots that should require a more detailed explanation, but have become very short. So it is not surprising that many audiences at that time had difficulties and were very dizzy in understanding the story.


Even though at the beginning of the film the character Princess Irulan (Virginia Madsen) has recapitulated some of the initial core of the plot, still the rest of the plot and everything looks very confusing and the pacing is very chaotic. Anyway, I really got a headache when I watched the movie.


Is the 2021 Version Really Cool?


But as said at the beginning of this Dune 2021 review paragraph , even though the original film adaptation was completely destroyed. But after all, many ended up liking and even appreciating the film.


And also when I finally watched the 2021 version, which was directed by Denis Villeneuve ( Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 ), I also felt a big advantage from watching the 1984 version, which I watched before watching the 2021 version.


What are the advantages? And is the 2021 Dune version much cooler than the 1984 version? Just look at the following Dune review .


Competition Between Two Families


But before we do an in-depth review and comparison, of course I have to re-discuss the plot of this film. Because as far as I can see, even though you may have watched the trailer or read the plot synopsis, maybe you are still confused about the plot.


Okay, so the plot of Dune released in 2021 is more or less the same as the 1984 film version as well as the novel. In essence, this film focuses on two large families ( houses like in the Game of Thrones series ), namely, House of Atreides and House Harkonnen .


The two of them are depicted as always competing with each other. Usually, which family is more dominant on the entire planet. Well one day, the emperor of the entire planet / film universe , Shaddam Corrino, assigned the leader of the house of atreides , Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) to go to the desert planet, Arrakis.


Caring for and Maintaining "Spice"


Well, the purpose of the assignment was to replace the position of the Harkonnen family as the leader and supervisor of Arrakis. Although it is a super arid planet, Arrakis is the source of "spice" .


What is "spice?" Spice is a substance or substances that are considered vital. Specifically in this film's mythology, spice is a substance that can prolong life, keep the body healthy, heal wounds, and also increase self-awareness ( improving awareness ).


However, this decree from the emperor turned out to be nothing more than a cunning conspiracy. Specifically, he would later order the Harkonnen family's troops to stage a coup. So that later, Harkonnen can regain control of his spice fields .


Why does he have this evil and messy intention? Because the emperor from the beginning really wanted to eliminate the entire Atreides family who was considered very dangerous during his reign.


Want to Kill Paul Atreides


With this plan, it is not surprising that he also plans to kill Leto's son, Paul Atreides ( Timothee Chalamet ). The reason is, Paul is a candidate for the "default" replacement as the leader of the Atreides family (with the title Duke ) if Leto dies.


Now his father's two children, Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin) and Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), as well as his beloved mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), are aware of this. As a result, they began to train and prepare Paul as well as possible.


Gurney and Duncan prepare Paul with sword fighting and other fighting drills. Meanwhile, Jessica trained Paul with the discipline of Bene Gesserit. Bene Slideit is the name of a group of women who basically have mental superpowers.


One of them, they can hypnotize people to do something the members of Gesserit want. Simply put, the power of Bene Gesserit is like the force in the space soap opera film, Star Wars .


Mysterious Visions and Visions


Well, even though he is being and has been prepared, Paul, who is still very young, of course, is also still very unstable. In addition, he often gets mysterious visions or visions. Which in his vision, he saw the figure of a beautiful woman named Chani (Zendaya).


In addition, he also saw other terrible visions. Wow, what's really going on with Paul? Who is Chani?


What is the meaning of other visions? And with Paul's condition like this, Jessica and several other members of the Atreides family can really prepare Paul to ward off all the dangers that will come his way?


Much Easier to Understand Version


Before continuing, I'm really sorry if the discussion on the plot of this Dune review might be too long. But I have to do it. Because as I discussed in the first paragraph, everything is because the plot of the 1984 film is very messy.


So, to understand all the stories we are also confused ourselves. Well luckily, Villeneuve knows very well about this. So I can say very loudly and proudly, that the plot of this film is much easier to understand.


Even those of us who have never seen the 1984 film adaptation, will immediately understand. And I think this is also influenced by the 2021 version, which is made in 2 films. Alias ​​not forced 1 film like the 1984 version.


Thus, the storytelling and its very broad mythology can be told with more detailed plot lines and sub-plots. Including the plot about Paul's vision of Chani which, in his 1984 film, is not explained at all.


Awesome Cinematography and Production Design


In addition to the storytelling factor which is very easy to understand and Villenueve's direction is very good, another cool factor of Dune 2021 is also all the technical aspects in the film. And when I say all here, really all.


Okay, let's start with the cinematography and production design aspects. WOW guys . Both of these aspects are truly extraordinary. Villenueve and cinematographer Greig Fraser ( Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ), have been very successful in presenting the universe in a very beautiful way.


Apart from looking beautiful, both of them have succeeded in making us feel like we are in their world too. Every dust and sand flying in Arrakis, also looks very realistic. All of this is further reinforced by the overall production on the set that looks and feels very neat.


Scoring Hans Zimmer Who Really Lives and Rumbles


However, despite all the technical aspects of the production, it's amazing, it's meaningless if the scoring isn't good either. Especially for films with the sci-fi genre . Yes, for example, like Star Wars .


Can you imagine if this top franchise didn't feature a score or theme song like "The Imperial March" by John Williams? It would be really bland, wouldn't it? Well luckily Dune is aware of this.


And fortunately too, the 2021 version has a film composer who we don't need to doubt anymore, Hans Zimmer. And yes, as he did in films such as: Inception (2010), The Dark Knight (2008), and other top films, this German composer has once again successfully displayed his legendary cold hands.


GOKIL! His soring in this film, once again succeeded in flying our imaginations when watching Dune . In fact, the more convincing us that the world of this film is real .


Honestly, if he doesn't win Best Original Score at the upcoming Oscar 2022, it's going to be crazy and really weird. Likewise for the Cinematography, Production Design , and even Adapted Screenplay categories .


Even Villenueve, also has the potential to win the best director award in the most prestigious film award event.


Very Okay and Likeable Cast



In addition to the technical aspects and Villenueve, some of the film's actors also have great potential to bring home an Oscar. But of all, the one I predict will take home the best actor award is Chalamet.


Because he is very perfect film as Paul in this film. Yes, he did base his performance on actor Paul Atreides' 1984 film adaptation, Kyle MacLachlan ( Twin Peaks, Sex and the City ).


But in the end, Chalamet managed to combine it with his distinctive acting style. So the character of Paul Atreides, is indeed Paul's version of Chalamet. However, the other co-actors are equally capable in this film.


Well , with names like: Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, and Dave Bautista, it's not surprising, isn't it, that the performance aspect of Dune is really cool? And to be honest, I haven't seen a very likeable cast in a long time .


From the first time I watched the film and saw all the actors who appeared (even the supporting actors), I don't know, I immediately felt happy and felt at home. If Chalamet cs later succeeds in winning the best ensemble cast award at several prestigious awards, I will not be surprised.


Even though it's bad, it's very useful


Even before watching Dune 2021, I've seen a lot of super positive reviews from various media and film critics. But I also see a lot of bad reviews given. Moreover, reviews that come from ordinary audiences.


The layman here means those who have just watched the 2021 version and have never watched the 1984 version, let alone read the novel. The average bad review criticizes the film 's pacing which makes you sleepy and also because you don't understand the story.


Okay, for the pacing problem that makes you sleepy, maybe I agree a bit. Especially when it comes to act 3. But even so, in my opinion, the film is still much better and, again, easier to understand than the original 80's film.



Meanwhile, if you don't understand the story, it's clear. They must have never seen the Duner 1984 film and also, have never read the novel. Well, I said earlier that the Dune 80s movie was really bad.


And yes, I will not change that view. But even though it's bad, the original film is very useful in fact. By watching this, at least, we know with the detailed background of the premise of the story, the characters, and of course the entire mythology.


So when I watched the 2021 version, I wasn't immediately confused by the story and the story. In fact, the 2021 version has succeeded in clarifying everything that I know and understand from the original 80s film.


So I once again emphasize in this Dune review , for those of you who really want to watch the 2021 version of Dune , it's best if you watch the 80s version first. Do not worry too much about the chaos of the plot that is displayed. Anyway watch and try your best to understand everything.


Best Movie 2021?


So with all these discussions, then is the 2021 version of Dune really one of the best films of 2021?


Well , for a reboot , then yes, Dune is one of the best movie reboots . As a sci-fi film , Dune 2021 is one of the best sci-fi films . But for the overall best film of the year?


Maybe for the size of 10 or 15 of the best films this year, yes, Dune is one of them. But for the best 5, I don't think so. But regardless, through this Dune review , I can say that this film is very enjoyable .


Anyway, if you like 80s novels or movies, or in general, you like sci-fi films , you will definitely like the 2021 version. Okay, I hope this Dune review is useful, guys !


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Rabu, 19 Januari 2022

Spider-Man 3 (2007) Review: The Overly Forced End of the Trilogy

 Since the release of the film in 2007 or approximately 14 years ago, we often read and hear bad reviews about Spider-Man 3 .



Many think that the third film is very disappointing, even, not a few say that the film is "broken". And this bad reputation once again, is still being brought up and remembered by many people to this day.


Even though if we think about it, this film also features 2 favorite comic characters: Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Eddie Brock aka Venom (Topher Grace). So what's wrong with Spider-Man 3 even though there are already 2 characters here?


Plus, if we look at it again, isn't the film still good enough to watch? Is Spider-Man 3 really as bad as what we often read and hear? Just take a look at the following Spider-Man 3 review .


Something That Is Forced Definitely Does Not End Well


Okay, let's just open this Spider-Man 3 review by answering these questions. Is this Sam Raimi-directed film really that bad? In my opinion, we can't say it's bad. But we can't say it's super satisfying either.


Actually Spider-Man 3 is still delicious and entertaining. Because this film still maintains a serious and fun tonal balance like the two previous films. Moreover, as we all know, the film still features some fun and silly scenes (read: Peter Parker dancing).


The plot still makes sense. Because the film is still continuing the story arc of the entire trilogy: The dynamics of the relationship between two best friends, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and Harry Osborn (James Franco).


However, the problem here is that at the end of the film, there are lots of sub-plots and additional characters that are really forced to fit into the whole script. And an example of that statement once again is the appearance of characters and sub-plots involving Gwen Stacy and Eddie Brock.


Gwen & Eddie Are Better For The Fourth Film


Yes, to be honest, even though we are happy with these two characters, their presence in this film is not really necessary. This is because the script of this film is already very dense with problems between Peter and Harry then added to the problems with Flint Marko aka The Sandman (Thomas Haden Church).


Even in my personal opinion, the addition of solving the problem between Sandman and Spider-Man alone already looks very dense in the arc to be mixed and matched with the problem arc between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.


So these 2 plots should be enough to become the plot of the film's problem. But it turns out that one of the producers, Avi Arad, wanted Gwen and Eddie (especially Eddie's plot with his Venom) to be featured.


In fact, in my opinion, it would be better if Gwen and Eddie just showed the characters and their problems in the fourth film. The reason is also like we see in this film, the arc of love between Gwen and Eddie is also shown.


Honestly, yes, because it was forced in this film, as a result the romance arc between Gwen and Eddie really looks and feels very rushed. Specifically, it was told that they were dating one night and after that, Gwen simply rejected Eddie's love.


In fact, if only Arad didn't force his ego and was very patient to move the two as the main problem of his fourth film, he would have achieved 2 positive things.


First, the two characters get better arc story logic , and second, make Spider-Man 3 much cooler than the final result it currently gets. But yep, as the saying goes, the ego is really hard to beat, isn't it?


Spider-Man's Venom Plot That's Really Messy and Goofy


The next problem of this film is still related to the previous problem point. Yes, because Arad forced the presence of Eddie's character with his Venom, as a result all the arcs with the presence of the Venom symbiote , Eddie, and Spidey's transformation with his symbiote looked chaotic and really funny.


We can even see this right away from one of the early scenes of the film which shows the arrival of the symbiotic Venom to earth which then, "lives" in Peter. While it still makes sense from arriving to sticking and influencing Peter, it still feels very rushed.


As a comparison, the story of Venom's origin in the Venom (2018) movie, which is much more detailed and in accordance with the comics, still makes the film mediocre. Especially if the story is super duper short like in Spider-Man 3 , of course, everything will be very messy and very funny.


Then when Venom finally managed to escape Peter and fall onto Eddie, okay that made sense. But then again, it all felt very rushed. That's why I said earlier, Venom should be the main and only villain in the fourth film.


Applause Of Respect For Sam Raimi


But despite these negative aspects, there is one positive thing that we can take here. At least Sam Raimi has 100% neatly arranged the entire cornucopia of plots.


It's not easy , guys , to rearrange a film with a boisterous plot like Spider-Man 3 . And once again Raimi was very successful in arranging the plots of these 3 different plots so that at least the plot still looks reasonable.


Based on this statement, it is appropriate if we give a respectful applause to the director from Michigan, USA. We can be sure that if Raimi wasn't directing at that time, Spider-Man 3 would have ended up much worse.


Also another advantage of the presence of Raimi again, is that it still maintains the tonal balance of the previous 2 films. Which as we know is not too serious ( dark ), but also not too relaxed.


Maximum and Dedicated Super Performance From All Actors


However, it's not just Raimi's return that at least still makes the film not so bad. In fact, the performance of all the actors is also what saves this film.


Be it Maguire and Dunst, to newcomers like Howard and Grace, they all performed well. And fortunately too, each of them gets a balanced and appropriate performance spot.


Maguire and Dunst in this third film already look like a real couple. They are Peter and MJ. The chemistry of both of them already looks very comfortable. So don't be surprised if we've heard statements from Dunst that he won't want to be involved in the next Spider-Man film project, unless he returns with Maguire.


The individual appearances of the two of them are also equally gokil. Moreover, Maguire in this film must be able to show in essence, Peter's two different personalities from each other. And Maguire is very gokil in displaying it.


Even when his Peter character has to do that goofy dance, he's totally total and willing to make a joke of himself. Of course, this super total dedication, we really have to give thumbs up. As a result, it is not surprising that Tobey is still considered the best Spider-Man actor by the entire audience and his fanboys .


Not As Bad As People Say


In the end, what we can conclude from this Spider-Man 3 review is that this film is in fact not as bad as what we have heard so far. Indeed, if we look at the three films, Spider-Man 3 is the weakest.


However, all of this could have been avoided had there not been a build-up of the plot and supporting characters.


But yes, as we have read in the first paragraph, everything has happened. So whether you want it or not, let's just take the positive sides of this film, one of which is the special effect display which was very cool at that time. Who is not still amazed by Marko's repetitive transformation into his The Sandman?


After all, at least this film is still very entertaining, right? Okay guys , I hope this Spider-Man 3 review is useful!