Movie Review Archives

#SciFi Worth Watching: Dune Part 2 #MovieReview #DunePart2 #Dune2 #science fiction

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / March 26, 2024

science fiction movie review Dune Part 2

Dune Part 2 was sooo good. It was also very looong. (Be prepared to have to take a restroom break).

I think this was one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. Part one was really good, but this one was even better. The acting was seamless, like you didn’t notice acting. They were the people of Dune. The cinematography was flawless and grand and sweeping, adding to the emotions of the scene.

Husband and I were never bored. Not once during this 3 hour masterpiece. And, I don’t say that lightly. Dune is one of my favorite series, and I’ve not been overly fond of earlier attempts at making it. But this one, this one, I feel as if I’m watching the pages of the novel unfold. Spectacular!

They need to hurry up and make part 3!!!

I won’t say anything else, because I don’t want to spoil the experience for you. If you have yet to see Part 1, it’s currently streaming on Hulu.

The Creator #SciFi #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / February 29, 2024

The Creator presents an intriguing premise involving the ethical complexities of ambition and scientific pursuit. While the film attempts to grapple with profound themes, it lands somewhere in the middle ground, neither soaring to greatness nor plummeting into disappointment.

At its core, the story revolves around the moral dilemmas faced by its protagonist, Dr. Alexander, portrayed convincingly by David John Washington. While I related to the character, the plot often seemed to lose its way. The film’s pacing fluctuates, struggling to maintain a consistent momentum. At times, the story feels rushed, while in others, it lingers on exposition, sacrificing opportunities for deeper character development.

Despite these shortcomings, the cinematography and visual aesthetics are commendable. The stark laboratories and the natural beauty of the surrounding landscapes create a captivating visual contrast, adding depth to the film’s atmosphere.

Performance-wise, David John Washington delivers a solid portrayal, anchoring the film with his nuanced depiction of a conflicted genius. The supporting cast also brings a level of authenticity to their roles, but the screenplay doesn’t afford them ample room to fully explore their characters’ potential.

One of the film’s strengths lies in its thought-provoking themes, sparking contemplation about the consequences of playing creator and the ethical boundaries of scientific advancement. It also presented multiple POVs to a complex issue, and put a face to ‘collateral damage’ during violent conflict.

There was a lot to like and the movie is very watchable. Therefore, I give it a one beer rating. One is enough to have fun while watching The Creator. While it’s not a complete disappointment, it lacks the finesse and depth needed to elevate it to greatness.

#SciFi Worth Watching: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / January 20, 2024

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 takes us back into the vibrant and eclectic world of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot, and their galactic friends. With this latest installment, another exhilarating space adventure is delivered but the story also delves deeper into the emotional cores of our beloved misfit heroes, especially Rocket.

The film strikes an engrossing balance between heart and humor, weaving an intricate narrative that explores family, sacrifice, and redemption. While the stakes are undeniably high in their intergalactic quest, it’s the characters’ personal journeys that anchor the storyline, inviting us into a compelling odyssey.

Visually stunning and narratively ambitious, Vol. 3 dazzles with its mesmerizing CGI and breathtaking cosmic landscapes. Gunn’s distinct directorial style infuses the movie with a vibrant energy, seamlessly blending action-packed sequences with poignant character-driven moments.

The chemistry among the cast continues to shine, with each actor bringing depth and nuance to their respective roles. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper (voicing Rocket), and Vin Diesel (voicing Groot) breathe life into their characters, allowing us to laugh, cry, and root for this ragtag team as they navigate personal struggles and the chaos of the cosmos.

Moreover, the film’s soundtrack, a hallmark of the Guardians series, once again proves to be an integral part of the storytelling, transporting audiences through time and space with its eclectic mix of nostalgic tunes. While the movie delivers on the expected thrills and humor, it also surprises with moments of genuine poignancy.

Beer while watching is optional to enjoy the film but not required.

Dune (2021): #SciFi #MovieReview #sciencefiction

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / December 12, 2023

Swept away to another world…

Of all the attempts to make Dune into a movie, this is the best one. Narrowing the scope of the story had to be done, and this one did a good job of paring down the story into something understandable and exciting. Dune remains one of my all-time favorites. I read every book written by Frank and spent years lost in his epic, vast universe. It’s not an easy story to whittle down small enough for a movie, so I give those who wrote the screenplay credit for doing a good job of it.

It’s a stunning movie that is beautiful to look at and very well acted. There’s a good amount of action and tension. We spend some time with the bad guys and get a taste of the politics at work in the galaxy. The politics drive the story and what happens. Honestly, I was prepared to dislike this movie, because the scope of the novel is so vast, but I didn’t hate it. I quite liked it. A lot. Color me surprised.

In this installment, the Atreides are assigned to take over Arrakis and the spice production. Spice is integral to interstellar travel. The previous manager of Arrrakis, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, wants the planet and spice trade back. His ruthlessness and plots drive the story into the desert of Arrakis where Paul Atreides will discover his destiny.

The movie shows Fremen riding sandworms. Very cool. In the desert is where the story really comes to life.

More sand worms! I look forward to part two in March. Dune can only be done correctly in parts, IMO.

This movie earns the coveted ‘beer is optional’ rating.

RoboVampire: #SciFi #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / October 21, 2023

So much went on in this movie and it didn’t all seem to belong in the same movie. It begins in the basement of a drug gang and they’re putting drugs in coffins. Oh, wait no, there’s a scene before that, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll start in the basement. A bunch of beings stand around like with their arms sticking straight out.

They start to wake up and attack the bumbling drug stockboys. Because!! The drugs are not drugs, it’s rice powder, which pisses off the vampires. Fighting ensues involving bottle rockets shooting out of the vampires’ arms, bunny hopping – yes, the vampires bunny hop, which cracked me up every time – and some martial arts.

Never fear! The wizard saves the day by sticking bits of paper on the vampires’ heads. He controls the vampires with a sword, theatric arm gestures, and bits of paper. The vampires work with the drug gang.

Cue a subplot – the ghost and the vampire. This vampire looked like an ape.

His true love is a ghost. Husband Unit said her see-through top was the only plus in the whole movie. Later she goes completely topless. Ooo! Anyway, she makes a deal to work with the wizard to be with her vampire love again. The deal doesn’t last long and I have no idea why. If you want this movie to make sense, you’ll miss out on all the fun. The ghost and vampire have sex in a ghost/vampire way. I guess that’s what it was. All the same, it made me laugh.

Another drug gang is in the movie. I wasn’t sure how they fit in exactly. Don’t think too hard about it, though. You’ll just wind up with a headache. Anyway, the bad guys capture some drug agents. One gets killed and is turned into Robocop. Another dude is hired to rescue the captured drug agents.

I know this sounds disconnected, but so was the movie. The Robocop really had nothing to do with the rest of the plot. I think the plot was about Tommy rescuing the captured drug agents, but I can’t be certain.

To sum up: I was uber entertained by the bunny hopping vampires shooting fireworks out of their arms. Boobs were the only redeeming highlight in husband unit’s opinion. He said this movie required four beers. I said three. So we settle out at 3.5.

If you’re so inclined, you can watch it for free on YouTube:

The Black Demon: Monster #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / September 16, 2023

I love my shark movies, and I love some bad movies. One of my favorites is Sharknado.

The Black Demon is no Sharknado. It didn’t have enough shark or a high enough body count. On the plus side, it was a really, really huge shark. Actually, it was a megalodon. There have been three movies in recent times featuring this giant shark, and they have all failed to truly take advantage of the size of the shark. If you’re going to have a giant shark as a monster, well, have it do things only a giant shark can do. Otherwise, why bother having a giant shark?

The premise of the movie is interesting. Environmental changes in the area brought on by the oil rig just off the coast, cause the ancient gods to awaken and the giant shark. The acting wasn’t great – the emotional reactions were way over the top, there were shifts in the logic of the story that didn’t make sense, and there were scenes just stuck in there for the sake of a message. Honestly, I don’t mind those things because they were funny, and a decent bad movie should make you laugh. There was a speech that reminded me of Jurassic Park and another that reminded me of Armageddon. Both excellent disaster/monster movies, by the way. I give the moviemakers bonus points for invoking thoughts of better movies.

I knew from the narrated explanation at the beginning of the movie (like they did in many old sci-fi movies) that this fell into the B movie category. Only B movies do that sort of thing, so I had hopes for this one falling into the bad but fun category.

However, there is no saving the fact that the shark has hardly any screen time and not very many people get eaten. The body parts in the water suggest there was a feast at some point, but we don’t get to see it. There is a fair amount of tension and drama. But because we don’t get to see the shark very often, I have to give this a 2.5 beer rating. I would go lower, but the movie is watchable for the most part and kind of fun if you don’t expect too much. The lack of shark is just disappointing.

It’s currently streaming on Amazon.

Here’s the trailer: