Everyone sounds exactly like they're in a contemporary action-comedy, or one of the Marvel movies that have already devolved into formula, rather than a timeless classic science-fiction epic. The casting is killing my anticipation for this film but I'm still planning to see it in the hope that Villeneuve will at least bring some of his usual visual flair to it. Even if it only looks good, that'll be something.

Saw Snake-eyes:Origin of G.I. Joe and it was quite good overall. Only real complaint would be the action/fights could have pulled back a bit more rather than the shaky cam up close mode. Other than that, a well scripted story updating Snake-eyes (since him being the Viet Nam veteran makes him just a tad too aged) to modern sensibilities. Lots of comic book "cookies" us Joe fans will notice that mean nothing to most other movie viewers. Superb casting and gorgeous cinematography, sets and costuming.

Not really anything to do with the origin's of Joe or Cobra, but both are intertwined and worked into the mix very naturally. I can see including G.I.Joe in the title if only for acknowledging where Snake-eyes comes from while keeping the "world building" and toy as a connection. I mean they can quite easily deviate into single movies spotlighting the myriad other Joe/Cobra characters rather than do like X-Men and squeezing in micro appearances in wasting their potential.

Sets up a sequel of course but unless the movie makes enough money it is doubtful. A Saturday morning 1st showing at 11:30 am with only 9 of us attending is not a good sign. I enjoyed it much more than F9 as an action movie but I am a Joe fan, which has no comparison to the Fast Furious fandom. I can give it a big YO JOE and will grab it up when the DVD comes out.

Wife and I went and saw The Many Saints of Newark this weekend.  Had to go to Twin, as there's no way it will ever play at the local theater.  Apparently you're supposed to be able to stream it on HBO Max but my HBO Max is an add-on to my Hulu and I don't actually find it there.  Also I really want to discourage that sort of thing.  I like theaters being a thing.  Apparently the film under-performed at theaters but did very well streaming.  There were three couples in the theater when we saw it. 

Overall it was...okay.  There were definitely things to like.  And there were definitely issues.  If you're a Sopranos fan it's probably worthwhile as there are a lot of call-backs.  The re-castings were generally good, though some of them were just a bit...off.  Vera Farmiga was excellent as Livia Soprano.  And Michael Gandolfini did a good job standing in for his father.  But Johnny Magaro bordered on parody as Silvio and Corey Stoll just seemed a bit off as Junior.  Ray Liotta was probably allowed to chew too much scenery as "Hollywood Dick" Moltisanti, but kind of redeemed himself as his twin brother Salvatore.  

I think the biggest issue is that there just wasn't enough meat in the plot.  It was kind of a series of events more than a cohesive whole.  It was a season of a Sopranos prequel TV show distilled in to a not fully satisfactory two hour movie.  

For all my criticisms of the casting and dialogue as seen in the trailers, I'm still looking forward to seeing Villeneuve's visual translation of Herbert's epic space-opera to the big screen.

But first I think I'd better try to catch the new James Bond flick before it disappears from the local cinemas, as it's been out a while already. I missed seeing Spectre at the theatre by putting it off too long and only watched it for the first time a few days ago, on my tv-screen: I liked it more than I'd thought I would and would probably rate it as one of the better of the Daniel Craig Bonds, so I'll try to see the new one while I'm still in the mood.

The visuals of the technology, the worms and the planet itself were perfect.
The music was moving.
And I think the actors did really well. I loved Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Chalamet channeled the haunted nature of young Paul and Stellan Skarsgard is fantastic in everything he does. 

I think my only real complaint is that I think the pacing could have been punched up a bit because as it stands the film ends just as it starts to really get into the plot which gives it a slightly anticlimactic feel.

YES!!!



I'm so happy!!! (But I'll still go see it a couple more times, just to make sure).