Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Dune

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Dune is set in a distant future. Arrakis is the only planet in the known universe that produces the spice Melange, the most valuable and essential commodity in the universe. It gives long life, greater vitality and heightened awareness. So, whoever controls Arrakis will amass untold wealth and power. The Padashaw Emperor controls this universe and rules with the aid of the Landsraad. The Landsraad is composed of the great houses, and is extremely political, very cutthroat and brutal. Arrakis is a hot, almost uninhabitable environment of desert and
mountains. It’s controlled at the beginning by Baron Vladimir (Stellan Skarsgard) of the House Harkonen. The native life is composed of the giant sandworms, fierce guardians of desert spice fields and the Fremen, the mysterious denizens who want to be rid of the Imperial houses and have made an agreement of convenience with them regarding spice harvesting. But the Fremen have other plans, there is prophecy, mysticism and a looked for mahdi. And that’s just the overview! Timothee Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides, the only son and heir of the Duke Ledo the Just (Oscar Isaac) of the great House of Atreides. Duke Ledo is inexplicably handed Arrakis by the emperor, displacing their deadly enemies, the Harkonen. They know the Emperor plans treachery, and try to take precautions. However, it’s too little, too late. There is death and the virtual destruction of the Atreides clan. Paul will need to step up and rise to his destiny. Dune is a complicated book, and I can see how people who are not familiar with previous movies or the original book, could be confused. But director Denis Villeneuve does a great job helping the uninitiated follow the story, while giving hardcore Dune fans the details. Chalamet handles the task of showing a young nobleman faced with sudden disaster and tragedy and rising to the challenge with strength and intelligence. The supporting cast is superb, and includes Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, David Bautista, and Charlotte Rampling along with the aforementioned Oscar Isaac and Stellan Skarsgard. The scope of this epic, the stunning settings, and well designed costumes, are beautifully done. Even though Dune comes in at over 2 1/2 hours, it is only Part 1 of this epic story. There is something for everyone in this movie and you do not need to be a fan of Dune to enjoy it. Honestly, I can’t wait for Part 2!

Little Women

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“Little Women” is a classic novel written in 1869 by Louisa May Alcott.  There have been many movie versions made, and I am pretty sure I have seen them all.  I have read the book every few years since I was 12; so it was with a skeptical eye that I approached this latest iteration of a beloved novel.  I LOVED IT.  Greta Gerwig has told a familiar story (keeping very close to the original source material), but has made it seem fresh and new.  The story takes place during the Civil War.  The March sisters are played wonderfully by Saorise Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen,  They are frequently left to their own devices while Father (Bob Odenkirk) fights in the war and Marmee (Laura Dern) tends to the local poor,  The action picks up when the sisters meet Mr. Lawrence, their gruff but kind-hearted neighbor (Chris Cooper) and his handsome son, Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) – who is destined to love one sister, but marry another.  Meryl Streep is Aunt March, the rich relative who hires Jo (Saorise) to be her “companion” in return for a promised tour of Europe.  There is a an innovation, though, that some people may not like.  The story is told in flashbacks, not in the linear way of the original novel.  This may be confusing if you are not familiar with the book, but I didn’t think it took anything away from the story.  If you are familiar with the story, disregard what some people have been saying in reviews, Gerwig did not change the ending of the book so Professor Bhaer definitely makes an appearance.  All this version does is add the publishing of the book “Little Women,” which is alluded to at the end of the original.  Whether you are a newbie, or know the story backwards and forwards, you will laugh and cry with Louisa May ALcott’s delightful characters brought to new life by Greta Gerwig.