Movie Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home

8/10

An emotional rollercoaster thrill ride that also manages to hit all the right nostalgia buttons.

While the first act of Spider-Man: No Way Home seems content to follow the routine Marvel movie formula, the film packs enough twists and turns to elevate it above the previous two installments.

I usually prefer superhero films that are grounded in an element of reality (i.e., The Dark Knight), and the latest three Spider-Man films are definitely not that. They are almost meta in their hyper-awareness of their fictionality and cartoonish crossovers to other Marvel films.

Then again, the story is about a teenage guy who swings via a spider-like web over urban landscapes. How much realism should I really expect?

This film picks up where the previous entry left off. Spider-Man’s identity has been exposed, and it’s giving both him and his loved ones hell. With the aid of Dr. Strange (another Marvel superhero), he attempts to revert the past to a version in which no one ever knows that he is Peter Parker. The attempt goes awry (of course) and opens up other dimensions. Characters from previous Spider-Man films who know of Spider-Man’s identity are invited into this world. That means that previous Spider-Man universe villains appear (they’re the main characters who know that Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker, after all), and they’re all too eager to wreck havoc.

The film really piqued my interest when the previous two actors who portrayed Spider-Man, Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield, show up too. They are also Peter Parker, after all, albeit in different universes. They provide a much-needed emotional punch to the film and a few life lessons to pass on to this universe’s Peter Parker.

This film is ultimately a story about forgiveness and redemption, and bringing in the previous Spider-Man stars was the perfect way to explore these themes. The heavy emotional weight of the final act adds substance to the characters and plot that the previous films didn’t provide. I was glad that the movie dared to take a few unexpected and highly emotional turns.

As far as Marvel movies go, this is the best one in a long time.

Movie Review: Dune

6/10

A visually arresting but emotionally cold sci-fi epic.

The critics raved about Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of Dune. As a fan of Blade Runner 2049, Sicario, and Arrival, I wanted to deem it a masterpiece. But I just couldn’t.

The latest Dune adaptation is faithful to the classic Frank Herbert novel. The cinematography is breathtaking, the performances are solid, and the narrative hits the same major points as the novel. Political games and conniving leaders vie for control of Arakis, and ultimately “the spice”, which we are told is a key material for space transport.

Ultimately, I just didn’t feel anything for any of the characters. The film felt like a 2.5 hour introduction to a story, which leads little room for arcs or a full sense of a “hero’s journey”. Villains are only glimpsed and romantic arcs are only hinted at. Maybe that’s the problem: I need to see the saga in its entirety to really make a judgment call.

Still, I didn’t find Paul Atreides to be particularly arresting as a protagonist. The film didn’t really give us a reason to want him to ultimately become a “Messiah” for the Fremen, the natives on Arakis who have long been tormented and repressed by exploitative colonialists. I just didn’t really care. Maybe it’s because Paul himself doesn’t really seem to care for most of the film.

And maybe that’s the point, that everyone in the film is a political pawn for someone else. Duke Atreides is tragically just a pawn for the emperor, just as Paul is a pawn for the Bene Gesserit and their creepy breeding program (they are experimentally breeding with powerful figures in hopes of creating some sort of “savior” for the universe). I find that interesting, but it still didn’t make me feel much for anyone in the movie.

I may change my opinion when I’ve seen the second half of Dune. It has been officially greenlit and is slated for a 2023 theatrical release. Until then, I have to be honest with my reaction to the film, as someone who already read the book and watched the 80’s version: cool visuals, but meh.

Movie Review: Malignant

6/10

A bonkers and preposterous thriller that’s also a stylishly good time.

Having director James Wan attached to this film gave me false expectations. The Conjuring and Insidious are deftly crafted nail biters. They showcased Wan’s mastery of suspense, and I expected more of that with Malignant.

The plot centers on a woman who’s head trauma seems to awaken a demonic entity from her past, Gabriel. Gabriel knows her and they share an uncanny connection that leaves the audience wondering: are they the same person? Are they siblings? Is Gabriel the spirit of someone our protagonist killed?

Although this sounds like it could be genuinely horrific, Malignant isn’t remotely scary, nor is it remotely believable. At times it’s absurd enough to be laughable.

Yet it’s also visually stylish and often exciting. Wan seems to have shunned suspense here, but he made Malignant overwrought with gothic visuals and captivating action sequences.

The ending is too over the top to take seriously. But at the same time, it’s macabre fun.

There is some sort of Freudian psychoanalysis going on in the background of the film. It’s a little too Hollywood to go deep into that. But it’s there nonetheless.

I say just go along for the ride and don’t take it seriously. Malignant is a violent but rollicking good time.