Dune: Part Two (2024)

Wow, when was the last time a new movie had this much up-front popularity? Going by both IMDb and general social circles, I'd say 2003, with The Return of the King. Of course, it's been released only a week in the states, so I don't assume lasting momentum. But between its initial reception and my appreciation of the first part, I saw fit to check it out almost ASAP.

In keeping with where we left off, young adult Duke Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) now walks among the desert-dwelling Fremen, with his clan's killers initially uncertain whether Paul still lives. He and the Fremen are warring to stop House Harkonnen from taking over spice operations on Planet Arrakis. His mom, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), and Fremen leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) look forward to Paul awakening as the prophesied messianic Kwisatz Haderach, but most Fremen don't believe it. And Paul hopes to avoid it, because his own spice-induced visions appear to foretell consequent mass devastation more than salvation.

Triple Feature: Smallfoot (2018), Missing Link (2019), Abominable (2019)

When I realized that I could watch all three of these dueling movies on one flight, I couldn't resist. They all came out within a year of each other and are animated adventure comedies involving humans who discover that bigfeet of some sort not only exist but are hardly monsters. Now I would know my personal preference among them.

Dune (2021)

When I selected this as my first viewing on a long plane ride, I knew it was pretty popular, but I had no idea it would be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. That's impressive considering past attempts to do justice to the Frank Herbert novel. And having read the book myself, I was aware of features that could make a screen adaptation difficult.

When humans have an intergalactic empire, desert planet Arrakis becomes noted for three things: an invaluable spice, giant sandworms, and primitive but dangerous locals called Fremen. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), son of Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) and Bene Gesserit religious acolyte Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), can't help but get caught up in the rampant jockeying for power among imperial elites. It becomes increasingly evident that his skills and temperament are key to forming a Fremen alliance against the forces of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), who will stop at nothing to control spice traffic. Paul even shows signs of being the superpowered messiah long awaited by the Bene Gesserit, called the Kwisatz Haderach, tho he doesn't exactly see eye to eye with them.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Yeah, that's two consecutive theater viewings of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. And sadly, I've had only a dozen theater viewings in the nearly 2.5 years since the last Spider-Man movie. But a friend had an extra ticket and invited me mere hours in advance, so how could I put this off?

The action begins right where Far from Home leaves off: Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) has posthumously outed Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as Spider-Man -- and framed him for Mysterio's crimes and death. There is not enough evidence for a trial, but the public is divided on whom to believe. The bad publicity causes trouble for Peter's friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and tentative girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) by association. Peter asks Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a widespread amnesia spell, but by belatedly requesting exceptions, he distracts Strange to the point that the spell becomes too dangerous and Strange traps the workings in a container -- too late for it to have no effect whatsoever. Not only will everyone remember, but people from alternate universes who know Spider-Man's identity cross over, including five villains from the first two Spider-Man silver-screen series: the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina), the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), the Lizard (Rhys Ifans), and Electro (Jamie Foxx). Guess it would've been tough to fit the rest in.

The Greatest Showman (2017)

For my other full viewing on a plane lately, I selected another spectacle, this one depending much more on audio, which thankfully was not defective this time. I had heard mixed reviews, but the high praise from some individuals who dis a lot of today's blockbusters got me curious.

The story follows P.T. Barnum, starting in childhood but quickly moving to young adulthood (when he's played by Hugh Jackman). Unsatisfied with a lower-class life, perhaps especially after marrying former rich girl Charity (Michelle Williams) and having two daughters with her, he takes great risks to seek success in the entertainment field. When his wax museum flops, he launches a freak show that becomes apparently the first example of what leaps to mind when we hear "circus" outside depictions of ancient Rome. Its tawdry nature makes it controversial even at the time, so he has to try harder to gain the respect afforded aristocrats.

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)

Huh. I hadn't realized going in that Disney had no production or distribution claim on this movie. Or on Spider-Man: Homecoming, whose tags I've since corrected. Better be careful with these things. Regardless, the first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to follow Avengers: Endgame does retain continuity, being set some eight months later.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland), still in high school, goes on a class trip to various European nations. With its inadequate planning, this would be a pretty lame vacation if not for Peter secretly being Spider-Man and thus a fated danger magnet. In this case, the danger takes the shape of rampaging elemental giants, which Spidey takes on with help from a new super stranger (Jake Gyllenhaal), aptly nicknamed Mysterio. He may be reminiscent of both Iron Man and Dr. Strange, but many Marvel fans already know him better than that....

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

It is a testament to my ongoing youthfulness that I watched yet another superhero movie in a theater this summer. I watched alone, because I figured my dad would choose to sit this one out. Heck, it's more obviously juvenile than most, given that Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is a high school sophomore, which no doubt inspired the title. (If you think he should relinquish the "-Man" part, might I point out that he's older than 13 and one of his creators is Jewish.)

Most of the film takes place a few months after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Despite his key part in the biggest battle therein, and despite resources and kudos from Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), Spidey has yet to be regarded as a full-fledged Avenger. He sends regular reports to Stark's unfriendly aide Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), hoping to get an assignment rather than deal with the usual petty criminals of New York City, even tho he's still a bit clumsy in handling those. Things finally get interesting for him when he meets some robbers with exotic equipment, but not interesting enough for Avenger backup. Is it wise to hunt down the source of this equipment by himself, against Stark's advice?