Film reviews

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Writers: Jon Spaihts (screenplay), Denis Villeneuve (screenplay), Eric Roth (screenplay)
On general release in the UK from 22 October

Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy.

Nat says: ‘Wow’

How do I love thee, Dune? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love Dune (1984) almost as much, I really do. I’ve loved it almost all my life. But I feel my head being turned by a young, good-looking new arrival who has made my heart soar.

It is Dune (2021), directed by Denis Villeneuve, and it is a love letter to both Dune and me that I cannot ignore. It is a wonderful, dazzingly beautiful piece of work that’s almost too true to the original book for its own good, but whose power and vision is undeniable.

I’m going to really tie myself up in knots trying to explain the plot. So instead, I’ll let Princess Irulan tell you what Dune is all about rather than try to explain it myself.

The biggest difference between Dune (2021) and Dune (1984) is that this is Dune – Part One. Only half the novel has been adapted, as Villeneuve couldn’t compress the whole book into two and half hours. There’s a cliffhanger both in the story and IRL, here, since as of yet, part two hasn’t been filmed. If you don’t go and watch this, there won’t be a part two.

Just between you and me, let me tell you something – there needs to be a part two.

Continue reading “Preview: Dune (2021)”

In which Nat talks briefly about the movies she’s been watching this week for no particular reason and that probably don’t warrant proper reviews, but hey? Wouldn’t it be nice if we all chatted about them anyway?

I only act like I know everything, Rogers

Black Widow, Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

The TMINE multiplex is open again – and I promise you that unlike all the other cinemas in town, we won’t be showing No Time To Die (2021) on every screen, as we had an exclusive showing on Tuesday.

This week, we’ll be showing three movies. Somehow – I’m a secret genius! – I’ve themed them as a series of confessions… or maybe admissions:

• Screen 1: Infinite (2021)
• Screen 2: The Green Knight (2021)
• Screen 3: Batman Begins (2005)

Then we can all hit the bar! In this dress and these shoes, I’m not going to be dancing for too long, but if you could get me a mojito, that would be super-sweet of you. Is that okay?

Continue reading “The TMINE multiplex: Infinite, The Green Knight and Batman Begins”

In which Nat talks briefly about the movies she’s been watching this week for no particular reason and that probably don’t warrant proper reviews, but hey? Wouldn’t it be nice if we all chatted about them anyway?

The TMINE multiplex is open again – and no one has to wear masks, I promise, unless you really want to show off that stylish one you bought from Mint Velvet the other day. That’s fine. I’d really like to see it, too!

I’ve been flitting about this week and I’ve already talked about my TMINE theatre trip elsewhere. Unfortunately, that meant I didn’t watch anything at the cinema on Sunday, so I had nothing to review for you on Monday. Don’t worry, I’ve already booked my tickets for No Time To Die (2021), so I’ll definitely be reviewing that on Monday or Tuesday next week.

But! Even though I am really crying on the inside that I’ve not been the cinema this week, I have been watching what I can, when I can, so let’s go to the movies now! Yay!

This week’s viewing I’m not especially proud of. But (deep breath), I went and saw David Lynch’s Dune (1984) on the big screen with my best friend.

I’ve been tormenting her with it since we were at school together, since I love the books and she humours me in this, but this was the first time we’ve ever seen the movie on the big screen.

And this was basically me all the way through – imagine her joy, as well as the amount of popcorn she threw at me:

Don’t worry. I told her that she was bad for doing that.

For reasons that now escape me, my husband and I also chose to watch Fantastic Four (2005), possibly because we’ve never watched it together and we both do like superhero movies. But OMG, it was not a good choice on our part.

The last movie in the TMINE Multiplex was my Wednesday Movie Night viewing. Continuing with last week’s Heath Ledger theme, our choice was A Knight’s Tale (2001). Thankfully, it was very, very good.

Continue reading “The TMINE multiplex: A Knight’s Tale, Dune, The Fantastic Four”

In which Nat talks briefly about the movies she’s been watching this week for no particular reason and that probably don’t warrant proper reviews, but hey? Wouldn’t it be nice if we all chatted about them anyway?

Being TMINE’s Official Movie Reviewer in Residence is obviously new to me, so I’m not yet sure exactly what shape my contributions are going to settle into yet. At the moment, I’m planning for my full reviews to be of new releases and for them to feature on Mondays or Tuesdays, after I’ve watched them at the weekend.

Unfortunately, I don’t have as much access as I did before Covid to press screenings, screeners et al, thanks to changes in both my job and the whole world (😭). That means that although I’ll be able to preview some movies at least, I’ll usually be watching films at the local cinema when they come on general release, just like everyone else. Sorry, guys.

This weekend, however, I was up in London to see Rhod Gilbert at London Wonderground, so didn’t get to watch anything. If I had gone to see anything, it would have been Gunpowder Milkshake, so maybe you could all just imagine the beautiful, artfully constructed, witty review I would have put together.

I think it’s likely then that I’m going to be watching most films at home on streaming services, TV, DVDs or Blu-Rays – and then showing them here at The TMINE Multiplex every Wednesday or Thursday.

One really strange aspect of lockdown for me was I was no longer the Queen of Watching Movies on Entertainment Systems or My iPad While Travelling to Some Glamorous Exotic Locale. Okay, that may not seem strange to you, but that was a big change for me (and my self-image #FirstWorldProblems).

A consequence of this was my film consumption really dropped and, weirder still, I started playing a superhero game on my phone (Marvel Strike Force). The weird thing was that actually I met some really lovely people that way! I even met someone who is now one of my best friends and now, every Wednesday, we have ‘Movie Night’ where we watch a movie one of us has chosen.

Being children of the 90s/00s, we typically end up watching a movie from that era – 90s/00s movies are just better anyway. Naturally, I will report on those in The TMINE Multiplex. But please don’t hold me to a strict 90s/00s policy, as we might occasionally watch a newer or older movie. Those who came to the Multiplex last week will know why I won’t be reviewing many 80s movies, though.

That ‘Movie Night’ pick will be showing at The TMINE Multiplex, together with whatever else I’ve been watching. At the moment, I’m working my through an extensive MUBI watchlist, as well as a few entries on BFI Player, but there undoubtedly will be some really, really bad things showing, too, since I really can’t be worthy all the time. Sometimes, you just want to watch something dreadful.

However, this week, be prepared to learn about (or revisit) no fewer than three 90s movies at the Multiplex: The Unbelievable Truth (1990), Un 32 août sur terre (1998) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Continue reading “The TMINE multiplex: The Unbelievable Truth, Un 32 août sur terre and 10 Things I Hate About You”