Dune (1984)

 

In the distant future, a man appears who may be the prophet that a long-suffering galaxy has been waiting for.

Visually compelling and with imaginative styling as you'd expect from the director, the plot has been overloaded so that the sci-fi epic seems more summarized than actually adapted.

On re-watching: Still good to look at, but the narrative is simply not convincing nor much coherent either.

Halliwell (no star): "A basically simple space fiction plot is immensely complicated by a welter of characters who are not properly introduced and who indeed are mostly irrelevant. The result, which cost nearly 50 million dollars, is inaudible, invisible (because of dim lighting) and unentertaining: a disaster of the very first order."

Maltin*1/2: "Elephantine adaptation...You know you're in trouble when film's opening narration...is completely incomprehensible! Visually imaginative, well cast, but joyless and oppressive - not to mention long. For devotees of Herbert's novel only." 

 

Blue Tiger (1994)

A woman dedicates her life to seeking revenge after her son is killed by crossfire as Japanese gangsters perform a hit.

Solid, but a bit crude Yakuza crime thriller; always good to see Harry Dean Stanton, even if it is just a small role.

Halliwell (no star): "On its own undemanding level, an enjoyable and well-made thriller."

The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

A NASA astronaut, forced to retire years earlier so he could save his family farm, has never given up his dream of space travel and looks to build his own rocket, despite the government's threats to stop him.

Slow-paced, good-natured satire, implicitly celebrating American wayward entrepreneurship; Billy Bob Thornton is perfectly cast in the title role.

Maltin**1/2: "Thornton is ideal...Capraesque story...is beautifully rendered; only problem is that the guy in question is nuts!"