In case you missed it, The Observer’s Editor-in-chief, Isaac Hinson, is high on the spice of “Dune.” He’s written about it multiple times both leading up to the release of “Dune: Part Two” and then again after watching it. I saw the first “Dune” in 2021 and enjoyed it. Sci-fi and fantasy are my go-to genres for books and movies so it wasn’t hard to get on board with Frank Herbert’s saga brought to the big screen. But I wasn’t a “Dune” FAN yet. That all changed.
Since the ‘Burg doesn’t have an IMAX in town, Isaac and I braved the snow to travel to the Regal Cinema in Issaquah. We made sure to book our tickets to “Dune: Part Two” days in advance so we had seats we’d be happy with.
Watching “Dune: Part Two” was a spiritual experience. I went into the movie excited after years of waiting for the second part and the positive reviews I’d heard. I came away changed. The only word I have when people ask what I thought of it is “EPIC.” The American Film Institute (AFI) lists “Lawrence of Arabia” as the most epic film of all time and I found myself comparing “Dune: Part Two” to “Lawrence of Arabia” while watching the movie and again after the movie finished. The story was complex and deep with themes that are core to the human experience. The sweeping shots and close-up moments weave into the viewer’s soul. It’s the water of life that will convert all who watch it into fans of Director Denis Villeneuve and his mastery of visual storytelling. Who knows how many times I’ll see this movie in the coming weeks. The supposed conclusion of the trilogy “Dune: Messiah” is coming in the near future (hopefully sooner rather than later) and I am ready to worship when it does.
Since we both have Regal Unlimited, Isaac and I made it a double-feature before heading home. “Drive-Away Dolls” was everything that “Dune: Part Two” was not. It was saucy satire with people killing others, literally, for dildos. The political commentary, the cameos, the artistic style and watching Maragret Qualley with a Texan accent kept me laughing. It was powerful in a different way than “Dune: Part Two” but left me in even more awe of the prowess the film has.
“Dune: Part Two” and “Drive-Away Dolls” both are excellent examples of the versatility of filmmaking. We’ve all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words and a second of film has an average of 24 photos. Movies are the media of the masses. It’s one of the things we talk about when we chat with almost anyone. A common “get-to-know-you” question is “What is your favorite movie?” (Mine is “The Mummy,” btw.) Relationships are cemented or destroyed with how one responds. And I anticipate both “Dune: Part Two” and “Drive-Away Dolls” being in these conversations in the near future, if not in these conversations now.
