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Showing posts with the label Denis Villeneuve

Dune | Average Guy Movie Review

At a time when his family is called upon to protect the galaxy's most valuable resource; Spice - a material that can extend human life, makes interstellar travel possible, and is only found on the desert planet of Arrakis - Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is trying to figure out if he's going to be the man everyone wants him to be. But with treachery closing in on House Atreides from all sides, and the Spice fields up for grabs, he's going to have to figure it out quick. The man who brought us an epic sequel to Blade Runner  has gone in search of an even bigger challenge, and the one he has set his heart on is Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic;  Dune . This highly influential novel has in the past proven rather difficult to adapt for both the big and small screen. Not that that would deter someone like Denis Villeneuve, for whom making Dune  has been a life-long ambition. Something that definitely shows in his recreation of this vast and rich universe. Everything is very

Dune | Moustache Trailer Reaction

Like one of the massive space ships that feature within it, the trailer for Denis Villeneuve's take on 'Dune' has landed... and it's magnificent. If you've not seen it, or you simply want to watch it again, you can check it out below: Trying to tame Frank Herbert's legendary sci-fi novel, it seems, is a challenge like no other. But if anyone is up to the task, it's a fair bet that it's Denis Villeneuve. The French-Canadian director is no stranger to reviving beloved sci-fi properties; Blade Runner 2049 is a worthy sequel to the original Blade Runner, and an outstanding movie in its own right - the best of 2017 in my opinion. Add to that his previous projects (Sicario, Arrival, Prisoners), and you've got a director with a talent for combining complex narratives, fascinating characters and stunning visuals, in a way that's both gripping and intelligible. From the moment the trailer begins you can feel the epic scale of what has been created here. G

Blade Runner 2049 | Average Guy Movie Review

After 30 years, we return to the world of Blade Runner. A lot has changed since Deckard (Harrison Ford) and Rachael (Sean Young) went on the run. Life on Earth has got a lot worse for those who can't afford to leave for the outer colonies. The new breed of Blade Runner - like Ryan Gosling's 'Officer K' - continue to hunt replicants, specifically the Nexus 8, a model with a longer lifespan and the last remnants of the now bankrupt Tyrell Corporation. On a routine assignment K uncovers a mystery that'll lead him to Deckard and draw the attention of Neander Wallace (Jared Leto). Wallace, the father of a new generation of replicants, wants something he believes Deckard has and will stop at nothing to get it. Before watching Blade Runner 2049 it's worth watching the three prequel shorts. They provide some history of the period between 2019 and 2049. Click here to view them on YouTube. Denis Villeneuve has done a magnificent job of recreating the wor

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 | Moustache Reaction

If you weren't excited about Blade Runner 2049 before, you certainly should be now. The longest and most informative of the three shorts, Black Out 2022 tells the story of a major event that had global consequences. The roll out of the Nexus 8 - a new replicant with full human lifespans - saw the rise of human supremacy movements. These groups used the Replicant Registration database to identify and kill replicants. In response, a group of replicants sought to destroy the records, their actions led to the prohibition of their kind causing many to go into hiding. Black Out 2022 is a brilliant piece of filmmaking! Not only is it well written, but the use of multiple animation styles make it both visually stunning and perfectly grounded in the Blade Runner universe. This spectacular short is a perfect bridge between Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049. Don't forget to check out the other two Blade Runner 2049 shorts: What did you think of the three

The Replicant Debate

With Blade Runner 2049 fast approaching and Harrison Ford returning to yet another of his most famous roles, an old debate is once again being refueled. Is Rick Deckard a replicant? If you look to those responsible for creating this definitive piece of sci-fi, you'll get different answers. In the original book by Philip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) Deckard is human. Ridley Scott is convinced he's a replicant, whereas Harrison Ford argues that Deckard is human. Hampton Fancher, the original screenwriter would prefer the answer remain ambiguous.  In the original cut of Blade Runner it was unclear as to whether he was or wasn't, however the Director's Cut and Final Cut - thanks to Ridley - indicate that he is. The evidence is still ambiguous in places, but it's there: There's no mention of Deckard's life between stints as a Blade Runner, except for his failed marriage. Deckard's apartment is full of photos

BLADE RUNNER 2049 | Moustache Trailer Reaction

We have another trailer for Blade Runner 2049. Once again it's filled with interesting characters, absolutely stunning visuals and a lot of mystery. As much as we get to see more of the world first seen 35 years ago, and a lot of work has been done to authentically recreate this dystopian Los Angeles, once again we are left with more questions than answers! Front and centre is Ryan Gosling's 'K' and his investigation, what he's investigating we don't know. It involves his search for Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who - for some reason - has been on the run for 30 years. This search may or may not be the reason K crosses path with Dave Bautista, an encounter that results in a broken wall. One person who's not happy with what K is doing is his boss, played by Robin Wright, she's convinced that his actions could start a war. But how does Joi (Ana De Armas) figure into things? Is she K's connection to the Tyrell Corporation or just someone ca

Blade Runner 2049: Moustache Trailer Reaction

The Christmas period saw the release of two trailers that make 2017 a big year for Ridley Scott. The legendary film maker is returning to two genre defining universes that he helped to create. Firstly with Alien: Covenant, the follow up to 2012's Prometheus, in which Scott will continue to chart the creation of the 'Xenomorph'. As a fan of the Alien movies I was very excited about Prometheus, which upon viewing I found to be very underwhelming. I shall reserve judgement on Alien: Covenant for now, but given how good the Alien movies are (the first two at least) do we really need another prequel? Or are we drifting into Star Wars prequel territory? The second trailer is for Blade Runner 2049, Scott handed directing duties to Denis Villeneuve in order to make Alien: Covenant however he's still on board as a Producer. Set thirty years after Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) disappeared, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling) makes a discovery that sends him in search of the missing B

Arrival: Average Guy Movie Review

When alien spacecraft appear at twelve random locations across the globe, the whole world scrambles to figure out where these ships have come from and why. In the US, linguist, Doctor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited by the government to establish communication with the aliens. A task made increasingly difficult by the rising tensions between host nations. Arrival is directed by Denis Villeneuve, the man behind Sicario, Prisoners and the upcoming Blade Runner 2049 and also stars Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg and Tzi Ma. In a way, Arrival resembles the first hour of Independence Day. The ships show up, many begin to panic and across the world, governments attempt to make contact. This is where the similarities pretty much end, instead of uber destruction porn you get a very tense, slow burn, drama. Although both movies share the underlying theme that it'll take a common goal and/or threat to truly unite the people of Earth. Carrying that weight of th