DUNE Movie: Thoughts, Opinions, and Impressions

[payn]

For those who care, dune got a 40 million domestic weekend opener. It’s a solid opener and the movie is maintaining good hype…but considering it’s budget AND the marketing expenses that went into it…there’s no guarantee yet of a sequel.

the next few weeks (and the HBO max numbers) will determine if the movie has the legs to justify another big investment

Yeah the WB execs are real cagey about the streaming numbers. Apparently, streaming has a big impact on future decisions, but nobody know how those impact the decisions. I mean, with box office you know how a film performs but the streamasphere is a mystery for now.

 

[Stalker0]

Yeah the WB execs are real cagey about the streaming numbers. Apparently, streaming has a big impact on future decisions, but nobody know how those impact the decisions. I mean, with box office you know how a film performs but the streamasphere is a mystery for now.

Yeah the billion dollar questions as the “streaming wars” continue:

1) how much product value do you need on the shelf to grow customers?

2) how much product value do you to need to maintain customers?

streaming is such a different beast from movies…movies give you a direct basis for success, either people pay movie to see your movie or they don’t see it.

with streaming there is the first obvious question: how many people watched X…but that doesn’t actually mean anything in financial terms. It’s “did people join my service to see dune” or “did people stay on my service to watch dune” or “people are joining hbomax and the principal reason is the simultaneous releases” etc etc

 

[embee]

This, like many movies, had a an audio balance problem for lower-end speakers

You can blame technological "improvements" for that.

Flat-panel screens prioritize thinness. The trade-off is in the speakers.

For starters, the speakers have to be able to fit in the panel, meaning that they are going to be fairly weak to begin with. Then, the speakers have to fit in the unit's geometry, resulting in them either being pointed downward or towards the rear.

The only solution is to go with an external sound solution - either surround or soundbar.

 

[JThursby]

This has become a meme for Denis Villeneuve films. You can scrub out Dune and put in Arrival or BR2049 and match critical reviews perfectly.

I know, and it makes me sad and confused. Being this divergant from the critical concensious makes me feel like I'm an idiot for overlooking something, but I genuinely think critics have been poo-pooing this man's work for the wrong reasons. I hope studios keep Denis Villeneuve working despite critics largely labeling him as a style over substance director because he's made nothing but quality. I want him to be a success story of a director instead of another tragic tale of overlooked talent.

 

[Marc_C]

I know, and it makes me sad and confused. Being this divergant from the critical concensious makes me feel like I'm an idiot for overlooking something, but I genuinely think critics have been poo-pooing this man's work for the wrong reasons. I hope studios keep Denis Villeneuve working despite critics largely labeling him as a style over substance director because he's made nothing but quality. I want him to be a success story of a director instead of another tragic tale of overlooked talent.

If it's any consolation I have a university degree in Cinema and Film Making. I don't agree with these 'critics' of style over substances. It's like saying Kurosawa and Mastroianni have no substance. Just disregard them.

Villeneuve is a great visionary and cinematographer in a similar way that John Ford filmed his Westerns. Long atmospheric shots of scenery with 2/3 of sky, wide horizons and minuscule characters. His movies have substance and style. It's the best of both.

 

[Umbran]

The only solution is to go with an external sound solution - either surround or soundbar.

Yeah, I'm aware of the design issues.

Lots of external solutions exist - but I haven't found one that plays well with multiple sources (like, a Roku, a DVR, and an XBox, and a PC all connected to the same TV). Unless you shell out for an amp to handle them all, you have to play the game of "which speakers do I use for this one"?

 

[Marc_C]

“I’m smiling,” Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Jeff Goldstein said on Sunday morning. “Exhibitors are thrilled. The best part is, fans are loving what they’re seeing. They’re loving the big-screen experience. It’s been a winner of a weekend for movie-lovers.”

In an interview with Variety this week, WarnerMedia chair Ann Sarnoff said plans for the sequel will be based on “the entirety of what ‘Dune’ can do for the company, including HBO Max.” She added, “The story in itself sets up for a sequel. The production is so amazing and the storytelling is so compelling that it’s not going to be judged on box office alone.”

Source: ‘Dune’ Opens to $40 Million at the Box Office. Strong Enough for a Sequel?

 

[Tonguez]

There is actually a scene in which we learn the Sarduakar are the best of the best on the Emperors planet. The Harkonnens need them to go against the elite trained by Duncan. Considering they completely destroy the Atreides family during the invasion I would say they are shown to be total bad ass. It's very much 'shown'.

Not really, seeing that scene I just thought “okay Dune stormtroopers” there was nothing to say they were any more ‘elite‘ than Duncan Idaho and the other Atreides fighters

 

[payn]

Sounds like no sequel announced yet because Legendary owns the cinematic rights. Legendry folks not happy about WB dual releasing films in 2021. My guess is they are working out the contract for the future at the moment.

 

[Herschel]

I would argue that’s more to do with the horrific last season that tanked the enthusiasm of the fanbase. If they had nailed the landing i think people would be screaming for that sequel

Meh, they were always going to have issues ending it because all the whiny maggot fandumb factions who weren't going to be happy unless their fanfic ending was the show's. It became fashionable to pile on and while a couple of things may have felt rushed, it made sense in a Martin-esque way.