Tyler Skeen

For the longest time I’ve dreamt of Frank Herbert’s legendary literature turned into a movie. It almost seemed an impossible task for decades on end. With many attempts, and often all of them coming up short. But today, I’m here happily to say, my dream turned into a reality, with DUNE: part two. This feels big, a monumental Sci-Fi/action blockbuster for the masses upon decades to come. DUNE: Part 2 is Nothing short of a monumental achievement in the art form of science fiction adaption & filmmaking. A completely new and unique masterclass of filmmaking by all standards. I’d go as far as to say DUNE: part 2 might honestly be in contention for the greatest film ever made. This is a monumental Sci-Fi/action blockbuster for the masses upon decades to come. Unparalleled to anything prior to, or yet to come. Im not kidding when I say DUNE: part 2 is Up there as an all timer with the matrix, 2001, interstellar, blade runner, and to some extent, Star wars. Love the call backs to Ridley Scott’s gladiator, kubrick’s 2001, & finally, orson welle’s B&W masterclass citizen Kane. Dune: Part 2 is quite simply the best blockbuster of the last decade for science fiction films. Similarly to Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus last year “Oppenheimer”. Villeneuve shows us that the trajectory of his previous, independent film work has been leading him up until this point in his illustrious filmmaking career. Thus, creating his true unimaginable awe inspiring cinematic masterpiece, filled with extraordinary imagery & stunning cinematography by Greig Frasier. This is one of those films that comes around every so often, but leaves you utterly breathless with your jaw hanging on the floor the whole way through its that dazzling and grand. We are witnessing cinematic history once again in the realm of sci-fi spectacle. A spectacular companion piece to the first film that tremendously enhances that. Whilst still being entirely spectacular, fresh, & darker in tone. An unparalleled experience is waiting for you in the cinemas of IMAX. Hans Zimmer is back doing what he does best with rhythmic compositions and harrowing chant March drum themes. My favourite track being the beating heart of the film’s score “A time of quiet-between the storms.” Not only is this a direct musical representation of Paul Atreides/Chani (Timothee Chalamet & Zendaya’s) loving relationship, in the film. but it is the entire illuminating background of the two character’s development in the story. Even better than the first film, the stakes are exponentially higher, the power struggles even more mythic, the on-screen world-building richer and more exotically filigreed, and the visuals even more dazzling. Austin butler in his villain era, but gives one of the greatest character performances i’ve ever seen. Feyd-Rautha is chaotic, Florence Pugh is an absolute queen in her role, and Christopher walken/anya Taylor joy give great cameo performances in here too. I have no idea how The sphere in the final battle scene was shot, but that’s how I feel about 90% of dune 1/2 when I look back at the sheer magnitude and engulf myself in the exposures of the directorial photography. The shots are absolutely the best I’ve seen in a modern blockbuster ever! Dune: part 2 is the sort of big-canvas franchise storytelling we haven’t see since the LOTR trilogy. I recommend the double feature of Dune part 1/2 for full enjoyment. A tragedy, a conqueror, a legend, a messiah. Denis Villeneuve, please give us Dune: “Messiah” (3rd part) already, the Oscar’s are already secured for this beast my man.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Priscilla. The way it subverts the idyllic life of fame and transforms it into a portrait of isolation. The intentional use of scale between Elordi and Spaeny to emphasize Elvis’s influence. The subtle (and sometimes overt) reminder of Priscilla’s age juxtaposed with the debauchery of stardom. A fantasy, a dream, that evaporates once innocence has been robbed and reality has settled in. A masterfully told divine feminist tale that sticks with you long after the credits role. Elvis was the most famous, and greatest singing entertainer the world had ever seen. But he was a very human man with some seriously disturbing personal issues. Priscilla being brave enough to finally share these real details, & issues in her 1985 book, about her personal life, is nothing short of sheer bravery which is applaud worthy. I really do think Cailee & Jacob were perfectly cast. Both do an admirable job playing their larger then life counterparts. Elrodi, although noticeably tall (which may be an issue for some) as it may be jarring. Gives an interesting take on the king. It’s less physical than the traditional butlers, yet so much richer, in layering his foundation of what elvis was like behind the glitz and glamour. The voice is absolute spot on, and easily the best impression I’ve ever heard of Elvis. As Elordi finds that perfect balance of husk and deep vibrato. Elordi's drawl felt like the right tone and cadence for how Presley was, even speaking clearly, or often mumbled in a room.  However, if I had to pick a performance that is the standout it’s definitely our main actress Cailee as Priscilla. She does so much without saying anything at all. It is her eyes, natural beauty & incredibly powerful performance, 
And yes, I’d compare this to an Audrey Hepburn type acting performance as she plays her character so innocently & fiercely when she needs to turn it up. Periodically speaking, from that era. This is easily one coppola’s best films, from both of the actors giving it their all, her accurate and nuanced filmmaking has come a long way as she uses many realistic production techniques. The soundtrack matches the aesthetic quite well.  It’s still one of the most beautifully shot film bio-pics I’ve seen. These are two of my favourite actors working today, can’t wait to see what is coming next from them. They’re magnificent on the eyes together just as Elvis & Priscilla were in their young adult years. This is kinda the film that I believe will kickstart their long lasting acting careers into superstardom.  It does a great job & highlighting how much isolation & abuse Priscilla ACTUALLY dealt with during that period from the king of rock & roll.  I recommend seeing it for the performances. 
Probably won’t win any awards or do massive numbers at the box office, which is a shame. It definitely deserves a nomination for best costume/hair-makeup design. What am outstanding wardrobe department here. I have come to appreciate how close and authentic it is to the real life circumstances. I could not imagine how it felt from Priscilla’s perspective to be neglected for so long by Elvis. This is a true loving companion piece to both Elvis and Priscilla’s life. It will be appreciated greatly by many someday. It’s absolutely easy to say that even though that had everything at their fingertips, and every bit of success in their own livelihoods, they were extremely dysfunctional emotionally. Ultimately, it’s safe to admit both of their breathtaking lifestyles, and compassionate love for one another, were still heartbreaking in conclusion.  One not to be missed.

“I used to be a brother, & now I’m not a brother anymore.” 🤼🏆👱 A suplex to the heart, a power bomb to the soul. Yet, an unforgettable cinematic experience from start to finish as a viewer. A24’s “The Iron Claw” by Sean Durkin is not only one of the best film portrayals of professional wrestling ever made, it is easily one of the best films I’ve ever seen. A complete show stopping MASTERPIECE of a sports film based on real life tragic events of the Von Erich family. There’s a complicated balance in traversing a story as tragic as the Von Erich family, but so much of why the film works is because it’s unafraid to challenge the prison of toxic masculinity. Men at their physical apex, who seemed invincible, but were at their most vulnerable. No other film has dealt with younger mens, mental health, masculinity crisis’s, or a complete & utter sacrifice for those you love. If you are familiar with the true to life events & circumstances in which this film takes place you will understand its significance and sorrow in the wrestler world, it is truely hard to put into words. The film stars an outstanding ensemble. Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simon’s, Lily James, Maura Tierney, Holt mccallany, & Aaron Dean Eisenberg. The entire cast is perfect, but not enough can be said about Efron. The anchor to the emotion, so much of the pain can be seen in his face and eyes. Can’t help but feel happy to see his talents finally be utilized properly, but also I’m sad because this movie is heart shattering. Such as with all great films, audiences will continue to discover “The Iron Claw” in the years to come, & people will wonder why it wasn't nominated for a single Oscar. A24, despite turning it into a commercial success, botched a golden opportunity to give this film a proper awards campaign. 🧑🧑🧑🧑 I’ve seen the film twice now, & it is easily amongst the strongest, & yet, BEST to have ever come out by A24 studio. Zac Efron deserves his flowers, & Jeremy Allen white is absolutely one of beating hearts of the film that will leave you with absolute meloncholy with his incredibly iconic performance. What an astonishingly beautiful & earth shattering film. It mustn’t be missed by those with unbelievable empathy & loving compassion towards ones family. Especially, that of brothers, & sons. At the end of the day, they’re great, big, hulking men, & also just, like, sweet little boys. Absolute perfection. A modern cult masterpiece that will absolutely be looked back upon one day by people & critics who overlooked it at first glance.

Best rom-com in years. So refreshing to have two new great faces that are stars in Sydney Sweeney & Glen Powell. Shot in our beautiful country of Australia! Wow. As Hollywood mid-budget films became a rarity in the 2010s, romantic comedies appeared to be a dying species. But another star vehicle for the charismatic Powell has emerged as another potential savior. “Anyone But You,” from director Will Gluck and co-writer Ilana Wolpert, has the charm, wit, swoony romance, and, most importantly, star chemistry that has been solely missing from recent lackluster entries in the genre. A loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” Powell stars as Ben, a finance bro hiding deep emotional wounds with f-boy nihilism, who meet-cutes with Bea (Sydney Sweeney), a law student unsure she even wants to be a lawyer. Sparks fly immediately between the two, who spend a day and night passionately talking, eating grilled cheese, sharing with each other pieces of themselves they rarely show to anyone. Waking up on Ben’s couch the next day, a euphoric-but-hesitant Bea panics and leaves without saying a word. Regretting her mistake almost immediately, she returns to tell him how she feels just in time to overhear a hurt Ben tell his best friend Pete (GaTa) that she was just another one-night stand who means nothing to him. A few months later, Ben and Bea cross paths again when Pete’s sister Claudia (Alexandra Shipp) begins dating Bea’s sister Halle (Hadley Robinson), and again a year or so later when they’re both invited to the women’s destination wedding in Australia. The squabbling duo make such a mess of things that the wedding party plots to get them together just to keep the peace. The couple decide to play along with the poorly executed ruse so that Bea’s parents will stop trying to get her back with childhood sweetheart Jonathan (Darren Barnet) and make Ben’s ex Margaret (Charlee Fraser) jealous. Like “Easy A,” Gluck’s millennial spin on “The Scarlet Letter” which helped launch the career of Emma Stone, “Anyone But You” brings a classic story and structure to life with thoroughly contemporary characters and themes. Ben is a man who has built an emotional wall around his life. Bea is a good girl afraid to risk reaching for more than just the comfortable life her helicopter parents (Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths) have planned for her. Despite the stacked supporting cast, this is really a two-hander for Powell, whose scruffy charm is reminiscent of Kurt Russell a la “Overboard,” and Sweeney, whose sad eyes and soft timbre recall Melanie Griffith in “Working Girl.” Their palpable chemistry is enhanced through a skillful use of medium and close-up shots that bring into focus both their characters’ fire, and their shared melancholy. While the film has its fair share of wacky moments, its greatest moments are found in the many scenes where Ben and Bea truly see each other. Along with the strong character work from Powell and Sweeney, the film’s greatest asset is the creative visual ways Gluck finds to subvert viewer expectations for an R-rated comedy. There is nudity, These comedic moments are perfectly contrasted with the film’s romantic moments. unfortunately, essentially ultimatums, there is instead a more emotionally complex understanding that to love someone is to wish the best for them, regardless if that future includes you or not. Remember, the rest is still unwritten.

Don’t listen to the critics or dc haters, if you love Zack Snyder and the 10 year reign of DCEU films you’ll love this film!!! All i feel is melancholy towards the last 10 years of what DC has put out in terms of their film content. From the get go, it has always been the most trashed media with both fans and critics alike. It never really had a chance to begin with, as many did not appreciate the artistic merit of both Snyder and wan. Which is an utter shame, the films definitely don’t deserve the utter amount of hate they’ve had over this last decade. Quite a handful of them will be considered cult classics one day, it will only take time. My favourites include BVS, Man of steel, Zack Snyder’s Justice league, aquaman. I’m happy to inform fans and everyone that they have a funny and silly blockbuster movie to see this summer with awesome action. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom exceeded all my expectations. The film has stunning visuals, awesome action sequences and a nice bromance/family storyline which is just heartwarming and fun to watch. Atlantis and all other scene/location/creature designs were unique and amazingly well made, too. There was great balance between underwater and land scenes, all of which were breathtaking, and it kept things dynamic and interesting. For me, the film had great balance between action, humor, and emotion, and I think the sequel was as good as the first one, if not even a tad bit better cause to me, Manta felt like a more interesting and threatening villain than in the first one. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is definitely a worthy sequel and then some to 2018’s aquaman. James Wan really went and made the two best DCEU films. An epic fantasy duology about two brothers attempting to reconcile while being pulled apart by two separate worlds. Incredible visuals, from production design to creature design, and the world building is so well done. Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson are a perfect duo, and watching them chew scenery is one of the best parts of this movie. If you love DC, and you support them no matter what. You’ll always show up to the cinemas to see your favourite characters shine. Do yourself a favour and go and check out one of the best comic book movies this year.

Welcome to the world of pure imagination… Close your eyes and count to ten! 🍫🍭🍬 “WONKA” is one of if not the best use of complete creativity through the use of the bizarre and unbelievable which is so precisely tied together with its fascinating characters and brilliant storylines. “WONKA” wonderfully pays homage to the musical, book and film, carefully incorporating elements of all while adding unique moments of its own. The Oompa Loompa was a great example of this, being not overplayed and a chorus of them justifiably not needed, but a single Oompa Loompa references the original text, is adapted to the new version creatively with a completely new sense of whimsey and humour that gives an adaptation a sense of originality. As for the lead actor, Timothee Chalamet. ~ I was in tears, he gives a special & beautiful homage in his own performance of Mr Wonka to gene wilder. Whilst attempting, but not being far away from surpassing its own source material. I’m so glad i put aside my love for the original to truely enjoy this. Pure imagination will always have a soft dot in my heart for eclectic moments of music in film history, an absolutely astonishing version comes from Timothee too. It was worth every second of big screen time in IMAX. 
I could easily say, Timothee Chalamet is quickly becoming the finest young actor working today, he was perfectly cast as Willy Wonka. He even looks like a younger, gene wilder himself.   Additionally, the Chocolate Cartel, the prisoners and the zookeeper guard and his long lost lover were the best group of secondary and tertiary characters I’ve ever seen. There was something so satisfying about how Willie Wonka’s chocolate and his schemes lead all these characters to fulfil their objectives and overcome obstacles, as small as they might be. All of these characters bounced off one another so well and had their own quirks that tied the whole film together so well. “WONKA” succeeds best in its little moments. Between Keegan Michael Key’s Chief of Police categorically gaining an obscene amount of weight during the film, and the Giraffe invading the church which is confused for the apocalypse, the film is absolutely consistent and never has a flat moment.  
You will see great framing, great lighting, very beautiful production design and song. Safe to say, I really enjoyed this film, I definitely hope others do too. “WONKA” goes above and beyond all the expectations I had for it. This movie can and will heal any broken soul. The message about the greedy beating the needy has been done countless times and somehow Wonka still manages to create an impactful story. A world of your own. I called it, is about to be a musical classic anytime soon. Timethee Chalamet redefines Depp’s & wilder’s Willy Wonka into a colorful loving boy that the audience will cheer for.  “WONKA” is full of sugary life from start to finish, with not a dull moment throughout. I also have to say, that “WONKA” undoubtably is the most imaginative, creative, artistically, beautiful, film of the year. 🍫

A audacious, & bold, second round directorial film for Bradley Cooper, & one of the best of the year. Composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper, in a performance so expansive and exuberant that it easily upstages that controversial prosthetic nose) was a man of contradictions. And for Cooper, in his second outing as a director (after A Star Is Born), it’s this sense of perpetually warring sides to Bernstein’s psyche that proves to be central in his approach to this biopic. In a step up in terms of ambition and bravura, Cooper directs with a gusto and showmanship to match that of Bernstein at his most fevered and ecstatic. This style of film-making can feel overbearing and ostentatious, and as such it won’t be for everyone, but there is much to admire here – in particular Carey Mulligan’s career-best performance as Bernstein’s wife, the actor Felicia Montealegre – and, of course, the heart-swelling, all-consuming music that sweeps through the drama in waves. With its nonlinear structure, Maestro feels a little like a scrapbook of life moments – glittering career achievements; crackling explosions of domestic tension – and Cooper keeps up a zesty, kinetic energy throughout. It’s another way in which Bernstein’s restless essence is captured in the storytelling. For the most part, though, the picture is all about the conflicting dualities at the heart of this complicated man, which Cooper smartly reflects in the contrast between black-and-white segments and the rich, saturated colour scenes; in the tight, boxy aspect ratio of the early scenes compared with the wide-open opportunities of later life; and in the framing that places Leonard and Felicia together in the same room but also worlds apart. “It could be argued that Felicia is the light that guides Leonard, drawing him away from his darker, self-destructive impulses” The most obvious example of duality in Bernstein is his sexuality. There’s no question that he loves his wife. The fact is emphasised from the outset, with one of the picture’s first scenes showing a widowed Bernstein opening his heart in a television interview and expressing his grief over her death. But he also desires and openly pursues a long list of young men, key among them a particularly close and poignant early connection with clarinettist David Oppenheim (Matt Bomer). Elsewhere, there’s a contradiction in his professional persona, a conflict between his identity as a conductor – a showman to the hilt, giving everything to his orchestra and his audience, basking in their adoration – and his other, more introverted existence as a composer, cloistered away from the rest of the world. Bernstein is also, according to the film, prone to emotional polarities. At times consumed by giddy elation and at others by dark, debilitating despair, he’s portrayed as an effortlessly charming and outgoing public figure, and a guarded private one. In the middle of this emotional combat zone is Felicia. To call her collateral damage in the battle between warring sides of her husband’s personality would be misleading. As played by Mullligan, Felicia is not a passive presence; she’s an equal partner in this story, taking front and centre stage along with Leonard. Bradley cooper’s second directorial film about Leonard Bernstein is nothing short of spectacular. It’s just a shame it comes at a time of other masterpieces, disrupting, its own award winning chances, for next year. Im talking to you Oppenheimer….

One of the most important artists of all time has a new film this week, an unexpected fantasy from a man that most people thought was done a decade ago. 2013’s “The Wind Rises” undeniably felt like a final act, but Hayao Miyazaki had something else to say, working some of his own life, art, and interests into the masterful “The Boy and the Heron,” a mesmerizing fable that feels even more like a summary of an artist’s career. It’s a film that somehow plays as both a child’s heroic journey and an old man’s wistful goodbye at the same time, a dream-like vision that reasserts Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s voice and international relevance. It’s gorgeous, ruminative, and mesmerizing, one of the best of 2023. “The Boy and the Heron” is the story of a 12-year-old named Mahito Maki, whose mother dies in a hospital fire in Tokyo, sending him to the countryside with a distant father named Shoichi and a new, pregnant mother named Natsuko, the sister of Mahito’s late mother. Mahito understandably operates from a place of grief and anger. He dreams of the mother he couldn’t save from the flames, and even wounds himself with a rock in a moment of startling self-harm. It has been said that “The Boy and the Heron” is about a young man who learns to not operate from a place of selfishness, but I also see it as a product of another template—learning that the beauty of the world also comes with pain. This lesson starts with a heron, a bird that starts to tease Mahito about his mother, telling him that his “presence is requested.” When Natsuko goes missing, Mahito follows the heron to a nearby tower, the last place that anyone saw Mahito’s great-granduncle before he disappeared. Just before the hour mark of “The Boy and the Heron,” a film that has often played like a standard coming-of-age drama dives headfirst into fantasy as Mahito enters his own Wonderland, an alternate reality with swarms of pelicans, violent parakeets, and adorable little creatures called warawara. Here’s where “The Boy and the Heron” splits from traditional plotting to something that works in a different register. My youngest son noted how confused he was by what was happening, and I asked if he understood the emotions of what was unfolding. He did. That’s what matters. Of course, everyone expects a Ghibli film to look stunning, but Miyazaki finds some of his most striking compositions here. The first viewing favors the creative landscapes of the fantasy world—the ships on a horizon lit by sunset, the bright colors of the parakeets chasing the heron, the flames of Mahito’s ally Himi—but there’s stunning artistry in the first half of the film too, capturing a young man who looks small against a country landscape in which he just doesn’t seem to fit. All of the visions here are enhanced greatly by a gorgeous score by Joe Hisaishi that’s my favorite of the year. “The Boy and the Heron” takes some patience. The first hour is arguably a bit too long, repeating some plot points more than it needs to before thrusting Mahito into his true journey. And there are times even in the second half when it feels like Miyazaki the writer spins his wheels, but the patience here is rewarded by final scenes that really land emotionally. Without spoiling, Mahito is given a chance to rule a fantasy world, but he chooses the pain of the real one. That’s the lesson of adulthood, the awareness that we can’t live in lands of made-up characters and fantasy versions of those we’ve lost. If this truly is the last time we get to see miyazaki in film, I’m thankful!

A modern day action & storytelling masterclass, an absolute spectacle about humanity & a tale of the most ICONIC legacy monster ever. This is NOW the BEST Godzilla movie ever made. Minus one is A masterpiece of kaiju cinema — a statement I’m sure many fans and cinephiles will disagree with (indeed, I suspect even director Yamazaki might take exception to my declaration of his film’s dominant status. Do yourselves a favour & do not miss this in IMAX whilst it’s available for a limited time on the biggest & loudest screen possible. Visually, Godzilla Minus One feels more photo-realistic in its big effects sequences than any other film in the series, including the far bigger-budgeted Hollywood films. See this film in IMAX or Dolby Cinema, if at all possible. This is the sort of moviemaking that demands such premium theatrical experiences — this is exactly the sort of movie such things are made for. Movie production company Toho’s giant monster franchise Godzilla is the longest running film series in history, making it by default also the biggest sci-fi series and horror series of all time. While Hollywood studio Legendary Pictures continues to produce their own broader MonsterVerse shared cinematic world that includes the famous atomic-powered creature, Toho has continued releasing their own Godzilla pictures, and the latest reboot “Godzilla” Minus One: is one of 2023’s greatest films. Proximity to the events of World War II lend it an immediacy that permeates every scene, the complex messages and cultural mea culpa combining with overwhelming weight of grief, loss, and sense of moral certainty about the dangers and evils of nuclear weapons — and of nuclear power. Until now. Godzilla Minus One is essentially a remake of the 1954 Godzilla, with inspiration (particularly in its first and third acts) from Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. But while the film borrows the basic story structure and certain themes from those films, it brings a great deal of original storytelling and characterization to the table, while improving upon those inspirational elements from other films. Writer-director-visual effect supervisor Takashi Yamazaki’s magnificent script is full of real, delicate, flawed people trapped in horrifying circumstances and facing impossible expectations and odds (both internal, cultural, international, and of course in the context of a giant atomic monster) The characters are then brought to vivid life by a tremendous cast, led by Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe in one of the most touching and heartbreaking relationships in any film this year. The supporting cast is likewise remarkable, with Kuranosuke Sasaki and Sakura Ando as notable standouts. Munetaka Aoki is also wonderful in a smaller but crucial role. Sequels, spinoffs, and related film projects have come and gone, but the original Godzilla retained a dignity and power few of its predecessors could come close to matching, and certainly could not surpass... Western audiences are familiar with Godzilla, including decades of the Japanese films airing on TV and screening in theaters, as well as the success of the modern MonsterVerse universe of films from Legendary Pictures — including Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong — all of which I liked to varying degrees — and the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: The original “Godzilla” in 1954 remains a masterpiece of foundational science fiction cinema and horror cinema, responsible for creating the kaiju genre in a film with deep social and historic themes & strong characterization.