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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week. As a note, Hallmark Christmas movie season has begun. Each week, I'll be chronicling the new ones I've seen. You're welcome.

Dune (Theaters/HBO Max)
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, and Zendaya
Synopsis: It's finally here, Denis Villeneuve's take on the epic Frank Herbert novel. This is really just part one, with part two being mercifully greenlit. (Could you imagine if it hadn't been?) This film has something of a concrete ending but it still leaves the world wide open. This follows the story about warring families being used by the Emperor. This is mostly about the Atreides family, the Duke Leto (Isaac), his son Paul (Chalamet), his partner Jessica (Ferguson) and the soldiers of his house, including right-hand man Gurney (Brolin) and warrior Duncan Idaho (Momoa). I'm not going to really attempt to explain the plot, which is dense and hard enough to follow over two and a half hours. Suffice to say, the Atreides clan answers the call to take over mining operations on Arrakis, a harsh dessert planet with indigenous people, sand worms and a hostile climate. There, they are attacked by a rival family. But the planet, and its native residents, might hold the key to unlocking all the potential of Paul. That's primarily where the first film leaves us. This isn't the first time Dune has been brought to the big screen. Director David Lynch offered a version in 1984 that featured a star-studded cast, attempted to squeeze the whole plot into one film. It was strange and confusing at times. By comparison, this new version lets the story breathe a bit. Still, the plot is dense and still somewhat difficult to track at times for those who haven't read Herbert's novels. Despite that, the visuals Villeneuve brings to life are stunning and the big draw here. He's an exceptional visual storyteller and he plies those talents to this story to great effect. The performances are solid for the most part as well, with a stand out for me being Momoa, who I loved as Duncan Idaho. Zendaya is prominently featured in the trailer, playing a key role in the story that will mostly be explored in Part 2. Overall, this was a hotly anticipated release. From a cinematic standpoint I was thrilled. From an emotionally resonate standpoint this just didn't connect for me. While I'm interested to see how it ends, it didn't live up to the hype for this viewer.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material.
Verdict: Two stars out of four

Hallmark Christmas 2021
Crashing Through the Snow
Starring: Amy Acker, Warren Christie, and Kristian Bruun
Synopsis: Maggie (Acker) and Jeff (Bruun) are a divorced couple raising two kids in Austin. Jeff has moved on and is in a serious relationship with Kate (Brooke Nevin). So serious, they are taking the kids to Aspen, Colorado for Christmas. When Kate learns Maggie has never missed Christmas with her kids, she invites the ex-wife to tag along. There, Maggie makes a connection with Kate's brother, Sam (Christie), and tries to figure out how to be one, happy, blended family. This is a different kind of story for Hallmark, and one that's somewhat awkward if you take the time to think it through. You know where it's going if you're familiar with the formula. Kate and Jeff get engaged, while Maggie finds romance with Sam... and fortunately we don't have to wonder how that's all gonna work because the final pairings come in the last two minutes. These movies are about the characters and chemistry. I like Acker and Christie has been in a number of Hallmark Christmas movies as a lead. Both work well together, making the most of the story in a fun way. This isn't exceptional, but it was entertaining.
Rating: TV-G
Verdict: Two stars out of four

You, Me and the Christmas Trees
Starring: Danica McKellar and Benjamin Ayres
Synopsis: McKellar is one of the Queens of Hallmark, or was until she signed an exclusive deal with a competitor this week. So, this might be her final Hallmark Christmas film. Fortunately, she goes out on a good one if, indeed, it is the end. This one finds McKellar as Olivia, an arborist who is feeling blue as Christmas approaches. She was supposed to get married on Christmas but the relationship ended. Now, she's leery of heading home to face the music. When she gets a request from a desperate small-town Christmas Tree farmer, Jack (Ayres), whose trees are sick, she springs to action. It is meant to be a short detour before facing the music but, naturally, she finds a place of belonging and someone she might want to belong with. McKellar is great in these movies and finds a strong co-lead in Ayres. This one is a slight spin on a common storyline for these types of films but it works well. The chemistry of the leads and the fun of the story work well. This was the traditional lead-off film for more than two months of original films and it's the perfect lead in to the season. It's not incredible but I enjoyed it.
Rating: TV-G
Verdict: Two stars out of four