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We’ve reached March and we’re starting to get into a season of blockbuster releases, but we’re still getting some smaller streaming films, too. Here’s a look at the new movies I saw this week. If you want to keep up with all that I’m watching this week, follow me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Dune: Part Two (Theaters)
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, and Rebecca Ferguson
Synopsis: When the first installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, I was taken with the astounding technical achievement in building a visually stunning world. But I wasn’t always taken with the characters that populated that world. So, approaching the sequel, I wondered if that would change. It does in a big way. The film is still a stunning visual marvel with incredible world-building. But it’s the depth of character and the resonance of the journeys—particularly for Paul Atreides (Chalamet)—are the heart of the film. That’s what helps Dune: Part Two rise to be the first great film of 2024. The film picks up in the aftermath of the first installment. Paul and his pregnant mother, Jessica (Ferguson), are with the Fremen. They’re trying to gain favor with a leader named Stilgar (Bardem), from whom Paul hopes to learn the ways of the desert. Paul is also drawn to a Fremen fighter, Chani (Zendaya), who he’s seen in his dreams. In order to secure their spot, Jessica agrees to become the Fremen’s new spiritual leader—another step in fulfilling the prophecy surrounding her son. Paul, meanwhile, eschews the worship of some Fremen and sets about earning their respect. Elsewhere, the Emperor (Christopher Walken) seeks to solidify his power in the wake of the attack on House Atreides. He turns to his daughter, Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), to help with the planning, owing to her training and closeness with the Bene Gesserit and the Mother Superior (Charlotte Rampling).  The Bene Gesserit, in turn, put some faith in a rising member of the Harkonnen clan, Feyd-Rutha (Butler). The vicious heir to House Harkonnen is eventually sent to Arrakis, setting up a showdown with Paul and his new friends. Much like the first installment, this film is a technical wonder. The look and the feel are incredible, from the beauty brought out in the desert locations to the cool lack of color during the sequences under the black sun for the Harkonnen’s. It brings you in and creates something of epic scope and scale. That’s particularly true of the battle sequences. The third act climax is worth waiting for with its scope and its coordination. It sucks you in and creates something of epic scale. That’s a credit to Villeneuve, who has a feel and love for this material that comes through on the screen. But what sold it for me was the depth of the performances. Chalamet and Zendaya are great working off one-another. The slow build of their relationship, anchoring it to the film, makes the third act that much more powerful. I also appreciated the work of Ferguson and Bardem, who play key roles in the narrative. The villains also work better here. Our introduction to Feyd-Rutha is intense, and Butler delivers a great, creepy performance in a character that feels miles from what we’ve seen before. His final confrontation with Paul is worth the wait. Overall, this was an epic film that hooked me from the jump. You don’t feel the run time—which is 166 minutes—as you’re taken with the story and the journey. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language.
Verdict: Four and a half stars out of five

Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate (Peacock)
Starring: Keith Ferguson, Laura Post, and Josh Brener
Synopsis: Megamind was a somewhat clever original animated feature with a solid voice cast when it debuted in theaters in 2010. It’s been 14 years since that film debuted, and now Peacock is trying to capitalize on the brand with a straight-to-streaming original film that leads into a new animated series. Doubtless the target audience for this film and series weren’t born when the original film aired. Perhaps they’ve seen it, but it’s also possible this is a first exposure. This new original animated feature doesn’t return the voice cast. It shows a quick recap from the first film and launches into a limp new story. It’s only 84 minutes and it feels overly long. It’s not funny or clever. The animated style is too computer-generated, and the characters all fall flat. This is one of the worst films of the year so far, and something that feels like a straight-to-streaming IP money grab. It can be safely skipped.
Rating: TV-G
Verdict: One star out of five

Spaceman (Netflix)
Starring: Adam Sandler, Paul Dano, and Carey Mulligan
About: This new film from Netflix is something of a broad swing. It’s set in space, where a solo astronaut, Jakub (Sandler), has been alone on a mission for six months. He thinks mostly of the pregnant wife, Lenka (Mulligan). They are at a rough patch in their relationship and now, with the distance, Jakub doesn’t know how to fix it. On the cusp of the crux of his mission, he finds an alien creature, Hanus (Dano), on his ship. Hanus wants to learn more bout Jakub, sifting through his memories to get to the core of his issues and, perhaps, repair his relationship with Lenka. But is Hanus real? That’s the question for audiences. It’s a unique set up. Despite the presence of Sandler, this is a serious film, and he does quite well in a more difficult and serious role. In fact, I appreciated all the performances. There are also some unique and compelling visuals from director Johan Renek. But the film is oddly paced, and the story, at times, is just odd. I enjoyed it some, but it doesn’t quite hit the heights for which it’s aiming.
Rating: Rated R for language.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five