Well, I took the late afternoon and went to see Dune on the big screen. IMAX. Couldn’t talk K into going, even with the amazing promise of spending 3 hours with me in a dark, extremely loud room. Go figure.

And…I’m still disappointed. The movie was better on the big screen, but it was still long and plodding. It was still monotone and way too dark (the lighting, not the mood); still looked a lot like it was shot through gauze. I liked Chalamet a tiny bit better on the big screen, but still…foppish. I could hear Lady Jessica’s lines for the first time, but the idea of a weak, almost-always-crying Bene Gesserit is just wrong.

So I’m glad I gave it a try, but at this point I’m not a fan of the 2021 Dune movie. It’s a long, extended, beautiful shot of a desert, with a few decent battle scenes and hellacious special effects. And an absolutely overwhelming musical score (thanks, Hans). I sure hope The Wheel of Time fares better.