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Rebecca Ferguson

Dune: Massive Scale & Messianic Spirituality

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Never let it be said that Denis Villeneuve isn’t willing to take risks. After the financial disaster of critical darling Blade Runner 2049, one might have thought that the Canadian director would move on to smaller projects.

But why do that when you can tackle a complex work of science fiction with a history of failures onscreen?

Although adapted several times before, Frank Herbert’s 400-page sci-fi epic Dune has often been described as ‘unfilmable’ due to its incredible ambition and scale. However, Villeneuve has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Inching towards a three hour runtime, Dune seems like it could be almost overwhelming or impractical for audiences. (What’s more, its no secret that this is only the first half of the story as well.)

Even so, the experiment works. In taking this approach, Villeneuve has the opportunity to let the film breathe and allow its expansive storytelling and scale to unravel at its own pace. As a result, the film never feels like it’s unnecessarily cutting material for the sake of the runtime yet never really drags either. The director of such films as the vastly underrated Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, Villeneuve has made a name for himself taking on material with multiple layers and massive landscapes and Dune certainly fits that description.

And to say that Dune operates on a massive scale is to put it mildly. 

Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), a gifted young man who believes his destiny is to do great things. As the heir to the House Atreides, Paul is drawn into an interstellar conflict when his father Leto (Oscar Isaacs) attempts to negotiate the exclusive rights to mining a rare and essential natural resource on the planet Arrakis. As discussions move forward, tensions between the House Atreides are stalled when the brutal House Harkkonen attempt to take the resources for themselves. As a result, Paul finds himself caught between loyalty to his father and seeking the destiny that he believes lies before him.

Complex and expansive, there is little wonder why Herbert’s novel is held in such high esteem. The sheer audacity and scope of this piece is awestriking and really truly should only be seen in IMAX. (It’s obvious to see why Villeneuve would have balked at the proposal to release on HBO Max.) While the cinematography may not be quite as impressive as Deakins’ Oscar-winning work in Blade Runner 2049, there is no doubt that Dune is meant to make you feel insignificant against its landscapes. Deserts are expansive and dry. Planets of rain are feel as though they will be drench the audience. Every moment onscreen is constructed to emphasize that its characters are insignificant when compared to the immensity of their environments. 

Filled with creativity and detailed history, this is the sort of sci-fi epic that seeks to honour its source material by fully immersing you within its story. Similar to Game of Thrones, Dune is not a simple ‘good versus evil’ battle but instead becomes a deep political thriller with multiple sides, history and theology. As such, casual fans may need to be patient in order to find their way through at first. (Personally, I was unfamiliar with the material and it took me some time to feel like I fully grasped the relationships and tensions between worlds.) That’s not to say that the film doesn’t feature eye-popping special effects and enormous space battles. Villeneuve has some truly amazing visual action set pieces here as well. Instead, it is simply a caution that the film’s strong political emphasis can be overwhelming to the unfamiliar. 

As warring factions collide over their interest in ‘spice’, their interest truly lies in power and conquest. The primary propellant for space travel, spice also can extend human life and create super-human levels of thought. As a result, this strange material has become the most sought-after resource in the universe, initiating complicated political machinations in order to maintain control of its reserves. (It’s worth noting that Villeneuve seems to use this as a metaphor to echo the battle for oil in the Middle East.) To those involved, those who control the spice control the galaxy.

Complicating this battle is the Fremen, natives of Arrakis who live in the deep desert. To those who seek only the spice, they are viewed as helpless nomads that need the strength and might of their conquerors. However, it is clear from the outset that the Fremen require no protection. Confident, intelligent and well-organized, the Fremen have survived for centuries on their own amidst the dangers of the desert. Though viewed by the powerful as the ‘savages’ of the desert, in truth they have the greatest understanding of their world and how it operates. However, this matters little to their conquerors. Rather than take the time to learn about the Fremen, the people of Atreides and Harkkonen instead view them as obstacles that threaten their quest for power. Like so many victims of colonization before them, the Fremen are treated with disrespect by those who hold the military might and are therefore kept to the margins.

What’s most interesting about Villeneuve’s Dune though is its spiritual underpinnings. Unlike the cold cynicism of Blade Runner 2049, this is a world that has deeply theological roots that inform its culture with hope. From the authority of the Bene Gesseret to the underlying prophesy, Dune is very interested in imbuing its world with messianic themes. This becomes particularly true in the case of the culture’s view of Paul Atreides and his mother. Believed to be the ‘chosen one’, Paul’s relationship with the people of Atraxis reveals two differing worldviews. On the one hand, the two are held in reverence by those who believe. At the same time, they are kept at a distance by those who simply cannot fathom that this insignificant little man could be the one who has been prophesied about. (Echoing the Biblical narrative of Mary and Jesus, the comparisons to the New Testament journey of Christ are undeniable.) Despite their technological advancements and social systems, this is still a world waiting for something (or someone) more powerful that will give them hope and bring justice.

Bound to be divisive due to its long runtime and complex political landscapes, there will be those who feel they cannot connect with Dune. What’s more, its always a risk to make a film with the intent of future installments, especially for science fiction epics. However, Villeneuve’s Dune is one which deserves to be completed. Featuring expansive storytelling, landscapes and a cast that seems to contain almost everyone in Hollywood, Dune simply works. With deep affection for his source material and incredible skill, Villeneuve has yet again created a film which is both stunning and smart. Most importantly though, this story feels like it has something to say… but it simply needs the opportunity to finish its thought.

Dune is be available in theatres on Friday, October 22nd, 2021.

Doctor Sleep: Facing Our [Literal] Demons

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[Caution: The following review contains spoilers for Doctor Sleep.]

A continuation of Stanley Kubrick’s classic horror movie, The Shining, Doctor Sleep takes place after the events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel and follows the now grown-up Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor). Doing his best to live with the horror that transpired as a child, Danny is tired and beaten by life. Doing his best to forget his past, Danny drinks his problems away in an attempt to repress his ‘shining’. To Danny, his ability is nothing short of a curse, until he meets Abra, a young girl in trouble who also has the shining and is much more powerful than him. Abra needs help fighting a sinister group called “The True Knot”, a group of shining users that want to murder and leech off of others who possess the shining in order to stop their aging. Dan decides to work together with Abra to save and stop this group from continuing their centuries long murder spree. 

For most of his life, Danny lives as a drifter, travelling city to city to get by. Constantly on the run from his personal issues including the traumatic events at the Overlook hotel, Danny has become a drunken selfish drifter that lives his life by drinking his problems away, sleeping with random woman and stealing from them. When he moves to a small town on the East coast, he finally finds a community, a job, a place to stay, and seems to have overcome his alcohol addiction. However, he still has not yet dealt with the pain of his own past. For example, in one particular scene, the film takes us travels into a mental representation of the Overlook hotel in Danny’s mind. Here, in a metaphor for Danny’s locking away and repression of his personal demons, we see dozens of boxes locked up with the ghosts of the hotel. Having repressed his powers for his whole life, when he meets up with Abra as she is looking for help to defeat the True Knot group, Danny tells her to hide and to stop using her powers altogether. 

Eventually, Danny must visit the Overlook Hotel and face the source of his trauma and even confront the ghost of his father, Jack. In doing so, Danny finally has the opportunity to challenge his father, venting his years of anguish as a result of his father’s actions. Given that his alcohol addiction remains a big internal conflict for Danny, his confrontation with his father helps him realize that his addiction was a result of him trying to relate to Jack, the father he used to look up to. When Jack offers Danny a drink, calling it ‘medicine to get on with life’, Danny is forced to choose between his sobriety and submitting to his own demons. 

Ironically, this scene is just one that parallels Jack’s story arc in the original movie. Like his son, Jack was also someone struggling with addiction, a tortured soul trying to survive. (In fact, at one point, Danny even becomes possessed by the same spirit of the hotel that possessed his father, attacking Abra with an axe and chasing her throughout the hotel.) However, unlike Jack, Danny is able to overcome the ghost, allowing him to finally move on from his father. Later, Danny even comes to realize that he was wrong about the shining and that it is a gift that should be used openly and embraced.

Doctor Sleep is a great sequel to The Shining. Picking up in modern times and giving science to the shining ability, Sleep becomes more of a thriller/superhero movie than the horror of the original. In fact, the film is a great redemption story to the broken Danny, who has become a grizzled old man who is broken and struggling with addiction. He’s also a great contrast with his partner Abra, an optimistic preppy young girl that looks forward to the journey they’re set on. Doctor Sleep also hits the nostalgia factor by referencing the iconic lines, locations and ghosts from the original movie. Overall, I recommend Doctor Sleep, the long-awaited sequel is an exciting thriller that does justice to the original movie.

Doctor Sleep scares its way into theatres on Friday, November 8th, 2019.

Mission Impossible – Fallout: The World Needs Ethan Hunt

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The sixth installment of the Mission Impossible films, and the second directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie (Rogue Nation), arrived this weekend with a fat 98% Rotten Tomatoes ratings, the Justice League-impacting Henry Cavill mustache, and the promise of more death-defying stunts by the ageless Tom Cruise. But haven’t we seen it all, already?

Blame Lorne Balfe’s score, the Michelle Monaghan dreams, or the return of Solomon Lane, but this is not the same old thing you’ve seen before. This is the best M:I film to-date.

IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) teams with Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) to go after plutonium and The Apostles – the remaining members of the The Syndicate after Hunt arrested Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) previously. [One of the best parts of the film is that it seems to give the sidekicks more meaningful things to do than before – a throwback to the old show.] Complicating matters are Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) who might be the love that Hunt has been missing since he separated from his wife (Monaghan) to keep her safe, several movies ago. But things are complicated when the broker, White Widow (Jessica Kirby), demands that Hunt re-acquire Lane from the French government in exchange for missing plutonium.

The storyline is complex, thanks to the meddling of various governmental agencies (led by Alex Baldwin and Angela Bassett), and the presence of CIA watchdog/assassin August Walker (Cavill, who literally towers over Hunt). But the action is kept moving by the best motorcycle pursuit since The Great Escape and the best use of helicopters since Airwolf. [Seriously, I am not inclined to ‘best’ anything, but the film was that entertaining.] I could also point out that it’s as if McQuarrie watched Cliffhanger, Die Hard, the complete Sean Connery 007 collection, and Terminal Velocity while he was daydreaming about what to do to Ethan Hunt next, and stole the best looks of each to Frankenstein the highlight of the 2018 summer season.

And then there’s this: haunted by what he’s lost and what he could lose, Hunt’s emotional reverie about his (ex-) wife counts the cost of a one-man war against terrorism. But throughout the film, people keep seeing more or less the same thing: we all need Ethan Hunt because Hunt cares about the individual, the little person (no pun intended, Tom), the greater good never outweighing the life of the few. Sure, there’s one almost touching interaction with a French Genderarmie, but it’s more than that: Hunt’s morality never replaces his love of neighbor.

Having wrestled with this for the majority of the day, I have to say it: Mission Impossible – Fallout is more wildly entertaining than the sixth film in a chronological series should be and it dares to remind us that we can’t lose sight of the person next to us while in pursuit of the goal. We must remain empathetic, and compassionate, gentle and tender, even while fighting the world’s battles.

Ultimately, Fallout implores us all, to be more like Ethan Hunt.

Special features include commentary tracks by Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie, McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton, and composer Lorne Balfe. Audiences can also watch the film with score-only, enjoy the making of documentary, and unpack deleted scenes. 

3.16 The Meaning of LIFE

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This week, Steve is joined by special guest and friend to the show, Wade Bearden (Seeing and Believing) to talk about whether or not there’s a meaning to LIFE, the newest sci-fi actioner to hit the big screen.  Yes, the film is tense but does it have something to say?  Plus, the guys give their top 3 remakes since the year 2000!  Only on ScreenFish.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

3.16 Life

A special thanks to Wade for coming on the show!

The Girl on the Train: The Lies We’re Told & The Lies We Tell Ourselves

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To be clear, I had not read Paula Hawkins’ thriller before seeing the stories of three suburban women unfold onscreen in Tate Taylor’s (The Help, Get on Up) cinematic version of The Girl on the Train. Like Gone Girl, I had the sense early that the gradient versions of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ would filter differently as the events played out in front of me, but even greater themes were at work here. As I unpacked the story of Rachel Watson (Blunt) and her voyeuristic view from the passenger train, I realized that much more was at stake here than a simple thriller.

For those who haven’t heard the story, let me simply say that it revolves around Watson. She’s the ex-wife of Tom (Justin Theroux) and still bears the marks of his affair with his new wife, Anna (Rebecca  Ferguson). But she comforts herself by imagining the perfect life of Megan Hipwell (Haley Bennett) and her husband, Scott (Luke Evans), who are next-door neighbors of Tom’s. This is unfortunately complicated when Tom and Anna hire Megan to be their nanny. All of this is watched by Rachel as she commutes to the city each day.

We recognize that all is not right in the world of Anna – she wants to be a mother but lacks the necessary mindset to put her child above herself. We see that Megan wants more for her life, but plays the part that each of the men in her life want from her, whether it’s subservient or aggressive. We watch Rachel’s life revolve around drinking herself into oblivion, both in the present and in the past, presented in flashbacks. All of these women are flawed, but the way that the women are presented pales in comparison to the way that we’ll see the men by the end of the film.

But as the film unravels, mirroring Rachel’s own mental unravelling, we see that we can’t necessarily believe what we see, or hear, or understand about the narrative in front of us. This is a net result of the way that alcohol clouds Rachel’s judgment and memory; in fact, her alcoholism carries with it blackouts that require her to rely on others to know what happened to her or what she did herself. (This seems to be the kind of warning narrative we might show to those wondering how alcohol is harmful, but the impact of the drinking is overshadowed.)

The other impact on the narrative and our understanding of truth is the sheer amount of lying that each of the people in the story participate in. With each other, to others. While Rachel is our protagonist (we think), she begins to involve herself in the lives of the other major characters and lying about her whereabouts, motivations, and perceptions. Even while she appears to be aimed at doing something good, she continues to lie, spinning a spirit of deception that extends throughout most of the film.

But when the crime that serves as the catalyst occurs, one person’s actions are ended, even as the deception continues. At this point, the film switches from psychoanalyzing Rachel to exploring the mystery of the crime. And honestly, the switch led to a mindset that seemed motivated in a battle of the sexes.

While none of these characters end up being Noble Peace Prize winners, the women lie and the men are violent, manipulating, even psychopathic. Ultimately, Rachel’s resolution of the situation comes about when she resorts to engaging in ‘male’ behavior as depicted in the film; the violence she must resort to is the way we’ve been shone that healing must happen. It is not enough for to take back her life and kick addiction to the curb; she must dive into the masculine world and invoke violence as her right.

Ultimately, I found The Girl on the Train entertaining and provocative. But I found myself disturbed by the fact that the plays for sexuality by the women, manipulating and powerful, were given the nod for acceptable behavior, and the men’s verbal and physical violence was evil. I would say that both genders did violence to each other, through manipulation physically, emotionally, and mentally, breaking down a world of love and trust that should occur in marriage and loving relationships. The downfall was widespread – and even the liberating factor proves that the cycle is broken by more of the same.

Special features include deleted and extended scenes, a look at The Women behind The Girl, “On Board the Train,” and a feature-length commentary by director Tate Taylor. Now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD. 

Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation: Cruising or Crushing?

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Ethan Hawke and Ilsa Faust team upWith apologies to Fantastic Four and The Maze Runner:The Scorch Trials, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is the biggest film to hit Blu-ray and DVD between now and Christmas… and it’s not even close.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back in his fifth MI film, this time directed from a screenplay written by his collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (Edge of Tomorrow, Jack Reacher, just to name two). In a plot paralleling that of Spectre, Hunt and his posse find themselves up against an unbelievably knowledgeable super team of villains who the CIA doesn’t believe exists, putting pressure on the IMF team to prove not only the Syndicate’s existence but also their own reliability. But as we’ve come to expect from Cruise and his MI films, this one stands out in a field of spy flicks and high tech shenanigans. [Seriously, even the Furious series has moved into the high tech/stunt arena, foregoing simpler car chases and bombastic fistfights.]

Ethan Hawke runs on the wing of a planeThe MI differ from the Bourne or Bond movies in two major ways. The first is that Hunt is not a lone wolf. While Cruise might be the face that sells the films, he’s joined by the goofy analyst Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the serious, by-the-book chief William Brandt (Jeremy Renner, he of the failed Bourne film), and the deep-throated Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames). These three represent the team approach from the classic television series and resemble more of a mirror to The A-Team than one of these lone spy flicks.

The second difference is the level of humor. While the Syndicate proves to be deadly serious immediately, and Cruise appears to risk life and limb riding on the outside of jets, the MI films still find a way (thanks often to Pegg) to lighten things up. Whether it’s the operatic manner in which Hunt lures Pegg into helping his clandestine and highly illegal mission to track down the Bone Doctor (Jens Hulten), or the banter that occurs in the midst of the team’s missions, there’s more than the average wit to spice this up. [Surprisingly enough, the special features focus on various elements of “Cruise” like “Cruise Control” and “Cruising Altitude” or some kind of vehicle stunt, rather than the humor. I might’ve gone with a twenty minute gag reel!]

Ethan Hawke searches for an underwater portalWhile this wasn’t my standalone favorite MI film, it’s high points are worthy of re-watching. There’s the death-defying plane ride, of course, made much brighter by not seeing it over and over for a month prior to rewatching. There’s the beautiful water-entry sabotage scene toward the end of the flick that sets up some seriously tense moments. And there are the new entrants into the MI canon like Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) as an undercover agent with the Syndicate who adds the necessary feminine heroine to a testosterone-dominated film, and the comedic ‘villain’ in the person of Alec Baldwin’s CIA director Alan Hundley, the consummate politician.

But let’s be clear: this is an ode to Cruise, a middle-finger-extending caption to his stunts and spectacularly explosive career. It’s just as much about Cruise saying to the media and detractors, “I ain’t dead yet,” as it is about the IMF proving to the CIA that there’s still room in the world for this group of people with a specific set of deadly skills. Cruise has been about doing things his own way – from Scientology to the way he does stunts – and while I disagree with his religious position, I must begrudgingly admit that his films still dominate the screen. Just don’t ask us to agree on the baptismal imagery of that long, last dive.

Mission:Impossible – Rogue Nation: The Test of Trust

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Ethan Hawke runs on the wing of a plane
Fast fact: Did you know that the Mission:Impossible film series is nearing its 20th birthday?  The first film opened in 1996 and gave Tom Cruise an opportunity to channel his inner spy for moviegoers around the world. Now, nineteen years and four films later, he’s grown quite comfortable in his role as super agent Ethan Hunt. Over that time, there have been four different directors in the series (the last being Disney/Pixar’s Brad Bird in Ghost Protocol) but the premise of each film is the same: there’s a bad guy and Ethan has to help capture him (or her) with the help of his partners in the IMF and futuristic tech.

First, the good news: That formula doesn’t change in the most recent entry to the franchise, Rogue Nation.  There’s a new director in town—Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Jack Reacher)—and he’s ready to unleash his vision of world espionage and subterfuge. Those two facts alone are enough to make Rogue Nation a must-see film but McQuarrie also adds a few additional elements that elevate it to summer blockbuster status.

In this episode, McQuarrie kicks off the film with what most directors would call their ‘money shot’—Ethan Hunt holding onto the side of an Airbus 400 as it takes off with a huge shipment of VX nerve gas (and yes, Cruise did the stunt himself). Mistakes have been made by IMF as of late, so CIA Director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin in his best role in ages) has the US Senate shut down the program and bring the agents home. There’s only one problem: Hunt is MIA, the victim of an unfortunate incident at a record store in London orchestrated by the creepy leader of the evil Syndicate, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). In fact, music is the theme of the next set piece as Hunt attempts to prevent the Chancellor of Austria from being assassinated at an opera. (Incidentally, the scene even features a bass flute being used for something other than playing music.) There, Hunt learns that he’s considered rogue and is being hunted by the CIA and the Syndicate . . . and maybe the lady who saved him earlier, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). The goal is to get his buddies in the dissolved IMF—Brandt (Jeremy Renner), Dunn (Simon Pegg), and Stickell (Ving Rhames)—on his side while attempting to stave off another potential assassination.

Ethan Hawke searches for an underwater portal
Of course, the M:I franchise is known for its tech and set pieces, and this episode does not disappoint. One of the most harrowing sequences is an underwater foray that will leave audiences breathless for a few minutes. But there’s also a white-knuckle motorcycle chase through the freeways of Morocco and a conclusion scene that will delight as well.  Of course, there’s going to be a mask at some point—I’ll let you guess when it happens. It’s a good bit of fun and a fantastic way to spend a few hours in an air-conditioned theater.

As Agent Hunt, Cruise tackles his role with the usual verve you’ve come to expect from him. In this episode, he finds himself in a bunch of precarious situations yet shows the determination, leadership, and resourcefulness that will keep him alive for another day. However, Ferguson threatens to completely upstage him in her role as Ilsa, a disavowed agent whose talents and skills make her the strongest female lead in an action film since Charlize Theron in Mad Max:Fury Road. You wouldn’t want to mess with her—trust me. Pegg does a nice job as the techie Benji Dunn and provides some nice humor, while Renner’s character doesn’t really get going until the second half of the film.

Ethan Hawke and Ilsa Faust team up
One of the main themes of Mission:Impossible – Rogue Nation is a simple question that many of us have a difficult time answering: Who can you trust? In a spy film, you know there’s going to be a good amount of double and triple crossing, and this is no exception to that rule. Ilsa makes herself out to be any of three different options, further compounding the difficulty Hunt and his team face.  Does he accept her help, knowing that she may or may not take him out in a moment’s notice? Or does he take her out instead?

When it comes to faith, each person must make a similar decision as Hunt—will they trust God (who stays the same yesterday, today, and forever—see Hebrews 13:8) or the world? In this case, consistency is a great thing, and only God can provide that on a day-in, day-out basis. All the world can offer is a shaky hope of stability and peace that gets violated by the time the national news comes on (or you check your Facebook feed, whichever comes first).

In addition, there is a second theme worth discussing in the character of Ilsa. She seems to be conflicted about what she’s supposed to do—specifically, how to fulfill her role(s).  As she spends more time with Ethan, that conflict increases and reveals itself in a meeting with Atlee (Simon McBurney) along the banks of the Thames River. She eventually has to make a decision that will affect her life going forward. This sounds eerily like a decision we all have to make at one time or another—what are we going to do with our lives?  If not answered, we become paralyzed and sit idle as the world passes us by. But if we’re going to run the race, we should run it as to finish the race (see 1 Corinthians 9:24), not simply make it to the first water stop.  God helps us in this area by providing situations, individuals, and the Bible to guide us in our individual decisions. It’s not easy—there are struggles involved. Still, our trust in God’s plan—and Jesus’ death and resurrection—will lead us to the finish line (Philippians 3:12-14). It brings all the questions and doubts of life into elements of faith and trust that make us what we need to be for the Lord—right here, right now.  A person doesn’t need high-tech tools to make that happen.

That’s something Ethan Hunt and his IMF crew would be impressed with.