Kaka

With a bit of exaggeration, you could say of this colossal film it is about the USSR fighting the Arabs for oil and the Americans pulling the strings. Dune: Part Two is the pinnacle of modern big screen in every way. From the engaging storytelling, to the sound design, the fantastic sets, the visual effects, the sound and Hans Zimmer's beauty. Hands down, this a brilliant job by the filmmakers and the actors. A monumental epic that for years was considered unfilmable has succeeded for the second time. Everybody says it can't be done, until somebody does it. And that somebody is Denis Villeneuve. The event of the year – the riding of the worm and the duel between Chalamet and Butler are absolute cinematic delights. And the whiners who will complain about the final third and who knows what else are not worth addressing.

Doug Liman off the chain. A decently executed summer testosterone romp that's funny and manages to mix humour, self-parody and action, with a backdrop of the sun-drenched Keys at its back. A worthy remake to the awful original, plus an ensemble cast that has resuscitated Jake Gyllenhaal's action career (all honours to his physical form), and discovered the acting, or rather comedic, potential of Conor McGregor. It's a shame about some of the appallingly handled digital shots and botched editing, but within the context of an action flush with no higher ambitions, relative satisfaction.

A gritty low-budget historical drama that can hold its ground compared to its Western friends. A fine Mads Mikkelsen as a soft-spoken retired captain, a great villain escalating the pissed-offness of both the protagonist and the viewer, and a magical landscape of Danish moorland wilderness, very impressively shot by Rasmus Videbaek. I expected a tougher finale, but it somehow fell into a romantic template, but it was not a big deal and Bastard retained its toughness and dignity.

For God's sake, give this bunch of lovable oddballs some dignity. If the first and second films were overstuffed but benefited from the fact that the main characters looked so "different and funny" compared to most others, the third film looks like a stale and generic colouring book without any innovation and freshness. There are lots of characters that aren't even worth talking about and the only thing that has a solid pull and gets some emotion out of the viewer is the line with the raccoon and a couple of funny jokes with Bautista. A film that starts 30 minutes and ends at about 45, already quite a nightmare with all the banging and shooting. Star Lord and co. can take a well-deserved break now no one will hold a grudge.

A reflective Fincher. Technically still on top of his game, directorially still as methodical and minimalist with attention to every detail. That the screenwriter chose a simpler plot without unnecessary twists or shocking points doesn't matter much. It doesn't have to be in every one of his films. In fact, Fassbender's assassin is such an interesting and well-portrayed character that it is he who is the center of the film, and around him revolves a kind of plot with changing locations and meeting interesting people. Worth mentioning is the fantastic action in Florida, which I wouldn't have expected from Fincher. A meditative, simmering crime drama where everything works very well, just not brilliantly.

Finally, a properly filmed legend. Although not so heavyweight in terms of the actors' names, it can't compare with the 90s version, but actually in everything else it does and in many parameters it even surpasses it. This new remake is much less of a likeable pulp flick and much more of a gritty, dark film of intrigue with excellent sets and fantastically shot action, but there's very little of that so far and that's a shame. Only a fraction of films in French production have this kind of bold handheld camerawork and editing. It's expected that the sequel will be suitably epic and live up to expectations, as many fans are duly hyped after the first installment, and quite rightly so. PS: Captain Rochefort is missing!

I enjoyed Eva Green in the corset more, but otherwise I enjoyed everything else less. The first one was better. Still top-notch production values, big-movie ambitions and the right dynamics and visuals, but the second part doesn't stand out in any significant way and only serves as a necessary bridge for the finale. Sort of like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, a good second part, necessary for the great first and third.

Ahsoka has a great rollout, but a cranky, basically stumbling finale, in which several crucial things don't make much sense or are not explained, and those expecting an epic ending in the style of Episode 3 will be very disappointed. The opening has high ambitions. It has an excellent atmosphere and honours some of the traditions of the older Star Wars. Likewise, the fights are decently filmed. However, from the halfway point on, it's a stereotypical rehash without any invention or directorial initiative. Basically a weaker copy of the more entertaining The Mandalorian. The Hayden Christensen gimmick is not enough, although it is used solidly.

A quite dark and atmospheric opening in the style of Rogue One and other modern Star Wars stories of recent times, which is a bit scented with the smell of Indiana Jones adventures with specific trademarks and artifacts. I appreciate the fact that they pull out almost all of the core characters right away, and even without knowing Rebels, it's been pretty fun so far.

A narrative episode cut from the older Star Wars. Imaginative space battles and whales in the sky at the end. Probably not the best episode, but perfect for SW geeks.