Science Fiction Movies

Dog’s Movie House: “Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts” Is How You Reinvigorate A Franchise- “The Flash,” Not So Much!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here back after two glorious weeks of vacation to return with a whole bunch of stuff for the Movie House! Today we’re talking two early summer tentpoles that will satisfy their fans with varying degrees of success. First we have “Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts” which continues the robot-driven franchise’s move toward coherent, character driven storytelling and away from Michael Bay’s choatic form of filmmaking. Then we have “The Flash” the long anticipated film that marks the DC cinematic universe’s dive into their version of the multiverse. Unfortanately, “The Flash” is too busy with fan service and Easter Egg gimmicks to fully realize it’s potential, making for a fitfully entertaining cinematic experience that, at well over two hours, still feels frustratingly incomplete!

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Dog’s Movie House: “65” A Good Old Fashioned Creature Feature!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with a look at Adam Driver’s latest, a science fiction film called “65” that features Driver as Mills, a pilot who is part of an alien race sixty-five million years ago. On the way back from a two-year mission in deep space, his ship is hit by a meteor strike and he crash lands on an unknown planet that just happens to be earth at the height of the Cretaceous period. All of his passengers have died in the crash save for a little girl named Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) who does not speak Mills’ language. Together they have to journey 15 kilometers to the escape ship to get off the planet before the astroid that crashed the ship arrives to wipe out life on the planet. Adding to the challenge is the fact that their path is filled with maurading and vicious dinosours intent on making a meal out of them.

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Dog’s Movie House: “Avatar: The Way Of Water” Pure Spectacle In Its Finest Form!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with a look at the long awaited sequel to the number one grossing movie of all time. Yes, I’m talking about “Avatar: The Way Of Water” and it proves that James Cameron was right to let us wait thirteen years for the next installment on the world of Pandora. The story is still fairly basic, but it’s a sturdy framework for some of the finest effects and action work I’ve ever seen. Fans of the original film are in for a treat and newcomers (all though you’ll want to watch the original movie for context) will enjoy themselves as well!

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Dog’s Movie House – “Don’t Worry Darling” A Intriguing, Entertaining Misfire!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with a look at Olivia Wilde’s second feature as a director. It’s called “Don’t Worry Darling” and features Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as Alice and Jack Chambers, a young couple living in the late 1950s in a utopian community known sponsored by a mysterious organization known as The Victory Project. Every morning the men drive across the desert to work while the wives do chores, shop and generally cater to their men in what appears to be an equitable partnership. The Victory Project is headed by the mysterious (and slightly sinister) Frank (Chris Pine), who uses his svengali-like influence to command absolute loyalty from his extended “family.” When one of the wives has a breakdown and supposedly kills herself in front of Alice, the latter begins to investigate the truth about The Victory Project and in doing so uncovers a nasty truth that threatens not only her sanity but her very life as well.

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The Kenblog: Remembering Joe Turkel

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with some sad news for genre movie fans. Legendary character actor Joe Turkel died today at the age of 94. Starting in the 1950s, Turkel appeared in several films including three movies for the legendary Stanley Kubrick. He also appeared in several television shows such as “The Fugitive” and “Boston Blackie.” But perhaps his most famous roles came in two iconic films in the early 1980s. The first was Kubrick’s “The Shining” as the ghostly bartender Lloyd. Appearing out of thin air when a struggling Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) wants a drink, he’s the sympathetic ear but carries a sense of subtle menace is his bearing that makes him a memorable character. The second iconic role was of a meatier nature as Dr. Elden Tyrell in Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner.” Tyrell is the founder of the Tyrell Corporation and inventor of the humanoid androids called replicants. Tyrell meets a memorably grisly end at the hands of his most advanced creation: the replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) who is less than pleased that his creator is unable to increase his four year life span. Both roles are legendary characters that demonstrate Turkel’s talent to do a great deal with very little. He will be missed. So Sayeth The Kendog!

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