NETFLIX

SPACEMAN
*
(Dull Psycho-Space Movie)

Adam Sandler has been flooding the media lately promoting his space sci-fi movie and trying to advance his image as a serious actor.

Unfortunately, “Spaceman” does little to enhance his career.

Sandler plays a Czech astronaut half way through his journey to the outer limits when he learns that his pregnant wife (Carey Mulligan) wants a divorce.

With six months more to complete his mission, Jakob starts to lose it.

Sleepless nights, horrible dreams, and then the appearance of a giant spider from another planet giving Dr. Phil-like advice are a bit too much to take.

Jakob goes on his own “voyage of self-discovery” as he eventually realizes the reasons he has agreed to leave his pregnant wife alone for a year and spend his time alone.

The giant spider (Voice of Paul Dano) makes for an interesting psychiatrist but looks so ridiculous and unrealistic that it is hard to take this movie seriously.

Sandler starts out with a heavy accent that gets lost in space as this dull, tedious movie slowly moves to the outer limits for its ridiculous conclusion.

THE TOURIST
* * * ½

The Australian series is back for its second year, and it is as exciting as the first.

The protagonist who lost his memory in a car crash discovers who he is, causing him to continue to be on the run, aided by the local female cop.

This is pure escapism, with lots of twists and turns.

WARWICK SHOWCASE

DUNE 2
* * *
(Long, Slow Sequel)

If you are unfamiliar with Frank Hebert’s sprawling novel and the original “Dune” you will find yourself lost in the sequel.

Timothee Chalamet plays Atreides, who somehow ended up living with a band of Fremen, fighting the spice harvesting Harkonnen.

Some believe he is the Messiah; others are convinced he is a phony.

The long movie opens with a long battle involving those giant worms that produce the coveted spice.

The movie has a bit of romance, multitudes of swordplay, battle scenes requiring a “cast of thousands,” political intrigue, and not one laughable line. This is serious business, folks.

We had seen the original, and that was enough sand for Joyce, but I chose to sit through the sequel, trying desperately to keep up with other characters, like Christopher Walken who comes and goes with little warning.

Atreides believes he is the right one to lead the revolution as more battles that range from hand-to-hand combat to weird flying machines and crude weapons kill a multitude of turban covered combatants.

I have to admit that I had problems keeping up with which side was winning and why, but I do not claim to be a fan of the genre.

Admittedly, the special effects are spectacular.

Watch out for those worms.