Dune: Part Two, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a tremendously well made spectacle of a movie with some fine performances and terrific action set pieces. It ranks among some of the best sequels ever made. Think The Hunger Games: Catching Fire or, even, The Empire Strikes Back. Dune: Part Two is that good. The movie is anchored by some amazing performers in some of the best roles of their careers. Among them are Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya and Austin Butler who you may remember from the recent 2022 film, Elvis. 
Florence Pugh plays Irulan Corrino whose dad is Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken). These characters open the film with a reveal that Irulan is aware of something very distinct and problematic. These two characters will return later on as the movie shifts us back to the principals, Paul Atreides (Chalamet), Princess Jessica (Rebecce Ferguson) who is Paul's now pregnant mom, and the love of Paul's life, Chani (Zendaya). 
This film has a lot of clever action scenes and scenarios. One truly intriguing one comes when a key character ends up riding a sandworm. Stellan Skarsgard, as Baron Harkonnen, leads the villains which have some intense cohorts embroiled in the action. Dave Bautista plays Beast Rabban convincingly and menacingly but it is Butler as Feyd-Rautha who flat out steals the movie. Butler's character, with his bald head and frightening creepiness, is like the complete opposite of Butler's other roles. So, when Butler bursts on and chews scenery, the movie almost transforms from a great movie to an instant classic. Butler is so scary, he's bound to send chills up the viewer's spine. As he takes on men in fight scenes and randomly slashes people's throats, Butler is the bad guy you'll love to hate. His performance is up there with Heath Ledger's from The Dark Knight and Butler could be headed to next year's Oscars thanks to his work in this film. Butler's line delivery is appropriately icy cold. 
There is some compelling chemistry between leads, Chalamet and Zendaya. Plenty of scenes here showcase their mutual admiration towards one another and when scenes of that love they form being jeopardized arise, they are heart-wrenching to behold. This love story between them is essentially the foundation of the film.
A drink which also serves as a poison is introduced in the picture. This "Water of Life" has a huge significance in the movie. One point, later on, Paul will drink it and what happens from there until the end will keep the audience gasping as one surprise development occurs after another, especially in terms of the development of the relationship between Paul and Chani. That special relationship becomes altered and the last frame of the movie ends the movie on a cliffhanger that is simply going to make viewers demand the release of Dune: Part Three immediately.
The ending of Dune: Part Two is only the beginning. This film takes the themes of leadership and good vs. evil and creates some of the most multi-faceted characters you'll ever see in a science fiction film. This sequel is simply, in a word, amazing. Hans Zimmer's musical score captures the themes of the movie so eloquently. Zimmer will also be headed back to the Oscars next year as Butler will. Denis Villeneuve is a genius in the craft of film-making and Dune: Part Two is his best film yet! 
​Rating: ***** or 10/10

Back to the Future: The Musical will not disappoint fans of 1985's hit Michael J. Fox starrer, Back to the Future and this show is a musical adaptation of that film. The two central roles in the new play are the characters of Doc (Roger Bart) and Marty McFly (Casey Likes). Bart and Likes are charismatic and keep the action moving in a fun, entertaining fashion. The real surprise, though, is Hugh Coles as George McFly, Marty's dad. Coles is a terrific physical performer who is able to do some clever movements with his body which is flexible enough to make us laugh under different circumstances within the show.  The premise of the show is that in traveling back in time, Marty may interfere with his parents meeting and falling in love which would erase Marty's very existence. Doc is the inventor of a time machine which is able to go back and forth between years. The action jumps from 1985 initially to 1955 and the clap and cheer musical numbers are in high doses here. The movie lifts the "Johnny B. Goode," and "The Power of Love" songs from the movie to very good effect at the conclusion but there are several songs earlier on which are also standout numbers. "It's Only a Matter of Time" is done twice within the musical. The really great thing about this production is the use of the time traveling car which moves around the stage against effects that ultimately lead to a fine ending that will be a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. Another terrific performance was that of Liana Hunt as Marty's mom, Lorraine who almost falls in love with Marty in 1955 and thinks his name is Calvin Klein because of his underwear. It was a great idea to bring this story to Broadway for a new generation of fans which will certainly admire the high-caliber production that this is.  Likes and Bart are both terrific actors and do former stars who played their roles, Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd proud.

Here is my appearance on a great new show on Strong Island TV:
A nice interview @ Strong Island TV!!!
​

I am officially a film critic with membership in the Critics Choice Association. Film-Book.com is where you can see my work! ​Thomas Duffy | Critics Choice Awards

This is an interview about my work with a link to Film-Book.com in it! 
​Author Interview: Thomas Duffy - Feathered Quill

​

From DUFFY THE WRITER BLOG
​Interview with Thomas Duffy

Heavenly certainly touches on a few controversial and sensitive themes, did you relish the challenge, or, were you nervous about getting it wrong?
I was not worried at all about getting it wrong because we don’t know the answers to many of the questions and themes found in my new book. 
Did I worry about ruffling people’s feathers? Yes, I did. Maybe some people may walk away from the book, perhaps, a little surprised at some of the storytelling and I did push some buttons here. I’m aware of that.
I know each reader comes with a set series of expectations and beliefs. I integrated a few different personal beliefs into the religious aspects of the story. To share strictly my own beliefs about what happens when someone dies would seem wrong.  
Putting together a successful work of art requires some readers to “just go with it” and if the reader can go with this storyline, there are some rewards to be found within. I believe the book had different types of rewards for each and every reader.

I love the way in your books that you champion Americans who are not rich, entitled or particularly successful. Do you see yourself as an author giving a voice to American battlers and the working classes?
Yes, I do as a matter of fact. Life is a long, hard journey and whatever circumstances you are born into, there are bound to be many challenges. Many books present characters who are simply put, successful. Maybe the characters in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY are a little too unrelatable for me to want to put characters like them out there. I’d feel like I cheated.  
It is an author’s responsibility to make the reader connect to the characters. While many of my readers will be working class, I want them to know that there is someone who understands the struggles and has lived them as well. I could create a character who makes a fortune and has a really big house with no problems at their job but that isn’t reality. Not unless it is the reality for a select few people. If those people are lucky enough to be rich and have no problems, we don’t need to hear about them in our literature while we live our lives full of complexity and unpredictability. 

Why Kelly Clarkson, Breakaway?
The song is about breaking away from an old life to create a new one for yourself. SPOILER ALERT. Read this answer no further if you don’t want to know about the ending of the book.
I believe the principal female character in the book does just that. She breaks away from her past. We don’t have all the answers for where her life is headed at the end but we do know she’s “broken away” from the past in order to attempt a better life for herself. Clarkson’s song captured all those themes for me and I think maybe this character may have found and enjoyed the song along the way and used it as inspiration to escape her hard life. 

You follow a very Catholic theme and response to those who commit suicide. This was a little uncomfortable for me to read at times and a little triggering. Was this your intention? To start a conversation? Have you received any backlash from readers?
Again. SPOILER ALERT. Read this answer after you’ve read the book.
I’ve lost a few friends to suicide and don’t believe personally that suicide would automatically make somebody a candidate for hell although, in my Catholic religion, that is what is occasionally believed. I do want to make readers come to the table with their own thoughts which makes the book a potential “adult book club” selection. I know the book will make people want to talk and, like all my books, that’s what I want. Backlash from readers is inevitable and as I await the reviews, I know I can expect some trouble. But, anyone who knows me and my work know I’m no stranger to trouble from the critics. 

Your next book is non-fiction and about movies. How do you make the switch from being immersed in such a creative and ‘otherworldly book to a movie guide?
I’ve actually been writing them at the same time. There is a lot left to my movie guide though. I am about halfway done. My next book “100 Movies I Love” is my love letter to Roger Ebert and film criticism. I grew up on Ebert’s film review books and wanted to emulate what he did by writing one of my own. I disagreed with Ebert A LOT especially on the movie THE VILLAGE from 2004 which he hated. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. But, Ebert’s love for film criticism is almost unparalleled except maybe Leonard Maltin another critic who inspired me to write my new film guide. It’s easy for me to go back and forth between fiction and film criticism. I’ve been reviewing movies even if it’s just for a review for my own archives since 1984. 

If you could give one piece of advice to a writer embarking on writing their first book, what would it be?
Just go with it. Tell the stories you want to tell the best way you can. People will complain and that’s life. Woody Allen’s 1997 film DECONSTRUCTING HARRY showed a hell with a special place for book critics. I think that’s fairly accurate although there are some book critics out there who are quite “Heavenly” and will definitely escape this fate. I’ve encountered a few such “angels”
along the way. 
In all seriousness, all people have a right to their opinion and we have a right to write our stories. Don’t be discouraged. I am nine books in and still not discouraged by the haters.
​