Blade Runner 2049 (Denis Villeneuve) - 2017

Philip K. Dick wrote "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" in 1968 about some renegade androids and the police (Harrison Ford et al.) who are chasing them.  In 1982, Ridley Scott moved the story from San Francisco to Los Angeles and created the futuristic and dark world of 2019.  I don't really see this happening in less than two years.  Author Dick wrote numerous short, creative syfy stories in a writing career combined with a rather dysfunctional, personal life.  The 1982 movie became an underground classic.  Now, 35 years later, the android saga sequel bursts upon the scene in 2049 with an even darker and more dangerous Los Angeles where law enforcement is a rather loose occupation that may or may not be an advanced android occupation.  Ryan Gosling is the central 2049 android enforcer who tracks the remains of the fugitive 2019 first generation androids for some reasons.  The $150 million 2049 version is more elaborate than Dick could have ever imagined.  The special effects, the music, the camera angles, the sets, the ubiquitous non-humans, the lack of law-abiding anythings dominate this amazing example of high-tech overkill that is really just a 164-minute chase scene occupied by several players who can really take punches.  The results are flawless and entertaining but probably the end-of-the-line for Harrison Ford & company.  There are many surprises here for P.K. Dick fans although all of them are just conjecture not really related to the original novel.  [JAM 10/10/2017]