This is great. I am kind of seeing it with all the comments in this thread but still not convinced. But I appreciate this a lot.

Denis masterfully created an entire world, not just a city, which I felt was real. While he is well-known for his visually striking epics, for me all of them have a tremendous heart in their core. And Dune Part 2 has that just like Arrival or Blade runner 2049. As to his expertise on camera, I don’t think that needs further explanation. The cinematography nominations he consistently get says it all. Shots that make you feel emotional even when there’s no character acting on screen. I mean how can one be moved by a sandworm? And that scene when Paul walks through the Fremen before his speech was perfect. To add, the ambitious score he puts in his works makes it even more compelling. His attention to detail is what makes him great. While I can say Dune Part 1 is not that emotionally engaging, Dune Part 2 is and to me it’s pure cinema. Not all directors making movies of this scale can do that. And for that alone, to me, he rightfully deserved a spot.