Movie Review
Archive
D
Daddy Day Care
There is good news and bad news about Daddy Day Care…The good news is it isn't as bad as Eddie Murphy's last three films…Pluto Nash, I-Spy and Showtime. The bad news is, it isn't real good either…This end's up being a pretty bland film that want's to be a comedy, but doesn't include many laughs. The biggest laugh that you haven't already seen in the previews, comes when the film is over, during the out-takes.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
The Damned United - Sony - Rated R
Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall are wonderful in The Damned United, a fun and involving history of English soccer in the 60's and 70's. It scores a goal - and then some! 4 Stars Out of 5
Dan In Real Life - Touchstone - Rated PG-13
Dan In Real Life is an ensemble romantic comedy led by a surprising and very good Steve Carell who is both funny and touching at the same time. It's a new side of him we haven't seen before. Juliette Binoche is perfect in every way and is a great foil for Carell. This adult and sophisticated comedy is absolutely delightful, filled with laughs and is a perfect date movie. 4 Stars Out of 5
Dance Flick - Paramount - Rated PG-13
In Dance Flick, The Wayans familys' sons and nephews now take over the same old tired spoof formula, this time focusing on recent dance movies. While there are some funny sight gags, like a character reading a book called Britney Spears Guide to Parenting, most of the funny parts are in the trailer. The parts not in the trailer are so crude, I wonder how this move got a PG-13 rating. Unfortunately, they aren't funny. Not much in this movie is. Just 'cuz you have the same last name doesn't mean you can actually do the dance…2 Stars Out of 5
DareDevil
DareDevil is no Spiderman. But, apparently the film-makers took notes when they watched it. It has lots of action but much of it seems like it was lifted from Spiderman. DareDevil has many of the same moves, and there is even a kissing scene in the rain. This is dark, humorless, and a bit hokey. Ben Affleck does a reasonably good job, but it's Colin Farrell who really shines and upstages everyone. Jennifer Garner is cool looking in her leather costume too, and does a fairly good job in her Matrix wanna-be fight scenes. And there are some cameos by Kevin Smith and Stan Lee to watch for. DareDevil has hints of originality, but they are sadly, overshadowed by the movie's lack of it.3 Stars Out of 5
The Darjeeling Limited
Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman star in the Wes Anderson film The Darjeeling Limited. It's a moderately amusing film about three estranged brothers reconnecting during a train ride in India. Told in Anderson's typically dry way, it's not his best, but if you're a fan, it's worth a rental. 3 Stars Out of 5
Dark Blue
Kurt Russell has always been a favorite actor of mine, and he has never been better! Dark Blue is surprisingly good. Plenty of action, drama and intrigue keep you involved in the story all the way through the end. Placing the setting of the movie during the riots that came in Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict makes this interesting and riveting.4 Stars Out of 5
The Dark Knight - Warner Bros - Rated PG-13
It is a rare sequel that exceeds it predecessor. The Dark Knight does so many times over. Brilliantly written, it transcends the comic book movie and escalates it into a new art form. This isn't just a wild ride, it is an important, complex, powerful film with fantastic, seamless effects, terrific action, and an ensemble cast that is nothing short of amazing. Christian Bale is the best Batman ever, and has so made the role his own, the others pale in comparison. Heath Ledger gave the performance of his life. His Joker is evil personified. He is disturbing, shocking, chilling and frightening. He deserves an Oscar nomination. This is the best movie of the summer. Don't miss it. 5 stars Out of 5
Darkness Falls
Darkness Falls is a better than expected horror flick that has a few good scares. Things do decay into brain numbing stupidity as the conclusion nears though, but Darkness Falls isn't nearly as bad as you might think, or might have been told.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Date Movie
Date Movie manages to spoof everything from "The Wedding Planner" to "Meet The Fockers," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "The Lord of the Rings" with loads in between. Some of the jokes are pretty gross, and some fall flat, but most work. This ends up being pretty funny. 3 Stars Out of 5
Date Night - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG-13
Date Night gives us the inspired pairing of Steve Carrell and Tina Fey. They take a fairly standard plot, that of an ordinary couple thrust into an extraordinary situation, and turn it into comic gold. It is laugh out loud funny.
While their date night might not be so great, this is a great date film. Unless of course, your idea of a great date movie is something you don't actually, uhem, watch….3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
With a name like Dave Chappelle's Block Party, I thought Dave Chappelle would actually be performing in it. He is really only a cameo. It shows, in documentary fashion, how Dave put this rap concert together. The movie lasts an hour and 43 minutes. He performs in it a total of about 5 minutes. And that 5 minutes isn't all that funny. I expected more Dave. But I got lots of rap music. Yes, it was nice to see the Fugees back together and some of the performances were pretty good, most notably from Erika Badu and Jill Scott. But there was too much militant rap stuff from my taste and certainly not enough comedy. 2 Stars Out of 5
The Da Vinci Code
For all of the negative hullabaloo that The Da Vinci Code has generated, it is really undeserved. If you accept it as it is, a work of pure fiction, it's a decent action story with lots of twists and turns and a few thrills popped in for good measure. The performances are kind of flat with the exception of Ian McKellen, who adds much needed spark to the film. I liked Ron Howard's smart direction. The film was a bit too long, but it is involving and interesting. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dawn of the Dead
The opening 10 minutes of Dawn of the Dead are awesome, but then it settles down and gets kind of fun in a numb-skull sort of way. Lots of sweaty palm scares are present, but the never-ending resources in this mall are kind of ridiculous. They've got everything from cutting torches to armor, but oddly enough, no guns and no ammo. I'm not ashamed to tell you I liked the movie. Oh, and don't leave when the credits start or you will miss the real ending of the movie.
3 ½ Stars out of 5
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow has a ridiculous plot, and dialogue that had me laughing uncontrollably…but it has awesome special effects. It is relentlessly silly, with abundant political punches. The villains are headed by a Dick Cheney look-alike Vice President. This movie supposedly shows us the effects of global warming, with the earth plunged into an Ice age in 10 days. At best the science is questionable. I'm no scientist, but I found it reckless and stupid.
2 Stars Out of 5
The Day the Earth Stood Still - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG-13
In The Day the Earth Stood Still, Keanu Reeves plays Klaatu…(I'm guessing he was cast because Klaatu kind of sounds like Keanu…that and the fact that he acts like a robot anyway.) Keanu is the ultimate eco-terrorist. he and his alien buddies are mad that there is global warming you see…and they are going to save all the animals in little Noah's ark globes and then annihilate mankind and anything man-made as punishment. Nothing in this movie works. What isn't silly is just plain bad and boring. It should have been called The Day the MOVIE stood still…it is suh-low. I have a name for my experience in this movie…The day my brain stood still. 1 Star Out of 5
Daybreakers - Lionsgate - Rated R)
In Daybreakers, everyone's a vampire in the future - even chimpanzees! Of course, this creates a worldwide blood shortage, and carnage ensues. Actually this is a pretty cool story as the Subsiders - blood deprived vampires turn into bat like creatures that prey on their own. This is a much better movie than I thought it would be, and Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe are clearly having a blast. So is the audience. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dead Silence
Dead Silence is a movie about a ghost who possesses dummies. And no, I'm not talking about Paris Hilton at a séance. We're talking ventriloquist dummies. If you are already freaked out by them, stay away. They are a bit unnerving. If you are looking for intelligent horror, you need to look elsewhere. Donnie Wahlberg looks ashamed to be in it, and he should be. While there are a few hair-raising moments, this movie ends up being a real dummy, or maybe I am for watching it.
2 Stars Out of 5
Dear John - Sony - Rated PG-13
Dear John,
I went to your movie, and I must say, I didn't really like it. Amanda Seyfried is OK, but Channing Tatum is basically monotone. He really shouldn't act…He might be an OK underwear model, but he's not an actor. When the actors were reading their letters to one another, I thought I was going to laugh so hard the theater would kick me out! But I didn't. And neither did they, LOL. As for your movie's title, that lets us know what's going to happen, and as the movie progresses, it becomes more and more predictable. It drags on and on and then in the last third of the movie it becomes stupefyingly ridiculous and contrived. This was a dumb movie.
Yours Truly,
Bob
P.S. 2 Stars Out of 5
Death At A Funeral
Death At A Funeral is a an extraordinarily funny black comedy from director Frank Oz. Centered around the funeral of the family Patriarch, this film quickly descends into giddy chaos. 4 Stars Out of 5
Death at a Funeral (Remake) - Sony - Rated R
It's only been three years since the original Death at a Funeral was released. That version was a very funny farce with British actors. This is a not so funny, scene by scene remake with an African American cast, managing to wash all of the fun out in the process. Stars here include the mostly irritating and just plain foul Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence and Danny Glover. Aren't their careers in rigor mortis by now? Plus, there is Chris Rock, who appears to want to be anywhere but in this fatality. My biggest question while watching this murderous mess?…Why? Why was this remake necessary? (It was unnecessary in every way) Death at a funeral…hopefully this refers to the careers of Tracey Morgan and Martin Lawrence. I died a little bit watching it. They took all the fun OUT of funeral. Bury it. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Death Race - Paramount - Rated R
In Death Race lots of stuff blows up…cars, heads, buildings, Joan Allen's career…seriously, she knew what this was going in, but she did it anyway? Is she that hard up for parts? She is an Oscar nominated actress! This audience assault features inept action that tries to hide that fact with quick edits and shaky cameras, but just makes it more incoherent. This film's new car smell comes from the sewer. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Death Sentence
Kevin Bacon makes a successful, if unlikely action hero against the gang who murdered his son in Death Sentence. Silly, cartoonish and unbelievable at times, it has some bad dialogue and loads of overacting from the supporting cast. But the film has some good intense action, and that kept me involved. 3 Stars Out of 5
Deception - 20th Century Fox - Rated R
In Deception, Ewan McGregor takes part in a sex club - basically a list for booty calls. The lesson: don't try to form a relationship with someone you meet in a sex club even if she looks like Michelle Williams. That's the most positive thing I can say about this predictable and not so thrilling thriller. The title tells us what the film will do, so there are absolutely no surprises. It's all kind of bland, really. His performance was so anemic, all I could think of was which of Ewan McGregor's numerous facial moles he should have removed. 2 Stars Out of 5
Deck The Halls
Deck the Halls has been done many times before. "Neighbors", "Christmas with the Kranks" just to name a few. It's got nothing new. And no real laughs. Just a sick feeling of embarrassment for Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito. Can you say, "Dreck The halls?" Skip this and watch a good Christmas film like the original Miracle on 34th Street. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Defiance - Paramount - Rated R
In Defiance, Daniel Craig shows us what a good actor he really is when he's not playing Bond. While the film is a touch overblown, good performances and a compelling true story outweigh its few flaws. It is brutal and moving, action packed and poignant. 4 stars Out of 5
Definitely Maybe - Universal - Rated PG-13
The plot device in Definitely, Maybe doesn't really work. Telling a story by telling a story. We've seen it before, but this time it feels forced. Ryan Reynolds' smart aleck shtick doesn't really work here. We never really believe that he's a Dad. Is it a chick flick? Definitely. Should you spend 8 bucks to go see it? Maybe. Um. Maybe not. 2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Déjà vu
Déjà vu is engaging from beginning to end mostly because of the performance by Denzel Washington. The action film has a silly premise, which doesn't get revealed until an hour in, but it's entertaining as long as you don't think about it too hard.
3 Stars Out of 5
Delgo - Freestyle Releasing - Rated PG
The animation in Delgo is so bad, it looks like it was animated for Playstation One. It stars some odd looking lizard-monkey people. Some have wings. I guess that's so they can fly away when they get sick of looking at each other. Despite the big names, it has a nondescript voice cast. Try to guess which character Kelly Ripa is playing. I couldn't. The story is a little bit convoluted and tough to follow, and is not really for little kids. There are some interesting background creatures and some good action scenes, but Delgo's main characters are too strange looking to connect to. 2 Stars Out of 5
De-Lovely
Kevin Klein is one of the best actors in film today. He proves it in De-Lovely. His portrayal of Cole Porter is inspired and is the best part of this film. Ashley Judd has never been better. I was also impressed by the make up which transforms the lead characters as they approach the end of their lives. And I liked the innovative direction. This is a musical that effortlessly weaves Porter's music into the story. The musical performances by some of today's musical stars like Sheryl Crow bring mixed results though. This film makes Cole Porter's bisexuality central to the story, so it may not be appropriate for all audiences. 4 Stars Out of 5
Deliver Us From Eva
Gabrielle Union is really nasty and LL Cool J (whose real name is James Todd Smith) is likable, but shows us that he is not a very good actor. This is marginally pleasant fluff, but mostly forgettable. 2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Delta Farce
I haven't seen less effort put into a movie in years! The cast of Delta Farce looks like they are reading the script for the first time and one take was all they got. The writers seem to have added dialogue after reading it in email jokes. I actually did recognize a few from emails sent to me! This lame movie isn't funny! It's supposedly a comedy but tells you what it really is in the title. 1 Star Out of 5
The Departed
Interesting performances, an intricate plot, a great twist ending and Jack Nicholson as only Jack can be highlight the very enjoyable, The Departed. The acting from the all star cast is superb, Martin Scorsese's direction is stylish and sharp, although the movie, at 2 hours and 30 minutes seems long. It could have been trimmed some, to save on "cheek numbing", but that's my only complaint. 4 Stars Out of 5
Derailed
Derailed tends to be a little heavy handed with the action and the tension it doles out. It has lots of twists and turns, and lots of action. Jennifer Aniston is not the seductress she tries to be, and her performance is probably the weakest part of the film. Some of the plot elements are contrived and not terribly believable, but if you just roll with it, you can enjoy yourself. Some will say you can see the twists coming a mile away. Maybe I'm stupid, but most surprised the heck out of me. 3 Stars Out of 5
The Descent
Do you want to be scared? That's something I was beginning to think that the movies had forgotten how to do. But then I saw The Descent. This looks like it might be a chick flick version of "The Cave." But this one doesn't stink! It's the best horror movie so far this year! It's got gallons and gallons of blood, is relentlessly gory, and yes, genuinely scary on many levels! It's a smart, terrifying blast! 4 Stars Out of 5
Despicable Me - Universal - Rated PG
Despicable Me offers plenty of spunk with jokes for adults as well as the kids, and is fresh and entertaining. The 3-D effects are OK, until the end credits when they go into overdrive and make it worth the extra bucks. But even in 2-D, the little yellow creatures called the Minions are hilarious. This funny, heartwarming and touching movie is a perfect family film with enough to keep the kids entertained while providing the adults with just the right blend of humor and heart. Despicable? No! Delightful! 4 Stars Out of 5
Deuce Bigelow European Gigolo
Deuce Bigelow European Gigolo has its moments, but doesn't live up to its predecessor. This deuce recycles most of the jokes in the original, although there are a few new ones. It's much more crude, and has far less story than the last. It's funny, but not as good as the original. Moments of life, but overall, kind of limp…3 Stars Out of 5
Deuces Wild
This is a disjointed mess of a film that has all of the polish of a really bad TV movie. Have you ever walked into a film 10 minutes late and wondered what was going on for the rest of the film? That's what this feels like. This is forced, sloppy, nonsense.1 Star Out of 5
The Devil's Rejects
Why would anyone make The Devil's Rejects? I held out a brief glimmer of hope that it would improve on its predecessor, House of a Thousand Corpses. But that hope was quickly dashed, when this film soon deteriorated into a nausea inducing, demeaning, sadistic, poorly made sludgebath of nonsense. It's a waste of film, perfectly good stage blood, and of your money if you are one of the unfortunates who pay to see it. 1 Star out of 5
The Devil Wears Prada
Great performances by the entire cast highlight The Devil Wears Prada. Stanley Tucci steals every scene he's in, Anne Hathaway is beautiful in her transformation from college graduate to fashion plate, and Meryl Streep plays a deliciously heartless dictator of a boss. It's an entertaining and fun peek into the world of high fashion! 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Diary of a Mad Black Woman is a chameleon. Is it Big Momma's House or the Burning Bed? Is it Misery, or The Fighting Temptations or The Nutty Professor, or a religious soap opera? Well, at times it's all of the above. It jumps wildly between a broad comedy, a romance, a drama, a dark comedy and a religious movie. Here's what it's not…It's not boring, predictable or terribly good. It has its moments, but they are few.
2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - 20th Century fox - Rated PG
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a film that kids may like, but adults will despise. It is WAY too long, gross and kind of depressing. Steve Zahn also looks depressed as he appears in a film that uses none of his comedic talent. Zero. He is totally wasted. And, parents with kids that aren't in middle school yet may want to avoid this movie as it will scar them before they attend! Isn't middle school hard enough? 2 Stars Out of 5
Diary of the Dead - The Weinstein Company - Rated R
George Romero's Diary of the Dead is a pseudo documentary like the Blair Witch project where film makers become the subjects of their film. Trouble is, they don't really do much. There are maybe three sequences that have any action at all. It is bland and short on scares. The dead must have written the script too. 2 Stars Out of 5
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is actually kind of fun. While not a huge laugh maker, it has enough to keep you involved with the film. I think David Spade really misses Chris Farley. I know I do. The two of them made a really great comic team. But Spade makes the best of it here and manages some funny moments, but the film ultimately drowns in a sea of sentimental goo. The best part of the film, and the part that is worth waiting for, is the profanity laden song at the end starring real former child stars. It's a bit of a shock hearing Maureen McCormack, who played Marcia Brady, utter the film's only F-word.3 Stars Out of 5
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the best of the more recent Bond films, and maybe the most fun! Pierce Brosnan has never been better in this, his fourth appearance as the British spy. With non-stop action and the addition of Halle Berry's sexy character, Jinx, this provides everything you expect in a James Bond film...beautiful women, a preposterous story, thrills, laughs, and lots of gadgets.4 Stars Out of 5
Dirty Dancing Havana Nights
Dirty Dancing Havana Nights follows the formula to a tee. It's the same movie with different actors and a new location. If you want to see this movie, just rent the first movie, and imagine different actors in their places, set in Cuba, and you've got it.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Disaster Movie - Lionsgate - Rated PG-13
Let's see how many laughs I get when I try out what Disaster Movie does. Ready? Juno. Enchanted. Kung Fu Panda. High School Musical. Isn't that funny? Um, no. There are no jokes, just references. I didn't laugh. Not even once. At least it's honest, it tells you what it is in the title. Disaster Movie is a disaster of a movie. 1 Star Out of 5
Disturbia
Call Disturbia Rear Window with acne. It's teen star Shia LeBouf in a pretty good tense thriller that is entirely derived from the Hitchcock classic. But it's a good updating that keeps you involved and on the edge of your seat. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Miramax - Rated PG-13
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tells the amazing true story of a man who suffers a stroke and can only communicate by blinking one eye. And it's told from his point of view. He ended up writing the book the film is based on. Incredibly patient companions recited the alphabet until he blinked, and wrote down that letter. He composed the entire book in his head. I'd put this film into the category of "so you think your life is bad…" It is brilliantly directed, inspirational, moving and hopeful. 4 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is the funniest movie so far this year. In the grand tradition of Old School, this film features lots of low brow humor that really made me laugh. Ben Stiller is over the top and overacting again, but you hate his character anyway, so it's OK. The writing is, for the most part, inspired, and for once you haven't seen the best parts in the trailers. Oh, and if you leave the theater before the credits are over, you will miss the biggest laugh of the movie.
4 Stars Out of 5
Domino
Domino looks like a hyperactive music video… complete with jackhammer editing tricks, weird lighting, camera angles, and grainy film stock. It is so constant and relentless, it is like a sadistic fraternity brother with a paddle on hell night making me say "Thank you sir, may I have another!" Keira Knightley has the pouty look down. It is her only expression in the movie. She has a too-forced bad attitude that rings false. Here's the high point in the movie. She does a lap dance in her underwear to convince some criminals with guns to drop their weapons. Well it's either that or the scene where a guys arm is shot off so they can read a safe combination written on it. This movie tries real hard to be edgy and cool but ends up a convoluted mish-mash of hair gel, body parts, weapons, explosions and tattoos. 2 Stars Out of 5
Doom
Doom is what you expect from a video game movie: very thin on plot, but lots of action. There is so little plot it is almost non existent. But just like the video game there is lots of shooting at monsters, and lots of blood. The Rock snarls his lines, and, surprisingly, makes very little impact on the film. The human parts could have been played by anyone with the same result. The only thing this movie wants to do is show us another head fall to the floor, or another monster's guts splattered. It's entertaining while it's happening but in the end, it's a waste of time. And isn't that what this type of video game is all about? 3 Stars Out of 5
Doomsday - Universal - Rated R
Cross Mad Max with 28 Days Later, 80's Punk, and Resident Evil and you get Doomsday. There's graphic cannibalism (accompanied by the not so subtle music of the Fine Young Cannibals), beheadings, loud overbearing music, and action scenes that stretch the laws of physics beyond the breaking point. It stars Rhona Mitra doing her best Kate Beckinsale impersonation, but she has an artificial eye that she pops out and rolls around using it as a camouflaged video camera. Nobody notices that there is an eyeball rolling around on the floor! Yep, it's pretty stupid. 2 Stars Out of 5
Doubt - Miramax - Rated PG-13
Doubt is an acting tour de force from Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep. In it, Streep does her best work in years, and the always spectacular Hoffman gives a multilayered performance in a film that you think about long after the end credits roll. No doubt about it, it is great. 4 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dougal
Dougal features quality not uncommon in most direct to DVD releases. Its computer animation is not synched to the voice track very well when the characters are speaking. And the voices are not cast well. Jon Stewart is the villain. Enough said. The plot is weird and thin, but really little kids might like the pretty colors. This one is a big mess. I thought it was ghastly. If the kids won't take no for an answer, and have to see it, you should be able to get the DVD in the dollar bin in about two months. Doogal is doodoo. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Down With Love
Down With Love is played way too broad for my taste. It's a sexual farce that concentrates way too much on farce and ends up being way too campy. The resulting lack of character development causes us to not care one bit about anyone in the movie. The sixties costumes and setting is more a spoof than a realistic portrait of the time. It's disappointing on all levels.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Drag Me To Hell - Universal - Rated PG-13
Sam Raimi makes a triumphant return to the horror genre in the rollicking Drag Me To Hell. Cross Evil Dead with The Exorcist and add in copious amounts of goopy, slimy, mucusy old school scares, and the most awesome bloody nose you've ever seen on film. It all adds up to loads of raucous fun! It's most definitely NOT a drag! They had to drag me out of the theater! 4 Stars Out of 5
Dragon Wars
Some of the CGI effects in Dragon Wars are OK, but most look like a computer did them. That's the nicest thing I can say about it. It is horribly acted, with pitifully bad direction and cumbersome, overdone plot details that make this nearly incomprehensible gibberish. I came out of the theater thinking one word, "stupid." 2 Stars Out of 5
Dragonball Evolution - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG
Dragonball Evolution starts out with a confusing, convoluted, backstory narration loaded with jibberish and goes downhill from there. The movie is so bad it's almost parody. The main character's name is Goku which I figured must stand for terminally bad hair day. There's so much product in this guys hair, you can see the effects of the weight on his brain during his performance. The movie is a cheesy, bad, live action cartoon that drags horribly. Let's just call it Cheeseball Draggin: Convolution. 2 Stars Out of 5
Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher is a movie that can't quite make up its mind what it wants to be. It ends up being a psychic-coming-of-age-alien-cabin-in-the-snowy-woods movie. And yes, it's just as convoluted as it sounds! The aliens are kind of cool, but don't make much sense, and neither does this movie. It's bloody, not all that scary, and kind of fun.3 Stars Out of 5
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
There is nothing all that original in Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story. But it features a heartwarming plot and wonderful performances by Kurt Russell and the superb Dakota Fanning. Cynics need not attend, but everyone else will love it. But here's a word of warning for parents of pre-teen girls…I watched it with my daughter, and now she wants a horse more than ever. 4 Stars Out of 5
The Dreamers
I'm not sure The Dreamers knows what it wants to be. Social commentary, a love letter to the cinema, or erotic frivolity and voyeurism. It's all three at times, but is an uneven film. It earns an NC-17 rating from sexuality, but is far from pornographic. Bernardo Bertilucci tells an interesting story and partly succeeds in rekindling the revolutionary feeling of the sixties. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dreamgirls
In Dreamgirls, Eddie Murphy is the best he's ever been in a movie, and Jennifer Hudson absolutely steals the show from everyone else. Both should see Oscar nominations and probably wins. Dreamgirls is a fantastic movie - loosely based on the Motown story and the Supremes. It's got everything. It is spectacular. 5 Stars Out of 5
Drillbit Taylor - Paramount - Rated PG-13
Despite its comic pedigree, that of Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen who brought us recent comic laughers Knocked Up, and Superbad, Drillbit Taylor is more of an abandoned stepchild. It starts out with a few laughs but degrades quickly into laugh free, bland blather. This Drillbit's dull, and I'm not McLovin it. 2 Stars Out of 5
Drumline
The only thing Drumline suffers from is length…20 minutes could have been cut from this and we'd still have a wonderful movie. Orlando Jones stars in a very serious role. He plays it well, and we realize that after we get over expecting him to crack a joke. The young leads are all very good, especially Nick Cannon, and the marching band and drum sequences are exhilarating.4 Stars Out of 5
The Dukes of Hazzard
The question of the week is, "Can Jessica Simpson act?" The Dukes of Hazzard plays like an extended trailer. You get to see the orange General Lee car flying through the air several times, you get to see Willie Nelson in a dope smoking scene, There are endless chase scenes…so many that it becomes quite tedious. There really is no plot…just something about strip mining, and how it's bad. Moonshine, more chase scenes, some stuff blowing up, Jessica Simpson's shorts, another car chase, and finally, the climax of the movie…Jessica Simpson in a bikini and oh yeah, more car chases. The answer to the question of the week? If you put "Jessica Simpson" and "Act" in the same sentence, you've been consuming all of Willie's Moonshine and hanging out with him too long in his smoke filled shack! 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
Nobody involved with the production of the original Dumb and Dumber was involved with this movie and boy, does it show! Who's the dumb one here? Is it the producers? The Stars? The script writers? I think it was me after watching this mind-numbingly stupid piece of garbage that is totally devoid of anything even close to a laugh. What appears on screen is two young, inexperienced actors doing poor impressions of better, funnier actors who have actually made a decent movie. We thought this would be dumb. But what we didn't realize is that it would also be insulting. There is no heart here, just a shell that thinks it's funny but is really only pathetic.1 Star Out of 5
Duplex
There are a couple of gross-out laughs in Duplex. There aren't enough though, to make up for the major flaw in this film. The people that you are supposed to like, you don't, and you end up liking the "villain" more! This is a cross between The Money Pit and Pacific Heights, but both of those movies were better.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Duplicity - Universal - Rated PG-13
In Duplicity, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen have a good chemistry together
in this caper romp. But it gets a touch overcomplicated and almost too twisty to follow. Then the end lets all of the air out of what seemed to be fun, providing a big letdown. Julia and Clive are great, but the movie…eh… 3 stars Out of 5
Archive
D
Daddy Day Care
There is good news and bad news about Daddy Day Care…The good news is it isn't as bad as Eddie Murphy's last three films…Pluto Nash, I-Spy and Showtime. The bad news is, it isn't real good either…This end's up being a pretty bland film that want's to be a comedy, but doesn't include many laughs. The biggest laugh that you haven't already seen in the previews, comes when the film is over, during the out-takes.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
The Damned United - Sony - Rated R
Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall are wonderful in The Damned United, a fun and involving history of English soccer in the 60's and 70's. It scores a goal - and then some! 4 Stars Out of 5
Dan In Real Life - Touchstone - Rated PG-13
Dan In Real Life is an ensemble romantic comedy led by a surprising and very good Steve Carell who is both funny and touching at the same time. It's a new side of him we haven't seen before. Juliette Binoche is perfect in every way and is a great foil for Carell. This adult and sophisticated comedy is absolutely delightful, filled with laughs and is a perfect date movie. 4 Stars Out of 5
Dance Flick - Paramount - Rated PG-13
In Dance Flick, The Wayans familys' sons and nephews now take over the same old tired spoof formula, this time focusing on recent dance movies. While there are some funny sight gags, like a character reading a book called Britney Spears Guide to Parenting, most of the funny parts are in the trailer. The parts not in the trailer are so crude, I wonder how this move got a PG-13 rating. Unfortunately, they aren't funny. Not much in this movie is. Just 'cuz you have the same last name doesn't mean you can actually do the dance…2 Stars Out of 5
DareDevil
DareDevil is no Spiderman. But, apparently the film-makers took notes when they watched it. It has lots of action but much of it seems like it was lifted from Spiderman. DareDevil has many of the same moves, and there is even a kissing scene in the rain. This is dark, humorless, and a bit hokey. Ben Affleck does a reasonably good job, but it's Colin Farrell who really shines and upstages everyone. Jennifer Garner is cool looking in her leather costume too, and does a fairly good job in her Matrix wanna-be fight scenes. And there are some cameos by Kevin Smith and Stan Lee to watch for. DareDevil has hints of originality, but they are sadly, overshadowed by the movie's lack of it.3 Stars Out of 5
The Darjeeling Limited
Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman star in the Wes Anderson film The Darjeeling Limited. It's a moderately amusing film about three estranged brothers reconnecting during a train ride in India. Told in Anderson's typically dry way, it's not his best, but if you're a fan, it's worth a rental. 3 Stars Out of 5
Dark Blue
Kurt Russell has always been a favorite actor of mine, and he has never been better! Dark Blue is surprisingly good. Plenty of action, drama and intrigue keep you involved in the story all the way through the end. Placing the setting of the movie during the riots that came in Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict makes this interesting and riveting.4 Stars Out of 5
The Dark Knight - Warner Bros - Rated PG-13
It is a rare sequel that exceeds it predecessor. The Dark Knight does so many times over. Brilliantly written, it transcends the comic book movie and escalates it into a new art form. This isn't just a wild ride, it is an important, complex, powerful film with fantastic, seamless effects, terrific action, and an ensemble cast that is nothing short of amazing. Christian Bale is the best Batman ever, and has so made the role his own, the others pale in comparison. Heath Ledger gave the performance of his life. His Joker is evil personified. He is disturbing, shocking, chilling and frightening. He deserves an Oscar nomination. This is the best movie of the summer. Don't miss it. 5 stars Out of 5
Darkness Falls
Darkness Falls is a better than expected horror flick that has a few good scares. Things do decay into brain numbing stupidity as the conclusion nears though, but Darkness Falls isn't nearly as bad as you might think, or might have been told.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Date Movie
Date Movie manages to spoof everything from "The Wedding Planner" to "Meet The Fockers," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "The Lord of the Rings" with loads in between. Some of the jokes are pretty gross, and some fall flat, but most work. This ends up being pretty funny. 3 Stars Out of 5
Date Night - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG-13
Date Night gives us the inspired pairing of Steve Carrell and Tina Fey. They take a fairly standard plot, that of an ordinary couple thrust into an extraordinary situation, and turn it into comic gold. It is laugh out loud funny.
While their date night might not be so great, this is a great date film. Unless of course, your idea of a great date movie is something you don't actually, uhem, watch….3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
With a name like Dave Chappelle's Block Party, I thought Dave Chappelle would actually be performing in it. He is really only a cameo. It shows, in documentary fashion, how Dave put this rap concert together. The movie lasts an hour and 43 minutes. He performs in it a total of about 5 minutes. And that 5 minutes isn't all that funny. I expected more Dave. But I got lots of rap music. Yes, it was nice to see the Fugees back together and some of the performances were pretty good, most notably from Erika Badu and Jill Scott. But there was too much militant rap stuff from my taste and certainly not enough comedy. 2 Stars Out of 5
The Da Vinci Code
For all of the negative hullabaloo that The Da Vinci Code has generated, it is really undeserved. If you accept it as it is, a work of pure fiction, it's a decent action story with lots of twists and turns and a few thrills popped in for good measure. The performances are kind of flat with the exception of Ian McKellen, who adds much needed spark to the film. I liked Ron Howard's smart direction. The film was a bit too long, but it is involving and interesting. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dawn of the Dead
The opening 10 minutes of Dawn of the Dead are awesome, but then it settles down and gets kind of fun in a numb-skull sort of way. Lots of sweaty palm scares are present, but the never-ending resources in this mall are kind of ridiculous. They've got everything from cutting torches to armor, but oddly enough, no guns and no ammo. I'm not ashamed to tell you I liked the movie. Oh, and don't leave when the credits start or you will miss the real ending of the movie.
3 ½ Stars out of 5
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow has a ridiculous plot, and dialogue that had me laughing uncontrollably…but it has awesome special effects. It is relentlessly silly, with abundant political punches. The villains are headed by a Dick Cheney look-alike Vice President. This movie supposedly shows us the effects of global warming, with the earth plunged into an Ice age in 10 days. At best the science is questionable. I'm no scientist, but I found it reckless and stupid.
2 Stars Out of 5
The Day the Earth Stood Still - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG-13
In The Day the Earth Stood Still, Keanu Reeves plays Klaatu…(I'm guessing he was cast because Klaatu kind of sounds like Keanu…that and the fact that he acts like a robot anyway.) Keanu is the ultimate eco-terrorist. he and his alien buddies are mad that there is global warming you see…and they are going to save all the animals in little Noah's ark globes and then annihilate mankind and anything man-made as punishment. Nothing in this movie works. What isn't silly is just plain bad and boring. It should have been called The Day the MOVIE stood still…it is suh-low. I have a name for my experience in this movie…The day my brain stood still. 1 Star Out of 5
Daybreakers - Lionsgate - Rated R)
In Daybreakers, everyone's a vampire in the future - even chimpanzees! Of course, this creates a worldwide blood shortage, and carnage ensues. Actually this is a pretty cool story as the Subsiders - blood deprived vampires turn into bat like creatures that prey on their own. This is a much better movie than I thought it would be, and Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe are clearly having a blast. So is the audience. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dead Silence
Dead Silence is a movie about a ghost who possesses dummies. And no, I'm not talking about Paris Hilton at a séance. We're talking ventriloquist dummies. If you are already freaked out by them, stay away. They are a bit unnerving. If you are looking for intelligent horror, you need to look elsewhere. Donnie Wahlberg looks ashamed to be in it, and he should be. While there are a few hair-raising moments, this movie ends up being a real dummy, or maybe I am for watching it.
2 Stars Out of 5
Dear John - Sony - Rated PG-13
Dear John,
I went to your movie, and I must say, I didn't really like it. Amanda Seyfried is OK, but Channing Tatum is basically monotone. He really shouldn't act…He might be an OK underwear model, but he's not an actor. When the actors were reading their letters to one another, I thought I was going to laugh so hard the theater would kick me out! But I didn't. And neither did they, LOL. As for your movie's title, that lets us know what's going to happen, and as the movie progresses, it becomes more and more predictable. It drags on and on and then in the last third of the movie it becomes stupefyingly ridiculous and contrived. This was a dumb movie.
Yours Truly,
Bob
P.S. 2 Stars Out of 5
Death At A Funeral
Death At A Funeral is a an extraordinarily funny black comedy from director Frank Oz. Centered around the funeral of the family Patriarch, this film quickly descends into giddy chaos. 4 Stars Out of 5
Death at a Funeral (Remake) - Sony - Rated R
It's only been three years since the original Death at a Funeral was released. That version was a very funny farce with British actors. This is a not so funny, scene by scene remake with an African American cast, managing to wash all of the fun out in the process. Stars here include the mostly irritating and just plain foul Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence and Danny Glover. Aren't their careers in rigor mortis by now? Plus, there is Chris Rock, who appears to want to be anywhere but in this fatality. My biggest question while watching this murderous mess?…Why? Why was this remake necessary? (It was unnecessary in every way) Death at a funeral…hopefully this refers to the careers of Tracey Morgan and Martin Lawrence. I died a little bit watching it. They took all the fun OUT of funeral. Bury it. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Death Race - Paramount - Rated R
In Death Race lots of stuff blows up…cars, heads, buildings, Joan Allen's career…seriously, she knew what this was going in, but she did it anyway? Is she that hard up for parts? She is an Oscar nominated actress! This audience assault features inept action that tries to hide that fact with quick edits and shaky cameras, but just makes it more incoherent. This film's new car smell comes from the sewer. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Death Sentence
Kevin Bacon makes a successful, if unlikely action hero against the gang who murdered his son in Death Sentence. Silly, cartoonish and unbelievable at times, it has some bad dialogue and loads of overacting from the supporting cast. But the film has some good intense action, and that kept me involved. 3 Stars Out of 5
Deception - 20th Century Fox - Rated R
In Deception, Ewan McGregor takes part in a sex club - basically a list for booty calls. The lesson: don't try to form a relationship with someone you meet in a sex club even if she looks like Michelle Williams. That's the most positive thing I can say about this predictable and not so thrilling thriller. The title tells us what the film will do, so there are absolutely no surprises. It's all kind of bland, really. His performance was so anemic, all I could think of was which of Ewan McGregor's numerous facial moles he should have removed. 2 Stars Out of 5
Deck The Halls
Deck the Halls has been done many times before. "Neighbors", "Christmas with the Kranks" just to name a few. It's got nothing new. And no real laughs. Just a sick feeling of embarrassment for Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito. Can you say, "Dreck The halls?" Skip this and watch a good Christmas film like the original Miracle on 34th Street. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Defiance - Paramount - Rated R
In Defiance, Daniel Craig shows us what a good actor he really is when he's not playing Bond. While the film is a touch overblown, good performances and a compelling true story outweigh its few flaws. It is brutal and moving, action packed and poignant. 4 stars Out of 5
Definitely Maybe - Universal - Rated PG-13
The plot device in Definitely, Maybe doesn't really work. Telling a story by telling a story. We've seen it before, but this time it feels forced. Ryan Reynolds' smart aleck shtick doesn't really work here. We never really believe that he's a Dad. Is it a chick flick? Definitely. Should you spend 8 bucks to go see it? Maybe. Um. Maybe not. 2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Déjà vu
Déjà vu is engaging from beginning to end mostly because of the performance by Denzel Washington. The action film has a silly premise, which doesn't get revealed until an hour in, but it's entertaining as long as you don't think about it too hard.
3 Stars Out of 5
Delgo - Freestyle Releasing - Rated PG
The animation in Delgo is so bad, it looks like it was animated for Playstation One. It stars some odd looking lizard-monkey people. Some have wings. I guess that's so they can fly away when they get sick of looking at each other. Despite the big names, it has a nondescript voice cast. Try to guess which character Kelly Ripa is playing. I couldn't. The story is a little bit convoluted and tough to follow, and is not really for little kids. There are some interesting background creatures and some good action scenes, but Delgo's main characters are too strange looking to connect to. 2 Stars Out of 5
De-Lovely
Kevin Klein is one of the best actors in film today. He proves it in De-Lovely. His portrayal of Cole Porter is inspired and is the best part of this film. Ashley Judd has never been better. I was also impressed by the make up which transforms the lead characters as they approach the end of their lives. And I liked the innovative direction. This is a musical that effortlessly weaves Porter's music into the story. The musical performances by some of today's musical stars like Sheryl Crow bring mixed results though. This film makes Cole Porter's bisexuality central to the story, so it may not be appropriate for all audiences. 4 Stars Out of 5
Deliver Us From Eva
Gabrielle Union is really nasty and LL Cool J (whose real name is James Todd Smith) is likable, but shows us that he is not a very good actor. This is marginally pleasant fluff, but mostly forgettable. 2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Delta Farce
I haven't seen less effort put into a movie in years! The cast of Delta Farce looks like they are reading the script for the first time and one take was all they got. The writers seem to have added dialogue after reading it in email jokes. I actually did recognize a few from emails sent to me! This lame movie isn't funny! It's supposedly a comedy but tells you what it really is in the title. 1 Star Out of 5
The Departed
Interesting performances, an intricate plot, a great twist ending and Jack Nicholson as only Jack can be highlight the very enjoyable, The Departed. The acting from the all star cast is superb, Martin Scorsese's direction is stylish and sharp, although the movie, at 2 hours and 30 minutes seems long. It could have been trimmed some, to save on "cheek numbing", but that's my only complaint. 4 Stars Out of 5
Derailed
Derailed tends to be a little heavy handed with the action and the tension it doles out. It has lots of twists and turns, and lots of action. Jennifer Aniston is not the seductress she tries to be, and her performance is probably the weakest part of the film. Some of the plot elements are contrived and not terribly believable, but if you just roll with it, you can enjoy yourself. Some will say you can see the twists coming a mile away. Maybe I'm stupid, but most surprised the heck out of me. 3 Stars Out of 5
The Descent
Do you want to be scared? That's something I was beginning to think that the movies had forgotten how to do. But then I saw The Descent. This looks like it might be a chick flick version of "The Cave." But this one doesn't stink! It's the best horror movie so far this year! It's got gallons and gallons of blood, is relentlessly gory, and yes, genuinely scary on many levels! It's a smart, terrifying blast! 4 Stars Out of 5
Despicable Me - Universal - Rated PG
Despicable Me offers plenty of spunk with jokes for adults as well as the kids, and is fresh and entertaining. The 3-D effects are OK, until the end credits when they go into overdrive and make it worth the extra bucks. But even in 2-D, the little yellow creatures called the Minions are hilarious. This funny, heartwarming and touching movie is a perfect family film with enough to keep the kids entertained while providing the adults with just the right blend of humor and heart. Despicable? No! Delightful! 4 Stars Out of 5
Deuce Bigelow European Gigolo
Deuce Bigelow European Gigolo has its moments, but doesn't live up to its predecessor. This deuce recycles most of the jokes in the original, although there are a few new ones. It's much more crude, and has far less story than the last. It's funny, but not as good as the original. Moments of life, but overall, kind of limp…3 Stars Out of 5
Deuces Wild
This is a disjointed mess of a film that has all of the polish of a really bad TV movie. Have you ever walked into a film 10 minutes late and wondered what was going on for the rest of the film? That's what this feels like. This is forced, sloppy, nonsense.1 Star Out of 5
The Devil's Rejects
Why would anyone make The Devil's Rejects? I held out a brief glimmer of hope that it would improve on its predecessor, House of a Thousand Corpses. But that hope was quickly dashed, when this film soon deteriorated into a nausea inducing, demeaning, sadistic, poorly made sludgebath of nonsense. It's a waste of film, perfectly good stage blood, and of your money if you are one of the unfortunates who pay to see it. 1 Star out of 5
The Devil Wears Prada
Great performances by the entire cast highlight The Devil Wears Prada. Stanley Tucci steals every scene he's in, Anne Hathaway is beautiful in her transformation from college graduate to fashion plate, and Meryl Streep plays a deliciously heartless dictator of a boss. It's an entertaining and fun peek into the world of high fashion! 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Diary of a Mad Black Woman is a chameleon. Is it Big Momma's House or the Burning Bed? Is it Misery, or The Fighting Temptations or The Nutty Professor, or a religious soap opera? Well, at times it's all of the above. It jumps wildly between a broad comedy, a romance, a drama, a dark comedy and a religious movie. Here's what it's not…It's not boring, predictable or terribly good. It has its moments, but they are few.
2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - 20th Century fox - Rated PG
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a film that kids may like, but adults will despise. It is WAY too long, gross and kind of depressing. Steve Zahn also looks depressed as he appears in a film that uses none of his comedic talent. Zero. He is totally wasted. And, parents with kids that aren't in middle school yet may want to avoid this movie as it will scar them before they attend! Isn't middle school hard enough? 2 Stars Out of 5
Diary of the Dead - The Weinstein Company - Rated R
George Romero's Diary of the Dead is a pseudo documentary like the Blair Witch project where film makers become the subjects of their film. Trouble is, they don't really do much. There are maybe three sequences that have any action at all. It is bland and short on scares. The dead must have written the script too. 2 Stars Out of 5
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is actually kind of fun. While not a huge laugh maker, it has enough to keep you involved with the film. I think David Spade really misses Chris Farley. I know I do. The two of them made a really great comic team. But Spade makes the best of it here and manages some funny moments, but the film ultimately drowns in a sea of sentimental goo. The best part of the film, and the part that is worth waiting for, is the profanity laden song at the end starring real former child stars. It's a bit of a shock hearing Maureen McCormack, who played Marcia Brady, utter the film's only F-word.3 Stars Out of 5
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the best of the more recent Bond films, and maybe the most fun! Pierce Brosnan has never been better in this, his fourth appearance as the British spy. With non-stop action and the addition of Halle Berry's sexy character, Jinx, this provides everything you expect in a James Bond film...beautiful women, a preposterous story, thrills, laughs, and lots of gadgets.4 Stars Out of 5
Dirty Dancing Havana Nights
Dirty Dancing Havana Nights follows the formula to a tee. It's the same movie with different actors and a new location. If you want to see this movie, just rent the first movie, and imagine different actors in their places, set in Cuba, and you've got it.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Disaster Movie - Lionsgate - Rated PG-13
Let's see how many laughs I get when I try out what Disaster Movie does. Ready? Juno. Enchanted. Kung Fu Panda. High School Musical. Isn't that funny? Um, no. There are no jokes, just references. I didn't laugh. Not even once. At least it's honest, it tells you what it is in the title. Disaster Movie is a disaster of a movie. 1 Star Out of 5
Disturbia
Call Disturbia Rear Window with acne. It's teen star Shia LeBouf in a pretty good tense thriller that is entirely derived from the Hitchcock classic. But it's a good updating that keeps you involved and on the edge of your seat. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Miramax - Rated PG-13
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tells the amazing true story of a man who suffers a stroke and can only communicate by blinking one eye. And it's told from his point of view. He ended up writing the book the film is based on. Incredibly patient companions recited the alphabet until he blinked, and wrote down that letter. He composed the entire book in his head. I'd put this film into the category of "so you think your life is bad…" It is brilliantly directed, inspirational, moving and hopeful. 4 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is the funniest movie so far this year. In the grand tradition of Old School, this film features lots of low brow humor that really made me laugh. Ben Stiller is over the top and overacting again, but you hate his character anyway, so it's OK. The writing is, for the most part, inspired, and for once you haven't seen the best parts in the trailers. Oh, and if you leave the theater before the credits are over, you will miss the biggest laugh of the movie.
4 Stars Out of 5
Domino
Domino looks like a hyperactive music video… complete with jackhammer editing tricks, weird lighting, camera angles, and grainy film stock. It is so constant and relentless, it is like a sadistic fraternity brother with a paddle on hell night making me say "Thank you sir, may I have another!" Keira Knightley has the pouty look down. It is her only expression in the movie. She has a too-forced bad attitude that rings false. Here's the high point in the movie. She does a lap dance in her underwear to convince some criminals with guns to drop their weapons. Well it's either that or the scene where a guys arm is shot off so they can read a safe combination written on it. This movie tries real hard to be edgy and cool but ends up a convoluted mish-mash of hair gel, body parts, weapons, explosions and tattoos. 2 Stars Out of 5
Doom
Doom is what you expect from a video game movie: very thin on plot, but lots of action. There is so little plot it is almost non existent. But just like the video game there is lots of shooting at monsters, and lots of blood. The Rock snarls his lines, and, surprisingly, makes very little impact on the film. The human parts could have been played by anyone with the same result. The only thing this movie wants to do is show us another head fall to the floor, or another monster's guts splattered. It's entertaining while it's happening but in the end, it's a waste of time. And isn't that what this type of video game is all about? 3 Stars Out of 5
Doomsday - Universal - Rated R
Cross Mad Max with 28 Days Later, 80's Punk, and Resident Evil and you get Doomsday. There's graphic cannibalism (accompanied by the not so subtle music of the Fine Young Cannibals), beheadings, loud overbearing music, and action scenes that stretch the laws of physics beyond the breaking point. It stars Rhona Mitra doing her best Kate Beckinsale impersonation, but she has an artificial eye that she pops out and rolls around using it as a camouflaged video camera. Nobody notices that there is an eyeball rolling around on the floor! Yep, it's pretty stupid. 2 Stars Out of 5
Doubt - Miramax - Rated PG-13
Doubt is an acting tour de force from Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep. In it, Streep does her best work in years, and the always spectacular Hoffman gives a multilayered performance in a film that you think about long after the end credits roll. No doubt about it, it is great. 4 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dougal
Dougal features quality not uncommon in most direct to DVD releases. Its computer animation is not synched to the voice track very well when the characters are speaking. And the voices are not cast well. Jon Stewart is the villain. Enough said. The plot is weird and thin, but really little kids might like the pretty colors. This one is a big mess. I thought it was ghastly. If the kids won't take no for an answer, and have to see it, you should be able to get the DVD in the dollar bin in about two months. Doogal is doodoo. 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Down With Love
Down With Love is played way too broad for my taste. It's a sexual farce that concentrates way too much on farce and ends up being way too campy. The resulting lack of character development causes us to not care one bit about anyone in the movie. The sixties costumes and setting is more a spoof than a realistic portrait of the time. It's disappointing on all levels.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Drag Me To Hell - Universal - Rated PG-13
Sam Raimi makes a triumphant return to the horror genre in the rollicking Drag Me To Hell. Cross Evil Dead with The Exorcist and add in copious amounts of goopy, slimy, mucusy old school scares, and the most awesome bloody nose you've ever seen on film. It all adds up to loads of raucous fun! It's most definitely NOT a drag! They had to drag me out of the theater! 4 Stars Out of 5
Dragon Wars
Some of the CGI effects in Dragon Wars are OK, but most look like a computer did them. That's the nicest thing I can say about it. It is horribly acted, with pitifully bad direction and cumbersome, overdone plot details that make this nearly incomprehensible gibberish. I came out of the theater thinking one word, "stupid." 2 Stars Out of 5
Dragonball Evolution - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG
Dragonball Evolution starts out with a confusing, convoluted, backstory narration loaded with jibberish and goes downhill from there. The movie is so bad it's almost parody. The main character's name is Goku which I figured must stand for terminally bad hair day. There's so much product in this guys hair, you can see the effects of the weight on his brain during his performance. The movie is a cheesy, bad, live action cartoon that drags horribly. Let's just call it Cheeseball Draggin: Convolution. 2 Stars Out of 5
Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher is a movie that can't quite make up its mind what it wants to be. It ends up being a psychic-coming-of-age-alien-cabin-in-the-snowy-woods movie. And yes, it's just as convoluted as it sounds! The aliens are kind of cool, but don't make much sense, and neither does this movie. It's bloody, not all that scary, and kind of fun.3 Stars Out of 5
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
There is nothing all that original in Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story. But it features a heartwarming plot and wonderful performances by Kurt Russell and the superb Dakota Fanning. Cynics need not attend, but everyone else will love it. But here's a word of warning for parents of pre-teen girls…I watched it with my daughter, and now she wants a horse more than ever. 4 Stars Out of 5
The Dreamers
I'm not sure The Dreamers knows what it wants to be. Social commentary, a love letter to the cinema, or erotic frivolity and voyeurism. It's all three at times, but is an uneven film. It earns an NC-17 rating from sexuality, but is far from pornographic. Bernardo Bertilucci tells an interesting story and partly succeeds in rekindling the revolutionary feeling of the sixties. 3 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dreamgirls
In Dreamgirls, Eddie Murphy is the best he's ever been in a movie, and Jennifer Hudson absolutely steals the show from everyone else. Both should see Oscar nominations and probably wins. Dreamgirls is a fantastic movie - loosely based on the Motown story and the Supremes. It's got everything. It is spectacular. 5 Stars Out of 5
Drillbit Taylor - Paramount - Rated PG-13
Despite its comic pedigree, that of Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen who brought us recent comic laughers Knocked Up, and Superbad, Drillbit Taylor is more of an abandoned stepchild. It starts out with a few laughs but degrades quickly into laugh free, bland blather. This Drillbit's dull, and I'm not McLovin it. 2 Stars Out of 5
Drumline
The only thing Drumline suffers from is length…20 minutes could have been cut from this and we'd still have a wonderful movie. Orlando Jones stars in a very serious role. He plays it well, and we realize that after we get over expecting him to crack a joke. The young leads are all very good, especially Nick Cannon, and the marching band and drum sequences are exhilarating.4 Stars Out of 5
The Dukes of Hazzard
The question of the week is, "Can Jessica Simpson act?" The Dukes of Hazzard plays like an extended trailer. You get to see the orange General Lee car flying through the air several times, you get to see Willie Nelson in a dope smoking scene, There are endless chase scenes…so many that it becomes quite tedious. There really is no plot…just something about strip mining, and how it's bad. Moonshine, more chase scenes, some stuff blowing up, Jessica Simpson's shorts, another car chase, and finally, the climax of the movie…Jessica Simpson in a bikini and oh yeah, more car chases. The answer to the question of the week? If you put "Jessica Simpson" and "Act" in the same sentence, you've been consuming all of Willie's Moonshine and hanging out with him too long in his smoke filled shack! 1 ½ Stars Out of 5
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
Nobody involved with the production of the original Dumb and Dumber was involved with this movie and boy, does it show! Who's the dumb one here? Is it the producers? The Stars? The script writers? I think it was me after watching this mind-numbingly stupid piece of garbage that is totally devoid of anything even close to a laugh. What appears on screen is two young, inexperienced actors doing poor impressions of better, funnier actors who have actually made a decent movie. We thought this would be dumb. But what we didn't realize is that it would also be insulting. There is no heart here, just a shell that thinks it's funny but is really only pathetic.1 Star Out of 5
Duplex
There are a couple of gross-out laughs in Duplex. There aren't enough though, to make up for the major flaw in this film. The people that you are supposed to like, you don't, and you end up liking the "villain" more! This is a cross between The Money Pit and Pacific Heights, but both of those movies were better.2 ½ Stars Out of 5
Duplicity - Universal - Rated PG-13
In Duplicity, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen have a good chemistry together
in this caper romp. But it gets a touch overcomplicated and almost too twisty to follow. Then the end lets all of the air out of what seemed to be fun, providing a big letdown. Julia and Clive are great, but the movie…eh… 3 stars Out of 5
