Dennis McDonald’s MOVIE REVIEWS Section
This section contains my occasional movie and DVD reviews. A complete index of my movie reviews is here. My book reviews are here.
Andrew Stanton's WALL•E
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 06:38AM My first reaction to seeing Pixar’s WALL•E was “This is better than Coruscant!”
Alex Proyas' GARAGE DAYS
Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 11:11AM Alex Proyas’ GARAGE DAYS is light years distant from DARK CITY. First of all, it’s a comedy. Second, it’s also a melodrama that concentrates on characters, sort of a “tale of death of youthful optimism” crossed with “sex drugs and rock ‘n roll.”
Zhang Yimou's CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
Monday, November 10, 2008 at 12:15PM Garish, melodramatic, architectonic, fantastic. Ultimately boring.
Alex Proyas' DARK CITY
Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 08:06AM This is what I wrote in my blog when, once upon a time in Indiana, I found myself working late at night with the TV turned on:
David Koepp's GHOST TOWN
Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 09:48PM This is a sweet comedy that doesn’t, for the most part, descend into mawkishness or treacle.
Disney's THE BLACK CAULDRON
Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 07:50AM A classic this isn’t, but for the fan of animation, it’s a must.
James Cameron's THE ABYSS
Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 11:44AM This two-DVD special edition has more than enough material to keep an SF fan happy for days.
Kevin Lima's ENCHANTED
Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 08:36AM If you need something pleasant and friendly, you need look no further than Enchanted.
Steven Spielberg's MINORITY REPORT
Monday, April 14, 2008 at 10:03AM This movie expands upon the dazzling realistic-future-world special effects of Spielberg’s A.I. but wastes astonishing technical and artistic virtuosity on a hackneyed, uninvolving murder mystery.
Jean-Jacques Annaud's ENEMY AT THE GATES
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at 06:27PM The cast if this WWII movie is uniformly excellent; the direction balanced, detailed, and sensitive; the photography and lighting are superb; and the set designs, stunts, special effects and general environment seem real and immediate.
Ali Selim's SWEET LAND (2005)
Sunday, December 2, 2007 at 07:52AM The story is simple: in the early 1920’s a young German mail-order bride, gramophone in hand, comes to rural Minnesota to meet her Norwegian husband to be.
Rajkumar Santoshi's KHAKEE
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 10:52AM Halfway through I thought about stopping but I’ve decided to give this movie another chance after reading the Netflix reviews.
Steven Spielberg's AI: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 11:08AM I grew up with the science fiction of Clarke, Asimov, and Heinlein. At their best they wrestled with humans coming to terms with very large ideas and concepts in stories that spanned years and vast distances. I especially loved depictions of the far future.
Action, Drama, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Intelligent, Robots Bruce A. Evans' MR. BROOKS
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 03:50PM What a delightfully twisted little film this is! What could have been a run-of-the-mill mystery is pumped up immensely by clever dialog, crisp editing and direction, and most of all, by terrific performances by Kevin Costner and William Hurt.
Brad Bird's RATATOUILLE
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 02:20PM Number One Daughter was home for the weekend from college. We packed ourself into the family chariot and located the one theater in the Northern Virginia area that was still showing Ratatouille ($3 per ticket - cash only).
Quentin Tarantino's DEATH PROOF
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 02:05PM Great film. Truly edgy, exciting, twisted, and violent. Great stunt work. Fascinating and funny dialog. Tarantino definitely inhabits an alternative universe. What a terrific cast! Zoë Bell is spectacular, so is Kurt Russell. Gotta rent Disc 2 for the extras…
Edgar Wright's HOT FUZZ
Friday, November 2, 2007 at 06:23AM This demonically funny comedy follows a super-competetent London cop banished to a small English town because he’s so good he’s showing up the rest of his colleagues.
Robert Rodriguez's PLANET TERROR
Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 07:35AM I’m usually not partial to zombie movies but I really loved this one.