Movie Reviews — www.ddmcd.com

Website copyright © 2002-2025 by Dennis D. McDonald. From Alexandria, Virginia I support proposal writing & management, content and business development, market research, and strategic planning. I also practice and support cursive handwriting. My email: ddmcd@ddmcd.com. My bio: here.

All in Action

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Jan 28

Jan 28 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Animated, Science Fiction, Space Travel

Watching this movie I was struck by the similarities and differences with The Phantom Menace. Both make heavy use of computer animation, both were based on characters or situations already popular from previous media incarnations, and both dealt with grand issues like Good versus Evil.

Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS

Jan 28

Jan 28 Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Another Time & Place, Fantasy, Favorites, Peter Jackson, Star Wars

I have watched parts of the film repeatedly on DVD and have seen it in a theater. Many images - too many to mention here - dazzle the senses and cry out for the big screen, there is so much rich lush detail on the screen. The performances of Ian McKellan, Ian Holm, and Christopher Lee are wonderful to behold. And the action set pieces are spectacular.

Gil Kenan's CITY OF EMBER

Jan 27

Jan 27 Gil Kenan's CITY OF EMBER

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Another Time & Place, Fantasy, One of a Kind, Science Fiction, Teens

This extraordinary family film reminded me of the sense of wonder I experienced as a child reading my way through the best of the children’s fantasy and science fiction collection of my local public library.

Danny Boyle’s SUNSHINE

Jan 7

Jan 7 Danny Boyle’s SUNSHINE

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Science Fiction, Space Travel

What I liked about this film were its gorgeous production values, its nonstop action, and its reverence for classic predecessor sci-fi films. These factors got me through this film which flags at the end with fuzzy story themes but. overall, it’s a fun and engrossing ride.

Scott Derrickson's THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

Dec 27

Dec 27 Scott Derrickson's THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Fantasy, Robots, Science Fiction, First Contact

I really enjoyed this current film. And I still love the original. I’m living proof that these two reactions are not incompatible.

Alex Proyas' “DARK CITY”

Nov 1

Nov 1 Alex Proyas' “DARK CITY”

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Another Time & Place, Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Intelligent, Mystery, One of a Kind, Proyas, Quirky, Science Fiction

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:

Ed Harris' APPALOOSA

Oct 21

Oct 21 Ed Harris' APPALOOSA

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Hats, Western

I liked a lot of things about this movie:

Doug Liman's JUMPER

Jun 20

Jun 20 Doug Liman's JUMPER

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Ignore the reviews and enjoy the movie.

James Cameron's THE ABYSS

Jun 12

Jun 12 James Cameron's THE ABYSS

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Submarines, First Contact

This two-DVD special edition has more than enough material to keep an SF fan happy for days.

Kevin Lima's "ENCHANTED"

Jun 8

Jun 8 Kevin Lima's "ENCHANTED"

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Animated, Another Time & Place, Comedy, Fantasy, Music, Romantic

If you need something pleasant and friendly, you need look no further than Enchanted.

Steven Spielberg's MINORITY REPORT

Apr 14

Apr 14 Steven Spielberg's MINORITY REPORT

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Another Time & Place, Crime, Cruise, Science Fiction, Spielberg

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”

Dec 25

Dec 25 Jean-Jacques Annaud's “ENEMY AT THE GATES”

Dennis D. McDonald

War, Action, Another Time & Place

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.

Steven Spielberg's AI: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Nov 24

Nov 24 Steven Spielberg's AI: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Drama, Emotional, Fantasy, Intelligent, Robots, Science Fiction, Spielberg

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.

Nov 13
Nov 13 Quentin Tarantino's DEATH PROOF

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Comedy, Fantasy, One of a Kind

Edgar Wright's HOT FUZZ

Nov 2

Nov 2 Edgar Wright's HOT FUZZ

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Comedy, Cops

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' “PLANET TERROR”

Nov 1

Nov 1 Robert Rodriguez' “PLANET TERROR”

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Zombies

I’m usually not partial to zombie movies but I really loved this one.

Michael Curtiz' CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS

May 18

May 18 Michael Curtiz' CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Aircraft, Drama, War

This 1942 Technicolor film starring James Cagney has some of the most gorgeous aerial photography I’ve ever seen.

John Lasseter & Joe Ranft's CARS

Jun 20

Jun 20 John Lasseter & Joe Ranft's CARS

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Animated, Comedy, Pixar

I’m not a big fan of automobiles as an art form and I don’t have a nostalgia for their cultural significance (though I can’t argue with their importance) but this movie is a real winner.

May 9
May 9 J.J. Abrams' MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III

Dennis D. McDonald

OK, let me put my cards on the table: 1. Sometimes I like big, dumb action movies. 2. I like Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds). 3. I don’t watch Oprah. That said, I enjoyed Mission Impossible III a great deal. I’d put it right up there with other big, dumb action movies I actually enjoy, films like Independence Day and Armageddon.

Spike Lee's “INSIDE MAN”

Apr 5

Apr 5 Spike Lee's “INSIDE MAN”

Dennis D. McDonald

Action, Crime, Heist, Mystery, Disappointing