Reel Reviews -- D

Dark City (+) -- Fascinating story, visually impressive, and very creepy villians.

The Darjeeling Limited (+) -- A whole lotta smirkin’ going on. The absurd tone is set very early on, and it never really lets up throughout the proceedings (with the exception of one tragic sequence in the middle). That translates into a mostly enjoyable movie about three alleged brothers--part of the humor comes from the preposterous claim that disparate stars Brody, Wilson and Schwarzmann could possibly be related--trying to find themselves as a family again, against the backdrop of exotic India. Buy a ticket; you’ll be happy you went along on this ride. Posted 1/31/14.

The Dark Knight (+) -- Holy shit. This is what you'd have if William Blake had drawn comic books: not just an action hero story, but a true vision of Hell--a realistic vision of Hell, an all-too-possible vision of Hell. The mayhem in Gotham City is what happens when the "terrorists" stop having rational motivations; when it's all about madness & randomness, when the violent act is the only end in and of itself. No wonder this movie has affected so many people (to the tune of so many millions of dollars). I too was blown away, not so much by this film as a piece of moviemaking; more so for the deep waters in which it treads. There's so much here that you can almost forget the amazing performance by Heath Ledger (if not for the publicity, you simply wouldn't know it was him under that make-up) and forgive the few minor faults. I wouldn't necessarily call it a masterpiece, but this is truly a film worth seeing. Posted 9/5/08.

The Dark Knight Rises (+) -- A satisfying conclusion to Nolan's trilogy. Much more of a sequel to Batman Begins than its immediate predecessor--though that film has its impact here, too--TDKR focuses strongly on the emotional life of its key characters, with heartening results when all is said and done. Even so, this is still a big, sweeping epic action hero movie, and it delivers the spectacle as well. One sour note: either I'm losing my hearing, or the sound mix was really poor (either in the theater or in the digital film; I couldn't particularly tell); either way, I could not hear far too much of the dialogue in the action sequences. There's also some muddle to the plot, especially early on, but a lot of that becomes clearer when you step back and look at the big picture. And this is, indeed, a big picture--and even worth the inflated ticket price of today's theater experience. Posted 8/13/12.

Dark Shadows (~) -- I don’t know; this Depp-Burton thing may have run its course. Not to say that this is a bad movie, but at certain points in this picture you get the impression that maybe someone else, singly or in a pair, could have brought something better to this revision of the old TV show. There are good moments here, some nice satire of the period (a good idea not to set the action in current times), but by the end the filmmakers have gone overboard; a little too much trying, not enough just leaving it alone and letting it be. You want to applaud effort, but not so much effort that it gets in the way. Posted 7/13/13.

Darkman (+) -- Lots of fun. An early taste of the Raimi/Tapert collaboration's potential. And it stars Liam Neeson before he became a big shot.

Date Night (+) -- I was all set not to like this movie, but the combination of appealing lead actors and a well-rounded supporting cast--with one or two perfect pitch cameos--put an otherwise run of the mill movie over the top. Posted 7/9/11.

Dead Man Walking (+) -- Top notch performances from Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon. A tough look at the death penalty, without much schmaltz clouding the issue. It gives you something to think about.

Dead Poets Society (+) -- A strong work with a lot to say about life. The first real look at Robin Williams as something other than a living cartoon character.

Death To Smoochy (+) -- A printed chart of this movie's laugh meter would show a lot of spikes along the scroll; when the laughs come--and they do, frequently--they are high register indeed. Overall, it's a well-done black comedy, for the most part maintaining an acerbic tone that most movie comedies never even try to attain; unfortunately it pulls its punches towards the end. But it's still a curmudgeonly hoot most of the way through. And its commentary on the commodification of children in this society and its attendant hatefulness, though couched in a heavily comedic and satirical presentation, is dead on. Posted 9/14/03.

Deconstructing Harry (--) -- A good moment or two, but mostly a muddled mess. Made at the height (depth?) of Woody Allen's troubles; maybe that had something to do with it.

The Deer Hunter (~) -- The problem with ordinary lives is...they're ordinary. By definition, not particularly interesting. And since this movie is focused on--at least at the start--a set of quite ordinary lives, well, you see we have a problem. Sadly, ordinary lives--in fiction at least--are only redeemed in their disintegration. So it is here. The steel town characters portrayed by DeNiro, Walken, et al., are, fundamentally, just your average assholes. Things only get interesting when they ship off to Vietnam and life starts hitting them (almost literally) like a shot to the head. And there's a little too much self-consciousness about being "important"--a bad trait in any movie. The reputation this film has is, in this viewer's opinion, not especially well deserved. Your mileage may vary. Posted 5/31/08.

The Departed (~) -- The good news: Scorsese put together a hell of a cast for this film. The bad news: it was Scorsese directing them. This movie neatly exposes and sums up the Scorsese problem: a technically fine film that lacks something, or is off-putting in some crucial way. That aforementioned cast is a case in point: as in all Scorsese movies, everyone throws himself too forcefully into his role; you can practically see the actors look at the camera and say, "Check out how intense I make this scene." The effect is not one of intensity, but of actors trying too hard (at best) or chewing the scenery (at worst). And it's up to the director to reel that in and hit just the right note. As usual, Scorsese doesn't do that here. And the movie is consequently less than it should be. Posted 5/9/09.

The Descendants (+) -- What matters? That simple question lies at the heart of this movie, and the answer--personified in George Clooney's cuckolded husband and father and his journey through this story--is simple, universal, almost cliched--but still very relatable and true. Good performances from all involved, some nice Hawai'ian scenery, and a fine script that delivers just the right blend of comedy and pathos, make this flick well worth your time. Posted 12/15/12.

Detroit Rock City (+) -- "Coming of age" is a phrase that usually sends me running in the other direction, but this one deserves special attention. Make sure you're in the right mood--nostalgic for the seventies, ready for goofy fun, etc.--and you'll get plenty of kicks out of this flick. The young actors are dead on in their take on '70s youth, and the story runs its varied courses to a neat little tie-up. And, if nothing else, you have to admire this movie's exuberance and energy. Just sit back and enjoy. Posted 11/19/03.

Dick (--) -- Mostly pointless farce about Watergate. Occasional nice moments, but it suffers from the presence of the odious and unfunny Will Ferrell. It does have a pretty good soundtrack, though. Posted 7/5/02.

Die Another Day (~) -- Brosnan is, by this time, number two on the Bond list (after Connery, of course), and his films have held their own in the series. This one, however, is extraordinarily derivative--we've seen just about everything here before, including the orbiting super weapon at least three times. It remains to be seen if the series has really reached its last gasp; one more flick as unoriginal as this one could be the end, even with the eye-candy remaining top notch. Posted 2/28/04.

Diner (~) -- Competently done as a nostalgia piece, but strangely unengaging as a story in its own right. Almost dull, if you can believe that. They got the details right, and the cast is full of recognizable faces (in their younger forms), but there's very little about the story that really leaps off the screen. Given the focus on youth--of another day, no less--there should be far more exuberance in the screenplay. But it's just not there. Posted 11/27/05.

Dinner for Schmucks (~) -- Yet another of those comedies that just keeps hurling joke after joke at you, hoping enough of them hit the funny bone to make the whole experience worthwhile. By my count there are enough belly laughs in this flick to make the cut, though it must get downgraded slightly for descending into schmaltz towards the end. If it had stayed true to its nasty self to the bitter end, this would have been a better movie. Posted 10/9/11.

Dinosaur (~) -- Just OK. The trailer was probably more interesting than the actual movie. Don't rent it--just wait till Disney starts incessantly running it on one of their cable channels.

Dirty Little Things (+) -- A flick about illegal immigrants and black market organ transplants--hey, bring the kids! It takes a while to get going, and it's a bit of a downer, but it's ultimately intelligent, honest and effective. Plus it has Audrey Tautou--not quite as radiant as in Amélie, but still a welcome sight. And the portrait of the trials and dangers of the life of an illegal immigrant--and how they get to be that way--is worthy of attention and thought. Posted 8/9/03.

Django Unchained (+) -- Is it wildly entertaining? Yes. Does it have all the layers you’d typically expect from a Tarantino movie? Sure. Will you think about it for quite some time after you’ve watched it? Of course. Is it a great movie? Well...Perhaps we’re grading on too steep a curve; maybe Q is the victim of overly lofty expectations. Hard to say, but while I did like this film, I wouldn’t say it’s quite up to snuff for such an audacious and ambitious director. There’s lots to like--the performances by Walz and Jackson are marvels--but you can’t help but think that, in practical terms, most of the second half of the film doesn’t make much sense. Certainly you should see it; just don’t elevate it into the pantheon. Posted 10/20/13.

Doctor Dolittle (~) -- Kind of an off day for Eddie Murphy. Not awful, but could have been better. Kids would probably like it.

Don Jon (+) -- Yes, a positive review, but I’m not sure it should be. Perhaps that plus sign is the product of all the goodwill Joseph Gordon-Levitt has built up over the last few years. As writer-director here, JGL makes a lot of typical rookie mistakes--the usual super-self-conscious “director-y” camera work and such--but he also presents an intriguing story, too. There’s some pretty deep stuff going on with these characters...and yet, the presentation almost invites the audience to view everything on the most superficial level. The important stuff might get lost on some viewers. Still, the movie holds your interest all the way through, so it accomplishes that crucial goal. A tough call, but I think this one’s good enough to merit your attention. Posted 4/27/14.

Don Juan Demarco (+) -- Johnny Depp having fun; Marlon Brando showing he can still act (if not move). A cute movie, probably good for a date (not that I'd know.)

Donnie Darko (+) -- Undoubtedly, the best demonic rabbit movie ever made. It's moody, atmospheric and thoughtful--not, despite the advertising, particularly scary. That's either good or bad, depending upon your point of view. But it is weird enough to freak some folks out, so I suppose you might want the caution. Good ensemble acting is the strongest point, along with a very cool soundtrack. Try it; you might like it. Posted 6/5/04.

Double Jeopardy (~) -- Much comment has been made about the absurdity of the premise (that Ashley Judd's character could kill her supposedly dead, cheating husband and get away with it). That's not a killer for me--you folks ever heard of suspension of disbelief?--but besides Tommy Lee Jones getting his kicks, there's not much here.

Double Indemnity (+) -- Boy, Fred MacMurray sure was a cocky son of a bitch back in the day. There's a hilarious component to that characterization which takes some of the noir out of this film noir. And the story is obvious, but that's forgivable for being so sharp and entertaining. The rest of the cast is spot on, including Barbara Stanwyck--"Baby," to Fred--as the femme, and Edward G. Robinson as the sharp claims manager who pulls the string and unravels the whole plan. Fun stuff. Posted 9/6/06.

Down With Love (+) -- The cinematic definition of "a real hoot." The retro story and style work amazingly well, and the charming leads (Zellweger and McGregor) pull off their forty-year-old roles with aplomb. It's not exactly Important, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face while watching it, so it gets a high recommendation. Posted 11/28/04.

Drive (+) -- Undoubtedly, this movie was shot totally in digital format; that's too bad, since if it were film I could say that Style practically drips from every frame. This movie owns its look in a big way; there hasn't been a flick that so clearly defines its own form in a very long time. But this is not a complete triumph of style over substance; the audience gets a rich tableaux of character, story, and emotional depth to complement all that flashy, self-conscious mise-en-scene. Drive has been a polarizing work for many people, but you can count me among the impressed. This one is a powerful, absorbing, entertaining piece of work, and well worth your time. Posted 1/21/13.

Drop Dead Gorgeous (+) -- An often hilarious look at beauty contests. Check this one out, regardless for your tolerance of sequins and parade waves.