Df-Dz
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Diario de um Exorcista - Zero [2016] Diary of the Dead [2007] Die Hard [1988]
Dig Two Graves [2014] Dirty Harry [1971] The Disappointments Room [2016]
Dismissed [2017] Ditch Day Massacre [2016] Divergent [2014]
Divergent 2: Insurgent [2015] Divergent 3: Allegiant [2016] The Divine Fury [2019]
Django Unchained [2012] Djinn [2013] Doctor Sleep (Director's Cut) [2020]
Doctor Strange [2016] Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness [2022] Dog Soldiers [2002]
Dolly Dearest [1991] Domain [2017] Don't Be Afraid of the Dark [1973]
Don't Breathe [2016] Don't Breathe 2 [2021] Don't Go [2018]
Don't Kill It [2016] Don't Leave Home [2018] Don't Look Up [2021]
Doomsday Book [2012] The Doorman [2020] Down a Dark Hall [2018]
Downfall [2004] Downrange [2017] Dragged Across Concrete [2018]
Dread [2009]
Dreamland [2019] Dredd [2012] Dying Breed [2008]
Dragged Across Concrete [2018]

            

After being suspended, a pair of cops plan to ripoff a thief. That's it in a nutshell and they took over 150 mins to do it. Electing style over substance, they chose to present everything in a very dramatic and personal format with long conversations and extended scenes making it all very intimate. Unfortunately, this made the film monstrously slow; easily an entire hour could have cut out of this giving it some activity. It's too bad as the substance is great, the characters are awesome and the climax is intense ...albeit lethargic. I would love to see a edited 90 min version.
Dirty Harry [1971]

         

Det. Harry Callahan hunts down a serial killer while dodging a plethora of bureaucratic obstacles. One of the best cop thrillers of the 70's, Clint Eastwood's role of the hardcore Harry is flawless and Andrew Robinson is effectively creepy as the whacked out Scorpio. Living in the area for 50 years, I loved seeing San Francisco promently featured. There's room for more story as some sequences were dragged out well beyond their necessity and some may have issues with the film's level of political incorrectness but it's still a classic well worth a view.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark [1973]

            

Made-for-TV movie about a couple who buys a new house with ugly little gremlin critters living in a fireplace downstairs. A very simple story that is certainly dated by today's standards but still quite effective for a 70's spook movie for TV. Kim Darby did great and nobody knows how to gaslight his wife better than Tim Hutton. Although the critters - which remind me of a cross between the Morlochs and that thing on the wing of a plane in a Twilight Zone episode - were obviously just someone in suits and rubber masks, were handled well and very creepy. I liked it.
Dredd [2012]

         

In a dystopian future, a judge and a psychic rookie get stuck in a mega building run by a ruthless clan that wants them dead. I'm guessing my expectations were too high as, although quite exciting and highly entertaining, this wasn't nearly as good as similar films like Lockout or The Raid. The stylistic and slo mo style (probably for 3D fx's) I found overused and distracting and, in a film that was begging for it, there's no comic relief. Karl Urban did a great job of maintaining an impressive frown behind that mask and the others did well. Very fun but flawed.
Dolly Dearest [1991]

         

A man acquires a doll factory in Mexico after which the dolls become possessed by an evil spirit. I expected this to be rather hokey with its bad ratings but I was surprised. Denise Crosby was great and the daughter was really convincing as someone who is being controlled. Rest of the acting was Ok, albeit lacking in personality and the son could have been written out ...he was irritating. The practical doll effects were great and the movie never tried to be anything beyond its budget. Nothing original and the ending was too clean but I was quite entertained.
Don't Look Up [2021]

            

When an astronomy professor and a student (who discovered the comet) tries to tell the world that earth will be struck with an extinction level impact in 6 months, they are greeted with disbelief, indifference, denial, derision, greed, conspiracy theories, and a host of other reactions that defies logic and reason ...after all, a pop stars romance issues are far more important! This exquisitely written parody is both hilarious and frightening in it's presentation of exactly how news like this may be treated. Acting is awesome and the film is terrifyingly entertaining.
Downrange [2017]

            

6 people car pooling to somewhere have a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and suddenly find themselves under siege by a sniper. And that's the whole movie. The active moments were intense, brutal and really well done. However, the stuff in between was ponderous sometimes resorting to emotional expositions to fill the empty spaces, especially the first hour. Not a whole lot of intelligent decision making going on here either but people under fire will do dumb things, I guess. Didn't like the ending at all; ironic but unnecessary. Generally enjoyable.
Doctor Sleep (Director's Cut) [2020]

            

This sequel to The Shining, mostly taking place 30-40 years later, is an exquisitely complex and compelling story. Mike Flanagan had the intimidating task of making a film, based on Stephen King's book, that would honor the book as well as provide a satisfying sequel for both the fans of the first book and those fans of Stanley Kubrick's vision in the first film ...and he did so with monumental success. The 3 hour Director's Cut is surprisingly smooth with even the quiet moments keeping the viewer thoroughly hooked. Bravo for a very worthy follow up.
The Doorman [2020]

         
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A mother and her daughter are killed under Sergeant Ali's protection. So she gets a job as a doorman in a hotel under renovation when bad guys show up. Following the Die Hard play book at all the major points, this movie is about as cliche as it gets. It appears that everyone's bark is far worse than their bite as there seems to be a whole lot of threatening but nobody ever kills anyone when they have the opportunity even though there's no reason to keep them alive. I guess that would have shortened the film, eh? Mildly entertaining and sorta silly.
Don't Leave Home [2018]

         
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In 1986, a priest paints a portrait of a young girl praying. Then both her and her image in the painting inexplicably disappear. 30 years later, a diorama artist is invited to the priest's home for, what she thinks, a commission for one of her models. This unique and personal psychic mystery is definitely a slow burn, which will turn some folks off, but I really liked it. Our protagonist was a bit too milquetoast but the characters she finds surrounding her are creepy as hell and things play out in a fashion that was unexpected and incredibly intriguing. Nice!
Dreamland [2019]

         
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A ruthless club owner begins selling children to the uber elite, much to the chagrin of his top hit man. This aptly titled film lies somewhere between strangely surreal and film noir with abstract jazz playing throughout making it an extremely interesting, if not rather slow, journey. The great character actor Stephen McHattie is absolutely stellar playing both a trumpet player with a habit and an assassin who is not willing to cross a line. The performances of the other colorful characters were excellent, as well. Apparently not popular among most but I liked it a lot.
Dismissed [2017]

            
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Let's say you're a well-regarded, high school English teacher and you get a new student in the class who simply will not tolerate imperfection. What do you think will happen when you give him a "B"? This movie examines exactly that scenario with utter ruthlessness. Dylan Sprouse did a great job as our student psycho who is wiling to do absolutely anything for a grade. The slow pacing (which was making me impatient initially) proved to be perfect as we watch the enthusiasm of education slowly dissolve into total psychological destruction. Good stuff!
Die Hard [1988]

            
  
What's there left to say about this one. Of the 5 movies in the franchise, this one is still the best. Meticulously plotted so that every scene has a purpose, it's full of some of the greatest action - and most quotable lines - ever put on film. Bruce Willis is amazing in his breakout action hero role and all the other actors are perfect for the job. Still a classic after all these years! And, yes... it is a Christmas movie. The Mrs. and I watch it on Christmas every year. Ho, ho, ho!
Diary of the Dead [2007]

         
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Unlike the big budget, action, gore fest of Land of the Dead, this one is far more personal and features an amateur film maker who begins documenting the zombie apocalypse as it starts (with hand held cameras) while him and a group of college students, and a teacher, travel around trying to find family, sanctuary, and meaning. Although this is quite different than his other zombie movies, and the first using a "found footage" format, Romero continues to deliver a top notch zombie film.
Dog Soldiers [2002]

         
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Military group on a training mission end up at war with a pack of werewolves. Really not much to the story beyond that but it's very nicely crafted with some incredibly intense action and the personal relationships between the soldiers is very well done making this an emotional, violent, and thrilling exercise into a seemingly futile effort. Good stuff!
Diario de um Exorcista - Zero [2016]
aka Diary of an Exorcist - Zero
            

Title says it all. This Brazilian film is obviously an ultra-low budget, amateur film with no new ground covered as far as the "exorcising demons" genre goes. But, when you consider the main actor is also the writer, director, producer, photographer, make up artist, and Lord knows how many other hats he wore, he didn't do too bad a job, really. It wasn't a good film, per se, but I've seen a whole lot worse with far more support behind it.
Doomsday Book [2012]
aka In-lyu-myeol-mang-bo-go-seo
            
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South Korean anthology with 3 sci fi tales. The stories were too simple and, thereby, too long. They tried to add some humor - both situational and personal - but it fell flat most of the time. Nothing new offered in the zombie story ...although the end was kind of cute in a macabre sort of way. The second had WAY too much philosophizing whether man or robot is the real monster. The third story was an extinction event that had a novel twist but was ultimately just silly. Great eye candy, though.
Dying Breed [2008]

            

A scientifically funded group of 4 people go to the outback of Tasmania to look for the extinct Tasmanian Tiger. One of the 4 is a complete jerk who beats up one of the local hicks, which are obviously cannibals. Why the other 3 would go anywhere with this a-hole is against all logic. But then, they're too moronic to notice that the locals are freakin' dangerous despite every alarm bell that should be going off in their head. Full of unnecessary scenes and people who just don't behave that way. Try more realistic and intelligent writing next time.
Djinn [2013]

         
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A Middle Eastern couple move back to Dubai, their homeland, after the loss of their baby in New York. An overly simple story that is really nothing more than one spook scene after another (and not very scary ones, at that) with no apparent rhyme, reason, or logical progression until the final climax which was intended as a surprise but wasn't a very good one. It's unfortunate that Tobe Hooper's swan song was not a very good film. We'll miss you, Tobe.
Divergent [2014]

         

In post-war Chicago, everyone belongs to a specific faction to keep the peace. Tris, however, is a divergent, one who doesn't fit into a faction and therefore, a threat. The story is well developed and the action is very tight and not over-the-top. The performances of Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Kate Winslet were exceptional and overall, really good entertainment. Spec fx and the look of the city are awesome.
Divergent 2: Insurgent [2015]

            

A 200-year-old box, containing a message from the Founders, needs a divergent to open it and Tris is the most likely choice. The series continues in a very logical manner with a good story and the usual awesome spec fx and action. The actors continue to present impressive performances. The ending was predictable ...after all if a divergent is needed to open the box, then the message will probably be in favor of divergents which appears to be far more a surprise to the characters in the film than the audience watching it. Excellent stuff, though.
Divergent 3: Allegiant [2016]

            

New leaders aren't any better than the old ones so Tris and friends decide to go outside the box ...or wall, if you will. What they find is the Founders ...and more trouble. This film didn't get nearly the praise that it deserves. The only weaknesses I found is the constant changing of loyalties was getting old and one could spend time questioning several plot points but, if you just sit back and enjoy the ride, it's a perfectly proper extension of the story and I have no complaints. Spec fx are even better than the first two. Unfortunately, the last entry in the story will not be made.
Dig Two Graves [2014]

         


A girl makes a pact with 3 strangers to kill a boy in exchange for the return of her dead brother. There were some interesting aspects to this story but the film was far too slow, the characters far too lifeless, and the ending far too cryptic for me to care.
The Disappointments Room [2016]

         
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Just another "family moves into a haunted house" movie. The room mentioned in the title refers to the practice of the rich and prominent, way back in the old days, creating a room in their homes to hide a disappointment ...like a deformed child. What we end up with is a film that should have been called the Disappointments Movie. It's never very clear if we're experiencing a real haunting or if the hauntings are the results of a delusion. Either way, they're dull and without a single scary moment in the entire film.
Ditch Day Massacre [2016]
aka Ditch / Ditch Day
         
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A man, whose wife and daughter were killed in a hit-and-run accident, is on a killing spree. A modern day H.G. Lewis style gore film that tries to take itself seriously and fails. The story is totally cliche - sex, kill, sex, kill - the acting and writing are atrocious, the characters motivations and actions are illogical and the makeup was awful ...this guy had a scar on his face that looked like feces. Had a few gnarly kill sequences but mostly it was just terrible. At least I can say it didn't bore me and that was good for a rating banner upgrade from, "Total Waste of Time".
Django Unchained [2012]

            

A bounty hunter acquires a slave as he needs someone to identify 3 fugitives. Once again, Tarantino is back in top form with an epic western that is violent, funny, irreverent, and such a joy after the Inglourious Basterds, that I was not fond of at all. The performances of Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson are priceless and everything else about this film works. Grab the popcorn and kick back for an entertaining, hilarious and bloody ride.
Downfall [2004]
aka Der Untergang
            
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A biopic about the lives of those in the Berlin bunker on the last few days of WWII. This has to be the most extensive, comprehensive and personal account of that moment in history that I've ever seen. They managed to brilliantly capture the insanity of Hitler and the horrifying level of fanaticism of his followers ...which was as bad, if not worse, than any religious cult in history. Quite a poignant and remarkable film. My only complaint is that they probably could have shortened it by about 30 minutes.
Dread [2009]

            
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Three students get together to video document a thesis on fear and dread. One of those decides to take it to the next level as his sanity begins slipping away. This is one of those movies that, once it's over, makes you want to either hug a bunny or eat a bullet. This is some real sick and depressing stuff. But then again, it's based on a Clive Barker story so you know there's a chance of that going in. I found it rather long winded but interesting to a point. Then it just got sooo dark. Heady stuff.
Doctor Strange [2016]

         
  
A renowned and arrogant neurosurgeon has his hands crushed in an auto accident. In an attempt to find a way to heal them, he ends up at a center for the mystic arts and becomes a master. As usual with the MCU, the story was great, albeit somewhat rushed ...it covers over a year in time and it's hard, even for a doctor, to learn the mystic arts and save the world in 2 hours. The spec fx are both awesome and annoying at the same time. There's just so much! ...my wife had to look away as she was getting motion sickness. Great film, though.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness [2022]

         
  
Doctor Strange must help a girl, who has the ability to jump around in various parallel dimensions, from those evil entities that want to steal her power and rule the multiverse. He goes to see Wanda for some help. Maybe not the best idea. Introducing a new superhero, America Chavez, and bringing other characters from other Marvel universes into the story (they can do that in an alternate universe, you see) as well as variations on known MCU characters. Add the usual exciting, eye-bulging spec fx and an amazingly complex story and you have a wild ride.
Domain [2017]

            
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A flu strain is wiping out mankind and 500k people are selected to live in specialized bunkers until it's safe to come out. This story concerns 7 of those individuals and what happens when the machines begin to fail. This low-budget, indie, sci fi, psychological, character study was quite a surprise. For a modest budget, the acting is exceptional and believable, it never looked cheap, the dialogue and interactions were intelligent and mature, topped off with a profound surprise ending that changes everything. What a treat!
Don't Go [2018]

            
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A couple (Stephen Dorff & Melissa George), attempting to rebuild their lives after the tragic loss of their daughter, is complicated when he believes he can bring her back through his dreams. Their performances dominate the screen and demand your attention. Unfortunately, the film itself suffers from pacing and ambiguities. If you had no idea what this film's about, you'd still be clueless 40 mins in. Then things begin changing at an unrealistic breakneck speed. Good twist but included some confusing and unexplained events. Strange.
Don't Kill It [2016]

         
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Dolph Lundgren in a surprisingly good film. Reminiscent of The Hidden, Dolph deftly portrays a demon hunter who is hunting a demon that possesses people and if that person is killed, it leaps to the killer ...making killing it kinda tough. Low-budget and, at times, looks it, the banter between Dolph and his new FBI partner (Kristina Klebe) is handled extremely well and the characters are fully formed. Comes off as an 80's horror, action film with an excellent balance between serious and camp and a body count that's quite impressive. Super fun!
The Divine Fury [2019]
aka Saja
         
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An MMA hero, who rejected God as a child when his father was killed, finds himself the central figure in a war between an exorcist and a black bishop. Although somewhat long-winded, this was a compelling story with extremely rich and likable characters. As such, it's firmly character driven with less scares and action than you'd expect but still very effective with what they had. No surprises but certainly worth a watch and, with a modicum of violence, and practically no bad language, fairly suitable for young teens ...if they don't scare too easily.
Don't Breathe [2016]

            
  
Three young people break into an old, blind man's house to steal $300k. They didn't count on how resourceful this man can be or that getting out is going to be far harder than getting in. ...and what the hell is going on in the basement? A full throttle, roller coaster ride of a thriller with Stephan Lang's Oscar worthy performance as the blind man who's more dangerous than the monster from your worst nightmare. What a fantastic ride!
Don't Breathe 2 [2021]

         

8 years after the home invasion of the first film, our blind man has been raising a "daughter" which becomes the central point of contention between him a bunch of thugs intent on kidnapping her. This well-constructed film is totally unlike the first film making this a fresh experience. A bit more over-the-top and not nearly as intently dreadful as its predecessor, this film still manages to maintain a level of edge-of-your-seat intensity and savage brutality that escapes most films of this ilk. Highly entertaining despite there being no good guys to cheer for in this.
Down a Dark Hall [2018]

            
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Five troubled teen girls are sent to a special academy in hopes of getting them straightened out ...at least that's what they were led to believe. This was a well made film that moves along at a slow but steady pace to an expected climax. And that's about it. There's very few real scares, no surprises (oddly, the film kept its audience ahead of the characters), and, although the actors did a fine job, there's really absolutely nothing remarkable to say about this movie. It simply is what it is ...generally entertaining and nothing more.
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