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News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

Tomatometer-approved publication.

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Rating Title | Year Author Quote
1.5/4
North (1994) Bill DuPre Hype and extravagant production can't save this unfunny and unaffecting movie.
Posted Jan 24, 2026  Edit critic review
1.5/4
Misery (1990) Bill DuPre A bit of comic relief is fine in any film, but Mr. Reiner and his cast smirk their way through this production.
Posted Jan 22, 2026  Edit critic review
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Todd Lothery Taken as a whole, Jackson's trilogy is a staggering achievement, and there will no doubt be those who won't mind the multiple endings, because they won't want to let it go, either.
Posted Jan 14, 2026  Edit critic review
3/4
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) Todd Lothery With its epic sweep and massive scale, "Two Towers" is in many respects an awesome achievement. You may not get emotionally involved, but you will be frequently dazzled.
Posted Jan 13, 2026  Edit critic review
3/4
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Todd Lothery While the classic, not-terribly-nuanced story of good vs. evil is certainly involving, I'd stop short of calling it engrossing. But this hotly anticipated first installment of The Lord of the Rings trilogy is in many respects a staggering achievement.
Posted Jan 13, 2026  Edit critic review
3/4
A Few Good Men (1992) Bill Morrison Based on the Broadway play and obviously another hit for director Rob Reiner, "A Few Good Men" is not a great film, but a good enough film considering the formula.
Posted Jan 08, 2026  Edit critic review
2.5/4
The Princess Bride (1987) Bill DuPre It's all too much like a fairy tale -- we want to believe, but are we being manipulated? Probably. But put your guard down and see this one: it's a rich and royal hoot with a final scene that will make you feel good for going.
Posted Jan 07, 2026  Edit critic review
2.5/4
Hook (1991) Bill Morrison A sprawling mess that ultimately fails to engage our emotions. It's Lord of the Flies as screwball silliness, the Errol Flynn swashbucklers as giggling comedy.
Posted Dec 19, 2025  Edit critic review
2.5/4
Christine (1983) James Calloway In "Christine" Carpenter is surprisingly restrained.
Posted Dec 16, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
True Lies (1994) Bill DuPre True Lies is a sly bit of movie making, a romantic comedy action flick -- something for everybody.
Posted Dec 10, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/4
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Robbie Roberts "Terminator 2" is pure movie. The past-future, man-vs.-machine mythology that is its fuel becomes a little muddled as a message for mankind. But its mythology is not muddled as fuel for cinema.
Posted Dec 09, 2025  Edit critic review
2.5/4
The Abyss (1989) Scott Ross "The Abyss" goes whole-hog for a feel-good ending, complete with behemoth special effects. The emotion is forced, calculated and unearned.
Posted Dec 09, 2025  Edit critic review
The Terminator (1984) Jac VerSteeg To their credit, the filmmakers don't spend a lot of time explaining time travel or trying to make all this plausible. They spend almost all of their time trying to make the movie exciting, and they succeed.
Posted Dec 08, 2025  Edit critic review
The Wiz (1978) Raymond Lowery It's an extravaganza without soul. A musical that overwhelms rather than enchants.
Posted Nov 17, 2025  Edit critic review
0/4
The Running Man (1987) Scott Ross It purports to deplore and shakes its ungainly head over the public's appetite for sanctioned violence, but what is actually does is gleefully provide it.
Posted Nov 06, 2025  Edit critic review
2/4
Predator 2 (1990) Chuck Waters Seen "Predator?" Good. Then there's no need to bother with "Predator 2."
Posted Oct 31, 2025  Edit critic review
Dracula (1979) Bill Morrison This "Dracula" mixes dream-like images with stomach-turning gore. One grows drunk on masterful shots blending matte drawings, studio shots and location footage into a beautiful whole.
Posted Oct 23, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Desert Hearts (1985) Bill Morrison Though the variation on the old theme leads to a certain amount of predictability, it works well because of the director's touch, the sure and telling way that she films this screen adaptation of the Jane Rule Novel.
Posted Oct 12, 2025  Edit critic review
4/5
My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) Bill Morrison No stars and a film designed expressly for English audiences. My Beautiful Laundrette is very much a contemporary English film, a telling look at the economic nightmares and racial tensions that plague that tight little island.
Posted Oct 10, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Tron (1982) James Calloway What makes the movie revolutionary is its visual realization.
Posted Oct 06, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
To Sleep With Anger (1990) Bill DuPre Every performance is on key.
Posted Sep 23, 2025  Edit critic review
1.5/4
Hard Eight (1996) Todd Lothery In an age where so many first-time filmmakers emphasize style at the expense of substance, Anderson's economical technique is refreshingly free of film school flashiness. But then, he needs a little substance to go with it.
Posted Sep 22, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/4
This Is Spinal Tap (1984) James Calloway "This Is Spinal Tap" is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long, long time.
Posted Sep 09, 2025  Edit critic review
0.5/4
Darkman (1990) Scott Ross "Darkman" is characterless, imbecilic and written with execrable taste.
Posted Aug 26, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Requiem for a Dream (2000) Todd Lothery It's a bravura technical and stylistic show, but it isn't just for show. The elements of film grammar are used to hurl us into junkie consciousness and underscore each character's nightmarish plummet.
Posted Aug 22, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Babe (1995) Bill DuPre The wonder of "Babe" is that, for all this manipulation, the movie has a feeling of spontaneous warmth. Even very small children will be enchanted with the charming cast of characters in "Babe." But be warned: Your kids may never let you eat bacon again.
Posted Jul 29, 2025  Edit critic review
2.5/4
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) Bill DuPre Its gags are funny enough, but they lack the sting of satire that made "Airplane!" such a romp.
Posted Jul 24, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) Bill DuPre A movie of no redeeming value. And if isn't the most fun you've had all week, you've had a very good week. Or maybe you're a stump.
Posted Jul 23, 2025  Edit critic review
2.5/4
DuckTales, the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990) Scott Ross The main story isn't terribly compelling.
Posted Jul 17, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/4
Red Rock West (1993) Bill DuPre "Red Rock West" is a rollicking ballad of greed and grief.
Posted Jul 15, 2025  Edit critic review
2.5/4
Superman Returns (2006) Craig D. Lindsey "Returns" strips away Superman's virtue and earnestness to reveal the lost soul underneath. But it goes about doing so in a spectacularly bland way.
Posted Jul 08, 2025  Edit critic review
Superman: The Movie (1978) Bill Morrison Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a bird -- a turkey.
Posted Jul 08, 2025  Edit critic review
1.5/4
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) Bill Morrison Hackman's still a joy, but the time has come to give this series the ax.
Posted Jul 02, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Jurassic Park (1993) Bill DuPre Jurassic Park is great fun. It's not a great movie -- technical gimcrackery by itself ain't art. This is despite Spielberg's sporadic attempts at inserting deeper meaning... Forget it, Steven. You've made a nifty monster movie here. And that's enough.
Posted Jul 01, 2025  Edit critic review
1.5/4
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Todd Lothery Visually and thematically darker than its precursor, The Lost World is canned entertainment. It lacks the wonder of the first film, perhaps an inevitability. What's more of a letdown is that it lacks the first one's heart.
Posted Jun 30, 2025  Edit critic review
Superman II (1980) Bill Morrison "Superman II" - the rare sequel that actually improves the original - moves right to the heart of the matter. This exhilarating entertainment scores a cinematic bull's-eye.
Posted Jun 29, 2025  Edit critic review
2/4
Supergirl (1984) Jac VerSteeg This kind of movie should be faster than a speeding bullet, but this one is paced more like a meandering BB.
Posted Jun 27, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Jurassic Park III (2001) Bill DuPre Despite the weak script, the cast of JP III comes across as individuals with personality.
Posted Jun 25, 2025  Edit critic review
4/4
Apollo 13 (1995) Bill DuPre The magnificent obsession of the men who put footsteps on the moon is given its most elegant and elegiac treatment yet in Apollo 13.
Posted Jun 25, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Return to Oz (1985) Bill Morrison I was enchanted by the film in much the same way that I was enchanted by the "Star Wars" movie created by George Lucas.
Posted Jun 18, 2025  Edit critic review
2/4
The Next Karate Kid (1994) Bill DuPre The Next Karate Kid is a pleasant little surprise: not because it's great -- it's very good in places but falters badly under an insecure director -- but simply because it's better than you expect it to be.
Posted May 29, 2025  Edit critic review
Night Moves (1975) Bill Morrison It's a film that leaves you feeling empty. It was mean to. Happy endings are not part of the detective formula.
Posted May 28, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
The Karate Kid (1984) James Calloway Like Rocky, The Karate Kid has reduced the world to easily managed clichés, but in the process somehow has managed to keep its good-natured spirit intact.
Posted May 27, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Starman (1984) James Calloway Carpenter is pretty good at concealing the set-ups and delivering the punch lines... But he goofs a few times.
Posted May 13, 2025  Edit critic review
3/4
Mission: Impossible II (2000) Bill DuPre Director John Woo puts a deft spin on a formula that seemed tired after just one movie and gives Mission: Impossible 2 a sharper, simpler story line than its predecessor, as well as the saving grace of self-mockery.
Posted May 08, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/4
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) James Calloway I dare not reveal more, except that the final victory hinges not on violence but on compassion. Such an approach is rare in movies these days, but a film that can make an act of mercy seem exciting is rarer still.
Posted Apr 25, 2025  Edit critic review
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) James Calloway The Empire Strikes Back is better in ways and worse in ways than its predecessor, Star Wars. On balance the two science-fantasy films come out even, and considering that most sequels are cheap rip-offs, "Empire" is a fine film.
Posted Apr 23, 2025  Edit critic review
3.5/4
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) Todd Lothery It's leagues above "The Phantom Menace," with better defined characters, less stodginess and less Jar Jar Binks.
Posted Apr 22, 2025  Edit critic review
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) Bill Morrison So realistic is this imaginary world on a galaxy far, far away, it could have been filmed on location in space. It's mindless entertainment to be sure, but entertainment for people sick to death of directors who contemplate their navels and call it art.
Posted Apr 22, 2025  Edit critic review
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) Craig D. Lindsey Sith may be the tale about one man's downfall, but it's a downfall that bizarrely never feels tragic or disheartening.
Posted Apr 19, 2025  Edit critic review
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