Adrial Dale

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Film `Legally' Proves Dumb Blonde Jokes

By Adrial Dale | July 19

One of Five Stars The new gag-me-with-a-spoon-?cause-I-just-wasted-$7 movie ?Legally Blonde? is just another rendition of the beloved classic tale of the blond valley girl and her relentless pursuit of acceptance for her nonexistent intelligence. Elle (Reese Witherspoon) is the extremely well-liked president of her school?s sorority. When her boyfriend, Warner (Matthew Davis), decides to go to Harvard and dump her for selfish reasons of status, she decides to attempt the unthinkable ? apply to Harvard herself to get her ?Sugar Bear? back.

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Familiar Guests Add To Intimate `Party'

By Adrial Dale | July 19

Four and one-half of Five Stars The independent film ?Anniversary Party? is a refreshingly unusual kind of movie. On the surface, it seems it does not have much potential to entertain, but as you find yourself being drawn in by its sincerity, an infinite supply of subtle complexities emerge bringing the movie into a new and distinctive light. Even though there are some very recognizable faces in this movie, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Kline and Jennifer Jason Leigh, this is far removed from the movies in which they are usually found.

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Jet Li's `Dragon' Slays Usual Martial Arts Films

By Adrial Dale | July 12

Movies in the martial arts genre usually lack a concrete plot and overdo sensational battle sequences. Because a martial arts move with a nauseating result inspired the title for "Kiss of the Dragon," one would assume it would focus on violence and not much else. But the film, the newest Jet Li action thriller, also starring Bridget Fonda and Tch

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Bizarre Ending Ruins 'A.I.'

By Adrial Dale | July 5

'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' is a new and improved, futuristic 'Pinocchio,' but with the boy composed of doohickeys and gadgets rather than the familiar wood and strings of the past. This new take on an old tale works reasonably well, though forced, for most of the movie. But then it gradually runs out of steam toward the end. Like any good Steven Spielberg film, a heavy emphasis is placed on special effects and, in some cases, an entire world created especially for the movie.

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`Baby Boy' Deserves Spanking

By Adrial Dale | July 5

The newest John Singleton movie, 'Baby Boy,' argues black people degrade themselves and their culture. It's an interesting argument, but the message unfortunately gets lost and falls short amidst exaggerated sexuality and a bland plot. Jody (Tyrese Gibson) is a 20-year-old thug with a dream to succeed in self-employment, but who still lives with his mama, Juanita (A.J. Johnson). As a habitual player in the 'game of women,' Jody has two toddler children with two different mothers: Yvette (Taraji Henson) and Peanut (Tamara LaSeon Bass).

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Those Looking to `Fast' Will End Up Unsatisfied

By Adrial Dale | June 28

Two of Five Stars Grossing $41.6 million, "The Fast and the Furious" settled in as the No. 1 movie of last weekend. How? Why?

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Breathtaking Scenery Keeps `Atlantis' Afloat

By Adrial Dale | June 20

3/5 Stars The legendary sunken city of Atlantis is vividly brought to life in Disney's newest animated film "Atlantis, The Lost Empire." Milo Thatch (voiced by Michael J. Fox), a historian and the film's main character, is an Atlantis buff. Milo knows every possible tidbit of info about the place - he even knows how to read and speak their deader-than-Latin language. After Mr.

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`Swordfish' Delivers Solid, Sexy Fun

By Adrial Dale | June 13

Merciless bloody shootings. A flying Greyhound bus. Hostages exploding. Insane car chases with sleek, sporty vehicles breaking the sound barrier. A truly revealing performance by the beautiful Halle Berry. Who can possibly argue that this doesn't add up to true Hollywood entertainment? Greed for substantial amounts of money is the central theme of this movie, but the means used to reach this end contain an amazing amount of visual flair, along with ideas never before used in such a production. At times, "Swordfish" will leave your jaw open and drooling in disbelief.

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Film Fails to `Evolve' From Mediocrity

By Adrial Dale | June 13

The man known for those "Make 7-Up Yours" commercials, Orlando Jones, and the star of "The X Files," David Duchovny, make for an interesting comedy duo. (Please notice I did not use the adjective "funny.") Duchovny and Jones don't click together on-screen during "Evolution" - their relationship is more scripted than natural. On top of that, the jokes are weak one-liners, which even the best of actors couldn't magically make funny.