DVD Reviews: New Releases - May 13
Donald Munro and Rick Bentley - Fresno Bee
May 12, 2008
"The Great Debaters" Grade C: Denzel Washington stars in and directs this fictional story based on a real-life character set in a black Texas college in the 1930s.
His Melvin Tolson, a feisty professor at tiny Wiley College, is yet another variation on the inspirational teacher/coach figure that drives so many underdog-competition movies.
The fact that race relations play such a major role in the story is an interesting twist, but this earnest yet bland film tries so hard to be inspirational that it tires itself out.
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"National Lampoon's Cattle Call" Grade D: Whether it is "Dorm Daze," "Gold Diggers" or "Cattle Call," the films under the "Lampoon" banner use the same formula. A very weak plot moves the action slowly along, stalling long enough for a few nude females.
This plot has three sex-crazy guys (as with most films under the "Lampoon" banner) who have come up with a sneaky way to meet women. They use a fake casting call.
If your expectations are very low, then this movie will not disappoint. The worst part of this effort is how much Chelsea Handler is wasted. The movie was made before her current cable talk show. So maybe she just got funnier with the passing years.
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"A Raisin in the Sun" Grade B+: Sean Combs and Fresno's Audra McDonald star in this made-for-television version of the stage production. It is the story of a family living and struggling on Chicago's South Side in the 1950s.
Combs, who played the role on Broadway, turns in a solid performance. He is made to look even better through standout work from McDonald, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan.
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