Forget all the overcooked hype: The real danger of The Golden Compass isn’t its anti-religious philosophy (which was jettisoned to placate the perceived desires and limitations of the mass-market audience), but rather its tedium. This $180-million fantasy extravaganza comes up short on excitement, charm, humanity, humor—basically anything that would keep it interesting and engaging. That much money will certainly buy a certain amount of pixelated wonderment, but it can’t buy a good movie. Whatever people love about Philip Pullman’s source novel has been lost somewhere in translation. (Hollywood Jewel 16, Waco, TX)