Too many movies released this summer are best described as being almost-good, which is hardly enough to get excited about. On the other hand, while Matt Reeves' War For the Planet of the Apes overreaches in the final stretch, it comes this-close to being a masterpiece. The third in a trilogy that started with Rupert Wyatt's excellent Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and … [Read more...] about WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES New Movie Review
Andy Serkis
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS New Movie Review
At no point during this movie review will I reveal or spoil any of the story points from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I managed to see the film without knowing major plot turns or surprise twists (and there are a few) and would love for filmgoers to have the same experience I did. On the other hand, I have to report that this movie, one of the most hyped of all time, is very … [Read more...] about STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS New Movie Review
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES New Movie Review
Ten years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the massive army of angry, enlightened and collaborative apes have taken over much of the United States, with few humans visibly around to threaten them. The once adorable Caesar (Andy Serkis, whose eyes burn through a mask of CGI pixels) is now the magnetic leader of the apes, keeping a close watch on his kingdom and maintaining … [Read more...] about DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES New Movie Review
Summer 2014 Movie Preview
It's been 25 years since the landmark Summer of Sequels swept America. The movie season of May-September 1989 had a then-record eight sequels in theaters (including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) and created lines that famously stretched far outside the theaters. Most memorably, Bat-Mania took over the world, as Tim Burton's Batman set the standard for the Comic Book … [Read more...] about Summer 2014 Movie Preview
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG New Movie Review
It's been 10 years since Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won the Best Picture Academy Award and his original fantasy film trilogy concluded. It seems that Hobbit Mania peaked a decade ago, with Jackson's second prequel trilogy receiving mixed to indifferent responses so far, even from most die-hard Ring fans. I find myself in a strange position, as … [Read more...] about THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG New Movie Review