Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Apes taking over the planet? That premise is almost as ridiculous as this films extremely long name, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes". However, seeing six more films spawn from the original classic (one being a remake and the latest being a reboot/prequel) its obvious that the idea has not lost its momentum. Does this new prequel have what it takes to continue the story of super smart apes?

Scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) has been searching for a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. His motivation for his research is his father, Charles (John Lithgow), who is struggling with the disease himself. To find this cure, Will tests different vaccines on the chimpanzees he keeps in his lab. The tests turn out to be successful on the chimps as Will sees them become as smart as humans. One of these chimps is named Caesar (Andy Serkis) who inherits this intelligence from his mother. Will raises Caesar in his home, teaches him sign language, and treats him like a son. But fate cannot let Caesar live a human life forever. After a violent incident, Caesar is forced to live in primate facility operated by John Landon (Brian Cox) and his son Dodge (Harry Potter's Tom Felton). Seeing for the first time how his fellow species is treated, Caesar develops a plan to make the rest of the chimps like him and free them all from their prison.

Back when the original "Planet of the Apes" was released in 1968, it was ok that the actors wore costumes to play the apes. But in 2011, that would never work. Good thing modern day film making has the magic known as CGI to make apes look like more than a man in a mask. And when talking about this there is really only one critical question to ask: does the CGI impress the eyes of the viewer...yes it does, moving on.

Another great achievement of modern film is the art of motion capture in which an actor plays his part in a funny suit and then the CGI is added to the scene afterwards. Examples of this can be seen in characters such as Gollum from the "Lord of the Rings" series, King Kong, and the apes in this film (such as Caesar). Another thing in common with these characters is the actor that plays them, Andy Serkis, who has proved that he is one of the best is the motion capture acting business. The wonderful thing about Serkis's performance is that none of it includes dialogue. Instead he portrays a wide range of emotions, such as anger, with just body language. And its not hard to say that Serkis gives the best performance of the cast, making Caesar one of the most interesting characters of all the summer movies this year.

But "Rise" also features a touching narrative, filled with emotional scenes and a heart filled climax. But some of the scenes are not only emotional, but have a very classic feel to them. In fact, the best scene in the film I would consider to be among the top three scenes of all the films this summer because of the sheer iconic feel it has to it (hint...don't mess with a super intelligent ape). The narrative along with the stunning motion capture and Serkin's great performance makes "Rise" a great opportunity for the franchise to live on. I give it three stars out of four.

"Rise of the Planets of the Apes" has a running time of two hours and is rated PG-13 for intense and frightening sequence of action and violence.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Does anyone think that there have been too many super hero films this year? Well if you do...I feel sorry for you, because I love comic book movies. Granted there have been at least four or five other super heroes that have graced the silver screen this year but there is one more who needs his time to shine and he is perhaps the most known of them all. I feel like it's good to note that I felt like it was my patriotic duty to see this film but more importantly, "Captain America: The First Avenger" is the last piece of the puzzle before Marvel releases their mega super hero team-up film, "The Avengers" next May. Does Cap bring anything new to the table?
It's 1942, World War II is in full swing, and young Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has been rejected for military service once again. It's no surprise that he has been rejected for the hundredth time. Steve is puny, sickly, and has a long list of medical issues. But Steve has no greater desire than to serve his country so he doesn't stop trying.
Soon his efforts are noticed by a scientist named Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who takes Rogers aside to offer him a chance to be a part of the government's new super soldier program. During training Rogers is looked down upon by everyone including Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones). But Dr. Erskine believes that Rogers is the best choice because of his heart, compassion, and bravery. The next day Rogers is injected with the super soldier serum and he emerges as a tall, buff, Nazi killing machine who is tasked with taking down Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving), the head of Hitler's deep science division HYDRA. Rogers, now named Captain America, must stop Schmidt before he unleashes the ultimate power upon the world.
In the past couple years, the super heroes we have seen have had very different personalities. There has been the million dollar narcissist, the self-absorbed Norse god, and several others with severe anger management issues. That's why its nice to see a more classic kind of hero back on screen. Captain America does not put himself above others, he doesn't insult, back stab, or judge anyone. Instead he's a humble man that loves his country and is willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Cap is a hero we haven't seen since perhaps the last "Superman" film and its good to see a hero that parents won't mind their kids looking up to.
Just like May's "Thor" had a much different setting than past Marvel films, so does "Captain America". The World War II setting is a change up but don't worry, Cap doesn't come close to the intensity and graphic content of films like "Saving Private Ryan". Instead Cap's a whole lotta fun featuring lots of fighting and explosions.
But there's a lot of heart in the mix. As with many hero flicks there is emotion, there is romance, and there are lessons to be learned (in this case sacrifice) and here there's lots of it especially during the film's gripping climax (one of the best Marvel has made).
Backing all of this up is the terrific cast. Many know Chris Evans as the other Marvel super hero The Human Torch from the "Fantastic Four" movies and usually he plays the same type of character; the smooth talking ladies man. Not so much in "Captain America". As you've read, Evans was challenged to play a much different character for this film and he succeeds. As for Hugo Weaving, who has given life to villains such as Agent Smith and Megatron he was the perfect choice to play to cruel Nazi nemesis of Captain America (who fans know as The Red Skull). Throw in some good supporting actors like Stanley Tucci, and the humorous Tommy Lee Jones and you have an all star cast.
"Captain America: The First Avenger" has everything going for it, great action, great acting, and a lot of love for the U.S.A. Fans of past Marvel films with have no problem enjoying this film and there's a high chance that those who don't enjoy the comic book craze will have just as much fun. But if there is one thing I know, its that after this movie and what is shown after the credits I, along with the rest of the super hero lovers, can't be more excited about what will happen when Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor, and Captain America come together to fight whatever stands in their way. Bring on "The Avengers"! I give this film three stars out of four.
"Captain America: The First Avenger" has a running time of 121 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

It all ends. From the moment I saw those words on the poster for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" I was counting down the days until July 15th which I knew would be a monumental day for cinema...the day that the highest grossing franchise of all time comes to a close. And it went out with a magical bang. So far the newest "Potter" has broken every record there is to break making almost half a billion dollars its first weekend. Is it worth all the hype? YES...in every way imaginable and it is my pleasure to tell you why.
"Deathly Hallows Part 1" ended with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) finding the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in the world which is capable of preforming the most advanced forms of magic. Now Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is in more of a hurry than ever to find the remaining parts of Voldemort's soul called Horcruxes. But things get worse when Voldemort realizes what Harry is searching for. The final stopping point of the trio's search is where it all began...Hogwarts school. Knowing that the final Horcrux rests in the halls of Hogwarts, Harry continues his search while all the teachers, students, and members of the remaining Order of the Phoenix prepare for the final battle against Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters who stand just outside the castle walls. In the Battle of Hogwarts, old faces will be seen, secrets will be told, and the ultimate sacrifice will be made so that the Dark Lord can finally meet his end.
Despite being the shortest entry in the series (clocking in at just over two hours) "Deathly Hallows Part 2" has more action, emotion, chills (the good kind) than any previous "Potter" film. Thinking back, the Battle of Hogwarts took up about three fourths of the movie. But don't worry, it not all mindless action and explosions (Transformers). All of the action has a distinct purpose like to show the bravery of a student against a hoard of enemies, to show the sacrifice that Harry's friends make for him, to show Mrs. Weasley (Julie Walters) dish it out on a certain female Death Eater, or to show that there is still hope. The action is never just there.
But between the duels and suspense are emotional moments. Scenes that have the most power in the series. Scenes that have no music and no dialogue. The prime example of the emotion found in "Hallows" is the moment where we find out the life story of the mysterious Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) which ends up being one of the key points in the entire saga. "Hallows" reaches its audience better than any of its predecessors have, and I'm not just saying that because of the tears I could hear around me.
And then there is the acting. The world has seen Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson grow up over the past ten years and their acting always grew with their age. Now, at the climax, it's better than ever. Dan was challenged with acting out the most difficult scenes of the series and he pulls off every one. My favorite scene of his doesn't even have any words. He just acts with his body and his eyes and his breathing...and it is powerful. As always the trio is surrounded by an all star British cast including Maggie Smith, Jason Isaacs, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, and many many others, but who could talk about the "Harry Potter" series without mentioning Alan Rickman. Possibly the best casting choice of the films, Rickman once again pleases as Severus Snape but this time showing a whole new side of the dark professor that people who did not read the books probably were not expecting (but I would never tell you about it in this review).
And then there is a whole other thing to deal with. It's over, the series has come to an end. All the adults who adored the books and films and introduced their children to them are saying goodbye. All the kids like me who have spent the majority of our lives reading the books, watching the films, going to midnight book releases and film premiers...are saying goodbye to a major piece of our childhood. I was in dismay just like the rest of the fandom, until I remembered the words of J.K. Rowling, "Hogwarts will always be here to welcome you home." It all ends, but not our love for Harry. His magical world will always live on to be enjoyed by countless others. This great achievement in cinema deserves every bit of the four stars out of four.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" has a running time of 130 minutes and is rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.

Green Lantern

The DC comic book universe, home to the great super heroes known as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, has never really been able to match the success of their rival Marvel (home to Spider Man, the X-Men, Iron Man). To many there is a very clear definition of the problem DC has faced in the past decade and that problem is this: if it's not Batman, it's not good. The last Superman film was not successful enough to spawn a sequel, last year's "Jonah Hex" was named by some to be the biggest flop of 2010, and most recently a planned Wonder Woman TV show was cancelled after the first previews.

Now we have "Green Lantern", one of the most recognizable heroes of the DC universe and one of the most popular superheros ever. Ryan Reynolds seemed to be a good fit to take on the role of Hal Jordan and a light of hope once again sparked for DC. Does Green Lantern's light shine bright for an upcoming franchise or will DC have to once again go back to the drawing board.

For millions of years, the Green Lantern Corps, a police force for the entire universe made up of all kinds of aliens, has been protecting galaxies from all types of harm and chaos. The largest threat to ever challenge them was a force called Parallax, an immense being capable of destroying worlds. Though once imprisoned by a Lantern named Abin-Sur, Parallax breaks free and finds the Lantern that imprisoned him for revenge. Fatally injuring Abin-Sur, he escapes on a ship that flies to Earth in order to select the next being in line to be a Lantern.

The human chosen to be the next Lantern is Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a former captain of the US Air Force and current test pilot. Hal is rash, ignorant, sarcastic, and when he discovers Abin-Sur in his ship on that fateful night he doesn't believe that he is the right person to become a hero. But the ring, the source of all the Green Lantern's power, never makes the wrong choice and Hal will have to train with others in the Green Lantern Core in order to confront Parallax because he may be the only one capable of defeating him.

First off, some of you be wondering why I did not mention the other big names in the film such as Blake Lively or Peter Sarsgaard since they were heavily utilized in the trailers. The reason is simple...they are of no use to the plot whatsoever. These characters have no need to even be in the film except to occupy little plot holes, the film would be no different if they were not in it, and while I would not quite say that it is a waste of Lively's talents, it is definitely a waste of Sarsgaard's.

To my great disappointment, the plot in "Green Lantern" is just downright lazy. It is like the filmmakers do not even care about telling a good story. For Hal Jordan, the character development if you can even call it that is very weak and failed to grip my emotions like the recent "X-Men: First Class." It is also very obvious that "Green Lantern" tries to copy the Tony Stark (Iron Man) personality in Hal Jordan and well...Reynolds is no Robert Downy Jr.

As for Lively and her small role involving the romance with Reynolds...there is not much romance to be seen. The emotion between the two characters is rushed and forced upon the audience in order to continue to more "exciting" scenes.

The last major flaw with the plot (that I will mention) is that the writers leave too much up to the imagination. For example, one scene features Reynolds and Sarsgaard's characters talking about their past and how Reynolds always got the girl blah blah blah. Does the film elaborate on this past? No, we are just supposed to assume that the three main characters have known each other for some time and, similar to the problem with Hal Jordan, these other characters never get developed.

Because of the problems with the plot, "Green Lantern" really feels like a sequel rather than the first in a franchise (something that I don't think I've ever thought about a film before...bad sign). Scenes, conversations, and events happen too quickly. The film is too fast paced. Scenes that could be very emotional and/or entertaining end up rushing by. The film decides to put its focus on cool special effects and action rather than a good story. And the action that it focuses on is not even that impressive compared to last month's "Thor."

Though my allegiance will always be with Marvel, I do hope for success for the films that DC puts out but it just seems that they can never get it right. Unfortunately for the studio that wanted three "Green Lantern" films in three years and a Justice League film (the DC version of the Avengers), those dreams are likely to fade away. I give it one star out of four.

"Green Lantern" has a running time of 114 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

Super 8

Steven Spielberg is a name revered by Hollywood. Since the 1970s, this mega director/producer/writer has brought classics to the silver screen. His films, "Jaws", the "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park" series, "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial", "Saving Private Ryan", and "Schindler's List" are known around the world. Next we have director director J.J. Abrams who has given us the hit TV show "Lost", and films like "Mission Impossible 3" and the latest "Star Trek." Together, these two film makers have created the alien thriller, "Super 8" whose plot and story have miraculously been kept very secret since the first trailer was released what seemed like years ago. But now we have the answers.

The year is 1979 and a group of kids in Ohio are making a zombie film (YES!). The children in this group include Joe (Joel Courtney) whose mother was killed in a factory accident, Alice (Elle Fanning) the crush of every boy in the group and whose father has a mysterious connection with Joe and his father, and the film director Charles (Riley Griffiths). One night the group heads on to a local train station to shoot a scene for their film but something disastrous happens. As they film Joe sees a truck drive onto the track and head straight for an oncoming train transporting the contents of the U.S. Air force. The result of this incident is a massive train wreck full of explosions, chaos, and the escape of some creature. A creature that will kill and kidnap, a creature that causes power outages and causes dogs to disappear, and a creature that the U.S. Air Force will risk anything to re-capture. But this mystery will not be solved by the air force, or the police of the town, but by the children who take it upon themselves to discover just watch escaped from that train on that night.

It is very clear that Spielberg is involved with "Super 8" because the film has several similarities to other films he has been involved in. When asked about "Super 8" before seeing the film, I said that I thought it was a violent version of "E.T." And after seeing the film I can say that was a pretty accurate assumption. There is the classic sounding music, the many bicycles, and a "creature" that is trying to get home. The other film I was reminded of is "The Goonies." The kids are the heroes in this film, they each have their own uniqueness and humor to them, and quite possibly the most noticeable similarity...the kids curse a lot. All of these elements gave "Super 8" a very classic feel and it was almost like watching an ode to those movies that we all love so much.

But make no mistake, "Super 8" isn't just taking elements from other films, it has a story all of its own. For starters, "Super 8" is much more intense, suspenseful, and even frightening than "E.T." by a long shot. One of the fun things about this film is that is does not show the "creature" close up until very late into the plot. As the movies moves along, more and more glimpses of the "creature" are shown (very similar to "Cloverfield", a film that Abrams produced) building up a lot of suspense and speculation about what the thing is, what it can do, and why it is here. "Super 8" also comes with plenty of thrills that will have you on the edge of your seat and maybe jumping out of it.

But the best thing about "Super 8" is its originality. In a summer of remakes, sequels, and prequels, "Super 8" stands out as something unique and after watching, it stands out as a good movie. Almost everything in Hollywood today is either a continuation of a series or a film that is based on a comic book or novel. When you find a film like "Super 8", a completely original idea that turns into a great film...the result is something truly wonderful. I give it 3 and a half stars out of 4.

"Super 8" has a running time of 112 minutes and is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and some drug use.

X-Men First Class

In the year 2000, Marvel brought one of their most famous super hero teams to the big screen. The first "X-Men" film put comic book films on the map and eleven years later super hero movies are what have defined the last decade of cinema. Fans and critics alike were less enthusiastic about the third film in the X-Men Trilogy and even more critical about 2009's spin off film, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Now Marvel is going back to the beginning of the franchise that started it all. Does "X-Men: First Class" spark redemption for the world of mutants? Spoiler Alert...YES!


It's the 1960s, the world does not yet know mutants exist, and...Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is a ladies man? Indeed, we get to see a side of the wise professor (portrayed in the original trilogy by Patrick Stewart) we have not seen before during his years at Oxford with his long-time friend, Raven (Jennifer Laurence) whom X-Men fans know as the shape-shifting mutant Mystique.


Soon the setting and mood changes and we are introduced to the metal moving mutant Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender). Lehnsherr is traveling across the world hunting down the remaining Nazi's responsible for cruel experiments forced upon him when he was a boy in a concentration camp. The primary target of Lehnsherr is a fellow mutant named Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) who shot Lehnsherr's mother before his eyes. Many know Lehnsherr better by his mutant alias Magneto.


Now Shaw is plotting for nuclear war by trying to increase the tension between the US and the Soviets, ultimately resulting in the Cuban Missile Crisis. In Lehnsherr's quest was Shaw, he meets Xavier who has agreed to help the C.I.A. track down Shaw before he succeeds in starting a third World War. With a similar goal, the two men agree to work together and form a team of mutants to combat Shaw and his Hellfire Club. But the beliefs and goals of Xavier and Lehnsherr are very different and though they do not know it, the mission they go on will come to draw the battle lines between Xavier's X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood.


A big reason that the X-Men films are so good is because the films are very character driven. Even the sequel spent adequate time to further develop each of their characters and not just the leads. For "X-Men: First Class" character development is key to the plot. For the film to work, the audience needs to know and care about the two lead characters, Xavier and Lehnsherr. We need to know their past, what they believe, and what they care about because at it's heart "First Class" is a story of how two best friends become enemies. How will we care about this story if we don't understand the characters? Well don't worry, the film's major focus is not action but the characters. And like the original film, "First Class" develops almost all of the characters...not just the big ones. This makes the emotional climax very powerful and meaningful.


Another thumbs up goes to "First Class" for the superb acting by each member of the cast. For a day or so after seeing the film I debated which actor did the better job, McAvoy or Fassbender and I really had a hard time deciding. Each actor brings something different and unique to his character. But, my final decision is this..."X-Men: First Class" is Michael Fassbender's time to shine. The reason is because of the emotion he pours into Eric Lehnsherr. His eyes, his face, his words, his tears, everything about the character is filled with Fassbender's emotion. The film begins and ends with Magneto and he is really the main character of the film; if Fassbender didn't do his job well, "First Class" would not be a great as it is.


Another thing worth mentioning is the similarity "First Class" has with films from the James Bond series. Back when the movie was filming, director Matthew Vaughn (who gave us the super-hero riot "Kick Ass" back in 2009) said that one of his goals for "First Class" was to model it after a James Bond film and after seeing it I can say that he was pretty successful. The music, the suave leads, the abundance of attractive women, the fast-paced action scenes, even the closing credits parallel elements from Bond films.


I would talk about how awesome the action and the special effects are but I will let you discover that for yourself. The big things about "X-Men: First Class" are the acting, plot, and character development. They are what makes this such an outstanding film. "First Class" rivals even the first two X-Men films (some of the best super-hero films to date) for greatness. In fact, I will say that "First Class" is the best film Marvel has dished out in seven years (since "Spider-Man 2" and "X-Men 2" came out). I give it three and a half stars out of four.


"X-Men: First Class" has a running time of 132 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual content including brief partial nudity, and language.

Fast Five

First off, have I ever seen a "Fast and Furious" film before? No. Have I ever shown great interest in wanting to see a "Fast and Furious" film? Not necessarily. Why did "Fast Five" spark my interest? Simple..."The Rock" is in it. So all in all is it really fair that I'm reviewing the fifth entry in a franchise that I am not familiar with? Some may say so BUT that is besides the point, a good movie is a good movie. And movies are now needed to be more than just average as the summer movie season is arriving and only the best movies will be successful. Does "Fast Five" do well in ushering in the next summer of major blockbusters? Let's find out!


Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) is back in jail for the first two minutes of the film. Then his partner, ex-FBI agent Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster) just break him out again with their super fast cars. Now on the run in Rio, Brazil, Dom and his gang seek to carry out one last job. The job involving stealing over $100 million from a corrupt businessman so that they can split up the money between themselves in order to run away and never have to perform another crime again (another words, to get "out" of the business).


But Toretto and his team will have to fight more than just the mob of Rio. DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and his team have tracked down Toretto and will risk anything to bring him and his crew of con-men and women to justice be it the easy way or the much more likely hard way.


What surprised me and what made me really appreciate "Fast Five" was that I was able to come into the franchise very late and not at all be confused with the plot or the characters. I understood everything that was going on and while there may have been one tiny little reference to an event in the past films, it was not crucial to the film and thus did not hinder my understanding of the plot. "Fast Five" allows anyone, fan or new-comer, to watch a film that is all its own, not really building on story lines from the series's predecessors.


Now what is the true reason for going to see "Fast Five"? What draws the audience? It is the high speed car chases, crazy stunts, and intense shoot-outs/fights of course! And believe me, "Fast Five" delivers. Right from the very beginning, the action starts off with a bang and there will be plenty of unbelievable action to fill the appetite of the action cravers. The major beat down between the Rock and Vin Diesel is what I was anticipating the most...it was insane. It is almost hard to believe that the walls did not collapse around them from all the pillars and walls that they smashed and broke through.


But the action, as much of it as there is, does not over shadow the plot. The film maintains a strong focus on story telling and not just mindless action, something that many action sequels (especially when it comes to the fifth in a franchise) simply do not care about. This is why most action sequels suck and why "Fast Five" moves up on the quality scale.


I went in to "Fast Five" wanting action, stunts, and more action and that's just what I got. The other stuff like the strong plot and the welcoming nature for newcomers of the franchise were things I was not expecting but got and that is why I enjoyed "Fast Five" so much. I give it three stars out of four. And by the way..."Thor" is being relased Friday, get ready be struck with awe (yes, pun intended).


"Fast Five" has a running time of 130 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content, and language.