Rise of the Planet of the Apes
20th Century Fox
This prequel to the original 1968 story, set in contemporary San Francisco 2009, explores the pitfalls of tampering with Mother Nature through genetic engineering. In this dystopian tale, the apes become so evolved, they want to take over. The film hearkens back to the social and racial subtexts of the original, showcasing the big-screen thrills of an apocalyptic war story between man and beast while examining the big questions of classic science fiction. James Franco plays the scientist caught in the middle, and for the first time in the history of the franchise, the apes are all CGI.
The Review: Though the bad guys in the film often come off as caricatures of villainy – like South Park versions of evil military men – overall, the film effectively portrays humanity’s capacity for cruelty, greed and hypocrisy. In comparison, the apes seem justified in their violent uprising. Moreover, the film is visually stunning, and Caesar, the chemically-altered, super-intelligent leader of the apes, exudes as much warmth and empathy as his human counterparts. CGI has never been so well-balanced with the essential substance of good story-telling.
The Hangover Part II
Warner Brothers
The wolf-pack is at again in this follow-up to the hugely successful original. This time around, the setting is Thailand, where Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married. Still in shock from his and his buddies’ ordeal in Las Vegas, Stu plans a simple, quiet brunch, instead of a wild bachelor party. But of course, things go awry, and the gang wakes the next morning with no memory of the previous night. What’s worse is Teddy (Mason Lee) is missing. Now, the group must retrace their steps through the streets of Bangkok, to find Teddy and get back in time for Stu’s wedding.
The Review: Much like the original, The Hangover II is a strange hybrid, employing more suspense and intrigue than other films of its genre. At times, its darkness can be off-putting, sometimes more film noir than comedy, and some of the bizarre situations the characters find themselves in are just not funny (though Galifianakis is always hilarious). I mean, is it really that funny when a classical cellist loses his finger? Often, the film seems more interested in exploring the darker side of humanity than it does in getting laughs, and maybe that is the point. What if, for one night, all your inhibitions were thrown to the wind? Would you recognize yourself?
Apollo 18
The Weinstein Company
Directed by Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego and written by Brian Miller, Apollo 18 begins with the premise that in 1973, a year after the last official manned mission to the moon, the US Department of Defense funded Apollo 18, a covert mission to return to the moon once again. What we see here, we’re told, is actual, never-before-seen footage from that mission, recently released on the internet. What this footage captures reveals why we’ve never gone back to the moon.
The Review: Have you ever wondered what Blair Witch would have looked like if filmed on the moon? Me either. It's a promising-enough premise, but the film goes nowhere. No time is spent on character development, so we're never given a reason to care what happens to these lifeless astronauts, and the found-footage device should never be used as an excuse for loose story-telling and boring dialogue. I've seen more entertaining home movies than this, and at least I cared about the people involved in them. Apollo 18 cost $5 million to make, and boy, can you tell.
