Reviewed: Rise of the Planet of the Apes [2011]

Rise of the Planet of the Apes [2011]

12A - 105mins - Action/Drama/Sci-Fi - 11th August 2011

It's been 10 years since the last Planet of the Apes film and looking back, it is fair to say that the years have not treated it too well- the ape costumes are verging on amusing rather than scary. This latest reboot brings us an origins story painting a picture of the beginning of the end for the human race and the start of dominance for the apes on Earth. They have brought back this franchise again with a movie that isn't really part of said franchise. All other Planet of the Apes movies are set on a mystical planet whereas this is set on present day Earth and as such, although I understand why they did it (money money money), would have been better to disassociate with the Planet of the Apes brand.

Will Rodman (James Franco) is a researcher for a pharmaceutical company working on a cure for Alzheimer's- a disease close to his heart due to his father's (John Lithgow) battle with the disease. When his leading test subject breaks free and 'goes ape' she is put down along with the rest of the project. However Will discovers she was only protecting her newborn child who he takes home and raises as part of his family. It soon becomes apparent that the drugs subjected to the baby chimp's mother have been genetically passed on to him gifting the ape with extremely high levels of intelligence.

Trailered: A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas [2011]

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas [2011]

Release Dates:

- TBA (UK) -

- 4th November 2011 (USA) -

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Cast: Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris

Welcome one and all to the beginning of the Christmas season! For those that don't know me, I despise anything Christmas related before December at the very earliest so with a release date 52 days before Crimbo my blood is already beginning to boil.

Six years after their Guantanamo Bay incident, stoner buddies Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) have grown apart and build themselves new lives. But when a mysterious package arrives at Kumar's door for Harold on Christmas Eve, his attempts to redirect it result in him burning down Harold's father-in-law's prize Christmas tree. Instead of admitting his guilt, the duo set off on another adventure through New York to search for the perfect replacement and cover their tracks.

The first one in the series was a solid popcorn movie, the second tried too hard and failed to be funny so I'm pretty sure the third with continue the plunge into shockingly bad. A different story but it looks like the same content as the last two which makes this hold no interest for me. Also their mocking of 3D is somewhat flawed as the majority of people will not be watching it in 3D (what's the point) and so bang goes the irony.

Rating: F

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Trailered: Haywire [2011]

Haywire [2011]

Release Dates:

- 20th January 2012 (UK, USA) -

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender

Now you let me know if this plot line rings any bells. We have super soldier Mallory Kane (Carano) who was created by the government to do its bidding but during one of her many missions she is betrayed by the people she trusted the most. After surviving her attempted assassination she goes on a revenge mission seeking payback for those who were responsible. How original!

I'm not sure about this one, it just seems a bit 'samey' to so many other films out there- all they have done is change the main character into a female. I'm sure there's a chance it will impress with decent action scenes/car chases but not enough to warrant a visit to the cinema from me.

Rating: D

Farm

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Reviewed: The Smurfs [2011]

The Smurfs [2011]

 U - 103mins - Animation/Comedy/Family - 10th August 2011

Well it has been a while since my last post so sorry about that- I'm sure you were just lost without my views on what you should be watching so I'm going to make up for it with a couple of reviews and new movie trailers thrown at you all in one day. First up are those blue critters they call "The Smurfs".

Despite me trying to be as neutral as possible before settling down to watch a film I found myself preparing for the long haul when I decided to watch The Smurfs. As a kid I never really got into them but did occasionally catch a TV show or two so wasn't flying completely into the unknown like some of the more recent comic book characters that I have reviewed.

Reviewed: Good Neighbours [2011]

Good Neighbours [2011]

N/A - 95mins - Comedy/Crime/Thriller - N/A

Good Neighbours follows three people who live in the same apartment building in Montreal over the course of Winter in 1995. Spencer (Scott Speedman) is a wheelchair bound introvert who spends all of his time in his flat on the first floor; Victor (Jay Baruchel) who has recently moved to the area since returning from China; and finally Louise (Emily Hampshire), a waitress at a local restaurant who spends most of her time either socialising with her pet cats (Tia Maria and Mozart) or reading up on the local serial killer who is running riot near to where they live.

Each of them is flawed in their own unique way so much so that I found myself asking the question why are any of them friends at all? Only the nervous Victor seems to be capable of something resembling social skills despite the uncanny ability to put his foot in everything time and time again and yet on several occasions they all sit down to dinner together when it's extremely obvious that they would be somewhere else.