If you are football-ed out by the weekend, let me recommend a movie that opened this summer to good reviews and mediocre box office.
I had purchased War for the Planet of the Apes in 3-D a while back and it took some convincing to get friends and family to watch it with me. Talking monkeys? Please! was the prevailing attitude
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But this 2 hour twenty minute epic was highly entertaining and beautifully realized. In our polarized country, many will see political messages and compare some of the characters with what they think are their contemporary human counterparts. My advice is check that at the door and enjoy the journey.
Andy Serkis’ performance as Caesar is Oscar-worthy, although hard to categorize for the Academy. There is not one scene where you don’t believe that you’re watching real apes, so fine is the CGI. It can be a little slow in sections, but that is a minor quibble. Parts will remind you of Apocalypse Now, especially the Woody Harrelson scenes. The cinematography is gorgeous, and if you have 3-D, it is spectacular. There’s not a lot of dialogue, but the plot reflects the best of what science fiction is all about — engrossing visuals that take you to a strange new world with thought provoking parallels to our own.
It’s available for rent, streaming, or 3-D Bluray purchase. I liked it a lot.
