At the Movies – July 2014 – Part 3: Most Anticipated Films

Must-See of the Month:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Action/Adventure – Jul 11

Plot Summary: Years after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the human population of the Earth has been severely ravaged by a deadly virus; meanwhile, the highly intelligent apes lead by Caesar have grown in number. A small group of human survivors has banded together in San Francisco, while Caesar’s apes have built a community outside the city in the forest. The two groups have an uneasy peace, but the human leader Dreyfus believes that the apes are dangerous and is determined to destroy them before they grow in power and force – thus begins a war, one that may shape which species is Earth’s most dominate going forward (even though, this being  prequel, we already know the answer to that…also, these films have really stupid names). Key Filmmakers Involved: Director Matt Reeves and composer Michael Giacchino. Actors Involved: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kirk Acevedo, and Judy Greer. Quality Potential: Medium. So why is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes July’s most anticipated film? Well, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a better than expected action/adventure film and this does have the potential to be a great blockbuster. This being summer movie season and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes being July’s biggest (and likely best) blockbuster make it the month’s most anticipated. Best film of the month, however, will likely belong to Magic in the Moonlight, A Most Man Wanted, or Boyhood. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is a great fit as he has a keen ability to make exciting action sequences while still creating full characters – the key element in producing good blockbusters (the combination and balancing of action and character). The cast is also very good. This is probably the one blockbuster that is really worth seeing in theaters this month. Trailer: Here.

Worth Checking Out:

Magic in the Moonlight – Romantic Comedy – Jul 25

Plot Summary: When it is believed that a young woman is swindling a rich American family in the south of France, an Englishman who excels at debunking and exposing frauds is asked to help. The only problem is that when he meets this woman, he too seems to fall under her charming spell. Key Filmmakers Involved: Writer-director Woody Allen, cinematographer Darius Khondji, and production designer Anne Seibel. Actors Involved: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Marcia Gay Harden, Eileen Atkins, Hamish Linklater, Jacki Weaver, and Simon McBurney. Quality Potential: High. Without fail Woody Allen releases a new film each year. So far this decade he has produced two good films and two bad films (Midnight in Paris and Blue Jasmine the good and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger and To Rome with Love the bad – though To Rome with Love is also kind of a great satire on romantic comedies). Based on his recent track record, Magic in the Moonlight falls into a “bad” slot (coming on the heels of Blue Jasmine) – but it looks potentially fantastic. Emma Stone and Colin Firth have charming chemistry in the trailer and the period setting also works very well. Allen seems to be pleased with Stone’s performance as he has cast her in his next film. This is a must-see for romantic comedy fans. Trailer: Here.