Ah what a piece of work is man.  How noble in reason, infinite in faculties…yada yada yada – you might use the same Shakespearian quote to define the beasties in ‘Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes’ hitting multiplexes this weekend.  This film aims to take the Apes franchise in a more human direction as it prequels the story of the ultimate imprisonment and demise of the human race at the hands of these mad primates.

For those new to the franchise, the gist of the earlier films is the return of an American astronaut to the planet Earth only to find that Apes have taken on the role of the dominant species of the planet, and humans are hunted and subjected to torturous existences like the zoos we cage apes in today.  Where ‘Rise’ flips the script is by detailing how the apes became intelligent and where their eventual world domination began which in this case, is sunny San Francisco.

Will Rodman (James Franco) is a dedicated biochemist on the verge of producing a groundbreaking drug that could cure Alzheimer’s.  As with any serum, chimps become the obvious test subjects.  But before Will can show the world his amazing research, the test apes are abruptly put down and oddly unknown to the research facility, one of the test apes was pregnant and gave birth to a chimp named Caesar that has traces of the serum in his system which manifest as a brain cell enhancer producing greater than normal intelligence.   Refusing to accept that raising a wild ape is a bad idea (even a really smart ape), Will takes Caesar into his home to raise.  What follows is a species awakening as Caesar grows up and discovers who and what he is and how different he is from the humans he’s raised around.   When Caesar mistakes a neighbors scolding and lashes out against him, he gets sent to a primate sanctuary (what luck there was such a large one so close to home), where he meets other apes in captivity.  It almost sounds cliché that the father-son proprietors of the sanctuary, John & Dodge Landon (Brian Cox & Tom Felton) have very little respect for apes and subject them regularly to mistreatment and abuse.  Not being your average ape, Caesar is violently acclimated to his new surroundings by his cagemates, but eventually finds a way to reach and reason with them while getting a crash course on where apes rank in the schemes of humankind thanks to the sanctuary owners cruel son Dodge (was this a stretch for Felton whose had plenty of practice being an a**hole from his stint in the Harry Potter films as Draco Malfoy?  I think not.).  Not content to accept their place in the chain of life, Caesar finds a way to steal batches of the serum and expose his fellow apes giving them all incredible intelligence.  With an army of smart ape brethren behind him, an all out assault is launched against the San Francisco Bay community and mankind.

What you need to know first and foremost is what this film isn’t.  It’s not an action film, although there is action.  It’s not a cool sci-fi thriller, although it has thrilling moments and definitely carries a classification of science fiction.  In fact, I daresay it’s a drama (and for the 1st and 2nd act, almost moves at the pace of one).  This is a stark tale of man’s duality that plays out with the ape as the human.  It makes suggestions about our penchant for cruelty, showcases our inspirational power to love, and revels in our unflinching motivation to test the bounds of nature with our creativity (of course the almighty dollar is at the root in the film, but hey – no species is perfect).  Franco (Spiderman) brings nothing new or inspiring to his turn as passionate scientist Will Rodman, and Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), who plays ape doctor Caroline Aranha is nothing more than eye candy – albeit really, really cute eye candy.   The probelm is Pinto has fallen into that group of ‘hot actresses’ which is much better than a ‘hottie acting’.  What’s the difference?  Ask me in the comments section).  John Lithgow (Ricochet) portrays Will’s Dad Charles who is suffering from Alzheimer’s and serves as the driving force behind Will’s passion to develop a cure.  Granted Lithgow is old, but his acting skills could be put to much better use in much better roles – he seemed incredibly wasted here playing an inept aging old Dad.

The true stars of the film are the apes, but that credit lands squarely on the digital animators.  To put it bluntly, these apes look darn good and eerily human.  They add to your perplexed focus of who you’re cheering for.  They look so human, you start to think of them that way, and become incredibly understanding as to why they’d want to wipe us all out based on how we’re treating them.

I really enjoyed this film as a drama and you may too, but therein lies the rub because it isn’t being sold that way by the filmmakers.  It’s marketed as a wild ride of apes and conquest, but it’s really a strong and emotional story about mankind, our unrelenting drive to usurp nature and the cruelty that is at the core of both our species.  You don’t need this box office fodder to tell you how any dream being driven with those motives is going to end.

3 stars out of 5

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is rated PG-13 for violence, terror, some sexuality and brief strong language.  Running Time:  1 hour and 45 minutes.

127 Hours is an incredible journey. What would you do if you came face-to-face with death?

127 Hours is the story of Aron Ralston, a hiker who after becoming trapped under a rock for five days (I’m going to talk openly about the plot details of the film. You probably know the story, but if you don’t, please stop reading and just watch the movie. Also, let us know in the comments what you think of it after being surprised.), cuts off his own arm in order to survive. Aron’s journey is intense, brutal, and deep.

The film is an incredible showcase for James Franco’s acting chops, just as Buried was for Ryan Reynolds. This is a one-man show, and he delivers. Aron goes through an extraordinary ordeal, and we are there with him the entire time. After a brief section of adventure in the beginning, including a meeting with two other hikers, Aron falls and gets his right arm pinned under a boulder in the middle of a tiny crevasse. This is the setting for the film, and we stay with Aron as he cries out for help, longs for companionship, and desperately tries to free himself. Considering that Aron is the only character for the vast majority of the film, there is very little dialogue. I’ve said this before in other reviews, but I really believe that the mark of a great actor is what they do without dialogue, and James Franco really shines here. His expressions, body language, and cries all fit within his character and serve to flesh him out on screen. His predicament confines the action to a tiny space, which Franco makes his own.

This confinement naturally plays a huge role in the film. And although we are trapped with Aron, the movie never has a dull moment. Even when there are no new developments, the tension remains as we, just like our main character, yearn for freedom. There is something about human nature that predisposes us to the desire to be free. People hate being trapped, whether it is under a rock, in prison, or at their day job. This serves the purpose of the movie well. The audience really comes to care for him and becomes invested in the outcome. And even though most viewers know he gets out okay, the tension remains.

In addition to the wonderful performance from James Franco, the cinematography is also incredible. The opening sequences are breathtakingly gorgeous, but the tone shifts tremendously when Aron is trapped. From then on, the filmmakers primarily used small digital cameras that allow us to get right in the canyon with him. Again, this feeling of being trapped with him is vital to the film. Other cameras, including a consumer-end digital camera were also utilized for the scenes during which Aron leaves video messages to his friends and family, revealing his deepest feelings. The triptychs displayed in the movie are very interesting. Quite often during the film, the screen is split into three parts, each showing a different angle on the action. Very few movies take this kind of risk, and while it feels weird, these effects ultimately have a good result, adding movement to otherwise stationary action.

The climax of the movie, the amputation scene, is perfect. Without words, you know he is going to do it and then you cringe as Aron painfully cuts away at his arm. The scene is indebted to Tony Gardner, whose incredible practical makeup effects don’t give away that what you’re watching is not real.

Danny Boyle yet again proves that he is not confined to any particular genre, or even style. The film is directed well, and his strong visual style shows through in what could have easily been a dull film to watch. But more importantly are the emotions. 127 Hours gets you extremely involved in its main character and by the end of the film everyone in the audience is dying for him to make it out alive. The joy that Aron feels after escaping is accurately transmitted through the movie, which is an incredible feat.

Therein lies the core of the film – in the heart and mind of Aron Ralston. During the course of the film he is placed in a life-or-death situation and is rocked to the core. He goes from being a self-sufficient adventurer to one of us normal people. After being knocked down, he must pick himself up. These emotional and thoughtful elements of the film really form the backbone for the action and provide the audience something grasp hold of.

127 Hours is raw, visceral, and emotionally satisfying. Danny Boyle has taken an extraordinary experience and told it through great visuals, while James Franco keeps you invested in his character. All of the elements combine to make this an entertaining, deep, moving adventure.

Atomic Popcorn had the chance to partner up for a promo screening of 127 HOURS, the new film from director Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) and starring James Franco, and we couldn’t pass on it.  The film synopsis is below, and you can view the trailer at: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/127hours/.

Make sure you are there early for this one!!

Synopsis:

127 HOURS is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award winning director of 2009’s Best Picture, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. 127 HOURS is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.  Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued.  Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clémence Poésy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident.  Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet?  A visceral thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.

Trailer:

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Make sure you check out our other free screenings in the Baltimore Area.

Why would anyone see Eat Pray Love? I saw because I’m a critic, its what I do. But why would anyone have any interest in seeing this film?

In Eat Pray Love, Julia Roberts stars as Elizabeth Gilbert, a woman who, after being fed up with ordinary life in the big city, goes on a year trek around the world. This true story is the tale of one woman trying to find her soul.

Eat Pray Love is well-made film. It is directed with skill by Ryan Murphy and the acting is excellent. Julia Roberts plays her usual character but the real standout is Richard Jenkins. After an Oscar-nominated turn as the lead in The Visitor, the seasoned veteran is back to supporting roles, and this one is fantastic. The film is also shot well, and the four main locations (New York, Italy, India, and Bali) are all shown beautifully. There is no question that this film is a professional Hollywood production, but at the same time there is nothing extraordinarily special about the filmmaking.

What is really worth talking about is the story that is told in the film. Mrs. Gilbert obviously had some issues she needed sorting out, and this journey apparently did a lot for her. Good for her. Now why should I care about watching it? Honestly, I have no clue what the appeal to the film is. Such an introspective story is well-suited to a book because, in a memoir, the author can go on at length about his or her thoughts and feelings. This does not work in cinema, however. Film is a visual medium and therefore showing is always better than telling. In order for such a one-character character piece to function properly, the audience must be able to empathize with the protagonist and this is the key flaw in Eat Pray Love.

Eat Pray Love was not painful to sit through, but nothing really happened, or at least nothing we could see. By the end of the movie, Gilbert has had a large change take place, but we’ve missed it. The third act saves this film from being a complete waste of time. After rejecting her ordinary husband in America, Gilbert meets a Brazilian (Javier Bardem) and struggles with her fear of attachment. This part of the story worked the best, just because there was another character who could interact with the protagonist in a meaningful way.

Eat Pray Love is a film that lacks conflict. Although I am sure that a soul-searching trek across the globe can do wonders for one’s life, it does not make for a good film. If you really want to experience what this movie wants you to experience, go travel around the world instead.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire) is hard at work preparing for his next film, 127 Hours. Hours is the true story of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who amputated his own arm after being pinned by a boulder for almost five days. Shooting is set to begin shortly based on a script by Slumdog Millionaire scribe Simon Beaufoy and James Franco in the lead.

Obviously this is a tricky story to turn into a film. The story is inspirational, yes, but not very cinematic per se. I mean, it’s one guy, trapped by a rock. It’s been done before (Buried, which premiered at Sundance this year, is set to be released September 24th.) and I’m really excited to see what Boyle does with it. So, what do we know right now?

First of all, there isn’t going to be any internal monologue or voiceover. Boyle has stated that the first hour of the film will be entirely devoid of dialogue. Now, the real-life Alston recorded six or seven video messages during the time in which he had no hope. This will probably be the main way of communicating his thoughts on his impending demise.

That being said, today Collider reported that Lizzy Caplan has been cast in the film. She plays Ralston’s sister and appears as a hallucination. Now we know what direction this movie will be heading. So, for the first hour or so, we’ll be with Ralston as he hikes, meets two fellow travelers, and is trapped by a large boulder. After a while of struggling, he records videos for his loved ones. My best guess is that as he starts to lose his mind he begins to hallucinate and eventually decides to do the unthinkable (e.g. chop his own arm off) to save his own life.

Another interesting tidbit about the film is Boyle’s choice to use two cinematographers. Because the movie has so few characters, he has chosen two very different cinematographers – Anthony Dod Mantle and Enrique Chediak.

This is looking like a very interesting film. I can’t wait to see what Boyle does with it and whether Franco has the acting chops to hold a film on his own. 127 Hours starts shooting shortly and is set to be released late this year by Fox Searchlight. I would not be surprised if this movie were a serious contender, come awards season.

Check out the pics of Tina Fey and Steve Carell on the set of their upcoming comedy, Date Night. Taken during production in downtown Manhattan, you can see the hilarious (HILARIOUS!) duo as they embark on their date. Might I suggest that Mr.Carell is trying to tip a man. Wacky stuff there. Wacky.

Date Night is directed by A Night at the Museum 1-2 director Shawn Levy and also stars Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Taraji Henson, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta (the list keeps going), Mila Kunis and, of course, Mark Ruffalo. The film is due out next summer.

Source: Coming Soon

Yeah, I don't think I want to mess with him.

James Franco, who was in the Spider-Man trilogy and Pineapple Express, is heading right back over to the indie circuit with In Praise of Shadows. The drama written and directed by Jay Anania tells the story of William Vincent (Franco), and recounts his eccentric and curious journey that brought him back to New York City after four years in exile to rescue the woman he loves from a crime syndicate.

The film is set to start initial filming on June 15th in New York City, with Miles Levy, Piers Richardson and Vince Jolivette producing. The feature will also be produced and financed by Black Arce Entertainment, Final Cut Collective and Limerick Films. Currently Franco is slated to co-star alongside Danny McBride and Natalie Portman in the David Gordon Green comedy, Your Highness after production ends for Shadows.

Milk is the story of Harvey Milk. It’s a film that could have easily been a politicized puff piece dedicated to a so-called Great American Hero. Instead, director Gus Van Sant tells the story of a rather lucky gay guy who, by natural charisma and a borderline unhealthy love of power, begins a wave of support for gay rights that would eventually spread all across the country.

Sean Penn excels as a character actor, and if it wasn’t a true story I’d swear the part was written with Penn in mind. He completely becomes Harvey Milk, at first as a 40 year old businessman from New York City secretly in love with Scott Smith (James Franco, who pleasantly surprised me in this role). He quickly becomes the openly gay Milk who moves to San Francisco with Smith to open a camera shop on Castro Street.

As the self-appointed mayor of Castro, Milk spends a good deal of the story failing. He loses the race for Board of Supervisors three times before luck takes over. In 1977, the districts are redrawn in a way that works to Milk’s advantage, finally getting him elected to the coveted seat. The new Supervisor at one point says to the Mayor, “A homosexual with power, now that’s scary,” in a mildly threatening tone. It’s obvious that he likes his new power, maybe a little too much.

It’s partially that lust for power that drives some of the ironic elements of the story. Milk’s obsession with running for the Supervisor seat, a run he dedicates to the surrounding gay community, results in the loss of his committed partner of many years. His political alignments, when he is convinced to go back on his word to fellow supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin), drive White to depression, despair, alcoholism, and his eventual resignation from the board.

Dan White is portrayed as a socially awkward outcast looking for acceptance from constituents and fellow supervisors alike. When he finds neither, his descent into desperation is a picture of what happens to those who are cast out for being strange or different. He surprisingly resembles much of the supporting cast, the young homosexual men who made their way to Castro Street in search of acceptance. Wonderful performances by Emile Hirsch, Allison Pill, Joseph Cross, and others contributed light scenes and likeable characters to the depth of the story, complementing Penn’s strong performance by being both subtle and memorable.

Milk’s obsessions weren’t all bad. When Anita Bryant, a fervent religious activist for anti-gay legislation (portrayed by real archive footage of herself), campaigned against rights for homosexuals, it was Milk’s persistence that stirred up a revolution of young men (and a few women). His election to the Board of Supervisors allegedly saved a few lives of some who had given up hope. And his stubborn will to speak out to anyone who would listen was the driving force behind the fight against Proposition 6, a measure on the California ballot that proposed to legalize the firing of school teachers simply for being gay.

The juxtaposition of enormous success alongside ironic failure created a uniquely realistic story about the beginnings of the gay rights movement that continues today. Harvey Milk’s tragic murder happened at the peak of his influence, shot by a social outcast looking for a friend. That would’ve been the appropriately sad end to this beautiful story, too, if it weren’t for the archive footage of his candlelight procession, stretching for miles into the night.

Harvey Milk, who began his soapbox speeches by telling crowds, “I want to recruit you,” had recruited thousands of young men and women to carry on his flawed, obsessive hope.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆