2041 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Andy Serkis - you are easily one of the most underrated actors of your generation.  I re-watched bits and pieces of the first instalment of this re-boot to head into this and I have to say that this is shaping up to be one of my favourite franchises.  I think these two films blow the water out of the original series.  Not just because of the effects, although to be fair it’s the technology that allows for the emotional layer that makes it truly special.  

What’s really lovely about this second chapter is that we care about both sides of the camp. It’s not humans or apes - both parties are good and bad.  It’s real and honest in that sense.  We’re conflicted and have no idea how it’s going to go.  

I don’t want to say much more, because it’s best just to experience this all for yourself.  This is the best blockbuster I’ve seen this summer, and I can’t wait to see it again.  If you have absolutely any interest in this film do yourself a favour and see it on the big screen.

1883 - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part II

I don't know why I felt compelled to watch this - mostly 'cause I wanted something fun on in the background while I got some work done.  It's a tough film, this one, really just being the second half of something else.  Voldemort is kind of a weak villain here.  You don't really get a sense of his "plan" - what's he going to do if he wins?  What does that mean?  Is he going to take over the world?  You don't really get a strong sense of it.  Is he just going to be pure evil and try to make everyone else likewise?  That's my bigger issue with this series, mostly the films, is that we don't get a strong sense of the stakes outside of the typical good Vs. evil and life Vs. death.  

That being said the film is a lot of fun, the performances are solid, and it's a grand send-off for the series.  I'm really looking forward to exploring this world with my kids when they're old enough.

1672 - A Christmas Carol

So this is probably the last "holiday" film I'll watch - unless I can think of a solid New Years one - but either way I figured I'd go out with one of my favorite stories, and this is also the third iteration I've covered this season - the first being the Muppets, then Scrooged, and so it's interesting that it ends with something that is, more or less, aiming to be faithful to the source material (of which I've never read... I should do something about that...). 
What makes this version unique is the motion capture CGI and Jim Carrey playing Scrooge as well as all of the Ghosts.  For the most part the motion capture and CGI are welcome additions, making the story visual in a way that's just not possible otherwise.  There's an opening sequence that really gives us a sense of the city - I loved the opening scene with him taking the coins from Marley's eyes - great set-up to the character.  This is clearly designed to be a showcase for Carrey as an actor, however the real scene stealer here is Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchet.  Oldman brings you to tears in the scenes following the potential death of Tiny Tim.  He's phenomenal. 
The medium lends itself to give this story a really cinematic flow, allowing the characters to morph into one another to dramatically illustrate points, and that works very very well.  However it also feels sometimes like Zemeckis just might be showing off a tad with a few little action set pieces that do little to add to the emotional and dramatic impact of the film, they're really just there to add to the visuals, which is a shame since Zemeckis is clearly talented to do both at the same time - shame he doesn't. 
I really quite liked this - far more than I thought I would, so it's easy enough to recommend - however this is not a film for small children - the treatment is almost horror film quality in moments and I'm sure it could easily give kids nightmares, so there's that.  It's a gorgeous looking film and a solid argument for the advancement of technology in certain stories.  I'll do my best to read the source material as well over the course of the next year!

1528 - Tiptoes

I checked this out, I'm pretty sure, for the same reason that a lot of people will be in the next few days.  I was with a good friend last night who mentioned seeing something about this on Tosh.0 ripping it to shreds.  They have Tosh's segment on the comedy central website, but sadly not being in the US I can't watch it.  If anyone knows how to get around that region stuff let me know!
So I checked out the trailer when I got home - easy enough to find on youtube - and it was as spectacularly horrible as I was told. 
Above you see a photo of the beautiful Kate Beckinsale, but who is that beside her?  Why it's none other than the amazing Gary Oldman and, as the trailer says, it's the "role of a lifetime" wherein he plays a dwarf.  Just when you thought Gary Oldman could play anything...
Here's the premise, and I'm not making this up:  A regular sized man comes from a family of all Dwarfs and when his fiance (whom he's kept in the dark about his family) winds up pregnant he lives in fear that his unborn child will be a dwarf as well.
This film is just kind of bizarre - I really need to find a way to see the Tosh.0 segment.  I don't want to ruin anything in case you want to bask in the bizarreness that is that film.  I promise you that no matter what the film certainly doesn't follow by-the-book.  What's really kind of cool about it is that I'm sure it employed a large percentage of the working dwarf actors, and what's horrible is that they cast Gary Oldman instead of using someone of the proper size for the role.  That being said, whatever they did to create the illusion of Gary's size is pretty darn impressive.
If you want to see this just approach with the warning.  And I promise you that at least Beckinsale is worth watching for (as always).
Tiptoes