Tag: Matt Reeves

Geekscape Review: ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’

by AllieHanley
Assuming that you’ve seen the first two ‘Apes’ films, this review is SPOILER FREE for the third installment.
In a film landscape filled with remakes and sequels it’s interesting that a trilogy of films about apes somehow supersedes all of the super heroes, robot-machines and furious car films not only in special effects, but in sheer story-telling ability. This third film in the franchise from  writer director Matt Reeves (his second in the series) cements itself as easily the best of the three.

In this outing Caesar and his growing family have made lives for themselves in the forest. The renegade gorilla Kubo, from the second film who wanted to destroy humanity, is long gone. All is well until humans bring war to the group of apes who just want to survive and prosper in peace. Caesar walks a deadly line where he will either become like Kubo to save his family or face extinction. That moral dilemma of either becoming like your enemy or transcending to a higher place is part of what makes “Apes” tick.

“War for the Planet of the Apes” isn’t a perfect film but the flaws are few and in between. “Apes” once again stars the very impressive Andy Serkis as Caesar and a bunch of green dots that enable him to appear as an erect walking and talking chimpanzee. Weta Digital who helped develop the special effects has truly outdone themselves. Of course people generally don’t go to a film just to see the special effects but this film could make a case for exactly that. Skillfully, it doesn’t have too because the film delivers on much more than just how realistic the actors look as apes.

 The story takes place fifteen years after the second, and while apes can communicate using sign language, only a few have the ability to vocalize due to the mutation that took place in the first film. Because of this plot point, an actor’s ability to be able to emote through layers of prosthetics in previous films was challenging; And while the green screen and CGI motion capture was really good, it was still obvious. The textures just weren’t there and the characters sometimes looked like animation. With the advent of even better technology though, this barrier that prevents actors coming across as real and genuine has been broken. The blur between an actor playing an ape has transcended to one that looks totally believable. While this is not the end all, be all why this film succeeds it does add a lot to the over all experience and quality of the story and film.

Adding to the film’s positive landscape is another bold and dynamic soundtrack from Michael Giachina (Rogue One, Doctor Strange) who is innately aware that a large portion of the actors are using sign language to communicate. His music takes great care to evoke emotions alongside actors who don’t get to vocalize a lot of audible language. Giachina even includes a few riffs of the original “Planet of the Apes” theme if you listen for it.

Reeves and his crew do an excellent job of creating an atmosphere of oppressiveness where the apes live in a world of rainy, cloudy environments. The color palettes are dreary and are expertly designed around characters who won’t be vocalizing. The environment and staging of the scenes go a long ways in helping to tell this story and it’s an easy bet that some nominations will be coming down later this year for the design work done on this film (besides the technical aspects which will be easily nominated as well).

There’s always going to be praise for Andy Serkis because he’s just so damn good. I almost don’t want to write about it because everyone will report on just how great he is when it comes to these kinds of roles but honestly its all true and deservedly so. It’d be nice if the Academy Awards recognized his work this year outside of something technical, and just gave him a Best Actor Nomination already, and not one he has to share with the entire cast. Outside of the challenges of performing with all the head gear and green dots, etc required by the role, Serkis has this physical ability to evoke so much with just a look in his eyes. Without Serkis, “Apes” wouldn’t be where it is today, hands down. There are plenty of big films out there with humongous stars leading the way with bigger than life talent, but many of them are interchangeable. This is so not the case when it comes to the esthetic that Serkis brings to Caesar.

 

The film is not perfect. Colonel, played by Woody Harrelson, is given the task of militarily leading a group of humans against Apes. It’s not Harrelson giving a lousy performance, he’s great, it’s just that the character is too overtly contrived. Yes, you need motivation for why a character will do what they do (vague to maintain spoiler free), however his underlying need for revenge is just the same old expectation you see in every film the revolves around revenge. Since Caesar is also walking that line it would have been nice to have just a bit less of you killed so and so, so now I must kill you. With that said, the plot twist near the end made up for it, and I absolutely loved the way the story ended up fitting into the original 1968 “Planet of the Apes” narrative from writers including Mark Bomback.

“War for the Planet of the Apes” stands on it’s own, stands as part of a worthy trilogy, and stands inside of the Apes mythos while never feeling like it’s stretching to do that.

All three films combined can go up against any re-imagined and or rebooted franchise films in the past twenty years and be cited as the best. That’s something to be said but when you really get down to comparing it to franchise films that rely heavily on action and go weak on character development and or story, “Apes” never forgets character development. Explosions, dramatic deaths, visceral fight scenes mean nothing if you don’t care about the characters. Reeves keeps that tightly in focus as he weaves a tale about survival of the fittest. As spectacular as the special effects are in this film, they wouldn’t mean anything if the actors didn’t have a meaningful story to perform. “War for the Planet of the Apes” is easily the best of the three in an already stellar franchise.

Final Verdict: 4 out of 5

Rating:
PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, thematic elements, and some disturbing images)

 

  • Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama
  • Directed By: Matt Reeves
  • Written By: Mark Bomback, Matt Reeves
  • In Theaters: Jul 14, 2017 wide
  • Studio: 20th Century Fox

 

UPDATE: Matt Reeves No Longer In Talks For Directing ‘The Batman’

by The_acz

UPDATE: It seems like ComingSoon.net has just confirmed that Reeves will indeed be directing and producing the film. What an emotional roller coaster 

Well, that was quick

2 weeks ago we reported that WB and Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves  were in talks to make him the director of the upcoming Ben Affleck solo film The Batman, but it seems as though DC & WB can just never win when it comes to the DCEU. According to people on the inside of the company, Reeves and WB have already stopped talks. These series of events continue to be an ongoing nightmare for both companies as the companies still have no concrete movie releases after 2018’s Aquaman.  The only way for the DCEU to really get back on track right now is Wonder Woman.  If this film can’t overcome another Rotten Tomatoes thrashing then will people be willing to go and see Justice League? What are your thoughts on these events? Who do you think would make a great director for The Batman. Tell us in the comments below!

WB Recruits Matt Reeves To Direct ‘The Batman’!

by The_acz

Late last night WB and DC announced that they have finally found their director for Ben Affleck’s The Batman.

Matt Reeves, Director of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and the upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes has officially been chosen to helm the caped crusaders next adventure. Now that they’ve chosen a pretty solid director, it’s now up to the writing team to deliver a solid, comprehensible script. Affleck has stated multiple times that he will refuse to do the film unless the script gets all the love and attention it can get (Unlike the past 3 DC movies.) Overall, a safe choice, but the company really isn’t in the position to make any risky moves right now.

What are your thoughts on this new director news? Who would you have chosen to direct the film? Tell us in the comments below!

Here’s The Official Logo For Matt Reeves’ ‘War For The Planet Of The Apes’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We still don’t know a lot about the feature, but following the incredible first set photo last month, director Matt Reeves has taken to Twitter to reveal the official logo for the Summer 2017 sequel, and also let fans know that a special announcement is incoming (during television’s most popular show, no less) this Sunday!

As a huge fan of Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Reeves’ own Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, I’m seriously excited to see what’s in store for us with this next film.

Hopefully this Sunday’s announcement will offer up the first footage from the feature, but with the release date still so far away (July 14th, 2017), I could certainly see a trailer taking substantially more time to release.

Are you looking forward to the film? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

The First Set Photo From ‘War For The Planet Of The Apes’ Will Tickle Your Nostalgia Bone

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: With all of the Star Wars news (and rumours) this past weekend (that final trailer though), plus the overexertion from climbing Vancouver’s famous Grouse Grind (hear all about it on the latest episode of Geekscape, featuring, well, me), somehow this one slipped right passed me.

Which is unfortunate, because it’s incredible.

Yep, director Matt Reeves has shared the very first set photo from the now-in-production War For The Planet Of The Apes (which can’t come soon enough), and it will really, really give you that warm nostalgic feeling if you’re a fan of the original series.

Why, why did this have to be delayed?

In any case, take a look at the image below, and let us know if you’re excited for this third film. War For The Planet Of The Apes is slated to hit theatres on July 14th, 2017. We still don’t know a lot about the feature, but we’ll be sure to share more as soon as we do.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

by MCDave

Following a well-received origin story that turned into a worldwide box office smash grossing just shy of $500 million, it was a no-brainer to expect a sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Yet, rather than immediately churning out a rushed and thoughtless continuation, the studio handled things perfectly by assembling a whole new team and taking the necessary time to get the project done right. Consequently, director Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stands tall as one of the summer blockbuster season’s finest films.

A decade after a deadly virus first spread and super intelligent apes escaped into the forest, the human population has become scarce and their ability to survive hinges on a broken down dam miles from civilization. A team of explorers venture deep into the barren wilderness and stumble upon hordes of advanced chimps lead by Casear. Malcolm (Jason Clarke) explains their desperation and Caesar gives the humans permission to occupy the land and fix up the dam. However, co-existence between apes and humans becomes more difficult than either species could have ever imagined.

dawn1

Similar to its predecessor, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes decides to hook its viewers by establishing an instant connection with Caesar and the rest of the primate colony. Yet, director Matt Reeves and his team of writers deserve an abundance of credit for their exemplary job at building a bond from the film’s opening sequence. From there a cleverly constructed story combining subplots of greed, jealousy and revenge take the wheel and steer the film to an action-packed and equally dramatic finale. Supported by sound performances from rising star Jason Clarke and amazing CGI work based on the movements and expressions of the under-appreciated artist Andy Serkis, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes swings past the first film and represents a class of its own.

dawn2

Despite my affection for the latest installment to the storied franchise of films, there were a few concerning aspects. One such area is the long-winded and action obsessed third act that I usually find troubling during the blockbuster season. However, a brilliant foundation and captivating story helps to soften the blows. Furthermore, images of apes wielding machine guns and riding on horseback to a brutal ambush seemed a little overboard to me. But once again, I felt compelled to overlook these minor annoyances thanks to a fundamentally strong creation from Matt Reeves and his team.

Although I felt as though Dawn of the Planet of the Apes begins wonderfully and slowly weakens throughout, the end result was still a fine piece of work that transcends the prototypical summer blockbuster. Don’t be fooled into believing that the feature is a revolutionary masterpiece, but find solace in accepting the film for what it is … an entertaining and well-executed final product. I enjoyed the story, found the acting to be believable and embraced the ride. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.

GRADE: 4/5

You can catch other work from MCDAVE at his host site

Matt Reeves Signs On For Third ‘Planet Of The Apes’ Film

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Months before Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will hit theatres, director Matt Reeves has signed on to helm a third film in the once again relevant Planet of the Apes franchise.

Reeves will also write the sequel, along with Dawn screenwriter Mark Bomback. No other details have been revealed at this time, nor has a release date been set.

Are you looking forward to seeing Dawn of the Planet of the Apes this Summer? Did you catch the film’s first trailer a few weeks back? Sound out below!

LET ME IN

Source: Deadline

Gary Oldman Joins ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

This one looks to be shaping up nicely.

 

Just moments ago, Comingsoon revealed the latest star to sign on to Matt Reeves’ upcoming Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. It’s none other than the Oscar nominated, highly versatile Gary Oldman, whose character will lead a human colony in the film.

 

Oldman will join Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Cody Smit-McPhee, and others in the sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The sequel is set 15 years after the ape-invasion portrayed in the first film.

 

Gary-Oldman-001

 

Are you excited about the news? What did you think of the first film? Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on May 23rd, 2014.

Jason Clarke Signs On For Lead Role In ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Shawn Madden

Actor Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) has signed on for the lead role in 20th Century Fox’s Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. While there are not details regarding just what his role will be, there are some first plot details regarding The Matt Reeves directed sequel to 2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes.

 

The film will be set 15 years after the events of  Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes and will focus on the group of human scientists who are struggling to survive alone in San Francisco as well as the struggle of intelligent ape Caesar to maintain dominance over his kingdom.

 

apes

 

The script for the film is currently being written by Mark Bomback (Total Recall, The Wolverine), with Peter Chernin, Dylan Clarke, Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa on board to produce.

 

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is set to hit theaters May 23rd, 2014.

 

Source: THR

Matt Reeves Will Direct ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Last week we showed you Fox’s list of possible directors for the sequel to last years phenomenal Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The list included some great names, such as J Blakeson (The Disappearance Of Alice Creed), Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later), Rian Johnson (Looper, Brick), and Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy)

Shawn had commented that Matt Reeves had stepped down from his other projects, signaling that he may have ben the chosen one.

Looks like that is in fact the case! Deadline has revealed that Matt Reeves will in fact be at the helm of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The film is set to release on May 23rd, 2014.

What are your thoughts? Looking forward to the film? What did you think of his previous efforts, Cloverfield and Let Me In?

Guillermo Del Toro & Rian Johnson On Fox’s List Of Directors For ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Shawn Madden

Last week it was revealed that Rupert Wyatt had stepped down as director of the upcoming sequel to Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Now 20th Century Fox has come up with a short list of directors to replace Wyatt for the upcoming sequel, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes.

Deadline have revealed that the directors on the list consist of Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), J Blakeson (The Disappearance Of Alice Creed), Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later0, Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage), Jeff Nichols (Mud) and the final two names that are sure to excite a lot of people. Also on the list are Guillermo del Toro, who we don’t need to tell you what he’s done because you already know, and Rian Johnson (Looper).

Apparently Reeves is currently on the top of the list having stepped away earlier today from Warner Bros. planned remake of The Twilight Zone citing schedule conflicts. Could this mean that the director has chosen to take on Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes instead? It’s quite possible. Expect an announcement very soon.