Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z: Apes together strong

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Directed by Rupert Wyatt

Written by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Mark Bomback

Spoilers: severe

Sure, but the CGI on the kid is amazing

MOWGLI: LEGEND OF THE JUNGLE

Even with the anti-hype machine in full swing, I held fast to my faith in Andy Serkis' Mowgli as the better of the two Jungle Books we were going to get this decade.  Unfortunately, I can't say my faith was wholly justified, even if Mowgli does offer a fair amount to enjoy.

2018

Directed by Andy Serkis

Written by Callie Kloves (based on stories by Joseph Rudyard Kipling)

With Rohan Chand (Mowgli), Christian Bale (Bagheera), Andy Serkis (Baloo), Peter Mullan (Akela), Naomie Harris (Nisha), Louis Ashborne Serkis (Bhoot), Cate Blanchett (Kaa), Freida Pinto (Messua), Matthew Rhys (John Lockwood), Tom Hollander (Tabaqui), and Benedict Kumberbatch (Shere Khan)

Spoiler alert: moderate

King of kong

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

2017 was a pretty great year for movies about primates other than people.

2017

Directed by Matt Reeves

Written by Mark Bomback and Matt Reeves

With Andy Serkis (Caesar), Karin Konoval (Maurice), Terry Notary (Rocket), Michael Adamthwaite (Luca), Amiah Miller (Nova), Steve Zahn (Bad Ape), Toby Kebbell (Koba), Ty Olsson (Red Donkey), and Woody Harrelson (The Colonel)

Spoiler alert: moderate

Steven Spielberg, part XXXII: Blistering barnacles!

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

Spielberg teams up with Peter Jackson for a throwback adventure into the past, rendered with all the tools of the future, and the film they made together is truly something to behold.

2011

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, and Joe Cornish (based on the comics by Herge)

With Jamie Bell (Tintin), Andy Serkis (Capt. Haddock), Nick Frost (Thompson), Simon Pegg (Thompson), Toby Jones (Mr. Silk), and Daniel Craig (Sakharine)

Spoiler alert: moderate

A planet where hype evolved from men?

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

So I promised a full franchise retrospective.  So I haven't given it to you yet.  So I have a job, and that's how I keep a roof over our heads, baby.  It's you and me and we're in this together.  But before I break fully into a Bon Jovi song, this here's a draft of Part VIII of that series: Dawn is an eminently worthy sequel, but if this sounds less than entirely enthusiastic, it's because unlike its so-close-to-perfect predecessor, Dawn does have its problems—from its recombined DNA up.

2014
Directed by Matt Reeves
Written by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver
With Andy Serkis (Caesar), Toby Kebbell (Koba), Karin Konoval (Maurice), and Jason Clarke (Malcolm) (he's the one who's just some guy)

Spoiler alert: moderate