Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) – Wes Ball

I love the Planet of the Apes franchise, including the Tim Burton iteration. And I’ve enjoyed them all, to be clear, I don’t remember much of the animated series from when I was a kid, or the brief live-action series, but I know the rest of franchise. I was initially unsure about the Dawn/Rise/War trilogy…

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) – Matt Reeves

Matt Reeves followed up his turn on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with War for the Planet of the Apes, the third film in the new series, which works to tie itself back into the original series, forming one big circle. Andy Serkis dons the mo-cap suit again to bring Caesar, the chimp,…

The X-Files (1996) – War of the Coprophages, and Syzygy

Darin Morgan delivers another fun episode for Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) with War of the Coprophages, which first aired on 5 January, 1996. Mulder, investigating UFO sightings in a place called Miller’s Grove (a play on the Orson Welles’ broadcast of War of the Worlds which took place in Grover’s Mill, when…

The Ape Man (1943) – William Beaudine

Bela Lugosi headlines another titles in DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies as I continue my journey through the chapter on Monstrous Apes. This unusual little film, barely running an hour, tells the tale of Dr. James Brewster (Lugosi), who has a problem. It seems through some study, and research, and experimentation he’s transformed himself,…

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) – Matt Reeves

  It’s back to the Apes saga as I dive into the most recent sequel as I continue my way through the Sci-Fi Chronicles. Set a decade or two after the previous film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Caesar (mo-capped by Andy Serkis) is leading a growing nation of evolved apes. But…

The Ten Commandments (1956) – Cecil B. DeMille

  Melodrama and spectacle are the order of the day as I dive back into the Historical genre of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. DeMille’s remake of his own 1923 is a towering, four hour long epic that boasted top of the line effects (at the time), stellar casting, including Charlton…

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) – Rupert Wyatt

  Ten years after the last film, Fox reinvigorated the Planet of the Apes series as I continue my exploration of it with the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. Featuring a stunning performance by mo-cap superstar, Andy Serkis, and emotional performances from both James Franco, and John Lithgow, the film gets the series back on track after…

Planet of the Apes (2001) – Tim Burton

  It’s time for a different vision of Planet of the Apes, as I continue my exploration of the series as I delve into the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. This time around, Tim Burton directs an all-star cast including Tim Roth, Helena Bonham-Carter, Mark Wahlberg, Kris Kristofferson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, David Warner and Estella…

Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) – J. Lee Thompson

  After the darkness of Conquest, the final film in the original Apes series is a little more family-friendly, and is my next stop in the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. Caesar (Roddy McDowall) is trying to keep his people safe, as he rules the apes, after the consequences of the war that was hinted at during…

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) – J. Lee Thompson

  The Sci-Fi Chronicles takes me back to the Planet of the Apes series again, as we take on the third sequel, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Set in the near future, the far distant year of 1991, the plague spoken of in the last film has struck, wiping out household pets, and…