"War for the Planet of the Apes" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 5/5 Stars

If there is a movie series out there that I find to be underrated, it is the modern-day Planet of the Apes movies. This series has never gotten the attention it deserves. Each movie has been consistently awesome, and it's hard for me to say which is better. James Franco in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" surprised me with his complex performance, and the way that the story builds is invigorating. "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is impressive in sheer scale with how realistic the CGI effects are, and the ending climax is a marvel. I've always loved the intriguing themes these movies have established, such as what it means to be human and just how far one will go to protect the ones they love. "War for the Planet of the Apes" is the possible final installment in this series. Here, Cesar is once again the main character and we see him and the apes in the aftermath of the second movie. They  are now at full-on war with the humans. When one human simply called The Colonel commits a horrifying act against Cesar, he goes on an expedition of his own to avenge his family and the rest of his kind.

This movie was not at all what I was expecting it to be. The trailers and posters built this up to be a gigantic war between humans and apes, and I was anticipating that there would be a huge battle that happens in the end. But in reality, the war scenes only serve as background. They aren't that important, nor do they last that long. Director Matt Reeves instead tackles the more metaphorical wars of the heart, mainly Cesar's. I never thought any movie could have me sympathizing so much with an animal, but this movie does. It is fascinating to witness Cesar's psyche throughout the film, and I could understand each conflicting part of him. I could see why Cesar wanted so badly to kill the Colonel, but I could also understand why Cesar was unsure about doing it. He wants to be good and not give into his violent animal tendencies. It's actually inspiring to see Cesar evolve in this movie into someone who is more human than some of the human characters surrounding him. This film doesn't give you a simple solution that the apes are the only good people of the world, though. Even The Colonel, who is overall a despicable character, still has a part of him that is broken, and in some sad way, we can understand his motivation for wanting to eliminate an entire species. There is a human child that follows the apes around, and she is entirely good, even coming to love several of the apes. Some apes actually work with the humans against their own species, but only because they are fearful of losing their lives. Matt Reeves does a great job in using Cesar as the character who attempts to understand and accept both worlds, instead of being filled with hate. Those themes alone make this movie a powerful watch.

Of course, the film is technically impressive. In the first movie, I will admit that perhaps some of the ape  effects were not the best but they were still cool looking. Now, you can't even tell that the apes are not really there. They all feel like creatures you could easily touch, every hair on their body looks alive. Their faces are always expressive, and you can understand what each of the main apes' personalities are. The special effects team show absolute dedication in bringing all of them on screen to life. The film is just awesome visually, as well. Every shot is visually impressive, and there is always something to look at. The aspect I enjoyed the most was when dialogue was used versus when it wasn't. It isn't often that we see a war movie have completely silent moments. But this movie has a lot of them. This is of course due to the fact that some of the apes can't talk. But Cesar, who can talk, sometimes chooses not to, and instead the expressions speak for themselves. That makes many moments in this movie all the more engaging, as you really have to pay attention to what is going on. Many moments here didn't need dialogue at all,  and that made those moments feel powerful in a way beyond description. When characters do speak, the dialogue hits hard. I felt as though every word in the movie had weight, no spoken dialogue was without importance. There's not many films where you can say something like that. There is plenty of action here too, and it is all heart-pounding and intense.

The acting is top notch. There was not one performance that felt out of place. The highlight of the film is once again Andy Serkis as Cesar. I have never gotten to see Serkis in a starring role in a movie before, and this movie (as well as the rest of the series) proves that he deserves more lead roles. A lot of Cesar's expressiveness is due to just how good Andy is at making animated characters feel so real. He's a one in a million talented individual. He just brings so much life to Cesar, and I felt and understood him at every moment. The animators can only do so much at making a CGI character feel real; Serkis is the one who finalizes accomplishing this incredible feat. This is undoubtedly his best role to date; in my honest opinion it even beats his other CGI roles like Gollum. Woody Harrelson is an excellent contrast to Cesar as The Colonel. I've never seen Harrelson in a role like this before, but he does it so well. He's not on screen for that long, but any time he's on, I was very invested in what he was saying. Harrelson brings the right amount of menace to this character, making me feel unsettled every time. This might be my favorite role of his to date. Steve Zahn as Bad Ape offers the first real comedic relief this movie trilogy has given us. While I wasn't sure about him at first, he became likeable very quickly. This character was fortunately not used to excess, but rather he offered some funny moments in a movie that can be very dark. He kept the movie from becoming overwhelming in its heavy content. The character also was complex and I wanted to know more about him. Amiah Miller as Nova delivered in a way I didn't expect. Child actors can be a hit or miss, and Miller was definitely a hit. She had to play her role entirely silent, so it was impressive to see how expressive she could be. She didn't have to say a word, but I understood exactly what emotion she was having or what she would say if she could talk. I imagine we'll be seeing a lot more of this actress in future years.

This was easily my most anticipated movie of the year (yes, even higher up than films like "Star Wars" and any Marvel movie), and it doesn't disappoint at all. From the heart-pounding beginning action sequence to the powerful ending, this movie was pitch perfect all the way through. It is definitely not the war movie I expected it to be, but I know now that it was the war movie I wanted. This movie deserves at least an Oscar for best visual effects, and I will be extremely angry if it doesn't get nominated. I couldn't possibly recommend this movie enough, and if you haven't already, you should watch the whole series. This is one of the best movie trilogies I've ever seen, right up there with The Dark Knight and The Lord of the Rings series. "War for the Planet of the Apes" may well be the most powerful and fascinating movie of the year!

"Baby Driver" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

If there's any director out there that has a consistency for making incredibly fun movies which also have dynamic characters and interesting plots, it's Edgar Wright. I've loved pretty much all of his movies, especially "Hot Fuzz" and "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World". He's made movies that are considered cult classics, and is an overall respected director. So, expectations were high for "Baby Driver", especially as it continued to get positive critical and audience buzz. And boy, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The plot revolves around main character Baby, who has to work for crime boss Doc in order to pay off some sort of debt. However, when Baby meets a girl named Debora, he falls for her and wants to get out of the crime business. But, there is one final heist he has to do, and as things unfold it looks like Baby and Debora could both be in danger.

This movie absolutely delivered, and it even exceeded my expectations. Let's talk about the production values of the film first. Man, does Wright know how to direct! From the beginning shot of this film, you're thrown right in and are immediately interested with what is happening in this movie. This film is beautifully shot from beginning to end. The production value can't possibly be talked about without also mentioning the music score. This is one of THE absolute best music scores I've heard in a movie. The songs all work well with whatever is going on, with the music styles varying from classic rock to dubstep/rap. There are a variety of tracks, and they are all a joy to listen to. It was a genius move on Wright's part to build the movie around the soundtrack; the music is pretty much its own character. Every action scene here is coordinated to time perfectly with the music. There's this one delightful gun battle where the gun shots go along with the drumbeat of the music, making for a wild mixture that works beautifully. The first robbery scene also works immensely well with the music chosen, as it makes the tone a bit more lighthearted. Music is a major part of this movie, as it is a huge part of Baby's life. In that way, Wright gets us into the same mentality as Baby, which is a clever move. I love every action scene of this movie as well, as there are a lot of white-knuckled car chase scenes. Action hasn't felt so fun yet so intense to me in a long time. 

Another thing this film did immensely well was juggling between tones. If there was a movie tonally I could compare this film to this year, it would be "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2". I feel like that movie often had a hard time balancing comedy with drama, with neither element completely delivering. Wright, on the other hand, knew exactly how to balance these two differing tones. There are some excellent punchlines in this movie that had me cracking up. There were also many clever visual jokes, probably some that I even missed because of how fast they were all going by. This movie also had some great drama. The audience felt for Baby, and was able to see him as a person who is a victim of unlucky circumstances. I could understand his struggles. I could even sympathize with the main villain of the movie, as he actually has someone he cares for as well. The tonal shifts in this movie could've definitely been off-putting if they hadn't been done right. Instead, they felt natural, and the way comedy moved into drama and vice versa is well-paced.

The acting in this film is top notch. Every cast member here delivers. Ansel Elgort as Baby surprised me especially. I've not been a big fan of him in the past (I personally thought he was weak in both "The Fault in Our Stars" and the Divergent movies, though that wasn't entirely his fault). In fact, I was worried he could bring the movie down. But instead, he's a highlight, creating an entirely sympathetic main character. I like following this guy, as there are enough odd things about him to make him compelling, and enough of a good backstory for me to feel for him. Baby is fully realized and fleshed out, and he has a clear character arc that works in context of the movie. I would not complain for a sequel just to follow Baby again. Kevin Spacey is predictably excellent as Doc. Spacey has this knack to dominate whatever scene he's in without even trying. The way he portrays his character in this movie made me want to take in every word he was saying and latch on to them. He is the one often telling some backstory stuff about Baby, and it is always interesting. I like how Spacey brings a mysterious quality to the character, making the audience wonder whether he is trustworthy or not. Jamie Foxx as Bats blew me away; he was easily my favorite part of the whole movie. His character is incredibly menacing, as Foxx portrays him as someone who could go insane at any moment. I could feel the menace in this character. But he also has some of the best punchlines, and Foxx's delivery of those jokes are always perfectly executed. Jon Hamm has a similar excellent turn as Buddy. He is pretty much as good as Foxx, perfectly making his character go from someone who seems smooth and confident to someone who is absolutely crazy and vengeful. Lily James gives an understated performance as Debora. I like how grounded she makes the character. She is the perfect antithesis to Baby's crazy criminal life. James gave Debora a sweet and emotional backbone, and because of that, I rooted for her to be with Baby. Jon Bernthal and Eiza Gonzalez both sadly didn't have a lot to do, but they still give it their all and also have great work.

The one problem I have with this film is more of a small nitpick. There was a point in the movie where I felt like the love story of Baby and Debora went on a little too long. For just a few minutes or so there, I lost a bit of interest in the movie. But, it picked up very quickly, and I soon found reason to care for these characters' relationship. "Baby Driver" overall met my expectations, and definitely exceeded them. With a killer soundtrack, superb production value, and a dynamic cast who play interesting characters, you don't want to miss this movie. It's the most fun I've had at a film for a long time, and you'd have to be heartless to not enjoy at least some part of it!

Silverstein "Dead Reflection" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

There are many different bands that helped influence the punk/rock and metalcore scene, and Silverstein is one of them. They've been around for quite a long time, having released an impressive eight studio albums. I just get into this band only like a few months back, and I've gotta say, they are quickly making the ranks in my top 20 bands. Except for maybe "Short Songs", all of this band's albums are solid. They've made rock masterpieces in "I Am Alive in Everything I Touch" and my personal favorite album by them, "This Is How the Wind Shifts". Now the band is back with their newest album, "Dead Reflection", which shifts them further in the more accessible rock direction.

One of the things I appreciate about this album, much like many other Silverstein releases, is it has a clear concept. This album has a clear arc in discussing how hard it can truly be to find happiness in your lowest points. Lead singer Shane Told expressed how he realizes for many of his listeners that they may be struggling to find something good to hold on to. He wants to show that you do have to go through hell sometimes to find it. This idea is established instantly in "Last Looks", which has the compelling lyrics "I'm killing off the lead in a one man show". This immediately establishes the character we follow in this album as someone who is broken and going through deep struggles. Musically this song is excellent, as it has some intense guitar riffs and Shane's reliable singing and screaming are both present. An even better track appears in "Lost Positives", easily one of my favorites off the album. I like the experimental synth rock that the band does on this track; it really pays off and adds to the song's dark atmosphere. This is one of the most interestingly written break-up songs out there as Shane discusses how he realizes his relationship isn't really working but if he would be lying if he said he wanted it to end. This song is incredibly catchy as well, with a chorus that will get easily stuck in your head, and Shane's vocals are some of his best here."Ghost" is a straight up jam, filled with hard-hitting guitar work and some excellent drumming. Something this album does often is use different images of reflections in order to build on the theme of the album. Reflections in the context of this album are distorted images of ourselves we make up to try to make ourselves happy, but those corrupted realities are part of what causes us to be unhappy. This track addresses a close friend of the protagonist. Shane states how he still sees parts of this person that could be who they really are, but at the end of the day they're only a pale image.

"Aquamarine" is easily the best song on this whole album, far and away. I love everything about this song musically; it perfectly combines punk/rock and metal to make a unique sounding song. The breakdown is perfection, and Shane's vocals are nothing short of beautiful. His voice reaches some amazing heights here. This could be a typical break-up song. But there is a very well-developed tragic story of how a piece of jewelry that was meant to be a symbol of a beautiful relationship ultimately became a reminder of how the relationship between these two people faltered: "Youʼre two thousand miles away, betrayers never change/A ring in a box but not from me/Itʼs still no diamond, itʼs aquamarine/Youʼll never find your place of peace/Youʼll always regret this". This story made me feel deeply for the protagonist, as there is so much vivid detail put into this track, especially in the visual imagery. This is easily one of the best songs of the year. "Mirror Box" is another big favorite of mine, especially as it experiments more in the pop/rock vein. The chorus is bound to stay in your head, and the way that Shane naturally shifts his singing voice into screaming is executed perfectly. "The Afterglow" is punk/rock to the extreme, from the fast-paced guitar riffs to the lyrics that are nostalgic in nature. It could be cliched if done wrong, but instead the song come across as extremely fun. It helps that Shane has another highlight vocal performance here; his voice has always naturally worked with this genre. I wouldn't have complained if more of the album was like this. This song is easily the most lighthearted on the album; it's placed fittingly as a nice reprieve from the overall very heavy content the rest of the album has to offer.

Speaking of dark content, "Cut and Run" has an excellent dark rock vibe to it that fits the subject of the protagonist accepting they can't run from their problems any longer and have to come to terms with the tough things they're going through. "Secret's Safe" really brings that idea home in a tragic way. This song is another one of my personal favorites, as it adds to that idea that we create fake images of ourselves. The protagonist is fully aware that his fake self hurts him more than he realizes. The beginning of this song has some beautifully written visual imagery: "I dug myself out of my grave, a box of pine and dirt remain/And every insecurity, I’ve left there with it/I laughed at every word you said, with sparkling eyes/A handsome head and confidence." Wow, those lyrics just leave me speechless every time. It helps that this song is a softer rock track; this let's Shane's emotional vocals bleed out through the whole song. Right after this we get a pretty fun metalcore song in "Whiplash". The album ends off with the most brutal song lyrically, "Wake Up". This song is heartbreaking, as the protagonist is dying and seems to realize that he's going to hell. He knows he's done awful things, and he now accepts his fate. There's something beautifully redemptive in this song though, as the song ends off with the lines "Wake up,wake up/There's somebody calling". It almost seems as though there is hope for the character to redeem themselves. And I think that might be a message the band wanted to get across to listeners, too. This song isn't preachy in its message, which is no matter what you've done, you deserve happiness and can find it. That makes this song touching in a way. That's why this song is another major highlight. It helps that the track is a beautiful ballad as well, and the way it builds to an epic climax makes it a powerful listen.

One of the only songs on this album that doesn't work for me is "Retrograde". This was a bit of an underwhelming lead single. It's not the most interesting lyric-wise, and musically it is all over the place and disorganized. I don't hate "Demons" (it's actually awesome musically), but so many songs this year have used demons as a metaphor for the struggles that we go through, so this song can't help but feel a little cliched. Still, I can't believe the roll that Silverstein are on. They have made their third masterpiece in a row. The theme of finding hope through dark times is needed in the period we are going through right now. I love the hard-rock sound of this album, as well as Silverstein actually taking some risks in doing some experimentation. "Dead Reflection" is a superb album, and will undoubtedly end up on my top 15 releases of the year!

Favorite Songs: "Aquamarine", "Wake Up", "Lost Positives", "Secret's Safe", "The Afterglow", "Mirror Box"
Least Favorite Songs: "Retrograde"