I Love Going to the Movies

Movie: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Starring: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow and Andy Serkis.
Released Nationwide: August 5, 2011
Stars: 3 1/2

James Franco's character of Will is trying to create a cure for Alzheimer's disease by testing a genetically engineered retrovirus on chimpanzees so that he can help his father (who suffers from the disease). The retrovirus gives the chimps increased intelligence, and after the chimp that seems to show the most improvement in intellect goes on a rampage after believing that her baby was threatened, the project is scrapped. Will takes the baby chimp home and raises him in secret, discovering that the increased intellect was passed on to the baby (which is named Caesar). Caesar soon becomes part of the family, and years later (after the retrovirus proves to no longer be effective), Caesar attempts to protect Will's father from perceived danger. Because of this, Caesar is forced to live in a primate sanctuary, and while there he becomes a dominant force amongst the other primates. He soon figures out how to free himself from his cage, as well as from the facility, and he gets a hold of a newer, more powerful version of the antivirus. After exposing the other primates to an airborne form, he attempts to free them all from their prison.

( Here there be spoilers )

This one is worth checking out in at least a matinee format.

Movie: Super 8
Starring: Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Riley Griffiths, Gabriel Basso, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, and Elle Fanning.
Released Nationwide: June 10, 2011
Stars:2

A group of friends are working on making an amateur zombie film that they are hoping will win at the festival that they are planning on entering it in. In the process of filming one of the scenes at a train station, they witness a massive derailment of a passing train, and the camera that they are using happens to catch something escaping from the wreckage. The military quickly takes over their town, looking for what escaped from the train, and bring it back into custody. All the while, the kids are trying to figure out what is going on while they are trying to evade capture by the military (and as they are trying to keep themselves from being killed).

( Here there be spoilers )

This film does not live up to the hype that seems to surround Abrams these days, and it's probably better to either skip it, or wait until you can catch it in a matinee.