Everest features stunning cinematography

Movie  Everest

Rating: PG-13, 2 hours 1 minutes

Grade:   B

In a Nutshell:    This is an impressive movie to watch on IMAX and in 3D.  The cinematography and sound design will surely win some awards.   While the dialogue isn’t stellar, the cast is.  This true story is a memorial to all of those who climb mountains in their life, whether literally or figuratively.

The movie begins with some sobering information: “Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first mountain climbers to get to the top of Mount Everest.  During the next 40 years, mountain climbers attempted the same feat.  One in every four died.”   It’s not called the Death Zone for nothing. 

Uplifting Theme:

·         Friendship, loyalty, determination, hope.

·         Why climb Everest?  As the characters in the movie say, “Because it’s there!”  Dream the impossible.

Things I liked:

·         You get to see stunning images of Mount Everest and beautiful Nepal.  Some of the shooting was also done in the gorgeous Italian Alps.

·         The film does a good job of explaining the risks as the movie goes along, usually by way of a trail guide or the doctor who is teaching the climbers.

·         The cast is very good: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin.  I’ve loved Robin Wright ever since I first saw her in The Princess Bride .  She doesn’t quite look herself in this film, but it’s always a pleasure to see her.  Sam Worthington from Avatar gets to use his real Australian accent in the flick.  You get to hear Kiera Knightly with a New Zealand accent.

·         Every movie I’ve ever seen about Mount Everest includes terrible deaths, so this one wasn’t any different.  As beautiful as Mount Everest is, I have absolutely no desire to summit.  I am kind of fond of breathing.  Not on the old Bucket List.  Nope.  But I admit I’m fascinated with people who do want to climb it.  Director Baltasar Kormakur does a good job showing that it’s a different breed of person who dreams of Everest.

Things I didn’t like:

·         There are some stormy night scenes where it’s hard to tell what’s going on.

·         You pretty much know people are going to die, so the only surprise is who.

·         It’s a little bit hard to keep the characters straight once they’re covered in snow and dying off.  I would have liked more character development so that I could cry when they died.  I mean, I was sad, just not heart-broken, ya know?

·         It’s hard to imagine how the climbers must have felt.  They should blast the air conditioning in the theaters that play this movie so that you start to shiver.  Right?!

Interesting lines:

·         “It’s one thing to make it on top, but you pay me to bring you down safely.  Remember that.” – Rob Hall (played by Jason Clarke)

·         “We don’t need competition between the people.  There is already competition with the mountain.  The last word always belongs to the mountain.” – Ed Viesturs (played by Clive Standen)

·         “It’s not the altitude, it’s the attitude.” –  Doug Hansen (played by John Hawkes)

Tips for Parents:

·         Young children may get bored.

·         I’m assuming the facts mentioned in the film about Everest are true.   Nature lovers of all ages will be mesmerized by the beauty.

·         Some profanity, dead bodies, intense peril.

Want to see the original Everest with the awesome Liam Neeson? Check this out!

 

Want to learn more about Mount Everest?  You can start with these:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes provides action and drama

Movie Title:  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

PG-13, 2 hours 10 minutes

Grade:  B+/A-

In a Nutshell:   

When I was young I went to a Planet Of The Apes Movie Marathon with my friends.  We got a kick out of the furry franchise, featuring the talents of Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowell.  We knew the apes looked cheesy, but we still liked it.  Well, the apes sure don't look cheesy in this newest edition.  In fact, they're pretty doggone amazing.

This action-packed edition is a sequel to the successful 2011 reboot Rise Of The Planet of the Apes and showcases some truly amazing CGI.  Planet of the Apes purists will get to see some of their favorite parts: apes riding horses while toting AR15s, explosions, and plenty of human-ape conflict.

The dystopian genre has been extremely popular these past few years and, I must admit, it was interesting to imagine what my old stopping grounds, San Francisco, would look like after a deadly pandemic hits the area, wiping out most of the human race.  The setting and mood in this film are exceptional.

Uplifting theme: 

• Trust.
• Power.  The humans were trying to get power…electricity to run their colony of survivors.  The apes were also trying to get power…control over humans.
• Both sides, apes and humans, include those who see a future built on respect for the other, as well as those who are filled with hatred and prejudice. You’ll find yourself cheering for both sides.

Things I liked:

• Those eyes!  Those penetrating eyes!  Outstanding CGI showcases super detailed facial expressions on the apes.  The monkeys were extremely realistic, although some of their movements were a little too human.  There were a couple of times when some apes fought each other and it looked more like a professional wrestling match in the WWE.   
• The tears and subtle expressions on the apes' faces were so impressive.  In fact, those who shed tears in the movie (apes AND humans) do so in such a genuine way that it's not overdone.
• You get to see an adorable baby chimpanzee.  Adorable.
• I thought the “head hug” between (NO SPOILER ALERT) the ape and the man was very sweet.  It reminded me of the movie 10,000 B.C.
• I’ve always thought Keri Russell was so lovely.  I want a pair of her boots to tromp around in the woods.
• Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke do a good job and the uber-talented Andy Serkis supplies the meaningful voice behind Caesar, the leader of the apes.
• In the Mark Walberg edition of Planet Of The Apes , the apes almost had magical powers that enabled them to fly and jump to an absurd degree.  This film's apes are more realistic and believable. 

Things I didn’t like:

• I know they have to make distinctions between the apes so that we can tell them apart, but I thought the hippie, beaded headband that Caesar’s wife wore was just silly.  There was also some other ape that always hung out with the wife who wore a completely bizarre face mask with dangles covering almost the entire face.
• Why do they always put the dumb Bubbas in charge of the guns?
• There were some inconsistencies in the story.  For example, Malcolm said about the apes, “They don’t need power; that’s their strength.”  However, when we go into the apes’ headquarter camp at night, they have hanging lamps.  It made for a pretty lighting effect, but was illogical.  Why would the apes need lamps?
• The movie takes itself a little too seriously.  There were a few, mildly humorous moments, but it could have used a few more.

Did you notice?

• The symbol on the big rock in the apes’ headquarters.
• The muscle serving as the guard patrol at the apes’ headquarters were a bunch of beefy gorillas.
• I thought the sounds the orangutan made were really interesting and wondered if they were close to the real thing.  Click here to hear what a real orangutan sounds like.  It’s known as the “longcall.”
• Did you know that the talented actor who voices Caesar also created the fantastic sounds and movement for Gollum in The Complete Lord of the Rings Trilogy , as well as the duo films for The Hobbit ?
• It was a female actress who voices the ape, Maurice.

Interesting lines:

• “Fear makes others follow.”  - Caesar’s son
• “Trust.”  - Caesar
• “I see how much like them we are.” – Caesar
• “Ape not kill ape.” – Caesar
• “He saw things no kid should ever see and I’m not letting us go back to that.”  - Malcom 
• “What are you doing?”  

“Saving the human race.”  - Dreyfus

• “Home.  Family.  Future.”  - Caesar

Tips for parents:  Some profanity, 1 F-bomb, and lots of violence.  If you have kids who are learning sign language at school, they may enjoy watching the apes “talk.”  There are a lot of captions throughout the entire movie to help you understand what the apes are saying.  

If you haven’t seen earlier versions of the Planet of the Apes franchise, check out some of these: