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2014 Summer Movies, Part 3 - July

By Mark Hodge (doddleNEWS)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Making a monkey out of a Hollywood studio is easier than you’d think, so when Fox rebooted the Planet of the Apes franchise for the second time (following Tim Burton’s wasted effort), the risks involved for director Rupert Wyatt were considerable.

However, following the critical and commercial success of that film, Rise of the Plant of the Apes, the buzz surrounding Matt Reeves’ follow-up, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, is rather unprecedented.

Set ten years after the events of the first movie, the sequel depicts the mounting tensions between the intelligent apes and the surviving human minority.

Indeed, Fox is pleased with the film, which stars Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke, critics have been give early previews and the reaction has been universally positive.

 

Sex Tape

 

While this romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel has a title which makes it sound sexy and subversive, it almost certainly isn’t.

However studio Columbia is clearly looking to exploit the naivety of some male movie goers by promoting the fact that 41-year-old bombshell Diaz will “bare all” for the very first time on screen. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but again this almost certainly will not happen.

The story centers on happy couple, Diaz and Muppets star Segel, who unwittingly release a private sex tape to their friends and family.

Unfortunately, judging by the trailer (see below), Sex Tape directed by Jake Kasdan , is another generic and harmless rom-com, albeit with a mildly imaginative premise and promotional campaign.

 

Wish I Was Here

 

Director and star Zach Braff’s decision to partly fund this film through Kickstarter is one of the most polarising in recent memory.

Luckily for Braff, most movie goers will be completely unaware of the controversy surrounding the project’s production. And even more encouraging is the fact that the Scrubs actor’s loyal fan base wholeheartedly backed the crowdfunding campaign.

Billed as an unofficial follow-up to Braff’s directorial debut Garden State (2004),Wish I Was Here centres on a struggling actor who experiences a mid-life crisis, and co-stars Kate Hudson and Ashley Greene.

 

Hercules

 

If you’re a small child or an adult who didn’t graduate high school, then you’ll be excited about Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s first outing as Hercules.

However, for the rest of us, the prospect of seeing the wrestling star jump around in front of a green screen is about as enticing as an assisted suicide by an Iraqi doctor.

To make matters worse, the movie is directed by Brett Ratner, the filmmaking equivalent of a homeless Labrador with opposable thumbs.

 

 

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