War for the Planet of the Apes

War breaks Dawn’s over-obsession with monkey action and rises to the Apex of virtual emotion. Delivers remarkably little war, drifting instead into the style of a Chimp Eastwood revenge western. Beautiful cinematography, confidently slow pacing and a majestic score make the Hateful Ape an incredibly powerful and deeply human experience.

A Ghost Story

Spoilers: Casper Affleck dies. Also: Kissing. Furniture removal. Backwards smoke. Cars. Hospital. Halloween costume. Light door. Walking. Pie. More pie. Watching. Kissing. Ghost next door. Music flashback. Leaving. Watching. Hispanic family. College philosophy. Demolition. Construction. Office building. Settlers. Arrows. Empty house. Back again. Piano payoff. Ghostception. Frame story. Fortune Cookie.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Besson’s back in his Element with visually astounding sci-fi symphony. City of 1000 Effects Shots mashes together shiploads of spectacle to compensate for episodic plot, illogical ending and clunky emotional beats. Hawke hocks Rihanna, and Clive Owes more than this performance to albino Na’vi, but Cara’s character carries the film.