RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Back in 1968, a film challenged audiences and created a juggernaut that would spawn multiple sequels and a TV series. It was then, most would say, horrifically re-imagined in 2001 by Tim Burton which did to the saga what Batman & Robin did the caped crusader.

However, Nolan's Batman Begins showed what could be achieved with a long dead film franchise, so Brit director Wyatt has attempted to do the same with those "damn, dirty apes."

And he has succeeded. Very much so. Infact, his Rise... feels like it could have been from, or influenced by Nolan himself. A lot of this success stems from the clever use of emotional investment and manipulation. This emphasis placed on story and heart-tugging emotion as much as fantastic effects and brain-defying visuals starts at the beginning with an adorable baby Caesar and keeps hold throughout. So much so, that you find yourself on the apes side willing them on to succeed in their escape rather than the humans trying to restore order.

As you would expect, this is a film primarily about the apes and their rise, so the human cast does have to work extra hard to compete with Serkis' truly superb Caesar and his fellow simians. Franco's scientist who "creates" the highly intelligent chimp by trying to cure his fathers alzeimer's (Lihtgow in a welcome return) does struggle with the emotion of possibly losing both his father and the experimental primate so it's up to the likes of Felton, showing that his Malfoy wasn't all that bad in comparison, to illicit an emotional response from the human cast.

For the fans of the original stories, there are nods nicely woven into the background to help connect it to them - a missing mission to Mars crew for example - but others will see the simian similarities to the little-known Broderick-starer classic, Project X, especially the caged setting and the animals within. Each animal is given a personality and this comes to the fore when Caesar becomes the revolutionary leader and takes his place at the head of the ape-orientated army. There's even an orangutan that can sign and tries to help by telling Caesar to try and keep his intelligence hidden from both man and ape if he wants to live. And all the while, he retains the compassion and love that he was shown whilst growing up, admonishing the other escapee's who wish to kill their human counter-parts rather than disarm them.

A genuinely delightful surprise, rising far above the expectations that most remakes or re-imaginings have stapled along with them, it has a set piece in its final act involving The Golden Gate Bridge that shows X-Men: The Last Stand exactly how it should have been done.

UK release date: 12.08.11

Certificate: 12A

PROJECT NIM

It was once said that fact is stranger than fiction. There are documentaries that, if you didn't know it was based on fact, you'd swear it was made up with the way the story roller coasters.

After the successful (and rightly so) Man On Wire, director Marsh turns his lens on the story of an experiment from 1973 - one that is as shockingly relevant now as it should have been back then.

With its timing of release seemingly tongue-in-cheek alongside The Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Marsh's documentary shows the true horrific scope of what it would actually mean to try and adapt man's closest living relative to a level where both could communicate with each other successfully.

Even though the experiment took place 38 years ago, you'll find yourself becoming more surprised and shocked as the story unfolds at how something could have not only begun but continued the way it did. You'll find that you will wonder whether you're watching the foolish naivety of a mankind or the idiotic arrogance of a man. The worrying thing is you find yourself leaning towards the arrogance side especially when the movement of Nim from environment to environment due to experiment instigator Herbert Terrace's unhappiness with the results.

As the chimp is moved from his "home" where he's treated as one of the children through to the empty mansion where constant learning is pushed to gather more conclusive results, you wonder where any common sense is and where any compassion is. More so at the end where Nim is left to animal experimentation. However, there is some semblance of humanity in one of the last people to interact with the chimp who becomes a champion on his behalf - Bob Ingersoll - who refuses to let Nim slip away under experimentation.

Both interesting and distressing, this is a reminder that man has great potential but can sometimes totally screw it up by concentrating on the potential rather than the consequences.

UK release date: 12.08.11

Certificate: 12A

CLOSING NIGHT OF SUMMER SCREEN AT SOMERSET HOUSE

Despite the ever-changing weather in the UK, there are things that make people rise up to the climate challenge

often presented on this isle and gather together to celebrate it in a heart-felt, common interest union of spirit and soul...

Yes, the outdoor cinem

a experience. Any other country can do them, but only a true fan would risk the possible downpours that threaten any well-meaning screening. It has to be a great film and one that has fans: The Princess Bride is one such movie.

Chosen as the closing film for Film Four's Summer Screen at Somerset House, in London this year, as the host commented it was "the best happy ever after fairy tale" anyone could wish for.

Originally released back in 1987, Rob Reiner's affection nod towards the action/adventure genre has become, and rightly so, an insurmountable, quote-fest, cult classic that others have tried but never come close to a

chieving - Your Highness, I'm referring to you specifically now! It's attraction to it's huge, hard-core fan base can be "inconceivable!" to those who have never seen it.

Arriving at The Strand around 7:45pm, the first point of call was to find a cheap pub near the venue as the beer in the actual location can prove quite costly. Two quickly downed pints and the quickest supermarket dash through a Tesco Express for snacks, saw us ready for the spectacle that is outdoor cinema.

The rain had finally slowed and stopped to a level where hope fo

r a dry night didn't seem as pointless as an ugly geek searching for love, or at least lust, in a nightclub when the lights come up. Upon entering the always breath-taking, open square of Somerset House, we were presented with an already 99.9% full-to-capacity surface area of a highly-charged, happy and buzzing, food-and-drink consuming crowd. Blankets, mini hampers, folded up coats and sleeping bags littered the floor space with smiling and eager faces chatting away until the time that the phrase "dusk" came into affect and the film would begin. After finding a space that could house only half the size of a SMART CAR and achieving the equivalent of squeezing between punters at a crowded bar, we settled down with 3 beers each, suitable snacks, and waited for the magic to begin...

21:15 - natural light has given way to a dark tinted blue slab of sky where planes can be spotted by their lights rather than their bodies, and the silver screen erupts into life accompanied by a chorus of cheers and claps. The evening now, for all those present within the square, has truly begun.

As the dread pirate Roberts - a so cool and calm Cary Ewles that you could put your can of cola next to him to keep it chilled - makes his way through the many obstacles to catch up with Princess Buttercup and her captors, the crowd laugh along, sometimes even moments before the punchline arrives in anticipation of it; these people gathered here tonight will be just like me - able to quote continuously the classic dialogue to those poor unfortunate souls who have never had their life enriched from the movie.

The one thing that is slightly surprising though is the distinct lack of "quoting/shouting out loud" the well-loved and often repeated lines along with the characters when they're uttered... Maybe the crowd has come over all British and thinks that wouldn't be a polite thing to do perhaps? Instead cheers, whoops and claps are given to the delights that are "inconceivable!" "I don't think that word means what you think it means," "never get involved in a land war in Asia." Even surely the most quotable line doesn't get a loud, echoy duplication from the crowd but it does definitely get the loudest cheer - "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

23:00. Then, as soon as it had begun, the wonder ceases. The Princess Bride is saved and along with her true love Wesley/dread pirate Roberts, delivers the most passionate kiss, putting the 5 best kisses ever recorded in history to shame.

A classic evening for a truly classic film. My thanks must go to my "bro-date" who arranged the tickets but couldn't make it in the end,Tom, and to his stand-in, Jamie. Both are huge fans and long may we continue having fun storming the castle!

Certificate: PG

Available on Bluray and DVD now.

THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE

"Based on a true story..." usually means that possible viewers will either be bored or bombarded with Hollywood interpretation to the point of not caring or not believing.

Trying to find the line between those two states can be hard but it never stops directors moving away from documentaries or standard blockbuster-wannabes and giving it a go. So, after giving us such fare as Once Were Warriors and Die Another Day, director Tamahori now tells us the tale of one Saddam Hussein's son.

From the off, you should know that this is a film that doesn't hold back any punches, which is reflected in its certificate. You will find yourself swinging mainly between two pillars - laughter at the absurdity and shock at the insanity.

Despite it being the tale of the young soldier chosen to be Hussein's body double, the movie is really all about, and indeed becomes carried by, the moral-free, fear-inducing life and actions of Saddam's offspring. Both roles are played by Cooper who obviously delights in the poles-apart characters, and with his portrayal of Uday Hussein, he finally deserves to lose the tag of "love interest from Mamma Mia!" Try to imagine Borat crossed with Heath Ledger's Joker and you're some way there.

With his mood swings towards irrational violence, Cooper's Uday creates a worrying tension for the audience as you await the next outburst. That, tied in with his sexual appetite, makes such scenes as the ruining of a wedding day (think Braveheart's English noble claiming his rights) and his paedophilia tendencies (a skin-crawling scene) a stark contrast to the moments of joking with the unfortunate double that he will have to lose part of his manhood so that it matches his in size.

The unusual relationship between insane son and enslaved soldier gets time upon the screen to breath and grow but at the cost of the forbidden love between body double and Uday's "touch her and I'll kill you" girlfriend. This plot progression jumps ahead several feet rather than sense-making steps but then, whether you like it or not, it's all about Hussein and the love-hate relationship you end up having with the vile character. When he's not on screen, you wait for him to appear.

What does grate the nerves as opposed to the shocking of them, is Tamahori's insistence at continuously mixing war footage into the film to remind us of the conflict raging outside. It's apparent already and these cut-away scenes only slow the pace somewhat from what is building into a "will he, won't he" kill or be killed finale between the two Cooper's. other than that though, it's surprisingly good.

UK release date: 10.08.11

Certificate: 18

SUPER 8

For some, the most anticipated movie of the summer finally arrives weeks after its US debut - a film that isn't part of a franchise or a sequel and has two of the most exciting names connected with current entertainment.

Much has been made of whether this is a Spielberg homage or missing movie from the moguls back catalogue as opposed to a film from J.J. Abrams with the 'Berg's input. Well, it feels like a feature with its feet in both camps - as in it is the best of both worlds.

Anyone familiar with Abrams' output will find themselves on comfortably stupendous territory from start to finish. With a simple, heart string-pulling intro that sets up the broken family scenario through to the young, confidence-lacking boy defy everything from his over-bearing put-upon dad to the mysterious arrival that turns his town, and his life, upside-down, Super 8 delivers everything that makes a good movie a great one.

Now, if you wish, you could list all the 80's films that come to mind whilst watching it - especially Spielberg's earlier ones - but then this is as much a form of love letter to the likes of E.T., Close Encounters, The Goonies and the like as it is to modern movie-making. As with his Star Trek, Abrams lets lens flare bathe the cast and surroundings whilst the camera itself rarely stays still throughout the proceedings; always sweeping or dollying into a zoom to add to the feel of fast-paced adventure and danger that the kids are going through.

With so much of the movie resting on their young shoulders, (alongside the inevitable Stand By Me meets The Goonies comparisons) the group surpass previous "kids growing up" attempts with their believable bond and two of the cutest sweet and innocent romantic leads seen in years. When you hear the line "I'm trying the best I can to save you,..." spoken to Fanning's teen object of desire from our wide-eyed hero, you will wish you were young again so you too could say that to the person you had a crush on.

Throughout, the emotions are batted back-and-forth like a swingball, from laughter - the attempts at the homemade zombie movie with "production value" - tension - the catacombs chase - horror - the Jurassic Park style sequences of the "monster" hidden in the treeline - through to awe - the life-changing finale for the watching heroes. Very few directors or screenplays can keep that up through a films entire running time but here this is easily achieved.

Watching it is like remembering what original Coke tasted like after having 30 years of pale, recent imitations such as sugar-free and diet versions. It's like a full-on, full-fat nostalgia hit that made you crave the cinema experience when you were younger just as you did that sugar rush. Anyone who grew up watching, or indeed, appreciates the type of films that stood out in the 80's and have stood the test of time, will cherish this slice of pure, unadulterated cinematic joy. It's truly hard to highlight or pick out a duff note in its song sheet salute to youthful yearning, wishing and finding out the kind of person you can be.

And finally, for those of you who get up and leave when the end credits start - don't. Stay seated and watch in humoured awe at the finished "movie" that the kids were making when all hell broke loose and see the hilarious "mouthing on the phone in the background" shot.

UK release date: 05.08.11

Certificate: 12A