Movie Review: Sex Tape

Generally amusing, but never generates many laughs. Cameron Diaz’s Annie and Jason Segel’s Jay have good chemistry together. They both come off as likable and relatable. Their interactions generate some moments of realistic humor, that while not laugh-out-loud funny, feel natural and true-to-life. Most of the other characters, particularly Rob Lowe’s Hank, come off as a bit too over-the-top. The plot has a well-done set-up, but features poor execution. It starts off on what should be a grand quest of sorts, sputters out and goes a different direction…before sputtering out again. The ending wraps things up fairly well, but like a few other aspects of the film, comes off like a mediocre version of “The Hangover.”

** out of *****

Movie Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Solid movie, with great special effects but a bit too much ambiguity in the climax. The film has a solid, but generally predictable plot. The human characters are well acted, but never truly fleshed out. Only Gary Oldman seems to have any standout emotional beats. The ape characters have much more interesting story arcs. The combination of great CGI and acting by the motion capture artists create moving character moments between characters that don’t really exist. The effects over all are well done. Close up appear flawless and only a few moments, like scenes with fast movements, come off looking fake. My only real complaint is that it’s hard to pick a side in the conflict between the humans and the apes. Both sides are just doing what they need to survive and, with the exception of a few individuals, should be able to peaceful coexist.

*** out of *****