'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" Review: Which Ones Are the Real Animals?

Andy Serkis is not monkeying around.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked if I had a copy of the "Planet of the Apes" movie starring Mark Wahlberg that she could borrow. She and her teen-age daughter wanted to watch it. When I delivered it to them over lunch on Sunday, I mentioned that the 2001 film directed by Tim Burton is in no way connected to the new release, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."

She had no idea.

And it really makes no difference.

If you've never seen any of the "Planet of the Apes" movies, going all the way back to Charlton Heston, or the sequels, the television shows or the most recent reboot, 2011's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," the film's opening sequence will quickly bring you up to speed.

It's been 10 years since the outbreak of simian virus in "Rise." Apes are living peacefully in their own village in the woods outside San Francisco. Because they haven't seen a human in two years, they wonder whether any are left alive. Soon enough, they learn that there are human survivors of the man-made plague - and they have guns.

Right way, your know this is not going to go well.

Star Wars VII - The Cast

First off I am glad that the list is mostly unknowns as was the original Star Wars.  We don't know who is playing what yet but can only guess.  As been reported earlier this week, the new movie series will not be based on any of the Expanded Universe that has been circulating for years.  Joining original cast members Returning cast members include - Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamil, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker are - 

John Boyega (Attack the Block)

Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness)

Max von Sydow (Minority Report, Needful Things, Flash Gordon)

Adam Driver (Girls)

Oscar Isaac (Sucker Punch)

Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, King Kong)

Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)