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War for the Planet of the Apes is another modern reboot of a sci-fi series that has entertained generations of moviegoers since its beginning in 1968. So, it is no surprise that the new reincarnation has done remarkably well at the box office. However, unless you main criterion for watching movies is the pure fascination that comes from special effects, you will certainly be disappointed by it. The movie starts basically where the previous one left it off. From that point forward, it is hard to grasp the main story-line since bits of distracting scenes are poorly woven in the fabric of the plot. Moreover, the intractable plot comes across as being too dark with themes such as revenge, punishment, and mercy killings (and suicide) that hardly make the movie entertaining unless one is easily distracted by the special effects and battle scenes that continuously take over the movie.

In the end, it basically becomes clear that director Matt Reeves has little appreciation for structure and is more interested in pleasing those that have short-term memory spans and/or easily excited by eye-catching specials effects of apes' facial expressions and combat scenes. Let's hope that the next Apes' movie would have more things to offer, at least for entertainment purposes.

The King and I, the everlasting tale of friendship and kind love that many around the world have been able to enjoy over generations. The story is loosely based on events that took place in the middle of the 19th century, when modern-day Thailand was the Kingdom of Siam. The whole story evolves around the relationship that the King Mongkut of Siam (Yul Brynner, who was destined to play the role) and Anna Leonowens (played by Deborah Kerr), the English teacher hired by the Kingdom to educate the royal children about the world around them. At the beginning of the movie, a clash of civilization could not be more evident as the King of Siam with his own peculiarities confronts his disguised personal teacher. As things evolve, a unique chemistry develops between the two characters, which transcends cultural lines. In their own subtle ways, the actors display a wide-range of emotions which is difficult to capture in any film. The film also provides a rare view of Rita Moreno's artistic range in her beloved character of Tuptim, the always faithful lover.

The movie is indeed not a biopic of true events or an accurate depiction of the Kingdom of Siam at the time, but rather a display of well-crafted cinematography weaved with beautiful songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein and superb choreography by the masterful Jerome Robbins.

The King and I will remain as a lasting testament of a generation of producers who saw their jobs as setting cultural references and bringing together all the necessary artistic elements to make masterpieces, who many still enjoy.

The new reincarnation of Ben-Hur takes us back to the 1st century but with less fanfare and artistic value than the 1959 version. The story has certain twists and turns that many will not find artistically appealing, though the depiction of Jesus Christ is more direct and less ambiguous than in the 1959 version. However, the Jewish-Roman conflict which has been part of the story since its inception is also on full display in the movie.

Needless to say, this time technology is in full command throughout the story but at the expense of a well-crafted, believable, deeply emotional script. Obviously it is always difficult to compare a modern remake with a master piece, that is so well-known by some many moviegoers around the world. Also, the chariot race is fascinating but messy and hard to follow from the emotional point of view. Given its presentation and editing peculiarities, it is clear to see why the producers decided to make it a summer movie, which characteristically involves a lot of action and special effects.