MOVIE REVIEW: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Sets the Standard for What the Summer Blockbuster Should Aspire To

People often forget that the whole idea of the summer blockbuster started with Jaws, which is a film that is far more interested in character than it is with spectacular set-pieces and action. However, Jaws does have those things, and as time has worn on the spectacle of summer films have often been at the cost of character. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a rallying cry to the importance of focusing on creating great characters and letting that drive the plot rather than the other way around. In an age of soulless action fare like the Transformers series, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes feels like one of the most intelligent and adult pieces of genre entertainment available.

MOVIE REVIEW: SNOWPIERCER Is the Kind of Sci-Fi Film We Need: Entertaining While Also Being Important

Science fiction films these days that concentrate on their ideas more than their spectacle have mostly been lower budget productions. The days of seeing heady sci-fi at the multiplex seem long gone, replaced with flashy and bombastic spectacle that does nothing for the parts of your brain that utilize critical thinking. That's why a film like Snowpiercer needs to be seen. It proves that you can still make a great sci-fi film full of style, but without having to sacrifice any substance. In fact, Snowpiercer makes it clear that the substance is what informs the style, and not the other way around.