WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Review SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING Review
by Lisa Johnson Mandell
War for the Planet of the Apes Review — Let My People Go (to see it)
I wasn’t excited to see War for the Planet of the Apes, expecting it to be just another unnecessary, gratuitous sequel in a summer that’s jam packed with them. Then the film began.
I was captivated from the start, and remained awed throughout. It seems the third time’s the charm for this latter-day reboot of the Apes franchise. It’s consummately grand and original.
I dare anyone over 40 not to start singing…
Because you don’t need me to tell you that Transformers: The Last Knight is loud, annoying and nonsensical, I think I can best serve you by giving you the skinny on a couple of ambitious indies opening this weekend, in hopes that they’ll come to a theater near you sooner rather than later.
As we all get caught up in the feverish frenzy of fabulous female superheroes, it’s also nice to take a beat and focus on some real life superheroes whose everyday super powers are based on their ability to overcome their human — or their canine — frailties.
About three minutes into Wonder Woman, I thought, “My nieces MUST see this! All of them, from ages five to 39. In fact, every female in the world should see this movie, and the males must watch it too. It’s that good, that fun, and that profoundly satisfying, speaking from a female perspective.
What? You were expecting Oscar worthy content from a movie based on a cheesy TV show? This film unabashedly flaunts its beach babe / muscle man pedigree, and for that it can be credited. It’s good, naughty fun, with amazing bodies to be either enjoyed or envied, depending on your gender and preference. What’s not to like about almost two hours of 
I realize that director Guy Ritchie made this film for fan boys and gamers, but the history buff in me was offended when the movie opened with giant CGI war elephants attacking a dark, bizarre mountaintop castle that is supposed to be Camelot.
So if the Galaxy needs saving, best get Sylvester Stallone to pitch in – go Rocky! Well, not really, but the dude makes an appearance, which reflects the throw-nine-figures-in-a-bowl-and-press-SPIN mentality that powers this second chapter of the lovable 
I’m always thrilled to see films made by and for people over 35. Not that I don’t love all the fabulous Millennials in my life, but I grow weary of movie focusing on their trials and tribulations that seem so trivial and self absorbed from my lofty, craggy perspective atop all these many decades.