I feel like we’re heading into the Daniel Craig season. This flick isn’t all that groundbreaking even with its mix of genres but it’s entertaining.

Daniel Craig can’t remember anything, but he shows up and is bad-ass enough to make us question his background, even without the space age bracelet. When the aliens attack, it brings out folks’ true colors. Is it just me or is it hard to believe that people as attractive as Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde are compatible with 1873?

I was all aboard the people of different backgrounds coming together to fight the good fight. It didn’t really matter what they were fighting. Summer fun, plus I earned my $10 bonus on my AMC Rewards card so it was like it was free, you know except for the popcorn.

Notable dvd releases 8/16:

• The Conspirator – I couldn’t and can’t quite bring myself to be that interested in the President Lincoln trial, pass.
• Jane Eyre – Decently reviewed but I just can’t get that excited about the latest adaptation, pass.
• Priest – This post-apocalyptic vampire was almost up my alley but a little too dreadful looking to bother, pass.
• Something Borrowed – Good cast of Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin but romcoms shouldn’t be based on sleeping with your best friend’s fiancé, pass.
• Dexter (S5) – Will he almost get caught again, alas I do love the Dexter.

I’m not opposed to a standard sci fi action drama but was glad to see that this origins flick tried to be a little more. Before the apes ruled the world there was one. And I actually enjoyed the character of Caesar the ape, who at the hands of science, grows up right before our eyes. His awakening to his surroundings and his struggles through the movie are what really compel.

The people in the movie are all for the most part a little less dimensional. Franco is effective enough as the paternal scientist though at times his naiveté (or stupidity) is a little annoying. His pretty girlfriend, Freida Pinto, shows up just enough to make a few cautionary utterances, though mostly it seems like they don’t talk of anything happening that’s of import. And John Lithgow adds a lovely layer and emotional drive.

The special effects, primarily the apes all being cgi, is effectively done, although at times a little disconcerting when they’re just supposed to be apes. Maybe not perfect in either aspect there is both enough action as well as enough nods to a more complex allegory to keep me engaged.

Notable dvd releases 8/9:

• Jumping the Broom – Nothing compelling me to check out this two families conflict coming up to a wedding, pass.
• Mars Needs Moms – Animated space hijinks, pass.
• Paul – This sci fi spoof almost looks funny from the director of Superbad/Adventureland, probably pass.
• Super – Cast of Rainn Wilson, Liv Tyler, and Ellen Page almost make this this downtrodden man tries to be a superhero appealing, probably pass.
• Your Highness – Terrible reviews kept me away from this low-brow knights genre comedy, pass.

Steve Carell takes a nice turn as a foundering newly separated man. The relationships in this film are all funny and dramatic and complex but none is more fun than watching Ryan Gosling try to share the tricks of his trade on being a ‘real man’.

I missed the Gosling boat until now but he does a wonderful job being a shallow womanizer, without much malice. Giving tough love to his new protégé works. Even if it’s not so much the clothes that turn him around we don’t mind the makeover.

The movie is wise to give additional weight to the love in the ensemble cast; the all around stupid and crazy is entertaining. Julianne Moore has a tough task making the wife identifiable but the characters not being two dimensional is what works. Emma Stone is always likable, and Jonah Bobo does a lovely turn as youngest in love, with amusing supporting roles by Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon.

One must, as with most movies, forgive some serendipitous indulgences, at the end of the day it was quite a good ride.

Noteworthy dvd releases 8/2:

• Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost – I enjoy these made for tv adaptations of the Robert Parker series though I don’t know that I’d go out of my way to rent them.
• Rio – Animated bird movie, pass.
• Soul Surfer – I hate the idea of a shark attack in the ocean and not a huge inspirational story fan so for me this is a pass.
• Eastbound & Down (S2) – Haven’t checked this series out, not supposed to be bad, just cable and not all that interested.
• United States of Tara (S3) – Caught a couple of these multiple personalities and although it’s now canceled might be worth a look.

I haven’t so far been all that excited about the summer selections, when Friday rolled around I just hoped that there would be something that looked better than Thor or Transformers. Both Captain America and Friends with Benefits got decent reviews so when deciding which to see I decided not to decide.

I’ll admit I thought Captain America looked dumb, I like a good comic flick but maybe it’s just my lack of familiarity with this story. It hasn’t permeated our culture so it’s not as much one of the ones I want to see how they reinvented it. And not being familiar I can’t really tell if there was much reinvention. For those like me, it’s set in the World War II era, a wimpy guy gets a super soldier serum and fights the science guys crazier than the Nazis.

And although the movie was entertaining I am trying to put my finger on why I didn’t think it was all that. It followed the path, likable hero, crazy villain, strong and sexy romantic interest… and yet… Chris Evans is a good looking man but his likable-wimp-turned-hero ended up sort of bland. And the 1940s setting even with some futuristic challenges didn’t quite engage. That’s not to say that I might not be excited by a reinvention of the series in present day.

As for FWB it’s entirely what it should have been. To start with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake are both really likable. I’m quickly becoming a huge Mila Kunis fan, gorgeous and funny is a good combination and if she keeps getting good material (check out Black Swan if you missed it) I’m ok with that. And I’ve never been particularly pro or con with Timberlake but he is continuing to prove his acting chops between movies (check out Social Network if you missed it) and repeated performances on SNL if nothing else.

The movie isn’t revolutionary, it’s yet another take on the standard romcom but the script gives them both decent material to play with. The movie pushes a bit into the crass funny, we are focusing on the sex after all, but mostly just develops fun and of course flawed characters. I’ll even try not to hold it against them that they mock the unrealistic romantic comedy and then end up fulfilling it, I’d just be happy to find unrealistic apartments as good as theirs.

Notable dvd releases 7/26:

• My Dog Tulip – Tempted by this story of a man and his dog, I happened to catch the Ebert where he raved about it.
• Source Code – I missed and might catch this Jake Gyllenhaal try to stop a train explosion again and again flick.
• Trust – Might pass on this Clive Owen and Catherine Keener dark film about the impact of a sexual predator on a family.