I had been waiting to see these 2 films for awhile now as it's currently difficult to see too many movies at the cinema thesedays for various reasons but i have 2 TERRIFIC & very DIFFERENT film RECOMENDATIONS for you folks out there.

They are...

"VALERIAN : And the City of a Thousand Planets"

I am a HUGE fan of director LUC BESSON anyway, "LEON", "The Fifth Element", "The Adventures of Adele Blanc Sec" & "LUCY" to name but a few.

Now this is COMIC BOOK based so don't expect too much in the way of thinking SCI-FI but the VISUALS are DELIGHTFUL.
The British model CARA DELEVINGNE co-stars & I had serious doubts about this...hats off to her she does well as VALERIAN's side kick co-star.

It's an interesting story as it shows what I think many of us suspect...that in the future it's perhaps NOT the ALIENS we SHOULD be worried about but let's just say THOSE Closer to Home.

I ADORED the OPENING SEQUENCE & I can't imagine ANY science fiction fan that wouldn't!

It concerns an old familiar looking tin can spacecraft & then something looking a little like the ISS up there & it getting bigger & BIGGER whilst accepting more & MORE guests who seem to get steadily more ADVANCED & STRANGER.

Yes we shall see ONE DAY that it's not just the ODD SPECIES out there that EXISTS but MULTITUDE of them...it's going to be FUN & INTERESTING for those folks in the future from here on Earth who get to meet them...I would have LOVED TO meet them ALL (well ok perhaps I would leave ANY Klingon VIOLENT types alone )

It's not the MOST interesting STORY in the WORLD but the VISUALS alone as is the want with BESSON are highly IMPRESSIVE.

If you have a 3D TV you MUST get the 3D DISC...there are some EXCEPTIONAL 'SPACE' shot worth the extra few pounds alone.

It's ACTUALLY movies like this & the other one below which make it worth buying a decent inexpensive PROJECTOR to show them to your family and / or friends at CHRISTMAS on a BIG SCREEN or WALL.

Great Fun to be had here from this film & the chemistry between the two leads here works (even though it seems they didn't get along in real life)

Oh & if you like to splash a little might I recommend you search out the UNUSUAL 'Artwork version' STEELBOOK Blu-Ray which is AWESOME front & back...this film did remind me a little of a more family friendly 'BARBARELLA' & that film is FUN with a capital F

On to FILM Number 2...

I have to admit I have not seen too many films this year (2017) I usually buy older Blu-Rays & see a few more at the Cinema but NOT this year but up to this point I would have probably said my FAVOURITE FILMS of the YEAR would have been...
"KONG : Skull Island"
"ROGUE ONE" which for me was even better than JJ's "Star Wars : The Force Awakens"
"WONDER WOMAN" enjoyed the hell out of that & much better than the dour BATMAN v SUPERMAN film (although I did LOVE the first SUPERMAN film in the new series entitled "MAN of STEEL" that is MORE science fiction FILM than SUPERHERO movie)
"GUARDIANS of the GALAXY Volume 2" is MY SORT of FILM, Superhero Sci-Fi film with FUN OTT Humour & KURT RUSSELL!!!
"DESPICABLE ME 3" is far more ENTERTAINING than I could have ever imagined & I love those little yellow fella's (THE MINIONS)
"ALIEN : COVENANT" was interesting but if completely honest disappointed me somewhat after the interesting PROMETHEUS it seems to me they took a step back from investigating the INTERESTING SUBJECT of who made / created us & where might we find them? & what would we do or say if we caught up with them...still entertaining but went back to a more ALIEN feel.

Which brings me to MY FAVOURITE FILM of the YEAR

Who would have thought it? NOT ME! and it TOPS the NUMBER 1 spot by MILES & MILES it is an UNEXPECTED SHOCKER of a FILM.

The Cinematography is BREATHTAKING, the story is GLOURIOUS & DARING, it has HEART, SOUL & is DEEPLY MOVING at times.
The acting for such a movie is unexpected, it has a STORY you should care about & take note of & it has special effects sequences which will surely bring about an ACADEMY AWARD in 2018 (and hopefully a whole lot more in ALL CATEGORIES including one would like to think? BEST PICTURE? BEST DIRECTOR? & BEST ACTOR for the exceptional ANDY SERKIS)

Yes we are talking...

"WAR for the PLANET of the APES"

I have always been a fan of the older APES movies especially the ORIGINAL Charlton Heston first film which I still remember as a young child bowling me over upon discovering he was still on EARTH & THAT final shot...damn you damn you ALL to HELL! Humans huh? what can you do?
Well if I had the chance I would transport all the bad one's along with the greedy, money mad, war mongering only in it for the power one's to the MOON for them to battle it out between them whilst we here on EARTH get along well with each other in PEACE.

Yup it's the obvious thing to say but it's true here...The APES here ARE actually MORE Human than we ARE.

It's a truly exceptional (and for me HUGELY SURPRISING) movie

It is called "WAR" of the Planet of the Apes & i have to say i was expecting a HUGE LONG BATTLE with numerous special effects sequences & WAR on a HUGE SCALE....

I DID NOT GET IT

What you get is a thinking science fiction story, beautifully directed, acted & photographed, yes there are battle / war sequences at either end of this film but THIS is ALL about the STORY & the POINT both we HUMANS & APES have now REACHED & i have to say it's VERY WELL DONE.

And there are moments that will have you wiping away a tear or two...NOT so much a WAR MOVIE but rather a MINDFUL movie, it really does get you thinking, it also has some FUN NODS to APE FILMS of the past & possibly of the FUTURE? you'll see
It has a very SUBTLE finish i think.

Again if you have a 3D set up then buy the 3D version...if you have a PROJECTOR view it with the family (IT IS TRULY AWESOME) it's perhaps even worth hunting down a reasonably cheap Projector from off E_BAY just to view this with the family at CHRISTMAS...YES it really is that GOOD.
The Previous two films in this SAGA were also GOOD but this (for me) was on a WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

MY FILM of THE YEAR & then SOME...seen nothing better for a FEW YEARS...ENJOY.
Andy Sirkis for BEST ACTOR surely (MOTION CAPTURE or NOT)

Oh & you are just going to FALL IN LOVE with one of the APES (a new cowardly lion type who has the HEART of a TIGER)
Just another reason to praise this film...NO WEAK links, you'll even feel somewhat sorry for Woody Harelson's character.
TREAT YOURSELF to probably? THE BEST FILM of 2017.