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We’re into May, the second week in May to be exact. That means we have blockbusters at the theater and some more female-centric fare on streaming in honor of Mother’s Day. Below is a look at my take on the new films I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

The Idea of You (Prime Video)
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, and Reid Scott
Synopsis: It wasn’t the weekend she had planned. Solene (Hathaway), a single mother, had planned a solo camping trip while her ex-husband (Scott) took their daughter (Rubin) and her friends to Coachella. Instead, he gets called to work and she has to shepherd the group to the concert. That includes a VIP meet-and-greet with one of the headlining bands, August Moon. While looking for the VIP bathroom, Solene stumbles into a trailer belonging to Hayes (Galitzine), one of the band’s featured singers. After the awkward meeting, and a flirtatious meet-and-greet, Solene seems to catch Hayes’ eye as he sings. But that’s the end of it, or so she thinks. When the singer shows up at her gallery, sparks continue to fly despite the big age gap. Can they make it work and find happiness? This is the kind of romance film that we see dropping this time of year. It’s based on the novel from Robinne Lee, though some of the details were morphed for this on-screen adaptation. What works well here is the chemistry between Hathaway and Galitzine. They hook you and pull you on this journey that has some fun and funny moments, but also has some good emotional beats. The film, which runs nearly two hours, feels a little long at times. There are also some awkward threads that don’t totally get resolved here. But I enjoyed the ride and I think this makes for a decent date night streaming option.
Rating: Rated R for some language and sexual content.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Theaters)
Starring: Freya Allan, Owen Teague, and Kevin Durand
Synopsis: It’s been 13 years since we were first introduced to Ceasar and seven years since his third and final film in the modern Planet of the Apes franchise. Now, we’re getting a return to the universe, albeit it in a new time period and with a completely new set of characters. So, is it a welcome return? This new film picks up with the funeral for Ceasar, the Ape leader who sacrificed himself for his people. Quickly, we’re transported several generations into the future. Humans are nearly extinct and Apes, in factions, dominate the planet. But they aren’t united as had been the dream of Ceasar. In fact, some have traded on and weaponized that dream, while others seek to keep his legacy alive. We meet Noa (Teague), who is part of a clan that lives in peace, connecting with Eagles. Quickly, they’re attacked by a warring tribe that has some new technology. Noa survives, but his clan is taken. He decides to hit the road to win them back. Along the way he meets Raka (Peter Macon), who is a true follower of Ceasar. He teaches Noa some of the lost history of the world and helps him to better understand humans. That comes in handy as they cross paths with Mae (Allen), a human who is alone and being hunted by the same tribe that took Noa’s friends and family. As both Noa and Mae are taken, they cross paths with Proximus Ceasar (Durand), a brutal leader who believes a secret human vault contains the keys to him dominating the planet. Can Noa and Mae come together and turn the tide, possibly saving both their people. I haven’t loved the modern Planet of the Apes franchise. I was somewhat taken with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but the lack of continuity among characters often made the first three films feel disconnected. I appreciated Andy Serkis and his work as Ceasar, but I didn’t feel connected to the larger world. From that standpoint, the new film succeeds by clearing the table. It also does a nice job of building characters in Noa and Mae, among others, that you can connect with and invest in. I liked the visual flourishes as well, including the nods to the original franchise in some of the sets surrounding Proximus Ceasar’s kingdom. The story works well here and sets the stage, possibly, for a series of new films that could widen the world. I hope if that’s the case we see a return to these characters and the story threads beginning in this film. The visuals here are strong and director Wes Ball puts together a nice and engaging film. It’s the longest of the Apes films, and it feels long at some points, but mostly it’s satisfying and keeps the action moving. During the summer season we’re looking for engaging blockbusters, and this one mostly delivers. It’s worth seeing on the big screen.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence/action.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Mother of the Bride (Netflix)
Starring: Brooke Shields, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Sean Teale, Rachael Harris, Wilson Cruz, Michael McDonald, and Chad Michael Murray
Synopsis: This is the kind of film you expect to get this time of year. It’s Mother’s Day weekend and we’re in the height of wedding season. In this one, Emma (Cosgrove) returns home to her mother, Lana (Shields), and shares that she’s getting married to RJ (Teale)—the boyfriend her mother has never met—in Thailand. Quickly, Lana is on a plane with her sister, Janice (Harris), for the destination wedding. But nothing goes as expected—including the fact RJ’s father, Will (Bratt), was her college ex. Things go off the rails quickly. Can the wedding still come together? If you’ve seen these types of films, you know how this is going to go. For a movie like this it’s not the destination—it’s the journey. The journey here has its moments. Shields and Bratt have some decent chemistry, while Harris and Cruz have some fun supporting moments. Murray is here for some reason, but neither his role nor the performance really works. But a lot of this is tepid at best. The back-and-forth with Cosgrove and Shields doesn’t really work, either. It’s OK and will likely appeal to fans of the genre, but it’s far from a must-see film.
Rating: TV-PG
Verdict: Two stars out of five