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Several years since the new founding fathers of America enacted “The Purge,” (a lawless night where all crime is legal) a number of abstaining citizens find themselves in the unfortunate position of being stuck in the eye of the storm as the purge begins. Things look bleak for Eva (Carmen Ejogo), Cali (Zoe Soul), Shane (Zach Gilford), and Liz (Kiele Sanchez); until a mysterious purging man with a conscience (Frank Grillo) opts to save their lives. By sticking together they might all just survive the night, but what are each other’s true motives, and might that be an issue? Written and Directed by James DeMonaco a slightly larger scope to the modest proposal of 2013’s The Purge appears in view with no political misgivings; sadly, given the slasher/horror treatment deployed, audiences who could benefit from such a political message will probably stay far far away. None the less, effective tension and pacing keeps things interesting, and with a runtime well under 2 hours no welcome’s are overstayed. From an acting standpoint the entire ensemble performs nicely, punctuating the overall horror with just enough humor to keep things lively, so to speak. Fans of the genre will appreciate, although, creativity in death scores a relative low on the spatter scale, hmmm. The Purge: Anarchy is rated R.

10 years since the manmade outbreak of simian flu destroyed most of the human race, a growing population of genetically modified and evolved apes led by the dominant chimp, Caesar (Andy Serkis), continues to build strength in the forests outside of San Francisco; it’s only a matter of time before humans and apes path’s cross again. So, when outdoorsman and adventurer Malcolm (Jason Clarke) and a team of humans unsettle the apes by accident it’s anyone’s guess how Caesar and his followers will react. Unbeknownst to the apes, they’re practically siting on a hydro-electric dam, something Malcolm and the humans desperately need. Meanwhile, the military trained Dreyfus (Cary Oldman) is bracing for the possibility of war. Before long, contempt, distrust, and growing tensions between species reach a flash point, it’s war– but everything is not yet lost, perhaps there are lessons both species can still teach each other, might the two live in harmony yet? Slowly rising to a boil and subsequently boiling-over Director Matt Reeves once again successfully pulls us into a post-apocalyptic narrative that, while predictable, is still enjoyable; dashing humor, action, and nods to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, along with obvious criticism of human nature and global politics. From an acting standpoint, the ensemble performs fantastic, including some heavy duty character acting from ape actors Toby Kebbell, Terry Notary, and Karin Konoval. Special effects throughout are nothing shy of amazing right up to the final extreme closeup of Caesar/Serkis’s eyes, stunning. And, a standout score composed by Michael Giacchino grows from a campy start to a full brooding, festering thematic cacophony, icing on the cake. Still, perhaps a few minutes longer than necessary, don’t let this egg spoil the batch, this one gets the simian thumbs up on all limbs. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is rated PG-13.

On their last night of living in the same neighborhood, Alex, Tuck, Munch, and Emma (Teo Halm, Brian Bradley, Reese Hartwig, and Ella Wahlestedt) set out to follow a series of clues and encrypted messages on their cell phones. But, early on the gang learns they’re not alone in the search for what turns out to be an extraterrestrial distress call. Quickly piecing things together a new and unexpected friend is made, echo, an interstellar traveler light years from home. Now the race is on to help Echo reassemble his parts in an effort to return home, the meddling Dr. Madsen (Jason Gray-Stanford) may have something to say about all of this though. Writen by Henry Gayden and Directed by Dave Green this pre-teen adventure makes for another formidable addition to what’s already a fairly crowded dance card. Surprisingly well acted by the ensemble, on the surface this light spirited jaunt also manages to address subtexts of abandonment, parental inattention, being the odd man out, fraternal order, and government distrust, impressive for what might otherwise be passed off as “just a kid’s film.” From a cinematography standpoint, the Point of View/found footage/documentary style of shooting might prove to be a bit challenging for more conservative viewers but makes for a fun gimmick throughout. Meanwhile, special effects involved have sparkle and aren’t distracting from the overall film. Fun for the younger audiences, Earth to Echo is rated PG.