thowen1988

'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' is a very creative and thought-provoking addition to the "Apes" franchise.

James Franco's performance as Dr. Will Rodman is very convincing. Rodman takes home an infant chimpanzee who otherwise would have been "put down", and thereby saves the chimp's life. The chimpanzee, named Caesar, obtains unusual intelligence from experimental treatment for Alzheimer's disease, and soon becomes the leader in an ape revolt.

Veteran actor John Lithgow once again proves his acting skills as Charles, Will's father who is suffering from Alzheimer's's disease. Freida Pinto portrays Will's attractive companion, Caroline.

The special effects in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" are very impressive. This isn't Charleton Heston's 1968 "Planet of the Apes", with actors portraying simians via heavy prosthetic makeup. The apes in this 2011 saga are computer generated and are very realistic in appearance. More importantly, however, are the emotions the apes feel throughout the film. Their anger boils to the surface due to the ill treatment inflicted by their handlers.

There are several direct references made to the 1968 original film, "Planet of the Apes". First, Caesar's mother is called "Bright Eyes", which was the name Heston's character was called before the apes learned his actual name was Taylor. Second, in the 2011 film, a handler repeats Charleton Heston's infamous lines, "It's a madhouse!" and "Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!". Third, Caesar is ruthlessly hosed down while in his cage, in a scene reminiscent of Taylor's experience in the 1968 film. Furthermore, "Caesar" was the name of the offspring of Cornelius and Zira, two chimpanzee scientists in the 1968 film.

In my view, there are two main themes of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes". First, all creatures want to be treated with dignity and respect. Second, the unintended consequences of medical technology can be severe. I highly recommend this creative science fiction film.

"Little House on the Prairie", which originally aired on NBC from 1974 through 1983, depicts an American family's struggle to survive in pioneer America in the late 19th century. The television series was based on the books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The series was largely written by, directed, and starred Michael Landon, who was a television veteran of the program 'Bonanza'.

In "Little House", Landon portrays Charles Ingalls. Along with his wife Caroline (Karen Grassle) and children Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson), Laura (Melissa Gilbert), and Carrie (Lindsay-Sidney Greenbush), the Ingalls family endures tremendous hardships in their daily lives, including life among American Indians, crop failures, disease, hunger, wild animals, rough weather, and their neighbors in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. The series is depicted from the perspective of Laura Ingalls.

My favorite character in the series is Harriet Oleson, portrayed by Katherine MacGregor. To prevent the story lines from becoming stale, it is crucial for every successful series to have a good villain. Along with her TV daughter Nellie, Harriet Oleson is without a doubt one of the most appealing villains in TV history. Week after week during the 1970s, Harriet Oleson (and her daughter Nellie) did everything possible to make the lives of the Ingalls family difficult.

At the end of each episode, however, it was the Ingalls family who inevitably endured and survived life's challenges due to their belief in God, community spirit, work ethic, and mutual love and devotion to one another.

My siblings and I watched "Little House on the Prairie" each and every Monday night while growing up in the 1970s. During my childhood, I recall that it was not considered "cool" to admit that you watched this program, although it was consistently a top-rated program during it's original run on NBC.

"Little House on the Prairie" is an American television classic that has endured the test of time. Belief in God, helping your fellow neighbor, a solid work ethic, and family values are all promoted by this outstanding program.