The Sunday Drive: 8/7/11

3. The Devil's Double
Dominic Cooper gives an epic, career turning dual performance in an otherwise flimsy tale of excess and unchecked insanity. The Devil's Double is the mostly true story of Latif Yahia, an Iraqi tortured into becoming the body double of Saddam Hussein's insane son, Uday. Director Lee Tamahori coats Latif's real life story with an oily gloss, removing a lot of it's true power. The effect is a film that feels about as historically accurate as Domino was.

2. Crazy, Stupid, Love
 In what has been a fantastic year for romantic comedies, Crazy Stupid Love stands as one of the best. Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone headline a great cast in a film that is just as poignant as it is...well, crazy.
1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Ditching the us vs. them premise of the original films,  Rise of the Planet of the Apes puts the focus squarely on the rise of Caesar, the super brained simian who would become the face of a violent revolution. Good enough to help us forget that awful Tim Burton remake, Rise will wow you with it's intelligence as we watch James Franco play the mad scientist using apes to develop a cure for Alzheimers. Then the action pumps up into monkey crap insanity that will have you rooting for the apes to come out victorious. Andy Serkis is truly the star of the show, giving a mesmerizing mo-capped performance that tops anything he did in The Lord of the Rings.

DVD Pick of the Week: Soul Surfer
Bethany Hamilton's story seems tailor made for the big screen. A young, Hawaiian surfing upstart on the verge of becoming a superstar, she is very nearly killed by a random shark attack, leading to the loss of her arm.  Through a deep faith, strong familial bonds, and her own inner toughness, Bethany manages to climb her way back to where she always belonged. Soul Surfer could have been yet another of those maudlin underdog stories, but AnnaSophia Robb's powerful portrayal, along with an aversion to overdramatization, makes this one of the year's great surprises.