Monday Morning Talkback: Let's Hear About Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Hail Caesar! As the surprisingly strong box office results showed over the weekend, audiences went bananas for Rise of the Planet of the Apes. (GROAN!) The film exceeded both critical and financial expectations, and not only launched what could be another large cycle in the apocalyptic franchise, but also a sneaky Oscar campaign. In short, there's plenty to discuss -- so let's discuss!

Some of the many topics on the table:

· Was Rise of the Planet of the Apes the best action movie of the summer, or was it a case of lowered expectations being exceeded by a professionally done bit of popcorn entertainment?

· Did the critical embrace of Rise of the Planet of the Apes have anything to do with its strong opening three days, or were people sold by the familiarity of the franchise?

· Does James Franco deserve any credit for the large opening, the biggest non-Spider-Man launch of his career?

· Can the lauded Andy Serkis legitimately get into the Oscar race as a supporting actor thanks to his motion-capture brilliance as Caesar? Does Apes have the best chance of earning the likely now-defunct Inception Exception?

· Can Freida Pinto act, or is she doomed to appear as the pretty girl in movies from now until the end of time?

· Were you happy with the film's climax, and did it make you excited for a potential sequel?

And so on. Bat those around in the comments section below, but play nice. Also, if you haven't seen Rise of the Planet of the Apes, be mindful of spoilers. Have at it!