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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Streaming: Intelligent ‘Apes’ make intriguing characters

Sean Axmaker

What’s new to watch this week on pay-per-view and streaming services:

Pay-per-view and video on demand

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” takes place a decade after the events of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and is built on the simian shoulders of Caesar, leader of a new intelligent ape civilization that the human survivors find very intimidating. It’s smart and provocative and even touching, and Andy Serkis makes Caesar the most admirable and fully developed character on screen. It’s on pay-per-view, VOD, DVD and Blu-ray.

The concept of the R-rated family film sounds odd, but here are three films that look at family with a mix of comedy and drama and adult content. “This Is Where I Leave You” is a family reunion with Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver and Corey Stoll as the siblings and Jane Fonda as mom all sitting shiva for father. “Men, Women & Children” is about disconnection in the social media era and features Adam Sandler and Jennifer Garner. “The Skeleton Twins” stars Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader as estranged siblings with shared depression.

Also new: the live-action “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” reboot, Woody Allen’s romantic comedy “Magic in the Moonlight” with Colin Firth and Emma Stone, and Kevin Smith’s eccentric horror film “Tusk.”

And to set a different tone, the virtual fireplace, aka “The Yule Log,” is back as a free video-on-demand channel from Xfinity and Time Warner. There’s also a snowy pine forest landscape, a snowman, and a menorah. Happy holidays!

Netflix

Here are some of the best and most beloved Christmas-themed films currently available to stream. “Love Actually” is not just a favorite Christmas movie for romantics; it’s leaving Netflix at the end of the year, so get your viewings in now. “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye is not the best that either of them have made, but it has a sentimental story, seasonal imagery and great songs.

For the whole family there is “The Muppet Christmas Carol” with Michael Caine as Scrooge and Kermit at Bob Cratchit, and the weird but sweet animated holiday mashup “The Nightmare Before Christmas” from producer Tim Burton.

Alternative Christmas selections include the comedies “Scrooged” with Bill Murray and the R-rated “Bad Santa” with Billy Bob Thornton (for the Grinches out there), and for a geeky Christmas you can dive into the “Doctor Who” Christmas specials “A Christmas Carol” (from Season 5) and “The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe” (Season 6).

Sean Axmaker is a Seattle film critic and writer. Visit him online at seanax.com.