FilmWeek: 'Independence Day: Resurgence,' 'The Shallows,' and more, plus should human rights be extended to chimpanzees?

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Guest host Patt Morrison and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein review this week's new movies releases including another alien invasion in "Independence Day: Resurgence," "The Shallows," "Free State of Jones," "Swiss Army Man" and more. Then, we'll talk to documentary filmmakers about a new documentary arguing that chimps should be considered people,too. TGI-FilmWeek!

FilmWeek: 'Independence Day: Resurgence,' 'The Shallows,' and more, plus should human rights be extended to chimpanzees?

Guest host Patt Morrison and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein review this week's new movies releases including another alien invasion in "Independence Day: Resurgence," "The Shallows," "Free State of Jones," "Swiss Army Man" and more. Then, we'll talk to documentary filmmakers about a new documentary arguing that chimps should be considered people,too. TGI-FilmWeek!

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Guest host Patt Morrison and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein review this week's new movies releases including another alien invasion in "Independence Day: Resurgence," "The Shallows," "Free State of Jones," "Swiss Army Man" and more. Then, we'll talk to documentary filmmakers about a new documentary arguing that chimps should be considered people,too. TGI-FilmWeek!

FilmWeek: 'Independence Day: Resurgence' 'The Shallows,' and more:

Guest host Patt Morrison and KPCC film critics Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein review this week's new movies releases including another alien invasion in "Independence Day: Resurgence;" a shark-water thriller starring Blake Lively called "The Shallows;" a Civil War drama with Matthew McConaughey called "Free State of Jones;" "Swiss Army Man" from indie distributor darling A24; and more. 

TGI-FilmWeek!

Tim's Hits:

• " The Shallows "
• " Free State of Jones "
• " Hunt for the Wilderpeople "
• " Les Cowboys "
• " The Fundamentals of Caring "
• " The Phenom "

Lael's Hits:

• " The Fundamentals of Caring "
• " Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words "
• " Misconception "

Mixed Reviews:

• Lael and Tim: " Independence Day: Resurgence "
• Lael: " Weiner-Dog "
• Lael: " Hunt for the Wilderpeople "

This Week's Misses:

• Tim: " Neon Demon "
• Tim: " Swiss Army Man "

Guests:

Lael Loewenstein , Film Critic for KPCC

Tim Cogshell , Film Critic for KPCC and Alt-Film Guide; Tim tweets from

Documentary ‘Unlocking the Cage’ claims chimpanzees are persons too

D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus’ documentary “ Unlocking the Cage ” shows the culmination of animal-rights lawyer Steven Wise’s years-long battle for the legal personhood of captive chimpanzees.

Wise believes that chimpanzees, cognitively advanced beings that possess self-determination and self-awareness, deserve expanded rights. This belief takes Wise to courtrooms across New York, while Pennebaker and Hegedus film his legal struggle in their lauded hands-off style.

Wise sees his lawsuits not as animal-welfare cases but fights for the rights of individuals - cases he believes have the potential to radically change the way we think of our relationship to nonhuman animals.

On FilmWeek, guest host Patt Morrison interviews Wise, Pennebaker, and Hegedus. What are the ramifications of calling nonhuman animals persons? What does Pennebaker and Hegedus’ iconic style add to Wise’s story? And what might these lawsuits - and this film - mean for the way we think about our nonhuman neighbors?

“ Unlocking the Cage ” opens today at the Laemmle's Monica Film Center in Santa Monica.

Guests:

D.A. Pennebaker , Filmmaker, “Unlocking the Cage,” recipient of an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement

Chris Hegedus, Filmmaker, “Unlocking the Cage,” Oscar-nominated documentarian

Steven Wise , President of the Nonhuman Rights Project; his work is chronicled in “Unlocking the Cage”