

In 1933 New York, an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter Kong, a giant ape who is immediately smitten with the leading lady.
Practical Effects
Andy Serkis' motion-capture revolution for Kong's soulful eyes.
Production
That bug pit sequence—practical nightmare fuel.
Score
James Newton Howard's heartbreaking 'Central Park' theme.

Director
Peter Jackson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The original 1933 film plays on a theater screen in the opening scene, and Jackson digitally inserted himself as one of the biplane gunners shooting Kong.
Jackson specifically cast Naomi Watts because she could convey emotion without dialogue—crucial for an actress pretending to bond with a CGI co-star.