Movies Out This Weekend: ‘Ghost in the Shell,’ ‘The Boss Baby’ And ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife'

Opening This Weekend

“Ghost in the Shell” — Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano, Chin Han, directed by Rupert Sanders

A remake of Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 anime film, Rupert Sanders' “Ghost in the Shell” follows the story of Major (Scarlett Johansson), the victim of a terrorist attack who’s reborn as a cyber-enhanced government agent. Soon, the “ghost” inside her “shell” (her cyber-protected human brain) becomes obsessed with learning about her past. “Ghost in the Shell” is a pure visual feast — stunning imagery reigns supreme over acting and storyline.

See it. Although it lacks the pizzazz of the original classic version, “Ghost in the Shell” is dazzling!

“The Boss Baby” — Alec Baldwin, Lisa Kudrow, Jimmy Kimmel, Miles Bakshi, directed by Tom McGrath

A film adaptation of Marla Frazee’s 36-page picture book of the same name, “The Boss Baby” follows the story of 7-year-old Tim (voiced by Miles Bakshi) who’s having the time of his life as an only child. But everything changes when his parents (voiced by Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel) introduce him to his new little brother, Boss Baby, a suit-wearing baby executive (voiced by Alec Baldwin) who is dominating and exasperating to say the least. At the core of the story is the significance of family, which would resonate far more had the script been a bit more engaging.

See it. Buoyed by stellar performances, colorful visuals and snappy dialogues, this baby crawls and wiggles with fun and love!

“The Zookeeper’s Wife” — Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl, directed by Niki Caro

Set during World War II, zookeeper Jan Zabinski (Johan Heldenberg) and his wife (Jessica Chastain) opened their zoo to hundreds of Jewish refugees after the invasion of Poland in September of 1939. The Zabinski’s extraordinary act of valor is dramatized in director Niki Caro’s “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” which is based on Diane Ackerman’s non-fiction book of the same name.

See it. Despite un-welcomed Nazi-storytelling clichés, “The Zookeeper’s Wife” is cinematically palpable. Moviegoers will feel the angst of World War II frame by frame.

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Top Photo Credit: Scarlett Johansson attends the Paris premiere of 'Ghost In The Shell' (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Paramount Pictures)