Movies Out This Weekend: 'The Hustle,' 'Tolkien' And More

This weekend, theaters will be bustling with new releases in genres that range from action and mystery to drama, comedy and true life stories. So which flicks are worth buying a ticket to?

Pokémon fans are in for a real treat as "Pokémon Detective Pikachu" hits the big screen, with Ryan Reynolds voicing the film's titular role.

In the stylish comedy "The Hustle," Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star as two con artists who join forces to elicit big bucks and stunning jewelry from unsuspecting wealthy men.

Hoping to catch a good Mother's Day flick? "Poms" stars Diane Keaton, Jackie Weaver, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman as four affable septuagenarians ready to conquer their lifelong dreams.

And finally, fans of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" can check out J.R.R Tolkien's biopic "Tolkien," starring Nicholas Hoult as the young renowned high-fantasy writer.

Here's what to see and skip this weekend:

“Pokémon Detective Pikachu” — Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton; directed by Rob Letterman

The Pokémon universe is coming to life on the big screen with the first-ever live-action Pokemon adventure that is based on the 2016 computer game.

In the futuristic city of Ryme, humans and the magical pocket creatures called Pokemon live in harmony under the guiding principles of the magnanimous, uber-wealthy Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy).

Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) — a bright yellow Pokemon who is cuddly on the outside but bold on the inside — is police detective on a mission: to investigate the death of his partner on the force, detective Harry Goodman.

During his investigation, Pikachu crosses paths with Harry's 21-year-old son, Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), who learns he is the only human who can understand Pikachu when he talks. As the pair of newfound friends get acquainted, they make a pact to solve the mystery surrounding the death of Tim’s dad.

See it. Reynolds’ natural, whip-smart comedic timing buoys the screenplay’s implausible conclusion.

Watch the trailer:

“The Hustle” — Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson; directed by Chris Addison

In this comedy — a remake of 1964’s Marlon Brando’s “Bedtime Story,” as well as 1988’s Michael Caine’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” — two female con artists attempt to give “dirty rotten men a run for their money.”

Set in the French Riviera town of Beaumont Sur Mer, “The Hustle” opens with two female grifters brought together by mere coincidence. One of them is Josephine Chesterfield (Anne Hathaway), a sophisticated, haughty Brit, who swindles megabucks out of high rollers at local casinos. In contrast, the other woman is Penny Rust, a low-rent Australian con-artist who targets lovesick men she catfishes online.

Both women decide to join forces and set their sights on the uber-rich, particularly the young tech tycoon Thomas Westerburg (Alex Sharp). Will they be able to pull off their grand scheme?

Skip it. Despite wonderful chemistry between Hathaway and Wilson, gags and one-liner zingers land flat more often than not.

Watch the trailer:

“Tolkien” — Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins; directed by Dome Karukoski

Directed by Dome Karukoski, The J.R.R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien biopic explores the early life of the renowned high-fantasy author as he finds fellowship, discovers romance and appreciates his deep love for languages and his fictional universe, Middle Earth.

Nicholas Hoult stars as the young Tolkien, who, as a 12-year-old boy (played by Harry Gilby) living in the English village of Sarehole, loses his widowed mother to diabetes. Orphaned and penniless, he and his brother are sent to live and study in Birmingham. Despite his circumstances, he perseveres, excelling academically and forging lifelong friendships that become the inspiration for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”

Over time, Tolkien falls in love with Edith Bratt (Lily Collins), a gifted young pianist who lives in the same boarding house. Their relationship will shed light upon the foundation for Middle Earth— especially, when the couple attempt to see a performance of Wagner’s “Ring” cycle.

See it. The film convincingly and poignantly offers a window to Tolkien’s genius and humanity.

Watch the trailer:

“Poms” — Diane Keaton, Jackie Weaver, Pam Grier; directed by Zara Hayes

Zara Hayes’ feature directorial debut is a dramedy about second chances in life, exploring new relationships and the fear of the unknown. Reminiscent of the films “Calendar Girls,” and “Book Club,” “Poms” stars Diane Keaton, Jackie Weaver, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman as four friendly septuagenarians ready to conquer their lifelong dreams.

When New Yorker Martha (Keaton) moves into a retirement community in Georgia, she and her neighbor Sheryl (Weaver) hit it off and begin to forge a close friendship. At one of their soirées, Martha confides in Sheryl that she’s always dreamed of being a cheerleader, but unfortunately, she had to give it up because of her mother’s serious illness. Sheryl tells her friend that it’s never too late to pursue her dream, setting in motion the duo’s plan to start a cheerleading club.

After presenting their idea to the community’s board of directors, the two pals hold auditions to form the cheerleading squad. In the end, they recruit a motley crew of misfits (Grier, Perlman, Phyllis Sommerville and Carol Sutton) to fill the positions. Can they perform the leaps and bounds, or the handsprings and the splits? Will Martha’s illness get in the way of their success?

Skip it: The screenplay fiddles away in its lack of clarity and purpose, seemingly disregarding the collective brilliance of the leads.

Watch the trailer:

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