Movies Out This Weekend: 'Pacific Rim: Uprising,' And More

With another epic battle in the universe of monsters and mechs, as well as a chilling stalker film, thrill seekers have a full roster of films to look forward to this weekend.

The "Pacific Rim" franchise returns with the sequel "Uprising," in which John Boyega and Scott Eastwood star as two rival pilots who must work together to defend Earth from destruction. In "Unsane," Claire Foy shows the wide range of her dramatic gravitas, playing a victim who remains on edge after being stalked for two years.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy "Sherlock Gnomes," in which Johnny Depp voices a detective enlisted to solve the mystery of the missing yard ornament. In another animated film, "The Isle Of Dogs," Liev Schreiber and Koyu Rankin show the unbreakable bond between a boy and his beloved pet.

Those in the mood for a romance can check out "Midnight Sun," which stars Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger as teens experiencing young love over one nearly-perfect summer.

Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

Movies Out This Weekend

“Pacific Rim: Uprising” — John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, directed by Steven S. DeKnight

The “Pacific Rim” saga continues 10 years after the events of the first film, in which the giant human-piloted machines called Jaegers won the battle against the evil sea monsters, known as "Kaiju." It's 2035 and Earth has been peaceful, but the scars of war run deep in the coastal cities of Pacific Rim.

In anticipation of another Kaiju attack, a new generation of human pilots has been formed. At its helm is Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), along with his rival, Lambert (Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker, Amara (Cailee Spaeny). Together, they must lead the charge against the malevolent forces that threaten extinction.

See it. While it lacks the energetic vibes of the first film, “Uprising” is still enjoyable and entertaining, thanks to the charismatic leads.

Watch the trailer:

“Unsane” — Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, directed by Steven Soderbergh

What if you were suddenly and involuntarily committed to a mental institution, and must now confront your own demons to fight your way out? This is the central idea behind Steven Soderbergh’s new thriller “Unsane,” which stars Claire Foy as a young woman who is scarred from the trauma of being stalked.

After two years of being terrorized, Sawyer Valentini (Foy) has relocated to another city so she can move on with her life. Her road to recovery appears promising — that is, until she unwittingly signs herself in for voluntary 24-hour commitment to a behavioral center, and her sanity is called into question.

See it. Soderbergh's psychological thriller is cleverly dry, anchored by Claire Foy’s superb performance.

Watch the trailer:

“Isle of Dogs” — Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, directed by Wes Anderson

Writer-director Wes Anderson’s stop-motion film is a story about friendship and heroism. Set in the fictional Japanese city of Megasaki about 20 years into the future, the movie follows the unbreakable bond between the mayor’s 12-year-old orphaned ward, Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin), and his beloved pet, Spot (Liev Schreiber).

With cases of canine flu on the rise, the cat-loving mayor of Megasaki issues a decree to banish all dogs to a vast garbage dump called Trash Island. There are no exemptions, and even Spot must go. Six months later, Atari sets off on a journey to find his lost dog. In the process, he meets new canine friends and together, they band to change the course of canine history for the better.

See it. All in all, the animated film is wondrously visual, funny and delightful, notwithstanding its meandering storyline.

Watch the trailer:

“Midnight Sun” — Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, directed by Scott Speer

In this young-love drama, Bella Thorne stars as Katie Price, a 17-year-old who suffers from Xeroderma Pegmentosum, a lethal disease that causes extreme sensitivity to sunlight. Because of her disorder, she's lived a sheltered life since childhood, remaining housebound until nightfall when she can safely venture out of her shadowed home.

One night, she finally gets to meet her long-time crush, Charlie Reed (Patrick Schwarzenegger), a high school all-star athlete, whom she has secretly admired for years. The sparks between the two teenagers are instant and undeniable. Before long, the couple falls for each other, but Katie struggles over whether she should hide her condition from the young man.

Skip it. The sparks have simply vanished by the end.

Watch the trailer:

“Sherlock Gnomes” — Emily Blunt, Mary J. Blige, Johnny Depp, directed by John Stevenson

Remember the beloved garden gnomes from 2011’s “Gnomeo and Juliet?” Well, they’re back for a whole new adventure in London. This time around, Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Juliet (Emily Blunt) are living happily in their new garden ready for spring. However, when they discover that someone has been kidnapping garden ornaments all over London lawns, they must call on the famous detective Sherlock Gnomes (Johnny Depp) for help.

See it. It's an enjoyable film, but expect a bland adventure.

Watch the trailer:

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Top Photo: John Boyega (L) and Scott Eastwood attend Universal's 'Pacific Rim Uprising' premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on March 21, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images/Universal Pictures)