Arts & Entertainment

Movies Out This Weekend: 'War For The Planet Of The Apes,' 'Lady Macbeth' And 'Wish Upon'

Chills and thrills reign this weekend at the theater. Find out what to see and what to skip, plus watch the trailers.

Get the verdict on "War for the Planet of the Apes," "Lady Macbeth" and "Wish Upon."


Opening This Weekend


"War for the Planet of the Apes" — Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, directed by Matt Reeves

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Matt Reeves returns to direct "War for the Planet of the Apes," the third installment of the reboot series. Set two years after the events of the 2014 "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," this harrowing war story follows Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his band of apes through an epic battle against an army of humans led by a cold-hearted Colonel (Woody Harrelson). In “War,” we learn that humans are losing their power of speech while the simians are acquiring more cognitive abilities. The movie is mostly “silent” or “voiceless,” culminating with a biblical finale.

See it. Despite being sluggish at times, the movie is buoyed by sophisticated direction, outstanding performances and a captivating screenplay. (Watch the behind-the-scenes video below.)

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Actresses Naomi Ackie (L) and Florence Pugh (R) attend 'Lady Macbeth' photocall during 64th San Sebastian International Film Festival . (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
Naomi Ackie (L) and Florence Pugh (R) attend the "Lady Macbeth" photocall during the 64th San Sebastian International Film Festival . (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

“Lady Macbeth” — Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis, Paul Hilton, directed by William Oldroyd

A film adaptation of Nikolai Leskov’s novel, “Lady Macbeth” is set in 19th century rural England. It's a tale of a young bartered bride (Florence Pugh) trying to endure a loveless marriage and a tyrant father-in-law in a house full of hostility. Chilling as it is, William Oldroyd’s fascinating feature debut is intensely gripping and surprising.

See it. "Lady Macbeth" is fierce, and Pugh’s performance is Oscar-caliber.


Joey King stars as Clare Shannon and Mitchell Slaggert as Paul Middlebrook in WISH UPON (Photo by Steve Wilkie/Broad Green Pictures)
Joey King stars as Clare Shannon and Mitchell Slaggert as Paul Middlebrook in "Wish Upon." (Photo by Steve Wilkie/Broad Green Pictures)

“Wish Upon” — Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Mitchell Slaggert, directed by John R. Leonetti


Struggling with high school, 17-year-old Clare Shannon (Joey King) is gifted with an old music box that promises to grant her wishes. Before long, she’s one happy camper with money, fame and a dreamy boyfriend. However, as it turns out, every wish comes with a grim price to pay — the ones near and dear to her begin dying in gruesome and twisted ways.

Skip it. This one can't seem to find the right balance between chills and thrills.


Watch Inside The Making Of "War for the Planet of the Apes"



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Top Photo: (L-R) Amiah Miller, Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, Steve Zahn and Matt Reeves attend the "War for the Planet Of The Apes" premiere in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

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