USA TODAY International Edition
New movies are coming up rosy in time for spring
From Isle of Dogs to The Rock stopping an albino King Kong in Rampage, there’s plenty of shows to watch.
Black Panther continues to dominate the box office, five weeks at No. 1 and counting. But Avengers: Infinity War (April 27) already is looking to take over movie ascendancy in the spring.
It’s boosted, of course by Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman, who will appear with co-stars Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and Winston Duke alongside Iron Man, Spider-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy stars in the superhero extravaganza — which topped a recent Fandango.com poll of frequent moviegoers as 2018’s most anticipated film.
But there’s plenty on offer at theaters that’s worth seeing between now and Infinity War. Here are our best suggestions:
If you’re yearning for the most peculiar dog-love story ever: ‘Isle of Dogs’
Writer/director Wes Anderson returns to stop-motion animation (which he perfected with 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox), depicting a world where dogs are quarantined on a trash-filled island to curb an outbreak of “snout fever.” But 12-year-old Atari Kobayashi (voiced by Koyu Rankin) wins hearts — canine and human — when he sets out to find Spots (Liev Schreiber), his beloved banished dog.
In theaters Friday.
If you’re for an escape with plenty of nostalgia: ‘Ready Player One’
Steven Spielberg is the perfect director to put cinematic marvels, hope and double helpings of nostalgia into a dystopic 2045 future. That’s because everyone on screen escapes to a virtual-reality nirvana (“The Oasis”) — and it happens to be crammed with the 1980s memories of its idiosyncratic creator (Mark Rylance).
In theaters March 29.
If you’re looking to see The Rock stop an albino King Kong from ripping up the world: ‘Rampage’
Dwayne Johnson is out of the jungle setting of his holiday-season smash Jumanji. In Rampage, Johnson’s primatologist is up against giant apex predators, trying to stop a huge crocodile, a 30-foot wolf and his beloved albino gorilla, George, from destroying each other and the world.
In theaters April 13.
If you want to see the scariest horror movie without words: ‘A Quiet Place’
John Krasinski and Emily Blunt didn’t go romantic comedy for their first screen project together. Far from it. Instead, with Krasinski directing, the real-life couple portray parents trying to silently protect their children from an unseen, horrifying creature who attacks after the slightest noise.
In theaters April 6.
If you’re keeping faith for the return of JC (Jim Caviezel): ‘Paul, Apostle of Christ’
It’s been 14 years since Jim Caviezel moved the faith-based film world as Jesus Christ in The Passion of the Christ. Caviezel makes his long-awaited biblical return as disciple Luke, a physician who aids the imprisoned Paul (James Faulkner), in Paul, Apostle of Christ.
In theaters March 23.
If you think it’s about time to see the humor in international disputes: ‘Super Troopers 2’
The comedic pitfalls of the Vermont state patrol troopers in 2002’s Super Troopers already have a devoted legion of fans (and are the subject of a popular drinking game). But in a perfectly timed sequel 16 years later, the bumbling police troop is thrust into the world spotlight during a border dispute with Canada. Finally, international mayhem for laughs.
In theaters April 20.