uCribs’ 2018 Spring Movie Guide

By Kait Spong

As Leo Tolstoy once said, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” All of the things you’ve been putting off in the wintertime as you hibernated in your apartment with Chinese take-out and Netflix now seem more accessible, more attainable, more achievable—including going out for a night of fun at the movie theater.

What could be better than unwinding after a rough week full of deadlines, projects, and to-do lists by kicking your feet up, munching on some buttery popcorn, and losing yourself in a narrative other than your own for two or three hours? Maybe I am biased as an avid movie goer, but I have to say the answer is: not much. So, if you can part ways with your Amazon Fire TV Stick for a few hours, you will absolutely not be disappointed by uCribs’ top picks for springtime movies.

Isle of Dogs (Release Date: March 23)

Isle of Dogs is the latest gem released by the ever-quirky and endearing Wes Anderson. Composed in the same stop motion animation as his 2009 film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs tells the story of a dystopic future set in Japan where all dogs have been quarantined on a remote island due to the “canine flu,” but this does not stop a young boy named Atari from venturing to the island in search of his companion, Spots. Along with other dogs he stumbles across on the island, Atari goes on the journey of the lifetime as his newly found pack helps him search for Spots and evade the authorities.

Jam-packed with reoccurring cast favorites such as Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Edward Norton, this film will delight audiences with dozens of celebrities playing lovable roles as man’s best friend—and cute ones at that! Some venues are even getting into the spirit, offering “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Dog) screenings, so you can enjoy Anderson’s latest flick with your BFF IRL.

Ready Player One (Release Date: March 30)

Stephen Spielberg is at it again with his latest film, Ready Player One, based off the sci-fi novel written by Ernest Cline. Ready Player One takes audiences to the year 2045—yet another dystopian existence (yes, we are obviously obsessed with this concept recently!) where people can escape the harshness of their reality through the OASIS. The OASIS is much like it sounds; it’s an immersive virtual world where you can go anywhere, do anything, or be anyone. The creator of the OASIS, James Halliday, leaves his fortune and control of the OASIS to the winner of a contest designed to find a worthy heir. How Willy Wonka-esque!

An unlikely hero, like many of the ones we love in pop culture, named Wade Owen Watts conquers the first challenge of the treasure hunt and is propelled further into the fantastical world of the OASIS with his band of friends known as the High Five. Some have critiqued the film (and the book) for relying too heavily on pop culture references and nostalgia, but as the critic reviews continue to roll in, it’s hard to see this film as anything but a delightful romp a la Spielberg full of adventurous thrills, stunning visuals, and pure heartfelt fun.

A Quiet Place (Release Date: April 6)

The Office’s favorite Jim Halpert, or John Krasinski if you actually like to refer to actors by their real names, returns to the big screen for his third directorial project—one that he also co-wrote with collaborative duo Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. Using the tagline “If they hear you, they hunt you,” The Quiet Place has remained intentionally ambiguous in its video teasers and plot synopses that are now circulating web and movie theater previews alike. But critics have been raving—and we mean raving—about the horror film, which currently boasts 100 percent on the Rotten Tomatoes’ TomatoMeter.

Although the concept behind the film has been described as “simple,” the thunderous performances by Krasinski and his wife (both in on-screen and IRL), Emily Blunt, have movie-goers shook. This thrilling film that unfolds with virtually no dialogue is the kind of anxiety-inducing, edge-of-your-seat-clenching spectacle you’d expect out of visceral horror—but hey, anything to take your mind off of finals, am I right?

Overboard (Release Date: April 13)

It’s been more than 30 years since the release of the romantic comedy classic, Overboard, starring yet another IRL (are you tired of me saying this yet?) couple: Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. The two first became an official couple in 1984, and three years later they filmed Overboard. Now—like so many films of the past—Overboard is receiving its modern-day facelift in an all-new gender swapping version starring everyone’s unproblematic fav, Anna Faris, as well as Eugenio Derbez, Eva Longoria, and Swoosie Kurtz. In this contemporary spin of the 1987 flick, Overboard divulges the familiar story, but in a new way.

Now, Kate (Faris) is the employee wronged by rich playboy Leonardo (Derbez) after being unjustly fired. Not only is she let go, but Leonardo also refuses to pay Kate for the cleaning services rendered, so when he falls off his yacht on the Oregon coast one evening with no recollection of who he is or why he is hanging out in the Pacific Northwest, Kate seizes the opportunity for payback, convincing Leonardo that he is her husband and eagerly putting him to work for the first time in his life. It probably goes without saying, but hilarity definitely ensues.

Tully (Release Date: April 20)

We’ve all come to realize over the past decade or so that Charlize Theron is more than just another pretty Hollywood face. We’ve watched her transform not only her personality, but also her appearance, for riveting performances in films such as the 2003 smash-hit Monster, where she portrays famed serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. Her surprising yet disturbing transformation into Aileen earned her an Oscar and a Golden Globe that year.

Now Theron is at it again, working alongside indie-film favorite Mark Duplass in Tully, the latest film from director Ron Livingston and screenwriter Diablo Cody. This dark dramedy reflects on the relationship between a gifted night nanny, Marlo (Theron) and a sometimes challenging, younger nanny by the name of Tully (MacKenzie Davis). With an 89 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ TomatoMeter, this new flick has often been referred to as a modern-day Mary Poppins of sorts, and who doesn’t want a little extra sugar to help the end-of-semester medicine go down?

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