Couch Theater – June 21, 2018

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“Pacific Rim: Uprising” (PG-13) – It’s the next generation’s turn to throw giant robots at otherworldly monsters in the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s inventive 2013 original. This is no shiny new penny, though: The Jaegers (human-controlled giant robot-type vehicles) are still battling the Kaijus (also giant alien-controlled monsters that threaten the existence of all life on Earth). John Boyega stars as Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, from the original. A jaded former pilot turned fringe criminal, he is pressed into serving as a trainer and bringing along a ragtag recruit: the scrappy hacker Amara (Cailee Spaeny). As new threats emerge, it’s down to Jake, Amara and Jake’s former co-pilot Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood) to stop the re-emergent threat of the Kaiju. Charlie Day reprises as Dr. Geiszler.

“Unsane” (R) – It’s a new job in a new city for Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy), whose previous life involved a troubling stalker named David (Joshua Leonard). She’s doing all the right things to recover, including joining a local support group. But, she is coerced into a 24-hour commitment to the psych ward for evaluation, which turns into a twisted and trapped nightmare. An orderly is revealed as her former stalker, and as the body count rises, reality becomes skewed. Director Steven Soderbergh is known for innovation, and this is no exception: The film was shot in relative secret and entirely on an iPhone 7 Plus.

Scene from “Paul, Apostle of Christ” (Affirm Films photo)

“Paul, Apostle of Christ” (PG-13) – A detailing of the final days of the apostle Paul (James Faulkner), imprisoned in Roman Emperor Nero’s darkest dungeon, as a threat to the Roman Empire. He awaits death, but what is on his mind is his life – Paul began his life persecuting Christians before his own conversion. The streets of Rome are a bloodbath, with faith flagging in even the staunchest. Luke (Jim Caviezel, in another impassioned biblical performance) risks life and limb to visit Paul in order to tell his story. The message: God forgives, and His grace abounds. Joanne Whalley and John Lynch also appear as Priscilla and Aquilla, companions to Paul during his ministry.

“Midnight Sun” (PG-13) – Bella Thorne, once a Disney teen princess, stars as Katie, a girl with a rare disease that precludes her being exposed to sunlight. (Full disclosure: She is not a vampire; this is a real disease that’s hastily and shoddily portrayed.) She’s been kept company lo these many years (17) by her dad (Rob Riggle), her bestie (Quinn Shephard) and the view through her window of hunky Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger – yes, he’s Arnold’s son). The two connect one night and begin a summer romance. But how long can she keep her secret and her health? The biggest question, though, is why this was a theatrical release and not a TV movie of the week.

New TV Releases
“Dark Matter” Season 3
“Doctor Who: Tom Baker” complete first season

(c) 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.