Film Music Reporter

Five new movies are opening in theaters nationwide this weekend:

Expected to top the weekend box office is the sci-fi action adventure Pacific Rim Uprising directed by Steven S. DeKnight and starring John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Jing Tian, Cailee Spaeny, Rinko Kikuchi, Burn Gorman, Adria Arjona and Charlie Day.  The film’s original music is composed by Lorne Balfe (The LEGO Batman Movie, Home, 12 Strong, Terminator Genisys, Genius, The Crown). Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as songs by Wizkid, DJ Shadow and Anderson .Paak. Click here for the full album details.

Also opening wide is the animated feature Sherlock Gnomes directed by John Stevenson and featuring the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maggie Smith, Michael Caine, Ashley Jensen, Matt Lucas, Stephen Merchant, Mary J. Blige and Johnny Depp. Chris Bacon (Source Code, Bates Motel) who previously co-scored Gnomeo & Juliet has composed the film’s original score. Elton John has composed new songs for the project, including the track Stronger Than I Ever Was, which is performed by Mary J. Blige. No word yet on a soundtrack release. To learn more about the Paramount Pictures release, visit the official movie website.

Also opening nationwide is the biblical drama Paul, Apostle of Christ written and directed by Andrew Hyatt and stars James Faulkner, Jim Caviezel, Olivier Martinez, Joanne Whalley and John Lynch. The film’s original music is composed by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (Finding Neverland, Unfaithful, The Visitor and Get Low). Sony Classical has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details.

Another wide release this week is the romantic drama Midnight Sun directed by Scott Speer and starring Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Quinn Shepard, Ken Tremblett, Suleka Mathew and Rob Riggle. Nathaniel Walcott (The Fault in Our Stars) has composed the film’s original score. Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, the original songs from the movie performed by Thorne, as well as tracks by White Sea, Waters, Mia Wray and Adriel. Check out our previous article for the full album details.

Also opening wide is the thriller Unsane directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins and Amy Irving. The film’s original music is composed by David Wilder Savage. No soundtrack album has been announced. The movie follows a young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution where she is confronted by her greatest fear. The thriller premiered last month at the Berlin Film Festival and is being released by Bleecker Street. Visit the official movie website for more information.

Opening in limited release before expanding nationwide over the next couple of weeks is the animated comedy Isle of Dogs written and directed by Wes Anderson and featuring the voices of Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Kunichi Nomura, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Scarlett Johansson and Greta Gerwig. Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shape of Water, The Fantastic Mr. Fox) has composed the film’s original score. ABKCO Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as other music from the movie. Click here for the full album details.

Opening in New York and Los Angeles before expanding to more markets over the next weeks is the drama Final Portrait written and directed by Stanley Tucci and starring Geoffrey Rush, Armie Hammer, Tony Shalhoub, Sylvie Testud and Clémence Poésy. The film’s original music is composed by Evan Lurie (Lonesome Jim, Jack Goes Boating) who has previously scored Tucci’s Joe Gould’s Secret and Blind Date. No word on a soundtrack release. The drama, which centers on Swiss painter-sculptor Alberto Giacometti, premiered at last year’s Berlin Film Festival and is being released by Sony Pictures Classics. Visit the official movie website to learn more about the film.

Also opening in limited release is the fantasy thriller I Kill Giants directed by Anders Walter and stars Zoe Saldana. Madison Wolfe and Imogen Poots. Laurent Perez Del Mar (The Red Turtle, My Son, To the Top) has composed the film’s original music. Varese Sarabande will release a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as a previously unreleased song by London Grammar and a track by Rasmus Walter next week. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details.

Also opening in select U.S. theaters is the French drama Ismael’s Ghosts (Les fantômes d’Ismaël) written and directed by Arnaud Desplechin and starring Marion Cotillard, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Mathieu Amalric and Louis Garrel. The film’s original music is composed by Grégoire Hetzel (Incendies, The Tree, My Golden Days, Summertime). Why Not Productions has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as the end credits song Ismael’s Ghosts (Can’t Get Away) by Charles X feat. Sev’ K. last year when the movie opened overseas. Check out our previous article for the full album details.

Also opening in select cities is the Tunisian drama Beauty and the Dogs (Aala Kaf Ifrit) written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania and starring Mariam Al Ferjani, Ghanem Zrelli, Noomane Hamda, Mohamed Akkari and Chedly Arfaoui. The film’s original music is composed by Amine Bouhafa (Timbuktu, Looking for Oum Kulthum). 22D Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score last fall when the drama opened in Europe. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details.

Another limited release this week is the French comedy drama Back to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie) directed by Cédric Klapisch and starring Pio Marmaï, Ana Girardot, François Civil, Jean-Marc Roulot, María Valverde and Yamée Couture. Loic Dury and Christophe Minck have composed the film’s original music. Arista has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ score last year. Visit Amazon to download the album. The movie, which follows man who left his family and his native Burgundy 10 years ago to tour the world and returns to his childhood home when he learns of his father’s imminent death, is being released in the U.S. by Music Box Films.

Also opening in select U.S. theaters following its international release last year is the French drama A Bag of Marbles (Un sac de billes) directed by Christian Duguay and starring Dorian Le Clech, Batyste Fleurial, Christian Clavier, Elsa Zylberstein and Patrick Bruel. The film’s original music is composed by Armand Amar (The Concert, The Source, Capital, The History of Love). Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score earlier this year. Check out our previous news article for the full album details. The movie is being released stateside by Gamont. Click here to learn more about the film.

Also opening in limited release is the French comedy drama Madame directed by Amanda Sthers and starring Harvey Keitel, Toni Collette, Rossy de Palma, Michael Smiley, Tom Hughes, Brendan Patricks, Stanislas Merhar and Joséphine de la Baume. Matthieu Gonet (Santa & Cie) has composed the film’s original music. A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score was released last fall when the movie opened overseas. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details. The movie is being released in the U.S. by Blue Fox Entertainment and is now also available on VOD.

Also opening in theaters while also premiering on Netflix today is the musical drama Paradox directed by Daryl Hannah and starring Neil Young, Lukas Nelson, Micah Nelson, Corey McCormick, Anthony LoGerfo, Tato Melgar, Willie Nelson, Charris Ford and Dulcie Clarkson Ford. The film’s original music is composed by Neil Young + Promise of the Real. Reprise Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the music from the movie today. Check out our previous article for the full album details.