In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Denver.
Read on for the highest rated films to catch, based on critical scores sourced from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. (Movie descriptions courtesy The Movie Database; showtimes via Fandango.)
The Hate U Give
Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, and she's torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth.
With a critical approval rating of 97 percent and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Hate U Give" has proven to be a critical darling since its release on October 19. Per the site's critical consensus, "Led by a breakout turn from Amandla Stenberg, the hard-hitting 'The Hate U Give' emphatically proves the YA genre has room for much more than magic and romance."
Interested? It's playing at Harkins Northfield 18 (8300 E. Northfield Blvd.) through Thursday, Dec. 6. Click here for showtimes and tickets.The Favourite
In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead. When a new servant Abigail arrives, and her charm endears her to Sarah.
With a 95 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Favourite" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on November 23. The site's critical consensus notes that "'The Favourite' sees Yorgos Lanthimos balancing a period setting against rich, timely subtext - and getting roundly stellar performances from his well-chosen stars."
You can catch it at Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake (4255 W. Colfax Ave.) through Saturday, Dec. 8. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Gremlins
When Billy Peltzer is given a strange but adorable pet named Gizmo for Christmas, he inadvertently breaks the three important rules of caring for a Mogwai, and and unleashes a horde of mischievous gremlins on a small town.
With a critical approval rating of 84 percent and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1984 release has proven a solid viewing choice. The site's critical consensus has it that "Whether you choose to see it as a statement on consumer culture or simply a special effects-heavy popcorn flick, 'Gremlins' is a minor classic."
It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake (4255 W. Colfax Ave.) on Wednesday, Dec. 5. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Elf
When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, and a workaholic publisher.
With an 83 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Elf" has much to recommend it. "A movie full of Yuletide cheer, 'Elf' is a spirited, good-natured family comedy," according to the site's critical consensus, "and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Santa's biggest helpers."
It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake (4255 W. Colfax Ave.) through Saturday, Dec. 8. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Boy Erased
Jared, the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, is outed to his parents at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and and faith.
With a critical approval rating of 82 percent and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Boy Erased" has proven a solid option since its release on November 16. The site's critical consensus has it that "Anchored in empathy by writer-director-star Joel Edgerton, 'Boy Erased' proves the road to complex, powerfully performed drama can also be paved with good intentions."
You can catch it at Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake (4255 W. Colfax Ave.) through Thursday, Dec. 6. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
