In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Here are this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Merced.
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.)
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 faith.
With a critical approval rating of 80 percent and an audience score of 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Boy Erased" is well worth a watch. The site's critical consensus notes 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." Star Lucas Hedges' performance has earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
The movie is playing at Regal Hollywood Merced 13 (403 W. Main) through Friday, Dec. 14. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
It's Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife, Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
With a 64 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1980s classic has proven potential. The site's critical consensus has it that "While 'Christmas Vacation' may not be the most disciplined comedy, it's got enough laughs and good cheer to make for a solid seasonal treat."
You can catch it at Regal Hollywood Merced 13 (403 W. Main) on Saturday, Dec. 15. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Singer Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and bass guitarist John Deacon take the music world by storm when they form the rock 'n' roll band Queen in 1970. Hit songs become instant classics. When Mercury's increasingly wild lifestyle starts to spiral out of control, Queen soon faces its greatest challenge yet — finding a way to keep the band together amid the success and excess.
With a 62 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is well worth a watch, with a consensus that "'Bohemian Rhapsody' hits a handful of high notes, but as an in-depth look at a beloved band, it offers more of a medley than a true greatest hits collection."
This film is a Golden Globe nominee for Best Motion Picture and its star, Rami Malek, is also nominated for Best Actor in a Drama. Catch it on the big screen at Regal Hollywood Merced 13 (403 W. Main) through Friday, Dec. 14. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
