Want to see a movie, but not sure what's worth your time (and money)? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Portsmouth.
Here are 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.)
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
When best-selling celebrity biographer Lee Israel is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend, Jack.
Boasting a critical approval rating of 98 percent and an audience score of 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" has gotten stellar reviews since its release on Oct. 19. The site's critical consensus indicates that "Deftly directed and laced with dark wit, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' proves a compelling showcase for deeply affecting work from Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy."
The film was recently honored with two Golden Globe nominations, including for Best Performance by An Actress in a Motion Picture Drama, according to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Catch it on the big screen at West Newton Cinema (129 Washington St.) through Thursday, Dec. 20. 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, a workaholic publisher.
With an 83 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Elf" has a strong following. The site's critical consensus has it that "A movie full of Yuletide cheer, 'Elf' is a spirited, good-natured family comedy, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Santa's biggest helpers."
You can catch it at Regal Fenway Stadium 13 & RPX (201 Brookline Ave.) on Saturday, Dec. 22. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Green Book
Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line. African American travelers traditionally relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.
With a critical approval rating of 82 percent and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" has proven a solid option since its release on November 16, with a consensus that "'Green Book' takes audiences on a surprisingly smooth ride through potentially bumpy subject matter, fueled by Peter Farrelly's deft touch and a pair of well-matched leads."
The film recently scored five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, according to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Get a piece of the action at Regal Fenway Stadium 13 & RPX (201 Brookline Ave.) through Thursday, Dec. 20. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Aquaman
The film reveals the origin story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime — one that will not only force him to face who he really is, and but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be — a king.
Set to be released on Friday, Dec. 21, "Aquaman" already has a critical approval rating of 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus that "'Aquaman' swims with its entertainingly ludicrous tide, offering up CGI superhero spectacle that delivers energetic action with an emphasis on good old-fashioned fun."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Regal Fox Run Stadium 15 & RPX (45 Gosling Road) through Thursday, Jan. 3. 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 critical approval rating of 62 percent and an audience score of 90 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."
The film was recently honored with two Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture Drama, according to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Get a piece of the action at Regal Regal Stadium 13 & RPX (201 Brookline Ave.) through Thursday, Dec. 27. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
