In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies--including two that have earned Golden Globe nominations--now showing on the big screen in and around Fort Lauderdale.
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.)
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, relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.
With an 83 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" has proven a solid option since its release on November 16. It recently received five Golden Globe nominations.
According to the site's summary of critic reviews, "'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."
Interested? It's playing at AMC Dine-in Coral Ridge 10 (3401 N.E. 26th Ave.) through Friday, Dec. 14. 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. He is then given 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 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, plus a Golden Globe nod for star Lucas Hedges, "Boy Erased" is well worth a watch.
Per the site's summary of critic reviews, "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."
Catch it on the big screen at The Last Picture Show at Tamarac 5 (10036 W. McNab Rd.) through Wednesday, Dec. 19. 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 and his wife Ellen and their two kids. And Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests. He manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
With a critical approval rating of 64 percent and an audience score of 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1980s classic has been re-released for the holidays. The site's critical consensus notes 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."
Catch it on the big screen at Regal Cypress Creek Station Stadium 16 (6415 N. Andrews Ave.) on Saturday, Dec. 15. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Bohemian Rhapsody
In 1970, 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. 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 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Bohemian Rhapsody" has been more popular with the public than critics, but both the film and star Rami Malek got Golden Globe nods.
The site's critical consensus admits, "'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."
You can catch it at Regal Cypress Creek Station Stadium 16 (6415 N. Andrews Ave.) through Friday, Dec. 14. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
