In the market for a laugh? Read on for this week's lineup of comedies showing on the big screen in and around San Antonio.
Here are the highest rated comedy films to catch in theaters, based on critical scores sourced from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. (Movie descriptions courtesy The Movie Database; showtimes via Fandango.)
A Simple Favor
Stephanie, a dedicated mother and popular vlogger, befriends Emily, a mysterious upper-class woman whose son Nicky attends the same school as Miles, Stephanie's son. When Emily asks her to pick Nicky up from school and then disappears, Emily undertakes an investigation that will dive deep into Emily's cloudy past.
With a critical approval rating of 86 percent and an audience score of 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "A Simple Favor" has racked up generally positive reviews since its release on Sept. 14, with a consensus that "Twisty, twisted, and above all simply fun, 'A Simple Favor' casts a stylish mommy noir spell strengthened by potent performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively."
Catch it on the big screen at Regal Fiesta Stadium 16 (12631 Vance Jackson) through Thursday, Dec. 27. 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 unleashes a horde of mischievous gremlins on a small town.
With a critical approval rating of 84 percent and an audience score of 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1984 release is a good bet. The site's critical consensus notes 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."
Interested? It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Westlakes (1255 S.W. Loop 410) 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, relied on a guide called "The Negro Motorist Green Book."
With an 82 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" has been getting attention since its release on Nov. 16. The site's critical consensus has it 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."
It's playing at Santikos Bijou Cinema Bistro (4522 Fredericksburg Road) through Wednesday, Dec. 26. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
