In the age of streaming entertainment, it can be hard to leave the couch. But movie theaters still offer a special experience for those willing to get out of the house. Want to see what's out there? Read on for this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Boston.
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.)
Free Solo
Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free-solo climb Yosemite's 3,000-foot-high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this would arguably be the greatest feat in rock-climbing history.
Boasting a 98 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Free Solo" has proven to be a critical darling since its release on Sept. 28. The site's critical consensus notes that "'Free Solo' depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason - and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal."
Get a piece of the action at West Newton Cinema ( 296 Washington St.) on Friday, Jan. 4. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is juggling his life between being a high school student and being Spider-Man. However, when Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk uses a super collider, another Spider-Man from another dimension, Peter Parker, accidentally winds up in Miles' dimension. As Peter trains Miles to become a better Spider-Man, they are soon joined by four other Spider-Men from across the "Spider-Verse." As all these clashing dimensions start to tear Brooklyn apart, Miles must help the others stop Fisk and return everyone to their own dimensions.
With a 97 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" has been a must-watch since its release on Dec. 14. According to the site's summary of critic reviews, "'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action."
You can catch it at AMC Boston Common 19 ( 175 Tremont St.) through Sunday, Jan. 6. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
If Beale Street Could Talk
After her fiance is falsely imprisoned, a pregnant African-American woman sets out to clear his name and prove his innocence.
With a 95 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 80 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "If Beale Street Could Talk" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on Dec. 25. The site's critical consensus notes that "'If Beale Street Could Talk' honors its source material with a beautifully filmed adaptation that finds director Barry Jenkins further strengthening his visual and narrative craft."
Interested? It's playing at AMC Loews Boston Common 19 (175 Tremont St.) through Thursday, Jan. 3. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Favourite
In 18th-century England, the close relationship between Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill is threatened by the arrival of Sarah's cousin, Abigail Hill, resulting in a bitter rivalry between the two cousins to be the Queen's favorite.
With a critical approval rating of 94 percent and an audience score of 59 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Favourite" has become a favorite since its release on Dec. 14, with a consensus that "'The Favourite' sees Yorgos Lanthimos balancing a period setting against rich, timely subtext - and getting roundly stellar performances from his well-chosen stars."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Loews Boston Common 19 (175 Tremont St.) through Thursday, Jan. 3. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
