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 Chicago.
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.)
Free Solo
Follow Alex Honnold as he becomes the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3, 000 foot high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, and he completed arguably 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 been a must-watch since its release on September 28. Per the site's summary of critic reviews, "Free Solo depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason - and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal."
You can catch it at ArcLight Chicago (1500 N. Clybourn Ave.) through Thursday, December 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.Schindler's List
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
With a 97 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1993 release boasts plenty of accolades. The site's critical consensus has it that "Schindler's List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg's signature tender humanism to create the director's dramatic masterpiece."
Catch it on the big screen at ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Collection with ICON X (1011 S. Delano Court East) through Thursday, December 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Hate U Give
Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, and she's torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth.
With a critical approval rating of 96 percent and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, The Hate U Give has gotten stellar reviews since its release on October 19. The site's critical consensus has it that "Led by a breakout turn from Amandla Stenberg, the hard-hitting The Hate U Give emphatically proves the YA genre has room for much more than magic and romance."
It's screening at Studio Movie Grill – Chatham (210 W. 87th St.) through Thursday, December 13. 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, and resulting in a bitter rivalry between the two cousins to be the Queen's favourite.
Set to be released on Friday, December 14, The Favourite already has a critical approval rating of 94 percent and an audience score of 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Per the site's summary of critic reviews, "The Favourite sees Yorgos Lanthimos balancing a period setting against rich, timely subtext - and getting roundly stellar performances from his well-chosen stars."
Get a piece of the action at ArcLight Chicago (1500 N. Clybourn Ave.), ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Collection with ICON X (1011 S. Delano Court East), AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.), and Regal Webster Place 11 (1471 W. Webster Ave.) through Thursday, Dec. 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
