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 Costa Mesa.
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.)
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, this 2003 release has much to recommend it. Per the site's summary of critic reviews, "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."
It's playing at Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12 (901 S. Coast Drive) 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 racked up generally positive reviews since its release on Nov. 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."
You can catch it at Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12 (901 S. Coast Drive) 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, 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 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The site's critical consensus has it 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 Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12 (901 S. Coast Drive) through Tuesday, Dec. 25 and Triangle Square Cinemas (1870 Harbor Blvd.) through Wednesday, Dec. 26. 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 62 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is well worth a watch. The site's critical consensus notes 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."
Catch it on the big screen at Edwards Metro Pointe Stadium 12 (901 S. Coast Drive) through Friday, Dec. 21 and Triangle Square Cinemas (1870 Harbor Blvd.) through Tuesday, Dec. 25. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
