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 Garland.
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.)
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, 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 Oct. 19. According to the site's overview of critic reviews, "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."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Firewheel 18 (100 Coneflower Drive) through Monday, Dec. 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.Incredibles 2
Elastigirl springs into action to save the day and while Mr. Incredible faces his greatest challenge yet — taking care of the problems of his three children.
With a 94 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Incredibles 2" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on June 15. The site's critical consensus notes that "'Incredibles 2' reunites Pixar's family crimefighting team for a long-awaited follow-up that may not quite live up to the original, but comes close enough to earn its name."
It's playing at Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15 (4040 S. Shiloh Road) through Thursday, Dec. 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Crazy Rich Asians
An American-born Chinese economics professor accompanies her boyfriend to Singapore for his best friend's wedding, only to get thrust into the lives of Asia's rich and famous.
With a critical approval rating of 92 percent and an audience score of 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Crazy Rich Asians" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on Aug. 15, with a consensus that "With a terrific cast and a surfeit of visual razzle dazzle, 'Crazy Rich Asians' takes a satisfying step forward for screen representation while deftly drawing inspiration from the classic — and still effective — rom-com formula."
You can catch it at Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15 (4040 S. Shiloh Road) through Thursday, Dec. 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
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, and a workaholic publisher.
With a critical approval rating of 83 percent and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Elf" is a good bet, with a consensus that "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."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Firewheel 18 (100 Coneflower Drive) through Thursday, Dec. 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
