Need date night ideas? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Santa Monica.
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, he completed arguably the greatest feat in rock climbing history.
With a 97 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Free Solo" has gotten stellar reviews since its release on Sept. 28. The site's critical consensus has it that "'Free Solo' depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason - and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal."
Interested? It's playing at ArcLight Santa Monica (395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 330) through Thursday, Dec. 6. Click here for showtimes and tickets.Creed II
Follows Adonis Creed's life inside and outside of the ring as he deals with new found fame, issues with his family and his continuing quest to become a champion.
With a critical approval rating of 83 percent and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Creed II" has been getting attention since its release on Nov. 21. Per the site's critical consensus, "'Creed II''s adherence to franchise formula adds up to a sequel with few true surprises, but its time-tested generational themes still pack a solid punch."
Interested? It's playing at AMC Santa Monica 7 (1310 Third St.) through Friday, Dec. 7 and ArcLight Santa Monica (395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 330) through Thursday, Dec. 6. 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 a critical approval rating of 82 percent and an audience score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" has been getting attention since its release on Nov. 16. The site's critical consensus indicates 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."
Get a piece of the action at AMC Broadway 4 (1441 Third St. Promenade) through Thursday, Dec. 6. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Boy Erased
Jared, the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, is outed to his parents at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program or else be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends and faith.
With an 81 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Boy Erased" has been getting attention since its release on Nov. 16. The site's critical consensus notes that "Anchored in empathy by writer-director-star Joel Edgerton, 'Boy Erased' proves the road to complex, powerfully performed drama can also be paved with good intentions."
Get a piece of the action at ArcLight Santa Monica (395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 330) through Thursday, Dec. 6. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
A retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during night-time visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
With a critical approval rating of 74 percent and an audience score of 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1992 release comes with positive recommendations. The site's critical consensus indicates that "It may not be the finest version of Charles Dickens' tale to grace the screen, but The Muppet Christmas Carol is funny and heartwarming, and serves as a good introduction to the story for young viewers."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave.) on Sunday, Dec. 9. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
