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? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Chapel Hill.
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.)
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 critical approval rating of 97 percent and an audience score of 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1993 Best Picture winner, re-released for its 25th anniversary, is a must-see.
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."
Bring tissues: it's screening at Silverspot Cinema Chapel Hill 13 (201 S. Estes Drive, Suite 100) through Friday, Dec. 14. 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 were forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line. They relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.
With a critical approval rating of 83 percent and an audience score of 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" has been getting attention since its release on Nov. 16.
The site's critical consensus supports its recent five Golden Globe nominations: "'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."
It's playing at Silverspot Cinema Chapel Hill 13 (201 S. Estes Drive, Suite 100) through Friday, Dec. 14. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
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 be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends and faith.
With an 80 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Boy Erased" is well worth a watch. Per the site's overview of critic reviews, "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."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Classic Durham 15 (1807 Martin Luther King Parkw) through Wednesday, Dec. 19. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
It's Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
With a critical approval rating of 64 percent and an audience score of 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1980s classic deserves a viewing on the big screen. According to the site's overview of critic reviews, "While 'Christmas Vacation' may not be the most disciplined comedy, it's got enough laughs and good cheer to make for a solid seasonal treat."
Catch it on the big screen at Silverspot Cinema Chapel Hill 13 (201 S. Estes Drive, Suite 100) through Monday, Dec. 17. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
