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 Seattle.
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.)
Shoplifters
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them.
Boasting a 99 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Shoplifters" has gotten stellar reviews since its release on Nov. 23, with a consensus that "Understated yet ultimately deeply affecting, 'Shoplifters' adds another powerful chapter to director Hirokazu Koreeda's richly humanistic filmography."
Bring tissues: it's playing at AMC Seattle 10 (4500 9th Ave. NE) through Wednesday, Jan. 16. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Free Solo
Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000-foot El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this is 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 proven to be a critical darling 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."
It's playing at AMC Seattle 10 (4500 9th Ave. NE) through Thursday, Jan. 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is juggling his life between being a high school student and being Spider-Man. However, when Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk uses a super collider, another Spider-Man from another dimension, Peter Parker, accidentally winds up in Miles' dimension. As Peter trains Miles to become a better Spider-Man, they are soon joined by four other Spider-Men from across the "Spider-Verse". As all these clashing dimensions start to tear Brooklyn apart, Miles must help the others stop Fisk and return everyone to their own dimensions.
With a critical approval rating of 97 percent and an audience score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" has gotten stellar reviews since its release on December 14.
The site's critical consensus agrees with its recent win for Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globes: "'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action."
It's playing at AMC Seattle 10 (4500 Ninth Ave. NE) through Wednesday, Jan. 16. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Three Identical Strangers
New York, 1980: three complete strangers accidentally discover that they're identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds' joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives - and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.
With a 96 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Three Identical Strangers" has proven to be a critical darling since its release on June 29. According to the site's summary of critic reviews, "Surreal and surprising, 'Three Identical Strangers' effectively questions the nature of reality and identity."
It's screening at AMC Pacific Place 11 (600 Pine South) on Thursday, Jan. 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
