In the mood for a stirring story? Check out this week's lineup of dramas showing on the big screen in and around Phoenix.
Read on for the top-ranked drama films to catch in theaters, based on critical scores sourced from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. (Movie descriptions courtesy The Movie Database; showtimes via Fandango.)
Do the Right Thing
On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.
With a 90 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1980s classic has proven a solid viewing choice. Per the site's summary of critic reviews, "Smart, vibrant, and urgent without being didactic, 'Do the Right Thing' is one of Spike Lee's most fully realized efforts -- and one of the most important films of the 1980s."
Catch it on the big screen at Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) on Tuesday, Feb. 19. 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 80 percent and an audience score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" is well worth a watch, 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."
Get a piece of the action at AMC Arizona Center 24 (565 N. Third St.) and AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 (2515 E. Camelback Road) through Wednesday, Feb. 20 and Harkins North Valley 16 (3420 E. Bell Road) through Thursday, Feb. 21. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Cold Pursuit
Nels Coxman's quiet life comes crashing down when his beloved son dies under mysterious circumstances. His search for the truth soon becomes a quest for revenge as he seeks coldblooded justice against a drug lord and his inner circle.
With a 73 percent critical approval rating and an audience score of 63 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Cold Pursuit" is well worth a watch. The site's critical consensus indicates that "'Cold Pursuit' delivers the action audiences expect from a Liam Neeson thriller -- along with humor and a sophisticated streak that make this an uncommonly effective remake."
It's screening at Harkins MetroCenter 12 (9615-A Metro Parkway West), and Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) through Thursday, Feb. 21. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
