In the market for a laugh? Check out this week's lineup of comedies showing on the big screen in and around Phoenix.
Here are the top-ranked comedy films to catch in theaters, based on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer Score, which reflects the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics.
(Movie descriptions courtesy The Movie Database; showtimes via Fandango. Movie ratings and showtimes are subject to change.)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is juggling his life between being a high school student and being a spider-man. When Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk uses a super collider, others from across the Spider-Verse are transported to this dimension.
With a Tomatometer Score of 97 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" has proven to be a critical darling since its release in December of 2018. The New York Times' Lawrence Ware said, ""This film manages the delicate feat of embracing its source material while also satirizing it," while David Sims of the Atlantic noted, "The latest entry in a fully saturated genre that somehow, through sheer creative gumption, does something new."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at AMC Arizona Center 24 (565 N. Third St.) and FilmBar (815 N. Second St.) through Wednesday, April 3. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Follows a group of high school students growing up in southern California, based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for a love interest, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, respectively. The center of the film is held by Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer dude who faces off with the resolute Mr. Hand, who is convinced that everyone is on dope.
With a Tomatometer Score of 78 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1980s classic is well worth your time.
"Fast Times will always be remembered for one thing: showing respect for and insight into the members of its core audience, something that was as rare in the 1980s as it is today," according to James Berardinelli of ReelViews, while The ARTery's Sean Burns said, "Heckerling undercuts the usual teensploitation tropes at every turn."
Interested? It's playing at Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) and Harkins Norterra 14 (2550 W. Happy Valley Road) through Tuesday, April 2. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Isn't It Romantic
For a long time, Natalie, an Australian architect living in New York City, had always believed that what she had seen in rom-coms is all fantasy. But after thwarting a mugger at a subway station only to be knocked out while fleeing, Natalie wakes up and discovers that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare—a romantic comedy—and she is the leading lady.
With a Tomatometer Score of 68 percent and an Audience Score of 51 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Isn't It Romantic" is well worth a watch.
"Unlike other movies where women bang their heads, this one's got a brain," noted Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post, while New York Magazine/Vulture's Bilge Ebiri said, "It's the Inception of rom-coms. Sort of."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Arizona Center 24 (565 N. Third St.) and AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 (2515 E. Camelback Road) through Wednesday, April 3; and AMC Deer Valley 30 (3033 W. Agua Fria Freeway) through Monday, April 1. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
This story was created automatically using local movie data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
