On the hunt for date night ideas? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Chicago.
Here are the highest rated films to catch, 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.)
The Mustang
While participating in a rehabilitation program training wild mustangs, a convict struggles at first to connect with the horses and his fellow inmates, but he learns to confront his violent past as he soothes an especially-feisty horse.
With a Tomatometer Score of 95 percent and an Audience Score of 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Mustang" has become a favorite since its release on March 15.
"There's a Disney movie in here somewhere, but Clermont-Tonnerre has no interest in it. She's too busy steering her own course, and it works," according to Adam Graham of the Detroit News, while ReelViews's James Berardinelli said, "It's worth seeking out... as both a portrait of a prison program few are aware of and a powerful character study."
You can catch it at AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Us
Husband and wife, Gabe and Adelaide Wilson take their kids to their beach house expecting to unplug and unwind with friends. But as night descends, their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some shocking visitors arrive uninvited.
With a Tomatometer Score of 94 percent and an Audience Score of 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Us" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on March 22.
"It achieves an insidious, lingering effect that's rarer in the horror genre," noted Ben Sachs of the Chicago Reader, while the Christian Science Monitor's Peter Rainer said, "Ambition in the horror genre can be a good thing, but the overreach in this movie detracts from both the horror and the ambition. Having said that, Peele shows a marked advance in filmmaking skills here and, in her dual role, Nyong'o is ferociously good."
It's playing at AMC Dine-in Block 37 (100 N. State St.) through Wednesday, April 10; Harper Theater (5238 S. Harper Ave.) through Thursday, April 11; ArcLight Chicago (1500 N. Clybourn Ave.) through Wednesday, April 10; and ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Collection with ICON X (1011 S. Delano Court East) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Shazam!
A boy is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single-magic word.
Set to be released on Friday, April 5, "Shazam!" already has a Tomatometer Score of 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Boston Globe's Tom Russo said, "[A]mid the unattributed riffing, the pinballing among YA-style quaintness, perv jokes, and graphic jolts, you start to realize: "Shazam!" is pretty entertaining," and the New York Times's Manohla Dargis noted, "Once Billy says that magic word and his supersized alter ego appears, the movie goes to its happy place and comfortably embraces its own identity as a light, jocular, modest entertainment."
Interested? It's playing at AMC Dine-in Block 37 (100 N. State St.) through Wednesday, April 10; Harper Theater (5238 S. Harper Ave.) through Thursday, April 11; ArcLight Chicago (1500 N. Clybourn Ave.) through Wednesday, April 10; and ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Collection with ICON X (1011 S. Delano Court East) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind.
With a Tomatometer Score of 90 percent and an Audience Score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" has been getting attention since its release on Feb. 22. The Atlantic's David Sims said, "So much of The Hidden World is stuffed with filler material. But in certain wordless moments, this grand final entry really sings," while Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post stated, "The movie could easily be called "How To End Your Trilogy.""
Get a piece of the action at AMC Dine-in Block 37 (100 N. State St.); ArcLight Chicago (1500 N. Clybourn Ave.); and Regal City North Stadium 14 IMAX & RPX (2600 N. Western Ave.) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
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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.
