Need date night ideas? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Colorado Springs.
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.)
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 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Us" has become a favorite since its release on March 22.
The Chicago Reader's Ben Sachs said, "it achieves an insidious, lingering effect that's rarer in the horror genre," while Peter Rainer of the Christian Science Monitor noted, "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 Cinemark Tinseltown USA and XD (1545 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd.) through Tuesday, April 16 and Kimballs Peak Three Theatres (115 E. Pikes Peak Ave.), Icon Cinema Colorado Springs (1818 Spring Water Place), and AMC Classic Colorado Springs 10 (1550 Pulsar Drive) through Wednesday, April 17. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Mustang
While participating in a rehabilitation program training wild mustangs, a convict at first struggles 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 94 percent and an Audience Score of 68 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' 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."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Kimballs Peak Three Theatres (115 E. Pikes Peak Ave.) through Wednesday, April 17. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Eccentric candy man Willy Wonka prompts a worldwide frenzy when he announces that golden tickets hidden inside five of his delicious candy bars will admit their lucky holders into his top-secret confectionary. But does Wonka have an agenda hidden amid a world of Oompa Loompas and chocolate rivers?
With a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 86 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this '70s throwback has garnered plenty of praise.
"Probably the best film of its sort since 'The Wizard of Oz.' It is everything that family movies usually claim to be, but aren't: Delightful, funny, scary, exciting, and, most of all, a genuine work of imagination," noted Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, while Variety's Variety Staff said, "An OK family musical fantasy."
It's screening at Icon Cinema Colorado Springs (1818 Spring Water Place) through Wednesday, April 17. 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.
With a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Shazam!" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on April 5.
Time Out's Joshua Rothkopf said, "For a long, glorious stretch, 'Shazam!' plays like the anti-Nolan antidote it is," and Salon.com's Matthew Rozsa noted, "'Shazam!' is the funniest, sweetest and most innocent movie in the DC Extended Universe - a sign that it is at last ready to compete with Marvel."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at Cinemark Tinseltown USA and XD (1545 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd.) through Tuesday, April 16 and Icon Cinema Colorado Springs (1818 Spring Water Place), AMC Classic Colorado Springs 10 (1550 Pulsar Drive) and Cinemark Carefree Circle and IMAX (3305 Cinema Point) through Tuesday, April 17. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Missing Link
The charismatic Sir Lionel Frost considers himself to be the world's foremost investigator of myths and monsters. Trouble is, none of his small-minded, high-society peers seems to recognize this. Hoping to finally gain acceptance from these fellow adventurers, Sir Lionel travels to the Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of a legendary creature known as the missing link.
Set to be released on Friday, April 12, "Missing Link" already has a Tomatometer Score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
RogerEbert.com's Matt Zoller Seitz said, "A narratively relaxed yet intensely tactile experience," while Soren Andersen of the Seattle Times stated, "'Link' is fun as far as it goes, but from Laika we expect something with a little more depth."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Cinemark Tinseltown USA and XD (1545 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd.) through Tuesday, April 16 and Icon Cinema Colorado Springs (1818 Spring Water Place), AMC Classic Colorado Springs 10 (1550 Pulsar Drive) and Cinemark Carefree Circle and IMAX (3305 Cinema Point) through Wednesday, April 17. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Cozy up to movie night.
Life is hard, but planning the perfect movie night is anything but. Make the most of a fun and relaxing evening with these chill-out essentials:
- Enjoy today’s golden age of streaming entertainment with over 500,000 movies and TV episodes available with the Amazon Fire Stick. Fire it up →
- No movie night is complete without freshly buttered popcorn, and Cuisinart’s hot air popcorn maker is top-of-the-line. Pop and go →
- Slip into comfort with Ugg’s best-selling indoor/outdoor moccasin, complete with sheep’s wool lining. Foot heaven →
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.
