Want to see a movie, but not sure what's worthwhile? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Raleigh.
Read on for 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.)
Apollo 11
A look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 99 percent and an Audience Score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Apollo 11" has proven to be a critical darling since its release on March 8. Entertainment Weekly's Chris Nashawaty said, "The NASA mission at the heart of the must-see documentary 'Apollo 11' reminds you what it feels like to be truly awestruck," while Jake Coyle of the Associated Press noted, "'Apollo 11' might not tell you anything you don't already know about the moon landing. But it will make you feel it, and see it, anew."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) through Wednesday, April 17. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Grave of the Fireflies
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.
With a Tomatometer Score of 97 percent and an Audience Score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1988 release has been a favorite of critics.
"One of the most startling and moving animated films ever," according to Glenn Kenny of the "New York Times," while ReelViews' James Berardinelli said, "Some movies are such singular achievements that they deserve to be seen at least once by everyone who considers himself or herself to be a lover of film. 'Grave of the Fireflies' falls into that exclusive category."
It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) through Wednesday, April 17. 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 68 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 film-making skills here and, in her dual role, Nyong'o is ferociously good."
You can catch it at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) through Wednesday, April 17 and Regal North Hills Stadium 14 (4150 Main at North Hills St.) through Tuesday, April 16. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Grey Gardens
This film explores the daily lives of two aging, eccentric relatives of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Edie Bouvier Beale and her mother, Edith, are the sole inhabitants of a Long Island estate. During the course of the documentary, they discuss their habits, desires and former loves with filmmakers Albert and David Maysles. The women reveal themselves to be misfits with outsized and engaging personalities. Much of the conversation is centered on their pasts, as mother and daughter now rarely leave home.
With a Tomatometer Score of 94 percent and an Audience Score of 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1975 release comes highly recommended. "The Boston Globe"'s Mark Feeney said, "Edith and Edie are like a toxic vaudeville team, joined not just by blood but affinity," and the "Philadelphia Inquirer"'s Molly Eichel noted, "Classic."
It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) on Sunday, April 14. 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," while Matthew Rozsa of Salon.com stated, "'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."
It's screening at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) through Wednesday, April 17 and Regal North Hills Stadium 14 (4150 Main at North Hills St.) through Tuesday, April 16. 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.
