In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Houston.
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 66 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Us" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on March 22. BuzzFeed News' Alison Willmore said, "Us revolves around an allegory that's more elastic and resistant to parsing than megahit Get Out," while Ben Sachs of the Chicago Reader noted, "It achieves an insidious, lingering effect that's rarer in the horror genre."
Get a piece of the action at Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan) through Tuesday, April 30; and Cinemark Tinseltown USA (11450 East Freeway), AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) and Studio Movie Grill Pearland (8440 S. Sam Houston East Parkway) through Wednesday, May 1. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Penguins
The story of Steve, an Adélie penguin, on a quest to find a life partner and start a family. When Steve meets with Wuzzo the emperor penguin they become friends. But nothing comes easy in the icy Antarctic.
With a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Penguins" has become a favorite since its release on April 17.
"It took 16 cinematographers three years to capture the stunning images in this doc about an Adelie penguin (anthropomorphically voiced by Ed Helms) coming of age during a freezing Antarctic spring. Go for the film's thrilling sense of wonder," according to Peter Travers of Rolling Stone.
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Cinemark Tinseltown 290 and XD (12920 Northwest Freeway) through Sunday, April 28; Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan) through Tuesday, April 30; Cinemark Tinseltown USA (11450 East Freeway) and AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) through Wednesday, May 1; and 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 90 percent and an Audience Score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Shazam!" has been getting attention since its release on April 5.
"For a long, glorious stretch, Shazam! plays like the anti-Nolan antidote it is," noted Joshua Rothkopf of Time Out, while Salon's Matthew Rozsa said, " '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."
Interested? It's playing at Cinemark Tinseltown 290 and XD (12920 Northwest Freeway) through Sunday, April 28; Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan) through Tuesday, April 30; Cinemark Tinseltown USA (11450 East Freeway) and AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) through Wednesday, May 1. 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.
With a Tomatometer Score of 89 percent and an Audience Score of 69 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Missing Link" has proven a solid option since its release on April 12. The Atlantic's David Sims noted, "Amid the noisy, epic action of most kid-oriented features, this film's story is clear and effective: a sweet-hearted narrative of how friendship can broaden one's horizons."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan) through Tuesday, April 30; and AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) through Wednesday, May 1. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Long Shot
When Fred Flarsky reunites with his first crush, one of the most influential women in the world, Charlotte Field, he charms her. As she prepares to make a run for the presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter and sparks fly.
Set to be released on Friday, May 3, "Long Shot" already has a Tomatometer Score of 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. IndieWire's Eric Kohn said, "Long Shot turns its endearing couple into a savvy vessel for exploring America's fractured times," while Yolanda Machado of TheWrap stated, "(Seth) Rogen's off-kilter charm and jocularity pair well with (Charlize) Theron's elegance and wit."
Get a sneak peak at AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway), Studio Movie Grill Pearland (8440 S. Sam Houston East Parkway), AMC Studio 30 (2949 Dunvale) and Studio Movie Grill City Centre (805 Town and Country Blvd.) on Thursday, May 2. 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.
