In the age of streaming entertainment, it can be hard to leave the couch. But movie theaters still offer a special experience for those willing to get out of the house. Want to see what's out there? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Washington.
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.)
Gun Crazy
Bart Tare is an ex-Army man who has a lifelong fixation with guns. He meets a kindred spirit in sharpshooter Annie Starr and goes to work at a carnival. After upsetting the carnival owner who lusts after Starr, they both get fired. Soon, on Starr's behest, they embark on a crime spree for cash. Subjects of a manhunt, they are tracked by police in the hills Tare enjoyed as a boy.
With a Tomatometer Score of 97 percent and an Audience Score of 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this old-school film has been a favorite of critics. The New Yorker's Richard Brody said, "The already-classic trope of lovers on the run, a la Bonnie and Clyde, gets a stylish workout from the director Joseph H. Lewis." Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader noted, "One of the most distinguished works of art to emerge from the B movie swamp."
Catch it on the big screen at Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market (550 E. Penn St. NE) on Wednesday, May 1. 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 66 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Us" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on March 22.
"Us revolves around an allegory that's more elastic and resistant to parsing than megahit Get Out," noted Alison Willmore of BuzzFeed News, while the Chicago Reader's Ben Sachs said, "It achieves an insidious, lingering effect that's rarer in the horror genre."
Interested? It's playing at AMC Mazza Gallerie (5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW), Regal Gallery Place (701 Seventh St. NW) and AMC Georgetown 14 (3111 K St. NW) through Wednesday, May 1. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Penguins
This is 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 90 percent and an Audience Score of 81 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Penguins" has racked up generally positive reviews since its release on April 17. Rolling Stone's Peter Travers said, "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." Brad Wheeler of the Globe and Mail stated, "A sweet, playful coming-of-age documentary."
Catch it on the big screen at Regal Gallery Place (701 Seventh St. NW) and AMC Georgetown 14 (3111 K St. NW) through Wednesday, May 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.
