Want to see a movie, but not sure what's worth your time (and money)? 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.)
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post-hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Fiercely guarding his anonymity to avoid prosecution, Banksy has so far resisted all attempts to be captured on film. "Exit Through the Gift Shop" tells the incredible true story of how an eccentric French shopkeeper turned documentary maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner.
With a Tomatometer Score of 95 percent and an Audience Score of 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 2010 release comes highly recommended.
You can catch it at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) on Tuesday, April 30. 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,'" according to 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."
It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) through Thursday, May 2 and Regal North Hills (4150 Main at North Hills St.) through Sunday, April 28. 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 75 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Penguins" has proven a solid option since its release on April 17.
"It took 16 cinematographers three years to capture the stunning images in this doc about an Adelie penguin coming of age during a freezing Antarctic spring. Go for the film's thrilling sense of wonder," noted Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, while the Globe and Mail's Brad Wheeler said, "A sweet, playful coming-of-age documentary."
It's playing at Regal North Hills (4150 Main at North Hills St.) through Sunday, April 28. 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 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Shazam!" has been getting attention 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."
It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) through Thursday, May 2 and Regal North Hills (4150 Main at North Hills St.) 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 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Missing Link" has proven a solid option since its release on April 12. The Boston Globe's Tom Russo said, "Stick around for the end credits to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the heroes' elephant ride across India. The animators particularly strive to offer a fresh take on their final destination," while David Sims of the Atlantic stated, "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."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh (2116 New Bern Ave., Suite D) 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.
