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 Columbus.
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.)
Booksmart
Two academic teenage superstars realize, on the eve of their high school graduation, that they should have worked less and played more. Determined to never fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.
Set to be released on Friday, May 24, "Booksmart" already has a Tomatometer Score of 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Tribune News Service's Katie Walsh said, "Olivia Wilde comes out swinging with not only one of the best movies of the year, but one of the best high school movies of all time," while Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly noted, "If the storyline doesn't so much unfold as burst out in glittery puffs - and if music cues seem to make up about 40% of the plot - it's still an endearing kind of chaos."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at AMC Starplex Columbus 10 (5275 Westpointe Plaza) through Wednesday, May 29; AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road) through Sunday, May 26; Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) through Wednesday, May 29; and AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) through Wednesday, May 29. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Evil Dead
When a group of college students finds a mysterious book and recording in the old wilderness cabin they've rented for the weekend, they unwittingly unleash a demonic force from the surrounding forest.
With a Tomatometer Score of 95 percent and an Audience Score of 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 80s throwback has become a favorite.
"Sam Raimi directed this 1983 horror feature fresh out of film school, and his anything-for-an-effect enthusiasm pays off in lots of formally inventive bits," noted Pat Graham of the Chicago Reader, while Variety's Variety Staff said, "While injecting considerable black humor, neophyte Detroit-based writer-director Sam Raimi maintains suspense and a nightmarish mood in between the showy outbursts of special effects gore and graphic violence which are staples of modern horror pictures."
It's playing at Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) through Sunday, May 26. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Avengers: Endgame
After the devastating events of "Avengers: Infinity War," the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
With a Tomatometer Score of 94 percent and an Audience Score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Avengers: Endgame" has become a favorite since its release on April 26. The Observer's Oliver Jones said, "What you will be getting when you walk into an inevitably overstuffed movie theater is something singular that reflects our age in a way that none of the MCU films that preceded it have-indeed, very few Hollywood spectacles ever have," and the San Diego Reader's Matthew Lickona noted, "The MCU will go on and on, but this chapter - and the American pragmatism vs. American ideals bromance that drove it - have well and truly come to their 'Excelsior! Nuff said!' moment."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at AMC Starplex Columbus 10 (5275 Westpointe Plaza) through Wednesday, May 29; AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road) through Saturday, May 25; and AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) through Tuesday, May 28. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Shawshank Redemption
Framed in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates, including an older prisoner named Red for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
With a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1994 release is not to be missed. The Hollywood Reporter's Duane Byrge said, "In the lead roles, both Robbins and Freeman are outstanding, layering their performances with snippets of individuality: Their small, daily sustenances and minor triumphs are wonderfully inspiring," while Dave Kehr of the New York Daily News stated, "This is an engagingly simple, good-hearted film, with just enough darkness around the edges to give contrast and relief to its glowingly benign view of human nature."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) through Wednesday, May 29. 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.
