Memphis/ Fun & Entertainment
Published on May 24, 2019
Which movies in theaters are worth the price of admission?Image: Booksmart/TMDb

In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Don't miss this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Memphis.

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 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Tribune News Service's Katie Walsh said, "(Director) 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 percent of the plot-it's still an endearing kind of chaos."

Catch it on the big screen at Malco Cordova Cinema (1080 Germantown Parkway) and Malco Paradiso Cinema Grill & IMAX (584 S. Mendenhall) through Wednesday, May 29. 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 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Avengers: Endgame" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on April 26.

"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 (Marvel Cinematic Universe) films that preceded it have-indeed, very few Hollywood spectacles ever have," according to Oliver Jones of the Observer, while the San Diego Reader's Matthew Lickona said, "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 Malco Wolfchase Cinema Grill (2766 N. Germantown Parkway) through Wednesday, May 29; Malco Powerhouse Cinema (540 S. Front St.) through Wednesday, May 29; and Malco Studio on the Square (2105 Court Ave.) through Thursday, May 30. 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.

With a Tomatometer Score of 81 percent and an Audience Score of 69 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Long Shot" has racked up generally positive reviews since its release on May 3.

"Clearly, (Actress Charlize) Theron can turn her hand to any genre," noted Anthony Lane of The New Yorker, while Tribune News Service's Katie Walsh said, "It's 'Veep,' but less absurdly acid-tongued, and a lot more swoony. Still, the incisive cultural and political commentary cuts deep, and (Actress Charlize) Theron and (Actor Seth) Rogen turn out to be a winning pair."

It's screening at Malco Ridgeway Cinema Grill (5853 Ridgeway Ctr. Parkway) through Thursday, May 30. Click here for showtimes and tickets.

Brightburn

A child from another world crash-lands on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he is an evil little boy.

Set to be released on Friday, May 24, "Brightburn" already has a Tomatometer Score of 63 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Chilango.com's Mauricio Nava said, "Despite not having a deep script and memorable performances [Brightburn] achieves its mission: to entertain a captive audience with an... already well-worn format," and Espinof's Víctor López G. noted, "The film succeeds because it offers what it promises without excessive expectations."

Catch it on the big screen at Malco Studio on the Square (2105 Court Ave.) through Thursday, May 30; Malco Majestic Cinema (7051 Malco Crossing) through Wednesday, May 29; and Malco Cordova Cinema (1080 Germantown Parkway) through Wednesday, May 29. Click here for showtimes and tickets.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

In a world where people collect pocket-size monsters (Pokémon) to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent monster who seeks to be a detective.

With a Tomatometer Score of 66 percent and an Audience Score of 82 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Pokémon Detective Pikachu" is well worth a watch. The Globe and Mail's Daniel Kaszor said, "Detective Pikachu is unrelentingly weird," while Vincent Acovino of NPR stated, "There's something admirable about a film that isn't afraid to have some fun with a property so established - and beloved - by its core audience."

You can catch it at Malco Wolfchase Cinema Grill (2766 N. Germantown Parkway) through Wednesday, May 29; and Malco Studio on the Square (2105 Court Ave.) through Thursday, May 30. 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.