Want to see a movie, but not sure what's worth your time (and money)? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Denver.
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.)
The River and the Wall
This documentary follows five friends on an immersive adventure through the unknown wilds of the Texas borderlands as they travel 1200 miles from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico on horses, mountain bikes, and canoes. They set out to document the borderlands and explore the potential impacts of a border wall on the natural environment, but as the wilderness gives way to the more populated and heavily trafficked Lower Rio Grande Valley, they come face-to-face with the human side of the immigration debate and enter uncharted emotional waters.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 100 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "The River and the Wall" has been a must-watch since its release on May 3. The New York Times's Jeannette Catsoulis said, "This casually relaxed documentary is both a vivid message movie and a wonder-filled paean to a singularly beautiful and biodiverse environment," while Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times noted, "Director Ben Masters' compelling, gorgeously shot, super-timely documentary 'The River and the Wall' should be required viewing of anyone charged with making a public case for or against a border wall between the United States and Mexico."
Interested? It's playing at Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake (4255 W. Colfax Ave.) through Thursday, June 13. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
North by Northwest
Advertising man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a spy, triggering a deadly cross-country chase.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 99 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1959 release is a must-see.
"(Alfred) Hitchcock is such a master of suspense that not many frames have passed before the audience has achieved complete identification with the characters and is knowing the thrill of vicarious fear and the shared pleasures of love and passion," according to Jack Moffitt of the Hollywood Reporter, while Time Out's Dave Calhoun said, "Hitchcock breezes through a tongue-in-cheek, nightmarish plot with a lightness of touch that's equaled by a charming performance from Grant."
You can catch it at Harkins Northfield 18 (8300 E. Northfield Blvd.) on Tuesday, June 11. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
A Hard Day's Night
Capturing John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in their electrifying element, 'A Hard Day's Night' is a wildly irreverent journey through this pastiche of a day in the life of The Beatles during 1964. The band have to use all their guile and wit to avoid the pursuing fans and press to reach their scheduled television performance, in spite of Paul's troublemaking grandfather and Ringo's arrest.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 98 percent and an Audience Score of 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1964 release boasts plenty of accolades.
"[Hard Day's Night] adds up to a breathless, sometimes funny film maybe even worth a squeal or two," noted Mike McGrady of Newsday, while Newsday's Rafer Guzman said, "The movie never feels like a nostalgia trip. It moves, breathes and sings with life."
You can catch it at Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake (4255 W. Colfax Ave.) on Monday, June 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
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.
With a Tomatometer Score of 97 percent and an Audience Score of 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Booksmart" has been a must-watch since its release on May 24. Salon.com's Erin Keane said, "Booksmart puts a fresh spin on the coming-of-age night-of comedy because it's focused on two girls, one of whom is also queer," and the Globe and Mail's Chandler Levack noted, " 'Booksmart' is a love letter for any young woman who has ever stayed home on a Friday night to watch a Ken Burns documentary."
It's playing at Regal UA Denver Pavilions & RPX (500 16th St.), Regal UA Colorado Center & IMAX (2000 S. Colorado Blvd.) and Harkins Northfield 18 (8300 E. Northfield Blvd.) through Wednesday, June 12. 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 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Avengers: Endgame" has garnered plenty of praise 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," while Matthew Lickona of the San Diego Reader stated, "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."
It's screening at Regal UA Denver Pavilions & RPX (500 16th St.) and AMC DINE-IN Cherry Creek 8 (3000 E. First Ave.) through Wednesday, June 12. 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.
