In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Oakland.
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.)
Toy Story 4
Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that's Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called "Forky" to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 98% and an Audience Score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Toy Story 4" has garnered stellar reviews since its release on June 21. The New Yorker's Anthony Lane said, "Cooley's film quickens and deepens," while Matthew Rozsa of Salon noted, "The latest installment, 'Toy Story 4,' is perhaps the bleakest (and most beautiful) of them all."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at Grand Lake Theatre (3200 Grand Ave.) and Regal Jack London (100 Washington St.) through Thursday, July 4. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Ghostbusters
After losing their academic posts at a prestigious university, a team of parapsychologists goes into business as proton-pack-toting "ghostbusters" who exterminate ghouls, hobgoblins and supernatural pests of all stripes. An ad campaign pays off when a knockout cellist hires the squad to purge her swanky digs of demons that appear to be living in her refrigerator.
With a Tomatometer Score of 97% and an Audience Score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, this '80s throwback is a must-see.
"'Ghostbusters' is like romping through Disneyland's haunted house with Bill Murray," according to Joseph Gelmis of Newsday, while the New York Daily News's Kathleen Carroll said, "'Ghostbusters' is primarily a showcase for Murray, who slinks through the movie muttering his lines in his usual cheeky fashion and getting off an occasionally hilarious crack that proves he's thoroughly enjoying himself."
It's screening at The New Parkway (474 24th St.) through Sunday, June 30. 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% and an Audience Score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Booksmart" has been a must-watch since its release on May 24.
"It's more John Hughes than Judd Apatow, and it's a little more 'Bridesmaids' than 'Lady Bird'...a success on [its] own terms," noted Kristen Evans of The New Republic, while Salon'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."
Get a piece of the action at Regal Jack London (100 Washington St.) through Monday, July 1. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Midsommar
A young couple travels to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown and attend its mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly descends into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.
Set to be released on Wednesday, July 3, "Midsommar" already has a Tomatometer Score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. The AV Club's A.A. Dowd said, "This is, in other words, a less perfectly crafted nightmare than (Ari) Aster's last one. But there's a deranged integrity to its sprawl, and to the filmmaker's willingness to embrace the darkest, most unsparing aspects of human desire," and Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt noted, "The skin-pricking pleasures of 'Midsommar' aren't rational, they're instinctive: a thrilling, seasick freefall into the light."
It's playing at Regal Jack London (100 Washington St.) through Thursday, July 4. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his quest by his best friend Mont, Jimmie searches for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind.
With a Tomatometer Score of 94% and an Audience Score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco" has become a favorite since its release on June 7. The Detroit News's Adam Graham said, "'The Last Black Man in San Francisco' is poignant filmmaking with an invigorating spirit," while Soren Andersen of the Seattle Times stated, "The acting by the two principals is impeccable, their portrait of male friendship is deeply felt."
Interested? It's playing at Grand Lake Theatre (3200 Grand Ave.) through Thursday, July 4. 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.
