In the age of streaming entertainment, it can be hard to leave the couch. But movie theaters still offer a special experience for those willing to get out of the house. Want to see what's out there? Check out this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Houston.
Here are 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.
Set to be released on Friday, June 21, "Toy Story 4" already has a Tomatometer Score of 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Washington Post's Ann Hornaday said, "As an ode to spunk, ingenuity, teamwork, storytelling and animation artistry, 'Toy Story 4' fires on every spirited cylinder," while Moira MacDonald of the Seattle Times noted, "Did we really need another 'Toy Story' movie? Turns out we did."
It's playing at Cinemark Tinseltown USA (11450 East Freeway); Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan); AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) and Cinemark Tinseltown 290 and XD (12920 Northwest Freeway) through Wednesday, June 26. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
How to Train Your Dragon
As the son of a Viking leader on the cusp of manhood, shy Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III faces a rite of passage: He must kill a dragon to prove his warrior mettle. But after downing a feared dragon, he realizes that he no longer wants to destroy it, and instead befriends the beast — which he names Toothless — much to the chagrin of his warrior father.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "How to Train Your Dragon" boasts plenty of accolades.
"It's a foolproof scheme for picture making: Take the plot elements of favorite movies, paint the concoction with bright colors so it looks like the zazziest customized car, set it running at NASCAR speed and you have 'How to Train Your Dragon,'" according to Richard Corliss of Time magazine, while Minneapolis Star Tribune's Tom Horgen said, "What we have here is an exhilarating epic that mixes comedic and touching moments with some of the best action sequences ever created with CGI animation."
It's screening at Cinemark Hollywood Movies 20 (2101 E. Beltway 8) and Cinemark 12 Cypress and XD (25720 Northwest Freeway) through Wednesday, June 26. 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 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Booksmart" has proved to be a critical darling 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.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."
It's screening at Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan) through Thursday, June 20; AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) through Thursday, June 20; AMC Studio 30 (2949 Dunvale) through Thursday, June 20 and Regal Houston Marq*E ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX & RPX (7620 Katy Freeway) through Sunday, June 23. 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 91 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 Cinemark Tinseltown USA (11450 East Freeway) through Thursday, June 20; Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace & RPX (3839 Weslayan) through Thursday, June 20; AMC Willowbrook 24 (17145 Tomball Parkway) through Tuesday, June 25 and Studio Movie Grill Pearland (8440 S. Sam Houston East Parkway) through Thursday, June 20. 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.
