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? Don't miss 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.)
Let the Right One In
Set in 1982 in the suburb of Blackeberg, Stockholm, 12-year-old Oskar is a lonely outsider, bullied at school by his classmates; at home, Oskar dreams of revenge against a trio of bullies. He befriends his 12-year-old, next-door neighbor Eli, who only appears at night in the snow-covered playground outside their building.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 98 percent and an Audience Score of 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Let the Right One In" is a critical darling.
"Sinister but gorgeous and compelling," according to Carina Chocano of the Los Angeles Times, while the New Yorker's Bruce Diones said, "A remarkably moving horror tale, about a pale, bullied 12-year-old boy (Kåre Hedebrant) and his first love (Lina Leandersson), who happens to be a vampire."
It's playing at Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) Wednesday, June 12 through Friday, June 14. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Babadook
A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 98 percent and an Audience Score of 72 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Babadook" boasts plenty of accolades.
"Its portrait of maternal exhaustion is intense and disturbing," noted M. Faust of the Public (Buffalo), while BuzzFeed News' Alison Willmore said, "A deftly inventive and psychologically charged horror story that trades on the ways in which the prospect of maternal failure can be just as fearsome a boogeyman as any monster under the bed."
It's playing at Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) on Monday, June 10 and Tuesday, June 11. 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'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."
Want to see for yourself? It's playing at AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road), Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.), AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) and Cinemark Polaris 18 and XD (1071 Gemini Place) 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 become a favorite since its release on April 26. 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 AMC Starplex Columbus 10 (5275 Westpointe Plaza), AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road), AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) and Cinemark Polaris 18 and XD (1071 Gemini Place) 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.
