The very best movies screening in Phoenix this week
Image: North by Northwest/TMDb
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 Phoenix.
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.)
North by Northwest
Advertising man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a spy, triggering a deadly cross-country chase.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 99% and an Audience Score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, this old-school film has been a favorite of critics. The Hollywood Reporter's Jack Moffitt said, "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," while Dave Calhoun of Time Out noted, "Hitchcock breezes through a tongue-in-cheek, nightmarish plot with a lightness of touch that's equaled by a charming performance from Grant."
In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) and Harkins Norterra 14 (2550 W. Happy Valley Road) on 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% and an Audience Score of 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Booksmart" has been a must-watch since its release on May 24.
"'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," according to Erin Keane of Salon.com, while the Globe and Mail's Chandler Levack said, "'Booksmart' is a love letter for any young woman who has ever stayed home on a Friday night to watch a Ken Burns documentary."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Arizona Center 24 (565 N. Third St.), AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 (2515 E. Camelback Road), Harkins MetroCenter 12 (9615-A Metro Parkway West) and Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) 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% and an Audience Score of 90% 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," and the San Diego Reader's Matthew Lickona noted, "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."
Get a piece of the action at AMC Arizona Center 24 (565 N. Third St.), AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 (2515 E. Camelback Road), Harkins MetroCenter 12 (9615-A Metro Parkway West) and Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) through Wednesday, June 12. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Rocketman
The story of Elton John's life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin.
With a Tomatometer Score of 91% and an Audience Score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Rocketman" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on May 31.
The New Yorker's Anthony Lane said, "If you need somebody to recount the rise of a British rock god from pallid suburbia to the baroque extremes of fame, and to create a stir without causing too much of a fuss, Fletcher is your man," and the Chicago Reader's Leah Pickett noted, "The story reshuffles reality, especially time and facts, and the film is more enjoyable for it."
Get a piece of the action at AMC Arizona Center 24 (565 N. Third St.), AMC Dine-In Esplanade 14 (2515 E. Camelback Road), Harkins MetroCenter 12 (9615-A Metro Parkway West) and Harkins Christown 14 (1620 W. Montebello) 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.
