Bo Burnham’s “Eight Grade.”A24A new wave of films hits theaters every week, but a lot of them aren’t worth seeing.
To help you sort out which films are must-see material, we turn to the reviews aggregator Metacritic each week to compile this list of the most critically acclaimed films that are currently in theaters on a wide release.
On this week’s list, Bo Burnham’s directorial debut “Eight Grade” contends with Spike Lee’s satirical true-crime thriller “BlacKkKlansman,” and the wildly compelling satire “Sorry to Bother You.”
Here are the 7 best films in theaters right now, according to critics:
7. “Searching” — 71%
Critic score: 71%
Date released: August 24, 2018
What critics said: “Impressively, first-time filmmaker and former Google commercials creator Aneesh Chaganty has also made a real movie, the story of a family that morphs into a crime drama that gradually ratchets up the tension as all good thrillers must, one that’s well constructed and acted as well as novel in its storytelling techniques.” — The Hollywood Reporter
6. “Crazy Rich Asians” — 74%
Critic score: 74%
Date released: August 15, 2018
What critics said: “It’s a reinvented romantic comedy, sassy and fun, that doesn’t necessarily rely on obvious tropes and is worth the wait.” — Time Out
5. “Incredibles 2” — 80%
Critic score: 80%
Date released: June 15, 2018
What critics said: “Though it would be unrealistic to expect ‘Incredibles 2’ to have quite the genre-busting surprise of the original, it is as good as it can be without that shock of the new — delivering comedy, adventure and all too human moments with a generous hand.” — Los Angeles Times
4. “Sorry to Bother You” — 81%
Critic score: 81%
Date released: July 6, 2018
What critics said: “Oakland-based rapper Boots Riley scores a knockout debut as a director with Sorry to Bother You, a no-mercy satire that gets up in your face, breaks all the rules – and then invents new rules so it can break them too.” — Rolling Stone
3. “BlacKkKlansman” — 83%
Critic score: 83%
Date released: August 10, 2018
What critics said: “This is a film loaded with broad comedy, bold speechifying, blunt depictions of racism, and astonishing visual flair; it is a Spike Lee movie, made with the kind of artistic and political verve that recalls his best work.” — The Atlantic
2. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” — 86%
Critic score: 86%
Date released: July 27, 2018
What critics said: “Merges the franchise’s big-budget spectacle with an utterly ferocious style of action filmmaking that far surpasses what McQuarrie executed in either Rogue Nation or Jack Reacher.” — The Verge
1. “Eighth Grade” — 90%
Critic score: 90%
Date released: July 13, 2018
What critics said: “‘Eighth Grade’ is an absolute delight that stings with truth. It’s heartbreaking, heartwarming, and a total charmer.” — Entertainment Weekly
