9 Movies You Need To See In Theaters Before They’re Gone

Chainsaws and demons, enormously fat dragons, lovelorn video game bosses pining over princesses. This is a surprisingly good time to go to the movies!

I’m making this list as much for my own sake as for yours, dearest readers. I haven’t seen all of these yet, but I definitely want to see a few before they leave theaters.

Let’s dive right in.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

This movie was so much better than I ever could have hoped. I’ve seen it in theaters twice, and if I can convince my parents to go with me I’ll go a third time. I can’t even remember the last time I saw a movie three times in theaters. It was probably Braveheart, which I think I’ve seen four times in theaters actually. Anyways, what a delightful, funny, charming, magical movie this was. And I mean genuinely funny, not just a long series of quips or sarcastic barbs. What a breath of fresh air for D&D fans and newcomers alike. (My review).

The Super Mario Movie

As someone who has played Super Mario Bros. games even longer than Dungeons & Dragons, it’s kind of amazing that both these games got really great theatrical releases at the same time. Kind of unfortunate for Honor Among Thieves since Mario was such a huge hit and came so close on its heels. In any case, these are both great adaptations and while I think Honor Among Thieves is far and away the better film, The Super Mario Bros Movie is great fun for the whole family and a true visual spectacle. Critics were a bit sour on it, but I think they just don’t really understand what makes Mario special. (My review).

Evil Dead Rise

This is probably my next trip to theaters. Evil Dead Rise continues the long-running Evil Dead franchise and looks great. Scary, a little goofy and over-the-top, filled with hideously contorted evil. Vikings fans will recognize Alyssa Sutherland in the trailer.

Chevalier

A historical drama that tells the true story of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner during the reign of Marie Antoinette. Being a black man in 18th century France high society was clearly not easy. Revolution, music, romance. This one has it all.

Air

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are back alongside Chris Tucker, Viola Davis and Jason Bateman in the unlikely story of the Air Jordan sneakers and the business team that came up with the idea. Does this sound like a movie I’d normally be excited about? Not really—but as a director, Affleck has never let me down before. The Town, Argo, Gone Baby Gone, all terrific films. This one has gotten great reviews so far as well.

John Wick 4

This one has been out in theaters for a while now, but it’s definitely a theater movie. It’s also super long, so block out an afternoon or evening for the nearly three-hour action-packed Keanu Reeves gun ballet. John Wick 4 is the last in the series, but Reeves is working with Netflix to make a BRZRKR live-action show adapting his popular graphic novel, so plenty more ultra-violence to come.

Beau Is Afraid

I’m honestly not sure if this is a theater movie or something you should wait to stream, but I do love A24 films (and the A24 Netflix show Beef is on my list of what to stream this weekend). Ari Aster—the director of such pleasant films as Hereditary and Midsommar—directs a star-studded cast including a very rough-looking Joaquin Phoenix. Beau isn’t the only one who’s afraid. This looks so weird I’m kind of afraid to go see it.

Renfield

I love Nic Cage and I love Nicholas Hoult and I love the premise of this Dracula movie focusing on Dracula’s servant, Renfield. It looks very funny and I was planning on seeing it sooner, but then life got in the way, and I was saddened to see it wasn’t getting particularly good reviews from critics or audiences. What a shame! Then again, you can’t trust reviews entirely. Sometimes, you just have to make up your own mind about these things!

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant

I think Guy Ritchie hit his heyday back with Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, way back in the 90s’. But this actually looks pretty good, and audiences especially are enjoying it with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The story of a soldier and an interpreter who saves his life looks surprisingly . . . serious, tonally, for a Ritchie film. Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim star.

Have you seen any of these? What are your favorites? What are you looking forward to?

Let me know on Twitter or Facebook.

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