Captain America: Civil War Is Certified Fresh

This week at the movies, we’ve got just one wide release: the hotly-anticipated Marvel superhero showdown Captain America: Civil War, starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson. What do the critics have to say?

Captain America: Civil War (2016) 91%

Nothing lasts forever in Hollywood, and one of these days, the ever-greater ambitions of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe are bound to bump up against that harsh reality. Happily for fans, however, the studio looks likely to continue its critical and commercial hot streak with Captain America: Civil War, the 12th entry in the MCU and the first in its Phase Three initiative. Civil War pits Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans) against Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) in an ideological conflict when the U.N. mandates a global oversight committee to register and rein in superheroes. Even without the influx of a crowded supporting roster, it’s a lot for one superhero sequel to handle, but the vast majority of critics agree that Civil War is not only a worthy successor to The Winter Soldier, it’s one of the better entries in the wildly successful MCU pantheon.

What’s Hot on TV

Houdini & Doyle: Season 1 (2016) 46%

Michael Weston and Stephen Mangan are fun as Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle, but their capers aren’t much more than passable.

Also Opening This Week In Limited Release

• Dark Horse (2015) , a documentary about a small Welsh community that teamed up to purchase a racehorse, is at 95 percent.
• Palme d’Or winner Dheepan (2015) , a drama about a Sri Lankan refugee who has difficulty acclimating to Paris, is Certified Fresh at 91 percent.
• A Bigger Splash (2015) , starring Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton in a drama about an injured rock star whose recouperation from an injury is interrupted when she’s visited by an old flame, is Certified Fresh at 88 percent.
• Bridgend (2016) , a psychological drama about a small town dealing with a wave of teen suicides, is at 87 percent.
• Elstree 1976 (2015) , a documentary about Star Wars‘ less celebrated cast members, is at 85 percent.
• Love Thy Nature (2014) , a documentary that explores the idea that mankind has lost touch with the natural world, is at 33 percent.
• Mothers and Daughters (2016) , starring Susan Sarandon and Cristina Ricci in a multi-stranded drama about motherhood, is at 31 percent.
• Being Charlie (2015) , Rob Reiner‘s drama about an 18-year-old substance abuser who meets a kindred spirit when his father places him in a rehab facility, is at 28 percent.
• Bite (2015) , a horror film about a woman who gets a strange bug bite and subseqently develops insect traits, is at 20 percent.