Fresno/ Fun & Entertainment
Published on February 21, 2019
Don't miss these 4 top-rated movies screening around HanfordImage: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World/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? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Hanford.

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.)

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind.

The recently released "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" already has a Tomatometer Score of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. "'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World' brings the franchise to a close with an affectionate chapter that continues the adventures of the Viking boy-turned-chief Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his faithful dragon Toothless," noted Jake Coyle of the Associated Press.

You can catch it at Cinemark Movies 8 (1669 W. Lacey) through Wednesday, Feb. 27. Click here for showtimes and tickets.

Isn't It Romantic

For a long time, Natalie, an Australian architect living in New York City, had always believed that what she had seen in rom-coms is all fantasy. But after thwarting a mugger at a subway station only to be knocked out while fleeing, Natalie wakes up and discovers that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare—a romantic comedy—and she is the leading lady.

With a Tomatometer Score of 69 percent and an Audience Score of 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Isn't It Romantic" is well worth a watch. "Unlike other movies where women bang their heads, this one's got a brain," noted Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post, while New York Magazine/Vulture's Bilge Ebiri said, "It's the Inception of rom-coms. Sort of."

It's screening at Cinemark Movies 8 (1669 W. Lacey) through Wednesday, Feb. 27. Click here for showtimes and tickets.

Happy Death Day 2U

Collegian Tree Gelbman wakes up in horror to learn that she's stuck in a parallel universe. Her boyfriend Carter is now with someone else, and her friends and fellow students seem to be completely different versions of themselves. When Tree discovers that Carter's roommate has been altering time, she finds herself once again the target of a masked killer. When the psychopath starts to go after her inner circle, Tree soon realizes that she must die over and over again to save everyone.

With a Tomatometer Score of 67 percent and an Audience Score of 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Happy Death Day 2U" is well worth a watch. Salon.com's Matthew Rozsa said, "It is instead that rarity — a sequel that is both better than the original and manages to retroactively improve that movie," and the Chicago Reader's Ben Sachs said, "Like its predecessor, the movie has a broad sentimental streak, but the sentiment feels more thoughtful and heartfelt this time around."

It's screening at Cinemark Movies 8 (1669 W. Lacey) through Wednesday, Feb. 27. Click here for showtimes and tickets.

Alita: Battle Angel

When Alita awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido, a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past.

With a Tomatometer Score of 59 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Alita: Battle Angel" is well worth a watch. Slate's Sam Adams said, "It's goofy as hell and borderline inexcusable at times, but it's also kind of glorious," while Allen Adams of The Maine Edge said, "'Alita: Battle Angel' is a much more sophisticated film than you might think...The visual spectacle and action-oriented excitement alone are worth the price of admission."

Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Cinemark Movies 8 (1669 W. Lacey) through Wednesday, Feb. 27. 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.