Want to check out what the buzz is about, but didn't catch the first wave of hot new releases? Being late to the game has its benefits, especially when it comes to calmer vibes and more ample seating at your local movie theater.
It's not always easy to determine when the movie you hoped to see on the big screen will leave your local theater. Factors like ticket sales and distribution contracts figure into the equation, but in general, movies can stay in theaters anywhere from a mere two weeks to many months.
Read on for the highest-rated "old" new releases still screening in Los Angeles theaters, 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.)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is juggling his life between being a high school student and being a spider-man. When Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk uses a super collider, others from across the Spider-Verse are transported to this dimension.
With a Tomatometer Score of 97 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" has gotten stellar reviews since its release in December of 2018. The New York Times's Lawrence Ware said, "This film manages the delicate feat of embracing its source material while also satirizing it," while David Sims of the Atlantic noted, "The latest entry in a fully saturated genre that somehow, through sheer creative gumption, does something new."
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is now only playing at one theater in Los Angeles, so now's the time to make your move. In the mood for popcorn? It's playing at Pacific Sherman Oaks 5 (14424 Milbank St.) through Thursday, March 21. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Bumblebee
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary yellow VW bug.
With a Tomatometer Score of 93 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Bumblebee" has garnered plenty of praise since its release in December of 2018. "'The movie works in large part because of the depth of Steinfeld's performance. We haven't seen such a well-realized character in any of the other Transformers movies," according to James Berardinelli of ReelViews, while Rolling Stone's David Fear said, "Imagine if John Hughes made a Transformers movie. Or: Think E.T., but with auto parts."
"Bumblebee" is now only playing at one theater in and around Los Angeles, so you may want to act fast. It's screening at Regency Valley Plaza 6 (6355 Bellingham Ave.) through Thursday, March 21. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
A Star Is Born
Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer — until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
With a Tomatometer Score of 89 percent and an Audience Score of 80 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "A Star Is Born" has been getting attention since its release in October of 2018. "Somehow, though, the bloat is almost appropriate in a story about excesses, and the devastating pitfalls of fame. 'A Star is Born' portrays both poignantly, movingly, well," noted Randy Myers of San Jose Mercury News, while the New Yorker's Richard Brody said, "What Cooper persuasively depicts is the fear factor of stardom-the sense of vulnerability, of a position that's both powerful and fragile."
"A Star Is Born" is now only playing at one theater in Los Angeles — a big hint that it could be leaving local theaters soon. It's screening at Regency Valley Plaza 6 (6355 Bellingham Ave.) through Thursday, March 21. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Mary Poppins Returns
In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael's three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.
With a Tomatometer Score of 79 percent and an Audience Score of 69 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Mary Poppins Returns" is well worth a watch. The Christian Science Monitor's Peter Rainer said, "It's well crafted, well acted, and features some terrific live-action/animation combos. But it never quite achieves liftoff, which is a big problem for a musical -- especially this musical... Still, I suppose momentary joy is better than no joy at all," and TIME Magazine's Stephanie Zacharek said, "I loved it-and while that doesn't mean I can ignore its problems, I left it feeling that a little something had been restored to me rather than taken away."
"Mary Poppins Returns" is now only playing at two theaters in and around Los Angeles, so catch it now or risk missing it on the big screen. Get a piece of the action at Regency Valley Plaza 6 (6355 Bellingham Ave.) through Thursday, March 21. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Green Book
Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans, forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line, relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.
With a Tomatometer Score of 78 percent and an Audience Score of 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Green Book" is worth of your time. The San Diego Reader's Scott Marks said, "Is it a feel-good charmer poised to rake in greenbacks and Oscar gold? You bet! But don't let that keep you away from this overall well balanced (and timed) look forward from the safe distance of America's motley past", while Christopher Orr of the Atlantic said, "First-rate execution can't solve all of a film's problems, but Mortensen and Ali offer a reminder that it can solve an awful lot of them."
"Green Book" is now only playing at two theaters in Los Angeles — a big hint that it could be leaving local theaters soon. Catch it on the big screen at AMC Century City 15 (10250 Santa Monica Blvd.) and ArcLight Sherman Oaks (15301 Ventura Blvd., BUILDING A) through Wednesday, March 20. 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.
