In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Don't miss this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Columbus.
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.)
Say Anything
A budding romance between noble underachiever Lloyd Dobler and high school valedictorian Diane Court is threatened when Diane's overly possessive, disapproving father interferes with their relationship. With a prized scholarship to study abroad hanging in the balance, Diane must find a way to make both men happy.
Boasting a Tomatometer Score of 98 percent and an Audience Score of 85 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1980s classic is a must-see. The Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt said, "'Say Anything' is an easy film to like," while Variety Staff of Variety noted, "Cusack and Skye's relationship develops nicely and believably, but Crowe has not written an entirely convincing character for the latter to play."
It's screening at Marcus Crosswoods Cinema (200 Hutchinson Ave.) through Wednesday, April 24. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Us
Husband and wife Gabe and Adelaide Wilson take their kids to their beach house expecting to unplug and unwind with friends. But as night descends, their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some shocking visitors arrive uninvited.
With a Tomatometer Score of 94 percent and an Audience Score of 65 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Us" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on March 22.
"It achieves an insidious, lingering effect that's rarer in the horror genre," according to Ben Sachs of the Chicago Reader, while the Christian Science Monitor's Peter Rainer said, "Ambition in the horror genre can be a good thing, but the overreach in this movie detracts from both the horror and the ambition. Having said that, Peele shows a marked advance in filmmaking skills here and, in her dual role, Nyong'o is ferociously good."
You can catch it at AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road) and Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) through Wednesday, April 24 and AMC Starplex Columbus 10 (5275 Westpointe Plaza) and AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) through Thursday, April 25. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Penguins
The story of Steve, an Adélie penguin, on a quest to find a life partner and start a family. When Steve meets with Wuzzo the emperor penguin, they become friends. But nothing comes easy in the icy Antarctic.
Released on Wednesday, April 17, "Penguins" already has a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 81 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Just you try to resist the impossible adorableness offered up in the latest Disneynature documentary, 'Penguins,'" noted Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com, while Arizona Republic's Melissa Yeager said, "The result is an endearing documentary, capturing both the wonder of Antarctica and the drama of the everyday life of penguins."
Catch it on the big screen at AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road), Cinemark Polaris 18 and XD (1071 Gemini Place) and Marcus Crosswoods Cinema (200 Hutchinson Ave.) through Wednesday, April 24 and AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) through Thursday, April 25. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Return of the Living Dead
When a bumbling pair of employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to re-animate as they go on a rampage seeking their favorite food: brains!
With a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this 1985 release has garnered plenty of praise. The Chicago Sun-Times's Roger Ebert said, "It's kind of a sensation-machine, made out of the usual ingredients, and the real question is whether it's done with style. It is," and Exquisite Terror's Naila Scargill noted, "A superb package teeming with extras; a fitting tribute to a film that fully justifies its reputation as a cult classic."
It's screening at Gateway Film Center (1550 N. High St.) through Tuesday, April 23. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
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.
With a Tomatometer Score of 91 percent and an Audience Score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on Feb. 22. The Atlantic's David Sims said, "So much of 'The Hidden World' is stuffed with filler material. But in certain wordless moments, this grand final entry really sings," while Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post stated, "The movie could easily be called 'How To End Your Trilogy.'"
It's playing at AMC Lennox Town Center 24 (777 Kinnear Road), Cinemark Polaris 18 and XD (1071 Gemini Place) and Marcus Crosswoods Cinema (200 Hutchinson Ave.) through Wednesday, April 24 and AMC Dine-in Easton Town Center 30 (275 Easton Town Center) through Thursday, April 25. 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.
