In the market for high-caliber entertainment? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Orlando.
Read on for 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.)
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 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, "Us" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on March 22.
The Chicago Reader's Ben Sachs said, "it achieves an insidious, lingering effect that's rarer in the horror genre," while Peter Rainer of the Christian Science Monitor noted, "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."
Get a piece of the action at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.), Cinemark Artegon Marketplace and XD (5150 International Drive), Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.), and Fashion Square Premiere Cinema 14 (3201 E. Colonial Drive) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Shazam!
A boy is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single magic word.
Set to be released on Friday, April 5, "Shazam!" already has a Tomatometer Score of 93 percent and an Audience Score of 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Although it's technically about saving the world (again), 'Shazam!' plays out at eye level, grounded by the belief that who people love and where they feel they belong is stakes enough," according to Sam Adams of Slate, while Tribune News Service's Katie Walsh said, "While the story of 'Shazam!' may be unwieldy at times, Levi and his kid costars make this new (to us) superhero just so gosh-darn appealing, it's hard to resist making room in our hearts for one more."
Catch it on the big screen at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.), Cinemark Artegon Marketplace and XD (5150 International Drive), Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.), and Fashion Square Premiere Cinema 14 (3201 E. Colonial Drive) through Wednesday, April 10. 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 become a favorite since its release on February 22.
"So much of 'The Hidden World' is stuffed with filler material. But in certain wordless moments, this grand final entry really sings," noted David Sims of the Atlantic, while the New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski said, "The movie could easily be called 'How To End Your Trilogy.'"
Get a piece of the action at Cinemark Artegon Marketplace and XD (5150 International Drive), Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.) and Fashion Square Premiere Cinema 14 (3201 E. Colonial Drive) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Pet Sematary
Louis Creed, his wife Rachel and their two children Gage and Ellie move to a rural home where they are welcomed and enlightened about the eerie 'Pet Sematary' located nearby. After the tragedy of their cat being killed by a truck, Louis resorts to burying it in the mysterious pet cemetery, which is definitely not as it seems, as it proves to the Creeds that sometimes dead is better.
Set to be released on Friday, April 5, "Pet Sematary" already has a Tomatometer Score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rolling Stone's Peter Travers said, "Stephen King's scariest novel comes back to life in a killer-diller chiller that will make you jump out of your seat. It's the stuff of nightmares," and indieWire's Britt Hayes noted, "Succeeds in some areas where the 1989 version failed while ultimately failing to deliver an ending that resonates as deeply as its source material."
Interested? It's playing at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.), Cinemark Artegon Marketplace and XD (5150 International Drive), Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.), and Fashion Square Premiere Cinema 14 (3201 E. Colonial Drive) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
The Blues Brothers
Jake Blues is just out of jail, and teams up with his brother, Elwood on a 'mission from God' to raise funds for the orphanage in which they grew up. The only thing they can do is do what they do best: play music. So they get their old band together, and set out on their way — while getting in a bit of trouble here and there.
With a Tomatometer Score of 83 percent and an Audience Score of 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this '80s throwback has a strong following.
Time Out's Tom Huddlestone said, "The film retains a huge nostalgic kick, thanks in large part to Aykroyd and Belushi's easy rapport, a smattering of daft, shaggy humor and some truly iconic musical sequences," while Variety Staff of Variety stated, "Given all the chaos, director and, with Aykroyd, cowriter, John Landis manages to keep things reasonably controlled and in a straight line."
It's playing at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.) through Wednesday, April 10. Click here for showtimes and tickets.
Cozy up to movie night.
Life is hard, but planning the perfect movie night is anything but. Make the most of a fun and relaxing evening with these chill-out essentials:
- Enjoy today’s golden age of streaming entertainment with over 500,000 movies and TV episodes available with the Amazon Fire Stick. Fire it up →
- No movie night is complete without freshly buttered popcorn, and Cuisinart’s hot air popcorn maker is top-of-the-line. Pop and go →
- Slip into comfort with Ugg’s best-selling indoor/outdoor moccasin, complete with sheep’s wool lining. Foot heaven →
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.
