This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

You could well describe Matinée as Joe Dante's most mature and reflective work and also one of his very best movies. It's a criminally underrated film that only seems to be enjoyed by those who love and respect B-movies as much as the characters in the film, but for my money it's one of the most loving and respectful cinematic dedications in existence and miles ahead of overrated fare like Scorsese's HUGO.The film is set in the 1960s and involves a larger-than-life showman, played to the hilt by John Goodman, bringing his latest B-movie to a local cinema in Florida. In many ways the film's backdrop is even more important than the main story: the Cuban Missile Crisis was in full swing and the threat of nuclear destruction was closer than any other time in history. On top of this, there's an excellent depiction of social and class issues and culture, as well as an exploration of what it was like to be growing up during the era. In this respect, Matinée is as deep and contemplative as STAND BY ME, for example.On top of this, Matinée is thoroughly entertaining. Dante - who clearly puts himself into the main character of Gene Loomis - gives it his all and the result is stunning. The recreation of the cinematic experience, heavily inspired by the real-life showman William Castle, is genius. Goodman steals the show and is constant and surprising delight; I'd go so far as to describe this as my favourite role from the actor. The expected cameos from Robert Picardo and Dick Miller as well as many others are all delightful. Some of the stuff that takes place at the climax is over the top, but that's okay because it fits the theme of the film nicely. Matinée is one heck of a tribute and as a unique piece of film-making it takes some beating.

Well, this movie isn't really bad but it's not also great. On the positive side, this movie offers a new idea in movies about movies. Usually, it's about Hollywood and I rate them as the lowest level in storytelling: it's like writing a book about a writer (isn't-it Mr King?), it's very complacent. Here, we left producers for the audience and how people receive movies, what they bring to them and how they shape and feed their imagination. Indeed, the movie offers a short but amazing scene about this magic of the theater! In addition, the background is interesting because it could have been the biopic of Mr. King (again!). Like the kids here, he was totally addicted to these matinée and in 1957, one was interrupted by the manager to told the audience that Russians were in space! Here, we got this same kind of red panic!On the negative side, the movie just never takes off and it's really strange as it's Dante behind the camera: he is such a nervous, corrosive, dynamic director but here, he delivers nothing. It was cool to see his buddies (Miller, Goldsmith) but nothing happens even with this funny Z-movie of the ant-man! His sixties are faraway from the best ("American graffiti", "BTF", "Ed Wood").So, maybe it's only a movie just for the morning when we are still half sleepy and half aware!

This isn't such a very well known film (at least I never heard of it before I watched it) and actually that is a god-awful shame, as "Matinee" is a joyously vivid, versatile and refreshingly imaginative little comedy. "Matinee" is director Joe Dante's ultimate tribute to typically 50's Sci-Fi B-movies and massively promoted gimmick-laden low-budget flicks; particularly the repertoire of the legendary William Castle. In one of his most glorious roles to date, John Goodman depicts the unscrupulous and sleazy horror movie producer Lawrence Woolsey, who is practically the reincarnation of William Castle, what with his sly and shameless salesmanship techniques and continuous wide-mouthed smile. At the highpoint of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Woolsey jaunts out to Key West – where the Navy and population hectically prepares for a bomb attack – in order to proudly present his newest and supposedly most shocking motion picture named "Mant". "Mant" is a silly shock feature about a man slowly mutating into a gigantic ant after being exposed to nuclear radiation, and for the big premiere Woolsey stuffed the film theater with horrid decorations and gimmicks to raise extra fear in the audience. With the threat of actual bombing attack going on outside the theater, Woolsey bumps into a lot of protest and resistance from the adult population in Key West, but luckily the younger and horror-crazed generation are wildly enthusiast about the upcoming matinée preview. With "Matinee", the still incredibly underrated director Joe Dante delivered another delicious and charming movie. The extended bits and clips from the fictional movie "Mant" masterfully capture the essence of 1950's B-movie cinema, with grotesque ideas and effects, cheesy nonsensical dialogs and wooden acting performances. The real William Castle actually never made such a type of monster movie, but the gimmicks and promotional stunts (like buzzers underneath the seats and guys in rubber suits running around) are right up his delightful alley! But "Matinee" is a terrifically clever movie on other levels as well. Apart from a wonderful homage to horror cinema, it also contains an admirable "coming of age" sub plot and it effectively parodies the mass hysteria going on around the time of the Cold War. Whilst the adult population of Key West practices their duck & cover bomb alarms and prepare their shelters, the teenagers are more concerned about finding a date to go see "Mant" on Saturday. The acting performances are fantastic (like his monster "Mant", John Goodman himself is larger than life!), the decors and atmosphere of the early 60's are marvelously re-enacted and – in good old Joe Dante tradition – there are multiple cameos of horror veterans, like Dick Miller, Kevin McCarthy and Robert Cornthwaite. This is truly a film meant for genuine horror movie buffs, but nevertheless a stupendously enjoyable comedy for all type of audiences.

This seems to be one of those movies that might be somewhat overlooked. If that is the case for some, that is sad. In fact, this movie evokes a time in movies that simply does not exist anymore.John Goodman plays a moviemaker that specializes in making cheap garbage movies that only appeal to kids. To build interest in the premiere of his film, he employs actors who are themselves imposters to add to the hysteria.A real life event that adds to this is the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Despite the silliness of what is happening, everything in this movie seems to be something that could have gone on at the time.The character that John Goodman plays, Lawrence Woolsey, seems to have come from the same mold as Ed Wood or Roger Corman. They were directors who specialized in the cheap. The tricks used by Woolsey, to intensify the interest in his film, are fun to see! I seriously recommend this film. It is a delight of a bygone time!