Predrag All or most of director Joe Dante's films can be considered fun popcorn movies, something that is for both the kids and the adults, for genre fans and for fans of film in general. Dante gained recognition with the huge hit Gremlins, which Steven Spielberg produced. But in 1993, Dante decided to make a rather personal film, a pseudo-biography of filmmaker and 'shock-expert,' William Castle, renamed in the film 'Matinee' as Lawrence Woolsey (played with the perfect amount of schlock by John Goodman). John Goodman has never bettered his performance from this movie. Best thing about this story is Goodman's b&w movie, Mant! It's loaded with bad puns like, (Bill's wife:) "Oh, why can't they see Bill as a man and just put the insect aside?" Bill, who's been transformed into a giant ant panics and says, "Insecticide??!!??" Goodman uses two minor fright film actors to stir up trouble (and publicity) in town by bad mouthing Mant.Although a point can be made that "Matinee" is just a kid's movie, it's also for us older folks who can remember being a youngster in 1962, the music, culture and movies that enriched our lives but also events like the Missile Crisis, which so vividly reminded us in the words of John Kennedy, "that we are all mortal." Dante is not stupid, so he just does not pay a tribute to the old time gone, but to the old time spirit. That of dreamers, sometimes even naif, like John Goodman's characters. That of a certain cinema that still relied on simple effects and a straightforward way to engage people. That of an audience that still believed in what they saw on the big screen. As usual, Dante's movie manage to be instant-classic, innovative but with an eye looking back to the tradition and a pure independent and movie-fan spirit.Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

peferguson "Matinee" (1993) I recently happened upon this likable comedy directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins, Innerspace, The Howling) and set in 1961 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The young protagonist Gene, a recent resident of Key West, FL, finds himself in a small community with no friends, unhappy and forlorn. When word gets out that his Navy dad is on a ship blockading Cuba, he becomes something of a high school celebrity, who gains acceptance by a small circle of friends. Eventually he hooks up with Sandra (Lisa Jakub – Mrs. Doubtfire), who he admires because of her refusal to participate in a school A-bomb drill (stop, drop, cover your head with your hands), because she protests in a scientifically correct manner: the blast will vaporize you or you'll die from radiation exposure. Enter Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman) a Hollywood horror movie mogul, who's in town to promote his latest release, "Mant", enlisting Gene's help to make the flick's debut a must-see local event. Actress Ruth Corday, played by Cathy Moriarity (Raging Bull) is Lawrence's girlfriend, in a hilarious, sardonic side-job as the theater nurse who makes all movie patrons sign a medical waiver, "in case you have a heart attack while watching the movie". A litany of great character actors, round out the cast: Kellie Martin (Becca on TV's Life Goes On), Jesse White (Harvey), Kevin McCarthy (B- movie horror king of the 50's & 60s'), Director/Actor John Sayles (Return of Seacaucus Seven) and William Schallert (The Patty Duke Show). Simon Fenton does a fine job as Gene, but the stellar attraction is John Goodman, who is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, but is perhaps the most underrated. This is currently playing on Starz broadcast & on demand and is available on DVD. This is a good family film and will bring back baby- boomers' memories of the cold war and the "Red Scare".

leplatypus 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!

eric262003 "Matinee" is set in Key West, Florida where the residents were fearing for their lives believing that they're going to be bombed down during the infamous Cuban Missle Crisis back in 1961. When during time of panic, opportunity knocks for movie director Lawrence Woosley (John Goodman) who decides to direct another one of his kooky B-rated horror movies. Woolsey along with his fellow performers Ruth Corday (Cathy Moriarty) joins him for the opening of his new "Rumble-vision". Gene Loomis (Simon Fenton) is the new kid in town and is smitten for the attractive Sandra (Lisa Jakub). Stan (Omri Katz) is madly attracted to Sherry (Kellie Martin), but her ex-boyfriend doesn't permit him to go near her."Matinee" is a hodgepodge of genres; there's romance, a parody of those classic cheesy horror films and most of all it's focused on people who were paranoid about being bombed. Folks who were alive during these catastrophic events at the time will appreciate this movie more to understand the experience that was transpiring at the time. Also to those who grew up the time and were exposed to these cheesy films may also enjoy this movie (unfortuanately I wasn't alive then). I rated this movie with an automatic five stars. For the sensitive viewers who never seen this movie let me advise you that if you have kids at your side, be aware of explicit language and situations customized for the mature audience.The cast was top-notch and the performers were custom-made to fit in their respected roles. The big man on campus was Big Johnny himself John Goodman. He was excellent in his role as a poor man's Ed Wood like movie director who makes films not for fame, but for thrills. Cathy Moriarty was excellent in her role as on of Woolsey's fellow thespians. The youthful performers (Simon Fenton, Kellie Martin, Omri Katz and Lisa Jakub) were also quite brilliant in their respected roles. The leading antagonists who are opposed to this film (John Sayles and Richard Miller) turned in spectacular performances. And underrated film legend Kevin McCarthy was also sublime in his performance as another thespian in Woolsey's movie.The horror film exhibited in "Matinee" is quite astounding. It does everything it can to lampoon the classic horror films that manifested during that time period. The film within the film itself adds texture to the final product of "Matinee" especially the ending. I must give kudos to director Joe Dante and writers Jerico and Charles Haas for their spectacular work and teaching the lesson that even in troubled times, it's best to have a good laugh and a good scare to chase your troubles away.