Category: Critics Picks

What begins as an accidental act of rescue by Chet Ripley (John Candy) swiftly devolves into absolute chaos as the vengeful, bald grizzly bear crashes through the cabin doors to terrorize Roman Craig (Dan Aykroyd) and the family. Howard Deutch orchestrates a breathtaking masterclass in high-stakes slapstick, brilliantly weaponizing John Candy’s immaculate physical comedy and…

The Loomis family sits in stunned, collective silence as President John F. Kennedy interrupts regular television programming to address the nation regarding Soviet missile installations in Cuba. Get your critic pick! Watch Matinee here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIIrLwTO4tg During the height of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a flamboyantly creative b-movie producer travels to Key West, Florida, to…

Showman Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman) proudly unveils his creature feature masterpiece “Mant!” to a raucous, thrilled theater packed with panicked teenagers. Director Joe Dante crafts an unadulterated celebration of cinema gimmickry, allowing John Goodman’s towering charismatic presence to turn high-strung Cold War anxiety into infectious theatrical joy. Get your critic pick! Watch Matinee here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIIrLwTO4tg…

When a moviegoer in a creature costume physically assails a bully during the chaotic climax of “Mant!”, showman Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman) masterfully uses the real-world panic to elevate his theater gimmicks to legendary heights. Get your critic pick! Watch Matinee here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIIrLwTO4tg During the height of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a flamboyantly creative…

Showman Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman) comes clean to Gene Loomis (Simon Fenton), revealing that the terrifying nuclear explosion that rocked the theater was nothing more than an elaborate, brilliantly staged illusion. Get your critic pick! Watch Matinee here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIIrLwTO4tg During the height of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a flamboyantly creative b-movie producer travels to…

Representative Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) engages in a nuanced, captivating dialogue regarding the absurdities and legal complexities surrounding a local church’s public nativity display. Get your critic pick! Watch Charlie Wilson’s War here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLGT-zvHVxY In the early 1980s, a womanizing Texas congressman, a rogue CIA operative, and a wealthy Houston socialite unite to orchestrate the…

All the best action moments from the classic WW2 war film Midway (1976). Get your critic pick! Watch Midway here: https://www.primevideo.com/dp/amzn1.dv.gti.1caa787f-ac98-9b26-96f6-fc652abeb059?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb Directed by Jack Smight, Midway chronicles the pivotal 1942 naval battle between American and Japanese forces, depicting the strategic brilliance, personal courage, and devastating aerial combat that turned the tide of the Pacific War,…

Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman) storms into his superior’s office in an unbridled, profanity-laced fury after being passed over for the Helsinki station chief post despite decades of dedicated service. Director Mike Nichols stages this workplace confrontation with explosive precision, allowing Philip Seymour Hoffman’s volcanic, unyielding intensity to completely dominate the screen in a masterclass…

Representative Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) arrives in Pakistan to meet President Zia-ul-Haq (Om Puri), navigating a delicate diplomatic tightrope to secure covert support for Afghan fighters. Director Mike Nichols stages this crucial political maneuver with brilliant sardonic wit, letting Tom Hanks’s magnetic charisma collide effortlessly with Om Puri’s sharp, dignified pragmatism. Get your critic pick!…

Representative Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman) consult with weapons experts before pitching a risky, clandestine partnership to Israeli spymaster Zvi Rafiah (Ken Stott). Director Mike Nichols stages this intricate diplomatic hustle with razor-sharp sophistication, letting Hanks’s charming persuasion and Hoffman’s acerbic intelligence turn complex international backroom dealings into…