Matinee

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1:56

Matinee

PG

1993

1h 39m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In October 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred and the menace of nuclear war loomed over the American South. Low-budget filmmaker Lawrence Woolsey was in Key West, Fla., debuting his new film "Mant!" and thought the prevailing mood of fear surrounding the premiere was perfect to stir up some excitement. A group of local teenagers prepared for the film's opening night, experiencing small crises of their own.

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Critics Consensus

Smart, funny, and disarmingly sweet, Matinee is a film that film buffs will love -- and might even convert some non-believers.

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Mark Salisbury

Empire Magazine

Feb 11, 2026

3/5

A loving tribute to the era of Saturday afternoon cinema - at its best when Good man is on screen.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Feb 24, 2023

4/4

Love. Laugh. Shriek. Cry. Make every second count. Most of all, live. The life lessons Dante was imparting 30 years ago are as vital now as they ever were then, making Matinee a modern classic ripe for rediscovery.

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Peter Stack

San Francisco Chronicle

Jan 11, 2023

3/4

John Goodman is delightful in this sweetly amusing '60s-era comedy... Despite some incoherence in the plot, the film is genuinely charming and generous with its humor.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Jul 28, 2026

3/5

Fans of creature features and those who remember the times of local Saturday matinees will find plenty of nostalgic value in this underrated satire.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Jan 30, 2023

3/5

"Matinee" is a fun time. But when you couple such a resolutely uncommercial idea with a filmmaker whose résumé illustrated clear disinterest in compromising his idiosyncratic paranoia, you might wish the film leaned a little harder into its nuclear wind.

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Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

Jan 19, 2023

Throughout Matinee, director Dante delivers this retro 60s world in a thoroughly entertaining, brisk 99 minutes.

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke Sep 2, 2026

Fun! It’s hard to believe a movie built around the Cuban Missile Crisis could be so light and enjoyable. Having lived through that period, we especially appreciated the sets, costumes and little details that captured the early 1960s so well. But the best thing was the sustained sense that the whole thing was a big joke, without ever becoming stupid. Jerry Goldsmith’s score helped give the movie that feeling.

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Jason H

@RT50328122 May 6, 2026

This movie is absolutely wonderful. I didn't grow up in the '60s, but I was definitely obsessed with the horror movies of the '80s. Great fun.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Feb 9, 2026

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Noel L

@RT15930389 Sep 11, 2025

Either I missed the plot or this is a total popcorn flick

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Samuel O

@RT95450877 Jul 8, 2025

One of my favorite films of all time :)

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Nick O

@Nicki1985 May 31, 2025

This loving tribute to William Castle style horror flicks of the 50’s and 60’s has that unique Joe Dante blend of heartwarming weirdness and monster kid-o-vision, making it unforgettably comforting.

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Matinee: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In October 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred and the menace of nuclear war loomed over the American South. Low-budget filmmaker Lawrence Woolsey was in Key West, Fla., debuting his new film "Mant!" and thought the prevailing mood of fear surrounding the premiere was perfect to stir up some excitement. A group of local teenagers prepared for the film's opening night, experiencing small crises of their own.

Director: Joe Dante
Producer: Michael Finnell
Screenwriter: Charles S. Haas
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Renfield Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 29, 1993, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.9M
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Surround

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