Matinee reunites Jerry Goldsmith with director and longtime collaborator Joe Dante for a film celebrating the B-movie horror cult classics of the Cold War era -- the score is surprisingly nostalgic and even sentimental, proving more conservative than one might expect given its composer and its subject matter. Goldsmith's obvious affection for the cinematic music of the postwar years keeps him from unleashing the wickedly satirical approach of so many of his other comedic efforts -- at times recalling the sophistication and wit of Henry Mancini, Matinee never musters the anarchic energy it seems the project demands, and while there's much to appreciate here, it's difficult to get past the idea that Goldsmith is holding back and holding out on us. ~ Jason Ankeny