Action Picks

The Shining is Kubrick tightening the screws as Jack Nicholson's caretaker unravels inside the isolated Overlook. It's a slow burn, not a chase, but the tension is unrelenting and the payoff hits hard — and the scale of those hallways demands a big screen. Ratings back it up: 8.4 on IMDb, 84% critics.

The Birthday Party gathers agendas and knives on a tycoon's private island as Willem Dafoe's Marcos Timoleon hosts a lavish gathering. It's a drama, not a thriller, so temper expectations — the tension is in the maneuvering, not the movement, and the 5.2 IMDb tells you it doesn't fully land. Screenings are limited, so if the cast and the scheming pull you in, catch it while you can.