Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Most of Eyes Wide Shut is Tom Cruise walking around New York at night like a man who forgot where he parked. For 159 minutes. Stanley Kubrick turns one jealous husband’s terrible night into a slow, hypnotic dream with Christmas lights in every room, and some of it is legit haunting. The masked mansion party is the creepiest gathering ever filmed, with one piano note hammering away like a headache. Nicole Kidman’s big confession scene is the best acting in the movie, and it comes early, which hurts. The problem is Bill. He drifts from one strange encounter to the next, the pace never picks up, and by the last stretch you’re as tired as he looks. Opening crowds gave it a D minus CinemaScore while critics landed at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, which tells you exactly how split the room is. A 6.5 because it’s a fascinating fever dream that walks when it should run. $99 says the next holiday party you go to, you hear that piano note in your head and quietly leave early.

What works: Nicole Kidman’s confession scene, the dreamy Christmas lighting, and a masked party that feels unsettling from the first note.

What doesn’t: Bill is a passive tour guide through his own story, and the slow pace makes the 159 minutes feel even longer.

Who it’s for: Patient grown-ups who like mysteries that never fully explain themselves. This one is not for kids.