This week at the movies: The true story behind the legendary (and mysterious) 1970 photograph of President Nixon and Elvis shaking hands in the Oval Office; and an icy snow queen seeks ultimate revenge after she is betrayed by her evil sister.

Elvis & Nixon

On December 21st, 1970, rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) showed up on the lawn of the White House requesting an impromptu meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon (Kevin Spacey). Their humorous, yet revealing, moment in the Oval Office was forever immortalized in a photograph, which went on to become the most requested photograph in the National Archives. Elvis & Nixon illuminates the untold story behind Elvis’ and the president’s legendary encounter before it became one of the most famous snapshots in American history. Also starring Colin Hanks, Johnny Knoxville, and Alex Pettyfer.

Perfect for: American history buffs, and Elvis fans (of course).

What the Critics Say: The critics are debating over which parts of the film are truly factual, and which parts are considered to be creative embellishments. But one thing they can agree on is that the story is entertaining, and the actors are good. Rolling Stone says: “Watching great actors swing for the fences is something special. And, boy, do they go for it… Shannon eases into Elvis' humor and finds his heart. Spacey, a natural mimic, nails Nixon from the get-go, all paranoid pauses and suspicion about devil rock and the counterculture… Elvis & Nixon is a mixed bag as a movie, but Shannon and Spacey are not to be missed.”

Our Take: We love Kevin Spacey, and who doesn’t love Elvis? We’ll definitely be seeing this one – thank you very much!

The Huntsman: Winter’s War

Betrayed by her evil sister Ravenna (Charlize Theron), heartbroken Freya (Emily Blunt) retreats to a northern kingdom to raise an army of huntsmen as her protectors. Gifted with the ability to freeze her enemies in ice, Freya teaches her young soldiers to never fall in love. When Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and fellow warrior Sara (Jessica Chastain) defy this rule, the angry queen does whatever she can to stop them. As war between the siblings escalates, Eric and Sara unite with Freya to end Ravenna's wicked reign.

Perfect for: Followers of The Huntsman film series (this one is the prequel to Snow White and The Huntsman).

What the Critics Say: While the acting may be strong, the critics agree that the story is still fairly been-there-done-that. The Guardian especially praises Emily Blunt’s character, claiming that she “emerges with honour, offering more nuance than the film deserves.” The New York Daily News also gives compliments to the actors, but criticizes the film’s originality: “Certainly every role is well cast. Chris Hemsworth remains an absurdly perfect hunk, and Charlize Theron is the most beautiful of them all as Ravenna. Blunt provides some complex conflicts, and Jessica Chastain is surprisingly kick-butt as Hemsworth's ex-love and comrade-in-arms… These princesses rule in every way… Still, we've seen this all before… [It's] hard to keep track of how many edgy new versions of fairy tales we've been given lately. This isn't even the worst of the bunch.”

Our Take: The female characters are incredibly fierce (no saving needed here!), and – although based on a fairytale – Winter’s War is certainly not your typical please-come-rescue-me-from-my-tower epic. The strong cast is hands down the leading reason to go and see this one.