Movies Update: 'The King of Staten Island' and More

Plus, Art that challenges in disquieting times.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story June 5, 2020 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Normally this newsletter is about what’s going on in the movie world. And while there are certainly new films and stories of interest that are highlighted below, this week our writers were moved by the protests and activism over police brutality to grapple with two urgent questions: “What fills us up in disquieting times? What galvanizes through trauma?” The answers, from Wesley Morris, Mekado Murphy and others, have been compiled in a list of recommendations ranging across many art forms, including films like Ava DuVernay’s unforgettable documentary “13TH,” Spike Lee’s timely drama “Clockers” and Kasi Lemmons’s biopic “Talk to Me.” It’s a thoughtful and thought-provoking list that is well worth scrutinizing at an important moment in our history. Robert Rausch for The New York Times   Art That Confronts and Challenges Racism: Start Here Our writers suggest works that illuminate and tackle issues of police brutality, social injustice and racial inequity. By Melena Ryzik, Wesley Morris, Mekado Murphy, Reggie Ugwu, Pierre-Antoine Louis, Salamishah Tillet and Siddhartha Mitter From left: Universal Pictures, via Everett Collection; Paramount, via Everett Collection; Buena Vista, via Everett Collection; Universal Pictures, via Everett Collection; Focus Features, via Everett Collection   The Essential Spike Lee From “Do the Right Thing” to “Inside Man,” here is a starter guide to an imposing and eclectic body of work. By A.O. Scott Magdalena Wosinska for The New York Times; Ryan Lowry for The New York Times   Pete Davidson Comes Out of His Basement With Judd Apatow’s Help The “S.N.L.” star is open about his struggles. The director focuses on the personal. Still, their “The King of Staten Island” was “fraught with the possibility of failure.” By Dave Itzkoff Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Netflix   Celebrating Pride on Film Missing parties and parades during Pride Month? These movies will fill your screen with joy, history and rainbows. By Erik Piepenburg Claudette Barius/Universal Pictures   10 Great Movies on HBO Max Getting started on the new streaming service? Here’s a guide to some of the best film offerings, from classics to contemporary hits. By Jason Bailey Anuj Shrestha   Your Weekend Watch With Tony And Manohla We Still Like It Hot Zowie! Our critics and readers pondered the silliness and semiotics of “Some Like It Hot,” with Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis, all in dresses and tottering heels. By A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis Nicola Dove/Disney   The Best Movies and TV Shows Coming to Netflix, Amazon and More in June Every month, subscription streaming services add a new batch of titles to their libraries. Here are our picks for June. By Noel Murray NBC, via Getty Images   Stream These 15 Great Titles Before They Leave Netflix This Month The list could have been twice as long. But this should help you prioritize. By Jason Bailey MOVIE REVIEWS Thatcher Keats/Neon   ‘Shirley’ Review: A Writer as Scary as Her Stories Elisabeth Moss stars as Shirley Jackson in Josephine Decker’s gothic, feverish anti-biopic. By A.O. Scott Malcolm Venville/Formula E Operations Limited   ‘And We Go Green’ Review: Start Your (Quiet) Engines The cheery, lightweight documentary looks at the electric car racing series Formula E. By Amy Nicholson Netflix   ‘Spelling the Dream’ Review: Words of Inspiration This Netflix documentary explores the unbroken Indian-American dominance of the U.S. national spelling bee, to less than winning results. By Bilal Qureshi Together Films   ‘2040’ Review: Tools to Fix the World, Already at Hand Damon Gameau’s documentary is an accessible, informative and optimistic look at solutions to the climate crisis. By Ben Kenigsberg Kino Lorber   Critic’s Pick ‘Tommaso’ Review: A Sober, but Not Serene, Life Abel Ferrara’s new semi-autobiographical drama, starring Willem Dafoe, crackles with ideas and empathy. By Glenn Kenny Abramorama   ‘Parkland Rising’ Review: A Close-Up on Activism After a Tragedy A documentary profiles students and parents who became organizers after the school shooting, but doesn’t provide a lot of fresh insight. By Teo Bugbee Jason Robinette/VOD   ‘Feral’ Review: Homeless and Unraveling as a Storm Approaches Annapurna Sriram portrays a young woman struggling with mental illness while living near train tracks in Brooklyn. By Glenn Kenny Joma Films   ‘Phoenix, Oregon’ Review: An Ode to Small-Town Joys Gary Lundgren’s comedy, which celebrates the comfort of a local hang, feels poignant during our current pandemic. By Devika Girish Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES HBO   Critic’s Notebook A Documentary for the #MeToo Era “On the Record” implicitly addresses longstanding criticism that black women have been overlooked in the conversation about sexual assault and power, but the film could have gone further. By Salamishah Tillet Sabrina Santiago for The New York Times   What Tracee Ellis Ross Worried About in ‘High Note’ (It Wasn’t Her Mom) Her character, a glamorous singer, might remind others of Diana Ross, but that’s not what the star was thinking. Really. By Melena Ryzik     The Carpetbagger Cannes 2020: What Films Would Have Premiered at the Film Festival? Though the event was scuttled by a global pandemic, organizers have released an official lineup with movies from Wes Anderson and others. By Kyle Buchanan CRITICS’ PICKS Cinema Guild   Critic’s Pick ‘Yourself and Yours’ Review: Romance, Alcohol and a Puzzle The South Korean director Hong Sang-soo puts viewers in tune with the world of his sad-sack characters immediately. By Glenn Kenny Uncork'd Entertainment/Dark Star Pictures   Critic’s Pick ‘Dreamland’ Review: The Hit Man and the Trumpeter A double dose of Stephen McHattie helps this freaky noir find its footing. By Jeannette Catsoulis Mazuch Corso/Syndicado   Critic’s Pick ‘Searching Eva’ Review: Identity Poetics This portrait of a professed sex worker, writer, anarchist, feminist, musician and recovering addict is a tough film to pin down. By Ben Kenigsberg Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT How are we doing? 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