Movies Update: ‘Reminiscence’ and More

Plus, a chat with Maggie Q

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 20, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! The offerings this week include sci-fi dream worlds, haunted houses, demons and animated pups. In theaters and on HBO Max is the thriller "Reminiscence," featuring Hugh Jackman as one of the owners of a nostalgia factory in the truest sense, where people can re-experience old memories. In her review, Manohla Dargis calls the film "a kinked tale in which the divide between reality and its facsimiles is blurred." Another film taking viewers down a memory hole is the Neill Blomkamp genre mash-up "Demonic," (in theaters and on demand), which mixes a mother-daughter drama with a tech-centric possession thriller. But the most acclaimed scares of the week can be found in "The Night House," starring Rebecca Hall and exclusively in theaters. That film is about a woman coping with both the death of her husband and a few things going bump in the night. The critic Jeannette Catsoulis calls it "hyper-focused" and "unnervingly sure." If you're seeking something more kid-friendly, the pups of "Paw Patrol" (in theaters and on Paramount+) have come together for a big screen outing. Though the critic Glenn Kenny doesn't see much for anyone over the age of 6 to grab onto in it, writing that it has "only a few feeble internet-mocking japes for the entertainment of grown-ups." Enjoy the movies! Warner Bros. 'Reminiscence' Review: Out of the Past, Into the Future (and Back) In her feature debut, the co-creator of HBO's "Westworld" toys with time, space, clichés and conventions in a narrative hall of mirrors. By Manohla Dargis Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios Critic's Pick 'The Night House' Review: Mourning Becomes Her A sensational Rebecca Hall plays a grieving widow besieged by potentially occult forces in this superior creepout. By Jeannette Catsoulis Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS HBO Documentary Films Critic's Pick 'In the Same Breath' Review: Wuhan 2019, or When Normalcy Ended In her latest documentary, the director of "One Child Nation" revisits the pandemic as it unfolded in China as well as in the United States. By Manohla Dargis Kino Lorber Critic's Pick 'On Broadway' Review: History and Celebrity, Stages and Lights The neon lights are bright, and so is the spirit of this brief but loving history of Broadway. By Maya Phillips MOVIE REVIEWS MGM 'Flag Day' Review: Daddy Dearest Sean Penn directs and stars with his daughter, Dylan Penn, in this intimate yet bumpy family drama. By Jeannette Catsoulis IFC Midnight 'Demonic' Review: Making a Hash of a Genre Mash-Up In his latest, the director Neill Blomkamp plays around with different genre elements but never figures out how to make them cohere. By Manohla Dargis Jichici Raul/Lionsgate 'The Protégé' Review: Ladykiller Maggie Q and Michael Keaton play characters that get turned on by termination in this monumentally silly action movie. By Jeannette Catsoulis Gravitas Ventures 'Last Man Standing' Review: Revisiting a Murder (and a Murder Doc) The British documentarian Nick Broomfield tries, again, to solve the killing of Biggie Smalls. By Ben Kenigsberg Danny Quatrochi/Rush Films 'Under the Volcano' Review: Making Music in Paradise This documentary looks at the recording studio George Martin created in the Caribbean that nurtured the stars of the MTV era. By Glenn Kenny Paramount Pictures/Spin Master 'Paw Patrol: The Movie' Review: Young Dogs, Old Tricks In their first big-screen outing, the frisky rescue pups of the popular animated series "Paw Patrol" stay forever young. By Glenn Kenny Discovery+ 'The Smartest Kids in the World' Review: Putting School to the Test This documentary aspires to offer a study of education worldwide, but it lacks in economic and cultural context. By Natalia Winkelman Magnolia Pictures 'Cryptozoo' Review: Wild Things This animated film is a rapturously hallucinogenic daydream for mature audiences. By Beatrice Loayza Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Paramount Pictures Stream These Five Action Films Now In our sights this month: a vengeful assassin, giant killer moths, a Russian Batman, punk gladiators and, well, a crazed pastor we can't even begin to explain. By Robert Daniels A24 The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now Movies upon movies await, and you don't even have to drill down to find them. By Jason Bailey NEWS & FEATURES Gregg Deguire/Getty Images Maggie Q Nourishes Herself With Local Produce and 'Dateline' The actress talks about her latest movie, "The Protégé," her fascination with "American Gigolo," her dedication to rescue dogs, and the joy of Asian stand-up and soup. By Kathryn Shattuck Byron Smith for The New York Times National Endowment for the Humanities Announces New Grants The second round of funding for the year totals $28.4 million and will support 239 projects across the country. By Sarah Bahr Vincent Tullo for The New York Times Leos Carax on 'Annette' and the Cinema of Doubt His movies often arrive amid a commotion, and his newest is no exception: "If you're going to make a musical, you've got to be either ambitious or pretentious." By Beatrice Loayza How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to moviesupdate@nytimes.com. Like this email? 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