Movies Update: ‘Little,’ ‘Her Smell’ and More

Plus, a trip to "Guava Island."

View in Browser | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. Friday, April 12, 2019 NYTimes.com »

Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi film fans! It's been something of a quiet week in Movieland, so I thought I'd share with you what we're talking about in the office.  "Guava Island," Childish Gambino's new movie with Rihanna, has been, hands down,  the dominant subject. Amazon announced that it would begin streaming Saturday at 12:01 a.m. P.D.T. — about when he's done with his headlining set at Coachella — and our reporter Kyle Buchanan has given us a preview of what this follow-up to "This Is America" will look like.   After thoroughly enjoying the trailer for Jim Jarmusch's new zombie movie, "The Dead Don't Die,"  we were pleased to see the Cannes Film Festival announce the film as its opening selection when it gets underway May 14. The film stars Jarmusch regulars like Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton, though I have to say my favorite moment in the trailer is Iggy Pop as an undead coffee addict. I can relate.  And we finally learned what a grip does on a movie set. Basically they build or rig "anything over people's heads," explained Tana Dubbe, a key grip whose credits include "Iron Man" and who is one of the few women doing the job.  In theaters this week, "Her Smell," Alex Ross Perry's unsparing look at a female rock star who is not Courtney Love,  fascinates our critic A.O. Scott, while "Little," the body-switch comedy starring Issa Rae and Marsai Martin, does not. Manohla Dargis weighs in on the Ethan Hawke bank-robbery tale "Stockholm" and "Dogman," the latest from the Italian auteur Matteo Garrone ("Gomorrah"). See you at the movies!

Movie Reviews Universal Pictures 'Little' Review: Too Much Caution and Not Enough Regina Hall By A.O. SCOTT In this version of the body-switch comedy, Hall turns into her 13-year-old self, played by the amazing young actress Marsai Martin. Gunpowder & Sky Critic's Pick 'Her Smell' Review: The Road to Rock 'n' Roll Transcendence Goes Through the Gutter By A.O. SCOTT Elisabeth Moss is raw and charismatic in Alex Ross Perry's portrait of a musician running off the rails.

'Hellboy': What's Big and Horned and Red All Over? By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS Neil Marshall's chaotic reboot turns all the dials to 11 and keeps them there. 'Missing Link': Lovely Animation, but Lacking Inspiration By BEN KENIGSBERG The storytelling can't match the visual creativity in the latest film from Laika studios. 'Stockholm': Seduced by a Hostage Taker By MANOHLA DARGIS Ethan Hawke is the main reason to see this movie, which revisits the 1973 crime that inspired the condition known as Stockholm syndrome. 'Dogman': In Italy, a Man-Eat-Man World By MANOHLA DARGIS In the latest from the Italian director Matteo Garrone ("Gomorrah"), a bullied dog groomer bites back. 'Sauvage / Wild': A French Hustler Gets Too Close to His Work By BEN KENIGSBERG This sexually frank film from Camille Vidal-Naquet demonstrates that it's difficult to build a character study around an unconvincing character. 'Mary Magdalene': A Revision in Need of Revision By GLENN KENNY Mary Magdalene's reputation as a temptress is set aside in Garth Davis's revisionist depiction of her life as a follower of Jesus. 'Wild Nights With Emily': Emily Dickinson as Romantic Comedy Heroine By TEO BUGBEE The life and work of the poet gets a delightfully droll — even gay — reinterpretation. Critic's Pick 'Teen Spirit': Elle Fanning Can Sing. Who Knew? By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS Max Minghella's sweet directing debut is both proudly clichéd and refreshingly different. Critic's Pick 'Long Day's Journey Into Night': A Mesmerizing Chain of Associations By GLENN KENNY The director, Bi Gan, undertakes a radical challenge to linear narrative with awe-inspiring effect.

ADVERTISEMENT

Anatomy of a Scene How 'Little' Aims for Big Laughs By MEKADO MURPHY The director Tina Gordon narrates a sequence from her film, featuring Marsai Martin, Issa Rae and Rachel Dratch.

News & Features 'Guava Island' First Look: Childish Gambino's Mystery Project With Rihanna Is Unveiled By KYLE BUCHANAN The first feature from the director Hiro Murai restages and remixes Gambino songs like "This Is America" and "Summertime Magic." Movies Primed Us for Black Holes. Here are 6 to Watch. By JASON BAILEY The unveiling of the first ever image of a black hole tapped into a longstanding fascination. Where did that come from? In part, from movies like these. What Is a Grip? The Few Women Doing the Job in Hollywood Explain By CARA BUCKLEY On a movie set "we control anything over people's heads," one female key grip explains. But when you're the exception on an all-male crew, other factors come into play. Disney Prepares to Unveil Its Streaming Service By BROOKS BARNES AND JOHN KOBLIN In a lavish presentation, the company is expected to offer long-awaited details about its counter to the tech giants that have moved into entertainment. How 'Amazing Grace' Was Born, Buried and Resurrected By NATALIE RINN The documentary, about the legendary live gospel recording by Aretha Franklin, was as ambitious and as bungled as only Hollywood could manage.

Critics' Picks 'The Fate of Lee Khan' By GLENN KENNY Lady Kung Fu and a renowned wuxia director in their only feature together, this restored 1973 film. 'Satan & Adam' By KEN JAWOROWSKI The documentary follows the duo, who started out performing on the streets of Harlem, and went on to find wider success.

HOW ARE WE DOING? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to moviesupdate@nytimes.com. LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. NEED HELP? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance.

ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW US FACEBOOK @nytmovies Get more NYTimes.com newsletters » | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps. Subscribe »

ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Movies Update newsletter. Unsubscribe | Manage Subscriptions | Change Your Email | Privacy Policy | Contact | Advertise Copyright 2019 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018