Movies Update: 'Midsommar' and More

Plus, black directors of the '90s on a boom that went bust.

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Kyle Buchanan Pop Culture Reporter Hey, movie fans! Before we get into this week's new releases, some exciting Oscar news: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday that it would invite 842 people to join its ranks this year, and this new class would be heavily comprised of women, people of color and members younger than the Academy's average.  Among the invitees are the recent Oscar-winner Lady Gaga, a trio of "Black Panther" actors in Winston Duke, Letitia Wright and Sterling K. Brown, and an eclectic group of directors like the "Babadook" helmer Jennifer Kent, the "Crazy Rich Asians" director Jon M. Chu, and the "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse" co-director Rodney Rothman. And speaking of all things Spidey, this week brings another live-action take on the web-slinger with the sequel "Spider-Man: Far From Home," which pairs Tom Holland with Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as the creepy "Midsommar," the latest horror film from the "Hereditary" breakout Ari Aster.

'They Set Us Up to Fail': Black Directors of the '90s Speak Out David L. Byrd By REGGIE UGWU Julie Dash, Matty Rich, Darnell Martin, Ernest Dickerson, Leslie Harris and Theodore Witcher on a boom that went bust, and what's different now.

Movie Reviews 'Midsommar': The Horror of Bad Relationships and Worse Vacations By MANOHLA DARGIS Ari Aster's hyper-aware movie builds a scary mousetrap with Swedish bait, but it has more virtuosity than vision. 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' Is the Latest Iron Man Movie By A.O. SCOTT Peter Parker deals with teenage angst and lingering Stark Industries H.R. issues while trying to enjoy a trip to Europe. Critic's Pick 'Marianne & Leonard': An Emotionally Complex Story of a Poet and His Muse By GLENN KENNY Nick Broomfield's remarkable documentary explores the love between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen. Sundance Short Film Festival: Bite-Size Samplings From Park City By BEN KENIGSBERG This lineup of traveling shorts from America's pre-eminent showcase for independent cinema is a decidedly mixed bag. 'The Cat Rescuers': A Portrait of New York's Street Cats and Their Loyal Humans By BILGE EBIRI New York is teeming with stray cats. Meet the people trying to do something about it. 'Phil': A Messy Story About a Suicidal Dentist By BEN KENIGSBERG Greg Kinnear strains to convey the title character's inner torment while making him outwardly comic. 'Cold Blood': The Hit Man and the Hottie By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS A drained-looking Jean Reno anchors this stagnant thriller from the French director Frédéric Petitjean.

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Anatomy of a Scene How 'Midsommar' Takes a Bad Trip By MEKADO MURPHY The writer and director Ari Aster narrates a scene from his film, featuring Florence Pugh and some powerful mushroom tea.

News & Features Ari Aster on the Bright and Dark Sides of 'Midsommar' By MEKADO MURPHY With his latest film, and last year's "Hereditary," the writer and director talks about why he has (so far) kept things grim onscreen. 'Yesterday' Star Himesh Patel Was Delivering Papers Not So Long Ago By BRUCE FRETTS When he was a soap opera regular, his parents insisted that he have a paper route to keep him grounded. That lasted till he was 21. Remembering Apollo 11: What to Watch and Listen To By MEKADO MURPHY As the 50th anniversary of the moon landing approaches, these movies, television shows and podcasts help shine a light on the story. Keanu Reeves Is Whatever You Want Him to Be By LAURA M. HOLSON People project onto the star of the "Matrix" and "John Wick" series what they want to see in themselves. "Dude, this is me in the future," one fan said. 'A Bundle of Action' and 'Just the Right Amount of Scary': Kids Review 'Toy Story 4' By LARA TAKENAGA Young moviegoers weigh in on the much-anticipated Pixar sequel.

Streaming 'Beats' Review: In Chicago, the Song Remains the Same By SEAN T. COLLINS A washed-up record producer finds hope in the talents of a traumatized young musician. But can he be trusted?

Critics' Picks 'The Chambermaid' By A.O. SCOTT Lila Avilés's modest and miraculous first feature finds pathos and a hint of magic in the routines of a young hotel worker. 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco' By MANOHLA DARGIS An indelibly beautiful story of love, family and loss in America from two childhood friends turned filmmakers.

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