Movies Update: 'Black and Blue' and More

Plus, a chat with De Niro and Pacino.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 25, 2019

By Kyle Buchanan

Hey, movie fans! It's your faithful Carpetbagger.

It's a busy weekend in Hollywood, as the Academy is holding the Governors Awards this Sunday, and everyone who hopes to be an Oscar contender is flying into town to attend. The Governors Awards were created when the honorary Oscars were split off from the main telecast, and this year's recipients include Geena Davis, David Lynch, Wes Studi, and Lina Wertmüller. I can't wait to hear their speeches, but the night is also a notorious schmooze-fest for an audience of actors and directors to shake hands with a vast array of Oscar voters, and I'll have another eye on whoever works the room best.

New movies out this week include the crime drama "Black and Blue," the horror film "Countdown," and "The Current War: Director's Cut," a period drama with Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon. There are also some smaller films worth seeking out, like Nadav Lapid's "Synonyms," the light Isabelle Huppert dramedy "Frankie," and "Burning Cane," a Tribeca Film Festival hit made by the director Phillip Youmans when he was just 19.

Also, don't miss Melena Ryzik, culture reporter for The New York Times, as she hosts an October 30 pre-release screening of "Harriet," the new biopic of abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman. It will be followed by a conversation with two of the film's stars, Tony Award-winning actors Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr., and you can buy tickets to that event now.

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Philip Montgomery for The New York Times   De Niro and Pacino Have Always Connected. Just Rarely Onscreen. "The Irishman" is officially only the third time they've collaborated, but over the years they often turned to one another. Who else could understand? By Dave Itzkoff

MOVIE REVIEWS critic's pick 'Black and Blue' Review: A Cop Thriller for Our Age of Dread Naomie Harris plays a rookie running from bad police officers and drug dealers in Deon Taylor's violent, astute film. by a.o. scott critic's pick 'Synonyms' Review: Brilliant. Relentless. Comic. Tragic. In this scorching movie from Nadav Lapid, a young Israeli flees to Paris and tries to transform into a Frenchman. It goes badly. by manohla dargis critic's pick 'Western Stars' Review: Bruce Springsteen and Broken Cowboys This concert film, directed by the singer and Thom Zimny, puts Bruce in a barn with an orchestra to make some magic. by ken jaworowski 'Frankie' Review: Troubled in Paradise Isabelle Huppert leads an impressive cast on a glum trip in Ira Sachs's new film. by a.o. scott 'Paradise Hills' Review: Caged Birds Singing, Maybe Escaping In this dystopian tale, a private treatment center turns privileged young women into smilingly compliant stereotypes. by manohla dargis 'The Current War' Review: Edison vs. Westinghouse, Down to the Wire The film, which follows the race to bring electricity to American cities, stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon. by ken jaworowski 'The Kill Team' Review: Bullying on the Battlefield Alexander Skarsgard stars in a film based on the murders of Afghan civilians by American soldiers nearly a decade ago. by ben kenigsberg

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ANATOMY OF A SCENE Disney Enterprises   Anatomy Of A Scene How Angelina Jolie Casts a Spell in 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' The director Joachim Ronning narrates a sequence featuring Jolie and Elle Fanning. By Mekado Murphy Eric Chakeen/A24 Films   Anatomy Of A Scene How 'The Lighthouse' Creates Mystery The director Robert Eggers narrates a look at his black-and-white drama featuring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. By Mekado Murphy

NEWS & FEATURES Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times   Hoping for a Spooky Halloween? We Have Some Suggestions Writers, directors and other creators share recommendations for how to spend the scariest night of the year. By Erik Piepenburg Glen Wilson/Focus Features   Harriet Tubman Facts and Myths: How the Movie Tried to Get it Right The filmmakers pored over books, documents and other research to remind viewers of the woman behind the often distorted legend. By Robert Ito Tom Jamieson for The New York Times   'Moonlight' Unlocked the Door. Naomie Harris Charged Through It. The British actress made a name for herself in James Bond and Pirates of the Caribbean movies, but it was a little indie that changed her career. By Cara Buckley Suzie Howell for The New York Times   Wendell Pierce: 'I Still Have Fear, But Now I Have Courage' Starring as Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman" in London has whetted Wendell Pierce's appetite to take on all the big roles. By Michael Paulson Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros. Pictures, via Associated Press   The Carpetbagger With 'Joker' a Box-Office Sensation, Can Joaquin Phoenix Win the Oscar? The three-time nominee has a strong chance at finally winning, but there are a lot of factors at play, including a strong rival. By Kyle Buchanan Evan Agostini/Invision, via Evan Agostini/Invision/Ap   Rose McGowan Sues Harvey Weinstein and Lawyers He Enlisted to Discredit Her The lawsuit says David Boies and Lisa Bloom used underhanded tactics to stop the actress from publicizing her sexual assault allegations against the producer. By Julia Jacobs

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STREAMING The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema Lives Quietly Online Search the internet and you will find, hiding in plain sight, critically acclaimed film classics by celebrated Mexican auteurs. by j. hoberman on comedy The Best New Comedy Specials to Stream Right Now Jenny Slate, Nikki Glaser, Bill Burr and Jaboukie Young-White have new shows that will make you chuckle, sigh or laugh out loud. by jason zinoman

CRITICS' PICKS Phillip Youmans/Array Releasing   Critic's Pick 'Burning Cane' Review: Poverty and Despair in Rural Louisiana The director Phillip Youmans completed this, his first feature, while still in his teens. It feels like the work of an older, and fully formed, artist. By Glenn Kenny Matson Films   Critic's Pick 'Making Waves' Review: How Sound in Cinema Moves Us A documentary provides vivid examples of the power of audio in a motion picture. By Glenn Kenny

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