Movies Update: ‘Spiral,’ ‘Those Who Wish Me Dead’ and More

Plus, what our film critic learned about democracy from the movies.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story May 14, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! We're approaching summer movies season and the anticipated release of potential box office giants that have long been delayed because of the pandemic ("A Quiet Place Part II" later this month, "F9" in June). But this week's viewing options are plentiful. You can decide where you'd like to watch the thriller "Those Who Wish Me Dead," starring Angelina Jolie. It's on HBO Max and the big screen. And it's a Critic's Pick. Ben Kenigsberg says that it's a film that "takes its time but doesn't waste any time." If you've been missing the torturous comforts of a new "Saw" horror movie, your wait is over. "Spiral: From the Book of Saw," starring Chris Rock, is here. (If you need a "Saw" refresher, here's some background on the many movies that have come before.) Film nerds who have long obsessed over the German auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder may enjoy the new biopic on his life, "Enfant Terrible" (though our critic thinks you might be more entertained watching an old Fassbinder movie instead). And for a period when politics have been more front and center than usual, our critic A.O. Scott examines what he learned about democracy from the movies, focused on seven key films. Enjoy the movies! Najeebah Al-Ghadban What I Learned About Democracy From the Movies Seven films that paint a portrait of America in all its contradictions, inconsistencies and outright delusions. By A.O. Scott Warner Bros Critic's Pick 'Those Who Wish Me Dead' Review: A Desperate Scramble to Survive This thriller starring Angelina Jolie takes its time but doesn't waste any time. By Ben Kenigsberg Brooke Palmer/Lionsgate 'Spiral: From the Book of Saw' Review: Slicing Up Bad Apples This addition to the "Saw" universe stars Chris Rock as a misanthropic detective pitted against a Jigsaw copycat. By Lena Wilson Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix 'The Woman in the Window' Review: Don't You Be My Neighbor Amy Adams plays a reclusive psychologist who witnesses a crime in a glossy new Netflix thriller. By A.O. Scott Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS 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 Stella de Carvalho/Netflix Stream These 5 Action Films Now This month's picks include the animated "New Gods: Nezha Reborn," the neo-western "Pixie" and the fantastical "Super Me," the crime thriller "Adverse" and the comic "Get the Goat." By Robert Daniels CRITICS' PICKS Netflix Critic's Pick 'Oxygen' Review: The Thrill of Claustrophobia Trapped in a cryogenic chamber with oxygen levels dwindling, a woman must learn how to team up with the machine in order to escape. By Lena Wilson Neon Critic's Pick 'The Killing of Two Lovers' Review: What Lies Beneath Under the veneer of an unusual marriage is an uncontrollable undercurrent to which everyone is susceptible. By Nicolas Rapold Film Forum Critic's Pick 'La Piscine' Review: Pretty, Rich People Behaving Poorly Alain Delon, Romy Schneider and Jane Birkin are among the reasons this restoration of a French thriller is worth watching. By Glenn Kenny MOVIE REVIEWS 'The Perfect Candidate' Review: Paving the Way Haifaa Al-Mansour crafts a story that's part family drama and part parable of female activism, set in Saudi Arabia. By Glenn Kenny 'Enfant Terrible' Review: I Can Sleep When I'm Dead The packed biographical film "Enfant Terrible" races to keep up with the blazing life of the filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder. By Nicolas Rapold 'Los Hermanos/The Brothers' Review: A Long-Deferred Duet In this documentary, two musician siblings — one who lives in Cuba, the other in the United States — get a chance to tour together. By Ben Kenigsberg 'Stop Filming Us' Review: Wary of Their Close-Up The Dutch documentarian Joris Postema's Congo-set film aims to reckon with neocolonialism. By Devika Girish 'Riders of Justice' Review: Just Give Me a Reason Mads Mikkelsen goes berserk in this gleefully violent, yet gold-hearted deconstruction of the revenge thriller. By Beatrice Loayza 'Profile' Review: Screen Sharing With Extremists Interactions between a journalist and a recruiter for the Islamic State play out over screens in this hackneyed thriller. By Teo Bugbee 'High Ground' Review: Two Worlds Collide in the Outback Directed by Stephen Johnson, this western set in Australia doesn't follow the expected narrative. By Glenn Kenny 'The Djinn' Review: A Boy Whose Wish Comes True This film by David Charbonier and Justin Powell has the trappings of a fairy tale. Don't be fooled. By Kristen Yoonsoo Kim Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES NBC Universal, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Projectionist Hollywood Might Not Want to Save the Golden Globes A comeback may prove difficult to mount, and the Critics Choice Awards or the SAGs could take their place. By Kyle Buchanan Tristan Fewings/Getty Images For Jaeger-Lecoultre Haifaa Al-Mansour Rocks Out to Punk and Cooks With TikTok With her movie "The Perfect Candidate" arriving in American theaters, Al-Mansour, the first Saudi Arabian woman to become a feature-length filmmaker, discusses her cultural essentials. By Alexis Soloski Kholood Eid for The New York Times The Composer at the Frontier of Movie Music Nicholas Britell's scores — for "Succession," "Moonlight" and "The Underground Railroad," among others — suggest whole new ways of writing for film and television. By Jamie Fisher Valerie Macon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images How the Golden Globes Went From Laughingstock to Power Player The group that was once assailed by the F.C.C. steadily gained influence in Hollywood over the years until scrutiny of its practices and lack of diversity led NBC to say it would not air its show in 2022. By Nicole Sperling and Brooks Barnes 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. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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