Movies Update: ‘Dune’ and More

Plus, a talk with the stars of 'The French Dispatch'

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story October 22, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! It's an exciting week of releases. Two long-awaited, pandemic-delayed films are finally making it to the big screen, plus a little ocean exploration and a lot of cat power are in the mix. The epic, sun-soaked "Dune" is here. And Manohla Dargis makes it a Critic's Pick, calling it "a herculean endeavor" and a "starry, sumptuous take" on the first half Frank Herbert's sci-fi novel. Watch a scene from the film narrated by its director, Denis Villeneuve, and read an interview with the film's composer, Hans Zimmer. Also out is the latest from Wes Anderson, "The French Dispatch," which A.O. Scott describes as "an ardent, almost orgiastic paean to the pleasures of print." Read an interview with its cast and go behind the scenes on how one French city was transformed for the shoot. Want to take a deep dive? There's the new documentary on Jacques-Yves Cousteau, which A.O. Scott describes as "a swift-moving, detailed biography, recounting a life that was long, eventful and stippled with tragedy and regret." Or are you a cat lover? You can go for "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain," with Benedict Cumberbatch as a British artist who became famous for his feline drawings. Manohla Dargis calls this biographical portrait "poignant" and Cumberbatch "irresistible." Enjoy the movies. Chia Bella James/Warner Bros. Critic's Pick 'Dune' Review: A Hero in the Making, on Shifting Sands Denis Villeneuve's adaptation is an equally sweeping and intimate take on Frank Herbert's future-shock epic. By Manohla Dargis Searchlight Pictures 'The French Dispatch' Review: Remember Magazines? Wes Anderson pays antic tribute to the old New Yorker and its far-flung correspondents. By A.O. Scott Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Jaap Buitendijk/Amazon Studios Critic's Pick 'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain' Review: The Cat's Meow Benedict Cumberbatch plays a British artist who found love, both human and feline, and became famous as the man who drew cats. By Manohla Dargis Nat Finkelstein/Apple TV+ Critic's Pick 'The Velvet Underground' Review: And Me, I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band Todd Haynes's documentary paints a jagged, revelatory portrait of the New York avant-garde scene of the 1960s. By A.O. Scott MOVIE REVIEWS The Cousteau Society/National Geographic 'Becoming Cousteau' Review: The Old Man and the Sea Liz Garbus's new documentary is about the life of the French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the fate of the oceans he loved. By A.O. Scott 20th Century Studios 'Ron's Gone Wrong' Review: Still Under Warranty This animated feature, with Zach Galifianakis voicing a malfunctioning robot, sends up technology addiction with a decent amount of wit. By Ben Kenigsberg Strand Releasing 'Minyan' Review: Cruising Delancey This queer and Jewish coming-of-age drama builds up a vision of neighbors who speak through gestures of care and affection. By Teo Bugbee Stuart Levine 'Learning to Live Together' Review: Remaking a Once-in-a-Lifetime Band Joe Cocker's bacchanalian "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" tour gets a reconsideration and a revival in this documentary by Jesse Lauter. By Glenn Kenny Jomo Fray/Gravitas Ventures 'No Future' Review: On a Downward Spiral A recovering addict and a grieving mother follow a self-destructive path in this bleak, understated drama. By Calum Marsh Kat Marcinowski/Netfilx 'Night Teeth' Review: You're So Vein In this spiritless Netflix movie, an unwitting chauffeur in Los Angeles is drawn into a murderous vampire plot. By Jeannette Catsoulis Netflix 'Found' Review: Three Adoptees Seek Their China Roots This documentary, taking emotional cues from the teenagers at its center, is smart, illuminating and tender. By Lisa Kennedy Well Go USA 'Escape From Mogadishu' Review: Conflict Abroad South Korea's entry for the 2022 Oscars is a fraught action-adventure thriller set in Somalia that leaves a bitter aftertaste. By Beatrice Loayza Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ANATOMY OF A SCENE Warner Bros Anatomy of a Scene Watch Timothée Chalamet and Josh Brolin Spar in 'Dune' The director Denis Villeneuve narrates a sequence from his film. By Mekado Murphy NEWS & FEATURES Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Alec Baldwin Fatally Shoots Crew Member With Prop Firearm, Authorities Say The movie's director of photography was killed and the director was injured on the set of "Rust," a Western, a sheriff's office in New Mexico said. By Alyssa Lukpat and Michael Levenson Mona Chalabi In the Company of Wes Anderson What is it about the director that draws stars like Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton again and again? There are many reasons, but the nightly feasts don't hurt. By Melena Ryzik Bryan Derballa for The New York Times How Hans Zimmer Conjured the Otherworldly Sounds of 'Dune' The composer worked with a far-flung "band" of collaborators who sung, scraped metal, invented instruments and more for the score. By Darryn King Philip Cheung for The New York Times AMC to Add Onscreen Captions at Some Locations The move was lauded by advocates for the deaf and the hard of hearing, but theater owners worry audiences don't want captions. By Vimal Patel STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Mubi Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include an Argentine psychological thriller, a charming Korean drama and an elliptical Galician war film. By Devika Girish 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 Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT 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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