Movies Update: ‘Last Night in Soho’ and More

Plus, Halloween movie picks.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story October 29, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! It's Halloween weekend, and new scary movies abound. Opening in theaters is Edgar Wright's ghostly London thriller, "Last Night in Soho," and it's a Critic's Pick. Jeannette Catsoulis writes that the director "has produced some of the most dazzling imagery of his career." Read an interview with Wright. Also in theaters is "Antlers," a new folk horror tale from the director Scott Cooper, about a small Oregon town terrorized by a man-eating, elklike creature. (Read up on a number of new films in the folk horror genre). And there are plenty of thrills on streaming. Paramount+ has a new installment in the "Paranormal Activity" franchise, "Next of Kin." Netflix has the thriller "Hypnotic." And the grisly Malaysian horror movie "Roh" is available on demand. Sometimes you don't even need to watch a horror movie to be scared, the title is frightening enough. This week, Erik Piepenburg strung together several real movie titles to tell some terrifying stories. He also recommended five scary flicks to keep you in nightmares all weekend long. Enjoy the movies! Parisa Taghizadeh/Focus Features Critic's Pick 'Last Night in Soho' Review: Dream Girls Two young women from different eras form a psychic bond in Edgar Wright's sumptuous and surprising horror movie. By Jeannette Catsoulis Joss Barratt/A24 'The Souvenir Part II' Review: Life, as She Imagines It In the sequel to her art-house favorite "The Souvenir," Joanna Hogg picks up the story of a young woman's journey to becoming an artist. By Manohla Dargis Stefan Marx Don't Go In the Woods. You're Next. Real horror movie titles. Terrifying tiny tales. By Erik Piepenburg Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Janus Films Critic's Pick 'Chess of the Wind' Review: A Remnant of an Iran That Used to Be Mohammad Reza Aslani's 1976 film about family mendacity existed for mere days before it was banned and then lost in the ensuing tumult. Now it's back. By Glenn Kenny 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 MOVIE REVIEWS Stanislav Honzik/Netflix 'Army of Thieves' Review: A Little Help From Some Old Friends This "Army of the Dead" prequel leans in, deliberately, to every last heist movie cliché. By Calum Marsh Paramount Players 'Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin' Review: Still Recording With this new installment, the found-footage franchise incorporates Covid-19, Amish country and too many cameras. By Ben Kenigsberg Sony Pictures 'A Mouthful of Air' Review: Depression Clouds a Domestic Idyll Amanda Seyfried stars as a young mother suffering from postpartum depression in Amy Koppelman's weepy adaptation of her novel. By Natalia Winkelman Mark Williams/Relativity Media 'Violet' Review: In Two Minds Olivia Munn battles a bullying voice in her head in this unusual psychological drama. By Jeannette Catsoulis Strand Releasing 'Cicada' Review: A New Relationship Buds as Old Wounds Reopen Matthew Fifer writes and co-stars in this understated drama about a man struggling with his past as he forges a new bond. By Kyle Turner Samuel Goldwyn Films/Roadside Attractions 'Snakehead' Review: Nightmares on the Way to the American Dream The writer and director Evan Jackson Leong sets a crime tale in New York City's Chinatown. By Beandrea July First Run Features 'How They Got Over' Review: How Gospel Begat Rock In the director Robert Clem's documentary about gospel quartets and their undeniable influence on rock 'n' roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe has competition. By Lisa Kennedy Funimation 'My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission' Review: Boy on the Run The third full-length movie in this franchise offers a formulaic plot and forgettable villain. By Maya Phillips Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Vertical Entertainment Five Science-Fiction Movies to Stream Now This month's selections include a period sci-fi/action hybrid, low-budget domestic puzzlers and a mega budget, yet overlooked, time-travel spectacle. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Warner Bros. Entertainment, via Associated Press 5 Movies to Watch for Halloween Even if you're not a fan of horror, there's a film waiting for you in the dark. Here are five different movies for every taste. By Erik Piepenburg NEWS & FEATURES Kimberley French/Searchlight Pictures Modern Times Call for Folk Horror Films like "Antlers," "Lamb" and other new releases turn rural environments and ancient belief systems into subjects for terror. By Erik Piepenburg Kalpesh Lathigra for The New York Times Edgar Wright on 'Last Night in Soho' and the Trap of Nostalgia The "Baby Driver" director's latest film is a thriller that explores the darker side of 1960s London and questions stories that glamorize the era. By Dave Itzkoff Searchlight Pictures Reporter's Notebook Wes Anderson's Dream of France, and the Paris I Remember With "The French Dispatch," the director's latest, yet another American artist falls under the country's spell. The Times's Paris bureau chief recalls when the same thing happened to him. By Roger Cohen Maggie Shannon for The New York Times A Filmmaking Life Gets a Sequel Joanna Hogg is the rare director to be given the greenlight for a two-part drama about finding her own voice. She's only been thinking about it since 1988. By Nicolas Rapold 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. You received this email because you signed up for Movies Update from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018