Movies Update: ‘Passing,’ ‘Belfast’ and More

Plus, a chat with Lady Gaga.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 12, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! Are movies more powerful in black and white? A couple of new releases will give you the chance to answer that for yourself. One, the period drama "Passing," starring Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga, is on Netflix. In her review, Manohla Dargis writes that the film's screenwriter and director, Rebecca Hall, "fits an extraordinary amount into her version of this streamlined, deceptively simple story of two women whose lives intersect in ways they don't or can't fully grasp." "Belfast," Kenneth Branagh's reflection on his childhood in Northern Ireland, is in theaters. In her review, Jeannette Catsoulis writes that Branagh's work is "a charming, rose-tinted thank-you note to the city that sparked his dreams and the parents whose sacrifices helped them come true." If you're looking for options beyond black-and-white, you can start with the color red. Netflix has the action-adventure film "Red Notice," starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot. And Paramount+ has "Clifford the Big Red Dog," about, well, you can probably guess. And there are plenty more release options this week to choose from below. Check them out and enjoy the movies! Netflix Critic's Pick 'Passing' Review: Black Skin, White Masks Rebecca Hall's piercing drama stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga as old friends navigating the color line in 1920s New York. By Manohla Dargis Rob Youngson/Focus Features Critic's Pick 'Belfast' Review: A Boy's Life In this charming memoir, Kenneth Branagh recalls his childhood in Northern Ireland through a rose-tinted lens. By Jeannette Catsoulis Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times The Projectionist Lady Gaga and Ridley Scott on 'House of Gucci': When Beauty Turns Ugly To play a fashionista willing to kill in the director's fact-based drama, his star plunged deeply into character. "How could I possibly turn it off?" she said. By Kyle Buchanan Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Big World Pictures Critic's Pick 'Uppercase Print' Review: Between the Lines Radu Jude's rousing, form-bending new feature rails at the power of propaganda to suffocate people's freedoms. By Devika Girish MSNBC Films Critic's Pick 'Paper & Glue' Review: A Sequel of Sorts to 'Faces Places' JR, plying his art of making and displaying gigantic portraits, carries on, this time without the inimitable Agnès Varda. By Lisa Kennedy Aline Arruda/Netflix Critic's Pick '7 Prisoners' Review: Survival at Any Cost Alexandre Moratto plunges into the psychological traumas of human trafficking in this gripping Brazilian drama on Netflix. By Isabelia Herrera ANATOMY OF A SCENE Pablo Larrain/Neon Anatomy of a Scene Watch Kristen Stewart Embody Princess Diana in 'Spencer' The director Pablo Larraín narrates a sequence from his film. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Marius Land/Mubi 'What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?' Review: But I Digress Two strangers become near-lovers in a movie that invites you to think more about the perfectly, simply, ordinary life around them. By Manohla Dargis Paul Child/Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University/Sony Pictures Classics 'Julia' Review: She Changed Your Life and Your Utensil Drawer An invigorating new documentary looks back on Julia Child and her influence on how Americans cook and eat. By Glenn Kenny Amazon Studios 'Mayor Pete' Review: Politics Is Local This film, which follows Pete Buttigieg on his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, rarely captures him in what looks like an unselfconscious moment. By Ben Kenigsberg Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt/Showtime 'Cusp' Review: Teenage Girls, Stuck With Shrugging Off Harm What starts as a documentary about three Texan high schoolers becomes a look at the normalization of sexual abuse. By Beatrice Loayza Samuel Goldwyn Films 'Night Raiders' Review: A Future That Resembles the Past A mother joins a group of vigilantes to help free her daughter from a state-run academy in this feature from Danis Goulet. By Devika Girish Film Movement 'They Say Nothing Stays the Same' Review: Crossing a Modern River Two events disturb the placid surfaces of a boatman's world: the building of a nearby bridge, and his discovery of a young woman floating in the water. By Nicolas Rapold ABC News '3212 Un-Redacted' Review: Trying to Solve a Mission's Mysteries The documentary looks into the complex circumstances involving four American soldiers who were killed in an ambush in Niger in 2017. By Ben Kenigsberg Garcia/Blue Fox Entertainment 'Love Is Love Is Love' Review: Aging Too Gracefully The characters in this idle drama, directed by Eleanor Coppola, seem mostly content. That's the problem. By Teo Bugbee Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Kamikaze Dogfight Five Horror Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include mutants in love and mushrooms out for blood. By Erik Piepenburg Andrew Schwartz/Paramount Pictures Stream These 11 Titles Before They Leave Netflix in November Jack Black, Michael B. Jordan, Matthew McConaughey: A lot of favorites are leaving for U.S. subscribers this month. By Jason Bailey NEWS & FEATURES Tonje Thilesen for The New York Times 'Always Jane' Is Part of a New Generation of Trans Documentaries For decades, films about transgender people tended to be sensationalistic. A newer crop is more celebratory — and opening doors for its young subjects. By Robert Ito Warner Bros. 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' at 20: The Film That Started It All Two decades after the film's release, Daniel Radcliffe and the director, Chris Columbus, take us inside four key scenes. By Sarah Bahr 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