Movies Update: ‘The Matrix Resurrections,’ ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ and More

Plus, a scrambled awards-season calendar

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 23, 2021 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, film fans! At the start of the week, the big news in Hollywood was the huge box-office take of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which made more than $250 million solely in theaters last weekend. The industry seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, until the rise in Covid cases from the Omicron variant brought new concerns. For now, that has meant a scrambled awards-season calendar. The Critics Choice Awards, which were set for Jan. 9 and which some saw as supplanting the tarnished Golden Globes, have been postponed, with no new date announced. Likewise, the Governors Awards, the lifetime-achievement honors handed out by the academy, have been delayed from their Jan. 15 date. Samuel L. Jackson, Liv Ullmann, Elaine May and Danny Glover were set to collect prizes, but perhaps, as industry speculation has it, that will happen at the Oscars, which are still set for March 27. The end of the year is always a bountiful time for movie lovers, and this week there's plenty to choose from, including the much-anticipated sci-fi sequel "The Matrix Resurrections." The movie "alternately amuses and frustrates you with its fantastical world," our critic Manohla Dargis writes. That film is directed by a solo Lana Wachowski. Another new high-profile offering from a sibling working solo is Joel Coen's "The Tragedy of Macbeth." Our critic A.O. Scott is all in for this Denzel Washington-Frances McDormand drama, calling it a "crackling, dagger-sharp screen adaptation." (Speaking of crackling, Scott wrote the review's headline: "The Thane, Insane, Slays Mainly in Dunsinane.") Happy viewing! Justin J Wee for The New York Times The Projectionist Peter Dinklage on 'Cyrano' and Life After 'Game of Thrones' The actor is happy to upend 100 years of clichés by playing the romantic lead. It's a liberating change after the series became his life. By Kyle Buchanan Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times Carrie-Anne Moss on the 'Matrix' Movies and Playing an Action Hero in Her 50s The actress synonymous with Trinity faced the weight of expectations when she reunited with Keanu Reeves and Lana Wachowski for the new sequel. By Gina McIntyre Dana Canedy Reliving the Pain (and Joy, Too) of My Deepest Love Onscreen An author wrote about the loss of her fiancé and father of her son. When Denzel Washington stepped in to film that story, the memories flooded back. By Dana Canedy Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Alison Rosa/Apple TV+ critic's pick 'Tragedy of Macbeth' Review: The Thane, Insane, Slays Mainly in Dunsinane Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand play a toxic power couple in Joel Coen's crackling adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish play. By A.O. Scott Neon Critic's Pick 'Memoria' Review: In Search of Lost Time Tilda Swinton stars in Apichatpong Weerasethakul's elusive and enchanting new film, set in Colombia. By A.O. Scott MOVIE REVIEWS Warner Bros. 'The Matrix Resurrections' Review: Slipping Through Dreamland (Again) Keanu Reeves plunges down the rabbit hole once more in this familiar-seeming mind-game movie, the fourth in the series. By Manohla Dargis 20th Century Studios 'The King's Man' Review: Suiting Up and Shooting Down This prequel to the "Kingsman" series presents the confusing origin story of the elite British spy agency, founded by Ralph Fiennes (naturally). By Jeannette Catsoulis Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures 'Sing 2' Review: Taking the Show on the Road The amateur ensemble is back, this time in animal Las Vegas. By Amy Nicholson Michael Kubeisy/Lionsgate 'American Underdog' Review: A Football Fairy Tale Zachary Levi plays the N.F.L. star Kurt Warner in this biopic. It's a wan parable about love and hard work. By Teo Bugbee Oscilloscope 'The Velvet Queen' Review: Searching for an Elusive Leopard The documentary follows the photographer Vincent Munier and the writer Sylvain Tesson on a mission to catch a glimpse of a rare snow leopard in Tibet. By Ben Kenigsberg Dimestore Productions/Discovery+ 'Dead Man's Switch: A Crypto Mystery' Review: A Staggering Scam? A new documentary tries to unpack how $200 million went unaccounted for after the Canadian cryptocurrency entrepreneur Gerald W. Cotten died. By Glenn Kenny Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS AND FEATURES Matt Kennedy/Sony Pictures 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Ensnares Audiences and Refills Studio Coffers After nearly two years of lackluster box office sales for theatrical releases, Spidey breaks through to do what superheroes are supposed to do. By Brooks Barnes Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Beyoncé Edges Closer to Her First Oscar Nomination as Shortlists Are Revealed "Be Alive," which the superstar wrote with Dixson for "King Richard," made the academy's cut in preliminary voting. So did Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billie Eilish and Van Morrison. By Stephanie Goodman Pierre Vinet/New Line Cinema How 'Lord of the Rings' Became 'Star Wars' for Millennial Women With tender male relationships and fearless female characters, the trilogy drew in tween girls who still hold the films dear in their 20s and 30s. By Nikita Richardson New Line Cinema Elijah Wood on 'The Lord of the Rings' at 20 and Being Frodo to Fans Forever "I'll never be upset at being associated with those films or for them being the largest in people's memories of who I am," the actor says. By Carlos Aguilar 20th Century Fox Critic's Notebook The 1947 'Nightmare Alley': A Dark View of Class as Destiny With Tyrone Power in the lead, the first adaptation had to find ways to tell a story of soul sickness that wouldn't offend censors. By Ben Kenigsberg Demetrius Freeman for The New York Times The Artists We Lost in 2021, in Their Words Some artists held the spotlight for generations. Others left us lamenting careers cut short. Here is a tribute to those we lost this year. By Gabe Cohn STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Netflix The Best Genre Movies of 2021 We look at the finest in sci-fi, horror, action and international films. By Erik Piepenburg, Devika Girish, Elisabeth Vincentelli and Robert Daniels David Reamer/Neon Beyond the Algorithm 'Pig,' 'Val,' 'Adrienne' and Other 2021 Streaming Gems We put some of the year's finest off-the-radar movies on your radar. By Jason Bailey Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. 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