Movies Update: ‘Futura,’ ‘The Fallout’ and More

Plus, will the Producers Guild nominations help predict the Oscars?

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 28, 2022 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! It's been quite a week of award nominations. The Producers Guild, Directors Guild and Writers Guild all announced their nominees, clarifying what might reach the Oscar stage. Prospects are looking good for "The Power of the Dog," "Licorice Pizza," "West Side Story" and "Dune," but not as good for popular action films like "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "No Time to Die," both of which have tried to stake a claim in the Oscar race. But even with all this reflection on the movies of 2021, new works are steadily emerging. Opening this week is the documentary "Futura," in which three international directors travel across Italy to interview young people. In his Critic's Pick review, A.O. Scott saw the movie as a document of this moment, "an affirmation of the durability of an approach to moviemaking predicated on curiosity, democratic principles and the idea that people can speak for themselves." Also out is "Compartment No. 6," a drama about a Finnish student on a train from Moscow to Murmansk that Manohla Dargis calls "engrossing and effective." And available on streaming is the drama "The Fallout," starring Jenna Ortega as a student coping with the aftermath of a school shooting. Claire Shaffer writes that Ortega's performance paints "a grounded and compassionate picture of adolescent grief." Enjoy the movies. Grasshopper Film critic's pick 'Futura' Review: Youth, Italian Style Three filmmakers travel Italy in the midst of the pandemic, listening to young people talk about their fears and aspirations. By A.O. Scott Chia Bella James/Warner Bros., via Associated Press The Projectionist Producers Guild Nominations Keep 'Dune' in Play The group's choices often influence what academy voters do at the Oscars. That's why the omissions of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "No Time to Die" may be significant. By Kyle Buchanan Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Sony Pictures Classics Critic's Pick 'Compartment No. 6' Review: Strangers on a Russian Train A young Finnish woman embarks on a journey of self-discovery that takes her (and you) through richly detailed and surprising terrain. By Manohla Dargis Warner Bros. Pictures/HBO Max 'The Fallout' Review: The Unexpected Effects of Trauma Jenna Ortega stars as a teenager coping with the aftermath of a school shooting in this grounded and compassionate look at adolescent grief. By Claire Shaffer MOVIE REVIEWS Henrik Ohsten/Magnolia Pictures 'A Taste of Hunger' Review: A Relentless Pursuit of Perfection A husband and wife pour everything into their restaurant in a quest for a Michelin star, heedless of the other dimensions of their lives. By Teo Bugbee Cargo Film and Releasing 'The Conductor' Review: Seizing the Baton In this biographical documentary, Marin Alsop recounts how she became the first woman to lead a major American orchestra. By Ben Kenigsberg Blended Family Productions/Gravitas Ventures 'They/Them/Us' Review: Working Out the Kinks In this dramatic comedy, two divorced 40-somethings gamely experiment with B.D.S.M. By Calum Marsh Screen Media 'La Soga Salvation' Review: A Very Inferior Set of Thrills The sequel to the 2010 thriller "La Soga" trades the original's pointed commentary on crime and corruption for something more generic. By Beatrice Loayza IFC Films 'Clean' Review: Taking Out the Trash Adrien Brody plays a community do-gooder with a not-so-pristine past in this action film directed by Paul Solet. By Glenn Kenny Bleecker Street 'Sundown' Review: Stuck in the Shallow Waters of Acapulco In this Michel Franco film, a family group escapes to the beach in Acapulco, the onetime sun-baked paradise that has become an epicenter of violence. By Beandrea July Indiecan Entertainment 'Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes' Review: Hello, It's You In this time-travel comedy, a cafe owner and his friends discover a portal that allows them to see two minutes into the future. By Jeannette Catsoulis Disney+ 'The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild' Review: A Franchise Thaws The latest installment in this animated film series replaces nearly all of its celebrity voice performers with close proxies. By Natalia Winkelman Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES David B. Torch for The New York Times 1The Projectionist He's a Doctor. He's an Actor. He's an Indie Heartthrob. How does Anders Danielsen Lie of "The Worst Person in the World" juggle careers in acting and medicine? "This has been my ongoing identity crisis," he said. By Kyle Buchanan Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox The End of 'Fight Club' Was Cut in China. The Pattern Goes Back Decades. The 1999 cult classic starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton is not the only foreign film to be altered for audiences in mainland China. By Mike Ives Niko Tavernise/Netflix, via Associated Press The Projectionist Writers Guild Nominations: 'Don't Look Up,' 'Licorice Pizza' and More The group's contenders can be predictive of the Oscars but several films, including "Belfast" and "The Power of the Dog," weren't eligible. By Kyle Buchanan Kirsty Griffin/Netflix, via Associated Press The Projectionist Directors Guild Nominations Focus on Veterans Like Jane Campion and Steven Spielberg The films of all five contenders are also up for Producers Guild Awards, suggesting that they will make up the top tier of best-picture nominees at the Oscars. By Kyle Buchanan STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Rob Baker Ashton/Uncork'd Entertainment Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a grim western teeming with bloodthirsty outlaws, humans fighting an alien invasion and more. By Robert Daniels 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 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. 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