Movies Update: Oscar-Nominated Shorts and More

Plus, restoring "The Godfather" to its original glory.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story February 25, 2022 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, movie fans! The news is grim today so let's return to a time when Hollywood was delivering classics like Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather." That film has been restored for its 50th anniversary, and our reporter Dave Itzkoff spoke with Francis Ford Coppola and the archivist James Mockoski, who supervised the repairs. They explained why some scenes remain dark and talk about the scenes that almost got cut. Also looking back this week is our co-chief critic A.O. Scott, who was so shaken by a scene in "The Worst Person in the World" that he began reflecting on a lifetime of collecting books, movies and more. "I've surrounded myself with things, the most precious of which have been scratched, scribbled in, lent out or given away," he wrote in an essay. Looking ahead, the academy is riling up many (especially Film Twitter) with its new plan to cut eight awards from the Oscar telecast. The prizes (in categories like editing and sound) will still be handed out, but before the show. Kyle Buchanan, our resident awards expert, argued that the changes "seem motivated by bone-deep insecurity — a sort of self-loathing from the academy about what the show really is, let alone what it ought to be." It's a mixed bag of new movies this week. Our critics were not wowed by a musical version of "Cyrano," starring Peter Dinklage, or the horror comedy "Studio 666," starring Foo Fighters. But "Mr. Bachmann and His Class," a documentary about a teacher in Germany, is a Critic's Pick, and our reviewers watched this year's Oscar-nominated shorts — yes, they're among the categories being cut from the telecast — and came away largely impressed. Until next week, fellow fans … Paramount Pictures Restoring 'The Godfather' to Its Original (Still Dark) Glory Francis Ford Coppola discusses a repaired 50th-anniversary edition of his classic, one that aims to be as vivid — and shadowy — as it was in 1972. By Dave Itzkoff ShortsTV 'The 2022 Oscar Nominated Short Films' Review: Small Tales, Big Ideas From near-future nightmares to inspirational sports narratives, this year's shorts are an eclectic bunch. By Jeannette Catsoulis, Amy Nicholson and Ben Kenigsberg Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS MUBI Critic's Pick 'Mr. Bachmann and His Class' Review: Learning From the Best Maria Speth's enthralling documentary spends a year in the classroom of an unconventional teacher in a German industrial town. By A.O. Scott Film Movement Critic's Pick 'Servants' Review: Fighting for Purity of Faith Teenage priests in training resist the mingling of church and the Communist state in Ivan Ostrochovsky's drama. By Natalia Winkelman Metrograph Critic's Pick 'Friends and Strangers' Review: G'day, Mates In this funny, productively cryptic Australian feature, the characters are alternately abrasive and invasive. By Ben Kenigsberg Brian Douglas/Paramount+ Critic's Pick 'Three Months' Review: A Refreshing Film Treatment of H.I.V. This sensitive comedy by Jared Frieder sketches a relationship that blossoms in the shadow of not knowing. By Teo Bugbee MOVIE REVIEWS Peter Mountain/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 'Cyrano' Review: Who Wrote the Book of Love? Peter Dinklage wields pen and sword in a musical adaptation of the durable French romance. By A.O. Scott Vertical Entertainment 'The Desperate Hour' Review: An Exercise in Panic Naomi Watts plays a mother whose morning jog becomes a nightmare in this thriller from Phillip Noyce. By Wesley Morris Open Road Films 'Studio 666' Review: Foo Fighting the Devil The band members play themselves in this horror comedy from BJ McDonnell. But the gore overtakes the (limited) fun. By Wesley Morris 20th Century Studios 'No Exit' Review: Who's Bluffing? In this diverting thriller, a young woman discovers a kidnapping in progress while snowed in at a rest stop By Beatrice Loayza RLJE Films/Creation Stories Limited 'Creation Stories' Review: The Man Behind a Raucous Record Label A rock 'n' roll biopic about Creation Records, which gave us Oasis, My Bloody Valentine and more. By Glenn Kenny Magnet 'The Burning Sea' Review: Smoke on the Water An oil-rig accident in the North Sea kicks off this well-acted, pleasantly predictable survival thriller. By Jeannette Catsoulis Shudder 'Hellbender' Review: The Family That Preys Together In a horror feature by a family of filmmakers, a young woman discovers her mother has been stifling her supernatural abilities. By Lena Wilson Screen Media 'Family Squares' Review: These People Are Way Off the Grid Secrets erupt and tensions are bared when the bereaved Worth family gathers on Zoom. By Concepción de León Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Eric Baradat/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Projectionist The Oscars' Popularity Crisis Why academy efforts like trimming awards from the telecast won't help. People watch because it's a show about elite work, not in spite of it. By Kyle Buchanan Critic's Notebook Shelf Life: Our Collections and the Passage of Time Set off by a scene in a movie, a critic reflects on cultural baggage: "The things you loved when you were young will never be able to make you young again." By A.O. Scott and Daniel Arnold Open Road Films Foo Fighters Made a Horror Film. Because Why Not? Dave Grohl shares how the band went from filming funny music videos to making "Studio 666," due Feb. 25, and discusses a coming album. By Sara Aridi Peter Mountain/MGM Critic's Notebook Why Is 'Cyrano' Still So Potent? Ask Anyone Who's Loved at All. The 19th-century French play is quite adaptable, as numerous stage and film versions have shown, including the latest musical starring Peter Dinklage. By Jason Bailey STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Watched Film Stream These Three Great Documentaries This month's nonfiction picks include a film on suburban surveillance, a deep dive into movie sound and an Oscar-nominated exploration of teens on the margins. By Ben Kenigsberg Decal Beyond the Algorithm 'Ride the Eagle,' 'Bergman Island' and More Streaming Gems Put these off-the-radar movies on your radar. By Jason Bailey Shout! Studios Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include poignant international takes on superhero films, an Indian adaptation about a charming, remorseless grifter and more. By Robert Daniels 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? 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