Movies Update: ‘The Godfather’ at 50

Plus, "My Cousin Vinny" at 30.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 11, 2022 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! We're gonna make you an offer you can't refuse: a robust collection of "Godfather" stories to celebrate its 50th anniversary. We have an interview with Al Pacino, with the actor talking about how "The Godfather" single-handedly created his film career. We explain the saga through seven of its great quotes. We discuss how the film imitated Mob life and vice versa. And we test your knowledge of the movie. Take the quiz. And the cannoli. On Disney+ this week is the latest Pixar movie, "Turning Red," about an adolescent girl who becomes a big red panda when she gets excited. The critic Maya Phillips called it "heartwarming" but wrote that it "fumbles its storytelling." Read an interview with the director Domee Shi, the first woman to get solo directing credit on a Pixar feature. And over on Netflix is the Ryan Reynolds time-travel adventure "The Adam Project," with Reynolds, as the title character, going back in time and interacting with a younger version of himself, played by Walker Scobell. The critic Natalia Winkelman wrote that "Reynolds imbues Adam with such excitable, exhibitionistic energy he might as well be waving jazz hands." If you've seen "The Batman" and were wondering about the ending, the director Matt Reeves has thoughts. He also has commentary on a scene in which Batman tries out some flight tech in his Batsuit. And if you're hungry for some Oscars dish, check out our coverage of the Academy Awards nominees luncheon, then read about the very fierce competition in the best actress race. After that, head on over to our interactive ballot and make your own Oscar picks. Enjoy the movies! Paramount Pictures 'The Godfather' at 50 Al Pacino on 'The Godfather': 'It's Taken Me a Lifetime to Accept It and Move On' Fifty years later, the actor looks back on his breakthrough role: how he was cast, why he skipped the Oscars and what it all means to him now. By Dave Itzkoff Paramount Pictures How Well Do You Know 'The Godfather'? The Quiz Nobody Asked For Accept this quiz as a gift for the film's 50th anniversary. By Tala Safie Paramount Pictures 'The Godfather' at 50 'The Godfather' Explained in Seven Quotes The film's lines have become part of our collective memory. Seven writers, directors and actors look back at the movie and what these words mean to them. By The New York Times Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Super Ltd Critic's Pick 'All My Friends Hate Me' Review: Party Animals Things turn nasty when a peculiar stranger infiltrates a reunion of college pals in this clever horror-comedy. By Jeannette Catsoulis MOVIE REVIEWS Disney+ 'Turning Red' Review: Beware the Red-Furred Monster A 13-year-old girl becomes a red panda when she loses her cool in Domee Shi's heartwarming but wayward coming-of-age film. By Maya Phillips Doane Gregory/Netflix 'The Adam Project' Review: Back Talk to the Future Ryan Reynolds plays a time traveling wise cracker in Shawn Levy's science fiction adventure. By Natalia Winkelman Magnet 'Ultrasound' Review: Trapped in a Murky Mystery This genre hybrid opens on a dark, stormy night, takes a turn into a narrative maze only to dead end despite some promising kinks. By Manohla Dargis Film Movement 'Fear' Review: Stranger in a Strange Land The arrival of an African refugee upends a Bulgarian town in Ivaylo Hristov's pointed tale of xenophobia. By A.O. Scott HS Productions 'The Cherry Bushido' Review: That Fighting Spirit Japanese nationalism and religious faith fuel a battle in the spirit realm in this awkward martial-arts fantasy. By Wesley Morris Blue Fox Entertainment 'I Am Here' Review: A Holocaust Survivor Reckons With Her Pain Decades after experiencing some of the most nightmarish moments of World War II, a woman shares her stories. By Lisa Kennedy Screen Media 'Gold' Review: Dry Heave Zac Efron stars in an unrelentingly miserable post-apocalyptic movie from the Australian actor and director Anthony Hayes. By Amy Nicholson Jörgen Engdahl/Discovery+ 'Last Exit: Space' Review: Not-So-Final Frontiers The director Rudolph Herzog, with his father, Werner Herzog, narrating, explores the feasibility of off-world colonization. By Ben Kenigsberg Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ANATOMY OF A SCENE Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros. Pictures Anatomy of a Scene Watch Robert Pattinson Take Flight in 'The Batman' The director Matt Reeves narrates a sequence in which Batman flees the police from a rooftop using his batsuit. By Mekado Murphy NEWS & FEATURES Jessica Chou for The New York Times With 'Turning Red,' a Big Red Panda Helps Break a Glass Ceiling Domee Shi is the first woman filmmaker with sole directing credit on a Pixar feature. By Brooks Barnes Searchlight/Netflix/Sony Pictures Classics/Amazon/Neon, via Associated Press The Projectionist Who Will Win This Year's Wild Best Actress Race? There are cases to be made for and against every contender, and no one has an obvious advantage in this upended season. By Kyle Buchanan 20th Century Fox/Alamy 'My Cousin Vinny' at 30: An Unlikely Oscar Winner Much like Vinny in the South, the film was a fish out of water at the Academy Awards. But the comedy endures, thanks to a generous Joe Pesci and a fiery Marisa Tomei. By Jason Bailey Krista Schlueter for The New York Times The Projectionist At the Oscar Nominees Luncheon: Glamour, Griping and Gluten-Free Meals At the annual event for nominees and their guests, everyone was happy to be meeting face to face, but the plan to pretape several awards on Oscar night was a sore subject. By Kyle Buchanan Disney 'Encanto' May Be Accurate, but Can It Carry a Whole Country? The filmmakers behind the Disney hit worked for cultural accuracy. Some Colombians and Colombian Americans are looking for more. By Laura Zornosa Super Ltd Skewering the Anxious Young Things The film "All My Friends Hate Me" satirizes anxiety and paranoia among upper-class British millennials. Its writers say they are laughing at themselves most of all. By Simran Hans Bettmann/Getty Images Oscar Rewind: When Rita Moreno Made History and Thanked No One The actress explains why she gave one of the shortest Academy speeches ever when she became the first Latina to win an acting Oscar 60 years ago. By Sarah Bahr Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Netflix Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include an otherworldly Mexican comedy, a tale of repressed romance from Georgia and an elliptical Brazilian thriller. By Devika Girish Netflix The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now Movies upon movies await, and you don't even have to drill down to find them. By Jason Bailey MGM The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now New films, and classics, just keep coming, but you don't have to drill down to find the finest selections to stream. We'll do the heavy lifting. You press play. By Jason Bailey 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