Movies Update: ‘Nope’ and More

Plus, Netflix's big gamble.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story July 22, 2022 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, movie fans! It's the heart of summer blockbuster season, with Jordan Peele's much-anticipated "Nope" and Netflix's big-budget gamble "The Gray Man" both hitting screens this weekend. We didn't know much about "Nope" before its release, and now that our critic A.O. Scott has seen it, he still has questions: "Is it a western? A horror film? Science fiction? Satire? Will it fulfill the expectations raised by Peele's first two mind-bending, zeitgeist-surfing features, 'Get Out' and 'Us,' or disappoint them?" he wrote in his review. "I can now report that the answer to all of those questions is: Yup." I'm not going to give anything away about the plot, but to be clear, he's wholeheartedly making "Nope" a Critic's Pick. "The Gray Man," from the Russo brothers, comes with a different set of expectations: At nearly $200 million, this is the most expensive film Netflix has ever made and the streaming service, which lost nearly 1 million subscribers in the last quarter, is hoping the assassin vs. assassin action thriller will be the start of a spy franchise that lures in new viewers, as my colleague Nicole Sperling explained. Does the movie work on its own terms? In her review, our critic Amy Nicholson described it as a "frenetic caper," adding that "the razzle-dazzle does quite a bit to invigorate what is at its core a routine tale." Whatever you decide to watch, enjoy the movies! Universal Pictures Critic's Pick 'Nope' Review: Hell Yes Jordan Peele's genre-melting third feature stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as brother-and-sister horse wranglers defending the family ranch from an extraterrestrial threat. By A.O. Scott Taylor Callery Critic's Notebook The Antihero's Last Gasp Since the beginnings of Batman, pop culture has embraced the figure who lives on the boundary between law and lawlessness. With truth and justice now seemingly up for grabs, do those stories still make sense? By Maya Phillips MTV Documentary Films The Unraveling of an Award-Winning Documentary The director of "Sabaya," about Yazidi women who had been sexually enslaved by ISIS, says that he wasn't present for a key scene and that he substituted footage. By Jane Arraf Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS MHz Choice Critic's Pick 'A Dark, Dark Man' Review: Murder and Corruption in Kazakhstan This exceptionally grim police procedural recalls films like Bong Joon Ho's "Memories of Murder" and Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia." By Ben Kenigsberg Onyx Collective Critic's Pick 'Aftershock' Review: A Moving Ode to the Black Family Black mothers are dying from childbirth at alarming rates. A new documentary explains why. By Beandrea July MOVIE REVIEWS Paul Abell/Netflix 'The Gray Man' Review: Guy vs. Guy Ryan Gosling plays a blasé government operative opposite Chris Evans's showy psychopath in this globe-trotting spy action movie. By Amy Nicholson Magnolia Pictures 'My Old School' Review: An Impostor Makes the Honor Roll A documentary uses animation and professional actors to tell the story of a once-notorious hoax. By A.O. Scott Paramount+ 'The Day the Music Died' Review: 'American Pie,' the Life of a Hit Don McLean tries to clear up some misapprehensions about the eight-an-a-half-minute song that took on a life of its own, in this documentary. By Glenn Kenny Tony Rivetti/Orion Pictures/Amazon Studios 'Anything's Possible' Review: Teenagers' Romance Flowers Self-preservation and allyship are also wrapped up in this sweet young adult romantic comedy, which is Billy Porter's feature film directorial debut. By Kyle Turner Quiver Distribution 'The Wheel' Review: Songs of Love and Hate In this marriage drama, a young couple heads to the countryside to break out of a toxic cycle. By Nicolas Rapold Samuel Goldwyn Films 'Art of Love' Review: An Erotic Male Fantasy in Puerto Rico A disillusioned college professor develops a relationship with a young Chinese woman, in a familiar and worn-out narrative. By Concepción de León Factory 25 'The Reverend' Review: A Beer With a Music Chaser Get out of his way. With two decades of sharing worship and making music at a Brooklyn bar, the Rev. Vince Anderson appears to be unstoppable. By Lisa Kennedy Hélène Louvart/Dekanalog 'Skies of Lebanon' Review: A Beautiful Life, for a While A woman's journey to Beirut leads to a storybook romance in the debut feature from the director Chloé Mazlo. By Glenn Kenny Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Associated Press What to Know About Jafar Panahi, the Imprisoned Iranian Filmmaker The auteur is now serving a sentence that Iran's judiciary handed down in 2010 when he was arrested for supporting protests. By Nicolas Rapold Onyx Collective 'History Is Everything': Making a Film About Black Maternal Mortality The directors Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee discuss their journey in making the documentary "Aftershock," which shines a light on a national health crisis. By Maya Salam Karsten Moran for The New York Times For a Revered Art House Cinema, a Season of Off Screen Turmoil The Jacob Burns Film Center in Westchester, a celebrated venue that enjoys backing from cinema's A-list, has been roiled by the dismissal of one of its original leaders who was accused of bullying behavior. By Matt Stevens Netflix Netflix, Still Reeling, Bets Big on 'The Gray Man' The streaming service hopes its latest release can be the start of a blockbuster franchise that attracts much-needed subscribers. By Nicole Sperling Nick Wall/Netflix Reporter's Notebook Why Is It So Hard to Adapt Austen? The Fans Play a Part. The backlash to the Netflix version of "Persuasion" has as much to do with who's watching as who's scripting. Still, the new film broke some rules. By Sarah Lyall New Line Cinema Critic's Notebook 'Boomerang' at 30: Think of It as the Robin Givens Rom-Com It's remembered as Eddie Murphy's bid at romantic stardom and as a key point in Halle Berry's career. But the riveting antagonist arguably created a new archetype. By Salamishah Tillet STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS IFC Films Beyond the Algorithm 'The Beta Test,' 'Closet Monster' and More Streaming Gems Put this selection of off-the-radar movies in your queue. By Jason Bailey Terence Patrick/Netflix On Comedy 5 Smart Comedy Specials From Veteran Stand-Ups Joel Kim Booster, Nikki Glaser, Bill Burr, Fahim Anwar and Cristela Alonzo deliver strong hours ideal for summer viewing. By Jason Zinoman 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? 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