Movies Update: ‘Emily the Criminal,’ ‘Day Shift’ and More

Plus, when you get catfished by your dad.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 12, 2022 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, movie fans! Just about all of this summer's high-profile titles have been released. While we await the final box office tally for the season, the jury is out on whether theatrical moviegoing is back, though the signs are largely promising. Viewers are still flocking to theaters to see "Top Gun: Maverick," which is well past the billion-dollar mark at the global box office. And "Nope" just crossed $100 million domestically, showing that an original idea can lure us off our couches. The roughly $30 million opening-weekend take for another non-franchise production, "Bullet Train," is considered "so-so," as Variety put it, given the price tag of the film. But that kind of opening was pretty common before the pandemic, too. I'm very interested to see what the box office experts will say when the season wraps up. All the tentpoles may have been released for the summer, but there are several interesting films premiering this week, starting with "Emily the Criminal," which Jeannette Catsoulis named a Critic's Pick because it "plays less like a lecture on the evils of capitalism than a darkly demented workplace drama, a cry of outrage." Other Critic's Picks include "The Princess," a documentary about Princess Diana (yes, we know) but so much more; and "Girl Picture," a judgment-free Finnish comedy about teenage girls. Whatever you end up watching, enjoy yourself at the movies! Roadside Attractions/Vertical Entertainment Critic's Pick 'Emily the Criminal' Review: Survival Strategy Aubrey Plaza's wonderfully nuanced performance anchors this absorbing story of a young woman's descent into lawlessness. By Jeannette Catsoulis Parrish Lewis/Netflix 'Day Shift' Review: Stakes Out Jamie Foxx is a blue-collar vampire hunter and a steadying hand on the tiller of this frenzied action comedy. By Jeannette Catsoulis GKIDS 'Inu-oh' Review: Dazzling Anime Meets Medieval Epic This modern riff on "The Tale of the Heike," from 14th-century Japan, takes some confusing turns. But the animation is undeniably wonderful. By Manohla Dargis Brett Roedel/Magnolia Pictures When Your Girlfriend Is Your Father James Morosini, the writer-director and star of the catfishing comedy "I Love My Dad," talks with his real father and Patton Oswalt, his onscreen father. By Bob Morris Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Netflix Critic's Pick 'Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story' Review: Surviving the Grind In this documentary, a professional skateboarder turns down the Olympics for the chance to live openly. By Teo Bugbee Kent Gavin/HBO Critic's Pick 'The Princess' Review: An Unsparing Look at Princess Diana The director Ed Perkins uses only found footage to create a harrowing account of Diana's life and death. By Glenn Kenny lkka Saastamoinen/Strand Releasing Critic's Pick 'Girl Picture' Review: Teens on Thin Ice This Finnish comedy about three high school girls grants them a judgment-free sanctuary. By Amy Nicholson MOVIE REVIEWS Alan Markfield/Netflix '13: The Musical' Review: Mild Anxieties in Middle America The Broadway show of the same name gets a Netflix screen adaptation directed by Tamra Davis. By Amy Nicholson John O'Hara/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images/Mubi 'Free Chol Soo Lee' Review: An Indictment of the Justice System Activists helped free a Korean immigrant, and this documentary explores the wrongful conviction and its ripple effect. By Ben Kenigsberg Well Go USA 'Emergency Declaration' Review: Midair Contagion The "Parasite" star Song Kang-ho plays a detective working to thwart a plan to unleash a deadly virus on unsuspecting plane passengers. By Robert Daniels Paramount Pictures 'Laal Singh Chaddha' Review: Forrest Gump in India This Indian adaptation of "Forrest Gump" doubles down on its Pollyanna hero, substituting different historical touchstones. By Nicolas Rapold Gravitas Premiere 'Mack & Rita' Review: 70 Is the New 30 An influencer emerges from a tanning bed 40 years older in this playful movie starring Diane Keaton. By Lisa Kennedy First Run Features 'Free Puppies!' Review: A Fight to Save a Dog's Life This documentary focuses on volunteer animal rescue groups in the rural United States. By Claire Shaffer Hopper Stone/Paramount Pictures 'Secret Headquarters' Review: You Know, for Kids A group of plucky tweens get in on some superhero action in this kid-friendly action comedy. By Calum Marsh Bleecker Street 'Summering' Review: The Besties Confront Bittersweet Truths This meditative coming-of-age movie by James Ponsoldt tracks the emotional upheavals of four 11-year-old girls who stumble upon a corpse. By Beatrice Loayza Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES via Everett Collection An Appraisal Olivia Newton-John: That Headband Was a Crown When the singer smudged her classy image, she "unlocked something new that shot her to the top of pop's Olympus," our critic writes: "The vestal vamp." By Wesley Morris A24 'Bodies Bodies Bodies' and the Difficulty of Coping IRL What happens when Gen Z loses Wi-Fi? Using horror and humor, the cast and filmmakers of the new slasher film aim for a generational portrait. By Kalia Richardson Robin de Puy for The New York Times The Russian Filmmaker Trapped Between Hollywood and Moscow As boycotts of Russia expand to include cultural exports, artists like Kirill Serebrennikov must prove they are dissident enough to enjoy a Western audience. By Irina Aleksander Victor Llorente for The New York Times A Music Career Is a Risky Bet. In 'Mija,' the Stakes Are Even Higher. A new documentary follows Doris Anahi Muñoz, the daughter of undocumented Mexican immigrants, as she balances the needs of her family with artistic dreams. By Kalia Richardson Michael Tyrone Delaney for The New York Times Jo Koy on Comedy They Told Him Wouldn't Work The standup's breakthrough film, "Easter Sunday," focuses on Filipino family themes dear to him, especially after naysayers said audiences couldn't relate. By Robert Ito STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Ross McCall Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include films about corrupt systems and a fun-loving superhero B movie. By Robert Daniels Melinda Sue Gordon/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 Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. 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