Movies Update: The Oscar Nominations and More

Plus, optimism about women in the movie world.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 27, 2023 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, film fans! Whew, what a week: between the Sundance Film Festival and the Oscar nominations, it has been nonstop news. The nominations were a mix of welcome surprises and perplexing snubs, as our awards expert Kyle Buchanan noted: "Everything Everywhere All at Once" led the tally with actors of Asian descent making a particularly good showing. Yet Viola Davis and other Black stars of well-known films were completely shut out of the running for best actress, and Andrea Riseborough unexpectedly succeeded with an out-of-the-box campaign for her little-seen "To Leslie." (How little seen? As of this writing its box office take stands at $27,322.) Meanwhile the best actor competition is sure to end with a first-time Oscar winner as every contender in that category is new to the awards. Sundance is continuing through Sunday but has already racked up some big sales: Netflix paid $20 million for the psychological drama "Fair Play" (about what happens when a woman gets the promotion her boyfriend thought was his) and Searchlight spent under $8 million on the mockumentary "Theater Camp" (just like it sounds). Still, as my colleague Nicole Sperling reported, with so much worry about the commercial viability of movies, "a positive response to a film at Sundance is no longer enough to guarantee that it will attract a theatrical distribution deal." Our co-chief critic Manohla Dargis is more optimistic about Hollywood, specifically about the status of women in the industry. Citing a raft of female-driven movies in the last year, she writes, "Despite continuing biases and barriers, women are now directing movies with a variety of budgets, topics and casts. It's made my job as a critic more exciting." What a happy note to end on. Have fun at the movies! Illustration by Najeebah Al-Ghadban; Ilze Kitshoff/Sony Pictures ("The Woman King"); Eli Adé/Marvel ("Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"); Universal Pictures ("Nope"); Paramount Pictures ("Smile"); David Bornfriend/A24 ("Everything Everywhere All At Once); Merrick Morton/Warner Bros. Entertainment, via Associated Press ("Don't Worry Darling") CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK For the First Time Ever, I'm Optimistic About Women in the Movie World It's not just the volume and range of films centered on female characters. It's also a shift in consciousness that has made feminist concerns mainstream. By Manohla Dargis A24, via Associated Press 'Close' Review: This Boy's Life Friendship and tragedy go hand in hand in Lukas Dhont's delicate, Oscar-nominated drama. By A.O. Scott Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Neon CRITIC'S PICK 'Infinity Pool' Review: Body Trouble A wealthy writer succumbs to the lure of consequence-free violence in this artfully potent blend of horror and science fiction. By Jeannette Catsoulis Mario Spada/Breaking Glass Pictures CRITIC'S PICK 'Nostalgia' Review: Leave Now and Never Come Back The Italian director Mario Martone creates an expressive, economic depiction of crime and longing in this drama about a man coming home to Naples. By Teo Bugbee Cinema Guild CRITIC'S PICK 'Geographies of Solitude' Review: Exploring a Wild Island Part nature film, part biographical portrait, this experimental documentary takes its cues from its setting, an island off mainland Nova Scotia. By Ben Kenigsberg MOVIE REVIEWS Parrish Lewis/Netflix 'You People' Review: Guess Who's Going to Roscoe's Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy are among the stars in this prickly-charming generational Netflix comedy, the feature directing debut of Kenya Barris. By Lisa Kennedy Magnet Releasing 'Kompromat' Review: Escape From Siberia In this thriller, a French diplomat takes to the road after being falsely imprisoned by Russian authorities. By Teo Bugbee Jeff Hutchens/Sobremesa Media/Abramorama 'Remember This' Review: A Stark Portrait of Resilience This film, featuring a captivating performance from David Strathairn as the Polish resistance fighter Jan Karski, is a straightforward adaptation of the play of the same name. By Claire Shaffer Ana Carballosa/Lionsgate/Amazon Prime Video 'Shotgun Wedding' Review: 'Die Hard' With Refreshments A destination wedding becomes a high-stakes hostage situation in this action-heavy film. By Calum Marsh IFC Films 'Life Upside Down' Review: Lotharios, Unmasked Couples try to navigate relationships in lockdown in this pandemic satire. By Amy Nicholson Caroline Bottaro/Greenwich Entertainment 'The Man in the Basement' Review: The Occupation of Paris This nebulous French thriller tracks the unraveling of a Jewish family that accidentally sells their storage cellar to an antisemitic conspiracy theorist. By Beatrice Loayza Well Go USA 'The Wandering Earth II' Review: It Wanders Too Far The audacious sequel to Frant Gwo's 2019 sci-fi blockbuster follows survivors working to avert planetary disaster, but it loses much of the glee of its predecessor. By Brandon Yu Samuel Goldwyn 'Cairo Conspiracy' Review: There Are No Angels The election of a grand imam is the backdrop for this tense drama of innocence and corruption set at an esteemed Islamic university. By Glenn Kenny Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Sam Hellmann for The New York Times Mia Hansen-Love and the Hazy Line Where Real Life Ends and Art Begins The French director translates her experiences into critically lauded dramas like "One Fine Morning," about her father's death and her own new love. By Natalia Winkelman Victor Llorente for The New York Times 'Infinity Pool' and the Battle for an R Rating The story of how an extreme horror movie with an orgy scene fought off an NC-17 label involves a film-board whisperer, minuscule cuts and talk of a new rating. By Julia Jacobs A24 THE PROJECTIONIST 2023 Oscar Nominations: Snubs and Surprises It's a record-setting year for performers of Asian descent. In the actress race, there's room for Andrea Riseborough but not Viola Davis or Danielle Deadwyler. By Kyle Buchanan Kevin Faingnaert for The New York Times Once a Bullied Teen, Now the Movies' Master Storyteller of Youth At 31, Lukas Dhont already has two art-house hits to his name. The Belgian director's latest film, "Close," shows his skill at eliciting intense performances from young actors. By Thomas Rogers Charles Sykes/Invision, via Associated Press Sundance, Once a Hotbed for Film Deals, Tries to Find Its Footing The kind of independent movies that the festival showcases have struggled at the box office, spurring worries about what the market would be like this year. By Nicole Sperling Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times THE PROJECTIONIST 'From this day forward, I will always be "Oscar-nominated actor Ke Huy Quan"!' After mounting a major career comeback and losing his health insurance, the "Everything Everywhere All at Once" actor said the news was surreal. By Kyle Buchanan Marvel Studios Angela Bassett Nearly Missed the Announcement of Her Own Nomination The sleepless actress had trouble with the television, but tuned in just as her category was being unveiled. "I'm glad I showed up on time," she said. By Kalia Richardson Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times Michelle Yeoh: 'I Hope This Will Shatter That Frigging Glass Ceiling' The "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star said she was "bursting with joy" but "a little sad" that previous Asian actresses hadn't been recognized. By Maya Salam Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Studios Where to Stream 'The Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Elvis' and More 2023 Oscar Nominees Many of the top contenders can be watched at home. Here's a guide to help you get a jump on the field. By Scott Tobias DVV Entertainment Why Is Everyone Talking About 'RRR' (and Where Can I Watch It)? The Indian spectacular has become a word-of-mouth smash hit in the United States — in theaters, no less. By Sarah Bahr Quim Vives/Netflix Five Action Movies to Stream Now From funny former spies to upbeat flights of anarchy, this month's action picks look toward the gentler side of the genre. By Robert Daniels Lionsgate BEYOND THE ALGORITHM 'Zeros and Ones,' 'Juliet, Naked' and More Streaming Gems Looking for something different to stream? We have options for you. 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 Movies Update, unsubscribe. 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