Movies Update: ‘Spider-Man,’ ‘Nightmare Alley’ and More

Plus, Elijah Wood on 'The Lord of the Rings' at 20.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 17, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! Ready for a very Spidey Christmas? The much-anticipated "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is now in theaters. Manohla Dargis writes that the movie "snaps and pops" before it "overstays its welcome." Also out is the latest work from Guillermo del Toro, "Nightmare Alley." This story of a carnival grifter (Bradley Cooper) who hits the big time has a star-studded cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe and more. Dargis writes that Cooper "adds charisma and an anxious backbeat to the story, while the old-timey carnival gives the movie texture and novelty." And our movie business reporter, Brooks Barnes, writes about growing up in the carnival life himself. Ben Affleck plays a bartender in the period, George Clooney-directed film "The Tender Bar." In his review, A.O. Scott writes that it's "not the kind of movie that will knock you out, but it won't leave you with a headache and a dry mouth, either." This year marks the 20th (!) anniversary of Peter Jackson's film "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." Its star, Elijah Wood, reflects on Frodo and fandom. And we got the Anitas together. Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose discuss what the new "West Side Story" gets right. Enjoy the movies! Matt Kennedy/Sony Pictures 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Review: Listen Bud, No Spoilers Here In the latest installment of the "Spider-Man" series, Tom Holland faces the past and a very secure franchise future. By Manohla Dargis Kerry Hayes/Searchlight Pictures 'Nightmare Alley' Review: Seeing Is Believing. (Suckers!) Guillermo del Toro's latest movie tracks the sordid adventures of a carnival grifter played by Bradley Cooper. By Manohla Dargis Claire Folger/Amazon Studios 'The Tender Bar' Review: Where Everybody Knows His Name Ben Affleck serves up whiskey and wisdom in George Clooney's adaptation of the best-selling memoir by J.R. Moehringer. By A.O. Scott Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Netflix Critic's Pick 'The Hand of God' Review: A Portrait of the Cineaste as a Young Man Paolo Sorrentino's autobiographical drama about growing up in Naples is sensual, sad and occasionally sublime. By A.O. Scott Greenwich Entertainment Critic's Pick 'President' Review: Zimbabwe's Struggle for Democracy In a riveting new documentary, Camilla Nielsson follows the first democratic election in Zimbabwe since 1980. By Concepción de León IFC Films Critic's Pick 'The Novice' Review: A Freshman Effort Worthy of Varsity The obsessive ambitions of a college rower are masterfully orchestrated in a debut feature by the writer-director Lauren Hadaway. By Teo Bugbee ANATOMY OF A SCENE Kerry Hayes/Searchlight Pictures Anatomy of a Scene How Bradley Cooper Deceives Cate Blanchett in 'Nightmare Alley' The director Guillermo del Toro narrates a sequence from his film noir. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Gravitas Ventures 'Last Words' Review: Cinema After the End of the World In this post-apocalyptic drama, a young man meets the grizzled last guardian of a cinematic archive, played by Nick Nolte. By Glenn Kenny Seacia Pavao/Hulu 'Mother/Android' Review: How to Protect When You're Expecting In this sci-fi thriller, a pregnant woman and her boyfriend try to outrun hordes of vengeful robots. By Lena Wilson Kenneth Rexach/Lionsgate 'Fortress' Review: Die Hard, Emote Hardly A heist takes place in this thriller starring Bruce Willis, but it is audiences that might feel shortchanged. By Amy Nicholson Nora Awolowo/Netflix 'A Naija Christmas' Review: Honoring a Mother's Wish In this romantic comedy on Netflix, the first son to find a wife inherits the family home. But that task is harder than it might appear. By Lisa Kennedy Apple TV+ 'Swan Song' Review: Second Life In this future-set drama, Mahershala Ali plays an ailing father who decides whether or not to clone himself for the sake of his family. By Nicolas Rapold HBO 'Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss' Review: Free Fall This unfocused documentary looks at the career of the rapper Juice WRLD, who died of an accidental overdose in 2019. By Ben Kenigsberg Utopia 'The Scary of Sixty-First' Review: Resident Evil A Manhattan apartment turns into the rental from hell in this mindless mix of horror and true crime. By Jeannette Catsoulis Paramount Animation 'Rumble' Review: He's Not Ready, but His Coach Is Very Persuasive Steve is being pressed into service as a wrestler in training, but if he had a choice he'd prefer a rumba to a rumble. By Natalia Winkelman Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Zach Meyer See the Real Live Man Who Grew Up in a Carnival For our reporter, "Nightmare Alley" recalls a childhood spent working the circuit with his parents. Carnies like the World's Smallest Woman welcomed him when cruel classmates didn't. By Brooks Barnes New Line Cinema Elijah Wood on 'The Lord of the Rings' at 20 and Being Frodo to Fans Forever "I'll never be upset at being associated with those films or for them being the largest in people's memories of who I am," the actor says. By Carlos Aguilar Gianni Cipriano for The New York Times Naples, a City of Contradictions, Is Once Again a Home for Cinema For "The Hand of God," the director Paolo Sorrentino has returned to his hometown, whose cultural profile has been lifted in recent years by the Elena Ferrante novels and films like "Gomorrah." By Elisabetta Povoledo A24 In His Films, Big Roles Go to Passers-by and Professionals Alike Sean Baker prefers a cast with a mix of experience levels. That was never more true than on "Red Rocket," where many of the performers had never worked on a movie. By Ben Kenigsberg Erik Carter for The New York Times Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose: From One Anita to Another The two actresses explain what the new "West Side Story" gets right, what the original lacked and why playing the role they're both known for is so gut-wrenching. By Melena Ryzik Jae C. Hong/Associated Press 'Rust' Investigators Obtain Search Warrant for Alec Baldwin's Phone Detectives are nearly two months into the investigation of how a live round got into a gun that discharged on a New Mexico film set, killing a cinematographer. By Julia Jacobs and Graham Bowley STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS TIFF Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include an experimental Canadian drama, an Egyptian weight-lifting documentary and a Chilean buddy comedy. By Devika Girish Jean-Louis Blondeau/Polaris Images 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 Fox Searchlight The Best Movies and Shows on Hulu Right Now We've handpicked the finest movies and television shows currently streaming on Hulu in the United States. Take a look. 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