Movies Update: ‘She Said’ and More

Plus, when your star is a donkey.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 18, 2022 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! Whether you're looking for a tense drama about hard-hitting journalists, a wrenching document of a Marine's journey or an expressionistic story of a donkey, there's no shortage of eclectic Critic's Picks on this week's movie menu. In fact, there's even a movie called "The Menu," a satire of the fine-dining world starring Ralph Fiennes as a chef at an exclusive restaurant. In her review, Jeannette Catsoulis wrote, "Fiennes is fabulous as a man so determined to turn food into art that he's forgotten its very purpose." The investigations of The New York Times get the spotlight in "She Said," about the reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey's efforts to document sexual harassment by the movie producer Harvey Weinstein. In her review, Alexis Soloski wrote that the movie "is built solid and low to the ground." In Elegance Bratton's autobiographical feature debut "The Inspection," a young gay Marine has a challenging experience in basic training. A.O. Scott wrote in his review that the film is "in some respects a love story, and a love letter — ambivalent, unsentimental, but utterly sincere — to the Corps." And a donkey gets his close-up in the emotional "EO," from the Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski. In her review, Manohla Dargis called the film "a shocking and tender tour de force about life, love, death and the wretched disregard human beings hold toward other living creatures." Or maybe you're more in a holiday mood? There's "Christmas With You," starring Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr., on Netflix, and "A Christmas Story Christmas," with Peter Billingsley reprising his role as Ralphie, on HBO Max. Wherever your interests take you, enjoy the movies! Jojo Whilden/Universal Pictures CRITIC'S PICK 'She Said' Review: A Quiet Thriller That Speaks Volumes Maria Schrader directs this adaptation of the book about reporters' efforts to document sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein. By Alexis Soloski Patti Perret/A24 Films CRITIC'S PICK 'The Inspection' Review: Boot Camp, a Love Story Elegance Bratton's autobiographical first feature is a lyrical, wrenching look at a young Marine's journey through basic training. By A.O. Scott Sideshow and Janus Films CRITIC'S PICK 'EO' Review: Imagining the Lives of Other Creatures The titular character of this fantastic adventure is no Disneyfied, cutesy creature. The director Jerzy Skolimowski emphasizes his animality and un-knowableness. By Manohla Dargis Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Matthias Grunsky/Magnolia Pictures CRITIC'S PICK 'There There' Review: Only Connect The one-acts that make up Andrew Bujalski's film percolate with sly humor, decency, curiosity and sheer nerve. By Nicolas Rapold Eric Zachanowich/20th Century Studios CRITIC'S PICK 'The Menu' Review: Eat, Pray, Run! Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy face off in this pitch-black satire of class and high-end dining. By Jeannette Catsoulis Netflix CRITIC'S PICK 'Stutz' Review: An Actor's Tribute to a Therapist In his documentary, Jonah Hill gently turns the tables on the psychiatrist and author Phil Stutz. By Lisa Kennedy MOVIE REVIEWS Aidan Monaghan/Netflix 'The Wonder' Review: The Hungry Woman In this period drama, Florence Pugh plays a British nurse hired to observe an Irish girl who's said not to have eaten in four months. By Manohla Dargis Yannis Drakoulidis/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures 'Bones and All' Review: You Eat What You Are Luca Guadagnino's latest stars Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell as young cannibals on the run. By A.O. Scott Jonathan Hession/Disney+ 'Disenchanted' Review: Middlingly Ever After Amy Adams reprises her role as Giselle in this cluttered sequel. Amy Nicholson Netflix 'Slumberland' Review: A Land of No Enchantment This ostensible family entertainment stars Marlow Barkley and Jason Momoa, and is directed with the delicacy of a flying mallet. By Glenn Kenny Amazon Studios 'The People We Hate at the Wedding' Review: Drunk People With Secrets A star-studded cast led by Allison Janney adds luster to this breezy family comedy. By Beandrea July IFC Films 'Bad Axe' Review: A Pandemic Family Portrait The filmmaker David Siev chronicles his family's struggle to keep their Michigan restaurant afloat through the pandemic in this hermetic documentary. By Natalia Winkelman Yana Blajeva/Warner Bros. 'A Christmas Story Christmas' Review: Nostalgia Is Fragile The cast of the perennial holiday classic "A Christmas Story" returns for this half-baked legacy sequel. By Calum Marsh Jessica Kourkounis/Netflix 'Christmas With You' Review: Pop-Rocking Around the Christmas Tree Aimee Garcia plays a pop star scrambling to write a holiday hit in the insipid rom-dram "Christmas With You." By Ben Kenigsberg Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. for The New York Times Tenoch Huerta Mejía and the Beauty of Representation in 'Wakanda Forever' The Mexican actor's breakthrough moment playing Namor in the "Black Panther" sequel is especially gratifying for the antiracism activist. By Carlos Aguilar Skopia Film The Charming Star With Soulful Eyes Happens to Be a Donkey The "EO" filmmakers wanted to tell their story via a silent animal but felt dogs or cats were clichéd. Their choice turned out to be anything but stubborn. By Esther Zuckerman Magdalena Wosinska for The New York Times 'She Said' Filmmakers and Weinstein Victims: An Emotional Collaboration Though the drama avoids showing assaults or even much of the producer, a survivor likened reliving the experience to "watching your own car crash." By Nicole Sperling Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times THE SATURDAY PROFILE Gentle Ukrainian Film Critic Is Drafted Into Vicious Real-Life War Movie Anton Filatov was pulled into a theater he never expected or wanted to enter: the front lines of war, where he now writes movingly of the scene in the trenches instead of what's on the screen. By Jeffrey Gettleman and Oleksandra Mykolyshyn Eric Zachanowich/Searchlight Pictures 'The Menu' Serves Fine Dining on a Skewer A look at how the creators of the new satirical film took the already high-pressure world of elite restaurants to a thrilling and terrifying level. By Julia Moskin Andy Warhol Films/Photofest, via MoMA REWIND In Andy Warhol's 'My Hustler,' Love Is for Sale The artist's scurrilously satirical treatment of male prostitution proved an underground hit after it premiered in 1966. By J. Hoberman STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Portugal Film Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a Bollywood murder mystery, an elliptical Portuguese documentary, a Chinese drama about gay hustlers and more. By Devika Girish Ron Koeberer/Weinstein Company 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. 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. 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