Movies Update: ‘Fast X’ and More

Plus, the highs and lows of the Cannes Film Festival.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story May 19, 2023 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! Buckle your seatbelts. Another "Fast and Furious" movie has skidded into theaters. "Fast X" assembles a lot of the familiar crew, and, as has often been the case with the franchise as of late, plays out in multiple far-flung locations. Is the 10th time the charm? Not according to the critic Wesley Morris, who thinks the series has lost its focus, writing in his review, "It's hard to care about a fight you can't follow or be bothered to suspend disbelief for." Heading off the road and onto the French Riviera, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off this week, with plenty of drama onscreen and off. We're covering much of the proceedings, like the premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" (here's our critic Manohla Dargis's first reaction) and a prickly news conference with Johnny Depp, who starred in the opening-night film, "Jeanne du Barry." We have an assessment of the films so far and what has been popping on the red carpet. This week's Critic's Picks include titles short ("Sanctuary") and long ("The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future"). And on streaming platforms are two docs that take intriguing looks at celebrity, "Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me" (on Netflix) and "Queenmaker: The Making of an It Girl" (on Hulu). Lastly, a request from us: Netflix announced last month that it will end its DVD subscription service after 25 years. Are you still a Netflix DVD subscriber? Did you used to be? We'd love to hear from you for a future story. Drop us a line using this Google form. Enjoy the movies! Giulia Parmigiani/Universal Pictures 'Fast X' Review: Drivers Wanted. Again. Twenty-two years and nine sequels in, the "Fast and Furious" franchise is finding it hard to keep the thrill alive. By Wesley Morris Stephanie Branchu/Why Not Productions CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK A Vigilant Steve McQueen, a Misguided Maïwenn and Other Cannes Scenes "Occupied City," a documentary from the "12 Years a Slave" filmmaker, proves ambitious. "Jeanne du Barry," with Johnny Depp, was an unfortunate kickoff. By Manohla Dargis Chantal Anderson for The New York Times Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Nicole Holofcener on the Absurdity of Everyday Life The star and director share a sensibility that comes through in their new film, "You Hurt My Feelings," about a small thing that rocks a marriage. By Nicole Sperling Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Magnolia Pictures CRITIC'S PICK 'Master Gardener' Review: Paul Schrader's Solitary Man The director's latest movie completes a trilogy about men in search of grace in a brutal world — usually by way of women, but thankfully they are vivid, too. By Manohla Dargis Neon CRITIC'S PICK 'Sanctuary' Review: Who's the Boss? A wealthy heir and his longtime employee vie for control over their uncommon relationship in this twisty duet. By Jeannette Catsoulis Film Movement CRITIC'S PICK 'The Night of the 12th' Review: When a Case Doesn't Close This refreshingly grounded French crime procedural portrays what happens when a brutal murder case eludes the diligent efforts of a by-the-book investigator. By Nicolas Rapold Kino Lorber CRITIC'S PICK 'The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future' Review: Mother Resurrected This lyrical debut feature from Francisca Alegría is a slow-burning parable about our relationship to each other and to the living world. By Brandon Yu MOVIE REVIEWS Hulu 'White Men Can't Jump' Review: Bouncing Off the Rim Even the trash talk in a remake of the 1992 street ball comedy has no spark, despite the best efforts of Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow. By Glenn Kenny Alejandro Mejia/MarVista Entertainment 'Stay Awake' Review: Becoming Their Mother's Caretakers This story of a small-town family impacted by addiction succeeds in humanizing its characters but falters when it tries to include a coming-of-age tale. By Claire Shaffer Robert Muratore/Dekanalog 'The Taking' Review: This Land Is Not Your Land Monument Valley embodies the Old West. But the fantasies presented in Westerns obscure its darker history and the lives of the Navajo people who inhabit it. By Concepción de León Mubi 'Butterfly Vision' Review: A Ukrainian Soldier's Lonely Struggle A traumatized woman returns home from eastern Ukraine after being held captive by Russian separatists. By Natalia Winkelman ScreenMedia 'Come Out Fighting' Review: The Battle of the Budget A veteran cast attempts to fend off a deluge of clichés in this cheap-looking, pleasingly scrappy war film. By Calum Marsh KimStim 'White Building' Review: Coming of Age in Cambodia Kavich Neang's lush feature tells a largely autobiographical tale of growing up in a building whose often painful history is a microcosm of his country's. By Austin Considine Hulu 'Queenmaker' Review: Society Blogger to Self-Made Celebrity The chronicler of the post-9/11 New York social whirl who is at the center of this documentary was no Manhattan insider but rather a student in Illinois. By Glenn Kenny Netflix 'Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me' Review: Mistreated The tumultuous life and death of the model, actress and tabloid superstar is related with little insight in this facile Netflix documentary. By Calum Marsh Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL NEWS Sebastien Nogier/EPA, via Shutterstock At Cannes, Harrison Ford Bids a Teary Goodbye to Indiana Jones The star was happy with the new film's de-aging effect but "I don't look back and say I wish I was that guy again, because I don't. I'm real happy with age." By Kyle Buchanan Patricia De Melo Moreira/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Johnny Depp at Cannes: 'I Don't Have Much Further Need for Hollywood' At a news conference, the controversial star of the opening-night film used McDonald's metaphors to answer questions about how he is viewed. By Kyle Buchanan Iglesias Más/Sony Pictures Classics Pedro Almodóvar's Answer to 'Brokeback Mountain' In "Strange Way of Life," the director's short western, Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal play a lawman and a cowboy looking back on a passionate affair. By Kyle Buchanan Andreas Rentz/Getty Images CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' Premieres at Cannes: First Reaction After paying tribute to an emotional Harrison Ford, the festival unspooled the newest sequel to decidedly mixed results. By Manohla Dargis Loic Venance/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Brie Larson Did Watch 'Jeanne du Barry' at Cannes On Day 1 of the festival, the juror who was active in Hollywood's #MeToo response was asked if she would view the Johnny Depp film. She answered tersely. By Kyle Buchanan NEWS & FEATURES 20th Century Fox CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK 'White Men Can't Jump' Taught a Master Class in Talking Smack Unlike most sports films, the original tale of streetball adversaries, played by Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, wasn't about winning or losing. By Calum Marsh Jason Andrew for The New York Times 'Movie Theaters Are the Marketplace of Free Ideas' John Fithian spent nearly three decades as the top lobbyist for movie theaters. He says their future is bright, despite the power of streaming. By Nicole Sperling Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Netflix Five Action Movies to Stream Now From introspective gangsters to bumbling hit men, this month's action picks feature a different side of criminals. By Robert Daniels Danny Rothenberg/Newmarket Films 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 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. 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