Movies Update: Mark your Oscars ballot

Plus, what to expect at the Academy Awards.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 8, 2024 By Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, movie fans! We're two days away from the Oscars, and the film desk at The Times is in overdrive. We began making plans after the nominations were announced in January, but preparations seriously ramped up last week. We game out different possibilities for the fast-moving night and adjust as the academy announces new elements to the ceremony. For instance, this year, each acting Oscar will be presented by five previous winners. (You might recall that's what happened at the 2009 Academy Awards.) It's a twist I'm looking forward to. That said, the actual outcome of the races may not be that much of a surprise. Our awards season expert, Kyle Buchanan, has made his predictions and is forecasting big wins for "Oppenheimer," which has collected a ton of precursor prizes. Probably the biggest unknown remains the best actress race, where Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon") and Emma Stone ("Poor Things") are the front-runners. Buchanan is going with Gladstone, but he says it's essentially a tossup. The other big question mark about Sunday is whether the Israel-Hamas conflict will be addressed on the Oscars stage. Though there were constant references to the war in Ukraine during previous awards seasons, the Middle East has largely gone unmentioned this year. The Los Angeles Police Department has beefed up its presence in anticipation of protests outside the ceremony. But what will happen inside the theater? Stay tuned. Universal Pictures The Projectionist Oscars 2024 Predictions: Who Will Win Best Picture, Actor and Actress? "Oppenheimer" is the best picture favorite, but the best actress race is full of suspense. Our expert predicts which films and artists will get trophies on Sunday. By Kyle Buchanan Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE OSCARS Clockwise from top left: Netflix; Eddie Adams/Associated Press; Jason McDonald/Netflix; Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times; Liz Parkinson/Netflix; Associated Press The Privileges and Pitfalls of Making Movies About Real People The Oscars slate this year is packed with films rooted in historical events and biographies. How much influence should the subjects have? By Julia Jacobs Warner Bros. Go Behind the Scenes of All 10 Best Picture Oscar Nominees In these videos, directors walked us through pivotal scenes from their Academy Award-nominated films. By Mekado Murphy Oscars 2024: Print Your Ballot! Now it's your turn to predict which nominees will win. Kim D. Johnson/Associated Press When the Oscars Were Held Against the Backdrop of Another Divisive War Three days before the 2003 ceremony, the United States invaded Iraq. Despite pleas to delay the awards, the academy went ahead with what became a politics-suffused evening. By Sarah Bahr You Can't Beat Beauty and Elegance In advance of the Oscars, here are seven stars (in some of their best looks) who've made the case for glamour this awards season. By The Styles Desk Rich Polk/Reuters on Comedy Wanted: Writers for Awards Show Jokes. Must Be Skilled at Diplomacy. Hosts who have to entertain insiders at the ceremony and outsiders watching at home. Presenters who change their minds. No wonder the bits are awkward. By Jason Zinoman CRITICS' PICKS Anna Kooris/A24 Critic's Pick 'Love Lies Bleeding' Review: Kristen Stewart, Crazy (and Scary) in Love In this neo-noir, the ever reliable, always watchable actress plays a small-town loner who's struck by the unexpected arrival of a mysterious drifter. By Manohla Dargis Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MOVIE REVIEWS Music Box Films 'Glitter & Doom' Review: As a Vibe, It's Fun. As a Film? Closer to Fine. Songs by the Indigo Girls soundtrack a musical romance. By Wesley Morris MUBI 'High & Low — John Galliano' Review: Designing a Comeback This documentary tracks what happened after the British designer was caught on camera voicing racist and antisemitic hate speech. By Manohla Dargis Universal Pictures 'Kung Fu Panda 4' Review: Trouble in Juniper City Jack Black's Po faces a new adversary, a chameleon voiced by Viola Davis, in the latest installment of this popular animated franchise. By Claire Shaffer Cady Coleman/Greenwich Entertainment 'Space: The Longest Goodbye' Review: Alone Up There This documentary by Ido Mizrahy examines the psychological challenges of space exploration for astronauts and their loved ones as scientists consider whether humans could reach Mars. By Ben Kenigsberg Angel Studio 'Cabrini' Review: Embarking on a Pious Mission From the team behind "Sound of Freedom," this biopic of an Italian nun in 19th-century New York City is stuffed with sanctimonious speeches. By Natalia Winkelman Ben King/Amazon Studios 'Ricky Stanicky' Review: Best Fiends Forever In this slapdash, off-color comedy directed by Peter Farrelly, three buddies use the same imaginary friend as an excuse to get them out of binds. By Amy Nicholson HBO 'A Revolution on Canvas' Review: The Personal, the Political and the Painting A documentary about lost artwork intimately involves one of its directors. By Alissa Wilkinson Parrish Lewis/Lionsgate 'Imaginary' Review: Bear Necessity An imaginary friend causes real trouble in this creepy haunted-house picture. By Jeannette Catsoulis Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office What the 'Rust' Jury Heard About How Live Rounds Got on a Film Set The prosecution pointed to a photo of the film's armorer, arguing she had brought the live rounds. Her lawyers tried to focus attention on the movie's primary ammunition supplier. By Julia Jacobs Netflix 'Spaceman' Has an Identity Crisis. So Do Plenty of Sci-Fi Space Movies. With the release of Adam Sandler's odd, middling and expensive new Netflix film, a look at space movie misfires of the past and how history repeats itself. By Maya Salam Amir Hamja/The New York Times If You See Only One Beaver Movie This Year … The makers of "Hundreds of Beavers," a mostly wordless indie comedy, have been touring the country and holding energetic screenings, complete with appearances by the star species. By Erik Piepenburg Chris Retsina The Film Christopher Nolan Doesn't Want You to Watch Nolan's short film "Larceny" has not been shown publicly since a 1996 film festival. With the director in position to win his first Oscar, its cast and crew want to preserve that mystery. By Christopher Kuo Warner Bros. Christopher Walken's Hidden 'Dune' Connection The actor who plays the malevolent emperor in the new film actually brought an element of the saga to life once before. Remember "Weapon of Choice"? By Alissa Wilkinson Tony Cenicola/The New York Times The 'Dune' Popcorn Bucket and the Golden Age of Movie Merch The hilariously suggestive misfire is a reminder of the days when too-weird-to-be-true film mementos could be found in every kitchen cupboard. By Esther Zuckerman STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Netflix 5 Children's Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a space adventure from Richard Linklater and two critically acclaimed tales from Pixar. By Dina Gachman Sony Pictures Classics 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 Melissa Moseley/Warner Bros. Pictures 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. By Jason Bailey Filmoption International Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a coming-of-age story set in Quebec, an observational Tunisian drama, an erotic French movie about a strip club and more. By Devika Girish 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? 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