Movies Update: The early word on ‘Megalopolis’

Plus, "Furiosa" dazzles at Cannes.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 17, 2024 By Stephanie Goodman Hi, movie fans! With the Cannes Film Festival in full swing, it's a busy week on the film desk. The headlines have centered on "Furiosa," the "Mad Max" prequel that debuted out of competition, and "Megalopolis," the Francis Ford Coppola passion project that is in the running for the Palme d'Or. Both premiered to standing ovations (it's Cannes, after all), but the reactions were pretty different. "Furiosa," George Miller's follow-up to his 2015 "Fury Road," has received largely positive reviews, including the one by our chief critic, Manohla Dargis, who called it both an "exciting, kinetic movie" and "terribly sad." Meanwhile, the response to "Megalopolis" has been very mixed, ranging from Dargis's more positive take (she said its "sincerity is finally as moving as its unbounded artistic ambition") to The Hollywood Reporter's limited pan ("Is it a good movie? Not by a long stretch," David Rooney wrote. "But it's not one that can be easily dismissed, either"). At Vulture, Bilge Ebiri was more blunt: "'Megalopolis' might be the craziest thing I've ever seen," he concluded, but then added that he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy every second of it. This all left me with a lot of questions that my colleague Kyle Buchanan was game to answer though even he was a little stumped, writing, "Any attempt to sum up 'Megalopolis' will impose more narrative onto this movie than it actually contains." OK! He was also in Cannes to report on "Furiosa" and came away with some fascinating behind-the-scenes details about the arduous shoot, like the fact that one sequence took 78 days to film, longer than it takes to shoot some entire movies. He also learned that another prequel might be in the works, "following Max a year before he crosses paths with Furiosa as he helps a young mother whose daughter is being held captive in an underground city." Whether it gets made depends on how "Furiosa" does at the box office when it opens in the United States next week. We'll be watching closely. For now, whatever you decide to watch, enjoy the movies! Warner Bros. Critic's Pick 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' Review: A Lonely Avenger The fifth installment of George Miller's series delivers an origin story of Furiosa, the hard-bitten driver played here by Anya Taylor-Joy. By Manohla Dargis Dean Rogers/Focus Features 'Back to Black' Review: No, No, No The facts get softened and shuffled for an Amy Winehouse biopic that leaves her perspective at the edges. By Alissa Wilkinson Gwen Capistran/Neon 'Babes' Review: Adulting, With Babies Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau star in Pamela Adlon's pregnancy comedy, but it never quite lands. By Alissa Wilkinson ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Cinema Guild Critic's Pick 'In Our Day' Review: Meditations on the Spice of Life The Korean director Hong Sang-soo winds together the slenderest strands of two intersecting stories to make a tender film about simple pleasures. By Brandon Yu 20th Century Studios Critic's Pick 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' Review: Hail, Caesar The latest installment in an excellent series finds mythology turning into power. By Alissa Wilkinson MOVIE REVIEWS John Armour/Lionsgate 'The Strangers: Chapter 1' Review: Crowded House A reboot of the 2008 home invasion film "The Strangers" brings back masked assailants and brutal violence but leaves originality behind. By Erik Piepenburg Illustrator Skip Sturtz/Film Forum 'Film Geek' Review: A Cinephile's Guide to New York The director Richard Shepard details his lifelong obsession with movies in this enthusiastic video essay. By Calum Marsh Jonny Cournoyer/Paramount Pictures 'IF' Review: Invisible Friends, but Real Celebrity Cameos The film is a slim story about a girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) who helps a crank named Cal (Ryan Reynolds) play matchmaker. Oh, and Bradley Cooper is a glass of ice water. By Amy Nicholson Film Movement 'Coma' Review: A Labyrinthine Lockdown Movie Bertrand Bonello's latest horror film, dedicated to his teenage daughter, pushes the boundaries of the conventional pandemic movie. By Beatrice Loayza Ugo Mulas/Ugo Mulas Heirs Critic's Notebook 'Taking Venice': The Strange Story of the U.S. Government and a Painter The documentary offers a glimpse of how the arts were treated very differently in midcentury America. By Alissa Wilkinson ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Jasin Boland/Warner Bros. The Hard Road to 'Furiosa' Was Filled With Detours For George Miller, Anya Taylor-Joy and their crew, a series of natural disasters made for an arduous production. By Kyle Buchanan American Zoetrope Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis': What to Know After its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, we can answer your many questions, though some details still puzzle us. By Kyle Buchanan Sebastien Nogier/EPA, via Shutterstock Cannes Film Festival: Red Carpet Roundup The best fashion from an event with a lot of photo ops. By Vanessa Friedman 20th Century Studios Critic's Notebook The Power of the 'Planet of the Apes' Why is this long-running film series so gripping and effective? Because it doesn't monkey around. By Alissa Wilkinson Paramount Pictures, via Associated Press When Your Imaginary Friend Becomes a Movie Star Multiple films this year, including the new family comedy "IF," explore the concept of imaginary friends on the big screen. By Erik Piepenburg Dean Rogers/Focus Features Recreating Amy Winehouse's Look Onscreen In the biopic "Back to Black," Marisa Abela wears some of the singer's actual clothes, but the hair and makeup team chose to tone the signature beehive down. By Simran Hans Scythia Films Cannes Film Festival: 5 Things to Look for With the most prestigious festival in the world starting Tuesday, here are the movies, artists and events we'll be keeping an eye on. By Kyle Buchanan ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Mubi Beyond the Algorithm 'How to Have Sex,' 'Miller's Girl' and More Streaming Gems Provocative debuts from two exciting new female filmmakers lead off this month's roundup of recommendations from your subscription streaming services. By Jason Bailey Neon 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 Netflix Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include crypto terrorism, gaslighting, an undercover mission and more. By Robert Daniels 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. 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. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018