Movies Update: Kevin Costner’s experiment fizzles.

Plus, a film that's never the same twice.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 12, 2024 By Stephanie Goodman Hi, movie fans! Let's talk experiments. First, there's the one Kevin Costner tried with "Horizon: An American Saga." The idea was that he would instantly spin up a franchise by releasing the first two westerns in his planned four-film series within six weeks of each other this summer — that is, he wouldn't wait to see how the first one did at the box office before sending the next one into theaters. Hollywood was decidedly not on board: As my colleague Nicole Sperling explained last month, he couldn't get any studio to finance the project, so he invested his own money and struck a service deal with Warner Bros., which meant the company would handle distribution tasks and little more. Well, the results are in, and after "Chapter 1" in the saga made little headway at the box office ($26 million so far for a film that cost $100 million), the theatrical release of "Chapter 2" has been canceled. The first film will be available on video on demand starting Tuesday. It will also be released on the Max streaming service at some point, though a date hasn't been set; it's also not clear what will happen with the second installment. Oof. There's another experiment that Hollywood has had a hard time understanding. Then again, it involves the musician Brian Eno, long known for his willingness to test boundaries and expand our minds. He's the subject of a new documentary, "Eno," that will never be shown the same way twice. That's right. Thanks to proprietary software "that reconfigures the length, structure and contents of the movie," as the writer Rob Tannenbaum explained, it will be different every time it plays, and the filmmakers say there are 52 quintillion possible versions. (A quintillion is a billion billion, I learned this week.) As of now, a theater is the only place to see "Eno" because streamers don't have the technical capacity to show multiple unique versions (new software may rectify that). But our critic Alissa Wilkinson deemed the experiment a resounding success, writing in her review that it is both "marvelously watchable" and inspiring, adding, "There's a pure joy to this documentary." Whether you decide to watch something experimental or not, enjoy the movies! First Film Corp. Critic's Pick 'Eno' Review: Creativity, 52 Billion Billion Ways A new documentary about the groundbreaking artist Brian Eno breaks its own ground, too. By Alissa Wilkinson Dan McFadden/Sony Pictures 'Fly Me to the Moon' Review: This NASA Rom-Com Stays Earthbound Greg Berlanti's movie, starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum as only mildly mismatched lovers, is set against the backdrop of the Apollo 11 landing. By Glenn Kenny Cohen Media Group Documentary Lens From Scorsese With Love: A Tribute to Powell-Pressburger Movies "Made in England" is an essay film about the artists whose passion and cinematography deeply influenced the American director. By Alissa Wilkinson CRITICS' PICKS Dons Lens/A24 Critic's Pick 'MaXXXine' Review: Fame Monster Mia Goth returns to Ti West's horrorverse as an actress fleeing a mysterious stalker and a traumatic past. By Jeannette Catsoulis A24 Critic's Pick 'Sing Sing' Review: Divine Interventions A deep-tissue turn by Colman Domingo and a breakout performance by Clarence Maclin lift this moving drama about a prison theater program. By Lisa Kennedy MOVIE REVIEWS Angela Lewis for The New York Times 'Sorry/Not Sorry' Review: Does Louis C.K. Get the Last Laugh? Cara Mones and Caroline Suh's earnest and frustrating documentary, produced by The New York Times, has a bitter punchline. By Amy Nicholson Neon 'Longlegs' Review: Daddy Danger Nicolas Cage plays the cheery evil entity behind multiple murders in this weakly plotted, strongly styled chiller. By Jeannette Catsoulis Film Movement 'Twice Colonized' Review: Untangling the Personal and Political This documentary follows a renowned Inuit activist over seven years, making sense of the ways in which racism and impoverishment can abrade one's sense of self. By Devika Girish IFC Films 'Dandelion' Review: The Notes in Between KiKi Layne stars as a struggling musician who meets a rakish Scottish singer (Thomas Doherty) while on the road. By Nicolas Rapold Kirsty Griffin/Magnet Releasing 'The Convert' Review: The British Are Coming Guy Pearce plays a minister who arrives in New Zealand and finds his allegiances change in this antipodean western set in the 19th century. By Ben Kenigsberg NEWS & FEATURES Geordie Wood for The New York Times For This Drama, Some Actors Returned to Prison by Choice Alongside Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, ex-inmates shot "Sing Sing" in a decommissioned correctional facility. Then came the screening in the actual prison. By Rachel Sherman Amy Harrity for The New York Times Exit Interview Mia Goth on Reaching the End of the 'X' Trilogy After playing two very different lead characters in a horror franchise, she reflects on what it took to pull off the roles, as well as what's ahead. By Kellina Moore Brandon Schulman for The New York Times This Documentary About Brian Eno Is Never the Same Twice Thanks to a software program, the length, structure and contents of the movie are reconfigured each time it's shown. It's the only way the musician would agree to the project. By Rob Tannenbaum Richard Foreman/Warner Bros. Release of Kevin Costner's Next 'Horizon' Film Is Canceled The film was supposed to hit theaters on Aug. 16, but that plan was scrapped after the first chapter of the Western saga disappointed at the box office. By Nicole Sperling Jessica Chou for The New York Times A Diminished Hollywood Welcomes a New Mogul David Ellison is poised to soon run Paramount Pictures, among other entertainment assets. But what does that mean in a fractured cultural landscape? By Brooks Barnes STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS SF Studios and Netflix Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include relationship problems and quirky revenge stories. By Robert Daniels Zach Stoltzfus/Level33 Entertainment Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now In this month's sci-fi picks, life on Mars, a social dystopia set in near-future London and a meet-cute after a spaceship accident. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Netflix 5 Children's Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a superhero adventure, a dark fantasy tale and films based on beloved television series. By Dina Gachman 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. 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