Movies Update: Annoyed with trailers? So are we.

Plus, a new biopic may be Angelina Jolie's Oscar comeback

View in browser|nytimes.com August 30, 2024 By Mekado Murphy Hey, movie fans! We hope you're enjoying the end of summer! Before fall comes crashing in, we wanted to bask a little bit longer in that warm glow. We spent part of the season being nostalgic about a film year that has surpassed many in quality, 1999. We shared our favorite movies of that year, including "The Matrix" and "The Blair Witch Project," and looked back at a couple of the year's stars, like Haley Joel Osment and Tom Cruise. And the critic Wesley Morris wrote about why it was a great year to see movies, as well as start writing about them. If you want to start dipping your toe into fall, you can do that with some of our festival coverage. The Venice Film Festival is in full swing and the Oscar conversations have already begun. Our awards columnist Kyle Buchanan is there, and he has updates on the Maria Callas biopic that may put the Oscar-winning Angelina Jolie back into the awards spotlight, plus he lets you know what all to watch for (like the "Joker" sequel) at the festival. Another anticipated sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," in theaters Sept. 6, opened Venice. Buchanan spoke with Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and their director, Tim Burton, about reuniting for that film. In other preview news, have you been getting annoyed with trailers lately? So have we. The writer Esther Zuckerman offers some ways to fix them. Enjoy the long weekend, and enjoy the movies! Paramount Pictures Critic's Notebook Movie Trailers Have Gotten Worse. Why Aren't Studios Having Fun With Them? Promos give away too much or too little or are misleading or don't leave anything out. We could go on. But there are ways to fix them. By Esther Zuckerman Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images The Projectionist This Biopic Could Be Angelina Jolie's Oscar Comeback "Maria," about the opera diva Maria Callas, plays to the star's strengths. Its Venice Film Festival debut was timed so the actress could avoid Brad Pitt. By Kyle Buchanan Ricardo Nagaoka for The New York Times Asian Men Are Finally Starting to Get the Girl (or Guy) Western pop culture, past and present, has often emasculated Asian male characters. A new crop of roles are starting to offer alternatives. By Matt Stevens and Ricardo Nagaoka CRITICS' PICKS Sean Price Williams/Sony Pictures Classics Critic's pick 'Between the Temples' Review: A Widower Walks Into a Bar And meets his former music teacher, upending his life, in Nathan Silver's touching comedy, starring Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane. By Manohla Dargis MOVIE REVIEWS Aaron Ricketts/Netflix 'The Deliverance' Review: The Power of Camp Compels Him Lee Daniels directs Andra Day and Glenn Close in an exorcism tale that includes melodrama along with the scares. By Amy Nicholson Glen Wilson/Sony Pictures 'Afraid' Review: Hey Siri, Don't Kill Us A family surrenders control of its life to artificial intelligence with predictably dire results — for this movie's viewers. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Rob Batzdorff/Showbiz Direct 'Reagan' Review: The Gipper Takes on Moscow In this unabashed love letter to former president Ronald Reagan, Dennis Quaid fights the Cold War with conviction. By Glenn Kenny Kino Lorber 'The Falling Star' Review: A Dark Story in Meticulous Wrapping A series of mishaps befall an activist-turned-bartender in a visually rich but shallow Belgian film. By Alissa Wilkinson Bleecker Street 'Slingshot' Review: Trapped in Space The paranoia sets in all too quickly in this spare psychological thriller, starring Laurence Fishburne and Casey Affleck. By Brandon Yu Lionsgate '1992' Review: Can They Get Along? The uproar that followed the verdict handed down in the police beating of Rodney King serves as a mere backdrop for fathers and sons to work out their issues in a heist thriller. By Ben Kenigsberg Shout! Studios 'The Wasp' Review: A Feminine Face-Off This twisty psycho-thriller, about two childhood friends reunited under eerily ambiguous circumstances, is above all a dramatic showcase for its stars, Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer. By Beatrice Loayza Neon 'Seeking Mavis Beacon' Review: A Search for a Black Luminary Two digital sleuths set out to find the woman who lent her image to computer software in this scattered documentary. By Natalia Winkelman CLASS OF 1999 Illustration by Tala Safie; photos: Universal Pictures; 20th Century Fox; Universal Studios; Criterion Collection. Class of 1999 These Are Our Favorite Movies From 1999. What Are Yours? In our view, these eight comedies, dramas and more have attained classic status 25 years later. Let us know your own picks. By The New York Times Illustration by Tala Safie; Photographs: MGM; Sony Pictures; Touchstone Pictures; Spyglass Entertainment Group; Jon Farmer/Touchstone Pictures; Merie W. Wallace/Warner Bros. Class of 1999 A Great Year for Movies. The Best Year to Start Writing About Them. At the box office 25 years ago, hits like "Runaway Bride," "The Sixth Sense" and "Bowfinger" hint at the abundance that overwhelmed a young critic. By Wesley Morris Illustration by Tala Safie; Photos: New Line Cinema; Warner Bros. Class of 1999 The Year Tom Cruise Gave Not One but Two Dangerously Vulnerable Performances Twenty-five years ago, the superstar starred in "Eyes Wide Shut" and "Magnolia," and opened himself up for the camera in ways he rarely has since. By Amy Nicholson Illustration by Tala Safie; Photos via Warner Bros. Class of 1999 Here's Why 'The Matrix' Is More Relevant Than Ever One scene reflects the themes — A.I., fake news, transgender lives and Gen X — that make the film a classic. By Alissa Wilkinson Illustration by Tala Safie; Photos via Artisan Entertainment and Getty Images Class of 1999 Before Reality Became Debatable, There Was 'The Blair Witch Project' Twenty-five years ago, the indie horror blockbuster compelled audiences to ask, "Was that real?" The question now permeates our age of misinformation. By Maya Salam Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times Class of 1999 Haley Joel Osment Sees Contentment Twenty-five years after breaking through in the smash "Sixth Sense," the actor has worked steadily, finding a balance that has eluded some child stars. By Melena Ryzik NEWS & FEATURES Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times The Highly Deceptive, Deeply Loved, Down-to-Earth Carol Kane Her range is wider than her oddball roles suggest, and the actress adored by Anjelica Huston, Tina Fey and Bette Davis is more connected than you'd think. By Melena Ryzik Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times Meet the Trans Actress Who Could Make Oscar History Karla Sofía Gascón plays a drug kingpin who undergoes gender-affirming surgery in a performance that wowed Cannes. Is the academy next? By Kyle Buchanan Warner Bros. The 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Reunion Reunion: How It Came Together Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and their director, Tim Burton, look back on the first movie, the "Day-O" scene and their ghost comedy's afterlife. By Kyle Buchanan Netflix What to Know About the Real Story That Inspired 'The Deliverance' A mother in Indiana claimed that she and her three children were bedeviled by shadowy figures and swarms of black flies — and possessed by demons. A Netflix movie tells their story. By Sarah Bahr STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Jean-Louis Blondeau/Polaris Images Three Great Documentaries to Stream This month's picks involve a high-wire showman, a self-dramatizing tennis star and a Brazilian director reflecting on his past. By Ben Kenigsberg Pathfinder Pictures Seeking Free Quality Streaming? Try Plex. This specialty streamer offers live TV along with a robust collection of free, ad-supported movies. By Jason Bailey Vyjayanthi Movies Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now Among this month's picks, there's a blend of sci-fi and Hindu mythology, plus Nicolas Cage in postapocalyptic times. By Elisabeth Vincentelli 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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