Movies Update: Legos and weepie romance

Plus, Sebastian Stan plays Donald J. Trump.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 11, 2024 By Mekado Murphy Hey, movie fans! It's an eclectic week in theaters with the opening of a tear-jerker romance, a music doc that uses Legos to tell its story and a movie about Donald J. Trump starring Sebastian Stan. First, there's "We Live in Time," starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield as a couple navigating life's ups and downs. Their story is told out of chronological order. In her review, the critic Manohla Dargis writes that the film's structure is "a clever conceit that suggests how we experience the passage of time and, in the more successful interludes, conveys how the past, present and future inform one another." Next, the musician and producer Pharrell Williams is the subject of a documentary that has an interesting twist: The entire story is told using animated Legos. In her review, the critic Alissa Wilkinson writes, "the effect of the animation is oddly charming, and elevates the watchability of 'Piece by Piece' more than you might expect." And also out is "The Apprentice," an origin story of sorts, presenting a fictional tale of a young Donald J. Trump. Dargis calls this film an "energetic, queasily funny if finally very bleak portrait." If you're looking to dive into some horror this October, our expert in the genre, Erik Piepenburg, recommends a handful of new streaming options. But if you'd rather dip your toe in and not go off the deep end, we have tips for the squeamish. Enjoy the movies! Peter Mountain/A24 'We Live in Time' Review: A Tear-Jerker With Jump Cuts Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in this weepie romance that tries to be modern by unfolding over three intersecting timelines. By Manohla Dargis Focus Features 'Piece by Piece' Review: Pharrell Williams's Life, in Legos The producer and musician gets the biographical documentary treatment — with an unexpected twist. By Alissa Wilkinson Apple TV+ Documentary Lens In 'The Last of the Sea Women,' Divers Face a Vanishing Way of Life The film captures the arduous work of South Korean haenyeo, who harvest seafood without diving gear, and whose traditions may be ending. By Alissa Wilkinson CRITICS' PICKS Pief Weyman/Briarcliff Entertainment & Rich Spirit Critic's Pick 'The Apprentice' Review: An Origin Story for Donald J. Trump In this ribald fictional telling of a young Trump's rise, the man responsible is the lawyer Roy Cohn, played to sleazy perfection by Jeremy Strong. By Manohla Dargis Martin Scott Powell/Sony Pictures Classics Critic's Pick 'The Outrun' Review: From Rock Bottom to Recovery Saoirse Ronan gives another stunning performance in a story about an alcoholic in search of healing. By Alissa Wilkinson MOVIE REVIEWS Anne Marie Fox/Netflix 'Lonely Planet' Review: Leaving Home to Find Yourself Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth star in a muddled romance without much to say. By Alissa Wilkinson Nafis Azad/MSNBC Films 'Separated' Review: Interrogating a Policy The latest documentary from Errol Morris looks at the Trump administration's practice of taking children from their parents at the southern border. By Ben Kenigsberg Netflix 'The Menendez Brothers' Review: Reframing a Case To the extent this documentary about Lyle and Erik Menendez has appeal, it is of the tabloid variety. By Ben Kenigsberg Mark Swain/Greenwich Entertainment 'Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story' Review: In Blithe Spirits A brisk documentary by Barnaby Thompson counters that the tuxedo-wearing playwright hid his insecurities under a platinum-plated veneer. By Amy Nicholson Jesse Korman/Dark Age Cinema 'Terrifier 3' Review: Still Clowning Around The deaths remain grisly, but the pacing uneven in this new installment in Damien Leone's horror franchise. By Erik Piepenburg Vertical 'Bad Genius' Review: Cheating the System This remake of a hit Thai film about college admissions, starring Callina Liang, adds an element of racial politics to its heist story. By Brandon Yu Kino Lorber 'Daytime Revolution' Review: Coffee and Counterculture John Lennon and Yoko Ono invade middle-American living rooms in this cute but shallow documentary. By Jeannette Catsoulis NEWS & FEATURES Geordie Wood for The New York Times Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong Say Their Trump Movie Is a Tragedy, Not a Mockery The "Apprentice" stars and the director Ali Abbasi say their film is a "humanistic" treatment of the former president and his mentor, Roy Cohn. By Kyle Buchanan Graham Dickie/The New York Times Waiting Hours for 3 Minutes in the Criterion Closet (Well, Van) A mobile version of movie fans' favorite stockroom drew hundreds of New York Film Festival visitors eager to experience what celebrities do in popular videos. By Annie Aguiar NBC Universal Lego Leaps Into Documentaries, With Pharrell Williams as the Subject The toymaker has found success in fictional films. But with "Piece by Piece," about the life of Mr. Williams, it has gotten into a new genre. By Nicole Sperling Neal Santos for The New York Times 5 favorite places Aubrey Plaza's Wilmington The acerbic star of "The White Lotus" and "My Old Ass" is enthusiastic about her often-overshadowed Delaware hometown, which she calls a "magical little gem." By Steven Kurutz NBC, via Everett Collection These 'Saturday Night Live' Books Bring Studio 8H to Your Living Room Oral histories and rollicking memoirs by former "S.N.L." cast members like Molly Shannon and Leslie Jones take you behind the scenes of the comedy juggernaut. By Dave Itzkoff Markian Lozowchuk for The New York Times For 'Disclaimer,' Alfonso Cuarón Updates His Terms and Conditions Cate Blanchett stars in the acclaimed director's new TV series, a thriller about a woman whose life is upended by a mysterious novel. By Alexis Soloski STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS DreamWorks/Universal 5 Children's Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a star-studded DreamWorks sequel and the highest grossing film of 2024 so far. By Dina Gachman Hulu Five Horror Movies to Stream Now Just in time for Halloween are new scary movies about a demon daddy, evil in the woods and '90s television hell. By Erik Piepenburg Bruno Calvo/Miramax Zoe, via Associated Press The 50 Best Movies on Max Right Now In addition to new Warner and HBO films, the streamer has a treasure trove of Golden Age classics, indie flicks and foreign films. Start with these. By Scott Tobias 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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