Movies Update: Will Ferrell fights with Reese Witherspoon (and an alligator) in a new comedy.

Plus, the best movies at Sundance

View in browser|nytimes.com January 31, 2025 By Mekado Murphy Hey, movie fans! You have just over a month to catch up with this year's best picture nominees. (And since even the shortest film on the list is two hours long, you'll need as much time as possible.) This week, our Projectionist, Kyle Buchanan, zeroed in on the best actress race, which he doesn't think has a clear front-runner. If you want an awards season break, though, Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell are here to take you away. Their latest film, "You're Cordially Invited," probably won't be winning any prizes, but may have you giggling here and there nonetheless. In her review, the critic Alissa Wilkinson wrote that there is "some sense that the whole thing never clicks into place." But she thought "the chuckle-worthy moments and easygoing narrative arc are almost enough to work with." Staying in comedy mode, there's the animated film "Dog Man," in which a police officer and his canine pal are melded into one body. About that film, the critic Ben Kenigsberg wrote, "Jokes fly with the bouncy randomness of Dog Man's favorite tennis ball." For a bit of a genre roller-coaster ride, there's "Companion," which concerns a young man and his extremely (and curiously) devoted girlfriend. In her critic's pick review, Jeannette Catsoulis wrote that the film "assembles a broad satire of gender dynamics from scraps of sci-fi and a generous dollop of technophobia." Relish all the fun choices out there this week and enjoy the movies! Glen Wilson/Prime Video 'You're Cordially Invited' Review: Here Come the Brides Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon star in a romantic comedy about double-booked weddings that never quite hits its stride. By Alissa Wilkinson Jesse Hope, via Sundance Institute Critic's Notebook At Sundance, a Sense of Uprooting Onscreen and Off As it searches for a new home beyond Park City, Utah, the film festival showcases a neo-western, a promising comedic debut and two unsettling documentaries. By Manohla Dargis Antipode films Documentary Lens 'No Other Land': An Eye-Opener About the West Bank and the Movies A team of Palestinian and Israeli directors take a daring approach to the subject. But the Oscar-nominated film could not find a U.S. distributor. By Alissa Wilkinson CRITICS' PICKS Bleecker Street Critic's Pick 'Love Me' Review: A Romance Six Billion Years in the Making Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun star in a marvelously inventive sci-fi romance that spans eons yet pokes at a simple question. By Alissa Wilkinson Warner Bros. Pictures Critic's Pick 'Companion' Review: Girl, Corrupted A lakeside getaway becomes a battleground for couples in this fast, furious and exceptionally fun horror-comedy. By Jeannette Catsoulis MOVIE REVIEWS Jean Louis Fernandez/Strand Releasing 'Marcello Mio' Review: All About My Father Chiara Mastroianni enacts a warped sort of paternal cosplay in this French farce, also starring her mother, Catherine Deneuve. By Natalia Winkelman Childe Productions 'Green and Gold' Review: Betting the Farm on Football Games Craig T. Nelson plays a stubborn farmer in Wisconsin whose devotion to the Green Bay Packers could save his business. By Glenn Kenny NEWS & FEATURES via Sundance Institute The Projectionist Sundance Gives Top Honor to 'Atropia,' a Comedy About Playing War Like many of the independent films that premiered at this muted edition of Sundance, "Atropia" has not yet sold to a distributor. By Kyle Buchanan Chris Maggio for The New York Times Tom Green, Former Provocateur, Is Building Something New A Y2K-era phenomenon most famous for his MTV prank show and surreal brand of comedy, Green pioneered ideas that thrive today. By Maya Salam and Chris Maggio Universal Pictures; Miramax Critic's Notebook In Her Own Messy Way, Bridget Jones Is a Trailblazer We rarely see rom-com heroines after the happy ending, much less watch them age. In this way, she's become a barometer for how we talk about women. By Esther Zuckerman Clockwise from top left: Shanna Besson/Netflix; Mubi; Neon; Universal Pictures; Alile Onawale, via Sony Pictures Classics Why Every Best Actress Nominee Has a Solid Shot at the Oscar The strong lineup includes comeback kid Demi Moore, Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres, and "Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón. But who will win? By Kyle Buchanan Alex Goodlett for The New York Times Sundance Made Park City the It Town. Not Anymore. After holding the event for 40 years in the Utah ski town, organizers plan to take it elsewhere starting in 2027. By Nicole Sperling Loren Elliott for The New York Times Hollywood Work Was Already Drying Up. Then the Fires Hit. The wildfires have given new urgency to discussions about how to revive one of Los Angeles's defining, and dominant, industries: film and television production. By Nicole Sperling and Matt Stevens Photo illustration by Celina Pereira Screenland In 'A Complete Unknown,' Bob Dylan's Politics Are Blowin' in the Wind The film is the latest of many to reveal the singer-songwriter's baffling neutrality. By Jim Shepard STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Eddy Chen/FOX Stream These Movies and TV Shows Before They Leave Netflix in February A lot of great stuff is leaving this month for U.S. subscribers, including a favorite action-movie franchise and two excellent recent sitcoms. By Jason Bailey Evan Marlowe Five Horror Movies to Stream Now This month's monsters include an American psycho, a thin-skinned mad scientist and a creep named the Calendar Killer. By Erik Piepenburg Paramount Pictures The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now There are so many film experiences to choose from on Netflix, let us help you narrow down your choices. By Jason Bailey How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. 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