Movies Update: A slick spy thriller and a violently funny action movie

Plus, 25 years of Critics' Picks

View in browser|nytimes.com March 14, 2025 By Kellina Moore Hi there, movie fans! Spring finally feels within reach, at least in New York City, where the weather is finally warming, the streetside planters are sprouting and the old radiators are sounding their final clanks (for now). I'm craving the lush visual decadence of "Marie Antoinette," the flowers at the 91st Street Garden featured in "You've Got Mail" and the quiet gloom of a rainy spring day evoked by the original "Dark Water." The new season also tends to bring an uptick in new releases, which is certainly true this week. Some highlights include "Black Bag" a new film from Steven Soderberg, which Manohla Dargis labels a "banger," and "The Actor," from Duke Johnson, who previously directed the stunner "Anomalisa" with Charlie Kaufman. "'The Actor' feels at times like a horror movie about the struggle between amnesia and agency," the critic Jeannette Catsoulis writes. Both films are Critics' Picks. If you're in the mood for more Times-sanctioned bangers, look no further than our movie megalist, which collects all of our Critic's Picks from the last 25 years. It's a nearly inexhaustible resource, and such a blast to cruise through and play around with. A few of my favorites on the list (from the horror category, of course): "Audition," "The Descent," "American Mary," "It Follows," "We're All Going to the World's Fair" and "I Saw the TV Glow" (thank you Jane Schoenbrun!) There's so much to discover, and it's fascinating to see how the picks and taste of the critics change over time. Speaking of film critics, Annie Aguiar profiled one with a very specific set of concerns: providing her followers on Letterboxd with a list of "vegan alerts," or observations on the treatment of animals and use of animal products in any given movie. "People might think a glass of milk is innocuous," the critic, Allison McCulloch, told Aguiar. "It's not. It's full of violence." I have personally followed McCulloch's account for years out of curiosity and I was thrilled to get a peek into her process. Whatever you watch (vegan-approved or not), enjoy the movies! Claudette Barius/Focus Features Critic's Pick 'Black Bag' Review: Blanchett v. Fassbender The actors play a glamorous couple of spies in this latest sleek collaboration from the director Steven Soderbergh and the screenwriter David Koepp. By Manohla Dargis Paramount Pictures 'Novocaine' Review: Sticks and Stones Will Never Hurt Him In this gross-out action spectacle, Jack Quaid plays an unlikely action hero who, because of a genetic disorder, can't feel any pain. By Brandon Yu He Voices Porky Pig, and That's Not All, Folks Listen to the performer Eric Bauza voice the characters Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and more. His work appears in the new animated feature, "The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie." By Carlos Aguilar and Daniel Dorsa CRITICS' PICKS Film Movement Critic's Pick 'An Unfinished Film' Review: When Reality Interrupts Art A drama full of unconventional touches recalls a time when all we had were our screens. By Alissa Wilkinson Neon Critic's Pick 'The Actor' Review: No Direction Home André Holland plays an actor with amnesia in this wonderfully surreal and poignant mystery. By Jeannette Catsoulis MOVIE REVIEWS Paul Abell/Netflix 'The Electric State' Review: 1990s Robot Apocalypse? As If! Who needs dystopian artificial intelligence to destroy faith in humanity when you can watch this sci-fi extravaganza? By Elisabeth Vincentelli Abramorama Documentary Lens In 'Meanwhile,' a Nation Remembers to Breathe The director Catherine Gund fuses work from multiple artists with archival footage and interviews to craft an exploration of Black resilience. By Alissa Wilkinson KimStim 'Who by Fire' Review: Masculinity and Its Discontents Men posture and peacock in the Québecois director Philippe Lesage's ensemble drama set at an isolated house in a remote forest. By Manohla Dargis Warner Bros. 'The Day the Earth Blew Up' Review: Daffy, Porky, Petunia and Alien Goo Subtitled "A Looney Tunes Movie," this installment, directed by Peter Browngardt, takes bubble gum to a whole new level. By Glenn Kenny Anna Kooris/A24 'Opus' Review: A New Album They're Dying to Hear John Malkovich plays a '90s pop star who emerges from retirement with a bloody agenda. By Ben Kenigsberg Thomas Nolf/Strand Releasing 'Young Hearts' Review: Finding Acceptance In this coming-of-age drama from Belgium, a 14-year-old boy falls in love with his neighbor and questions his sexual identity. By Beatrice Loayza Seacia Pavao/Warner Bros./HBO 'The Parenting' Review: Meet the Poltergeist A family getaway turns ghastly when a demon is awakened in this juvenile, meanspirited horror-comedy. By Calum Marsh Felipe Orozco/Hulu 'Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna' Review: Confusing Accounts The Hulu documentary challenges ideas around who is responsible for the death of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust." By Natalia Winkelman NEWS & FEATURES The Movies We've Loved Since 2000 Explore 25 years of our movie coverage, and find your next film from this collection of our critics' favorites from each year. By The New York Times Carole Bethuel/IFC FIlms Some Vegans Were Harmed in the Watching of This Movie A film critic who provides "vegan alerts" for animal cruelty goes beyond onscreen violence. Milk and eggs are problematic, too. By Annie Aguiar Alamy/Showtime Films No American Drama Is as Haunted by Ghosts of Actors Past as 'Streetcar' With a revival starring Paul Mescal and Patsy Ferran in Brooklyn, a look at the carefully weighted balance that actors playing Blanche and Stanley need to strike. By Ben Brantley Carlos Barria/Reuters Florida Mayor Threatens Cinema Over Israeli-Palestinian Film The mayor of Miami Beach wants to end the lease of a group renting a city-owned property because it is screening the Academy Award-winning "No Other Land" there. By Marc Tracy and Emily Cochrane Sideshow/Janus Films The Oscar-Winning Movie That Pets Can't Stop Watching "Flow," a dialogue-free animated Latvian film made with open-source software, is keeping our domesticated friends riveted. By Esther Zuckerman STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Doppelgänger Releasing Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now In this month's picks, multidimensional comedy and extraterrestrial drama. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Searchlight Pictures 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 Brian Roedel/A24 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. 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