Movies Update: Remembering Robert Redford

Plus, lost buses and dating app founders

View in browser|nytimes.com September 19, 2025 By Mekado Murphy Hey, movie fans. This week, the world lost one of Hollywood's biggest screen idols, Robert Redford. Our critics wrote about how the actor escaped the mold and how he played many types of heroes. The Times also looked at his work as an activist, traced his life in photos and commented on his signature sense of American style. He even appeared in a memorable episode of "The Twilight Zone." If you want to see his best work, we put together a list of his most memorable movies. On the new movie release front, the harrowing thriller "The Lost Bus" is in theaters, which stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera in a film that looks back at California's 2018 Camp Fire. But our critic, Manohla Dargis, felt that the movie missed the mark, writing in her review that it "is at once too high-minded and too exploitative to work. However skilled the cinematography and editing, there is no saving a movie predicated on looming death with badly written characters and such a frustratingly narrow point of view." Also out this week, on Hulu, is "Swiped," a drama about Whitney Wolfe Herd, a founder of Tinder and Bumble. Though it wasn't a match for our critic Alissa Wilkinson, who wrote in her review that the movie "aims to explore the difficulties of being a woman in a man's world, from workplaces to the internet more widely. It does so in broad strokes with predictable characterization." If you're looking for other options, there are plenty, including the football horror movie "HIM," the fantastical romance "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" and "Megadoc," about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis." Enjoy the movies! Neal Boenzi/The New York Times An Appraisal Robert Redford: A Classic American Ideal Who Escaped the Mold Though he got his start under the old studio system, he remained a natural in the New Hollywood and beyond. By Manohla Dargis Robert Redford's Many Types of Heroes The Outlaw, the Romantic, the Survivor: From the Sundance Kid to his final role, he showed different ways to be a hero onscreen. By Alissa Wilkinson Apple 'The Lost Bus' Review: Matthew McConaughey Rides Out Disaster The actor stars alongside America Ferrera in a high-tension drama from the director Paul Greengrass that revisits the deadly 2018 Camp Fire. By Manohla Dargis Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/20th Century 'Swiped' Review: A Woman in a Man's World A drama about the rise and fall and rise again of a founder of Tinder and Bumble suffers from some flimsiness. By Alissa Wilkinson CRITICS' PICKS Utopia Critic's Pick 'Megadoc' Review: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Pricey Passion Project This documentary by Mike Figgis about Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" is at once expansive and intimate, and sometimes very revealing. By Manohla Dargis MTV Documentary Films Critic's Pick 'Predators' Review: Busted for Social Good (and Maybe Ratings) This probing, troubling documentary looks at the sociological implications of the series "To Catch a Predator." By Ben Kenigsberg ANATOMY OF A SCENE Universal Pictures Anatomy of a Scene How Football Practice Goes Wrong in 'HIM' The director Justin Tipping narrates a sequence from his film. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Sony Pictures 'Demon Slayer' Review: Arresting Visuals on a Familiar Battleground The anime movie, subtitled "Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle," contains layers of lore and impressionistic backdrops. By Natalia Winkelman Parrish Lewis/Universal Pictures 'HIM' Review: Dying to Go Pro In this thriller, a young quarterback is invited to train with a veteran player (Marlon Wayans) in his Texas compound. What could go wrong? By Beatrice Loayza Matt Kennedy/Sony Pictures 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' Review: A Multidimensional Meet Cute This fantastical odyssey, starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie, relies on the tart charm of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. By Brandon Yu Utopia 'In Whose Name?' Review: The Ye Chronicles Six years in the making, this new documentary traces Ye's life of fame and fall from grace. By Nicolas Rapold Magnolia Pictures 'Plainclothes' Review: The Trap of Desire Lucas (Tom Blyth) has just had sex with Andrew (Russell Tovey), the man he was supposed to arrest in a sting operation. By Chris Azzopardi Vox Pop Films 'Speak.' Review: How to Debate Like a Pro The art of persuasion — and the painstaking preparation for a national competition — is the focus of this moving documentary about high-school students. By Glenn Kenny Angel Studios 'The Senior' Review: Just Like Old Times Based on a true story, this blandly inspirational tale follows a 59-year old man from Texas who rejoins his college football squad. By Brandon Yu Music Box Films 'The Summer Book' Review: Glenn Close's Autumnal Notes Set in Finland, this film explores a season of grief and growth for a girl, her father and her grandmother. By Lisa Kennedy NEWS & FEATURES Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times Robert Redford, Screen Idol Turned Director and Activist, Dies at 89 He made serious topics like grief and political corruption resonate with the masses, in no small part because of his own star power. By Brooks Barnes Emman Montalvan admiration society Regina Hall and Sheila E. Share a Birthday — and So Much More The "One Battle After Another" actor and the Grammy award-winning musician on trusting God, playing against type and getting lost in the music. By Adam Bradley Majdal Films, via Israel Film Fund Israel Says It Will Defund Film Awards After Palestinian Win A drama about a Palestinian boy who sneaks into Israel won the top prize at Israel's version of the Oscars. The country's culture minister called the ceremony "shameful." By Derrick Bryson Taylor Neon France's Oscars Pick Is an Acclaimed Iranian Film Snubbed by Iran "It Was Just an Accident," the Palme d'Or winner, will be eligible for best international feature. Its director criticized the selection process by nondemocratic countries. By Nicole Sperling Tilda Whirl Aunt Gladys From 'Weapons' Doesn't Scare These Drag Artists The distinctive villain inspired performers across the globe almost instantly. No one's waiting for Halloween. By Esther Zuckerman Roadside Attractions in praise of 7 Roles That Explain Why Jennifer Lopez's Life Is Her Greatest Art Her casting in the forthcoming "Kiss of the Spider Woman" underscores how her best onscreen work has always been informed by what's happening offscreen. By Alissa Wilkinson STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Screen Archives/Getty Images Robert Redford: 15 Memorable Movies to Stream His roles brought him to the screen as a Depression-era con man, a governor's son and the journalist Bob Woodward. He also took to the director's chair. Here are some of Redford's career highlights. By Esther Zuckerman Kasper Tuxen/Neon, via Associated Press Five Free Movies to Stream Now This month brings coming-of-age stories, from the directionless heroine of "The Worst Person in the World" to the abrasive film fanatic in "I Like Movies." By Brandon Yu Alpha Violet Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a Lithuanian thriller, a Welsh musical, an unusual sports drama from Korea and more. By Devika Girish 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. If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe 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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