Movies Update: The Oscars picture gets (a little) clearer.

Plus, Jodie Foster on her French connection.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 16, 2026 By Stephanie Goodman Hi, movie fans! It's that time in awards season when we think the picture is getting clearer but we're not sure. The Golden Globes, which were handed out Sunday night, aren't necessarily predictive of the Oscars (especially since the voting bodies don't overlap at all), but there is something to be said for a high-profile victory on television the night before academy members begin casting their ballots for nominations. Our Oscars expert, Kyle Buchanan, a.k.a. the Projectionist, elaborated on this in his column this week, explaining how a good acceptance speech can make the difference for someone like Teyana Taylor, who won the supporting actress Globe for "One Battle After Another" and who faces stiff competition for an academy nomination. (Voting ends today and the list will be revealed on Thursday.) Like Taylor, Wagner Moura, the star of "The Secret Agent," is another Globes winner gaining momentum right now. Buchanan profiled the Brazilian actor for our Oscars issue and found someone with a mischievous streak who was also serious when it came to speaking out about politics in his home country, to the point that he was vilified by the previous right-wing government. "I don't want to sell myself as a moral compass, but I stick to who I am and the things that I believe are right," he told Buchanan. What is happening beyond awards season? The zombie franchise that began with "28 Days Later" in 2003 gets another follow-up, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," on Friday, and is a critic's pick. Our reviewer, Alissa Wilkinson, writes that Nia DaCosta's "as a director are a terrific, confident match for this material." Then there's Jodie Foster's new movie, "A Private Life," her first solo lead role in which she speaks fluent French. She makes the "performance sing," writes our chief film critic, Manohla Dargis, who praises Foster's virtuosity. My colleague Elaine Sciolino spoke with Foster (in English) about her strong French connection, dating to childhood, when her mother enrolled her in a lycée in Los Angeles. "French school is hard," she recalled, adding, "I did science, I did math, history, everything in French. And every kid in my class was French except me." That's it for now. Whatever you end up watching, enjoy the movies! The Projectionist The Art of a Good Awards-Show Speech Demi Moore nailed it at last year's Globes, and so did Teyana Taylor this year. The best acceptances keep in mind four key guidelines. By Kyle Buchanan Kevork Djansezian/CBS Broadcasting, via Associated Press Best and Worst Moments From the 2026 Golden Globes Nikki Glaser returned as host and killed, while Teyana Taylor delivered the speech of the night. Then there were those awful production choices. By Stephanie Goodman Jodie Foster: An American Oscar-Winner in Paris In "A Private Life," the actress takes on her first solo lead role in which she speaks fluent French, but her French connection goes all the way back to childhood. By Elaine Sciolino and Benjamin Malapris CRITICS' PICKS Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Critic's Pick '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' Review: Sympathy for the Devil The latest installment in the zombie saga is all about evil and good, and whether any of it exists. By Alissa Wilkinson Cineverse Critic's Pick 'A Useful Ghost' Review: Machine Yearning A grieving widower finds his problems are just beginning when his wife returns in the form of a household appliance in this gloriously funny, shape-shifting debut feature. By Jeannette Catsoulis Abramorama Critic's pick 'Shuffle' Review: The Real Price of Rehab Benjamin Flaherty discovered some disturbing tendencies in the addiction recovery industry. His documentary is upsetting and revelatory. By Glenn Kenny MOVIE REVIEWS Jérôme Prébois/Sony Pictures Classics 'A Private Life' Review: Jodie Foster Uncovers a Twisty Plot in Paris Speaking in French (but cursing in English), the actress plays an American psychiatrist abroad who stumbles into unexpected intrigue. By Manohla Dargis Film Forum Documentary Lens In 'Seeds,' Farms and a Way of Life Hang in the Balance The director Brittany Shyne's film is slow-moving and lyrical in its focus on the seasonal rhythms of the work, even as it shifts to policy concerns. By Alissa Wilkinson Claire Folger/Netflix 'The Rip' Review: Clean Cop, Dirty Cop Matt Damon and Ben Affleck play grizzled cops looking at each other sideways in this Netflix crime thriller that has all the concepts but not much else. By Brandon Yu FabianGamper/Studio Zentral/Mubi 'Sound of Falling' Review: A Fortress of Feminine Mysteries This detour-heavy film moves across time periods to follow girlhood mischief, desire and abuse on a German farm. By Natalia Winkelman Milestone Films, via Kino Lorber 'Queen Kelly' Review: His Majesty, Von Stroheim The 1929 silent film returns in a shimmering, sensitively scored restoration that brings out the lurid and the romantic in Erich von Stroheim's story of orphan-meets-prince. By Nicolas Rapold RLJE Films/Shudder 'Night Patrol' Review: Things That Go Bump in the Night Rival gangs in Los Angeles join forces when a bloodsucking unit of the police department invades their community. By Beatrice Loayza Abramorama 'Deepfaking Sam Altman' Review: Altmanesque A filmmaker who can't secure an interview with the A.I. executive turns to technology for a solution. By Ben Kenigsberg GKIDS 'All You Need Is Kill' Review: It Doesn't Bear Repeating By condensing the logic of the action, this anime adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka's light novel undermines the story's excitement. By Maya Phillips NEWS & FEATURES A24; Warner Bros.; Mubi; Mime Films/Tanit Films; Neon; Focus Features; Searchlight Pictures The Oscar Nominees Should Be … Here's who our film critics Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson think voters should pick. By Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson Chantal Anderson for The New York Times Backstage With the Golden Globe Winners Rose Byrne, Owen Cooper, Seth Rogen, Teyana Taylor and other award winners in the spotlight. By Chantal Anderson Richard Shotwell/Invision, via Associated Press Nick Reiner Was in a Mental Health Conservatorship in 2020 Mr. Reiner, who is accused of killing his parents, was under a yearlong legal arrangement that allows for involuntary psychiatric treatment. By Tim Arango, Julia Jacobs, Ellen Barry and Matt Stevens Fabian Gamper/Studio Zentral Telling the Stories of a House Full of Secrets Mascha Schilinski's movie "Sound of Falling," which takes place over a century in a rural farmhouse, shows how trauma is transmitted through generations. By Thomas Rogers Unpacking 'People We Meet on Vacation' With Emily Henry and the Stars The author and the actors Emily Bader and Tom Blyth explain why the movie differs from the novel and raise the possibility of spinoffs. By Ashley Spencer and Jennelle Fong STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now In this month's picks, hijacked bullet trains, comet creatures and time loops in the British countryside. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Sean Porter/Amplify Five Free Movies to Stream Now From a Wim Wenders masterpiece to a Stanley Tucci gem, these films all revolve around the possibility of fresh starts and new beginnings. By Brandon Yu How are we doing? 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