Movies Update: “Civil War” is out. Get ready to argue.

Plus, when a sasquatch came to Central Park

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 12, 2024 By Mekado Murphy Hey, movie fans! Ready for an action film that pits Americans against one another? "Civil War" is here. Written and directed by Alex Garland, the film follows a handful of journalists on a road trip through a war-torn, not-very United States. The critic Manohla Dargis has made it a pick, writing in her review that the film is "a blunt, gut-twisting work of speculative fiction." We spoke to Garland about why he wanted to make a movie about a civil war today. And he narrates a scene from his harrowing film. If you'd prefer a war movie about a war with zombies, instead, "Dawn of the Dead" is celebrating its 45th anniversary with a return to theaters. The writer Jason Bailey looks at the history of that influential movie and the pop-culture zombie boom its director, George A. Romero, helped usher in that persists to this day. And from the undead to expiring nannies, also out in theaters this week is a reboot of the '90s comedy "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead." The critic Amy Nicholson is on board with the new film, writing that "the rapid-fire script by Chuck Hayward squeezes a joke into every sentence and an economic dig into almost every scene." Enjoy the movies! A24, via Associated Press Critic's Pick 'Civil War' Review: We Have Met the Enemy and It Is Us. Again. In Alex Garland's tough new movie, a group of journalists led by Kirsten Dunst, as a photographer, travels a United States at war with itself. By Manohla Dargis HBO Critic's Notebook 'Brandy Hellville': A New Twist for Cult Documentaries The film examines the retailer's tactics and is surprisingly similar to exposés about cults. By Alissa Wilkinson New Amsterdam Entertainment 'Dawn of the Dead' at 45: A Zombie Love Affair That Never Died A look back at George A. Romero's film, one of the most influential horror movies of all time, as it gets a theatrical revival. By Jason Bailey Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS 2024 Fence 2021 Films LLC Critic's Pick 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead' Review: The Laughs Are Alive Wade Allain-Marcus has directed a rollicking update of the 1991 cult favorite. By Amy Nicholson Magnolia Pictures/River Road Critic's Pick 'Food, Inc. 2' Review: A Second Course Directed by Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo, the sequel about food production in the U.S. is, in some ways, a more hopeful film. By Ben Kenigsberg Game Theory Films Critic's Pick 'In Flames' Review: A Patriarchy Horror Story Set in Pakistan, the story of a young woman and her family, hemmed in by men, shifts from realism to genre, with heart-pumping consequences. By Alissa Wilkinson Oscilloscope Critic's Pick 'It's Only Life After All' Review: Indigo Girls Laugh Last The director Alexandria Bombach benefited from the musician Amy Ray's archivist instincts in this warm, compelling new documentary. By Elisabeth Vincentelli ANATOMY OF A SCENE A24 Anatomy of a Scene Watch a Sniper Scene From 'Civil War' Alex Garland, the film's writer and director, narrates a sequence from his movie. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Bleecker Street 'Sasquatch Sunset' Review: Big Feet and Small Brains Four unrecognizably hairy actors, including Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough, play mythical creatures in this endearingly bonkers movie. By Jeannette Catsoulis Searchlight Pictures 'The Greatest Hits' Review: Yes, She Could Turn Back Time. A high-concept movie about music and grief lacks follow through. By Alissa Wilkinson Utopia 'Omen' Review: Life in a Different Space-Time Continuum This trippy ensemble drama set in Kinshasa explores Congolese society through magical realism. By Beatrice Loayza RLJE Films/Shudder 'Arcadian' Review: Take Two as Needed for Postapocalyptic Pain Nicolas Cage defends his family against a paranormal siege in this derivative, low-budget creature feature. By Calum Marsh Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Thea Traff for The New York Times Alex Garland Answers the Question: Why Make a Film About Civil War Today? Even before his drama was released, the writer-director faced controversy over his vision of a divided America with Texas and California as allies. By Christopher Kuo Brian Karlsson for The New York Times They Made a Movie About a Pack of Sasquatches. Why? "Sasquatch Sunset" follows the creatures as they go about their lives. We had so many questions. The film's cast and crew had answers. By Erik Piepenburg and Brian Karlsson Kevin Winter/Getty Images Cannes Festival Unveils 2024 Lineup, Including a Francis Ford Coppola Film Organizers on Thursday announced a lineup that also features new films from Yorgos Lanthimos, David Cronenberg and Paul Schrader. By Alex Marshall Paramount/Getty Images Before He Was Infamous, O.J. Simpson's Acting Helped Make Him Famous Simpson began acting while still a football star, appearing in titles as varied as "Roots," "The Towering Inferno" and the "Naked Gun" films. By Julia Jacobs via Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy Museum to Highlight Hollywood's Jewish History After All The museum was criticized earlier for failing to acknowledge the contributions of the Jewish pioneers who helped establish the American film studio system. By Robin Pogrebin Tonje Thilesen for The New York Times A Wild Ride From 'Dilettante' to Director Theda Hammel wasn't always sure her varied résumé would include "Stress Positions," her directorial debut. By Louis Lucero II STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Vertical Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now In this month's sci-fi picks, cruise through dreams, hook a right at multiverses, turn left at portals, then put it in reverse for some time travel. By Elisabeth Vincentelli CBS ENTERTAINMENT, via Associated Press The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now New films, and classics, just keep coming, but you don't have to drill down to find the finest selections to stream. We'll do the heavy lifting. You press play. By Jason Bailey Neon 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 Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT How are we doing? 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