Movies Update: ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ and More

Plus, a closer look at the Golden Globes

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story February 26, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! With the Golden Globes happening this Sunday, our reporters wrote about the organization that hands them out, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. A recent lawsuit and financial records, they found, "are providing a more unsparing look at the group." Two very different musicians with the name Billie have movies streaming this weekend. There's the biopic "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (available on Hulu) and the documentary "Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry" (available on AppleTV+). On Netflix is "Pelé," a new documentary about the soccer player, and also "This Is the Life," Ava DuVernay's 2008 debut feature about an independent 1990s Los Angeles hip-hop scene. And on HBO Max are the feature length antics of the popular cat-mouse duo Tom and Jerry. Our critic says "some of the performances are enjoyable." More on this week's movie releases, and the latest news, is below. Enjoy the movies! Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Takashi Seida/Paramount Pictures/Hulu 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday' Review: Singing for Her Life Lee Daniels's hectic biopic portrays the singer as a victim of abuse, addiction and government persecution. By A.O. Scott Apple TV+ 'Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry' Review: Fame and Family A documentary captures the creation of Eilish's multiple-Grammy-winning debut album, recorded at home but poised to go global. By Jon Caramanica Photographs by Brad Ogbonna for The New York Times Clown Princes: Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall on 'Coming 2 America' The comic stars and longtime friends talk about their history together and their many, many roles in the original film and the new sequel. By Dave Itzkoff CRITICS' PICKS Sean Gleason/Sony Pictures Classics Critic's Pick 'The Father' Review: A Capricious Mind Anthony Hopkins gives a scalding performance as a man stricken by dementia in this clever drama. By Jeannette Catsoulis Cinema Guild Critic's Pick 'Un Film Dramatique' Review: Students Record the Paris Suburbs This documentary gives middle school children a chance to show their experiences. By Teo Bugbee Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MOVIE REVIEWS Apple Original Films 'Cherry' Review: A Very Different Tangled Web for Tom Holland Joe and Anthony Russo, the M.C.U. filmmaking brothers, stretch out into the real world of war, crime and addiction in a gritty drama based on a best-selling novel. By Glenn Kenny Netflix 'Pelé' Review: A National Treasure This Netflix documentary surveys the Brazilian soccer player's pioneering career. By Nicolas Rapold Warner Bros. 'Tom & Jerry' Review: Chasing the Mouse of Nostalgia This feature-length expansion of the popular cartoon is too brainless for adults, but its kid-friendly title characters are barely supporting players. By Jason Bailey Cinema Tropical 'My Darling Supermarket' Review: Cosmic Tales From the Checkout Lane The director Tali Yankelevich applies an experimental flair to her documentary about supermarket workers in Brazil. By Beatrice Loayza Array Critic's Pick 'This Is the Life' Review: A Valuable Part of Hip-Hop History Ava DuVernay's 2008 documentary, now streaming on Netflix, is a personal love letter to a slice of Los Angeles's 1990s hip-hop scene. By Robert Daniels Abraham (Abie) Troen/Abramorama ''Til Kingdom Come' Review: An Unusual Religious Bond Maya Zinshtein's revelatory documentary explores the political and philanthropic alliance of American evangelical Christians and Israeli Jews. By Devika Girish Jan Thijs/Quiver Distribution 'Crisis' Review: Finding a Fix Nicholas Jarecki's new crime drama, which examines the opioid epidemic from different angles, is well-paced but often strains credulity. By Ben Kenigsberg Blue Fox Entertainment 'My Zoe' Review: Julie Delpy's Provocative Family Drama The characters can be confoundingly self-involved, but Delpy finds unusual threads to pull you closer to them and their crises. By Glenn Kenny Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES A Director Returns to the Home He Longed to Leave With "Minari," Lee Isaac Chung tells a semi-autobiographical tale of growing up Korean-American in the heartland. By Robert Ito American Evangelicals, Israeli Settlers and a Skeptical Filmmaker A new documentary illuminates what the director calls an "unholy alliance" that sharply altered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the Trump administration. By David M. Halbfinger Netflix Productions Are More Diverse Than Studio Films, Study Shows The study, which the streaming giant commissioned, looked at films and TV series from 2018 and 2019. By Nicole Sperling Podcasting Is Booming. Will Hollywood Help or Hurt Its Future? A frothy adaptation market is just one sign of the rapid evolution of the industry. But some worry that big money will stifle the D.I.Y. spirit that has driven much of its success. By Ben Sisario Julie Delpy, Science-Fiction Filmmaker? It's True Best known for romantic comedies, the creator of the cloning drama "My Zoe" refuses to be pigeonholed: "I love to mess up and not go in the direction that is expected." By Roslyn Sulcas With 'The Father,' a Playwright Pivots to the Screen Florian Zeller has found success in the theater and as a novelist. Now, his first movie as a director is nominated for four Golden Globe Awards. By Laura Cappelle STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS The 50 Best TV Shows and Movies to Watch on Disney+ Right Now The Disney streaming platform has hundreds of movie and TV titles, drawing from its own deep reservoir classics and from Star Wars, Marvel and more. These are our favorites. By Scott Tobias The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now Movies upon movies await, and you don't even have to drill down to find them. By Jason Bailey 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 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. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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