Movies Update: ‘The Power of the Dog’ and More

Plus, the Netflix holiday movies, ranked.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 3, 2021 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! Awards season has officially begun. Film organizations and critics' groups have started rolling out their prizes for the best films and performances of the year. And our columnist Kyle Buchanan, a.k.a. The Projectionist, is already gaming out the Oscar race. He wrote about the Gotham Awards earlier in the week (which gave its big prize to the Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed drama "The Lost Daughter") and also about how he sees Steven Spielberg's take on "West Side Story" as potentially a major contender. As of this week, you can see another major Oscar contender at home, Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog," which has arrived on Netflix. The grandiose landscapes of this western can be appreciated even more on the big screen as it's still playing theatrically. In her Critic's Pick review, Manohla Dargis calls the movie "a great American story and a dazzling evisceration of one of the country's foundational myths." Read interviews with the film's stars: Benedict Cumberbatch and Kodi Smit-McPhee; and read more about the movie's ending. If you're seeking something with a little more holiday cheer, Netflix has offerings for you this season as well. The writer Elisabeth Vincentelli sifted through many of them and ranked them in the order of "holly jolly" to "bah humbug." Happy viewing! Netflix Critic's Pick 'The Power of the Dog' Review: Wild Hearts on a Closed Frontier In Jane Campion's staggering take on the western, her first movie in more than a decade, a cruel cowboy meets his surprising match. By Manohla Dargis Clockwise from top left: Warner Bros.; Glen Wilson/Amazon; Netflix; Niko Tavernise/20th Century Studios; Rob Youngson/Focus Features The Projectionist Which Films Lead the Biggest Best-Picture Race in Years? With epics like "West Side Story" and biopics like "King Richard" in contention, Oscar voters have plenty of choices in a category that's now set at 10 slots. By Kyle Buchanan Philippe Bosse/Netflix Netflix Holiday Movies Ranked, From Tree Toppers to Lumps of Coal Is the streaming service delivering goodies in its holiday stockings? We make an assessment. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Neon Critic's Pick 'Flee' Review: From Kabul to Copenhagen A Danish documentary uses animation to tell the poignant, complicated story of an Afghan refugee. By A.O. Scott HBO Critic's Pick 'Listening to Kenny G' Review: Good Sax? Penny Lane's documentary about the superstar sax player Kenny G shows an artist who can be defensive and self-satisfied almost simultaneously. By Glenn Kenny Jennifer Lowe-Anker/National Geographic Documentary Films Critic's Pick 'Torn' Review: A Climber's Son Explores His Father's Legacy This documentary on the life and death of the mountaineer Alex Lowe demonstrates how unexpected bonds can form around those in grief. By Claire Shaffer Greenwich Entertainment Critic's Pick 'Try Harder!' Review: California Overachievement Test This documentary from Debbie Lum goes inside a top-performing San Francisco public high school to see how students are preparing for the future. By Beandrea July ANATOMY OF A SCENE A24 Anatomy of a Scene How Joaquin Phoenix Handles Parenting in 'C'mon C'mon' The writer and director Mike Mills narrates a sequence from his film featuring Phoenix and Woody Norman. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Roland Scherman/Magnolia Pictures 'Citizen Ashe' Review: Advantage, Arthur Ashe This warm, sympathetic documentary portrait traces the career of the tennis champion and pioneer who smashed through history. By Manohla Dargis IFC Films 'Benedetta' Review: Habit Storming Paul Verhoeven takes us to a nunnery where faith, eroticism and the Black Death make for an unholy good time. By Jeannette Catsoulis Focus Features 'Wolf' Review: Animal Behavior This psychological thriller unfolds in a brutal clinic for young people who feel they are animals trapped in human bodies. By Natalia Winkelman Disney+ 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' Review: Growing Pains In this Disney animated feature from the best-selling series of books, the lead character fearfully enters middle school. By Nicolas Rapold Philippe Bosse/Netflix 'Single All the Way' Review: Cookie Cutter Christmas This Netflix holiday rom-com rests its family-friendly shenanigans on a display of chemistry that never materializes. By Teo Bugbee Acort International 'Red Pill' Review: The Horror of a Weekend of Racism and Extremism Tonya Pinkins is in the director's chair for this bizarre face-off between political opponents in which rhetoric is the least of the weapons. By Beatrice Loayza Robert Viglasky/AMC+ 'Silent Night' Review: Waiting for the End of the World In this feature from Camille Griffin, a group of friends facing global disaster have one last Christmas dinner. By Concepción de León Netflix 'The Summit of the Gods' Review: In the (Mountain) Heights Adapted from a manga, this French-language feature concerns an obsessive climber and a camera that may prove Everest was conquered decades earlier. By Ben Kenigsberg Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Hulu Three Great Documentaries to Stream A look at standout nonfiction films, from classics to overlooked recent works, that will reward your time. By Ben Kenigsberg Jorge Fuembuena Five Action Movies to Stream Now Including bomb threats, bank robberies and more, the month's action films pack a wallop. By Robert Daniels PeterSorel/New Line Cinema Stream These 15 Titles Before They Leave Netflix in December The end of the year means a lot of expiring licenses. Check out these movies and TV shows before they disappear for U.S. subscribers in the coming weeks. By Jason Bailey NEWS & FEATURES Photo illustration by Jennifer Ledbury/The New York Times; Photo by Hank Walker/The LIFE Picture Collection, via Getty Images The Great 'West Side Story' Debate With the Steven Spielberg film coming soon, three critics, a playwright and a theater historian weigh in on whether the musical deserves a new hearing — and how. Jeffrey Neira/ABC News, via Associated Press Alec Baldwin Says He Is Not Responsible for Fatal Shooting on 'Rust' In an emotional interview with ABC News, the actor asserted, 'Someone put a live bullet in a gun.' By Simon Romero, Graham Bowley and Julia Jacobs IFC Films Paul Verhoeven Has Made a Film About a Lesbian Nun. Jesus Is Next. The Dutch filmmaker explains what his new movie, based on a real 17th-century sister, has in common with "Showgirls" and "Basic Instinct." By Elisabeth Vincentelli Kirsty Griffin/Netflix Kodi Smit-McPhee on Quiet Confidence, Chronic Pain and 'The Power of the Dog' The 25-year-old Aussie delivers a scene-stealing performance as Peter, a bookish boy and aspiring doctor who's more than he seems. By Sarah Bahr Courtesy of Naima Green Social Studies At Long Last, Onscreen Portrayals of Lesbian Relationships Are Getting Complex The shift comes after decades of stories that minimized romantic love between women as fruitless, or as some kind of phase. By Maya Salam Netflix 'The Power of the Dog': About That Ending The movie's subtle conclusion takes a moment to comprehend. But the director, Jane Campion, has a history of working in the realm of suggestion. By Nicolas Rapold Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT 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. You received this email because you signed up for Movies Update from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018