Movies Update: A strike ends and more

Plus, Nicolas Cage in "Dream Scenario."

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 10, 2023 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! It's a breakthrough moment in Hollywood this week, with SAG-AFTRA and the studios tentatively agreeing to a deal to end the monthslong strike. Our team of movie and TV business reporters have the details. In theaters, a new installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe arrives this weekend after a few hiccups, "The Marvels," starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris. Our critic, Manohla Dargis, wasn't won over, though, calling it "weak tea" in her review. Arriving on Netflix is the latest from David Fincher, "The Killer," which stars Michael Fassbender as a stoic hit man. Dargis skewers that one, writing that "the character is boring and so is this movie." For some critically recommended movies, try the offbeat comedy "Dream Scenario," starring Nicolas Cage, or the essayistic documentary "Orlando, My Political Biography," which Dargis calls "a sharp, witty low-budget experimental work of great political and personal conviction." Enjoy the movies! Laura Radford/Marvel Studios 'The Marvels' Review: You've Seen This Movie 32 Times Before Brie Larson stars alongside two Disney+ stars in this trope-ridden franchise installment, the 33rd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By Manohla Dargis Netflix 'The Killer' Review: He's a Deadly Bore Michael Fassbender stars as a loquaciously dull hit man in David Fincher's latest film about bloody exploits. By Manohla Dargis Hunter Kerhart for The New York Times With the Strikes Over, the Mood in Hollywood Is Decidedly Mixed Celebratory feelings are competing with resentment over the work stoppage and worries about the business era that is coming. By Brooks Barnes Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS A24 Critic's Pick 'Dream Scenario' Review: Space Invader Nicolas Cage plays a mild-mannered professor who inexplicably wanders into others' dreams in this wonderfully weird dark comedy. By Jeannette Catsoulis Sideshow and Janus Films Critic's Pick 'Orlando, My Political Biography' Review: A Collective Approach to Joy The filmmaker Paul B. Preciado shares the title role with 20 trans and nonbinary performers to make a point about the cage of identity. By Manohla Dargis Luke Lorentzen/Abramorama Critic's Pick 'A Still Small Voice' Review: Grant Them the Serenity This absorbing documentary follows a chaplain at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. By Amy Nicholson Icarus Films Critic's Pick 'Youth (Spring)' Review: Garment Rending The documentarian Wang Bing examines the cloistered world of young textile workers in China. By Ben Kenigsberg MOVIE REVIEWS Twentieth Century Fox 'Albert Brooks: Defending My Life' Review: Revisiting Past Hilarity This actor, comic, writer and director is seen in a cinematic retrospective that celebrates his talent, but not always in a critically discerning way. By Calum Marsh Oscilloscope Laboratories 'This Much We Know' Review: Asking Why After a Friend's Death L. Frances Henderson's intricate debut documentary investigates a suicide, raising plenty of questions, including one about its own ethics. By Lisa Kennedy Lionsgate 'Manodrome' Review: The Manosphere Gets a Crude Awakening An unemployed dad-to-be is seduced by a misogynist group who call themselves "the guys" in this sensationalizing drama starring Jesse Eisenberg. By Beatrice Loayza Milo Manger/Sony Pictures 'Journey to Bethlehem' Review: No Room at the Inn? Try the Multiplex It's no "Home Alone" or "Jesus Christ Superstar," but it does have Antonio Banderas as a song-slinging Herod and Lecrae as a quavering Angel Gabriel. By Glenn Kenny HBO 'You Were My First Boyfriend' Review: Diary of a Former Teen In this documentary, Cecilia Aldarondo relives her high school trauma by directing cinematic re-enactments of her adolescent years. By Claire Shaffer Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Warner Bros. Pictures Here Are the Most Anticipated Films of the Holiday Season "The Color Purple" and "Poor Things" and Beyoncé lead a list packed with goodies. Mark your calendars. By Ben Kenigsberg Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times The projectionist With 'Dream Scenario,' Nicolas Cage Reclaims the Memes In his new dark comedy, the star plays a man who begins popping up in people's dreams. It's a metaphor for viral fame that he found cathartic. By Kyle Buchanan Netflix Making a Murderer, David Fincher Style With "The Killer," how to build an oddball executioner in seven easy steps. By Leah Greenblatt John Orris/The New York Times Barbra Streisand Is Ready to Tell All. Pull Up a Seat. At home in California, Streisand talks about her new memoir, exploring the movies and men of her life, and her determination to control her own art. By Wesley Morris Laura Radford/Marvel Studios What to Know About 'The Marvels' and Its Tumultuous Back Story The latest superhero installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is arriving with some baggage. Here's a look at the rocky lead-up to the release. By Brandon Yu Alan Markfield/New Line Productions ("Elf"); Universal Studios ("Love Actually") Critic's Notebook Are 'Elf' and 'Love Actually' the Last Holiday Classics We'll Ever Get? The two comedies opened on the same date in 2003 and have stood the test of time. A changing Hollywood landscape might make another such day impossible. By Esther Zuckerman STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Shudder Five Horror Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include an evil void, an unshakable sniper and a delightfully demonic cable box. By Erik Piepenburg DreamWorks Pictures 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 Amazon Studios/Magnolia Pictures 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 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. 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