| Afire
NYT Critic’s Pick | Comedy, Drama, Romance | Directed by Christian Petzold
Christian Petzold’s new film, about a sour young writer and the woman he desires, generates both cruel comedy and heartbreak.

Thomas Schubert, left, and Paula Beer in “Afire,” a tale about friendship and romance, jealousy and enmity.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

20 Days in Mariupol
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
While the Ukrainian city was under siege by Russian forces, a team of journalists recorded the brutal war, resulting in this essential documentary.

A scene from the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol,” which charts Russia’s attack on the city.
By JASON FARAGO

Theater Camp
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG-13 | Comedy | Directed by Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman
In this bitterly funny mockumentary set at a drama institute, the actors feel their characters in their bones.

Molly Gordon and Ben Platt, foreground, in “Theater Camp.”
By AMY NICHOLSON

Lakota Nation vs. United States
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG-13 | Documentary, History | Directed by Jesse Short Bull, Laura Tomaselli
In 1980, the Lakota were offered money for their stolen Black Hills land. They refused to accept the settlement and continue to fight today.

By CONCEPCIÓN DE LEÓN

Black Ice
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Documentary, Sport | Directed by Hubert Davis
The Canadian filmmaker Hubert Davis amplifies the voices of hockey players of color and reveals the sport’s lesser-known pioneers in this smart, sensitive documentary.

A scene from “Black Ice.”
By NICOLAS RAPOLD

Earth Mama
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Drama | Directed by Savanah Leaf
In Savanah Leaf’s moving, intimate feature debut, a pregnant woman tries to regain custody of her two children in foster care.

Tia Nomore, right, who stars as a pregnant single mother in “Earth Mama,” with Doechii.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

— Of Possible Interest —

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
PG-13 | Action, Adventure, Thriller | Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
In this franchise’s seventh entry, Tom Cruise’s mission includes increasingly improbable leaps, chases and stunts. Luckily for us, he chooses to accept it.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Gray Matter
Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Directed by Meko Winbush
Things don’t go well when a teenage girl with mental superpowers ends up at a secret facility in this Max movie entirely devoid of suspense or character.
By ELISABETH VINCENTELLI

Once Upon a Time in Uganda
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Cathryne Czubek
A new documentary tells how a Ugandan filmmaker and an American producer have reshaped African cinema.

By ROBERT DANIELS

Amanda
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Carolina Cavalli
A delusional college grad befriends an agoraphobic misanthrope in this stylish dark comedy by the Italian | Director Carolina Cavalli.

From left, Galatéa Bellugi as Rebecca and Benedetta Porcaroli as Amanda in the Carolina Cavalli feature “Amanda.”
By BEATRICE LOAYZA

The Lesson
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Thriller | Directed by Alice Troughton
A tense standoff between two writers kindles familial fireworks in this wittily self-aware melodrama.

An unhappy family in a den of deceit: from left, Richard E. Grant, Daryl McCormack, Julie Delpy and Stephen McMillan in “The Lesson.”
By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

Biosphere
NYT Critic’s Pick | Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi | Directed by Mel Eslyn
What happens when a petulant, anti-intellectual president destroys the planet and he and his childhood buddy, the brainy one, are the only survivors?

Sterling K. Brown (left) plays the wiser consigliere to Mark Duplass’s childish former president in “Biosphere.”
By AMY NICHOLSON

Joy Ride
NYT Critic’s Pick | Comedy | Directed by Adele Lim
Four friends travel to China in a trip that goes entertainingly off the rails in this terrific comedy, starring Ashley Park and Sherry Cola.

From left, Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, Ashley Park and Sabrina Wu in “Joy Ride.”
By ELISABETH VINCENTELLI

Sin La Habana
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Kaveh Nabatian
In Kaveh Nabatian’s new drama, an Afro-Cuban dancer tries to bring his girlfriend to Canada through a sham marriage.

Yonah Acosta in “Sin La Habana.”
By CLAIRE SHAFFER

— Of Possible Interest —

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
PG | Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy | Directed by Kirk DeMicco, Faryn Pearl
The newest animated adventure from DreamWorks follows a high schooler who transforms into a giant tentacled sea creature.
By NATALIA WINKELMAN

Nimona
PG | Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Directed by Nick Bruno, Troy Quane
A zingy, chintzy, idea-driven animated feature based on the ND Stevenson comic.
By AMY NICHOLSON

Every Body
R | Documentary | Directed by Julie Cohen
The documentary follows three openly intersex people, set against the larger backdrop of decades of secrecy and unnecessary surgeries.
By TEO BUGBEE

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
Documentary | Directed by Stephen Kijak
Stephan Kijak’s new documentary seems keenly interested in the ways in which the closeted actor’s sexuality manifested itself, largely unintentionally, in his movies.
By CALUM MARSH

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
PG-13 | Action, Adventure | Directed by James Mangold
The gruff appeal of Harrison Ford, both de-aged and properly weathered, is the main draw in this generally silly entry in the long-running franchise.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

The Stroll
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Zackary Drucker, Kristen Lovell
In this documentary, transgender sex workers speak for themselves without sanitizing or sensationalizing their experiences.

Kristen Lovell, who directed and appears in the documentary “The Stroll.”
By DEVIKA GIRISH

— Of Possible Interest —

Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
Documentary | Directed by Nancy Buirski
A documentary examines how the winner for best picture of 1969 captured shifts in American life.
By BEN KENIGSBERG

Surrounded
R | Western | Directed by Anthony Mandler
Playing a woman disguising herself as a man, Wright is haunting and haunted, and Michael K. Williams is an energetic presence in one of his last roles.
By GLENN KENNY

Sublime
Drama | Directed by Mariano Biasin
A teenager dreams of pop songs, and his best friend, in Mariano Biasin’s tender gay coming-of-age drama.
By ERIK PIEPENBURG

Asteroid City
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG-13 | Comedy, Drama, Romance | Directed by Wes Anderson
In his latest film, Wes Anderson and his all-stars go meta with a TV show about a theatrical play that, in turn, is about a small town, U.S.A.

Grace Edwards, left, and Scarlett Johansson in “Asteroid City.”
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Elemental
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG | Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi | Directed by Peter Sohn
The latest movie from Disney/Pixar tucks a romantic comedy inside a high-concept premise. It’s smoldering and splashy.

Wade (voiced by Mamoudou Athie) and Ember (Leah Lewis), center, in “Elemental.”
By AMY NICHOLSON

— Of Possible Interest —

The Blackening
R | Comedy, Horror, Thriller | Directed by Tim Story
With more jokes than jump scares, this comedic horror film is as tartly amusing as it is provocative.
By LISA KENNEDY

The Flash
PG-13 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi | Directed by Andy Muschietti
In the latest DC Comics blowout, Ezra Miller suits up as the speedy superhero alongside special guests like Batman (hello, Michael Keaton).
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Stan Lee
Documentary, Biography | Directed by David Gelb
Disappointingly, this creation story of Lee gives way to the characters he helped create.
By AMY NICHOLSON

You Hurt My Feelings
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Comedy, Drama | Directed by Nicole Holofcener
The director Nicole Holofcener’s characters are known for their brazen honesty. But it’s dishonesty that drives her new film, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Tobias Menzies and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in “You Hurt My Feelings,” the director Nicole Holofcener’s latest comedy.
By WESLEY MORRIS

— Of Possible Interest —

Will-o’-the-Wisp
Unrated | Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance, Sci-Fi | Directed by João Pedro Rodrigues
Or, at least, he kinda-sorta tries to rebel in this romantic, futuristic fable from the Portuguese director João Pedro Rodrigues.
By AMY NICHOLSON

The Little Mermaid
PG | Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Romance | Directed by Rob Marshall
Disney’s live-action remake, with Halle Bailey starring as Ariel and a diverse cast, is a dutiful corrective with noble intentions and little fun.
By WESLEY MORRIS

Past Lives
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG-13 | Drama, Romance | Directed by Celine Song
Celine Song’s film debut, starring Greta Lee, follows two childhood friends who share a wistful kind of love across two decades and two continents.

In “Past Lives,” Teo Yoo, left, and Greta Lee play childhood friends who reconnect in New York City.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG | Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi | Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
This charming sequel to the 2018 animated movie expands the multiverse concept, without shamelessly capitalizing on fan service.

Miles Morales (voiced again by Shameik Moore) is joined by countless Spider-Men in this sequel.
By MAYA PHILLIPS

After Sherman
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Jon Sesrie Goff
A New York-based filmmaker wades into the deep waters of his Gullah Geechee heritage and South Carolina roots.

A scene in “After Sherman,” a documentary | Directed by Jon-Sesrie Goff. “I’m Gullah, born in exile,” Goff says.
By LISA KENNEDY

Reality
NYT Critic’s Pick | TV-MA | Drama | Directed by Tina Satter
A new docudrama starring Sydney Sweeney as Reality Winner is gripping, even as it strips a true story of its political context.

Sydney Sweeney as Reality Winner in the docudrama “Reality.”
By AMY NICHOLSON

— Of Possible Interest —

Being Mary Tyler Moore
Documentary | Directed by James Adolphus
This charming documentary aims to peek under the smile of a groundbreaking television star.

Blue Jean
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Georgia Oakley
School bullying rattles the life of a closeted lesbian teacher in this accomplished period drama.

Rosy McEwen in “Blue Jean.”
By TEO BUGBEE

Scarlet
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama, History, Romance | Directed by Pietro Marcello
In a new film from the director of “Martin Eden,” pastoral interludes of domestic life in the wake of World War I alternate with views of the world beyond.

Juliette Jouan in “Scarlet,” directed by Pietro Marcello. The film is an adaptation of the Russian novel “Scarlet Sails.”
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Aloners
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Hong Seong-eun
The director Hong Sung-eun’s debut feature is a quietly tragic tale of alienation and the ennui of modern life.

Gong Seung-Yeon, left, and Jung Da-eun in “Aloners.”
By BRANDON YU

— Of Possible Interest —

Daliland
Biography, Drama | Directed by Mary Harron
Ben Kingsley plays Salvador Dalí, the man and the mustachioed myth, as he contends with his demanding wife and the far more voracious art world.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

All Man: The International Male Story
Documentary | Directed by Bryan Darling, Jesse Finley Reed
The catalog was more than a place to peruse the latest fashions. It reshaped society’s definitions of masculinity.
By ELISABETH VINCENTELLI

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
PG-13 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi | Directed by Steven Caple Jr.
Things start out fun with this prequel, but frantic plot mechanics might steer your interest into a ditch.
By AMY NICHOLSON

The Eight Mountains
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Felix van Groeningen, Charlotte Vandermeersch
Set in the Italian Alps, this tender memory movie charts an intense friendship across both decades and continents.

Alessandro Borghi, left, as Bruno and Luca Marinelli as Pietro in “The Eight Mountains” by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch.
By MANOHLA DARGIS

R.M.N.
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Cristian Mungiu
The director Cristian Mungiu, a powerhouse of the Romanian New Wave, examines a village’s explosive reaction to a bakery hiring some foreign workers.

Marin Grigore, center, and Judith Slate, seated at right beside him, in a scene from “R.M.N.”
By MANOHLA DARGIS

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG-13 | Comedy, Drama | Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
Judy Blume’s groundbreaking novel about puberty — and so much more — finally gets the adaptation it deserves.

By LISA KENNEDY

Polite Society
NYT Critic’s Pick | PG-13 | Action, Comedy | Directed by Nida Manzoor
This exuberant genre mash-up borrows from everything — westerns, musicals, heist capers, horror, Jane Austen and James Bond — to tell the story of two sisters.

Priya Kansara, left, with Ritu Arya in “Polite Society.”
By AMY NICHOLSON

Nuclear Now
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Oliver Stone
The director’s new documentary considers our complicated relationship to nuclear energy and argues that it is our best hope against climate change.

Oliver Stone’s new documentary wrestles with the enduring fears of nuclear power, including its association with war and disaster, our critic writes.
By BRANDON YU

Nostalgia
NYT Critic’s Pick | Drama | Directed by Mario Martone
The Italian director Mario Martone creates an expressive, economic depiction of crime and longing in this drama about a man coming home to Naples.

Pierfrancesco Favino in “Nostalgia.”
By TEO BUGBEE

Infinity Pool
NYT Critic’s Pick | R | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Directed by Brandon Cronenberg
A wealthy writer succumbs to the lure of consequence-free violence in this artfully potent blend of horror and science fiction.

A scene from “Infinity Pool,” directed by Brandon Cronenberg.
By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS

Geographies of Solitude
NYT Critic’s Pick | Documentary | Directed by Jacquelyn Mills
Part nature film, part biographical portrait, this experimental documentary takes its cues from its setting, an island off mainland Nova Scotia.

Zoe Lucas on Sable Island in the documentary “Geographies of Solitude.”
By BEN KENIGSBERG

— Of Possible Interest —

Close
PG-13 | Drama | Directed by Lukas Dhont
Friendship and tragedy go hand in hand in Lukas Dhont’s delicate, Oscar-nominated drama.
By A.O. SCOTT

Shotgun Wedding
R | Action, Comedy, Romance | Directed by Jason Moore
A destination wedding becomes a high-stakes hostage situation in this action-heavy film.
By CALUM MARSH

The Wandering Earth II
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi | Directed by Frant Gwo
The audacious sequel to Frant Gwo’s 2019 sci-fi blockbuster follows survivors working to avert planetary disaster, but it loses much of the glee of its predecessor.
By BRANDON YU