Jacques Rivette, French New Wave Director of Enigmatic Films, Dies at 87
By DAVE KEHR
Mr. Rivette may not have been as well known as his colleagues François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, but his work was revered by film aficionados.
Matt Sayles/Invision, via Associated Press
Spike Lee
The timing of Mr. Lee’s latest film, “Chi-Raq,” has again made him a go-to source on issues like diversity and gun control.
‘Spotlight’ Takes Top Screen Actors Guild Award
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Frederic J. Brown/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The actors in the film “Spotlight” won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The actors’ organization also honors Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson, Idris Elba and Alicia Vikander.
Post Typography
To be a critic is to be a defender of the life of art and a champion of the art of living.
Pablo Larraín’s ‘The Club’: At Home With the Sins of the Fathers
By RACHEL DONADIO
Music Box Films
A scene from “The Club,” from the Chilean director Pablo Larraín.
This Chilean director admires the film “Spotlight,” which deals with a similar subject. But he takes his tale in a different direction.
‘Carol’ and ‘Transparent’: Women in Love, Then and Now
By WESLEY MORRIS
Jennifer Clasen/Amazon Studios
Carrie Brownstein, left, and Gaby Hoffmann in “Transparent.”
Jill Soloway’s Amazon series and Todd Haynes’s movie romance offer contrasting visions of experience for gay women.
Todd Haynes Collects Images to Guide the Feel of His Films
By MEKADO MURPHY
Wilson Webb/The Weinstein Company
Cate Blanchett in “Carol.”
The director of “Carol” and other films creates image books that later influence what is seen on the screen.
Elliot Davis/Sundance Institute
Armie Hammer and Nate Parker in “The Birth of a Nation.”
At its best, the Sundance Film Festival is still helping to write the next chapters in American cinema.
‘The Birth of a Nation’ Sweeps Top Awards at the Sundance Film Festival
By BROOKS BARNES
The movie, a slave-revolt drama, won the grand jury prize for a narrative film and was voted the best movie by audiences at the festival.
At Sundance, Rubbing Shoulders With A-Listers, for a Price
By SHEILA MARIKAR
Want to party with the movie stars, but not invited? V.I.P. concierges offer well-heeled clients access to screenings, clubs and parties.
Michael Mann in the Spotlight at BAMcinématek
By DANIEL M. GOLD
MGM/Photofest, via BAM
James Caan in “Thief,” part of a Michael Mann retrospective.
This retrospective, “Heat & Vice: the Films of Michael Mann,” focuses on his career as a feature film director.
Sundance Actors, Ages 10 and 16, Join the ‘Breakthrough’ Ranks
By BROOKS BARNES
Matt Sayles/Invision, via Associated Press
Markees Christmas, who stars in “Morris From America.”
Markees Christmas, 16, and Royalty Hightower, 10. are among those who could become The Next Big Thing.
News & Features
Vocations: The Makeup Artist
Ve Neill, Oscar-Winning Makeup Artist: Putting a Face on Fantasy
As told to PATRICIA R. OLSEN
Ms. Neill, who did the makeup for Michael Keaton in “Beetlejuice” and Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” has been fascinated with transforming people since she was 5.
The Oscars and Race: A Stir Over Rules to Change the Academy
By CARA BUCKLEY
Older members say a diversity initiative for the Oscars creates a new problem: ageism.
That’s Not Just a Bear You Hear in ‘The Revenant’
By MEKADO MURPHY
How the sound team of “The Revenant” used horse and camel audio to bring the film’s bear to roaring life.
The Eight Best Films T Saw at Sundance This Year
By JEFF OLOIZIA
Plus, the $17.5-million one that got away.
Sundance Roars for a Black Film, and Fox Searchlight Bids $17 Million
By BROOKS BARNES
If accepted, the offer for “The Birth of a Nation,” about Nat Turner, would be one of the highest prices ever paid for a film making its debut at the film festival.
Readers Respond: Oscars So White? Or Oscars So Dumb?
By MARIE TAE McDERMOTT
After critics weighed in on the furor over the all-white acting nominations, readers joined the debate, with many arguing that the academy got it right.
Three Films by Richard Lester, a Yank in Britain’s 1960s New Wave
By J. HOBERMAN
Kino Lorber releases “The Knack … and How to Get It” (1965), “How I Won the War” (1967) and “The Bed Sitting Room” (1969) on Blu-ray.
Questioning the Evidence in the ‘Making a Murderer’ Case
By MONICA DAVEY
The Netflix series “Making a Murderer” raised doubts about convictions in a 2005 murder. Here are a few of the questions, and responses from investigators and the lead prosecutor.
With Eye on Growth, Imagine Entertainment Seeks an Investment
By MICHAEL J. de la MERCED
If the deal is completed, Imagine would gain capital and supporters to expand its ability to back film and television productions and make acquisitions.
Gina Rodriguez Asks Latino Audiences to Support Latino Actors
By MELENA RYZIK
The “Jane the Virgin” star starts #MovementMondays, a social media campaign to support films and shows starring Hispanic performers.
Scene City
Chris Hemsworth Is the New Face of Australia
By BEN WIDDICOMBE
The hunky actor is introduced as a global ambassador for tourism in his country at a party in Bryant Park.
‘Making a Murderer’ Town’s Answer to Netflix Series: You Don’t Know
By MONICA DAVEY
A reporter goes back to Manitowoc County, Wis., where residents who considered the 10-year-old case settled are being second-guessed about Steven Avery’s return to prison.
How Two Little-Known Actors Became the Obamas
By JEFF OLOIZIA
Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter play the first couple — on their first date — in the Sundance favorite “Southside With You.”
Joseph Fiennes Will Play Michael Jackson in British Comedy
By KAREN WORKMAN
Social media reaction seemed negative to the casting of a white actor in the half-hour TV show, “Elizabeth, Michael & Marlon.”
Cate Blanchett to Make Broadway Debut in Play Directed by John Crowley
By MICHAEL PAULSON
The work, “The Present,” is a new adaptation of a lesser-known Chekhov play that is often called “Platonov.”
Laura Poitras Prepares ‘Astro Noise’ for the Whitney Museum
By SARAH LYALL
Nothing is what it seems in the exhibition by Ms. Poitras, which opens Feb. 5.
Miley Cyrus Joins the Cast of Woody Allen’s Amazon Series
By JOE COSCARELLI
For his first foray into television, Mr. Allen is relying on one of his tried and true formulas — casting an attention-grabbing young actress alongside himself. This time it’s Ms. Cyrus.
‘Antibirth,’ Natasha Lyonne and Chloë Sevigny’s Sundance Reunion
By BROOKS BARNES
The actresses discuss their film, directed by Danny Perez, which aims for cult horror territory.
Front Row
A Director Follows Acclaim for ‘Tangerine’ With a Film for Kenzo
By MATTHEW SCHNEIER
Sean Baker, the director, teams up with the LVMH label.
Abe Vigoda, of ‘Godfather’ and ‘Barney Miller,’ Dies at 94
By STUART LAVIETES
Mr. Vigoda was reported dead 34 years ago — erroneously — a story that stuck with him and helped make him a cult figure.
So Far, Amazon and Netflix Are Sundance’s Top Buyers
By BROOKS BARNES
At the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, the big streaming services, not the traditional studios, are driving the deal-making.
Film Academy Gives Guidance on Oscar Voting Rights
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences late Monday disclosed guidelines meant to settle at least some questions surrounding new diversity-oriented rules.
‘The Big Short’ Takes Producers’ Prize. Will It Win the Oscar?
By CARA BUCKLEY
The race was thought to be down to “The Revenant” and “Spotlight, but this victory changes the picture. Many Producers Guild winners go on to best picture.
Ava DuVernay on Hollywood’s Inclusion Problem
By CARA BUCKLEY
At the Sundance Film Festival, where the talk was of the academy’s voting changes, the director explains why she hates the word “diversity.”
‘Weiner’ Directors Say Film Is About Media’s Sensationalism
By BROOKS BARNES
At Sundance premiere, documentary makers seek to take the spotlight off the politician Anthony D. Weiner and his wife, the Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
‘The Skinny,’ About Bulimia, to Debut at Sundance
By BROOKS BARNES
This comedic web series from Jessie Kahnweiler is about a feminist YouTube star who struggles with bulimia.
At Sundance, a Focus on Fetishes and Flatulence
By BROOKS BARNES
Some attendees, especially distributors, are wondering if the film festival has fallen too deep into the art house rabbit hole.
In the ‘Martyrs’ Remake, French Punishment Is Done American Style
By ERIK PIEPENBURG
Pascal Laugier’s 2008 French-language thriller has been adapted for American audiences, with a few script tweaks. Some fans of the original are not pleased.
Gainsbourg and Birkin, Fearless on Film at Lincoln Center
By GIA KOURLAS
Daughter and mother talk about their penchant for risk-taking on the eve of a program devoted to their work.
Film Forum Presents a 15-Film Coen Brothers Retrospective
By ANDY WEBSTER
The program includes Ethan and Joel Coen’s “Fargo,” “Raising Arizona” and “No Country for Old Men,” as well as their newest, “Hail, Caesar!”
Julien Duvivier, a Gallic Auteur at Home, and Jacques Feyder, One Abroad
By J. HOBERMAN
The two directors are the subjects of new collections: Duvivier in an Eclipse set of four films, and Feyder in two Hollywood films starring Ramón Novarro.
Table for Three
Alice Walker and Colm Toibin, and Their Trail of Words
By PHILIP GALANES
The authors of “The Color Purple” and “Brooklyn” compare notes on Hollywood, others adapting their work, and how real life has informed their fiction.
Academy Board Endorses Changes to Increase Diversity in Oscar Nominees and Itself
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
Stung by criticism of its all-white Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it would overhaul its structure to increase diversity.
Academy Members Respond to Swift Changes for Board
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Reactions were varied after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it was taking steps to double the number of female and minority members by 2020.
Sundance Officially Sidesteps Oscar Controversy, but Its Opening Film Doesn’t
By BROOKS BARNES
The festival’s founder and its director declined to weigh in on this year’s all-white slate of actor nominees, but a documentary on Norman Lear tackled the race issue.
Interview: The Directors Behind a Mapplethorpe Documentary
By BROOKS BARNES
The directors Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey discuss their documentary “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures” and the artist’s legacy.
Charlotte Rampling Says Oscars ‘Boycott’ Is ‘Racist Against Whites’
By RACHEL DONADIO
The best-actress nominee drew widespread condemnation online.
10 Sundance Movies With Heat
By BROOKS BARNES
A look at select films screening at the Sundance Film Festival.
Oscars So White? Or Oscars So Dumb? Discuss.
By MANOHLA DARGIS, WESLEY MORRIS and A. O. SCOTT
For the second year in a row, the Academy failed to recognize any minority actors. Our chief film critics and our critic at large on what in the world is going on.
The Sundance Film Festival Trains Its Sights on the Gun Debate
By BROOKS BARNES
Several selections at this year’s festival are joining the national discussion about mass shootings and gun control.
Below the Line: Designing ‘The Martian’
By MEKADO MURPHY
A look at the production design for life on Mars in “The Martian.”
Film Shows Clinton Aide’s Own Struggle With Anthony Weiner Scandal
By AMY CHOZICK and BROOKS BARNES
A documentary about Anthony D. Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, a top aide to Hillary Clinton, comes at an uncomfortable time for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign.
Tarantino’s Law: The Script Dictates the Costumes
By RACHEL LEE HARRIS
For “The Hateful Eight,” a designer draws on history and spaghetti westerns, but the screenplay is the final word on how characters are outfitted.
Explorer
In the Bahamas, Scuba Diving With James Bond’s Trainer
By EDMUND VALLANCE
Exploring sunken ships off the coast of New Providence and Bimini with the man who taught Sean Connery how to scuba dive.
Movie Reviews
Review: In ‘Saala Khadoos,’ a Female Boxer Rises From the Streets in India
By RACHEL SALTZ
With a rawness that dovetails with the role, the newcomer Ritika Singh stars in this Bollywood film, with her coach played by the seasoned R. Madhavan.
Oscar-Nominated Shorts, Mirroring a World of Pain and Fortitude
By STEPHEN HOLDEN
These 15 films, ranging from harrowing live-action tales and documentaries to ingenious animation, have been packaged for commercial release this weekend.
Review: ‘The Finest Hours’ Stars Chris Pine, Leading a Mission Against All Odds
By STEPHEN HOLDEN
Based on a real-life 1952 rescue of men aboard a tanker in a brutal storm, this nostalgic film also features Casey Affleck as a heroic shipboard engineer.
In ‘Kung Fu Panda 3,’ a New Dad Who Talks Like Bryan Cranston
By NEIL GENZLINGER
The film’s central character, voiced by Jack Black, reunites with his long-lost father just as all of China is menaced by a fearsome beast.
Review: In ‘Jane Got a Gun,’ Clear Skies, Followed by a Hail of Bullets
By GLENN KENNY
Natalie Portman plays a frontier wife who enlists the aid of a former lover, portrayed by Joel Edgerton, to defend her home.
Review: ‘Fifty Shades of Black’ Sells Sex With (Intentional) Laughs
By ANDY WEBSTER
This satire starring and co-written by Marlon Wayans has fun with the screen adaptation of a certain best-selling book.
Review: Amos Gitai’s ‘Rabin, the Last Day’ Looks Back in Anguish
By A. O. SCOTT
Mr. Gitai’s new film delves into the incendiary political culture that led to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel in 1995.
Review: Noam Chomsky Focuses on Financial Inequality in ‘Requiem for the American Dream’
By DANIEL M. GOLD
In the documentary “Requiem for the American Dream,” Mr. Chomsky conjures a sobering vision of a society in an accelerating decline.
Review: In ‘Mountain Men,’ Two Brothers Are Forced to Work Things Out
By KEN JAWOROWSKI
This Cameron Labine film features mismatched siblings and a road trip gone wrong.
Review: In ‘Lazer Team,’ Bickering Losers Try to Save the World
By NEIL GENZLINGER
Four small-town idiots accidentally end up in possession of a suit of high-tech armor that is Earth’s best defense against an invasion from outer space.
Review: ‘JeruZalem,’ Through Glasses, Darkly
By NEIL GENZLINGER
A different perspective on a dream vacation to Israel, with all the amenities, including appearances by the undead.
Movie Listings for Jan. 29-Feb. 4
A guide to movies playing at theaters in the New York City area, as well as select festivals and film series. A complete list of new releases is at nytimes.com/intheaters.
More Reviews
Oscar Nominated Shorts in Pictures
By MEKADO MURPHY
Images from the Oscar-nominated short films, playing in a series of programs in theaters around the country.
The Films of Michael Mann
By MEKADO MURPHY
Images of the director’s work, which is being shown in a series at BAMcinématek called “Heat & Vice: the Films of Michael Mann.”
Bluffer’s Guide to the Oscars: Best Supporting Actress
By MEKADO MURPHY
What you need to know about the contenders in one quick rundown.
Grimur Hakonarson Narrates a Scene From ‘Rams’
By MEKADO MURPHY
The director discusses a scene from his Icelandic drama “Rams.”
Special Section
Photos & Video
Anatomy of a Scene
In this series, directors discuss ideas and techniques behind moments in their films.
Laszlo Nemes Narrates a Scene From ‘Son of Saul’
By MEKADO MURPHY
The Hungarian director discusses the opening sequence of his debut feature, which received an Oscar nomination for best foreign language film.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu Narrates a Scene From ‘The Revenant’
By MEKADO MURPHY
The director discusses a sequence where the lead character Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) escapes from attackers by river.
Stephen Cone Narrates a Scene From ‘Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party’
By MEKADO MURPHY
The writer and director discusses a sequence from his film.
Andrew Haigh Narrates a Scene From ‘45 Years’
By MEKADO MURPHY
The writer and director discusses a scene featuring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay.
Golden Globes 2016 Red Carpet: See the Looks
Check out the red carpet style from the biggest awards show (so far) of 2016.
Scene City
Golden Globes 2016: Stars Hit the Parties
Cate Blanchett, Katy Perry, Ricky Gervais, Madonna and Sean Penn hit the Golden Globes parties.
Tom McCarthy Narrates a Scene From ‘Spotlight’
By MEKADO MURPHY
The director discusses a sequence from his film.
Movies Update
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Times Pulse
The most popular movies among NYTimes.com readers.
This guide includes links to the original reviews from the archives of The New York Times.
MOST POPULAR - MOVIES
- ‘Spotlight’ Takes Top Screen Actors Guild Award
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- The Carpetbagger: A Word With Spike Lee: ‘They Want to Rewind the Clock’
- Pablo Larraín’s ‘The Club’: At Home With the Sins of the Fathers
- Oscar-Nominated Shorts, Mirroring a World of Pain and Fortitude
- Three Films by Richard Lester, a Yank in Britain’s 1960s New Wave
- Jacques Rivette, French New Wave Director of Enigmatic Films, Dies at 87
- Review: In ‘The Big Short,’ Economic Collapse for Fun and Profit
- Review: ‘Anomalisa’ Pairs Charlie Kaufman and Lonely Puppets
- ‘Spotlight’ Takes Top Screen Actors Guild Award
- ‘Silence of the Lambs’ House Can’t Find a Buyer
- The Carpetbagger: A Word With Spike Lee: ‘They Want to Rewind the Clock’
- Critic's Notebook: Sundance Fights Tide With Films Like ‘The Birth of a Nation’
- Bluffer’s Guide to the Oscars: Best Supporting Actress
- Todd Haynes Collects Images to Guide the Feel of His Films
- Review: ‘The Finest Hours’ Stars Chris Pine, Leading a Mission Against All Odds
- Oscar Nominations 2016
- Pablo Larraín’s ‘The Club’: At Home With the Sins of the Fathers
- Three Films by Richard Lester, a Yank in Britain’s 1960s New Wave
