Movie recommendations from Times critics Justin Chang (J.C.) and Kenneth Turan (K.T.). All titles are in general release unless otherwise noted.

First Cow

Kelly Reichardt’s captivating, beautifully acted western stars John Magaro and Orion Lee as strangers who become unlikely friends and business partners in the Northwest, circa 1820. (J.C.) PG-13

I Lost My Body

As inventive a piece of animation as you’re likely to see, this extraordinary film is about a hand with a mind of its own, and if that sounds a little crazy, this dark, strange and altogether wonderful feature will make you believe. Directed by France’s Jérémy Clapin. (K.T.) NR. Netflix

The Invisible Man

Led by a superb Elisabeth Moss, this Universal reboot of a classic horror title is a gaslighting thriller expertly retooled by writer-director Leigh Whannell for the era of #MeToo. (J.C.) R.

The Irishman

Its possibly true story of the life and crimes of a Mafia hit man, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, is a revelation, as intoxicating a movie as the year has seen, allowing director Martin Scorsese to use his expected mastery of all elements of filmmaking to ends we did not see coming. (K.T.) R. Netflix

Knives Out

Rian Johnson’s deliriously entertaining country-house murder mystery brings together a splendid cast (led by Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas), an ingenious script and a razorsharp indictment of class inequality and moral rot in contemporary America. (J.C.) PG-13.

Little Women

As written and directed by Greta Gerwig and starring a transcendent Saoirse Ronan, the latest bigscreen version of Louisa May Alcott’s novel is a pip, with its strong, unmistakable message and even stronger emotions reinforcing each other to splendid effect. (K.T.) PG

Marriage Story

An emotionally lacerating experience, a nearly flawless elegy for a beautifully flawed couple played by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, both in peak form. Writer-director Noah Baumbach, a peerless observer of domestic pettiness and passive-aggressive behavior, puts every unflattering detail under his dramatic microscope. (J.C.) R. Netflix

Parasite

Winner of the best picture Oscar and Canne’s Palme d’Or, Bong Joon Ho’s deviously entertaining thriller about two very different families is an ingenious weave of domestic dark comedy, class allegory and, ultimately, devastating tragedy. (J.C.) R. Limited

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Looking and seeing become quietly radical acts in Céline Sciamma’s rapturously intelligent love story, starring Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel as an 18thcentury portrait painter and her subject. (Justin Chang) R. Limited

Uncut Gems

Adam Sandler gives the performance of his career as a jewelry dealer and gambling addict pinballing from one bad decision to the next in Josh and Benny Safdie’s relentlessly tense thriller. (J.C.) R. Limited

The Whistlers

An ancient whistling language from the island of La Gomera sets in motion this playful, razor-sharp genre exercise from Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu. (J.C.) NR. Limited