Movies Update: Minecraft goes to the movies

Plus, remembering Val Kilmer

View in browser|nytimes.com April 4, 2025 By Mekado Murphy Hey, movie fans! This week sees a video game obsession exploding onto the big screen. "A Minecraft Movie" is here, blending elements of the game with outsize performances from Jack Black and Jason Momoa. In his review, the critic Brandon Yu focused on the film's embrace of a random comic aesthetic that fueled the internet of the mid-2000s. He wrote, "This retro sensibility might, on paper, make for an out-of-touch comedy, but there's something almost refreshingly bold in the full-tilt inanity here." Go on a little mine cart journey with the leads in this scene from the film, narrated by its director, Jared Hess. Also this week, Hollywood mourned the loss of one of the definitive stars of the '80s and '90s, Val Kilmer, who died at 65. Esther Zuckerman wrote about the eccentricity he brought to his roles, Marc Tracy recalled the era when Kilmer played Batman, and we looked back at his life in pictures and some of his best movies to stream. Those titles include "Top Gun," of course, although my fondness is for the 1984 spy spoof that jump-started his career, "Top Secret!" On the documentary front, an intriguing one about the comedian Andy Kaufman, "Thank You Very Much," is available on demand. The film critic Alissa Wilkinson wrote about how the film illuminates Kaufman's absurd style, and the comedy critic Jason Zinoman offered 10 clips to help you understand what made Kaufman great. Enjoy the movies. Paramount Pictures, via Everett Collection An Appraisal Val Kilmer Brought a Wonderfully Weird Sensibility to Every Role Even his choice of parts could be eccentric. In the end, he's best thought of as a character actor trapped in a leading man's body. By Esther Zuckerman Warner Bros. Pictures 'A Minecraft Movie' Review: Block by Bizarre Block Jack Black and Jason Momoa star in this adaptation of the megahit video game that leans into the mindless silliness of mid-aughts comedy. By Brandon Yu Telstar Films/Metrograph Pictures 'Gazer' Review: Peering Out From a Lonely Place Ryan J. Sloan's brooding thriller is a murky tale about an isolated woman, with many shades of Schrader, Nolan and Cronenberg. By Manohla Dargis Drafthouse Films Documentary Lens A Film Tries to Make Sense of Andy Kaufman's Comedy of Discomfort "Thank You Very Much," directed by Alex Braverman, uses archival footage and interviews to explore the appeal of a stand-up who didn't tell jokes. By Alissa Wilkinson CRITICS' PICKS The Film Desk Critic's pick 'Henry Fonda for President' Review: A Legend and His Contradictions Fonda was the embodiment of America, the director Alexander Horwath posits in this documentary. By Glenn Kenny Levantine Films Critic's Pick 'A Nice Indian Boy' Review: Meet-Cute at a Hindu Temple Thanks to the instant chemistry between Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff, the film pulls off their whirlwind romance. By Chris Azzopardi Cinema Guild Critic's Pick 'Love Hotel' Review: Finding Space for Beauty in the Bleakness A Shinji Somai contribution to a narrow soft-core subgenre crushes together the anonymity and violence, desire and trauma, that bind lives of alienation. By Beatrice Loayza ANATOMY OF A SCENE Warner Bros. Pictures Anatomy of a Scene How Jack Black and Jason Momoa Share a Mine Cart in 'A Minecraft Movie' The director Jared Hess narrates an adventure sequence from his film, involving a cozy ride. By Mekado Murphy MOVIE REVIEWS Dana Hawley/Magnolia Pictures 'Eric LaRue' Review: When Pain Won't Stay Quiet Judy Greer stars in a searing drama about the mother of a school shooter and all the things we try not to say. By Alissa Wilkinson Film Forum 'When Fall Is Coming' Review: Cooking Up a Mystery With her kind eyes and guileless smile, Hélène Vincent plays a sweet old French lady. But looks can be deceiving in this François Ozon film. By Manohla Dargis IFC Films 'The Luckiest Man in America' Review: Taking a Game Show for a Spin Paul Walter Hauser stars as a real-life contestant on "Press Your Luck" who pulled off an improbable trick. By Ben Kenigsberg Neon 'Hell of a Summer' Review: Shallow Cuts Summer camp counselors run afoul of a masked killer in this limp, uninspired slasher throwback from Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk. By Calum Marsh Lionsgate 'Freaky Tales' Review: Totally Oakland Misogyny and racism get their butts spanked in this bold, messy celebration of the Bay Area in the 1980s. By Jeannette Catsoulis Odysseus Entertainment 'The Martial Artist' Review: Tap Out In this overwrought action film by Shaz Khan, a mixed martial artist's career is upended when his brother is killed. By Robert Daniels NEWS & FEATURES Michael Tighe/Donaldson Collection, via Getty Images Val Kilmer: A Life in Pictures A charismatic and handsome leading man in the 1990s, Kilmer played both superhero and rock star. Armchair Poetics LLC; 2Brave Productions/a_Bahn and Rinkel Docs; Flavio Armone Critic's Notebook At New Directors/New Films, the Faces Tell the Story They're the great cinematic landscape in stories as diverse as "Familiar Touch," about dementia, and "Timestamp," about Ukrainian schoolchildren. By Manohla Dargis Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Cinemacon Meet the Beatles! (The Movie Version, at Least.) The director Sam Mendes announced the stars of his four-film series, each told from the perspective of a different Beatle, set to be released in 2028. By Jonathan Wolfe Michael Townsend How to Live in the Mall Want your living space a stone's throw from the Aéropostale and Hot Topic? A new documentary, "Secret Mall Apartment," will show you the way. By Esther Zuckerman STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Walt Disney Studios 5 Children's Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a modern spin on a classic book and a "Lion King" prequel. By Dina Gachman Paramount Pictures Val Kilmer: Seven Memorable Movies to Stream Kilmer's film career ranged from slapstick comedy to some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and '90s. By Hank Sanders, Tim Balk, Yan Zhuang and Claire Moses Sony Pictures Five International Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include a Taiwanese horror-comedy, a South Indian tale of possession and patriarchy, a rain-soaked Chinese noir and more. By Devika Girish Film Movement Five Horror Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include everyday evildoers, Indonesian demons and a smug Brazilian serial killer. By Erik Piepenburg Columbia Pictures/Getty Images Stream These 17 Titles Before They Leave Netflix in April A few popular franchises are leaving this month for U.S. subscribers, including the first three "Karate Kid" movies. Catch these before they leave. By Jason Bailey 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. 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 Movies Update, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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