Movies Update: 'The Lion King' and More

Plus, black directors of the '90s on a boom that went bust.

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Stephanie Goodman Film Editor Hi, film fans! It's perfect moviegoing weather right now. I escaped the heat at a packed showing of "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and thoroughly enjoyed both the movie and the crowd's reactions. Even trailers, which I usually watch at my desk at work, are a kick to watch with a big group. (The promos for "Jumanji: The Next Level" and "Knives Out" went over well; "Ford v Ferrari" seemed to puzzle us.)  Speaking of "Spider-Man," Kyle Buchanan got a chance to sit down with the screenwriters and go over all the plot twists, including the end-credits scenes that had fans talking. They explained some of the ideas they rejected and how J.K. Simmons came to make a cameo.  Another big talker this week has been "The Lion King." It's not due till July 19, but critics got their first look at the remake, with its photorealistic computer animation, and their verdicts were decidedly mixed. Our A.O. Scott said there are "a great many impressive moments" but "not much heart."  We'll have more on "The Lion King" next week. In the meantime, stay cool and see you at the movies!

'American Pie' at 20: That Notorious Pie Scene, From Every Angle The pie, as it once was. Universal Pictures, via Photofest By ILANA KAPLAN Where did the audacious idea come from? How many pies were harmed in the shooting of the scene? Jason Biggs, Eugene Levy and others look back.

Movie Reviews 'The Lion King' Review: The Art of Herding Digital Cats By A.O. SCOTT Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Seth Rogen are some of the famous voices in a super-realistic version of the Disney and Broadway favorite. In 'The Farewell,' a Sham Wedding Is Really a Premature Funeral By A.O. SCOTT Awkwafina stars in Lulu Wang's latest feature, a fictionalized account of her family's efforts to shield her grandmother from a grim diagnosis. 'Stuber': There's an App for That (Riding With the Law) By MANOHLA DARGIS Hampered by eye surgery but in pursuit of a killer, Dave Bautista's detective finds a partner in Kumail Nanjiani's driver. 'Rojo': Who Is Guilty When Dictatorship Creeps In? By MANOHLA DARGIS The political ground shifts dangerously beneath the solid foundations of a seemingly upright lawyer in 1970s Argentina. 'The Art of Self-Defense': Karate Empowers a Dweeb By A.O. SCOTT Jesse Eisenberg falls under the spell of Alessandro Nivola's smooth-talking sensei in this small-time "Fight Club." Critic's Pick 'Sword of Trust': Marc Maron in a Comedy About Civil War Truthers By GLENN KENNY This comedian and podcast host delivers one of the year's best performances as a pawnshop owner on a quest in Lynn Shelton's new film. 'American Heretics': Challenging Religious Orthodoxies in Oklahoma By BEN KENIGSBERG A documentary showcases progressive Christian leaders who don't align with their state's conservative leanings. 'Summer Night': An Improbable Evening of Formative Experiences By BEN KENIGSBERG The actor Joseph Cross channels Richard Linklater in his directorial debut. 'General Magic': A Startup Before Its Time By BILGE EBIRI A new documentary offers an in-depth look at a company that envisioned technologies like iPhones, emojis and touch screens long before they arrived. 'The Sweet Requiem': Tibetan Activists Confront a Shared Tragic Past By GLENN KENNY In this portrait of Tibetan communities in Delhi, a woman reluctantly helps a man targeted by Chinese spies.

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News & Features 'Spider-Man: Far From Home': The Screenwriters Explain the Twists By KYLE BUCHANAN Here's how the secret cameos, villainous reveals and end-credit shockers all came together (along with the twist that didn't make it in). Critic's notebook Delighted — and Disturbed — by Octavia Spencer's Rage in 'Ma' By JENNA WORTHAM Complex themes of black isolation, motherhood, white entitlement, pain and humor course through her character. A Family's Real-Life Lie and the Movie That Complicated It By ROBERT ITO When a cancer diagnosis was kept secret from her grandmother, Lulu Wang knew she had a film. But how to explain her project to a matriarch who's still in the dark? De Niro and Netflix Bet That New York Can Be a New Hollywood By MATTHEW HAAG The actor and his son hope to join the city's exploding film and television production industry with a $400 million facility in Queens. Black Directors on the Legacy of John Singleton By REGGIE UGWU Peers from the '90s — Ernest Dickerson, Julie Dash, Matty Rich, Leslie Harris, Theodore Witcher and Darnell Martin — share personal memories of the filmmaker.

Streaming 'Cities of Last Things' Review: A History of One Man's Violence By BEN KENIGSBERG Wi Ding Ho's delicate and allusive film follows the life of a violent and vengeful cop in three parts — backward. Where to Stream the '90s Black Film Boom By REGGIE UGWU Watch the movies discussed in The New York Times's recent roundtable, and a few others from a golden age for black auteurs in Hollywood.

Critics' Picks 'Sea of Shadows' Review: A Suspenseful Story of Saving Porpoises By BEN KENIGSBERG A National Geographic documentary on the threat to an endangered species in the Gulf of California has a violent twist. 'Firecrackers' Review: Young, Angry and Trapped By JEANNETTE CATSOULIS In Jasmin Mozaffari's scrappy drama, two teenagers yearn to escape their backwater hometown before it smothers them.

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