With summer blockbusters on the horizon and the cold days of winter behind us, it’s time to go to the movies. Los Angeles has always been a film lover’s paradise, filled with both the latest releases and plenty of repertory theaters. 

In April, renowned production company A24 is returning with two wildly different movies — one based on the Iraq war and one set firmly in modern fantasy — but there’s also the $150 million video game adaptation, a genre which has historically premiered to rough reviews and box office numbers. Alongside these, multiple horror and thriller movies are opening on the big screen. Whatever your movie niche is, there’s something in theaters for you.

“A Minecraft Movie” 

From the video game’s humble beginnings in 2009, long before the days of different biomes or full netherite armor, to a movie starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, Minecraft has come a long way. 

It is the most popular video game of all time, but will that popularity — seen on little kids clad in full Creeper outfits or the ubiquitous plastic diamond swords at county fairs — translate into box office returns? 

The movie follows four outcasts from the real world who fall into a portal and get transported to a world made entirely of cubes, where they meet a master crafter who takes them on a quest to save his land. 

Filled with interesting costume choices and some head-scratching CGI, it’s sure to be interesting for longtime fans of the game alongside complete newcomers. “A Minecraft Movie” opens in theaters April 4, so it’s nearly time to see a Cchicken Jjockey fight on the big screen. 

“Hell of a Summer”

After Finn Wolfhard’s massive success portraying Mike Wheeler on “Stranger Things,” which is finally wrapping up its nearly decade-long run on TV, he has turned his sights to writing and directing. Wolfhard seems to have a penchant for science fiction and horror films, having starred in the most recent “Ghostbusters” reboots and playing young Richie Tozier in both “It” movies . 

“Hell of a Summer” follows a group of camp counselors at Camp Pineway who are brutally picked off one by one by a masked killer. Wolfhard co-wrote and directed the film with Billy Bryk, and they star as two of the counselors forced to outwit the murderer. 

The movie features Gen-Z humor, yet visually remains nostalgic for the 1980s camp aesthetic and 1990s slasher flicks. It feels like the perfect movie to go see with a rowdy group of friends and eventually end up tossing popcorn all over the place when the killer goes crazy. “Hell of a Summer” opens in theaters April 4 — double feature time?

“The Amateur”

Everyone remembers Rami Malek from his Emmy-award winning turn on “Mr. Robot.” This time, iIn the new spy thriller flick “The Amateur” from director James Hawes, who worked on Apple TV+’s quirky British spy series “Slow Horses,” Malek once again gets to show off his dramatic acting chops. 

The film follows CIA desk jockey Charles Heller (Malek), who manages to blackmail the agency into letting him pursue his wife’s killers; he ends up showing off a whole different side to him that proves he’s both dangerous and not to be underestimated. He is joined by Laurence Fishburne, who is himself no stranger to tense, action-packed thrillers, having starred in the “John Wick” series.

Following Steven Soderbergh’s slick and smart “Black Bag,” which was released in early March, it seems that spy movies are back on the docket for Hollywood. The twist of Heller’s character being a run-of-the-mill office employee who must now embark on a revenge quest adds to the drama and intrigue of the film, and it promises to be a fast-paced ride. “The Amateur” opens in theaters April 11, so mark your calendars now to see Malek get back on the spy saddle. 

“The Legend of Ochi”

What do you get when you combine Willem Dafoe with a fantastical and far-out plot? Movie magic! 

Dafoe has shown off his wily fantasy chops in “The Lighthouse” (2019), “Poor Things” (2023) and “Nosferatu” (2024), but now it’s time for him to venture to the outer wilds of Carpathia in “The Legend of Ochi,” writer and director Isaiah Saxon’s feature film debut with legendary indie production house A24. 

Saxon has previously directed some live action and animated shorts, and the mix of matte paintings and puppets will lend the film charm and a realistic feel because nothing beats practical effects. 

Helena Zengel stars as Yuri, who finds a baby Ochi, one of the mystical beasts who live near her village, and decides to rescue it and return it home, despite warnings that the Ochi are violent and dangerous. Dafoe plays Yuri’s dad Maxim, and his characteristic expressiveness shows itself off well in the trailer, which depicts a whimsical world full of heart and adventure. “The Legend of Ochi” opens in theaters April 25, just in time to fall in love with the cute little Ochis on the big screen.

“Warfare”

On a completely different note, A24’s intense war film aptly titled “Warfare” is written and directed by “Civil War” (2024) director Alex Garland and Iraq war veteran Ray Mendoza. It brings a unique twist to the war film genre by presenting the events in real time and basing them on the memories of a veteran personally involved in the conflict. Mendoza was awarded a Silver Star for his heroism in the Battle of Ramadi, where he saved the lives of fellow Navy SEALs.

The film has an ensemble cast of some of the brightest young talent, including Kit Connor, Joseph Quinn and Charles Melton. It doesn’t appear as if the film is romanticizing or idealizing any of the horrors of war; instead, it seems to be a tense and frightening affair. “Warfare” opens in theaters April 11, so prepare yourself for a story of war direct from both a celebrated auteur and someone involved in the fighting.