What to stream: ‘Val’ and the best of Kilmer

“Val,” a deeply personal and intimate documentary about the actor Val Kilmer, arrives on Amazon Prime Friday after bowing at the Cannes Film Festival in July and playing theatrical engagements for the past two weeks. A cinematic memoir of sorts, “Val” is a film that Kilmer has wanted to make for a long time, and since losing his voice to throat cancer, it became even more urgent for the actor, who has not been able to work in the same capacity on screen.

The film is directed by Ting Poo and Leo Scott, but it truly feels like a collaboration between the directors, Kilmer, and his children (who are producers). Kilmer’s son Jack provides the voice-over work, reading his father’s words over archival footage that Kilmer shot on home video throughout his career. A rough-hewn and beautifully devastating film, it calls to mind the home movies that Kilmer made with his brothers, growing up in Chatsworth, Calif.

Though Kilmer says he wanted to make a movie about acting, about truth and illusion and what it means to live in the illusion for as long as he did, it’s truly a film about Kilmer himself: his upbringing, family, dreams and many personal challenges. But it’s also a unique look at his career, with audition tapes and behind-the-scenes footage he shot himself. The film walks us through many of his most memorable movie roles, which will undoubtedly inspire viewers to revisit these films.

Start with Kilmer’s film debut, starring in the Zucker Brothers’ supremely silly and absolutely hilarious 1984 spy spoof “Top Secret!” streaming on Amazon Prime and Paramount+. After that, don’t miss a rewatch of Tony Scott’s 1986 action classic “Top Gun” in which Kilmer played Maverick’s antagonist Iceman, and uttered the indelible phrase, “you can be my wingman anytime.” Stream it on Starz or rent it on digital platforms for $2.99.

In the high fantasy 1988 Ron Howard/George Lucas collab “Willow,” Kilmer played the hunky Madmartigan and met and fell in love with his future wife, Joanne Whalley, who co-starred as Sorsha. Watch it on Disney+ or rent it for $3.99 elsewhere. Kilmer threw himself into a yearlong preparation to play Jim Morrison for Oliver Stone in 1991’s “The Doors,” and his performance has melded itself with the memory of Morrison himself in the collective imagination. Stream it on HBO Max.

Kilmer co-starred as Doc Holliday opposite Kurt Russell’s Wyatt Earp in 1993’s “Tombstone” (streaming on Amazon Prime) and fulfilled a boyhood dream of playing Batman in Joel Schumacher’s 1995 “Batman Forever” (streaming on HBO Max). But the challenges of the rubber suit meant Kilmer was one and done with the Caped Crusader, and he moved on to a supporting role in Michael Mann’s epic heist classic “Heat” (streaming on Starz or a $2.99 rental), and later starred in the British spy reboot “The Saint” (streaming on Showtime, or a $2.99 rental). The disastrous “The Island of Doctor Moreau” was a chance to work with his idol Marlon Brando, but the challenges of the shoot were too much for Kilmer to bear. This fascinating train wreck must be seen to be believed, so rent it for $1.99 on digital platforms.

While many other films followed, these made up the bulk of the filmography for which Kilmer is best known, an eclectic group of films across all genres, some where Kilmer was pigeonholed into leading man roles when he’s actually a character actor and clown at heart.

“Val” lets us in a bit into the wild, magical, strange and challenging life of the actor; a sensitive soul who was often labeled difficult to work with. But there’s no denying that he’s one of the greats, and his screen presence is sorely missed. “Val” helps to restore it, and to establish his humanity and grace as, simply, Val.