The 50 Best Movies On HBO Max Right Now (March 2024)

Our best movies on HBO Max list has been updated for the month of June, and it features 50 titles that include everything from Martin Scorsese classics, Steven Spielberg blockbusters, horror movies, to cinematic gems from the early days of Hollywood. There are even a few superheroes and anime titles in the mix, so basically, something for everyone on the streaming service. Together with our list of the best movies on Max, you’ll find a handy link to each title you can stream on Max, so you can start watching right away or save some for later. Your call. No pressure.

So let’s get into it. Here are the 50 best movies on HBO Max right now:

Last updated on February 29, 2024.

Year: 2022

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 193 minutes

Director: James Cameron

Trailer: Watch here

In this sequel to the groundbreaking smash hit, Avatar, director James Cameron once again delivers a stunning visual experience on the alien world of Pandora. Set 16 years later, The Way of Water catches up with Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) who are now parents to a sizable family of biological and adopted children. After being forced to move to a new region of Pandora, the family encounters an ancient threat that puts them on the path to war with the humans, who have not ceased their efforts to strip the planet of its resources.

Year: 2019

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, and Jang Hye-jin

Genre:Thriller, Mystery, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 132 minutes

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Trailer: Watch here

Winner of just about any major award you can name, Bong’s twisting drama features a poor family that infiltrates a wealthy one by pushing out their staff and replacing them until they’re living a borrowed high life. Superbly acted and brilliantly devised, it’s a darkly entertaining story as much about deception as it is about the gigantic, un-jumpable gap between the Haves and Have Nots. You’d expect nothing less from the visionary behind Snowpiercer. As a bonus, this prestige Best Picture winner also doubles as a ram-don recipe.

Year: 2023

Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 114 minutes

Director: Greta Gerwig

Trailer: Watch here

The summer blockbuster that launched a worldwide shortage of the color pink is streaming on Max with plenty of BTS extras for fans who want more Barbie, more Ken, and more musical numbers. Margot Robbie plays the blonde icon on a journey of self-discovery who realizes life in the real world is not so fantastic while Ryan Gosling plays her underappreciated sidekick, pining for her affections in his Mojo Dojo Casa House of sadness. Watch the theatrical version, Greta Gerwig’s commentary, the signed edition, or all three.

Year: 1968

Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester

Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure

Rating: G

Runtime: 145 minutes

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Trailer: Watch here

Before Star Wars exploded the sci-fi genre on the big screen, there was Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The 1968 film, based on the Arthur C. Clarke novel, tells the tale of a monolith found buried on the moon and its mysterious connections to humanity’s past, present, and future. After unlocking a secret message from the monolith, astronauts David Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) set off on a mission guided by the powerful and ominous computer system known as HAL-9000. As HAL begins to malfunction, the mission goes dangerously awry and the search for answers to humanity’s greatest questions becomes entangled in a battle with a seemingly rogue intelligence.

Year: 1994

Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Ving Rhames, Bruce Willis

Genre: Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 155 minutes

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Trailer: Watch here

In the star-studded Pulp Fiction, writer/director Quentin Tarantino weaves together several darkly hilarious crime stories unfolding all across Los Angeles. Featuring Samuel L. Jackson in one of his career-defining roles, the film cemented Tarantino as a true cinematic auteur as the writer/director showcased his knack for building a sprawling drama with an impeccable cast that was unlike anything Hollywood had seen before.

Year: 1989

Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy & Sci-FI

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 127 minutes

Director: Tim Burton

Trailer: Watch here

After previously collaborating on Beetlejuice, director Tim Burton tapped Michael Keaton as an unlikely choice to play the lead in this Batman movie, a gothic new take on the Caped Crusader who was best known at the time for the campy Adam West TV series from the ’60s. Burton’s casting choice proved to be dynamite as well as his choice for The Joker: Jack Nicholson, who delivered one of his most iconic performances in the now-classic film. Every superhero movie has been chasing the high (and box office success) of Burton’s Batman ever since. This is the one that started it all.

Year: 1999

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

Rating: R

Runtime: 136 minutes

Director: Lily Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Bruce Hunt

Trailer: Watch here

With its mind-bending plot and gravity-defying martial arts, The Matrix redefined action films for years to come. The film follows computer hacker Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) as he learns the truth about “reality” and joins forces with the enigmatic Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in a technological war for humanity’s freedom. The Matrix sparked three more sequels, but nothing can compare to the groundbreaking visuals and storytelling of the original that left audiences reaching for the back of their heads and questioning their own existence. It was a head trip for the ages that still holds up to this day.

Year: 1991

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins

Genre: Suspense, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 118 minutes

Director: Jonathan Demme

Trailer: Watch here

In this Oscar-nominated adaptation of the Thomas Harris book, Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a young FBI agent doing her best to navigate the male-dominated world of law enforcement. When she’s tasked with finding “Buffalo Bill,” a gruesome serial killer who made the mistake of kidnapping a senator’s daughter, Clarice turns to the infamous Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) for help. A brilliant therapist who’s now locked in an insane asylum for murdering and devouring his patients, Lecter uses his superior intellect to ensnare Clarice in a dangerous psychological game that make her question whether his valuable insights are worth the price he’s extracting.

Year: 2001

Starring: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden

Genre: Anime, Fantasy, Mystery

Rating: PG

Runtime: 122 minutes

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Trailer: Watch here

In this delightful Academy Award-winning masterpiece from Studio Ghibli and beloved Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki, young Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) is separated from her parents by the powerful sorceress Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette). Trapped inside a seemingly abandoned amusement park in the secret world of Kami, Chihiro must slave away for Yubaba alongside an assortment of supernatural beings. Using her wits and cunning, Chihiro concocts a plan to rescue her parents from the spell that’s turned them into pigs and return to the human world. Released in 2001, Spirited Away helped spark a worldwide obsession with Miyazaki’s films thanks to its captivating story, unforgettable characters, and signature animation style.

Year: 1997

Starring: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Stellan Skarsgård, Minnie Driver

Genre: Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 127 minutes

Director: Gus Van Sant

Trailer: Watch here

In this Oscar-winning film written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Damon stars as Will Hunting, a mathematical genius working as a janitor at MIT. When Will’s potential is discovered by a professor (Stellan Skarsgård), he works to get the troubled youth out of trouble with the law by pairing him with therapist Sean Maguire played by Robin Williams in one of the beloved actors’ most iconic roles. Look for Affleck to pop up as Will’s childhood pal, mirroring the two writer/actors own Boston-based friendship.

Year: 2015

Starring: Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz

Genre: Action, Adventure

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 minutes

Director: George Miller

Trailer: Watch here

George Miller proved no one can do action quite like him with this apocalyptic chase through desert lands that doubles as an allegory on climate change. Here, Tom Hardy plays the gruff, grunting road warrior but the true hero is Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, a war general motivated by a strong moral code who hopes to simply escape the suffocating rule of a water-hogging despot and ends up leading a revolution.

Year: 2001

Starring: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen

Genre: Action, Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 178 minutes

Director: Peter Jackson

Trailer: Watch here

This is where it all started. Before The Fellowship of the Ring stormed into theaters, The Lord of the Rings were just some musty old books for nerds. That perception quickly changed when director Peter Jackson delivered the mother of all fantasy epics and turned LOTR into the blockbuster franchise it is today. Often considered the best film of the series, The Fellowship of the Ring welcomed audiences into the world of Middle-Earth as stunning visuals and a captivating cast set the stage for an all-consuming war between good and evil. In the midst of the conflict, a quest unfolds that will test the strength and friendship of two tiny unlikely heroes.

Also, Viggo Mortensen owns in this movie. Just rules from start to finish.

Year: 2019

Cast: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Rating: R

Runtime: 148 minutes

Director: Ari Aster

Trailer: Watch here

Nauseating. Disturbing. A total mindf*ck. These are all ways one could describe Ari Aster’s sophomore genre outing that gleefully embraces the very worst of humanity. It’s a horror story, sure, but it’s a relationship drama at its core, flavored with pagan rituals, brutal killings, unsettling imagery, and all-consuming grief. Florence Pugh gives a career-defining performance as Dani, a young woman reeling from a terrible familial tragedy who accompanies her distant, disinterested boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) and his college bros to a small Swedish village to celebrate the summer solstice. When unsettling things begin to happen to their group, Dani must make a choice that might not leave everyone breathing.

Year: 2008

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman

Genre: Action, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 152 minutes

Director: Christopher Nolan

Trailer: Watch here

It’s nearly impossible to overstate the influence Christopher Nolan’s follow-up Batman film has had on superhero movies. For better (and often, for worse) his somber, sobering, hyper-realistic take on the cowled vigilante is a formula DC has been chasing for over a decade. From the stunning set design to the awe-inspiring stunt sequences, the villainous turns of Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart, the troubled righteousness of Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne, and the anarchic chaos caused by a storyline that doubles as a Faustian mirror for our own societal shortcomings, every element of this movie is firing on all cylinders.

Year: 2014

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander, Domnhall Gleeson

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: R

Runtime: 108 minutes

Director: Alex Garland

Trailer: Watch Here

Alex Garland’s sci-fi thriller breathed new life into the tired A.I. trope when it landed in theaters years ago. The film focuses on a naïve young programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) who’s selected amongst a pool of applicants to evaluate a new A.I. lifeform. The poor kid is whisked away to a remote villa to spend time with the eerily-human-looking robot, Ava (Alicia Vikander), and her eccentric, often cruel creator Nathan (Oscar Isaac), a genius with an ego to match his talent. The film takes some twists you don’t expect, and Isaac gives cinema one of its greatest dance sequences, in case you need more reason to watch.

Year: 1977

Cast: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph, Jeane Bates, and Judith Roberts

Genre: Surrealism, Body Horror, David Lynch

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 minutes

Director: David Lynch

Trailer: Watch here

Plot synopsis Huh. Well. Alright. There’s this strange guy who starts taking care of a “baby,” has some odd visions, and there’s a guy in the middle of a planet pulling levers. Naturally, this one defies any simple plot constraints. David Lynch’s first feature film is a wonder of beautiful weirdness. An art film’s art film, cares a lot more about its visuals and symbolism than it does about whether you’re eating popcorn or not. None of the critics understood it the way Lynch intended, so maybe you’ll be the one to crack the code. Or just let it wash over you, with or without popcorn.

Year: 2019

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro

Genre: Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 minutes

Director: Todd Phillips

Trailer: Watch here

The Hangover director Todd Phillips delivered a surprising home run with an intense character study on an infamous Batman villain. While the Dark Knight is nowhere to be found in this movie, the film tracks Arthur Fleck, a disturbed comedian, as he descends into madness and becomes the Joker. More Taxi Driver than Batman Begins, the gritty crime drama takes several cues from Martin Scorsese as Joaquin Phoenix delivers a brutal and unrelenting Oscar-winning performance. Robert De Niro also makes an appearance to really lock in those Scorsese vibes and set Joker apart from the comic book genre.

Year: 2021

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, Zendaya

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 155 minutes

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Trailer: Watch here

After delivering stunning sci-fi films like Arrival and Blade Runner: 2049, visionary director Denis Villeneuve took an ambitious stab at the mother of all sci-fi series, Dune. Starring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the first Dune tackles the opening salvo of the sprawling epic by capturing the early beginnings of Paul’s messianic journey on the desert planet Arrakis. Featuring a fully stacked cast as the members of House Atreides, Dune delivers a jarringly beautiful and photorealistic experience as Villeneuve brings his signature visual style to a story that George Lucas would heavily mine for his own little sci-fi adventure. With a sequel already en route, Dune sets the stage for a wild intergalactic clash featuring massive sandworms, levitating space emperors, and Zendaya. Gotta have Zendaya.

Year: 2022

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 107 minutes

Director: Mark Mylod

Trailer: Watch here

In this dark comedy from director Mark Mylod, a young couple visits an exclusive island resort for a culinary adventure from a world-renowned chef (Ralph Fiennes), they find themselves indulging in an exquisite tasting menu with some… unusual ingredients. (We’re not about to give away the twist.) Since its premiere, The Menu has been racking up rave reviews for its ruthless skewering of foodie culture that may have even caused an actual restaurant to shut down. Our own Vince Mancini writes, “Every once in a while, you see a movie so fully realized and so complete, that manages to come on strong and end on a high note, that when the credits roll it feels like all that’s left to do is applaud.”

Year: 2014

Starring: Michael Keaton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, Edward Norton

Genre: Drama/Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 114 minutes

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Trailer: Watch here

Michael Keaton begins this movie in his underwear and goes nowhere but down from there, but somehow, he also soars in this film that runs deliciously close to (imagined) life. The former (and current) Batman plays a former comic-book movie leading man, Riggan Thomas, who aims to relaunch his career as a serious artist on Broadway. However, everything that can go wrong will do so, and that not only includes a smooth ride to the stage but also his personal life. His chaotic daughter, played by Emma Stone, won’t make matters easy, nor will his ex-wife or girlfriend. Only Edward Norton’s notorious shaker of an actor can rescue this thing, and in other words, Riggan’s screwed, but oh, what a set of performances.

Year: 2017

Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Julianne Nicholson, Bobby Cannavale, and Allison Janney

Genre: Biopic, Dark Comedy, Mockumentary

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 minutes

Director: Craig Gillespie

Trailer: Watch here

Everyone who was alive in the 1990s knows the story of Tonya Harding. The skating, the kneecapping, the busted laces. Except we’re all wrong. Gillespie’s biopic of the controversial figure skater is a mash-up of different tones and styles that all weave together pristinely to form a hugely entertaining, emotionally devastating portrait of a real human being instead of a tabloid punchline. That doesn’t mean she’s an angel, and Robbie certainly doesn’t play her as one, but at least we get three dimensions (alongside a goofy conspiracy perpetrated by hilarious morons).

Year: 2006

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 109 minutes

Director: David Frankel

Trailer: Watch here

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway face off in this dramedy that dives stilettos first into the cutthroat world of high fashion editorials. Hathaway plays Andy, a very serious-minded journalist in New York City who has absolutely no time for frivolous concerns like dressing well and appearing presentable in public. She lands an assistant job at a Vogue-like magazine hoping it’ll help her make connections, quickly realizing her ruthless boss, Miranda Priestly (Streep) can, and very well might, break her. Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, they all give memorable supporting turns but the draw here is Street and her meme-able Anna Wintour impersonation

Year: 2018

Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff

Genre: Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 127 minutes

Director: Ari Aster

Trailer: Watch here

Toni Collette plays a grieving mother on the edge of a hellish breakdown in this screamfest from horror maestro Ari Aster. After tragedy strikes her family, Collette’s Annie discovers some strange, occult secrets have been passed down her bloodline. Haunted by spirits and with a husband marked as a potential demon host, Annie tries to save what’s left of her life before it’s too late.

Year: 2006

Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, John Hurt

Genre: Thriller, Action

Rating: R

Runtime: 133 minutes

Director: James McTeigue

Trailer: Watch here

In this dystopian action thriller that adapts the groundbreaking Alan Moore graphic, V For Vendetta centers on a masked vigilante known as V (Hugo Weaving) fighting against a fascist regime that’s subjugated England. After saving a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman), V enlists her in his fight against totalitarianism. However, his unorthodox methods prove to be more than Evey is expecting in this gripping political tale that hit like dynamite during the tail-end of the Bush administration.

Year: 2020

Cast: Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Fred Melamed

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 117 minutes

Director: Emma Seligman

Trailer: Watch here

This feature film debut from director/writer Emma Seligman combines the hilarious familial tension of a millennial woman sitting shiva alongside her parents and sugar daddy with the kind of erratic, emotional whiplash of a Safdie brothers’ production. It’s nausea-inducing in the best way possible and it all hinges on Danielle (Sennott), a college senior in a relationship with an older man who joins her family for the religious ritual and is quickly confronted by the reality of her messy personal life. Not only does Danielle face off against the traditional expectations of her strictly Jewish parents, but she also runs into an old flame doing enviously well in her new life and she must contend with the arrival of her sugar daddy’s surprise family. It’s cringemaking comedy at its finest.

Year: 2016

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein

Genre: Action, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 108 minutes

Director: Tim Miller

Trailer: Watch here

Ryan Reynolds and director Tim Reynolds found a new way to explore the superhero universe with this foul-mouthed entry that follows a professional assassin and mercenary who gets a bit of a bad break – first with a terminal illness, then with some government experimenting gone wrong. Reynolds plays the titular anti-hero, a wise-cracking opportunist dealt a pretty ugly hand who ends up saving the day … kind of. Even if you’re suffering from a case of superhero fatigue, the big swings this movie takes makes strapping into a spandex suit again worth it.

Year: 2000

Starring: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright

Genre: Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 107 minutes

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Trailer: Watch here

In this unconventional take on the superhero genre, Unbreakable delivers a quintessential M. Night Shyamalan experience as Bruce Willis stars as David Dunn, a man who’s slowly starting to accept the fact that he may be invulnerable. Despite the seemingly fantastical premise, the film strikes a gritty, realistic tone even as Samuel L. Jackson’s mysterious Elijah Price continues to push David to embrace his powers with devastating effect.

Year: 2008

Starring: Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 111 minutes

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Trailer: Watch here

Terrible breakups are a universal experience and Jason Segel manages to tap into the deep yet hilarious insecurity that plagues us all in the aftermath. When he’s dumped by his movie star girlfriend, Peter goes on vacation to forget his sorrows (and also cry a lot). Along the way, he discovers a little self-worth, a new lease on life, and love — even as he embarrasses himself by stalking his ex and performing bizarre puppet musical numbers.

Year: 1954

Starring: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata

Genre: Action, Monster Movie

Rating: PG

Runtime: 96 minutes

Director: Ishiro Honda

Released in 1954, the original Godzilla kicked off one of the longest running film franchises of all time. While its “suitmation” visual effects might be derided as cheesy today, the film surprisingly grapples with some serious political issues. Most notably, nuclear weaponry. Godzilla is awakened by underwater hydrogen bomb tests, which sends him on his deadly rampage across coastal Japan. However, when it comes time to stop the gigantic creature, a lone scientist is hesitant to employ a powerful weapon that could be used by other nations. Godzilla is clearly a reckoning with the Hiroshima bombing towards the end of World War II. It’s both film history and world history plus giant monster movie action. See Learning can be fun.

Year: 1996

Starring: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 98 minutes

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Trailer: Watch here

Before FX gave us a spectacular follow-up formatted for TV, the Coen brothers introduced us to the cold, weirdly-accented world of murder and cover-up in Fargo, a thriller that continues to stand the test of time. The premise is probably familiar by now: a criminal mastermind’s plan goes awry thanks to the ineptitude and bungling of his henchman and the persistence of a dogged policewoman (the unfairly talented Frances McDormand). Still, it’s worth a rewatch.

Year: 2022

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan

Genre: Drama, Dark Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 114 minutes

Director: Martin McDonagh

Trailer: Watch here

The disillusion of a friendship is a terrible thing but, oddly, it makes for some fascinating drama in Martin McDonagh’s bleak comedy starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. Gleeson plays a talented musician named Colm who abruptly shuns his best mate, the dimwitted Padraic after having a rather harsh life epiphany. The fissure in their relationship drives Padraic to some dark, twisted depths as their friends and family watch on, helpless to mend their rift. Farrell, Gleeson, and Barry Keoghan give pitch-perfect performances here, but it’s Kerry Condon who gets the best scene of the film.

Year: 2012

Cast: Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke

Genre: Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 116 minutes

Director: John Hillcoat

Trailer: Watch here

Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, and Shia LaBeouf star in this period gangster drama about a family of moonshiners who go up against a deranged lawman. Hardy plays Forrest, the eldest Bondurant, who operates an illegal liquor delivery service during prohibition times. His brothers Jack (LaBeouf) and Howard (Jason Clarke) provide the muscle, but when a dogged special deputy Guy Pierce) comes to town to shut the business down, things get bloody, quick.

Year: 2023

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, and Marchant Davis

Genre: Crime Drama, Biographical

Rating: R

Runtime: 82 minutes

Director: Tina Satter

Trailer: Watch here

In May 2019, a classified document was leaked from the National Security Agency. Months later, two FBI agents showed up at NSA contractor Reality Winner’s home to search and interrogate her about the leak, and the resulting recording formed the basis of this unique drama. It’s a gripping, vice-like experience with a complicated mess of right and wrong muddled at its center. Sweeney is one of the most interesting young actors out there, and her performance here is profoundly mesmerizing, particularly because of how intimate and exposed it is.

Year: 2014

Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson

Genre: Comedy, Action

Rating: R

Runtime: 129 minutes

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Trailer: Watch here

Both Colin Firth and Taron Egerton make a compelling case for why they should be the new James Bond in this action-heavy dramedy about a secret organization of well-dressed, well-mannered British spies. Egerton’s Eggsy is a street-wise criminal who gets recruited into the Kingsmen training program by Firth’s seasoned agent Harry. The two form a bond and are forced to rely on each other when Samuel L. Jackson’s tech billionaire decides he wants to take over the world.

Year: 2013

Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 143 minutes

Director: Zack Snyder

Trailer: Watch here

While Henry Cavill’s time as Superman may be over, his superhero debut in Man of Steel showcases why DC Comics fans are still clinging to hope that the actor could reprise his role as the classic Kryptonian. Taking the more grounded, realistic approach seen in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, Man of Steel delivers a more aggressive take on the classic hero as director Zack Snyder goes heavy on the bombastic action sequences to deliver a Kal-El who’s more brawler than Christopher Reeves and Brandon Routh’s prior takes on the character. This is a Superman who throws down and will do whatever it takes to protect his new world from Michael Shannon’s menacing General Zod.

Year: 2005

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton

Genre: Fantasy & Sci-Fi

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 minutes

Director: Francis Lawrence

Trailer: Watch here

In Constantine, Keanu Reeves stars as the titular supernatural detective, who’s not afraid to stick it to the forces of both heaven and hell if they get in his way. While technically a comic book adaptation, the film eschews superhero battles for a crime noir tale mixed with horror and a moody/badass performance by Reeves as he attempts to solve a murder that could bring about the rise of a terrifying evil. Rachel Weisz is also along for the ride and look for Tilda Swinton as the duplicitous archangel Gabriel.

Year: 2014

Starring: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell

Genre: Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Action

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 131 minutes

Director: Matt Reeves

Trailer: Watch here

In this sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Matt Reeves takes the reins of the reboot franchise and turns it into a modern cinema masterpiece. Set 10 years after the Simian Flu wiped out most of humanity, Caeser (Andy Serkis) is faced with a difficult decision to trust a nearby settlement of humans, which could cost him the trust of his burgeoning ape society. Caesar’s choice will soon have drastic repercussions for man and ape alike as both sides struggle to stave off war, resulting in a showdown that will determine the fate of the planet.

Year: 2014

Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson

Genre: Comedy, Kids & Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 101 minutes

Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Trailer: Watch here

In this surprisingly hilarious and heartfelt spin on the iconic building toy, The Lego Movie stars Chris Pratt as Emmet, a seemingly ordinary Lego figure with nothing special about him at all. But when fate causes him to collide with Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmet soon proves his worth on an adventure that crosses path with everyone from Batman (Will Arnett) to Abe Lincoln (Will Forte) in a mad-cap romp across the Lego universe to stop President Business (Will Ferrell).

Year: 2017

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Riley Keough

Genre: Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 91 minutes

Director: Trey Edward Shults

Trailer: Watch here

After an unknown illness has wiped out most of civilization, a number of threats — both seen and unseen — come for a family held up in their home out in the wilderness. It’s a subtle, nightmarish tale that stars Joel Edgerton and Christopher Abbot as two patriarchs intent on keeping their families safe, no matter the cost.

Year: 2010

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes

Genre: Mystery, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 100 minutes

Director: Debra Granik

Trailer: Watch here

A film noir set in the Ozarks of Missouri, Winter’s Bone was the breakthrough role for Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Ree Dolly, a 17-year-old who has looked after her family since her father disappeared. With the looming threat of losing her home, Ree goes in search of her missing father, drawing her into a world of distrust and violence.

Year: 2021

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Aston Sanders, and Martin Sheen

Genre:Biopic, Crime Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 126 minutes

Director: Shaka King

Trailer: Watch here

Based on the real-life assassination of Illinois Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton, King’s explosive biopic is a fierce two-hander where Kaluuya plays the torrential orator and organizer while Stanfield plays the petty criminal dragooned into being an informant for the FBI. The twin narratives follow Hampton’s rise in popularity, his founding of the Rainbow Coalition, and his romantic personal life as well as William O’Neal’s harried and reluctant work for the FBI to keep tabs on Hampton, and, eventually, assassinate him. A hit at Sundance and 5-time Oscar nominee, it’s a stunning artistic achievement and vitally important history.

Year: 1997

Starring: Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Minnie Driver

Genre: Anime, Action, Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 133 minutes

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Trailer: Watch here

Before Spirited Away made audiences fall in love with Studio Ghibli, there was Princess Mononoke, the stirring action epic from famed Japanese animation director Hiyao Miyasaki. Boasting an all-star voice cast for the English translation, the anime film follows a cursed warrior as he stumbles across a girl raised by wolves. Struggling to defended her forest home from the people of Iron Town, Princess Mononoke unveils an epic clash of nature versus mankind with all the artistic splendor that Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have to offer.

Year: 2022

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell

Genre: Action, Superhero, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 176 minutes

Director: Matt Reeves

Trailer: Watch here

With Warner Bros. looking to put a new take on the iconic character after Ben Affleck hung up his cape, director Matt Reeves stepped in with a bold new version of the Dark Knight that blends the comics with a hefty dash of Se7en for a taut thriller starring Robert Pattinson, who nailed the role of Bruce Wayne. The Batman also introduced a brand new spin on The Riddler (Paul Dano) as well as a knockout performance by Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman. Set amidst a more gothic backdrop than the Christopher Nolan films, The Batman still delivers a full-on action spectacle and easily one of the best Batmobile scenes of all time. When that thing fires up, it is on.

Year: 2017

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 102 minutes

Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Trailer: Watch here

This gritty crime drama from the Safdie brothers transforms star Robert Pattinson into a bleach-blonde sh*t-stirrer from Queens desperate to break his developmentally disabled brother out of prison. Pattinson plays Connie, a street hustler and bank robber with grand plans to escape his urban neighborhood while Benny Safdie plays his brother Nick, who gets roped into his schemes. When Nick is sent to Ryker’s Island for a job gone wrong, Connie goes on a downward spiral to get him back. Pattinson’s manic energy carries this thing and there are plenty of police run-ins, shootouts, and heists (however botched) to keep the adrenaline pumping.

Year: 2009

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 95 minutes

Director: Marc Webb

Trailer: Watch here

In this inventive romantic comedy, director Marc Webb unravels a romance between two office workers Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel), that explores the complicated reality of perception. While Tom is convinced he’s discovered the love of his life in Summer, she has an entirely different view of their relationship. (500) Days of Summer charts a brutal, yet cathartic path that perfectly nails the grueling transition from immediate attraction to falling out of love, and having the maturity to accept that change.

Year: 2021

Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman

Genre: Action, Superhero

Rating: R

Runtime: 132 minutes

Director: James Gunn

Trailer: Watch here

In The Suicide Squad, writer/director James Gunn puts his spin on the supervillain team introduced to movie audiences in 2017’s Suicide Squad. Part sequel, part reboot, the film brings back Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn while introducing new characters like John Cena’s Peacemaker, who went on to star in a breakout spinoff series. In the madcap sequel that channels Gunn’s energy from the Guardians of the Galaxy films, Task Force X is once again hauled out of prison and forced to complete an impossible mission or have their heads exploded. Literally. There are bombs in their brains. Gunn’s take on the classic supervillain squad was so well-received that he’s now in charge of DC Studios.

Year: 1946

Starring: Jean Marias, Josette Day

Genre: Drama, Romance

Rating: G

Runtime: 93 minutes

Director: Jean Cocteau

We know what you’re thinking: What’s a Disney movie doing on a HBO Max list Well, that’s because this isn’t the Disney movie(s). Released in 1946, the original cinematic version of Beauty and the Beast brought the timeless classic to life in a gorgeously shot French romance from director Jean Cocteau. Praised by Roger Ebert and others for its rich visuals that pushed the boundaries of 1940s filmmaking, this take on the love story that dates all the way back to 1757 is a piece of cinema history that should entice fans of the beloved Disney version. Not to mention, if you’re tired of CGI visuals, the 1946 version of Beauty and the Beast goes in the completely opposite direction. The Beast’s costume is a marvel of practical effects.

Year: 2015

Starring: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson

Genre: Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 92 minutes

Director: Robert Eggers

Trailer: Watch here

In what would be the first of their many collabs, Robert Eggers and Anya Taylor-Joy team up for this thrilling period piece filled with Satanic ghosts, dead babies, and plenty of horror tropes. Joy plays Thomasin, a young woman whose family is cast out of their Puritan community. They build a new home on the edge of a dark forest and begin suffering through strange occurrences — missing children, dead goats, and violent hallucinations. Thomasin’s connection to the malevolent spirit plaguing her family only deepens when a witch sets her sights on her.

Year: 2015

Cast: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz

Genre: Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 119 minutes

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Trailer: Watch here

Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz star in this dark, absurdist comedy about a man searching for love under some very strange circumstances. Farrell plays David, a man whose wife recently left him. David is sent to a hotel where he’s told he must find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal. While there, David witnesses strange rituals and must follow strict rules in order to find love, but it’s not until he ventures into the woods, where the “loners” live, that he pairs up with a woman (Weisz) who may be his soulmate. It’s weird, eccentric, and the perfect Farrell-starring vehicle.

Year: 2021

Cast: Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, Jon Hamm, Amy Seimetz, Brendan Fraser, Kieran Culkin, Noah Jupe, Julia Fox, Frankie Shaw, Ray Liotta, and Bill Duke

Genre:Crime Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 115 minutes

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Trailer: Watch here

It’s 1954. Gangster Curt Goynes needs a little more cash before leaving Detroit, so he takes a job holding a family hostage while their beloved husband and father retrieves valuable documents from his boss’s safe under duress. Fortunately, everything goes to plan, and the movie’s really short! Just kidding. Absolutely nothing goes to plan, there are double crosses, unknown masterplans, and throughout it all, Goynes stays in the mix just so he can break free. It’s an excellent caper, and it’s directed by Soderbergh with a knockout cast.