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 November 29, 2023.
1. Avatar: The Way of Water
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.
2. Parasite
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.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey
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.
4. Pulp Fiction
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.
5. Batman
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.
6. The Matrix
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.
7. The Silence of the Lambs
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.
8. Spirited Away
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.
9. Good Will Hunting
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.
10. Gone Girl
Year: 2014
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry
Genre: Drama/Suspense
Rating: R
Runtime: 144 minutes
Director: David Fincher
Trailer: Watch here
Gillian Flynn’s most page-turning novel comes to life with Rosamund Pike bringing us as chilling of a version of Amazing Amy as the one who appeared in print form. Ben Affleck plays her (admittedly awful) husband with a fittingly punchable face, and get ready for a twisting, turning, decadent ride through suburbia and the backwaters of the Ozarks by way of New York City. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross did the honors for this score that follows Amy’s disappearance and reemergence like the most ominous phoenix that you’ll ever behold. Oh, and the “Cool Girl” monologue pulled off a *chef’s kiss* before it was even a cinematic thing.
11. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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.
12. Eastern Promises
Year: 2007
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Vincent Cassel
Genre:Crime, Gangster
Rating: R
Runtime: 101 minutes
Director: David Cronenberg
Trailer: Watch here
When a midwife takes the diary of a young girl who dies after giving birth, she attempts to track down the family to ensure the child’s safety, but ends up wading into waters owned by the Russian mafia. Trapped in a corner, she’s forced to rely on the help of some of the people who are trying to kill her. Cronenberg’s follow-up to his partnership with Mortensen in A History of Violence has become something of a cult favorite, which is odd because it should be installed firmly in the pantheon of mainstream modern crime classics. It’s taut and genuinely dangerous, with a faultless cast and a plot that barrels forward at speeds that will leave you breathless.
13. The Dark Knight
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.
14. Ex Machina
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.
15. Eraserhead
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.
16. The Hurt Locker
Year: 2009
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Guy Pearce
Genre: Thriller, Action
Rating: R
Runtime: 131 minutes
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Trailer: Watch here
In this taut war thriller set during the Iraq War, The Hurt Locker put Jeremy Renner on the map as Staff Sergeant William James, an explosive expert who routinely puts his life on the line defusing bombs. His skills are impeccable, his bravery unmatched, and James practically lives for life on the battlefield. A peaceful life back home in the States? Not so much.
17. Joker
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.
18. Dune (2021)
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.
19. The Menu
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.”
20. Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
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.
21. I, Tonya
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).
22. Training Day
Year: 2001
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Denzel Washington
Genre: Thriller, Crime
Rating: R
Runtime: 122 minutes
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Trailer: Watch here
Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke star in this gripping crime drama from director Antoine Fuqua. The film follows Hawke’s Jake, a rookie cop assigned to a narcotics beat on the dangerous streets of L.A. where Washington’s roguish Alonzo will be his boss. Most of the film is spent trying to suss out the real bad guy — the so-called “gangbangers” or Washington’s group of badge-wearing thugs — and, as you’d expect, it doesn’t end well for anyone.
23. Elf
Year: 2003
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Peter Dinklage
Genre: Family, Comedy
Rating: PG
Runtime: 97 minutes
Director: Jon Favreauu
Trailer: Watch here
Sure, Elf is a Christmas classic at this point, but even if you aren’t watching this Will Ferrell-led comedy for the holiday cheer, it’s still a great time. As Buddy the Elf, Ferrell plays a naive middle-aged man searching for his biological dad in New York City. He finds him in James Caan’s surly workaholic publishing exec, but the two are radically different. Caan’s Walter is overworked and uber-serious, Ferrell’s Buddy spent most of his life amongst elves at the North Pole and thinks syrup on spaghetti is a suitable breakfast food. Watching Buddy acclimate to human life while constantly pissing James Caan off is pretty much all of the fun here.
24. V For Vendetta
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.
25. Nightcrawler
Year: 2014
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton
Genre:Psychological Thriller, Neo-Noir, Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 117 minutes
Director: Dan Gilroy
Trailer: Watch here
Lou Bloom is a hard worker, he’ll show up on time, give you 120%, and say “how high?” when you tell him to jump. That’s probably because he’s a sociopath who, after witnessing a car crash, learns that there’s money to be made in being first on the scene of violence with a video camera. Gyllenhaal is phenomenal in this role, bringing a creepy energy to even the most basic conversation and potentially never blinking the entire film as Bloom goes to extreme lengths to get newsworthy footage. It all spirals down into an abyss of money and television ratings, daring you to laugh and making it easy to hate modern media and its consumers.
26. Blade
Year: 1998
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson
Genre: Action, Horror, Superhero
Rating: R
Runtime: 120 minutes
Director: Steve Norrington
Trailer: Watch here
Before the MCU, or even Spider-Man and X-Men, there was Blade. In this 1998 classic, Wesley Snipes stars as the titular vampire hunter and turned an obscure Marvel comics hero into a blockbuster franchise. As a Daywalker, Blade is half-human, half-vampire, which means he has all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses. In his all-out war on bloodsuckers, Blade collides with Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) a charismatic vampire with ambitious goals to tap into an ancient power. Punctuated with bloody action scenes and a killer soundtrack, Blade delivers a rare Rated-R superhero romp almost two decades before Deadpool made them cool again.
27. Unbreakable
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.
28. Edge of Tomorrow
Year: 2014
Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-FI
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 113 minutes
Director: Doug Liman
Trailer: Watch here
In this science fiction two-hander, Tom Cruise plays Lt. Col Bill Cage a cowardly and smart-mouthed PR officer who gets shipped off to the front lines of an alien invasion in Europe where he has absolutely zero chance of survival. When the battle goes deadly wrong, Cage finds himself repeating the day over and over again, a problem he shares with the fierce warrior, Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt). Together, they become a battle-honed fighting force and set off on a time-breaking quest to save Earth even if they have to die over and over again to unravel the secrets of the alien invaders.
29. Godzilla (1954)
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.
30. Fargo
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.
31. The Banshees of Inisherin
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.
32. Hereditary
Year: 2018
Cast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne
Genre: Horror, Psychological Horror, Supernatural
Rating: R
Runtime: 127 minutes
Director: Ari Asterhttps://www.max.com/movies/d8971a4f-7353-488a-9740-3f0d89057081″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Watch here
Annie’s mother just died, and there’s a surprisingly large amount of people at the funeral. Grieving, sorting through the memories, Annie struggles to keep her family from spiraling out of control following another odd death and the creeping sense that something sinister is in motion. Following in the footsteps of the paranoid horror of the 1970s, Aster’s explosive debut is one of the most shocking, terrifying films of the new century. It digs its claws in and then proceeds to tear you to shreds.
33. Reality
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.
34. Friday
Year: 1995
Starring: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, John Witherspoon
Genre: Comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 92 minutes
Director: F. Gary Gray
Trailer: Watch here
In this classic slice of ’90s cinema, Ice Cube stars as Craig, a recently unemployed South Central Los Angeles resident who thinks he’s about to have a normal day sitting on his porch with his boy Smokey (Chris Tucker). Instead, the two get on the wrong side of a drug dealer, have an encounter with a horny pastor played by Bernie Mac, and narrowly survive a raucous blowout in the streets in this uproarious comedy that spawned two sequels and put Chris Tucker on the map.
35. Man of Steel
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.
36. Constantine
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.
37. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
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.
38. The Lego Movie
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).
39. Burn After Reading
Year: 2008
Starring: Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, George Clooney
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Rating: R
Runtime: 96 minutes
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Trailer: Watch here
Pitch black and filled with irredeemable idiots, Burn After Reading features Brad Pitt as the opportunistic himbo Chad who accidentally acquires the sensitive memoirs of a CIA agent, and George Clooney as the inept and unscrupulous U.S. Marshall who is trying to retrieve them. While these two morons may be at the center of the film, scene-stealing supporting performances from Frances McDormand and John Malkovich really elevate this to one of the Coens’ funniest and best films to date.
40. Winter’s Bone
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.
41. Judas and the Black Messiah
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.
42. Princess Mononoke
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.
43. The Batman
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.
44. The Flash
Year: 2023
Starring: Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Kiersey Clemons
Genre: Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Superheroes
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 145 minutes
Director: Andy Muschietti
Trailer: Watch here
Ezra Miller returns as Barry Allen in The Flash, the first solo movie starring the classic DC Comics character. Picking up after the events of Justice League, Barry finds himself struggling to balance his personal life with his increasingly busy superhero life as The Flash. Complicating the matter is his inability to prove his father’s innocence in the murder of Barry’s mother. When a final, last-ditch effort fails, Barry takes matters into his own hands by traveling back in time where things get real messy, real fast. With Michael Keaton’s Batman at his side, Barry has to fix the disaster he caused in this surprisingly fun DC film.
45. (500) Days of Summer
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.
46. The Suicide Squad
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.
47. Beauty and the Beast
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.
48. The Witch
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.
49. The Lobster
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.
50. No Sudden Move
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.
