Max may be one of the newest platforms to enter the streaming world, but already it’s one of the best. Not only does the service offer a ton of exclusive content related to its hit properties — like Game of Thrones, The Wire, and The Sopranos — it also has a ton of fantastic films strengthening its online catalog.
Thanks to HBO’s partnerships with standout companies and networks like TCM, Studio Ghibli, and DC, the service has an absolutely stacked selection of films you’re able to choose from.
Whether you’re in the mood for a classic black-and-white monster movie from the ‘30s, a beloved anime film from Hayao Miyazaki, or a recent blockbuster from this past summer, there’s no end to the number of great films you’re able to choose.
From universally praised films like The Matrix and Time Bandits to celebrated modern films like The Color Purple and Furious 7, here are some of the best films you can find currently streaming on Max.
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Updated: March 2.
Musical: The Color Purple (2023)
One of the biggest movies of 2023, The Color Purple acts as the second adaptation of Alice Walker’s celebrated novel of the same name after Steven Spielberg’s classic 1985 translation. Retaining the colorful musical numbers of its Broadway counterpart, the finished film features an evocative blend between breathtaking songs and a weightier depiction of the American South.
Coming of age in the early 1900s Southern U.S., a young Black woman (Fantasia Barrino) copes with the overwhelming racism, sexism, and constant familial abuse she endures over the course of her lifetime.
Despite its status as a musical film, The Color Purple nevertheless harks back to the prevailing themes found in Walker’s novel, illustrating the intense challenges plaguing women of color in the early 20th century.
Sci-Fi: The Matrix (1999)
Years before he was hunting down underworld crime bosses with his trademark suit and grunge haircut in John Wick, Keanu Reeves was best known for starring in the iconic sci-fi action film, The Matrix.
Tired of his boring life as a corporate employee, an office drone who moonlights as a skilled hacker (Reeves) discovers that the world around him is actually an elaborate artificial reality created by machines.
Perhaps the biggest and most original sci-fi adventure movie since Star Wars, The Matrix meshed together gleaming fight sequences with an introspective meditation on technology, artificial intelligence, and humanity’s growing dependence on machines.
Action: Furious 7 (2015)
As they deal with the vengeful brother of a former adversary (Jason Statham), Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his team are recruited by a mysterious government agent (Kurt Russell) to stop an infamous terrorist (Djimon Hounsou).
Like the MCU, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings, the Fast & Furious franchise commands its own legion of avid fans, as evidenced by the fact that the series has released 11 films thus far, with more on the way.
As popular as some of the past Fast & Furious movies have been, viewers will have trouble finding a better F&F film than 2015’s Furious 7. On top of the series’ signature high-speed car chases and action sequences, Furious 7 also earns credit for its emotional farewell to Paul Walker, who tragically passed away two years before the film’s release.
Survival: Everest (2015)
In 1996, a group of climbers descending from Mount Everest are swept up in a massive blizzard, leading two desperate expedition bands to try and reach the safety of ground level before conditions worsen.
Climbing to the top of Mount Everest remains the most daunting physical task a person could ever hope to achieve. Thousands of intrepid mountaineers have made their pilgrimage to the fabled summit over the years, yet only a few 10 claim to have reached the mountain’s peak.
Illustrating the overwhelming dangers associated with the climb is 2015’s biographical survival drama, Everest. Though an extreme example of a mountaineering expedition that went horribly wrong, Everest nevertheless showcases how the slightest misstep on the ascent can result in severe injury–perhaps even death.
Comedy: Spy (2015)
If ever you needed proof that Melissa McCarthy is one of the most exciting actors working in comedy today, just watch her performance in 2015’s Spy. A laugh-out-loud hilarious spy-fi action film, Spy turns the kitschier presentation of the espionage genre completely on its head.
With most of her fellow agents’ identities compromised, a deskbound C.I.A. analyst (McCarthy) volunteers for her first mission in the field, attempting to track down a missing nuclear device from a dangerous arms dealer (Rose Byrne).
Lampooning numerous elements associated with the James Bond and Mission: Impossible series, Spy coasts on McCarthy’s comedic range as a performer. Not only that, the movie also does a great job casting established action stars in thinly-veiled caricatures of themselves, as seen with Jason Stathams’ hysterically intense C.I.A. agent.
Music: Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Quite possibly the finest entry in the musical genre, Singin’ in the Rain is every bit as uplifting and enjoyable now as it had been 70 years ago. A sweeping and evocative musical comedy, it’s the Golden Age of Hollywood at its finest.
Struggling to keep up with the innovations brought on by the arrival of talkies, a group of silent movie stars attempt to make their first sound picture, dubbing over their shrill leading lady’s voice with a promising chorus girl’s (Debbie Reynolds).
Through its interesting central storyline, energetic performances, and rich musical dance numbers, Singin’ in the Rain is that rare musical capable of sustaining every member of the audience, regardless of whether they love musicals or hate them.
Thriller: Natural Born Killers (1994)
One of the most controversial movies currently sitting on Max, Natural Born Killers’ release in 1994 was met with prolonged scrutiny from international audiences. While some deemed the movie a senseless depiction of violence for violence’s sake, others believed Natural Born Killers offered a stirring condemnation of our growing indifference to rampant criminality.
Overcoming their individual childhood traumas, a pair of disillusioned young lovers (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) take to the road, where their nihilistic worldview soon transforms them into cold-blooded serial killers.
Like the equally controversial A Clockwork Orange, Natural Born Killers won’t satisfy a mass audience of viewers. Though some might be turned away by its brutality and cynicism, the film features a disturbing premonition of trends that characterize society today: our obsession with true crime, serial killers obtaining near-celebrity status, etc.
Crime: The Bling Ring (2013)
Late last year, acclaimed director Sofia Coppola returned with her most recent film, the moving musical biopic, Priscilla. While Coppola’s latest has garnered significant attention among contemporary audiences, it’s worth noting just how fantastic many of Coppola’s previous films have been, starting with her 2013 crime film, The Bling Ring.
Tracking influential celebrities’ movements through social media, a group of fame-loving teenagers and young adults start robbing their idols’ homes, using whatever valuables they find to increase their social standing.
Based on an extraordinarily bizarre true story, The Bling Ring analyzes the ongoing cultural obsession with fame and celebrity status–something the titular Bling Ring ironically achieved with their serial burglaries in the late 2000s.
Animated: The Peanuts Movie (2015)
Virtually everyone knows the lovable cartoon band known as the Peanuts. Originally created by comic strip writer Charles M. Schultz, the Peanuts soon found their way into several television specials and, more recently, a 2015 animated family movie.
As the downtrodden Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) works out ways to impress his mysterious crush (Francesca Angelucci Capaldi), his mischievous dog Snoopy writes an ambitious novel about his attempts to save his own love interest from the villainous Red Baron.
Keeping in line with the cozy warmth of the original comics, The Peanuts Movie is guaranteed to entertain viewers completely unfamiliar with the series and more nostalgic fans alike. A smart, funny, and creative children’s movie, it’s also the perfect homage to Schultz’ famed comic strip characters.
Western: Hang ‘Em High (1968)
Wrongfully hanged for a crime he never committed, a former lawman (Clint Eastwood) volunteers to become a U.S. Marshal, pursuing the nine men responsible for his near-death experience.If there are two names that will forever remain synonymous with the Western genre, it’s Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. Two charismatic performers in practically every movie they appeared in, Eastwood and Wayne reigned supreme over the Western for literal decades.
Looking at Eastwood’s individual filmography, viewers will find no shortage of impressive titles, from his early Man with No Name trilogy to his similarly fantastic Hang ‘Em High. A thrilling revisionist Western, it’s among the single best films in Eastwood’s entire career.
Classic Comedy: Blazing Saddles (1974)
Hoping to drive away the ignorant, dim-witted residents of a western frontier town, a corrupt politician (Harvey Korman) hires a Black railroad worker (Cleavon Little) as the town’s new sheriff.
Quite possibly one of the best–if not the best–comedy movie of all time, the fact that Blazing Saddles is currently trending on Max’s most-watched movies list should provide enough evidence of its favorable reputation to this very day.
Approaching its historic 50th anniversary, Mel Brooks pulled out all the stops when it came to Blazing Saddles, crafting a laugh-out-loud spoof of the traditional Western genre, complete with slapstick, potty humor, and metafictional satire of Hollywood filmmaking.
Mystery: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Like most of his projects, David Lynch’s work on Twin Peaks has achieved a widespread audience of cult followers. As a result of the show’s undying popularity, the series has since received two continuations in the form of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and the long-awaited Twin Peaks: The Return.
As the F.B.I. investigate the recent murder of a Washington teenager, high school student Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) experiences disquieting premonitions about her own death, leading her into conflict with her friends and family members.
A spin-off prequel to the original Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me provides a tense, gut-wrenching origin story for Laura Palmer, allowing audiences to see her traumatic life mere days before her death in Twin Peaks.
Horror: Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Among the most terrifying movies currently on Max, Evil Dead Rise continues the loose-knit narrative universe of the Evil Dead franchise in wake of 2013’s Evil Dead and the short-lived Ash vs. Evil Dead series.
Discovering the cursed Necronomicon beneath their apartment building, an ordinary family accidentally awakens a demonic creature that possesses the soul of their mother (Alyssa Sutherland).
More of a spin-off of the Evil Dead series than a straight sequel, Evil Dead Rise opts for a more blood-curdling interpretation of Sam Raimi’s series than the dark comedy of Ash vs. Evil Dead. As a result, viewers are entreated to one of the bleakest, most gut-wrenching Evil Dead films in quite some time.
Biopic: Snowden (2016)
In the early 2010s, N.S.A. worker Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon Levitt) uncovers disturbing information about his organization’s past surveillance operations, leading him to leak said information to the press.
In 2013, American computer intelligence expert Edward Snowden unleashed a vast storm of classified secrets related to U.S. intelligence, launching renewed discussions about U.S. security and individual’s rights to privacy.
A controversial figure among contemporary Americans, Snowden’s story forms the basis of Oliver Stone’s 2016 biographical film. A thought-provoking political thriller, it forces viewers to formulate their own individual opinions on Snowden’s actions, as well as the government’s right to spy on average citizens.
Documentary: Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021)
For over 20 years, Anthony Bourdain dazzled viewers with his intricate, often unconventional take on the topic of food. A celebrity chef who traveled the world in search of the best meals imaginable, Bourdain was able to find happiness in everything from a simple plate of Waffle House pecan waffles to a Michelin-Starred three-course meal in France.
Taking his own life under tragic circumstances in 2018, the world grieved the loss of Bourdain, not as some celebrity travel show host, but as an intimate and dependable friend–a guiding light who explored food, exotic countries, and the intricacies of human emotion.
Bourdain’s life, his career, and his legacy in the entertainment industry forms the backbone of the 2021 documentary, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain. Documenting Bourdain’s improbable rise from the kitchens of New York to international fame, it’s a touching tribute to the food industry’s equivalent to Steve Irwin, Bob Ross, and Hunter S. Thompson all rolled into one.
Sports: Rocky (1976)
Earlier this month, the world bid farewell to the iconic actor Carl Weathers. An unparalleled performer who oozed charisma in any and every project he appeared in, Weathers’ most famous role came with the 1976 sports classic, Rocky.
As he grapples over his faltering career, an underdog boxer in Philadelphia (Sylvester Stallone) vigorously trains for an upcoming bout against the heavyweight champion (Weathers).
Though Weathers hands in some fantastic performances with later projects like Predator, Arrested Development, and The Mandalorian, the actor remains well-known for his performance as Apollo Creed–the uber confidant arch-enemy to Stallone’s up-and-coming boxer in the Rocky universe.
Romance: Wedding Crashers (2005)
Impersonating a pair of distant familial relatives, two best friends (Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn) try to insert themselves into a family preparing to celebrate an upcoming wedding.
Over the past several decades, certain groups of actors have pooled their efforts to entertain viewers. In the 1940s and ‘50s, audiences had the Rat Pack. In the ‘80s, it was the Brat Pack. In the 2000s, audiences enjoyed the comedic hijinks of the consistently rowdy Frat Pack.
Teaming together for a variety of films from the late ‘90s to the present day, the Frat Pack’s best films can be found in the 2000s, as seen with movies like Zoolander, Old School, Anchorman, and Wedding Crashers – four of the decade’s absolute best comedies.
Award-Winning: Barbie (2023)
Perhaps the most notable release of 2023, Barbie garnered significant mainstream attention months before the film was even released. With a sharp script, A-list cast, and luminous set design, it’s without a doubt the most popular film of the past summer season.
Having grown weary of the glitz and glamor of Barbieland, Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) and her boyfriend Ken (Ryan Gosling) depart for the real world, learning the pros and cons that come with everyday existence.
In addition to being a hilarious comedy, what makes Barbie such an altogether fantastic film is the level of thematic topics it broaches in its runtime. Deconstructing such issues as feminism, patriarchy, corporate consumerism, individuality, and existentialism, it’s one of the weightiest, most thought-provoking, family-friendly films in some time.
Superhero: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
It’s not an exaggeration to call X-Men: Days of Future Past the best X-Men movie in the series’ continuity. Ranking alongside X2 or X-Men: First Class, the movie features a first-rate story, impeccable acting, and a time-bending story that glossed over canonical inconsistencies in the X-Men’s often murky timeline.
In a nightmarish near future where mutants have been rendered nearly extinct, the remnants of the X-Men send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back in time to the 1970s, allowing him to contact a younger Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) and prevent their dystopian reality.
Bridging the narratives of the original X-Men films with the prequel events of X-Men: First Class, Days of Future Past provides an effective conclusion to the X-Men universe as fans knew it, rebooting the series for a new, alternative timeline.
Adult Animation: Rick and Morty (2013)
In what might only be described as a late Christmas gift to fans across the globe, the latest season of the sci-fi comedy series, Rick and Morty, has finally arrived on Max. As expected, the latest installment of the series comes loaded with sharp humor, nuanced characterization, and even more absurd adventures for the title characters.
As they continue their search for Evil Morty (Harry Belden) and Rick Prime (Ian Cardoni), universe-hopping adventurers Rick (Cardoni) and Morty (Belden) grapple with an array of challenges in their everyday lives.
While the seventh season may be a bit wobbly in some places, Rick and Morty’s latest installment nevertheless manages to retain the series’ trademark blend between poignant drama, dark comedy, and surreal sci-fi satire.
Black & White: The Hidden Fortress (1958)
As medieval Japan is plunged into chaos amidst a widespread war, two peasants (Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara) reluctantly agree to escort a pair of mysterious refugees (Toshiro Mifune and Misa Uehara) through the countryside.
Like most iconic directors, Akira Kurosawa has nothing but fantastic movies making up his filmography, from legendary action movies like Seven Samurai to prototypical buddy cop movies like Stray Dog.
Among Kurosawa’s most influential films, The Hidden Fortress is most known today for providing the inspiration for Star Wars, with George Lucas adopting numerous plot elements for his space opera universe (the bickering servants, the wandering princess, the samurai general posing as an ordinary drifter).
Teen: The Breakfast Club (1985)
Numerous teen movies came before it, but 1985’s The Breakfast Club did something few entries in its genre could. Merging infectious comedy with poignant and relatable themes, director John Hughes painted a more endearing portrait of teenagers than any other film, forever changing the teen comedy as viewers knew it.
Spending an entire Saturday serving out a weekend detention, five teenagers from different social cliques see past their differences, growing closer as they learn more about one another’s troubled background.
The standout project of the famous ‘80s Brat Pack, The Breakfast Club continues to resonate with both nostalgic fans and younger audience members experiencing their first brush with high school adolescence.
War: Full Metal Jacket (1987)
As the Vietnam War rages in Southeast Asia, a group of young men undergo a grueling training regimen with the U.S Marine Corps, facing off against a domineering drill sergeant (Lee Ermey) who pushes them to their physical and mental limits.
Perhaps the most accomplished director of all time, Stanley Kubrick made a habit of imposing his own distinct vision for countless conflicting genres, be it horror (The Shining), science fiction (A Clockwork Orange), or war (Full Metal Jacket).
Looking at Full Metal Jacket in its entirety, Kubrick offered a stunning deep-dive into the transformation average soldiers undergo in the midst of war–abandoning their individuality in training, only to lose their morality in combat.
Fantasy: Time Bandits (1981)
After a band of time-traveling little people storm through his bedroom, a young boy (Craig Warnock) decides to join the group in their adventures, meeting such famous historical figures as Napoleon (Ian Holm) and Agamemnon of Ancient Greece (Sean Connery).
With the iconic Monty Python troupe beginning to break apart in the early 1980s, each of the Pythons proceeded to venture out in their own solo careers, with Terry Gilliam pursuing his proficient talent in filmmaking.
In the decade that followed, Gilliam poured forth an ambitious array of exciting surrealist films, from the dystopian Brazil to the comic adventure film, Time Bandits. A time-bending family film with minotaurs, cowboys, and the literal personification of Evil (David Warner), it’s among Gilliam’s most cherished achievements as a director.
Family: Coraline (2009)
Leave it to Neil Gaiman to think of a family-friendly story as chilling as Coraline. Adapted from Gaiman’s award-winning children’s novel, Coraline also serves up a characteristically macabre fantasy story as dark and disturbing as an early Tim Burton film.
Ignored by her workaholic parents, a young girl (Dakota Fanning) ventures into a parallel universe through a small door in her new home, uncovering an idyllic version of her family. The longer she stays in this new world, however, the more secrets she discovers about her seemingly perfect alternative parents.
An unsettling contemporary twist on Alice in Wonderland, Coraline will have viewers of every age gripping the arms of their chair in suspense, lulling you into complacency with its imaginative visuals only to scare the pants off you with its terrifying twists.
Drama: My Sister’s Keeper (2009)
Currently ranking as one of the most-watched movies on Max this week is the 2009 drama, My Sister’s Keeper. Based on Jodi Picoult’s well-known fiction novel, My Sister’s Keeper focuses on families dealing with long-suffering medical crises, as well as each family members’ obligation to help the other during said situations.
Facing mounting pressure to donate parts of her body to support her cancer patient sister (Sofia Vassilieva), a young girl (Abigail Breslin) seeks medical emancipation from her overprotective parents (Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric).
While a bit on the melodramatic side in its tone and presentation, My Sister’s Keeper’s phenomenal performances make it all worthwhile, demonstrating each actor’s impeccable ability to elicit emotion from one scene to the next.
Classic: M (1931)
Perhaps the finest film to come out of the influential German Expressionist movement–a golden age in German filmmaking – M also serves as one of the first truly memorable thrillers in cinematic history, a dramatic forebear to Se7en, Rear Window, and The Silence of the Lambs.
With a serial killer (Peter Lorre) targeting children in Berlin, the city’s police and criminal underworld unite to catch the killer, stopping his reign of terror by investigating his whereabouts and past crimes.
The film that launched the career of acting legend Peter Lorre, M also provided an unflinching look at the disturbed mind of a serial killer, offering up some thought-provoking questions on the darker side of the human psyche.
Underrated: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
Based on a children’s novel by Ian Fleming, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang also makes effortlessly great use of Roald Dahl’s imaginative screenplay, which expands, transforms, and heightens Fleming’s original premise.
Regaling his children with a fantastical story during their day at the beach, an Edwardian inventor (Dick Van Dyke) espouses about their flying car, which transports the family to the dangerous European kingdom of Vulgaria.
To be fair, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has its fair share of weaknesses, with the movie’s uneven pacing and lengthy runtime serving as its two most glaring flaws. Yet even then, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang makes for an imaginative family film, one best characterized by Dahl’s vivid creativity (IE flying cars, bickering spies, child-hating monarchs, and nefarious child catchers).
