HBO Max: The 26 Absolute Best Movies to Watch

One battle after another (2025)

One Battle After Another won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, so it’s worth noting that HBO Max is featuring this collaboration between Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio. The political thriller features DiCaprio’s character as part of a revolutionary group, the French 75. When the film finds him 16 years later, living off the grid with his teenage daughter and facing a threat from his past, the action doesn’t let up.

Sing, Sing (2024)

Sing Sing is a subtle and hard-hitting prison drama starring Colman Domingo – who earned a 2025 Best Actor Oscar nomination for his role – and formerly incarcerated actors. Domingo plays Divine G, who performs in a theater troupe while imprisoned at Sing Sing Correctional Center. The film will surprise and uplift you.

Juror #2 (2024)

Nicholas Hoult, JK Simmons and Toni Collette star in this gripping and haunting legal drama from Clint Eastwood. Hoult plays Justin Kemp, who faces a moral dilemma after being called for jury duty. He must decide whether to divulge information that could change the outcome of a high-profile trial and impact his own life. A well-acted and well-paced film that makes you think.

Turtles Down (2024)

Not generally interested in the young adult genre? You shouldn’t let that stop you from admiring Turtles All the Way Down, based on a 2017 novel of the same name by John Green. The film stars Isabela Merced (The Last of Us, Alien: Romulus) as a teenager suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. With elements of romance and a captivating performance from Merced, this straight-to-streaming film deserves more attention.

The Fallout (2022)

After a shooting at her high school, 16-year-old Vada Cavell must manage her friendships, school and her relationships with her family. The Fallout deftly tackles serious topics with realistic dialogue and compassion for its characters. With strong performances from stars Jenna Ortega as Vada and Maddie Ziegler as her new friend Mia Reed, the feature film will keep you glued to the screen for its entire 90-minute runtime.

Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024)

You remember 2021, when Warner Bros. films were released. were released on HBO Max the same day as their theatrical premiere? Those exciting times may be over, but at least we’ll always have the memory of watching Denis Villeneuve’s spectacular sci-fi epic at home and continuing to be part of the conversation. Both parts of Dune are now streaming on HBO Max.

Bad Education (2019)

Based on a magazine article by journalist Robert Kolker, this story about a public school embezzlement scandal and the student journalists who broke the news is gripping from start to finish. Allison Janney and Hugh Jackman are excellent in their roles as school officials who participated in the project. The drama also won the 2020 Emmy Award for Best Television Movie.

Wonka (2023)

Dune’s Timothée Chalamet stars in this prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it’s a total treat. With new and familiar tunes, an engaging cast, and tons of fantasy, the film introduces audiences to a young Willy Wonka with giraffe-sized ambition and undeniable chocolate-making skills. It’s a quirky, heartwarming film from Paddington director Paul King that you’ll definitely want on your plate.

The Color Purple (2023)

This cinematic musical version of The Color Purple is adapted from Alice Walker’s 1982 novel and Broadway play. Set in the early 1900s, the film tells the story of Celie, a black woman living in the South who faces multiple difficulties but manages to find strength in the bonds of her life. The cast includes Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Halle Bailey and Danielle Brooks, who received a 2023 Academy Award nomination for her role as Sofia, Celie’s stepdaughter.

Mickey 17 (2025)

Mickey 17 is directed by acclaimed director Bong Joon Ho (Snowpiercer, Parasite) and stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes. Barnes escapes from Earth to another planet by applying to become an “expendable”. The role subjects him to deadly missions and experiments, with his body reprinted each time he fails. Dark humor, heart, eccentricity and great performances are there. Even though the film doesn’t surpass any of Bong’s previous works, it is deservedly on this list.

Stream (2024)

Winner of Best Animated Feature Film at the 2025 Academy Awards, this wordless Latvian film follows a black cat after a great flood devastates his home. The courageous feline teams up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird and a dog in a breathtaking and thought-provoking film that will appeal to adults and children alike.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

This exciting prequel to the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road stars Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit, The Menu) as a younger version of Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa. Life takes a turn for the protagonist when she finds herself in the Wasteland rather than the green place of many mothers. The resourceful heroine fights for survival, facing villains such as the warlord Dementus, played by Chris Hemsworth. Visually arresting and intense, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is packed with post-apocalyptic action, and you won’t want to miss a minute of it.

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Who can pass up a Studio Ghibli film? Hayao Miyazaki came out of retirement to direct The Boy and the Heron, which won Best Animated Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards. The star-studded English voice cast includes Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.

Barbie (2023)

Unless you’ve lived in Barbie Land (or some other place that isn’t the real world), chances are you’re already very familiar with this pink dress comedy. The Movie – Warner Bros. the biggest global hit of all time – brings together a long list of stars for a hilarious and heartfelt adventure. Greta Gerwig directs, Margot Robbie stars, and Ryan Gosling performs an incredible power ballad as Ken.

Kimi (2022)

Steven Soderbergh directs this gripping tech thriller set during the COVID-19 pandemic. Angela, a Seattle technician played by Zoë Kravitz with neon blue hair, suffers from agoraphobia, a fear that prevents her from walking through the front door of her apartment. But when she discovers a disturbing recording while doing her job, she is pushed to take the plunge. Kimi is a stylish thriller with eye-catching cinematography, a solid score, and a protagonist you’ll root for.

No Sudden Movement (2021)

A film by Steven Soderbergh, the great director behind Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven and, more recently, Logan Lucky? Twists and turns, thrills and desperate characters populate this crime thriller set in 1950s Detroit. When a seemingly simple task spirals out of control, a group of criminals must work together to find out what’s really going on. Admire the incredible cast: Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, Jon Hamm and Amy Seimetz. Although the plot can be a bit convoluted and some won’t be able to get past the fish-eye lens cinematography, Soderbergh’s sense of humor and immersive direction make this detective adventure an entertaining evening.

Am I okay? (2022)

This comedy-drama follows Dakota Johnson’s character, Lucy, 32, who tells her longtime best friend, Jane, that she likes women. But Lucy has a lot more to deal with as this friend, played by House of the Dragon’s Sonoya Mizuno, moves far away to London. If you like stories about late blooming and female friendships, there’s no doubt: you should watch the funny and touching Am I OK?

Father of the Bride (2022)

HBO Max’s Father of the Bride features a Cuban-American family that includes patriarch Billy, a traditional man who struggles to digest his eldest daughter’s surprising news: She’s met a man, and she wants to marry and move in with him. The third film adaptation of a 1949 Edward Streeter novel of the same name, the film is an enjoyable iteration that includes stars like Andy Garcia and singer Gloria Estefan.

Let Them All Talk (2020)

Meryl Streep plays an eccentric author in a Steven Soderbergh comedy. What else do you need to know? If you want to know more: Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Hughes (Streep) struggles to finish her next book, pursued by her literary agent (Gemma Chan). She boards a cruise ship with old friends who inspired her best-known work. Tensions are high. It looks great – Soderbergh uses crisp, natural lighting – and most of the dialogue is improvised. See how Dianne Wiest, Candice Bergen, Lucas Hedges and the rest of the impeccable cast have fun with this.

Superman (2025)

James Gunn’s superhero epic doesn’t follow the origin story route, but instead introduces audiences to David Corenswet’s Man of Steel as Earth already knows the caped hero. Specifically, the film opens with a beaten Superman having lost a battle for the first times. Nicholas Hoult plays the villainous Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan plays journalist Lois Lane, and Krypto, the unruly Superdog, is a chaotic addition to this charming and compelling action outing.

The Batman (2022)

Robert Pattinson plays Batman in this brooding superhero film directed by Matt Reeves. The film takes place in a perpetually gray and rainy Gotham City, where Bruce Wayne begins searching for a murderer with an affinity for puzzles. Along the way, he meets Catwoman, played by a swaggering Zoë Kravitz. Discover the dark and satisfying mystery before watching the HBO spinoff series, The Penguin.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Excessive violence abounds in this DC film about supervillains who agree to help the U.S. government in exchange for some relief from their prison sentences. Their mission is to destroy something called Project Starfish, hosted in the fictional island country of Corto Maltese. With a notable cast that includes Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, and John Cena, 2021’s The Suicide Squad is a wicked and darkly funny bloodbath that’s different from what you usually see in superhero movies. (Peacemaker, a spinoff TV series, is also available on HBO Max.)

Everything That Breathes (2022)

This captivating documentary is full of images that will leave an impression on you. It centers on two brothers from New Delhi who run a bird hospital dedicated to black kites, birds of prey that are a staple of the sky. It was up for Best Documentary Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (2022)

Tune in to this HBO documentary to experience gravity-defying skateboarding stunts, a time capsule of the ’80s skateboarding scene, and a version of Hawk you’ve probably never seen. We get to know the renowned athlete as a lanky, stubborn but determined kid who adopted his own style of skateboarding. Hawk’s perseverance is something to marvel at, along with all the awesome skateboarding moves this movie contains. Hang on for a memorable ride.

Roadrunner: a film about Anthony Bourdain (2021)

This film about beloved author, chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain comes from documentarian Morgan Neville, who also directed Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and the Oscar-winning film Twenty Feet from Stardom. In interviews with people who knew Bourdain, such as his friends, former partners and longtime colleagues, the doc traces his professional journey, relationships and personal struggles. Fans and those less familiar with the late star will likely enjoy this two-hour look into his life.