30 Best Movies On Max Right Now (July 2024)

Warner Bros’ Max (formerly HBO Max) offers one of the most extensive and high-quality film catalogs of any streamer, housing a variety of movies from all genres, including Hollywood classics and recent releases, guaranteeing that subscribers will always find something to watch. In 2020, Warner Bros. joined the streaming wars with HBO Max, offering a wide catalog of movies and TV shows from the libraries of Warner Bros, HBO, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and more of the studio’s related brands, along with original content.

In May 2023, HBO Max was rebranded as Max, but it retained the same type of content with the addition of titles from Discovery. Max continues to be one of the most popular streaming services thanks to its variety and for being the assigned home of Warner Bros.’ theatrical releases, but there are also some hidden gems in the platform’s long list of movies that can be easily missed or overlooked. Here are the 30 best movies on Max right now, from a variety of genres for both mature audiences and for the whole family to enjoy.

Best Horror Movies On Max

Hereditary (2018)

Director Ari Aster and independent studio A24 are both names that have dominated the horror genre in recent years, and the pair’s first partnership was 2018’s Hereditary, which is currently available to stream on Max. The supernatural fright-fest caused a stir when it first released, and until the release of 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once was A24’s highest grossing movie. Hereditary currently has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an impressive feat, with the performance of cast member Toni Collette as Annie Graham being especially highly praised.

Hereditary is a supernatural horror that turns many of the tropes of demonic possession movies on their head. There are many, many scenes in Hereditary that are truly shocking. While it feels almost like a by-the-numbers movie of the subgenre at first, nothing in Hereditary is predictable, and by the end, and it’s easy to see why it was the movie that put Ari Aster on the map prior to 2019’s Midsommar.

Aliens (1986)

The Alien franchise is a horror-sci-fi staple in the 2020s, and while the 1979 original introduced audiences to heroine Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the terrifying Xenomorph, it was 1986’s Aliens that showed that both were more than worthy of starring in multiple movies. Aliens takes place over 50 years after Alien, with Ripley being held in stasis. She’s awoken by the Weyland-Yutani corporation and tasked — much to her unending horror — with accompanying a group of marines to a colony that’s been overrun by the same alien creatures that wiped out the crew of the Nostromo.

The original Alien was directed by the legendary Ridley Scott, and the equally-acclaimed James Cameron took over for Aliens. The 1986 sequel upped the ante from the first movie in the franchise. As the subtle difference in their title suggests, Aliens features dozens of Xenomorphs, leading to the tone shifting to more of an action bent that still manages to contain plenty of the body-horror and tense jump scares that made the original such a hit.

Midsommar (2019)

2019’s Midsommar was a collaboration between director Ari Aster and studio A24, and is widely regarded as one of the best horror movies of the last five years. It’s easy to see why Midsommar is currently one of the best and most popular horror movies on Max, as it has been acclaimed by both critics and genre fans alike thanks to its intriguing plot and genuinely disturbing moments throughout. The plot focuses on Dani (Florence Pugh) and her group of friends as they travel to Sweden to take part in a 9-day midsummer festival at the Hårga commune.

While their invitation from friend Christian seems like an innocent enough offer at first (and one Dani needs due to the recent death of her sister and parents), the movie quickly takes an incredibly sinister turn. Dani and her companions realize that Hårga is home to a cult, and the festival is actually the culmination of an intense ritual — one that they, fatally, are included in. Spiritually following the same vein as classic horrors like The Wicker Man, Midsommar is bound to have viewers thinking over its strange, surreal, and sinister scenes for months after viewing.

The Strangers (2008)

The Strangers was received to mixed reviews when it released in 2008, flying relatively under-the-radar among all but the most dedicated horror movie fans. However, in the decades since, director Bryan Bertino’s intimate and claustrophobic psychological horror film has become a cult classic, spawning a sequel and a reboot trilogy that kicked off in May 2024 with The Strangers: Chapter 1. The original The Strangers is available on Max, so subscribers can find out exactly why the terrifying movie and its masked killers are discussed more and more with each year that passes.

The cast of The Strangers is relatively small, with Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, and Glenn Howerton being the only characters who don’t appear in masks. However, the most memorable appearances are, of course, the titular masked strangers. Both their appearance and the violence they inflict on Liv Tyler’s Kristen, Scott Speedman’s Jay, and Glenn Howerton’s Mike are absolutely harrowing, and Max subscribers hoping for a chill they’ll be thinking about for weeks afterward need look no further than this cult horror movie.

Black Swan (2010)

Not only is Black Swan one of the best horror movies currently available to stream on Max, it’s also one of the most acclaimed movies of the 2010s, considered one of the highlights of the filmographies of both leading actress Natalie Portman and director Darren Aronofsky. Portman stars as Nina, a dancer with the New York City Ballet. After securing the lead role as both Odette, the White Swan, in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Nina finds various pressures cause her to slowly unravel.

The tense psychological horror is truly gripping, and while it doesn’t rely on jump-scares or gore as much as many other horror movies (and at times veers more into thriller territory), it’s nevertheless harrowing. Portman delivered a career-defining performance as Nina, but she’s far from alone in the cast. Mila Kunis also performed incredibly well as Lily, Nina’s rival, with Winona Ryder also appearing as Beth MacIntyre to add to the lineup.

Black Swan
won an incredible 61 awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actress for Natalie Portman.

Scream (1996)

1996’s Scream may have originally been intended as a pseudo-satirization of the slasher genre, but it ended up writing the blueprint for it for decades to come. By now, Ghostface is one of the most iconic slasher killers in recent cinema history, and Scream is the movie that introduced him to the world long before he was parodied in Scary Movie, or caught the attention of modern audiences in the 2022 reboot starring Jenna Ortega.

Alongside the 1996 original, 1997’s Scream 2 and 2000’s Scream 3 are also available on Max, making for an incredibly intense horror trilogy for subscribers to binge. Scream stars the likes of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, and Drew Barrymore, and is helmed by legendary horror director Wes Craven.

Friday The 13th (1980)

One of the films responsible for the slasher movie craze of the 1980s, Friday the 13th centers on a group of teenage camp counselors who are hunted down and murdered by a mysterious killer, who turns out to be Mrs. Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer), a mother seeking revenge after her son Jason (Ari Lehman) drowned at the camp.

While the image of the hockey mask-wearing, machete-wielding Jason Voorhees is most commonly associated with the series, few remember that Jason himself didn’t play a huge role in the first Friday the 13th movie. This is a testament to Palmer’s terrifying performance that Friday the 13th became the huge franchise it was, with sequels releasing into the 2000s, many of which are also available to stream on Max.

The only
Friday the 13th
movies that aren’t available on Max are
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday,
Freddy vs. Jason,
and 2001’s
Jason X.

Carrie (1976 & 2013)

Based on Stephen King’s first published novel, Carrie is also the first film adaptation of his work. Dozens of King movie and TV adaptations have followed, but this 1976 movie is one of the best. Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is a shy teenager with telekinetic powers who is brutally bullied and victimized by her high school classmates and her religious fanatic mother Margaret (Piper Laurie). When a cruel prank humiliates Carrie, she enacts rage-fueled revenge on her tormentors.

An iconic tale of vengeance, Carrie has received a sequel and two remakes, but none live up to the original. Spacek is note-perfect as the put-upon protagonist, and she and Laurie both received Oscar nominations for their performances. The 2013 remake, which wasn’t as successful but still holds up thanks to telling the same chilling Stephen King story, is also available on Max.

Sissy Spacek received multiple award nominations for her role in the 1976 version of
Carrie,
including an Academy Award for Best Actress. She also won Best Actress on the year of
Carrie
‘s release at the National Society of Film Critics awards.

Ex Machina (2014)

Ex Machina is a sci-fi psychological thriller written and directed by Alex Garland in his directorial debut. The movie on Max follows Caleb Smith, a programmer at the search engine company Blue Book, who wins an office contest for a one-week visit to the luxurious but isolated home of the company’s CEO, Nathan Bateman. There, Nathan shares his latest invention with Caleb: a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence named Ava.

Nathan asks Caleb to judge whether Ava is capable of thought and consciousness and whether he can relate to her despite knowing she’s artificial, but it all takes a dark turn as Caleb learns more about Ava and Nathan. What follows is a tense and cerebral sci-fi thriller that poses plenty of philosophical quandaries for the viewer about the nature of sentience and consciousness.

Ex Machina
was nominated for 125 awards and won 42, including an Academy Award in 2016 for Best Visual Effects.

Best Action Movies On Max

The Flash (2023)

The DCU is getting a reboot now that James Gunn is at the helm, and one of the last movies of the DCEU that came before was 2023’s The Flash, which served as something of a celebration of the wider cinematic universe based on DC Comics. Not only did Ezra Miller reprise his role as Barry Allen (AKA The Flash), but Michael Shannon returned as General Zod from 2013’s Man of Steel, alongside brief appearances from Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, and Ben Affleck making his final appearance as Batman.

However, the most exciting return was inarguably Michael Keaton reprising his version of Batman from the 1989 Tim Burton movie. There were also multiple CGI likenesses used for the likes of Nicolas Cage as Superman, and George Clooney made a brief cameo as Bruce Wayne after previously appearing in 1997’s Batman and Robin too. While it may not be a superhero movie as beloved as, for example, The Dark Knight, 2023’s The Flash still stands as an incredibly visually stylish modern action movie on Max.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Dune: Part Two has been one of the most successful films of 2024 so far, and it is now finally available to stream, with Max subscribers being the lucky customers who get to view Dune 2 from the comfort of their living room. While 2021’s Dune: Part One wasn’t quite the cinematic hit it could have been thanks to releasing shortly after the Pandemic, Dune: Part Two is a completely different story. The second chapter of Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi trilogy based on the books of Frank Herbert has been lauded by audiences and critics alike for multiple reasons, from its digestible adaptation of the complex source material through to its all-star cast.

Joining the likes of Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, and Josh Brolin from 2021’s Dune are a host of newcomers, including Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV, and Austin Butler as the villainous Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Dune: Part Two has been considered by many as a movie that raises the bar on what’s expected from epic-scale sci-fi moving forward, and there are few films on Max or any other streaming service that can match it.

2021’s
Dune: Part One
is also available to stream on Max.

The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy doesn’t just consist of three of the best movies on Max, but three of the best movies ever made, period. Starting with 2001’s The Fellowship of the Ring, the three Lord of the Rings movies adapt the trilogy of epic fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien into a cinematic saga whose scope still remains unmatched. Everything from the cast to the script to the set-pieces and battle scenes have received near-universal acclaim.

It’s difficult to overstate just how influential the Lord of the Rings movies were, so it’s no surprise that they’re among the best and most popular movies available to stream on Max. The Lord of the Rings movies hold 17 Academy Awards between them, with The Return of the King landing Best Picture. The cast is exceptional too, though Andy Serkis as Gollum, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn stand out as notable highlights.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road presented audiences with what is perhaps the most high-speed vision of the world after the apocalypse ever seen. The fourth Mad Max movie arrived three decades after 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, with franchise director George Miller returning with an all-new cast that included Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky, Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa, Nicholas Hoult as Nux, and Hugh Keays-Byrne as the imposing antagonist Immortan Joe.

Immensely quotable and shot across the deserts of Namibia and South-Africa to ensure the sense of emptyness and isolation were unmatched, Mad Max: Fury Road is easily the most visually stunning Mad Max movie to date and has some near-unmatched visuals and action sequences throughout. The plot intriguingly sees Max himself take a backseat, with the hero of the story being Theron’s Furiosa, who is getting her own Furiosa movie (though this time played by Anya Taylor-Joy).

Mad Max: Fury Road
won a vast number of awards — 102 in total out of 222 nominations — including six Academy Awards, mainly for design and editing.

War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017)

2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes is the third movie in the rebooted Planet of the Apes movies which started with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes and 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (both of which are available to stream on Max). War for the Planet of the Apes takes place several decades after two key events in the franchise — apes gaining intelligence and being led to selfhood and liberation by Caesar (Andy Serkis), and the emergence of the Simian Flu that decimated the human population.

As the title suggests, War for the Planet of the Apes brings these events to a head with the all-out conflict between the apes and the remaining humans. As with every entry in the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy, the CGI is astounding, and sights like sentient primates riding horses and shooting rifles make for some truly unique battle scenes. With the fourth movie, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, having arrived in 2024, now is the perfect time for Max subscribers to get on board with the hit sci-fi franchise.

Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022)

Despite being produced by the Disney-owned studio 20th Century Pictures, James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water is also currently available to stream on Max. A long-gestating sequel to 2009’s Avatar, 2022 blockbuster The Way of Water takes viewers back to Pandora, the Na’vi, and Jake Sully, who now has a family with Neytiri. Of course, the fragile peace Jake has found with his new people isn’t long-last, as a rejuvenated Quaritch is back in a Na’Vi body of his own.

With outstanding performances from Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Stephen Lang, and many more, Avatar: The Way of Water was a cinematic event when it arrived in 2022 after over a decade in development. A vast improvement on the first movie, Max subscribers seeking an epic, vibrant adventure that showcases the very latest in CGI technology need look no further.

The Dark Knight (2008)

More of a gritty crime thriller than a comic book movie, The Dark Knight dominated the pop culture landscape upon release, and continues to do so over 15 years later. In the sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) teams up with Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Gotham’s district attorney, and his ally Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman) to face off against the Joker (Heath Ledger), an unhinged villain who worships chaos and seeks to cause destruction wherever he goes.

While the storytelling is taut and thrilling, and the entire cast brings their A-game, what really makes the movie special is Ledger. The villain has been portrayed to death on both the big and small screen, but everything from the Joker’s mannerisms to his trademark quotes — “Wanna know how I get these scars?“, “Why so serious?” — became iconic. Ledger famously and tragically passed away before the release of The Dark Knight, but his legacy lives on, and he won a posthumous Oscar for his performance. The Dark Knight will also be remembered as one of Christopher Nolan’s best movies.

The Dark Knight
is the second part of Christopher Nolans
Batman
trilogy. The first installment,
Batman Begins,
and the last,
The Dark Knight Rises,
are also available on Max.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

The 2010 action-comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley, and over the years has gone from being a somewhat underappreciated cult gem to a global phenomenon, buoyed by its appearance on streaming platforms like Max. The story focuses on the titular Scott Pilgrim (played by Michael Cera) who, after falling for new girl in town Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) finds himself locked in various fights to the death with her 7 evil ex’s — a process headed up by Ramona’s most significant former partner Gideon “G-Man” Graves (Jason Schwartzman).

The heavy video game influences, slick soundtrack, and razor-sharp script are all selling points of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. However, it’s the well-rounded cast that truly helped put the movie on the map, especially in recent years. Cera, Winstead, and Schwartzman are joined by many now-A-list names such as Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick, Kieran Culkin, Brie Larson, Alison Pill, and Mae Whitman. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a truly unique film, and there are few that are as entertaining — in any genre — currently available to stream on Max.

Godzilla Vs. Kong (2021)

When it comes to giant monsters in movies, two names stand above all the rest — Godzilla and King Kong. In 2021 Legendary’s Monsterverse brought them both together in the epic blockbuster cinematic event Godzilla vs. Kong, which is now one of the best action movies on Max thanks to its larger-than-life scenes of destruction and mayhem.Godzilla vs. Kong is the fourth movie in the Monsterverse franchise and has a surprisingly intricate plot despite the main attraction being, of course, watching Godzilla and King Kong duke it out.

Godzilla vs. Kong follows on from the events of 2017’s Kong: Skull Island and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Besides the two titular titans, the movie stars Alexander Skarsgård, Mille Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and the late Lance Reddick. Godzilla vs. Kong is pure easy-watch blockbuster popcorn fodder, epic in scale and scope without demanding too much from the viewer, making it perfect for movie night.

The Best Comedy Movies On Max

Lost In Translation (2003)

For max subscribers seeking a cerebral comedy that also has plenty of romance, 2003’s Lost in Translation more than fits the bill. Directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Bill Murray alongside Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation covers multiple themes including the struggle of having a midlife crisis, cultural alienation, and the sense of disconnection that comes with success. Plus, for viewerswho particularly enjoy setting, Lost in Translation is also something of a dive into the culture of early 2000s Tokyo from an outsider’s perspective.

Murray stars as Bob Harris, a once-successful movie star who’s come to realize his best years are now far behind him. Frustrated with both his career and failing marriage, he accepts a role in Tokyo to appear in advertisements for a Japanese brand of whiskey. Bob stays at a luxurious hotel and there he meets, through a series of chance encounters, a young newlywed Yale graduate, Charlotte (Johansson), and the two form an intimate yet platonic connection. Lost in Translation received a slew of accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, with Murray also nominated for best actor the same year.

Dream Scenario (2023)

From March 15th one of the most innovative and intriguing Nicolas Cage movies of the last decade becomes available to Max subscribers — 2023’s Dream Scenario. In the genre-defying comedy, Cage stars as unassuming biology teacher Paul Matthews. Paul’s life is turned upside-down when, for reasons unknown, he starts appearing in thousands of people’s dreams, from total strangers to his friends and family.

This bizarre phenomenon thrusts Paul into a life of celebrity, which includes an advertising deal with Sprite. However, he soon finds his presence in the minds of others brings danger too, especially when a man breaks into the Matthews family home with a knife. The premise is utterly bizarre but executed with perfection by Cage and director Kristoffer Borgli, and there’s no other film quite like Dream Scenario among the best movies on Max (or anywhere else).

Deadpool (2016)

Ryan Reynolds redefined superhero movies with the arrival of Deadpool in 2016. The R-rated Marvel movie flipped the script with its fourth wall breaks, raunchy humor, and incredible levels of violence. Despite the fact it’s a comedy at heart, Deadpool also contains many surprisingly emotional moments, and a story that’s narratively sound.

Deadpool 3 may be on the way to the MCU, but the original was part of Fox’s X-Men universe (a fact the threequel is guaranteed to make light of). What’s more, thanks to the hilarious script, Deadpool will appeal to Max subscribers who don’t enjoy regular superhero films.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Anne Hathaway exudes everywoman charm in all of her roles, and in The Devil Wears Prada, she’s at the top of her game, going toe to toe — and holding her own — with the legendary Meryl Streep. Based on the Lauren Weisberger best-selling novel of the same name, The Devil Wears Prada sees recent college graduate Andy Sachs (Hathaway) get a coveted job at Runway magazine as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestley (Streep). The only problem is, Miranda is the boss from hell.

Comedies, particularly female-driven comedies, don’t get the respect they deserve, but even the Academy Awards, who notoriously favor drama films, had to give Streep her due and nominate her for her unforgettable performance. The Devil Wears Prada was also Emily Blunt’s breakout role, as she played the icy co-assistant, Emily Charlton. Throw in a scenery-chewing Stanely Tucci as art director Nigel Kipling, and The Devil Wears Prada is one of the best movies on Max.

The Best Family Movies On Max

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies (2018)

Perhaps one of the most underappreciated DC television spinoffs in recent years has been Teen Titans Go!, which is predominantly aimed at younger audiences (much to the chagrin of the more toxic quarters of the Teen Titans fanbase, something the show frequently lambasts). However, in 2018, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies arrived in theaters, and the film is an absolute delight both for kids who simply enjoy the slapstick antics of the Teen Titans in their Go! personas (and the musical numbers), and for adult viewers who enjoy spotting the dozens of DC Comics Easter eggs littered throughout.

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies
is both a hilarious family movie and a hugely entertaining film about making films.

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies is both a hilarious family movie and a hugely entertaining film about making films. The plot is as simple as it is hilarious — fed up with always being a sidekick on the big screen, Robin sets out to get a superhero movie made all about him, without Batman. Sadly though, it turns out Hollywood isn’t interested in a Robin movie — that is until a particular villain masquerading as a director realizes a Robin movie would be the perfect ingredient in their evil scheme.

The Harry Potter Franchise (2001-2011)

Few cinematic franchises have had as much of an impact on pop culture as the 8 Harry Potter movies, all of which are now available to stream on Max from 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone through to 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. For the uninitiated, the Harry Potter stories focus on the titular orphan Harry Potter, a young boy who discovers — much to his abusive Aunt and Uncle’s disgust — that he’s a Wizard.

Harry then promptly enrolls in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here he meets his new lifelong friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, mentor Albus Dumbledore and, more alarmingly, learns the truth about how his parents died. This final fact puts him in direct confrontation with the most dangerous dark wizard of all time — Lord Voldemort. The Harry Potter movies won a slew of awards and remain unmatched when it comes to a family-friendly film franchise, even among the extensive library of films available on Max.

Wonka (2023)

One of the most enjoyable family movies released in 2023 is now available to watch on Max — Wonka, an original story based on the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Serving as a prequel to the 1971 movie, Dune: Part Two star Timothée Chalamet stars as the legendary chocolateer Willy Wonka, and delivers a spellbinding performance in the role. “Magical” is an adjective bandied around a lot for fantastical family films, but Wonka truly lives up to the description.

The entire movie takes place in a whimsical world inspired by reality, but that has a life and feel all its own. What’s more, Wonka harkens back to the 1971 movie starring Gene Wilder by coming complete with a host of original songs. Chalamet is joined by a cast that includes Olivia Coleman as the nefarious Mrs. Scrubbit and Hugh Grant as Lofty, the Oompa-Loompa who is also a master thief. Max subscribers of all ages are bound to fall in love with Wonka, as it delivers everything a family movie should, from comedy to heartfelt moments.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Singin’ in the Rain is a musical rom-com directed (and choreographed) by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. Set in the 1920s, Singin’ in the Rain follows Don and Lina, two popular silent film stars whose latest film is remade into a musical. The transition from silent films to “talkies” isn’t easy, and while Don has the voice for the new singing part, the same can’t be said for Lina.

Aspiring actress Kathy is hired to record over Lina’s voice, thus saving Lina’s career — but she and Don also fall in love. Singin’ in the Rain is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, and holds a well-deserved 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Howl’s Moving Castle is a Japanese animated fantasy movie from Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyasaki, based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones. Set in a kingdom with magic and 19th-century technology, and against the backdrop of a war, Howl’s Moving Castle follows young milliner Sophie, who is cursed by a witch and turned into an elderly woman.

On her quest to find a way to break the curse, Sophie comes across Howl’s moving castle and meets Howl himself, who she soon learns is a wizard caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king. Like almost all Studio Ghibli movies, Howl’s Movie Castle is visually spellbinding, and its charming romance narrative stands out as being especially wholesome by the end.

Best Drama Films On Max

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey is an epic sci-fi film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The discovery of a mysterious monolith on the lunar surface leads the Discovery One and its revolutionary computer, HAL 9000, on a mission to unravel its mysterious origin. When HAL begins to display increasingly strange and controlling behavior, a tense showdown between man and machine begins while traveling through time and space.

2001: A Space Odyssey is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, as well as a highly influential one thanks to its visual effects and narrative techniques.

Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca is a romantic drama movie directed by Michael Curtiz and based on the play Everybody Comes to Rick’s, by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. Casablanca tells the story of American expatriate and nightclub owner Rick Blaine and his former lover Ilsa Lund, who left Rick without explanation years before.

Now reunited during the war, Rick finds himself in a difficult position as he has to choose between his love for Ilsa and helping her husband, Victor Laszlo, a Czechoslovak resistance leader, continue his fight against the Germans. Casablanca is widely regarded as among the greatest movies ever made, often facing against Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane for the #1 spot.

Barbie (2023)

It’s difficult to categorize Barbie as a movie — in some ways, it’s a fever dream of Barbieland, set piece action and songs. However, it’s more than just a riot of pink — it’s also an incredible examination of growing up, the pressures of expectations on women, the need to become someone outside a relationship, toxic masculinity, and the feminism that Barbie dolls were originally created for.

Margot Robbie delivers an incredible performance as Barbie, with Ryan Gosling’s Ken capturing hearts with his bumbling inability to win her affections. It’s a touching, beautiful picture of what it’s like to be a woman in the world today, but delivered through a gloriously well-thought-out fantasy world.