Fans of Succession will be surprised to see that Jesse Armstrong has returned from his brief hiatus with a new project, Mountainhead. The movie was written and filmed earlier this year. It’s now on HBO Max. Now that’s efficiency. No one knows how to dump on the rich better than Armstrong.
One of the highlights this month is the first four Hunger Games movies. One of the entries, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, is on this list of underrated movies to watch this weekend. Check out all of our picks below.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
Looking back at the 2010s, the Hunger Games franchise dominated pop culture thanks to memorable phrases like “I volunteer as tribute” and the arrival of Jennifer Lawrence as an A-list star. The first two movies are significantly better than the final two in the quartet. That being said, Mockingjay — Part 1 is arguably the most politically charged of the four movies.
After escaping the arena in Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) is transported to the underground District 13, where the rebels prepare their attack against the Capitol. Katniss must embrace her Mockingjay identity and become the symbol of hope. The Hanging Tree scene and the final cliffhanger with Peeta are two of the top 10 moments of the franchise.
Stream The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 on Max.
Tangerine (2015)
Sean Baker became the talk of the town this past year with Anora. The off-the-rails dramedy won five Oscars, with Baker becoming the first person to win four for one movie. With Baker’s Oscar win still fresh, revisit Tangerine, the movie considered by many as his breakthrough.
Like most of Baker’s protagonists, Tangerine features sex workers at the center of the story. Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is a trans sex worker fresh out of a short stint in prison. After finding out her pimp cheated on her, Sin-Dee and fellow trans sex worker Alexandra (Mya Taylor) set out on a journey across Los Angeles to find him. Tangerine highlights Baker’s best qualities — do-everything filmmaking, innovative style, visual flair (shot on iPhones), and expertise in balancing comedy with drama.
Stream Tangerine on Max.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
Before he investigated the Yellow King and piloted a mission across the galaxy, Matthew McConaughey was Mr. Rom-Com. Ghost of Girlfriends Past is the final movie in his rom-com run before taking a break to reevaluate his career. In this interpretation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, McConaughey plays Connor Mead, a playboy bachelor who holds multiple relationships with women at once. The day before his brother’s wedding, Connor runs into Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), the one who got away.
After making a fool of himself, Connor encounters the spirit of his late uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), who says he will be visited by ghosts of his romantic past, present, and future. Dickens’ fans can rest easy knowing Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is not better than its source material. However, the B-movie is a charming showcase for McConaughey and Garner.
Stream Ghosts of Girlfriends Past on Max.
