What are the best movies on Max right now? The streamer’s name may have changed, but Max is still one of the best streaming platforms for movies thanks to a healthy and diverse catalog made up of new releases and legacy additions. There’s plenty of quality and quantity to be found in the service’s library, with a selection of movies that run the gamut of genres, ensuring any viewer will find something to enjoy.
Considering how saturated the streaming market has become in recent years, that level of variety is an invaluable asset to have. And if you find yourself overwhelmed and struggling to find where to start, we’ve curated a guide on the best movies to stream on Max that is updated every month.
In need of some more streaming recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on Disney+ that are worth looking through.
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It2017
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Doctor Sleep2019
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Gangs of New York2002
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The Bourne Ultimatum2007
It (2017) new
One of Stephen King’s best movie adaptations, director Andy Muschietti’s (The Flash) It is a thrilling cinematic interpretation of the classic novel. The 2017 film follows a string of disturbing disappearances, seven children known as The Losers’ Club face the terror of the titular otherworldly creature — as well as their personal demons.
Bolstered by an impressive young cast and the equal parts commanding and bone-chilling performance by Bill Skarsgård as the titular monster, It is a superb supernatural horror movie and arguably one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s books.
Doctor Sleep (2019) new
Another Stephen King adaptation, director Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep is perhaps one of the more underrated movies of 2019. The film received a positive critical reception upon release, but it had an underwhelming run at the box office. Nonetheless, Doctor Sleep is a riveting supernatural horror story and a satisfying sequel to the critically acclaimed The Shining.
Set decades after the events of the latter, Doctor Sleep revolves around a grown Dan Torrance (played by Ewan McGregor), a man struggling with alcoholism who wields psychic abilities, after he’s compelled back to the hotel that traumatized him and his family. Buoyed by a strong performances by McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson as antagonist and cult leader Rose the Hat, Doctor Sleep is a suitably foreboding horror-thriller.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015) new
Director Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible series is still going strong, and Max has one of the franchise’s strongest installments in Rogue Nation. Coming off the resurgent goodwill of 2011’s Ghost Protocol, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation follows Ethan Hunt and company as they tackle the shadowy machinations of the Syndicate, a terrorist organization of rogue international government agents.
The plot gets increasingly tense as disavowed MI6 agent Ilsa Foust (played by Rebecca Ferguson) enters the fray with ambitions of her own. Rogue Nation was critically well-received partly due to its tense story and compelling performances from Cruise and Ferguson.
Gangs of New York (2002) new
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) new
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) new
The Iron Giant (1999) new
Ocean's Thirteen (2007) new
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) new
Dunkirk (2017) new
Pulp Fiction (1994) new
3:10 to Yuma (2007) new
Moonlight (2016) new
The Lego Batman Movie (2017) new
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) new
Parasite (2019) new
Director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite was a breakout hit in 2019, earning an Academy Award for Best Picture. The Korean dark comedy/thriller hybrid focuses on the desperate exploits of a poor family that schemes their way into working for a wealthy family.
The family poses as qualified for the tasks at hand, but the more they involve themselves in the wealthy Park family’s lives, the deeper they get tangled in a shocking incident. Parasite earned widespread critical acclaim for its smart humor combined with equally poignant social commentary on class dynamics.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Cementing the series’ status as one of the most outstanding film trilogies ever made, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a triumphant finish for Peter Jackson’s tenure in Middle-earth. The film continues with Bilbo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) journeying to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom.
Meanwhile, the remaining heroes, including Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), and Legolas (Orlando Bloom), amass an army to battle with Sauron. Winning an astonishing 11 Academy Awards out of 11 nominations, The Return of the King was emphatically acclaimed for its faithfulness to Tolkien’s source material, stunning visuals, and powerfully emotional payoff.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
Creed II (2018) new
Michael B. Jordan’s Creed series has proven itself pound for pound alongside the wider Rocky franchise, and director Steven Caple Jr.’s Creed II is a solid follow-up.
This sophomore installment of the series effectively bridges the gap between the past and present of the franchise, with Adonis (Jordan) continuing training under Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Creed II pits Adonis in another titanic boxing match, this time against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) — the son of antagonist Ivan Drago from 1985’s Rocky IV.
Hereditary (2018) new
A24 studio has made itself one of the biggest names in the indie film scene, with director Ari Aster providing it with some of the best horror movies in recent years. Aster is a master of building dread through psychological and body horror, and Hereditary is a terrifyingly effective showcase of both.
It stars the likes of Toni Collette and Alex Wolff as part of a family that finds itself haunted by an ominous presence after the death of their mysterious grandmother. Collette was an expected standout, but the whole cast put up excellent performances in a genuinely foreboding experience, with its striking cinematography adding to the tension.
I Love You, Man (2009)
Paul Rudd has been charming audiences for years now, and I Love You, Man is one of the more affectionately regarded rom-coms from the 2000s.
Starring alongside the equally appealing Jason Segal and Rashida Jones, this goofball romantic comedy follows Rudd’s leading man in an awkward three-person dynamic. When Peter Klaven (Rudd) finds himself in search of a friend to be the best man at his wedding with Zooey Rice (Jones), he soon picks Sydney Fife (Segal). But things begin to get awkward as Peter’s newfound best friend starts creating tension in his relationship with Zooey.
Creed (2015)
Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut Creed III takes Adonis’ story and boxing career to new heights, and HBO Max hosts the film that kicked off this successful new series. Creed follows the titular amateur boxer Adonis Creed as he looks to break away from the mundanity of his — admittedly successful — life to pursue his true calling in the form of professional boxing.
After embarking on this risky venture, Creed trains under the ring of Sylvester Stallone’s iconic Rocky Balboa, who’s become jaded about his past. Creed succeeds in being a spinoff of a legacy franchise that fully justifies its existence, with or without the title of its predecessors.
Taxi Driver (1976)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Terminator (1984)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Batman Begins (2005)
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Se7en (1995)
Barbarian (2022)
The Witch (2015)
The Witch was Anya Taylor-Joy’s first feature film, and it made her a star. In the early 1600s, Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) is the eldest daughter in a family of Puritans led by her parents, William (Ralph Ineson) and Katherine (Kate Dickie). After the family is banished by their local religious sect, Thomasin is horrified when her infant brother is stolen out from under her nose. Unbeknownst to the family, there really is a witch (Bathsheba Garnett) in the woods, and she has a taste for the young. Through her hardships, Thomasin discovers that she also has powers of her own, which only makes things scarier.
District 9 (2009)
Goodfellas (1990)
Inception (2010)
Elvis (2022)
Training Day (2001)
The Batman (2022)
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Dune (2021)
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Memento (2000)
Malcolm X (1992)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Jurassic Park (1993)
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