HBO’s streaming service, now rebranded as Max, created a single platform offering content from the many entertainment companies under the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) corporate umbrella. By dropping “HBO” from the name, WBD hoped to highlight that the new Max service was more than just films, with thousands of hours of programming from networks including HGTV, TLC, Food Network, and The Travel Channel.
With 18 “hubs” of categorized content, the variety and quality of content available is enough to satisfy every subscriber, making the quality platform worth the price. The main draw of Max, however, remains the movie libraries of HBO and Turner Classic Movies. What Max lacks in volume, it makes up for in the sheer quality of classic films. The streaming service carries many of the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Films of All Time, far more than any other content provider.
We’ve ranked the top movies available to stream on Max below. Rather than prioritizing films from the AFI list, we chose a variety of movies from several genres and film eras, including crowd-pleasing blockbusters.
Updated on May 1st, 2024, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
39 The Zone of Interest (2023)
The Zone of Interest
- Release Date
- February 2, 2024
- Director
- Jonathan Glazer
- Cast
- Sandra Hüller , Christian Friedel , Freya Kreutzkam , Max Beck
- Runtime
- 1hr 45min
- Writers
- Martin Amis , Jonathan Glazer
The Zone of Interest is a historical drama based on a novel of the same name written by Martin Amis. Set in Poland in 1943, the story follows Rudolf Höss, an ambitious commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, who lives with his wife and five children in an establishment right next to the camp. While building a dream life for them as they swim and fish and garden, Höss also exposes them to the horrific sounds of murder over the fence.
Extremely Important and Thought-Provoking
Director Martin Szella crafts a minimalist yet psychologically piercing study of history and characters through The Zone of Interest. He challenges viewers to look directly into the depths of inhumanity and question what idyllic longing one can demand amid such atrocities. Compelling performances from the cast bring each character to unflinching life. While the movie itself is profoundly bleak in substance, Glazer’s lens is clear and sharp and its aim is to disenchant viewers. The Zone of Interest won two Academy Awards, including Best International Feature. It also took home the Grand Prix at Cannes.
38 Barbie (2023)
Barbie
- Release Date
- July 21, 2023
An imaginative comedy-drama from the minds of Greta Gerwig and her longtime collaborator and partner Noah Baumbach, Barbie begins in Barbieland, where the titular character lives with different versions of Barbies and Kens. But one night, after Stereotypical Barbie has thought about mortality, she realizes how dissatisfied she is with the idea of “perfection.” So she embarks on an adventure into the real world, which is nothing like she’d imagined.
Charming, Funny, and Exuberant
Gerwig puts an unfamiliar but essential spin on the iconic Mattel doll by showing her in a progressive light. Starring Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, Ryan Gosling, and Will Ferrell, the movie’s sharp script, outrageous humor, and playful irreverence warmed the audiences’ hearts. While still honoring the brand’s history, it tackles issues of identity, stereotypes, and feminism in a vibrant and beautifully stylized way. Under Gerwig’s signature direction, Barbie emerges as a heartbreaking, humorous, and impactful film.
37 Joker (2019)
Joker was the first R-rated movie to break box office records by grossing over $1 billion. Written and directed by Todd Phillips, it takes you to Gotham City in 1981, where a mentally troubled comedian named Arthur Fleck tries to prove his worth. But when society shuns him, isolates and abuses him, Arthur descends into madness, and he grabs any form of acceptance as purpose. His delusions take a darker turn when he masks himself as a killer and challenges the privileged.
Landmark in Storytelling
Joker was unlike anything you’d ever seen before in the superhero landscape. As a character study that questioned society and its disregard for mental health, it broke expectations and emerged as an honest and fearless character study. Through Joaquin Phoenix’s disturbing yet empathetic performance, Phillips exposed the audience to issues that are omnipresent but never addressed. The movie was followed by countless discussions, both intimate and terrifying, and it became the recipient of several accolades, including a Best Actor Oscar for Phoenix.
36 The Social Network (2010)
An Academy Award-winning biographical drama, The Social Network depicts the rise of the social networking site, Facebook. From the founder, Mark Zuckerberg, creating the platform aimed at dating within the campus from his Harvard dorm room in 2003 to his success and the site’s growing influence. Which ultimately leads him to be at odds with his best friend and partner, Eduardo Saverin. Lawsuits follow and Zuckerberg is forced to learn the pros and cons of his creation.
Captures a Massive Turn in Technology
Writer Aaron Sorkin and director David Fincher encapsulate a pivotal time in modern history, one that changed the world in terms of style and stature. Jesse Eisenberg is brilliant at navigating fame and betrayal as Zuckerberg, while stars like Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Justin Timberlake, and Dakota Johnson provide equally remarkable supporting turns. The storytelling and pacing of The Social Network is dark, tense, and riveting. Upon every rewatch, you feel the vibrant interplay of money, power, friendship, and technology to be as resonant as ever.
35 The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Breakfast Club
- Release Date
- February 15, 1985
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
A quintessential teen coming-of-age comedy from the ’80s, The Breakfast Club follows five very different high school students who are forced to spend Saturday afternoon in detention at school while being overseen by Vice Principal Richard Vernon. They start off by arguing and judging one another based on labels and cliques. But as the day wears off and their individual walls crumble, their fears, desires, insecurities, and dreams unite them all.
Timeless Tale About Coming of Age
Written, directed, and produced by John Hughes, The Breakfast Club paints a generation-defining portrait of youth by being extremely relatable and humorous. It finds common ground between “brains, an athlete, a princess, an outcast, and a criminal” by allowing them to shed their exterior and be intelligent and insightful. The sharp writing and stellar performances from Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and more, paired with its simple yet profound dissection of teenagehood are what makes the film endure as one of the earliest and best “Brat Pack” films.
34 Now You See Me (2013)
As far as heist thrillers go, Now You See Me joins the ranks of pure entertainment. The plot sees a team of illusionists led by Jesse Eisenberg’s J. Daniel Atlas, who call themselves “The Horsemen,” pulling off bank heists during their magic performances and rewarding the audience with the same money they steal. Chasing them are an F.B.I. agent and an Interpol detective. The question is, how do these mentalists perform impossible heists, leave no clues, and dodge police?
Delightful Fun
The greatest achievement of Now You See Me is the sleek direction and the meticulous details in which every heist is pulled off. Director Louis Leterrier maximizes the intrigue and style of each scene by using amazing set pieces and magical showmanship. The supporting actors — Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher — show impeccable chemistry, which is what fuels the humor and the deceptions. As clever as it is fun, the film is undeniably rewatchable.
33 Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Director Jim Jarmusch’s impeccably cool ’90s film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is a brilliant blend of hip-hop, gangster films, and samurai classics. The movie studies Forest Whitaker’s lone urban samurai “Ghost Dog,” as he makes a living as a hitman while following the teachings of Yamamoto Tsunetomo. Unfortunately, the life of a mafia hitman is never easy, with Ghost Dog ending up on the chopping block as the mafia’s next big target. Cliff Gorman, Henry Silva, Victor Argo, and Tricia Vessey make up the supporting cast.
Effortlessly Cool and Gripping
With a killer score from RZA and great performances all around, Ghost Dog is a truly cool, melancholic, and suspenseful meditation on film genre and isolation. Though it wouldn’t secure that many award nominations or wins, critics such as Robert Ebert lobbed a tremendous amount of praise towards Ghost Dog, with a particular focus on the lead performance provided by Whitaker.
32 Spy (2015)
Spy
- Release Date
- June 15, 2015
Quite possibly the 2010s most underrated mainstream comedy, Spy lets Melissa McCarthy (for the most part) break away from the pratfall humor of projects like Identity Thief. Instead, it’s a good bit of well-written comedy, which is something illuminated every time Jason Statham’s brick-brained character graces the screen. McCarthy stars as Susan Cooper, a CIA agent who provides her talents from behind the comfort of a desk. However, when the identities of other agents are compromised, Cooper volunteers herself to put down a brand-new threat. Along with McCarthy and Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, and Jude Law appear in supporting roles.
McCarthy Is a One-of-a-Kind Talent
Statham and McCarthy are the biggest reasons to check out Paul Feig’s 2015 comedy. Statham, in particular, transitions incredibly well from being a grizzled action star to a hilarious comedic character, making for a perfect foil to an equally hysterical Rose Byrne. McCarthy and Byrne’s respective performances would be the subject of immense praise, with the former even nabbing a Golden Globe nomination for her efforts.
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31 Friday the 13th (1980)
Every bit as responsible for kicking off the slasher craze as John Carpenter’s Halloween, Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th is arguably the most divisive stone-cold classic ever filmed. The film does not get enough credit for favoring pace over excessive kills (though, naturally, there’s a bit of excess). Though you won’t find Jason Voorhees in his popular hockey mask here, the rest of the Friday the 13th formula would be firmly established in the franchise’s debut. As a group of counselors tends to their business at Camp Crystal Lake, a series of murders will point them toward a horrifying tragedy that rocked the campgrounds only a year prior.
A Trailblazing Slasher
Friday the 13th is as atmospheric as a movie can get, with a vibe that makes the viewer feel as if they’re right there at Camp Crystal Lake alongside Alice, Bill, Jack, Marcie, Brenda, Steve Christy, and Ned. The film even drew controversy for its intense kills, with several iconic moments made possible via the practical effects provided by Tom Savini. Toss in an iconic death sequence for Kevin Bacon, and the original Friday the 13th is required viewing for the horror-inclined out there.
30 John Dies at the End (2013)
Don Coscarelli is famous for his unconventional films, given his lengthy tenure in the Phantasm franchise. However, 2012’s John Dies at the End may be his best yet. This cult classic film sees the advent of a new drug promising a world of untold sensory stimulations. However, when lofty promises of inhuman knowledge and interdimensional travel are made, things quickly go south on a drug trip gone horribly awry. Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, and Clancy Brown make up the film’s cast, with additional performances by Glynn Turman, Daniel Roebuck, and Doug Jones.
Wholly Unique and Divisive
John Dies at the End is a movie that you can’t quite pinpoint: it seemingly does whatever it wants, whenever it wants, taking you for a ride that defies common sense and good taste. The result, however, is infinitely enjoyable. Paul Giamatti’s performance has been noted to be a prominent highlight, even in the most negative of polarized reviews.
29 American Honey (2016)
American Honey
- Release Date
- September 30, 2016
- Director
- Andrea Arnold
- Cast
- Shia LaBeouf , McCaul Lombardi , Arielle Holmes , Crystal Ice , Veronica Ezell , Chad Cox
A truly fascinating coming-of-age tale about American teens who yearn for freedom and belonging, American Honey follows Star (Sasha Lane), a rebellious teenage girl who, on a whim, joins a traveling sales crew cruising across America’s heartland. Star has had a troubled home life, so naturally, she finds comfort in this new escapism and instant connection with the crew’s leader Jake (Shia LaBeouf). As they crisscross the dusty backroads, visiting towns and encountering colorful characters, Star discovers adventure, liberation, and her first love.
A Modern Coming-of-Age Classic
The movie is visually very stunning and carries with it an empowering feminist message. What’s more, Shia LaBeouf and Sasha Lane elevate this poetic tale with their restless and relatable performances. The latter in particular would snag more than half a dozen Best Actress nominations for the quality of her performance.
28 Blood Simple (1984)
Blood Simple
- Release Date
- January 18, 1985
- Runtime
- 1hr 39min
The Coen brothers’ first film is a neo-noir masterpiece of tension with an incredible early performance from the great Frances McDormand, in her feature film debut. Blood Simple is a modern tale of deception and betrayal. This dark Texas thriller follows a bar owner who hires a private investigator (played to perfection by M. Emmet Walsh) to investigate his wife’s potential affair with a bartender. A series of misunderstandings and off-the-cuff lies goes hilariously wrong in this fantastic entry in the Coens’s filmography.
The Coens Kicked off Their Careers Well
Despite being their first film, Blood Simple would cement some of the most beloved qualities of the Coen brothers’ filmmaking style. The film’s cinematographer, Barry Sonnenfeld, would later go on to direct films like the Men in Black trilogy and The Addams Family.
27 42 (2013)
42 is a home run of a sports film and, like Moneyball or Remember the Titans, being a sports fan (baseball or otherwise) is not necessary to enjoy it. A biographical film at its core, 42 follows the life of Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman), the first black baseball player to officially compete in Major League Baseball in the mid-1940s. We’re shown Robinson’s initial acceptance into the Brooklyn Dodgers, and his ensuing success following cultural clashes and months of hardship.
A Triumphant Performance from Boseman
The late Chadwick Boseman was something else. A man who served as an inspiration to children not just in his role as Black Panther, but in the way he carried himself and treated others. 42 is a human interest story — both in the character being portrayed, and the actor playing him. Toss in a sterling and game-supporting performance from Harrison Ford, and 42 is an overall winner.
26 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
The Devil Wears Prada is a movie all about the fashion industry, with plenty of luxurious handbags and fur coats to boot. Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway co-star as Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs, a fashion magazine mogul and her co-assistant respectively. As Andrea attempts to navigate the cutthroat world of fashion, she’ll find herself struggling to keep her work-life balance in check amid Miranda’s demanding requests. Simon Baker, Adrian Grenier, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci appear in supporting roles.
A Beloved Fashion Film
The Devil Wears Prada is easily one of the most entertaining dramedies of the 2000s. The chemistry between Streep and Hathaway is to die for, with the former even netting a Best Actress award at the 2007 Golden Globes. The film as a whole would receive more than a dozen separate award nominations across a variety of institutions, ranging from the Screen Actors Guild Awards to the BAFTAs.
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25 Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
A spy thriller based on a hit comic book might not seem all that impressive. However, there is no such comparison with Kingsman: The Secret Service. The story is about a young boy named Gary Eggsy (Taron Egerton), who has to deal with an abusive stepfather living with his mother after his father dies abruptly. Eggsy eventually gets into trouble and is saved by a man named Harry (Colin Firth), who reveals that Eggsy’s father was part of a secret organization named “The Kingsman.” When Harry presents him with the same opportunity, Eggsy accepts it without hesitation and embarks on a new adventure fraught with wild action and new responsibility.
More than the Sum of Its Parts
Kingsman: The Secret Service is brimming with style and uniqueness, embracing its British heritage to the fullest while featuring some of the most brutal action scenes in film history. Michael Caine, Taron Egerton, and Sophie Cookson would each receive Best Actor nominations for their respective performances here, and the film’s impressive box office returns nearly quadrupled its initial budget. Just don’t bother with the sequel.
24 Dune (2021)
Dune
- Release Date
- October 22, 2021
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune is based on Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel of the same name, and is set in the distant future, where water is scarce and spice is coveted. The film follows Duke Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and his family as they are forced to move into enemy territory at the behest of the emperor, with a terrifying tragedy lying in wait upon their arrival. Dune marks the first feature-length adaptation of Herbert’s novel since David Lynch’s famously terrible attempt in 1984.
A Stunning Achievement in Book-to-Screen Adaptations
Though Dune was considered to be an “unfilmable book,” Villeneuve takes his time and gives its expansive setting the development it deserves. A tale rich with revenge, identity, and duty, Villeneuve brings his expansive visual sensibility to the fore by adapting a narrative that’s nutritiously dense and layered. Led by an ensemble that features the who’s who of Hollywood, Dune brings together the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, and many more to create an iconic set of characters that will continue to live on in memory after the credits have rolled.
23 Superman (1978)
Superman
- Release Date
- December 13, 1978
- Runtime
- 143
Superman is the first of four films that featured the legendary Christopher Reeves donning the Man of Steel persona. Originally hailing from planet Krypton, Superman hides his plethora of supernatural powers under the mild-mannered moniker of Clark Kent. However, when the villainous Lex Luthor threatens the city of Metropolis, Superman will have to balance his burgeoning romance with Lois Lane while saving the world. Richard Donner directed this impeccable superhero film, with additional cast members including the likes of Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, and Margot Kidder.
Clearing the Way for Modern Superhero Movies
Christopher Reeve’s Superman was a trailblazer superhero film, setting a standard that all other superhero films still aspire to. Richard Donner’s direction is spot-on, and the cast, particularly Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, is iconic. The film would receive several Oscar nominations for its score, editing, sound effects, and numerous special effects. Some have even attributed the modern success of the superhero genre to the initial popularity of this Donner venture.
22 Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Many would argue that without Night of the Living Dead, the entire zombie subgenre would be drastically different than it is now. Directed by one of the genre’s pioneering godfathers, George A. Romero, Night of the Living Dead paints a dark picture of zombies and a darker one about humans. Made on an incredibly low budget with guerrilla filmmaking techniques, the film sees a group of total strangers banding together inside the remnants of a farmhouse during the zombie apocalypse, with rising tensions both inside and outside the building threatening their odds of survival.
A Timeless Zombie Classic
Even though the movie is over five decades old, Romero’s masterpiece still holds its weight in gold as it keeps the audience glued to the screen right till the end. The zombies depicted aren’t brain-dead scarecrows, stumbling forward clumsily. Instead, Romero’s zombies operate with a shard of intelligence and menace, giving Night of the Living Dead a surprising bite and zing to it. Romero’s utilization of unknown actors and surprisingly progressive themes would later cement Night of the Living Dead as one of the most legendary zombie films ever made.
21 The Dark Knight (2008)
Batman fans define themselves by which actor is their favorite live-action Caped Crusader. Some swear by Adam West’s TV icon, while others make a worthy argument that Michael Keaton’s gothic turn in Tim Burton’s film was groundbreaking. In 2008, however, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight featured Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, in one of the strongest portrayals of the superhero detective ever. In the second film in Nolan’s trilogy, Batman is now forced to take down the Joker (Heath Ledger) with the assistance of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and James Gordon (Gary Oldman). Michael Jai White, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine appear in fantastic supporting roles.
An All-Time Great Batman and Joker Duo
Bale’s portrayal of Batman works in part because everything around him is done to perfection. Considered the best of the trilogy, the film is an achievement that stands apart from every cinematic incarnation of Batman before or since. Combining the crime genre with comic book elements, Nolan’s sequel to Batman Begins also gave us Heath Ledger’s Joker, a unique take on the iconic villain, as a twisted genius who just wanted to watch the world burn. Ledger earned a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and The Dark Knight as a whole would become the single highest-grossing film of 2008.
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20 The Rocky Franchise (1976 – 2006)
Rocky
- Release Date
- November 21, 1976
- Runtime
- 119
The entire Rocky franchise — minus the Creed films — is now available to watch on Max. Sylvester Stallone created this thrilling sports saga based around Rocky Balboa, a down-on-his-luck working-class man in Philadelphia who rises up the ranks of the boxing circuit. From his humble beginnings in Rocky to the dramatic comeback found in Rocky Balboa, the iconic boxer takes on classic villains like Ivan Drago, Clubber Lang, and Apollo Creed.
Iconic for Good Reason
The Rocky franchise is Sylvester Stallone’s baby. The films are uniquely his, as he both wrote and starred in every single one of them. They’re classic stories of overcoming impossible odds with one of the most famous protagonists in film history. Rocky‘s fame even spurred the creation of a bronze statue in his honor in Philadelphia.