The 30 Best Movies On Max Right Now (April 2024)

Sept. 24, 2023, 3:10 p.m.

Movies

The 30 Best Movies On Max Right Now (April 2024)

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Warner Bros' Max (formerly HBO Max) offers one of the most extensive and high-quality film catalogues 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.

Related 30 Best TV Shows On Max (April 2024) Here's a list of the 30 best shows on Max right now, featuring The White Lotus, The Last of Us, Succession, and many other award-winning shows.

Best Horror Movies On Max

Black Swan (2010)

Black Swan Director Darren Aronofsky Release Date December 3, 2010 Cast Natalie Portman , Mila Kunis , Vincent Cassel , Barbara Hershey , Winona Ryder , Benjamin Millepied Runtime 108 minutes

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.

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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.

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Scream (1996)

Scream Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director Wes Craven Release Date December 20, 1996 Cast Drew Barrymore , Kevin Patrick Walls , David Booth , Carla Hatley , Neve Campbell , Skeet Ulrich Runtime 111 minutes

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.

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Cabin Fever (2003)

Cabin Fever Release Date September 12, 2003 Director Eli Roth Cast Joey Kern , Cerina Vincent , Jordan Ladd , James DeBello , Rider Strong Runtime 93 minutes

2002's Cabin Fever is a masterclass in stomach-turning body horror driven by practical effects. The relatively simple premise of Cabin Fever sees a group of teens takes a trip out to a remote cabin in the woods for a vacation. However, their trip turns deadly not because of a rural serial killer or supernatural monster, but because of an incredibly virulent infectious disease in the local water supply. Within hours, the teens begin to physically decompose, leading to memorable moments, such as when the simple act of shaving leads to one of the most wince-inducing scenes in any horror movie.

The 2009 sequel Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever is also available to stream on Max.

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Friday The 13th (1980)

Friday the 13th Release Date May 9, 1980 Director Sean S. Cunningham Cast Peter Brouwer , Adrienne King , Betsy Palmer , Jeannine Taylor , Kevin Bacon , Robbi Morgan , Harry Crosby Runtime 95 minutes

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.

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Carrie (1976 & 2013)

Carrie Release Date October 18, 2013 Director Kimberly Peirce Cast Judy Greer , Chloe Grace Moretz , Julianne Moore Runtime 1h 40m

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.

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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.

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Related New On HBO Max: All 126 Movies & TV Shows Arriving In April With Max bringing in more movies and TV shows every month, there are plenty of originals and classics coming for subscribers in April 2024.

Parasite (2019)

Parasite Release Date November 8, 2019 Director Bong Joon Ho Cast Yeo-Jeong Jo , Myeong-hoon Park , Jeong-eun Lee , Sun-kyun Lee , Ji-so Jung , So-dam Park , Keun-rok Park , Kang-ho Song , Ji-hye Lee , Woo-sik Choi , Seo-joon Park , Hye-jin Jang Runtime 132 minutes

Parasite is a South Korean black comedy thriller directed by Bong Joon-ho. Parasite follows the struggling Kim family, who come up with an elaborate plan to become employed by the wealthy Park family after their son starts working for them. Soon, the Kim family begins to work within the same household (without the Parks knowing they are related).

Things get complicated when they start living a parasitic life and make a disturbing discovery inside the luxurious Park home. Parasite is one of the most critically acclaimed films of the decade, and won a slew of awards including an Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director for Bong Joon-ho.

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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.

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Related All 92 Movies & TV Shows Leaving Max This Month Some great movies and TV shows are leaving the Max streaming library at the end of March, so there is limited time to catch these notable titles.

Best Action Movies On Max

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.

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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.

Avatar 3 is currently in development, and James Cameron has multiple Avatar sequels planned.

The entire Robocop trilogy, as well as the 2014 remake, are among the movies available to watch on Max right now in February 2024. While each Robocop movie has something to offer, the 1987 original is still arguably the best. The sci-fi action movie makes great use of the practical effects available in the 1980s, and despite some shots now appearing dated time has given Robocop a certain endearing charm.

By now Alex Murphy, the titular cyborg law-enforcer, is an icon of cinema, and his 1987 debut is more than worth revisiting for Max subscribers seeking a classic action movie that manages to not take itself too seriously while also not pulling any punches. The 2014 remake also brings its own certain charm, though definitely hits different notes to the original Robocop.

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Goldfinger (1964)

Goldfinger Release Date September 20, 1964 Director Guy Hamilton Cast Sean Connery , Honor Blackman , Gert Fröbe , Shirley Eaton , Tania Mallet , Harold Sakata Runtime 112 minutes

Goldfinger is aptly named, as it is by and large considered the gold standard of James Bond movies. Sean Connery's third outing as the suave, martini-swilling spy sees 007 investigating gold magnate Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), uncovering his dastardly plan, and having plenty of adventures, including a run-in with a laser, widely considered to be the most iconic James Bond scene.

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Still as entertaining today as it was nearly 50 years ago, Goldfinger has the best of all things Bond — the car (the Aston Martin), the Bond girl (Pussy Galore, played by Honor Blackman), the gadgets, the best villain in Goldfinger, and of course, the best Bond himself, Sean Connery. In other words, Goldfinger is quintessential 007.

There's no single streaming home for all the James Bond movies, though Max has several of them in addition to Goldfinger including Live and Let Die and Skyfall.

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Rocky (1976)

Rocky Release Date November 21, 1976 Director John G. Avildsen Cast Sylvester Stallone , Talia Shire , Burt Young , Carl Weathers , Burgess Meredith , Thayer David Runtime 119 minutes

The sports movie that defines all sports movies, Rocky comes out swinging on Max. Sylvester Stallone famously wrote the script in three days but refused to make the film with anyone but him in the lead role, and cinema history and fans everywhere can agree that was the right decision. The movie centers on the now-legendary Rocky Balboa (Stallone), a down-on-his-luck loanshark debt collector, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete against famous boxer Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) for the world heavyweight championship. With its underdog story and theme of pursuing the American Dream, Rocky was a definitive 1970s movie.

The sequels to Rocky, including 2006's Rocky Balboa, are all currently available to stream on Max. The Creed trilogy, however, is not.

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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.

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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 post-humous 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.

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Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Director Edgar Wright Release Date August 12, 2010 Cast Michael Cera , Alison Pill , Mark Webber , Johnny Simmons , Ellen Wong , Kieran Culkin Runtime 113 minutes

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 parter 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.

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The Best Comedy Movies On Max

Lost In Translation (2003)

Lost in Translation Director Sofia Coppola Release Date October 3, 2003 Cast Fumihiro Hayashi , Bill Murray , Anna Faris , Giovanni Ribisi , Scarlett Johansson , Catherine Lambert Runtime 102 minutes

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.

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Dream Scenario (2023)

Dream Scenario Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director Kristoffer Borgli Release Date November 10, 2023 Writers Kristoffer Borgli Cast Nicolas Cage , Julianne Nicholson , Tim Meadows , Dylan Gelula , Michael Cera , Dylan Baker , Kate Berlant , Jessica Clement

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.

The premise is utterly bizarre but executed with perfection by Cage and director Kristoffer Borgli

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).

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Deadpool (2016)

Deadpool Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Director Tim Miller Release Date February 9, 2016 Cast Ryan Reynolds , Morena Baccarin , T.J. Miller , Brianna Hildebrand , Karan Soni , Ed Skrein , Michael Benyaer , Stefan Kapicic

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 Breakfast Club (1985)

The Breakfast Club Release Date February 15, 1985 Director John Hughes Cast Molly Ringwald , Ally Sheedy , Anthony Michael Hall , Judd Nelson , Emilio Estevez Runtime 97 minutes

Director John Hughes is a legend when it comes to romance movies, especially coming-of-age stories, and 1985's The Breakfast Club is a textbook study on why he's so highly regarded. The Breakfast Club wrote the blueprint for teen high-school romance comedies. It's especially noteworthy for cementing the idea of various stereotypes and the now-classic tale of the athletic jock falling for the loner, or the preppy aspiring prom queen harboring feelings for the dangerous bad boy (the latter pair portrayed to perfection in The Breakfast Club by Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson).

The cultural legacy of The Breakfast Club was finally recognized in 2005, twenty years after release, when Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Paul Gleason, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy all received a Silver Bucket of Excellence Award at the MTV Movie Awards.

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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.

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The Best Family Movies On Max

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies (2018)

Teen Titans Go To The Movies Director Peter Rida Michail , Aaron Horvath Release Date July 27, 2018 Cast Greg Cipes , Tara Strong , Kristen Bell , Khary Payton , Scott Menville , Will Arnett , Hynden Walch Runtime 90minutes

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.

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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)

Wonka Director Paul King Release Date December 15, 2023 Cast Sally Hawkins , Olivia Colman , Keegan-Michael Key , Rowan Atkinson , Timothee Chalamet , Jim Carter

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.

One of the most enjoy 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 chocolatier 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.

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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.

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Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

From Matilda to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, it's rare to see a bad Roald Dahl movie adaptation, and Fantastic Mr. Fox ranks as one of the best. The stop-motion animated film sees the titular fox protagonist (George Clooney) break a promise to his wife, Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep), to stop his thieving ways, and must face the dangerous consequences of his actions. Director Wes Anderson's whimsical sensibilities are perfect for Dahl's wonderfully weird sensibilities, and the A-list voice cast elevates Fantastic Mr. Fox into one of the 21st century's most beloved animated classics.

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Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Singin' in the Rain Release Date April 11, 1952 Director Stanley Donen , Gene Kelly Cast Gene Kelly , Donald O'Connor , Debbie Reynolds , Jean Hagen , Millard Mitchell , Cyd Charisse Runtime 103 Minutes

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.

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Related All 9 Singin' In The Rain Songs, Ranked Worst To Best Singin’ in the Rain has some of the most joyous and iconic musical numbers in the history of cinema, but only one of them can be the best.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Howl's Moving Castle Release Date November 19, 2004 Director Hayao Miyazaki Cast Chieko Baisho , Takuya Kimura , Akihiro Miwa , Tatsuya Gashûin , Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Mitsunori Isaki

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.

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Best Drama Films On Max

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey Release Date April 2, 1968 Director Stanley Kubrick Cast Keir Dullea , Gary Lockwood , William Sylvester , Daniel Richter , Leonard Rossiter , Margaret Tyzack Runtime 149 minutes

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.

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Pulp Fiction (1994)

Quentin Tarantino's follow-up film after Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction is still considered the director's most definitive work. The film follows four interconnected stories of two hitmen, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and two would-be diner robbers. It's full of what would come to be Tarantino's most famous trademarks, from its non-linear story structure to its graphic violence to its rapid-fire dialogue about mundane topics like hamburgers.

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Forever changing independent cinema as it was known, Pulp Fiction made Tarantino an A-list celebrity and breathed new life into John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman's careers. All three actors were nominated for Oscars, and though they didn't win, Tarantino took home the golden statuette for the screenplay.

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The Lobster (2015)

A movie that can only be described as "peak Yorgos Lanthimos", The Lobster is one of the auteur director's darkest, funniest, and overall best movies. It's a surrealist black comedy starring Colin Farrell as David, who lives in a dystopian world in which single people are rounded up and forced to stay at a hotel where they must find a romantic mate in 45 days or be turned into an animal of their choice.

Many actors return to work with Lanthimos, including Farrell, who followed up The Lobster with The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Rachel Weisz, who plays Short-Sighted Woman and would go on to receive an Oscar nomination for Lanthimos' The Favourite, and it's easy to see why, as the writer-director's scripts are some of Hollywood's best. The Lobster was indeed nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars, and while its bleak sentiments likely polarized the Academy, the movie stands out as one of the best on Max.

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Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca Release Date November 26, 1942 Director Michael Curtiz Cast Humphrey Bogart , Ingrid Bergman , Paul Henreid , Claude Rains , Conrad Veidt , Sydney Greenstreet Runtime 102 minutes

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.

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Related Casablanca vs. Citizen Kane: Why "The Greatest Movie Ever" Debate Is Impossible To Solve Both Casablanca and Citizen Kane are often called the best movies ever made, but is it possible to know which is really the better of the two?

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.

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Good Will Hunting (1997)

One of the best movies on Max, Good Will Hunting is a psychological drama directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Good Will Hunting follows Will, a mathematics genius who works as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a difficult graduate-level math problem, his talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau, who decides to guide him.

However, when Will is arrested for attacking a police officer and faces an emotional crisis, Lambeau makes a deal to get leniency for him if he gets treatment from therapist Sean Maguire, with whom Will forms a special bond. Good Will Hunting gave Affleck and Damon the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and Robin Williams took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

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