HBO Max has enough content to keep you scrolling for hours without actually watching anything. That’s not entirely their fault. It’s just what happens when a streaming service inherits the Warner Bros. catalog, adds HBO originals, and keeps throwing prestige films into the mix. But buried in there are actually some genuinely great movies worth your time, including a bunch of recent Oscar winners and some absolute oddball picks that somehow work.
The renamed service (it’s just “Max” now, if you haven’t noticed) continues to lean on star power and critical acclaim to justify its subscription fee. Whether that strategy works depends on your tolerance for streaming fatigue. But if you’re looking for something specific rather than endlessly browsing, here’s a solid starting point.
The Oscar-Bait You Actually Want to Watch
Let’s cut to the chase: if a movie won major awards, there’s usually a reason. “One Battle After Another” took home six Oscars including best picture, and it’s the kind of political thriller that rewards your attention. Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio don’t usually show up in the same project, so this collaboration alone is noteworthy. The setup is solid too—DiCaprio’s character starts as part of a revolutionary group called the French 75, then reappears 16 years later living off the grid with his teenage daughter, running from his past. It doesn’t exactly sound like a relaxing evening, but that’s kind of the point.
“Marty Supreme” got nine Oscar nominations and stars Timothée Chalamet as a 1950s table tennis obsessive determined to become a world champion. Director Josh Safdie made this, which means you’re getting someone who knows how to make ordinary stakes feel monumental. The supporting cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, and Tyler, The Creator, which is exactly the kind of weird ensemble mix that shouldn’t work but somehow does.
Then there’s “Sing Sing,” a prison drama that features formerly incarcerated actors alongside Colman Domingo, who earned a 2025 best actor Oscar nomination for his role as Divine G. Domingo’s character acts in a theater group inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility, and the film manages to be both subtle and impactful—rare qualities in a genre that usually swings for the emotional fences.
When a Jury Duty Movie Actually Lands
Nicholas Hoult plays a guy called for jury duty in Clint Eastwood’s courtroom drama, except here’s the catch: he has information that would change everything about the trial. The moral dilemma feels genuinely complicated rather than movie-convenient. With J.K. Simmons and Toni Collette rounding out the cast, it’s the kind of well-paced, well-acted film that sneaks up on you.
The cast and pacing matter more than you’d think in a courtroom drama. Too many of these feel obligatory. This one doesn’t.
The Young Adult Films That Deserve Better
Skip “Turtles All the Way Down” if you think you’re too old for young adult adaptations. Based on John Green’s 2017 novel, it stars Isabela Merced as a teenager dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety, which is more specific than most teen movies get. There’s romance, genuine character development, and a captivating lead performance that justifies the straight-to-streaming release. It doesn’t deserve to be invisible just because it arrived on your TV instead of in theaters.
“The Fallout” tackles school shootings and its aftermath through the lens of friendships and family relationships. Jenna Ortega plays Vada Cavell, and the film’s 90-minute runtime feels earned rather than padding. Strong performances and realistic dialogue carry you through what could have been exploitative material in less careful hands.
The Weird, Wonderful Stuff
“Mickey 17” is a Bong Joon Ho film about an “expendable”—a guy who gets sent on deadly missions and has his body reprinted when things go wrong. Robert Pattinson commits to the absurdity with black humor and genuine heart. It doesn’t surpass Bong’s earlier masterpieces, but that’s a high bar. The film is eccentrically funny and actually compelling.
A wordless Latvian animated film about a black cat banding together with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog after a great flood won best animated feature at the 2025 Oscars. If that sounds delightful to you, it probably will be. If it sounds weird, well, it is. Both things are true.
Steven Soderbergh’s “Kimi” pairs a tech thriller format with Zoë Kravitz’s agoraphobic character uncovering something unsettling while working from her apartment during the pandemic. The cinematography is stylish enough that you stop noticing the gimmick and just enjoy the ride. Soderbergh directed “Erin Brockovich” and “Ocean’s Eleven,” so he knows how to make smart thrillers that don’t feel like homework.
“Meryl Streep playing an eccentric author” is a premise that basically sells itself. Add Steven Soderbergh directing and a cruise ship setting where tensions run high, and you’ve got something oddly compelling. Most of the dialogue is improvised, which shouldn’t work but somehow does with a cast including Gemma Chan, Dianne Wiest, and Candice Bergen.
The Blockbusters Everyone Already Knows About
“Barbie” is Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing global release of all time, which tells you everything about its cultural penetration. Greta Gerwig directed, Margot Robbie carries it beautifully, and Ryan Gosling’s Ken is somehow both hilarious and oddly poignant. You’ve probably seen it already.
“Dune” exists on HBO Max, which is genuinely shocking given Denis Villeneuve’s vision depends on scale. Both parts are streaming now, and while it’s not the same as experiencing them on a massive screen, at least you can finally participate in conversations about the plot without feeling lost.
“The Batman” with Robert Pattinson is a moody, rain-soaked detective story that works as both superhero film and noir mystery. Matt Reeves directed it, and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman is genuinely great. Watch this before diving into the HBO spinoff series “The Penguin” if you haven’t already.
The Stuff That’ll Surprise You
“Wonka” stars Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka with chocolate-making ambitions and “giraffe-sized” dreams. Paddington director Paul King made this, which means it’s quirkier and more thoughtful than you’d expect from a prequel to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” It’s the kind of family film that actually works for adults.
“The Color Purple” is the musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel and the Broadway play, set in the early 1900s South. The cast includes Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, and Halle Bailey. Danielle Brooks earned a 2023 Oscar nomination for her role as Sofia. It’s sweeping and ambitious without feeling overwrought.
“Father of the Bride” reimagines the 1949 novel through a Cuban American family lens, with Andy Garcia and Gloria Estefan anchoring it. It’s the third adaptation of the material, and this iteration actually brings something fresh to familiar territory.
James Gunn’s “Superman” doesn’t start with origin stories. Instead, it opens with a battered Man of Steel who’s just lost his first battle. Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor, and Krypto the Superdog is chaotic in the best way possible. It’s charming and compelling in ways recent superhero films haven’t been.
The Documentaries Worth Your Time
“Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off” is an HBO original that serves as both skateboarding history and portrait of obsessive determination. Hawk’s persistence and the technical mastery on display make it worthwhile even if you don’t care about skateboarding.
“The Stork House” centers on two brothers in New Delhi running a bird hospital for black kites. It was nominated for best documentary feature at the 2023 Oscars and carries images that stick with you long after it ends.
The real question isn’t whether HBO Max has good content. It’s whether you’ll find it before giving up and rewatching something you’ve already seen five times.
