Sitting on the couch and enjoying a move is a great way to relax yourself. To watch a movie online, you can subscribe to HBO Max. It is the leading streaming service from WarnerMedia, offering plenty of great movies.
Whether you are looking to escape with a comedy or find some thrills in a horror movie, this blog will recommend different genres of movies and present you with the best movies on HBO Max in 2024. Don’t worry, there are no spoilers included.
Action & Adventure Films
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Year: 2001 – 2003
Director: Peter Jackson
Runtime: 9h 20 m
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most prominent epic movies. Directed by Peter Jackson, it tells a gripping adventure story and vividly restores Middle-earth to the audience. HBO Max also provides the extended edition.
The trilogy remains a timeless achievement in film history. Whether you are a LOTR fan, it’s indubitable that this trilogy is a must-watch movie on HBO Max. If you think it is too long, try starting with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring first.
The Dark Knight
Year: 2008
Director: Christopher Nolan
Runtime: 2h 32 m
After telling the original story of this superhero, this time Batman must face one of the most evil and powerful enemies in his life – Joker. Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker makes this cold-blooded and insane villain an unforgettable character. If you want to watch a single Batman film, The Dark Knight is a great option.
Dune: Part 2
Year: 2024
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Runtime: 2h 46 m
Dune: Part 2 continues the epic saga. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) falls in love with Fremen warrior Chani (Zendaya). He bravely fights the enemies and starts a new journey. Villeneuve creates the planet Arrakis, and the whole movie gives the audience an immersive and realistic sense.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Year: 2015
Director: George Miller
Runtime: 2h 1 m
Mad Max: Fury Road is the most famous in the entire series. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, its unique aesthetic design and action scenes leave a great impression on every audience. Although we can’t experience this shock in the movie theater, we can still enjoy the best movies on HBO Max.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Year: 2000
Director: Ang Lee
Runtime: 2h
Being one of the most legendary wuxia epics, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon brings the audience to a mysterious oriental world. With complex character design and a tale-like storyline, Ang Lee once again shows his talent as a famous director. The action scenes in the bamboo forest have also become timeless classics in film history.
Note:
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The ultra-fast speed can guarantee you a stable viewing experience. Besides, you can also download apps not available in your country. LightningX VPN is very safe to use. It can hide your IP address and prevent any tracking.
Comedy
Barbie
Year: 2023
Director: Greta Gerwig
Runtime: 1h 54 m
One of the most popular movies in 2023, Barbie is now available on HBO Max. Through the dialogue of the characters, Barbie discusses the unfair treatment of women.
With a unique female perspective, Greta Gerwig deeply touches every audience’s heart. It is also a family-friendly movie, Barbie presents many scenes that will make you burst into laughter.
Singin’ in the Rain
Year: 1952
Director: Stanley Done
Runtime: 1h 43 m
Beyond time and developments in film technology, this movie is still a masterpiece. The scene where Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) sings and dances happily in the rain, has been imitated many times.
If you never seen a musical film before, Singin’ in the Rain is one of the best movies to watch on HBO Max. It also has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Wonka
Year: 2023
Director: Paul King
Runtime: 1h 56 m
Unlike the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka is a musical. It tells the story of how Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) built the world’s largest chocolate factory. Overall, this film offers you a delightful and relaxing viewing experience.
Deadpool
Year: 2016
Director: Tim Miller
Runtime: 1h 48 m
Be aware that Deadpool is an adult comedy. It’s a successful and popular R-rated film. Ryan Reynolds brings this classical anti-hero back to the public. If you are an X-Men fan or simply want to relax, Deadpool is the top pick among the best movies on HBO Max.
Before watching the blockbuster movie: Deadpool and Wolverine, you might want to get to know his original story. It narrates how Wade Wilson met the love of his life and also reveals the events that led to his disfigurement.
The Devil Wears Prada
Year: 2006
Director: David Frankel
Runtime: 1h 49 m
A college graduate Andy (Anne Hathaway) becomes the assistant to the famous fashion editor, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). After continuously working hard and changing her image, she gained Miranda Priestly’s recognition. In the end, Andy started thinking about leaving the industry.
Drama
War for the Planet of the Apes
Year: 2017
Director: Matt Reeves
Runtime: 2h 20 m
As the final film in the trilogy, War for the Planet of the Apes is a story about conflict. Caesar( Andy Serkis), the king of the apes, leads them into a battle with the humans. Faced with the devastation of his tribe, Caesar is awoken by a dark side of his heart. How will the fate of these two races end?
Joker
Year: 2019
Director: Todd Phillips
Runtime: 2h 2 m
This movie is about Joker, one of the most infamous villains in the history of DC comics. Joaquin Phoenix contributes one of his best personal performances in it, making this film one of the best movies on HBO Max. The musical sequel will also be released soon.
The Social Network
Year: 2010
Director: David Fincher
Runtime: 2h
This is a story of how Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) created the worldwide social networking software known as Facebook and went separate ways with his best friend. Winning three Oscars, The Social Network is worth watching.
A Star Is Born
Year: 2018
Director: Bradley Cooper
Runtime: 2h 15 m
Staring by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, this film is a story of love between two dream-chasers. Shallow, a song from the film’s soundtrack, also won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Among all the best movies on HBO, this musical drama will give you a unique experience.
The Iron Claw
Year: 2023
Director: Sean Durkin
Runtime: 2h 10 m
Directed by Sean Durkin, The Iron Claw tells the true story of wrestling’s Von Erich brothers. Being the 1980s famous wrestlers, the brothers gained reputation and money but ended in tragedy.
Horror & Thriller
Carrie
Year: 1976
Director: Brian De Palma
Runtime: 1h 38 m
Adapted from Stephen King’s novel, Carrie is the story of a girl with supernatural powers. After being bullied by her classmates, she finally can’t stand it and gets revenge on everyone at the senior prom. It has an important place in the history of horror movies.Indubitably, Carrie is one of the best horror movies on HBO Max.
Black Swan
Year: 2010
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Runtime: 1h 50 m
The director tells this gripping thriller about split personalities through the lens of psychological hints. Suffering from stress and agony, Nina (Natalie Portman) is gradually becoming a different person. Natalie Portman shows one of the best performances of her career.
Aliens
Year: 1986
Director: James Cameron
Runtime: 2h 17 m
Aliens are one of the most imaginative characters in horror and sci-fi movies. Since the huge success of the 1979 version directed by Free Ridley Scott, Canadian director Cameron has created a sequel for this classic. This time, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) will fight bravely with the aliens on a new planet.
Parasite
Year: 2019
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Runtime: 2h 12 m
As a non-English language movie, it’s surprising that Parasite makes such achievements. Behind some black humor moments, the director vividly demonstrates the gap between the rich and the poor.
It is a story full of twists and turns, making you an unforgettable viewing experience. If you prefer stories that delve into people’s dark side, Parasite is definitely one of the best movies on HBO Max.
The Batman
Year: 2022
Director: Matt Reeves
Runtime: 2h 56 m
Retelling the story of a classical character like Batman is very difficult, but director Matt Reeves finished this task in the 2022 new version of “The Batman.”
It’s a three-hour crime thriller, Batman becomes a detective to fight against The Riddler. If you are a Batman fan, you can’t miss it.
Anime
Ride Your Wave
Year: 2019
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Runtime: 1h 36 m
Ride Your Wave is a beautiful film by the director Masaaki Yuasa. It’s an intriguing love story with some bittersweet elements. The bright scenes and the pleasant soundtrack provide a relaxing viewing experience.
Weathering With You
Year: 2019
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Runtime: 1h 52 m
As we expected, Weathering with You offers a stunning visual experience. It’s a love story featuring elements of magic. Hodaka, a Japanese teenage boy meets a girl named Hina who can manipulate the weather. However, after using superpowers, something bad is going to happen.
Spirited Away
Year: 2001
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Runtime: 2h 5 m
You can find almost all of the Studio Ghibli films, they are the best movies to watch on HBO Max. Being one of the best-animated movies of all time, Spirited Away is a story about a 10-year-old Chihiro. She accidentally gets into a world of fantasy and tries to find a way home.
It’s a work of art, you can immerse yourself in this magical world. If you never viewed an animated movie before, Spirited Away is a good start.
Princess Mononoke
Year: 1997
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Runtime: 2h 13 m
As a famous director, Hayao Miyazaki expresses his thoughts through animation. In Princess Mononoke, he showed deep concern for the natural environment. It’s not a kid’s movie, violence and cruelty are involved. To get resources necessary for survival, humans have a conflict with nature.
The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl
Year: 2017
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Runtime: 1h 33 m
This is a romantic comedy. A boy who dares not to confess true feelings keeps creating accidental encounters with the girl. You’ll be impressed by the imagination of the director, making it a unique love film for romanticists.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
2001: A Space Odyssey
Year: 1968
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Runtime: 2h 21 m
If you want to watch a sci-fi classic, try Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey’’. It’s one of the best movies to watch on HBO Max. In 2001, American spacecraft Discovery One began its trip to Jupiter. When the artificial intelligence HAL is not loyal to humankind anymore, how will the rest of the two men survive?
Avatar: The Way of Water
Year: 2022
Director: James Cameron
Runtime: 3h 12 m
As a sequel to the legendary movie, Avatar: The Way of Water tells the story of Jake Scully’s (Sam Worthington) life on Pandora. To protect his family and home, he fights for the peace of Pandora. Avatar: The Way of Water is still a visually stunning film, you shouldn’t miss it.
The Matrix
Year: 1999
Director: The Wachowskis
Runtime: 2h 16 m
Assume you have two opinions. One is to live in a perfect fake world, the other is facing the cruel reality and fighting for your freedom. That’s what Neo (Keanu Reeves) faces.
The Matrix is an iconic film that is filled with philosophical reflections and striking action scenes. Whether you are a sci-fi movie fan, it’s undoubtedly that the Matrix series is one of the best movies on HBO Max.
Her
Year: 2013
Director: Spike Jonze
Runtime: 2h 6 m
Set in the future, a lonely writer (Joaquin Phoenix) falls in love with his AI virtual assistant. It’s a film about intimate relationships. People yearn for them but are also afraid to be in a real one.
Since Chat GPT has become a hot topic, this 2013 film has foreseen something in the relationship between humans and AI.
Ex Machina
Year: 2015
Director: Alex Garland
Runtime: 1h 48 m
The movie tells the story of a programmer who is invited to his CEO’s home to test out an intelligence robot. To confirm that this robot can think independently, he has some conversations with the AI.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have recommended the best movies on HBO Max now. We hope this gives you some inspiration for choosing a movie to enjoy in your free time. Enjoy your viewing experience.
