Published Apr 27, 2026, 11:50 AM EDT
Dalton is a freelance writer, novelist, and filmmaker from Orlando Florida. He currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and pursues writing full-time. He is an avid reader, film buff, and amateur historian who also publishes novels on the side. Dalton graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Film and he often applies his industry-specific knowledge when writing about film and television. Along with his blog, Dalton's critical essays on film have been published in various places online.
HBO Max is one of the best places to see excellent movies, and these three gems should be your next watch. Though Max is best known for its award-winning TV series, the streamer is also a hub for excellent movies. With a premium cable network like HBO backing it, Max is a bit more focused than other streamers.
The thing that really sets Max apart from the competition is curation. Though HBO Max has a much smaller catalog than Prime Video or Netflix, the consistency of quality is much higher. It's almost guaranteed that every film on Max is worth watching, something that can't be said for other streaming services.
Nevertheless, it's still a challenge to pick something to watch. There are pages and pages of movies on HBO Max, and the catalog stretches back to the early days of cinema. Toss in a rotating roster of movies fresh out of theaters, and Max can be an overwhelming hub.
The assembled list of picks this week is a truly eclectic bunch. There are movies from the '90s, 2000s, and today, and the only thing that links them is a consistent quality. This week's picks offer a wide variety of choices to account for varying tastes, though all three are sure to please. HBO Max subscribers should start here if they want to get the most out of their subscription.
3 Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man is certainly one of the best superhero films ever made, and is a quintessential nostalgic watch on HBO Max. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) gains his spider powers and must do battle with the sinister Green Goblin. Horror maestro Sam Raimi helms the wall-crawling epic, bringing his pulpy and tongue-in-cheek style to the comic book movie.
Style is the operative word when it comes to Spider-Man, and it has a clear cinematic vision that is lacking in the modern MCU era. Though most moviegoers have already seen the film, it's an endlessly rewatchable ride that hearkens back to simpler times at the cinema. Any Max subscriber who hasn't seen it is surely in for a treat.
2 Practical Magic (1998)
With a sequel coming later in 2026, Practical Magic is a crown jewel in HBO Max's library. A family of witches live peaceful lives of seclusion until a curse forces them to use their magic. Though it has horrible ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, Practical Magic is a beloved '90s classic.
The movie is cozy and warm, and exudes comfy fall vibes. The ensemble cast is stellar, and it continues a long-running trend of underappreciated witch movies. It isn't scary, though it does have a few exhilarating moments. Practical Magic is always a perfect watch on HBO Max, and it's only going to skyrocket in popularity once the sequel arrives in September.
1 Marty Supreme (2025)
©A24/Courtesy Everett CollectionGobbling up nine Oscar nominations, Marty Supreme is one of the most celebrated films of 2025. Timothée Chalamet stars as an ambitious table tennis player in the 1950s who will stop at nothing to be the face of the sport. Like the other works by the Safdie brothers, the sports drama is tense from the first frame to the final credits.
Though it earned nine Oscar nominations, Marty Supreme won zero Academy Awards.
Chalamet is perfectly cast as the unlikable title character, and his poor decisions take the audience on a thrilling ride. The A24 blockbuster isn't meant to be taken at face value, and features many layers of rich satire and irony. HBO Max is the only place the film streams for now, further bolstering the platform's reputation as a repository for cinematic gold.
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Spider-Man
Release Date May 3, 2002
Runtime 121 minutes
Cast
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Spider-Man / Peter Parker
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Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
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Kirsten Dunst
Mary Jane Watson
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James Franco
Harry Osborn
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English (US) ·