An HBO Max subscription gets you access to dozens of amazing movies to watch this weekend, but we've narrowed it down to three gems that can't be missed. With the premium cable network backing the platform, HBO Max hit the scene in 2020 and immediately competed with the likes of Netflix and Prime Video. Max firmly holds the third place spot in overall subscriptions.
While the streamer is best known for producing popular TV content like Euphoria, The Pitt, and Hacks, HBO Max is actually an excellent source for movies as well. A partnership with Warner Bros. means that Max has access to an impressive catalog of classic cinema that stretches all the way back to the birth of the medium. Furthermore, new movies often land on HBO Max before they go anywhere else.
Despite the fact that Max is a more curated platform, there's still a lot to sift through. An ever-shifting catalog means it can sometimes be challenging to actually pick something to watch. An overabundance of choices causes a large portion of the audience to get caught in an endless doomscroll. This weekend's list of movie picks aims to rectify that problem.
We've narrowed it down to three movies that are certain to keep every kind of film fan engaged. The list is comprised of a newer film, a beloved animated flick, and even a classic horror movie that helped popularize a subgenre of cinema. They may not be linked by any sort of theme, but this trio represents the best of what HBO Max has to offer.
3 Friendship (2024)
Tim Robinson's cringe-inducing style of comedy is seen in shows like The Chair Factory and I Think You Should Leave, but he's just as hilarious in 2024's Friendship. A lonely suburban dad befriends his new neighbor, but his obsession with being cool has dire consequences for his family. It's absurd and laugh-out-loud funny, but certainly not for the faint of heart.
Friendship borders on outright suspense, a hilarious new wrinkle to the burgeoning comedy style. The A24 film features Paul Rudd and Kate Mara, and is tailor-made for a streaming platform like HBO Max. Though the humor is an acquired taste, it's certainly worth sampling this weekend.
2 My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
The films of Studio Ghibli represent the pinnacle of animated excellence, and My Neighbor Totoro is arguably their signature work. Two young sisters move to a new house where they strike up an unusual friendship with the spirits that live nearby. The rich visuals and cutesy style are covers for the film's deeper themes of grief and coming of age during family struggle.
My Neighbor Totoro is an ideal watch for families with older kids, but adults can get a lot out of the experience too. HBO Max has long been the place to watch Studio Ghibli's movies on streaming, and Totoro is perhaps the best place to start. Even if the '80s animated gem is a familiar favorite, it's always worth rewatching.
1 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Though there were found footage movies before The Blair Witch Project, the blockbuster indie film put the horror subgenre on the map in a big way. A group of friends head into the Maryland woods to investigate the folk tale of the Blair Witch, but they quickly get more than they bargained for. What the film does so well is blur the line between fact and fiction, and it has a startling realism not usually found in horror cinema.
It was a cultural phenomenon at the turn of the new millennium, and has now taken its place as a classic horror film. More than 25 years later, The Blair Witch Project is just as impressive as it was back in 1999. The thrills are cerebral and visceral, and it sticks with the viewer. Whether it's the first or 100th viewing, the movie can't be missed on HBO Max.
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My Neighbor Totoro
9/10
Release Date April 16, 1988
Runtime 86 minutes
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Noriko Hidaka
Satsuki Kusakabe (voice)
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Chika Sakamoto
Mei Kusakabe (voice)
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English (US) ·