The Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now (April 2023)

Run Time: 2 hrs 12 min | Director: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou

Director David F. Sandberg’s lighter addition to Warner Brother’s DC Universe, Shazam stars Zachary Levi as the grown-up superhero version of Asher Angel. Set in Philadelphia, Shazam follows foster kid Billy Batson (Angel), who gets not only a new home but also an unexpected set of powers. Also featuring wonderful performances from Mark Strong and Djimon Hounsou, the film explores the origin story of the superhero without diving too deep into the mythology. Shazam is a playful action flick full of humorous quips, exciting effects, and a warm, fuzzy message about family. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 55 min | Genre: Drama Adventure | Director: Jean-Marc Vallée

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann, Michiel Huisman

Wild director Jean-Marc Vallée captures the mid-life crisis of a woman after a personal tragedy. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Wild is based on the international best-selling memoir from Cheryl Strayed and unpacks the raw heartbreak of devastations like divorce and death. Co-starring Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann, and Michiel Huisman, Wild explores one woman’s journey of self-discovery through a reckless adventure. Although a fictional film based on a true story, Wild continues to inspire women across the globe to branch out and travel, similar to the effects of thematically comparable movies like Eat Pray Love and Under the Tuscan Sun. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Genre: Thriller Horror | Director: Jonathan Demme

Cast: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins

The Silence of the Lambs is one of only a handful of films to win the Big Four Oscar awards (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture), and once you have seen it, you will know why. Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is a young FBI agent who is assigned to the task force seeking to find Buffalo Bill, a serial killer who likes to make clothing out of the skin of his victims. With no leads, she enlists the help of the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychopath who has been known to eat his victims. It is a tense, unrelenting film that punctuates quiet scenes of psychological tension with scenes of brazen violence and gore. – Alyse Wax

Run Time: 2 hrs 2 min | Director: Laura Poitras

Cast: Nan Goldin, David Velasco, Megan Kapler, Patrick Radden Keefe

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a raw exposé into the life and career of activist and photographer Nan Goldin. Through interviews with Goldin, as well as David Velasco and Megan Kapler, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed reveals the intertwining life of Goldin and the infamous wealthy Sackler family, whose name is directly connected to the art world. Director Laura Poitras captures the iconic artist and her deeply moving political work as she battles to shine a light on Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers, holding them accountable for their role in the unfathomable opioid epidemic. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Genre: Action Fantasy | Director: Simon McQuoid

Cast: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Mehcad Brooks

Considered one of the better video game adaptations on the big screen, Mortal Kombat is directed by Simon McQuoid, who delivers a creative universe for the beloved fighting game with a solid supernatural action thriller foundation. Lewis Tan (Deadpool 2) takes charge as the protagonist of Mortal Kombat, Cole Young, an incredibly talented mixed martial artist with a mysterious heritage. Upon meeting fellow champions, played by Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, and Mehcad Brooks, Cole joins them in entering the dangerous Mortal Kombat tournament and defeating supernatural enemies like Shang Tsung (Chin Han), Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), and Mileena (Sisi Stringer). – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 5 min | Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Sarah Shahi, Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo

Black Adam, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, is based on the DC Comic and was sincerely championed by titular star Dwayne Johnson (Moana). Telling the story of a powerful anti-hero from his tomb, Black Adam rises to unleash vengeance in the modern era. Collet-Serra’s cinematic eye in Black Adam has been compared to a blend of Michael Bay’s action style with Zack Snyder’s aesthetic. Supported by a diverse and talented cast, including Aldis Hodge (Leverage: Redemption), Sarah Shahi (Sex/Life), and Noah Centineo (The Recruit), Black Adam fits neatly into the already-established Shazam universe. – Yael Tygiel

Director: James Gunn | Run Time: 2 hr 12 min

Cast: Idris Elba, Daniela Melchior, Margot Robbie, John Cena

The Suicide Squad is not just the best DCEU movie yet, it’s one of the best films of 2021 hands down. This semi-sequel to the 2016 film is more a reboot than anything, as Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn envisions a Dirty Dozen-type war movie starring these DC outcasts. The members of Task Force X are sent into hostile territory on a secret mission from which they almost certainly will not return, and plenty of violence, action, and humor ensues. This is R-rated insanity through Gunn’s meticulous lens – the film is endlessly surprising and nutty, but never without purpose. A truly joyous, darkly comedic blockbuster that refuses to apologize for being so, well, weird. – Adam Chitwood

Director: Patty Jenkins | Run Time: 2 hr 29 min

Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston

The best DCEU superhero movie by far, Patty Jenkins crafted a terrific origin story for Diana’s first lead outing on the big screen. The story puts the Amazonian (Gal Gadot) into World War I where she goes hunting for Ares, the God of War, to try and bring peace to mankind. However, her journey has her confronting the world in all its beauty and terror while also falling for pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). Wonder Woman embraces the heroism of its female superhero while also challenging her beliefs and forcing her to grow and change. It’s a difficult balancing act, especially as it carries the weight of being a feminist icon, but Jenkins pulls it off with style to spare. – Matt Goldberg

Director: Matt Reeves | Run Time: 2 hr 56 min

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano

We’ve been inundated with different versions of Batman in recent years, with everything from the Snyderverse take to LEGO Batman. But even with plenty of Batman options to choose from, Matt Reeves‘ The Batman still manages to feel like a fresh take on a character we’ve seen adapted an absurd amount of times. Robert Pattinson plays Bruce Wayne as Gotham’s emo knight, trying to rid the streets of crime and failing at his goal. Making matters worse are gangster nightclub owner The Penguin (Colin Farrell), and a menace causing mayhem around the city that goes by the name of The Riddler (Paul Dano). Despite how many times we’ve experienced these characters and this city, Reeves’ dark take on the caped crusader is a captivating one, as we watch Bruce Wayne attempt to become the hero that Gotham needs. — Ross Bonaime

Director: Ridley Scott | Run Time: 2 hr 23 min

Cast: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck

Ridley Scott’s historical drama is a fascinating, Rashomon-like tale of varying viewpoints and contradictions. Told in three chapters, The Last Duel tells the story of Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon), a knight who confronts his old friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) in a duel when Jean’s wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accuses Jacuqes of rape. As Scott shows each side of this story, the perspectives alter the series of events, the intentions of each scene shift, and truths become uncertain. While Damon, Driver, and Ben Affleck, as the flamboyant Count Pierre de’Alençon, are great, The Last Duel is Comer’s film, as her chapter tells the true reality of this scenario in a performance that deserves awards consideration. The Last Duel is one of Scott’s best, and one of the most underrated films of 2021. — Ross Bonaime

Directors: Steven Spielberg and Joe Johnston | Run Time: 5 hr 48 min

Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum

Okay so really and truly the first Jurassic Park is unmatched in terms of quality, but the entire Jurassic Park trilogy is now streaming on HBO Max if you feel like a marathon. Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film is movie magic plain and simple – a classic, perfect movie. His 1997 sequel The Lost World is a step down in quality story-wise, but still has some compelling sequences (that dual T. rex scene with the trailers on the cliff is incredible). And 2001’s Jurassic Park III, directed by Joe Johnston, well you can take or leave that one.

Director: George Miller | Run Time: 2 hr

Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne

After watching Mad Max: Fury Road, Steven Soderbergh once said, “I don’t understand two things: I don’t understand how they’re not still shooting that film and I don’t understand how hundreds of people aren’t dead.” That’s just a testament to George Miller’s insane action masterpiece, a film so over-the-top and insane that it’s remarkable it even exists. It’s no wonder that soon after its release in 2015, Fury Road was being considered one of the greatest action films ever made. By returning to the Max Mad franchise decades after Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Miller made an absurd and remarkable film that hits the gas hard and never lets up. – Ross Bonaime

Run Time: 1 hr 42 min | Director: Karyn Kusama

Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody

The film Jennifer’s Body was ahead of its time! With a progressive metaphor about femininity, sexuality, and autonomy, writer Diablo Cody (Juno) crafted a cult classic by subverting horror narratives — something that has only been properly appreciated by critics in more recent years. As this tale follows a sexy, popular, and effortlessly beautiful high school cheerleader who becomes possessed by a bloodthirsty demon, it also walks a vague line between an allegory of female friendship and a queer romance. Megan Fox sizzles in the titular role, with Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls) portraying the naive and innocent Needy, Jennifer’s best friend who must do anything she can to stop Jennifer before she consumes every male classmate, including Needy’s boyfriend. –Yael Tygiel

Director: Ari Aster | Run Time: 2 hr 7 min

Cast: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Millie Shapiro, Alex Wolff, Ann Dowd

Hereditary, follows Annie (Toni Collette), who, along with her family, is dealing with the recent death of her controlling, distant mother. While her husband, Steve (Gabriel Byrne) is supportive, if a little distant, her children, Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Millie Shapiro), quickly find themselves wrapped up in the machinations of their deceased grandmother’s cult. As the family tries to grieve and move on, Annie, Peter, and Charlie find themselves visited by strange people and strange events. Disturbing dreams, strangers working to ingratiate themselves into their lives, spectral appearances, and strange feelings all hit the family. As the tension mounts, Annie and her brood are taken to the brink of their sanity before realizing they’ve all been prepared to ascend to some unholy position within this shadowy group, their fates fulfilled after all.

Ari Aster’s feature-length directorial debut is as affecting now as it was back when it was released in 2018. Filtering the grief of one family through the lens of a disturbing “What if?” scenario — in this case: “What if you found out your mother was a celebrated member of a cult?” — Hereditary doesn’t aim for the big scares. Instead, it slowly works on your, frying and fraying your nerves with it small frights and knife twists until you’re totally on edge. Hereditary establishes Aster as a master of meting out the dread in a movie. There is a very human weight Aster manages to import into his movie, too, and he knows how to balance it with shock special effects or plot twists, which blend the genres of drama and horror together seamlessly. – Allie Gemmill

Director: Robert Eggers | Run Time: 1 hr 32 min

Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie

The Witch is a suspenseful and frightening film that defies expectations through delightfully terrifying imagery and thought-provoking story. It follows the story of a Puritan family, outcast from their village, who encounter strange and dangerous things in the woods beyond their farmland. The slow-build of horror, unfolding slowly and then seemingly all at once, is enhanced by the historical setting; the descent into hysteria is contrasted by the family’s devotion to their religion, and the climactic finale is triumphantly disturbing. — Olivia Fitzpatrick

Director: Guillermo del Toro | Run Time: 2 hr 30 min

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe

Based on the 1946 William Lindsay Gresham novel of the same name, Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is a bleak drama exploring the life of the circus, a world full of lies, deception, and opportunities. Bradley Cooper stars as Stanton Carlisle, a carny who moves his way up the ladder of the circus, and then sets out on his own with a psychic act. Once Stan meets Dr. Lillith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), his opportunistic streak gets the best of him, as he goes down a path that could cause him to lose everything. Del Toro’s Best Picture nominee is one of his darkest films, complete with an extraordinary ensemble, and a haunting conclusion that will stick with the audience long after the credits roll. — Ross Bonaime

Director: William Friedkin | Run Time: 2 hr 12 min

Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb

The infamous The Exorcist is a classic for a reason. A young girl’s strange behavior becomes worse and worse, until it is decided that traditional diagnosis and treatments won’t do. Regan is determined to be possessed by a demon, and the only cure is an exorcism. The Exorcist is well known for having terrified audiences upon its initial release, while at the same time causing long, long lines for admittance to the theater. There were also rumors of the set being cursed: a fire shut down the set for six weeks; many of the actors and crew suffered from injuries, familial tragedies, and even death. Director William Friedkin eventually had a Jesuit priest come in to bless the set; everything seemed to be fine after that. — Alyse Wax

Director: George A. Romero | Run Time: 1 hr 37 min

Cast: Judith O’Dea, Duane Jones, Marilyn Eastman, Karl Hardman

Yes, George A. Romero basically invented the zombie movie with Night of the Living Dead. We can quibble about proto-zombie movies and influences, but Romero changed an entire genre with his horror film, but rather than just introduce a creature, he injected it with social meaning. When you look at zombie movies like 28 Days Later or TV shows like The Walking Dead, they all owe a debt to Night of the Living Dead, which is about some survivors hunking down in a barn trying to fend off the undead. But it’s the social message, particularly with regards to race that gives Night of the Living Dead, its enduring power. – Matt Goldberg

Run Time: 2 hrs 4 min | Director: Garry Marshall

Cast: Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel

From Garry Marshall, the late king of romantic comedies, comes Valentine’s Day, another intertwining love story headlined by an all-star cast. Valentine’s Day follows a handful of seemingly unrelated characters whose stories all intersect throughout the day, including Ashton Kutcher’s eternally optimistic flower shop owner who is in love with his best friend, played by Jennifer Garner, who is an elementary school teacher that is dating a doctor (Patrick Dempsey). Relationships bloom and fade through the two-hour romance, which also stars Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, and Anne Hathaway. Although overwhelmingly sappy and absolutely obvious, Valentine’s Day remains a genuinely heartwarming love letter worth enjoying. – Yael Tygiel

Director: Rob Reiner | Run Time: 1 hr 36 min

Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, and Bruno Kirby

While so many romantic comedies tend to ask “will they or won’t they?,” When Harry Met Sally… instead asks the question “when will they?” So much of love isn’t just about finding the right one, but it’s also about finding the right person at the right place and time. With When Harry Met Sally…, we follow the title characters, played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, as they go from two people who can’t stand each other, to reluctant friends, into one of the greatest romances ever captured on film. Thanks to Nora Ephron’s hilarious and charming script, and two fantastic lead performances, When Harry Met Sally… shows how finding the one isn’t always necessarily the most important part of a great love story. – Ross Bonaime