With so many streaming platforms available today, it might be overwhelming to figure out exactly what to watch.
HBO Max launched last May, capitalizing on the quarantine blues that's left just about every non-essential worker with more free time than we know what to do with. In addition to its regular roster of great TV dramas, HBO Max is also staking its claim as a great subscription service for movie nerds.
With tons of golden-age classics as well as current Oscar winners, there are tons of films to sift through on HBO Max. We've narrowed it down for you with just a few of our critic's picks.
Amelie
The title character of the French comedy Amelie is an 18-year-old waitress who has struggled with isolation for most of her life. Embarking on a whimsical expedition throughout Paris, she decides to dedicate her life to bringing joy to others and changing lives for the better, no matter what it takes.
In the Mood for Love
In the Mood for Love is often considered a major touchstone of Asian cinema. It follows a man and woman who, through chance encounters, develop feelings for each other as their spouses have an affair together.
Spirited Away
You can find all of Studio Ghibli's films on HBO Max, but Spirited Away arguably remains director Hayao Miyazaki's most beloved and well-known piece of work. When 10-year-old Chihiro and her parents wind up in what looks like an abandoned amusement park, she discovers that the park is actually an escape for supernatural beings needing an escape from the earthly realm.
Cast Away
One of the most iconic films of Tom Hanks's expansive career, Cast Away spends almost its entire runtime with Hanks as the sole character. He stars as a FedEx executive who washes ashore on a deserted island after his plane crashes. As the sole survivor, he must adapt and survive on the island with no return to civilization in sight.
Jojo Rabbit
Based on Christine Leunens's 2008 book Caging Skies, Oscar-nominated drama-comedy Jojo Rabbit is set in Nazi Germany. After discovering that his mother has been hiding a Jewish girl in their attic, young Jojo must reckon with his nationalism with a little help from an unlikely imaginary friend—a fanciful version of Adolf Hitler.
The Philadelphia Story
Perhaps one of the original rom-coms and a crucial entry in the history of old Hollywood, The Philadelphia Story stars Katharine Hepburn as a divorcee who finds herself at the crossroads of budding romances with three men at once.
Friday Night Lights
No movie captures the spirit of Texas high school football like Friday Night Lights. Set in the town of Odessa, the drama (that spawned a TV series of the same name) follows the players of the local high school football team as they juggle personal struggles on their way to the state championship.
Get On Up
Chadwick Boseman is an unparalleled symbol of Black cinema. Before his recent untimely death due to cancer, he portrayed icons like T'Challa from Black Panther, baseball legend Jackie Robinson, and musician James Brown. The latter's life is depicted in Get On Up, a poignant biopic that celebrates the life of the Godfather of Soul.
Alien
The sci-fi-horror classic Alien has been widely regarded by film critics as one of the best movies of the science-fiction genre–and of all time. On their way home, the crew of a commercial starship called Nostromo find a nest of eggs on their ship. When a creature attached itself to one of the crew members, terror ensues.