With HBO Max being the latest heavy weight to enter the streaming wars, we are taking a look at their offerings. Their catalogue is quite deep! Next week, we will have the top 10.
Goodness this movie is dark. Don’t let the army of cute sequels to the original fool you: the original Land Before Time was gritty. I’ll never forget how gripping it was to watch this when I was five. When you’re that young and you see other “kids” struggling to find their parents in a vast wasteland it is down right terrifying. If you have a kido and are looking for something to watch that will also make them appreciate you more, give the original Land Before Time a watch. (Blake Hodges)
The first two movies were Directed by Chris Columbus, so moving forward they decided to bring in different Directer’s for the rest of the franchise, this time with Alfonso Cuaron. I think Alfonso is a way better choice, his style feels more at home with how he chooses to shoot a scene. A great example is a scene in the leaky cauldron where Harry and Mr Weasley are talking and if you pay attention to the set, you’ll see it move around. It’s always alive with objects moving with magic. The story this time is that Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban and has been known to others as Voldemort’s most trusted follower. Everyone is on alert when this news arrives, as they fear he might be coming for Harry to get revenge for the dark lord. Hogwarts decides to use dementors as security for the school which is one of the best cgi creature designs in this universe. Prisoner of Azkaban does a good job at helping us transition into the more darker tone these movies will have moving forward by showing how threatening these creatures can be. To keep it short, Prisoner of Azkaban is easily my favorite to rewatch in the series right beside Order of the Phoenix. (Alex Henderson)
“This isn’t an easy blurb to write. In fact, I’ve written about this movie before but it wasn’t under the kind of civil unrest and uncertainty we are facing today. Joker isn’t a kind movie, it isn’t an uplifting movie, and not a movie that’s gonna make you feel better after watching it. In fact, you’ll probably feel burdened and gross after watching it. Joker is a look under the rug of a guy whose society has abandoned him and left him in a world where darkness festers and creates a monster. A world without empathy, understanding, and sympathy towards others that leaves you feeling cold and disconnected. Joker is a dark, powerful, and deeply affecting decent into madness and what happens to someone—anyone—who’s put inside that world. While it feels weird to say, I love this movie and the performance Joaquin Phoenix gives is absolutely outstanding. I would understand if no one wanted to watch this film in the current time we’re living in, but I highly recommend my second favorite film of 2019.” (Ben Davis)
Is this a Christmas movie? Did this movie set the tone for all the future action movies? Do we like asking questions about movies more than we like watching movies? Goodness sake. I’ll never understand the love for the Christmas movie argument around this flick but what I do understand now is how much of the modern action genre we have because of this movie. Between the creative action and zany humor I might try and shift the conversation from “is this a Christmas movie?” to “was John McClane the actual first avenger?” (Blake Hodges)
When Harry met Sally, the movie public at large knighted this the best Rom Com movie in the genre. While that bar might be a bit high, Harry and Sally do all the best things a rom com can do: make you laugh, make you go “aww” and make you feel a bit more appreciation for your person. These two are as great on screen as they are with each other and the charm level is turned up to 10. (Blake Hodges)
When digging through the classics provided by HBO Max, what would be a great genre to take a deep dive into? The western of course! A genre embedded so deeply in the annals of American cinema; the western is one of the best portrayers of good versus evil. But not all westerns are so black and white…or American for that matter. Sergio Leone made a career of creating some of the most influential and powerful spaghetti westerns of all time. Their morally grey “heroes” and stylized violence bring a fresh take on a genre that was formulaic and aging by the time Leone created his epic Once Upon a Time in the West. Hell, Leone even cast one of the great American good guys, Henry Fonda, into the villainous role of Frank. Those piercing eyes are staggering. Charles Bronson is the enigmatic Harmonica who arrives on a train to cap off one of the greatest opening scenes in cinema. Talented character actor Jason Robards fills out this deadly trio that headline this epic of the West. Take the ride, queue the harmonica, and don’t bring two too many horses. (Shane Conto)
There isn’t anything like experiencing a movie that introduces you to an up-and-coming director, and that’s what happened in September 2013 with the release of Denis Villeneuve’s crime-thriller, “Prisoners,” which is his English-language debut and a movie about which it’s impossible to stop thinking about afterwards. The story follows two families who get together on Thanksgiving, only to have each of their young daughters disappear. The whole cast is fantastic, with searing performances from Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello as one of the couples, Viola Davis and Terrence Howard as the other couple, Jake Gyllenhaal as the detective who’s assigned to the case, and Paul Dano as the potential suspect. The screenplay is a never-ending labyrinth of clues, and the 2.5 hour runtime consumes you as you try to make sure that you don’t miss anything that might prove significant. Besides the twisty plot, the story is also a gut-wrenching view of what a parent will do to protect their children, asking the viewers what they would do in such a situation, and placing them in an overwhelming bleakness that keeps you wondering as to what kind of ending is in store for you. I remember sitting in the theater, trying to obsessively piece together every clue that I could pick up, and Villeneuve offers a moviegoing experience that’s as absorbing as it is unsettling. (Vincent Abbatecola)
What are the most successful films of all time at the Academy Awards? If we judge success by the number of awards it won, our shortlist is really down to three. We have modern films like Titanic and The Return of the King but for the other we have to go way back. HBO Max and its Turner Classic Movies section takes us down memory lane to one of the greatest historical epics of all time in 1959’s Ben Hur. William Wyler takes Lew Wallace’s novel and the classic black & white epic of the same name and brings it into the Golden Age of Hollywood. How can a film win so many awards and make such a cultural impact? The performances are commanding with Charlton Heston leading the way. The production and costume design are astounding. The direction is epic in every sense of the word. If this film was remembered for only one scene, the chariot race will be remembered forever for the tension, suspense, and action. This film of faith and redemption is a timeless tale and is a great choice to stream on HBO Max. (Shane Conto)
“That Thing You Do” is a really good movie, maybe even a great one. The premise is simple and clichéd: early 1960’s band strikes it big with a catchy single. They fly to Hollywood and sign a record deal. Struggles come as they find success elusive the second time around. What sets this movie apart is what it lacks, namely the sex and drugs prevalent of music in this era. This is a true family-friendly PG movie, with very little objectionable content. At the same time, we still see the downside to fame and success, including jealousy, infighting, backstabbing and “It’s just business, kid.” Written, directed and starring Tom Hanks, T.T.Y.D. doesn’t bring anything new or daring to the world of cinema; it simply tells a familiar story in a competent and enjoyable way. And in this current world of endless trailer dissection and countless sequels/prequels, sometimes a simple and fun movie is just what is needed! (Donald Skidmore)
John Wick 3This is possibly the most brutal movie series to ever grace our scenes. Leave behind the fact that it’s all kicked off on the premise of a puppy being murdered, some of the kills that happen are just so creative, it’s surprising that they managed to make it to movie 3 and still have something up their sleeve. Beginning right where we left off in John Wick 2, John (the inimitable Keanu Reeves) is literally running for his life. He has one hour before every assassin around the world will start tracking him down for immediate termination. Not only that, but he has an hour before any of the cool suave and incredibly handy assassin resources he had previously relied on are cut off from him as well. What follows is essentially a movie-length murder fest, gratuitous for sure, but also just so damn entertaining. Whether it’s smashing someone’s face in with a library book, or slapping people around with a horse, John doesn’t disappoint. The blood and slights of comedy are only heightened by the continuing progression of the assassin lore and underworld, which only causes more intrigue in this hidden society, where apparently every grandad and his dog is actually a cold blooded contract killer. Like I said, it’s brutal, but it’s also a really great time, for us anyway – John deserves a break. (Alice-Ginevra Micheli)