The Top 10 HBO Max movies are here! We are continuing our Best Ever Challenge this week with our top ten HBO Max movies. Let us know @siftpop what you’re digging most on HBO Max right now.
So what do you get when your family goes on vacation, only to be terrorized by their doppelgängers with a sinister motive? You get critically acclaimed film “Us.” Jordan Peele does it again with his dark, ominous tone, a great use of the hip-hop classic “I got 5 on it” and stellar performances by the cast. Of course, the star is Lupita Nyong’o with the dual role of Adelaide Wilson and her doppelgänger Red, dealing with trauma and fighting someone who is YOU. I believed she deserved another award nod here, but it is what it is. Peele gives us another story to talk about and makes us uncomfortable with the topics at hand: oppression in the country, darker side of human condition and the American experience, which we still have a hard time talking about. The film has its twist and turns, along with the scares but of course, Peele always makes you sit and think after the credit rolls. If you’re looking for a scare, a bit of a laugh, along with discussion: Us is the film for you. (Chantal Ashford)
Sweetheart, how many times have I told you? Don’t say “and stuff”. Just say “dad, there are whores here”. I’m trying to think of things that I haven’t said about The Nice Guys before and it’s quite hard. When I first watched it, it ranked about 50 of my all-time favorite movies; then 25ish; then 15; and now it sits firmly at 8. This is the peak of watching a movie that you enjoy every second of with both your brain and your funny bone. Gosling, Crowe, and Angourie Rice are the perfect trio to carry this kind of movie. The buddy cop genre is pretty bland at this point, but with the characters and setting in 1970s L.A. porn industry, there is something so fresh and unique about this movie. I demand a sequel! #ReleaseTheNiceGuys2 (Aaron Schweitzer)
Some movies are good because of the acting, the writing, the directing. Some movies are good because they catch you at the perfect time in your life. For me, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” is both. Barely a minute and a half into the movie, Juliann Moore tells Steve Carrell she wants to end their many decade marriage. Ryan Gosling is the effortless gigolo who steps up to help Carrell manage the intricacies of modern dating. While not the most original concept, I watched this one year after my own divorce; I cried and laughed pretty much all the way through. Anyone worried about seeing Michael Scott from “The Office”, fear not. Carrell’s Cal comes across as sympathetic instead of annoying, struggling instead of false bravado. The side stories involving Moore, Emma Stone as the one woman capable of resisting Gosling’s charm and the kids caught in the middle of the divorce are engaging and well-written. If you want a drama showing real-life struggles on the screen, but played with an undercurrent of hope and some surprising laughs, you need to add this movie to your list! (Donald Skidmore)
In 1987, famed director Stanley Kubrick created arguably one of the most influential war films of all time. Full Metal Jacket is a film that has stood the test of time and has highly memorable segments that have seeped into our pop culture. Kubrick showed once again with this film why he is in a league of his own as a director. The shots, script, dialog and editing are top notch and effectively convey the messages that he was trying to get across. While there is a ton of humor in this film and some levity, it takes the subject matter of what war does to people very seriously. While having an excellent cast, there are a few performers in the film that shine a bit brighter. Matthew Modine as Private Joker is a character that hides behind his sarcasm to show his displeasure concerning the Vietnam conflict. His character has tons of great dialog and can only be really rivaled by Gny. Sgt. Hartman (Lee Ermey). Lee Ermey was originally brought on as an advisor until they realized that he would be a far better fit for this particular role given his Drill Sgt. background. His character is larger than life and always gets a chuckle out of me on every viewing of the film. I can’t imagine anyone else in that role and it really enhances the overall message and enjoyment of the film. Another pivotal and important performance in the film is Pvt. Pyle (Vincent D’Onofrio). He gets lost in this character and the slow transformation of his being is impressive. It clearly shows how humiliating boot camp can be and the tactics used to break a person to build them up from the ground up. Full Metal Jacket is one of those films that everyone should see, especially if they are a cinephile/film lover. This is a film that will continue to be important and will stand the test of time even further due to its subject matter. (Joe Vargas)
You monsters got me feeling like a monster in my own town! What a timely movie. If you haven’t heard of Blindspotting, watch it tonight, but know as little as you can about it going into it. Daveed Digs plays a Black man on the end of parole who is dealing with fear of racial discrimination from police and dealing with a friend who does nothing but get him into trouble. This is a movie that will make your butt clench, your heart heavy, and your spirit straight-up angry. I don’t know that there’s a more relevant movie that was released in the last two years (maybe Detroit) and it is something that everyone needs to see, especially in a time like this. (Aaron Schweitzer)
We’re off to Europe this week as we discuss In Bruges, another one of my personal favorite films, though this film is not one for the family to enjoy, mostly due to language and violence. When a job goes wrong, hitmen Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are ordered to lay low by boss Harry (Ralph Finnes) in the city of Bruges, Belgium. While there, Ray must come to grips with his actions as a rookie hitman and a costly mistake, while also finding love and getting into drug-fueled antics with an actor filming in the city. Meanwhile, Ken must work to balance following Harry’s orders in response to Ray’s actions while also keeping his friend and partner alive. As soon as you think that the film’s resolution will end happily, tensions escalate in a final gun battle with a perfect mix of funny and shocking moments. With great cast chemistry, a thrilling plot and many a laugh, to me In Bruges is the epitome of dark comedy. (Joseph Davis)
Seeing that you are reading this on a Siftpop, a site whose sole purpose is to love and celebrate cinema, what could I possibly tell you about La La Land that you don’t already know? La La Land oozes charm and joy from the opening shot and captures magic not seen since the days of great films like Singing in the Rain. Starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, a charismatic coupling that can do no wrong. The Story follows an actress and a jazz pianist, both living in the City of Stars yearning to make their dreams a reality and sparking a romance all the while. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle and backed by some of my favorite music of the last — ever, written by Justin Hurwitz, La La Land is a love letter two all those who love film, aspire to create a film, and encompasses all the feelings of anyone who has ever had a dream and wished to pursue it with all they can. This film spoke to me something fierce and has left lasting reverberations ever since. The film says it best, “here’s to the fools who dream, crazy as they may seem, here’s to the hearts that break, here’s to the mess we make.” This film inspires me to take all the ache, to strive to see what I can make, there’s nothing more to it, just be brave and see it through to the end. (Evan Lucken)
Lawyer Frank here. Why is Jaws the best movie to watch on HBO Max? Because it’s the best movie ever. I rest my case.
What? That wasn’t long enough?
Well apparently my opening argument wasn’t enough for the editor in chief here at SiftPop and he’s making me explain myself. Here I thought I was above reproach. Jaws, a movie about a killer great white shark attack on a small New England town, directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975 became the world first blockbuster, the highest grossing film and invented the summer movie season. This film transformed cinema for all of history. It in itself is a master class in filmmaking. I could go on and on for days, but in the end you just need to trust me on this. Unfortunately HBO Max at the time of writing does not support 4K/HDR, which is a shame because Jaws is 45 years old and it still holds up. Literally. Universal just put out a 4k UHD Bluray from the original negative with over two hours of bonus content and behind the scenes features. Jaws looks as amazing as the day it hit cinemas. This is not a paid advertisement, but if you are a Steelbook collector like me, Best Buy has a Jaws exclusive that I love. (Lawyer Frank)
To say that The Lord of the Rings films are my favorite movies of all time would be an understatement. I grew up with these movies and they’re the reason I love storytelling in general. There is something about them that brings me back time and time again. It’s some mixture of the timelessness of the messages, the characters who you feel like you know as well as a friend by the end, the score that you’ll hum for days, the expansiveness of the world, the arresting battle sequences, and so much more. The series never gets old or outdated – it still holds up almost two decades later. What’s ironic about this BEC for me, though, is the fact that I probably will never actually watch these movies on HBO Max. I’ve watched my VHSs, DVDs, and Blu Rays so many times that I’ll likely never watch them in any other way. Even though it’s a fantasy story, there is something in it for everyone. I’ll be coming back to them over and over for the rest of my life. (Robert Bouffard)
Nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece in terms of cinematography, with camera techniques and innovations advanced for its time, Citizen Kane is a movie I’d highly recommend watching if you haven’t had the chance. This 1941 film directed by and starring Orson Wells in his directorial debut and first major starring role is a work of art well before its time in many ways. When the wealthy Charles Foster Kane passes away in his estate, reporter Jerry Thompson is assigned to the story in order to learn the story of the man and to determine the meaning behind his final word of “Rosebud.” As he investigates, he learns of the life of the titular Kane, from his upbringing to his eventual demise. For the best enjoyment of this movie, much like the meaning of “Rosebud”, the less you know going in the better your experience will be in what many call the greatest film of all time. (Joseph Davis)