Max has one of the most extensive streaming libraries around, and browsing the homepage for a movie to watch can be overwhelming. We’re here to save you the neverending scrolling and potential argument with whomever you share the remote with by giving you our best recommendations.
We curated this selection of the top 25 movies on Max right now, taking into account rating and popularity (and not to mention our subjective opinion). You’ll find some of the best new films on streaming, genre favorites for every taste, and all-time classic films among the rankings. We update this page often to keep the selection fresh, so check back for the latest and greatest movies on Max each week.
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ (2022) — Editor’s Top Pick
Rated: R | Genre: Black Tragicomedy | Run Time: 1 hour, 54 minutes | Director: Martin McDonagh
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10 | Metacritic Rating: 87
Cast: Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Kerry Condon
Watch the trailer for “The Banshees of Inisherin”
After watching “The Banshees of Inisherin” earlier this year, I had an existential crisis in the best possible way. The deceptively simple tale of two friends parting ways on a remote and narrow-minded Irish island will have you questioning the person you want to be and those you want to surround yourself with. When Colm (Brendan Gleeson) suddenly decides he’s above spending time with his run-of-the-mill drinking buddy, Pádraic (Colin Farrell), it shatters Pádraic’s sense of self. The film combines black tragicomedy, clever metaphor, and a roller coaster of emotions that make it hands-down the best film of last year.
‘Elvis’ (2022)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Biographical and Musical Drama | Run Time: 2 hours, 39 minutes | Director: Baz Luhrmann
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10 | Metacritic Rating: 64
Cast: Tom Hanks, Austin Butler, Olivia DeJonge
From the gospel music of deep Mississippi to the early rock ’n’ roll of Beale Street, Memphis, “Elvis” follows the rise and fall of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler). In Baz Luhrmann’s frenetic and spectacular style, the story follows Elvis’ stratospheric rise to fame; delicate place as part of volatile race relations; complex and exploitative relationship with his business manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks); and chaotic personal life. One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2022, “Elvis” is a window into the pop icon’s times and values as told through his dramatic life story.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Science fiction | Run Time: 3 hours, 12 minutes | Director: James Cameron
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10 | Metacritic Rating: 67
Cast: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet
Watch the trailer for “Avatar: The Way of Water”
Years after the events of “Avatar” (2009), Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have formed a family together on the lush planet of Pandora. When colonizers from Earth arrive to disrupt their home and threaten their family, Sully and Neytiri must travel to the reef people and learn their ways of living with water. Working with the powerful natural forces of their planet is the only way to protect both tribes and Pandora as a whole. Visually stunning and with important messages about our own world, “Avatar: The Way of Water” is a must for family movie night.
‘The Menu’ (2022)
Rated: R | Genre: Comedy Horror | Run Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes | Director: Mark Mylod
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10 | Metacritic Rating: 71
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Anya Taylor-Joy
Watch the trailer for “The Menu”
Celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) has created the exclusively curated meal of a lifetime. Served on a private island to a limited guest list of the rich and fabulous, what seems like the ultimate dining experience quickly turns into something much darker. Eerie tension builds throughout the meal as guests and staff start getting chopped one by one. Can foodie Tyler Ledford (Nicholas Hoult) and his date, Margot Mills (Anya Taylor-Joy), outsmart the game and make it through dinner alive?
‘Parasite’ (2019)
Rated: R | Genre: Black Comedy Thriller | Run Time: 2 hours, 12 minutes | Director: Bong Joon-ho
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10 | Metacritic Rating: 96
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik
Watch the trailer for “Parasite”
Kim Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) and his family are part of the working class in Seoul, South Korea, and they are constantly struggling to get by. When Ki-woo agrees to pose as a university student to tutor the wealthy daughter of the Park family, Da-hye (Jung Ji-so), it seems like an opportunity to help his brood. He recommends each of his family members for a job with the Parks, and they pose as those professions in turn. When the Parks leave the Kims with access to their luxurious house while away on a camping trip, the Kim family finds that the estate holds more dark secrets. This critically acclaimed and multilayered South Korean film is the first non-English-language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (2018)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Romantic Comedy-Drama | Run Time: 2 hours, 1 minute | Director: Jon M. Chu
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10 | Metacritic Rating: 74
Cast: Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding
Watch the trailer for “Crazy Rich Asians”
Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is successful and impressive by American standards. She’s an economics and game theory professor at NYU, has good friends, and has landed a hunky boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding). Rachel and Nick are getting serious, and he invites her to Singapore to meet his family. He forgot to mention, however, that he comes from a family of the most prominent property magnates in Singapore. All of Rachel’s skills and accomplishments count for little with Nick’s insanely rich family, and she must look within herself to find her confidence, communicate her true self, and keep her handsome prince. “Crazy Rich Asians” has greatly impacted filmmaking in recent years and paved the way for other fantastic Asian American films.
‘Gone Girl’ (2014)
Rated: R | Genre: Psychological Thriller | Run Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes | Director: David Fincher
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 | Metacritic Rating: 79
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris
Watch the trailer for “Gone Girl”
When unhappy wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary, it attracts a lot of attention. As the inspiration for a beloved series of children’s books, people worry about what happens to Amy, and the circumstances of her disappearance look even more suspicious. It seems most likely that her cheating husband is guilty of foul play, but nothing is what it appears in a marriage this twisted. This highly praised thriller plays mind games and subverts expectations with every tantalizing plot twist.
‘500 Days of Summer’ (2009)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Romantic Comedy-Drama | Run Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes | Director: Marc Webb
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10 | Metacritic Rating: 76
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Chloë Grace Moretz
Watch the trailer for “500 Days Of Summer”
“500 Days of Summer” is an unconventional indie romance that beautifully captures a moment in time. When Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) meets Summer (Zooey Deschanel), he’s convinced she’s the girl he can spend the rest of his life with. Unfortunately, she doesn’t believe in that kind of happily ever after or want a serious relationship. As he reminisces on their year spent together, Tom must question his outlook on love and accept that not every romance is between soulmates.
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Superhero | Run Time: 2 hours, 32 minutes | Director: Christopher Nolan
IMDb Rating: 9/10 | Metacritic Rating: 84
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Watch the trailer for “The Dark Knight”
This magnum opus of the superhero genre with an incredible ensemble cast still outshines nearly every superhero film made since. Criminal mastermind Joker (Heath Ledger) colludes with Gotham’s city mobsters to create pandemonium, while the vigilante Batman (Christian Bale), district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), and police lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) team up to take down organized crime in Gotham. All roads, no matter how serpentine, seem to lead to Joker. As the allies set out to take on the madman, they can only hope that their skills and resources are enough to take down a man who embodies chaos and is willing to do anything.
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008)
Rated: R | Genre: Drama | Run Time: 2 hours | Director: Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan
IMDb Rating: 8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 84
Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor
Watch the trailer for “Slumdog Millionaire”
Jamal (Dev Patel), a teenager from the slums of Mumbai, finds himself a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” He miraculously gets all the questions right, which raises suspicions of his cheating. When questioned, he recounts his incredible life story, revealing the unlikely ways he learned the answers. This inspiring and heart-wrenching tale earned eight Academy Awards as well as numerous other accolades during the year of its release. It paved the way for other international films to receive Western acclaim.
‘Little Miss Sunshine’ (2006)
Rated: R | Genre: Tragicomedy | Run Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes | Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 80
Cast: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin
Watch the trailer for “Little Miss Sunshine”
The dysfunctional Hoover family consists of an overworked mother (Toni Collette), her depressed gay brother (Steve Carell), her electively mute son (Paul Dano), and Olive (Abigail Breslin), the ever-upbeat 7-year-old aspiring beauty queen. When Olive qualifies for the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant, the family decides to take an 800-mile road trip to support Olive’s dream. Despite family tensions bubbling over along the way, the Hoovers discover that their bond of love is stronger than what drives them apart. “Little Miss Sunshine” is an unconventional feel-good film that delivers its sensitive subject matter with tact and humanity.
‘The Notebook’ (2004)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Romantic Drama | Run Time: 2 hours, 1 minute | Director: Nick Cassavetes
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 53
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Gena Rowlands
Watch the trailer for “The Notebook”
Duke (James Garner) comes to read to Mrs. Calhoun (Gena Rowlands) every day at her nursing home. The story he tells her is a heart-pounding tale of young and passionate romance. In 1940, Noah (Ryan Gosling) meets Allie (Rachel McAdams) at a carnival and falls head over heels in love. They come from different classes, and she takes some persuading but soon discovers she is crazy about him too. Separated for years by war and family, the young pair nearly misses their chance to be together. Until one day, they’re reunited by a labor of love that ignites their old flame once more, putting the now-engaged Allie in a difficult position.
‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ (2002)
Rated: PG | Genre: Comedy | Run Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes | Director: Joel Zwick
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10 | Metacritic Rating: 62
Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine
Watch the trailer for “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
Frumpy and awkward Toula (Nia Vardalos) is under immense pressure from her loud, intrusive Greek family to get married and have babies. When a sexy school teacher, Ian Miller (John Corbett), comes into the restaurant one day, Toula decides to turn her life around and catch her crush’s attention. Her plan works, and the pair start dating, but as soon as things get serious, he has to contend with her big, fat, Greek family. This laugh-out-loud film artfully weaves deeper themes of acceptance of personal and cultural differences, personal agency, gender expectations, and tradition clashing with modernity.
‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ (2001)
Rated: PG | Genre: Fantasy Adventure | Run Time: 2 hours, 32 minutes | Director: Chris Columbus
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10 | Metacritic Rating: 65
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Maggie Smith
Watch the trailer for “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
Get whisked away to Hogwarts on the magical adventure that spurred an enduring cultural phenomenon. Eleven-year-old Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is neglected by his adoptive guardians, his aunt and uncle, who see him as a stain on their neatly curated suburban lives. When Harry receives a letter telling him he’s a wizard and inviting him to attend magic school, he finds somewhere he belongs for the first time. He also discovers that his parents were murdered and their killer is still after him. With the help of his friends and his newly learned skills, he must solve the mystery unraveling at Hogwarts to protect the underground world of wizards from powerful dark forces.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
Rated: PG-13 | Genre: Fantasy Adventure | Run Time: 2 hours 58 minutes | Director: Peter Jackson
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 92
Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen
Watch the trailer for “The Lord Of The Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring”
Widely accepted as the greatest work of fantasy of all time, The Lord of the Rings books inspired a film trilogy that became an immediate and enduring classic. Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), a hobbit who loves food, fun, and comfort, lives a peaceful countryside life with his uncle Bilbo (Ian Holm). His life changes dramatically when his uncle retires and disappears, leaving Frodo a magical ring that contains the power of a fallen dark lord. Despite his humble stature and lifestyle, Frodo sets out on a journey across Middle Earth, accompanied by friends he meets along the way, to destroy the ring and end its potential for evil forever.
Watch “The Lord Of The Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring” on Max
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Rated: R | Genre: Science Fiction | Run Time: 2 hours, 16 minutes | Director: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10 | Metacritic Rating: 73
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving
Watch the trailer for “The Matrix”
Computer programmer and hacker Neo (Keanu Reeves) keeps coming across strange signs in the code. When he’s contacted by mysterious figures claiming to hold the answers he seeks, he’s pulled into an underworld group waging war against supercomputers constructing all reality. Neo faces a choice: Learn the nature of the Matrix constructing his reality, or choose blissful ignorance back in his normal life. In choosing to understand, he will never be able to unsee the things he has seen, and once he knows, he may have no choice but to act. The cultural impact of “The Matrix” and its enduringly relevant themes make it a must-watch for all who seek truth.
‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
Rated: R | Genre: Crime Noir | Run Time: 2 hours, 34 minutes | Director: Quentin Tarantino
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10 | Metacritic Rating: 95
Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman
Watch the trailer for “Pulp Fiction”
The snappy dialogue and retro-chill aesthetics of “Pulp Fiction” are a master class in style that showcases the best of director Quentin Tarantino’s genius. The film follows several storylines: the work of a pair of philosophical hit-men, their mobster boss and his young and wild wife, a criminal couple holding up a restaurant, and a devious champion boxer being paid to throw a match. The slice-of-life plotlines are only loosely intertwined but come together to paint a masterful picture that raises plenty of deeper questions about violence, morality, human nature, justice, and the limits of human desperation.
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
Rated: R | Genre: Psychological Horror Thriller | Run Time: 1 hour, 58 minutes | Director: Jonathan Demme
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10 | Metacritic Rating: 86
Cast: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Kasi Lemmons
Watch the trailer for “The Silence of the Lambs”
Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is an FBI agent assigned to the case of serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), who has been kidnapping and skinning women. To gain insight into the twisted mind of the killer, she’s asked to interview Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a former psychiatrist and captured cannibalistic serial killer. Lecter is not at all what she expects and begins to gain her trust, eventually negotiating a prison transfer if he helps them track down Buffalo Bill in time to save his latest killer. His information proves useful, but can such a dangerous leopard ever truly change its spots? Catch Hopkins’ incredibly chilling performance in one of the greatest thrillers of all time.
‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ (1989)
Rated: G | Genre: Animated Fantasy Adventure | Run Time: 1 hour, 42 minutes | Director: Hayao Miyazaki
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 85
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Matthew Lawrence, Debbie Reynolds
Watch the trailer for “Kiki’s Delivery Service”
Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) is 13, the age that a trainee witch strikes out on her own to learn to survive, find her specialization, and hone her magic. Kiki feels she has little in the way of special abilities but is an excellent flier on her broomstick. She trades her skill as a delivery service and manages to secure employment and accommodation at a bakery. Her lack of confidence in her magic manages to keep getting in her way, however, as she does her best to complete all her deliveries. With the help of a new friend and her companion cat, Jiji, Kiki digs deep to discover her purpose and bring out the magic inside herself. This is a perfect family-friendly autumn film that speaks to the hesitant power inside all of us.
‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (1988)
Rated: G | Genre: Animated Fantasy | Run Time: 1 hour, 26 minutes | Director: Hayao Miyazaki
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 | Metacritic Rating: 86
Cast: Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning, Frank Welker, Pat Carroll
Watch the trailer for “My Neighbor Totoro”
Sisters Satsuki (Dakota Fanning) and Mei (Elle Fanning) move into an old house in the Japanese countryside near the hospital where their mother is recovering from a long-term illness. The girls begin to notice different types of spirits inhabiting the house, leading Mei to follow the spirits into a tree hollow. There, she befriends a larger spirit who acts as a bridge between the spirit world and the sisters’ mundane lives, providing them with a sense of hope as they face heavy realities that threaten to bring their innocence to an end. This beautiful and universal film is one of Studio Ghibli’s many incredible animated works, all of which are worth a watch on Max.
‘The Terminator’ (1984)
Rated: R | Genre: Science Fiction Action | Run Time: 1 hour, 47 minutes | Director: James Cameron
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 | Metacritic Rating: 84
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn
Watch the trailer for “The Terminator”
Two men time travel back to 1984 from the year 2029 — one a cyborg assassin sent to kill a woman who will give birth to a future revolutionary leader, the other a human soldier intent on stopping him. The designated target, Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton), teams up with soldier Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) to protect her future son and ensure that he will go on to stop malevolent AI from taking over the world. This cult classic is known for its over-the-top style, which adds refreshing humor to an action-heavy plot, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic robotic performance that demonstrates what a great comedic actor he is.
‘Young Frankenstein’ (1974)
Rated: PG | Genre: Comedy Horror | Run Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes | Director: Mel Brooks
IMDb Rating: 8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 83
Cast: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman
Watch the trailer for “Young Frankenstein”
Lecturing physician Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) has spent years living down the reputation of his mad-scientist grandfather. One day, he’s informed that he has inherited his grandfather’s castle in Transylvania, complete with monster servant Igor (Marty Feldman) and beautiful assistant Inga (Teri Garr). After discovering the secret entrance to his grandfather’s lab, he decides to resume his work studying how to raise the dead. Celebrated comedy director Mel Brooks leaves his signature, visually inventive style on this hilarious classic, which is frequently included in lists of the funniest films of all time.
‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ (1969)
Rated: PG | Genre: Western Drama | Run Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes | Director: George Roy Hill
IMDb Rating: 8/10 | Metacritic Rating: 66
Cast: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross
Watch the trailer for “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
This all-time-classic Western is based on the true story of outlaws in Wyoming in the late 19th century. Free-spirited and charismatic gang leader Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) is rarely seen without his companion, the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford). His laid-back attitude and long absences have caused restlessness among his gang, who attempt to vote in a new leader. Challenged by his rival for leadership of the gang, Cassidy agrees to attempt two robberies of a Union Pacific train on its run in both directions. Botching the second robbery and with both the gang and the law on their tail, the pair make for Bolivia, which they imagine as a robber’s paradise.
‘Some Like it Hot’ (1959)
Rated: PG | Genre: Crime Comedy | Run Time: 2 hours, 12 minutes | Director: Billy Wilder
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10 | Metacritic Rating: 98
Cast: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe
Watch the trailer for “Some Like it Hot”
During the Prohibition Era, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) are a jazz-playing duo working at a speakeasy when their club is raided. The pair witness members of one gang murder those of another in retaliation for tipping off the police and bringing about the raid, but are seen by the attackers. Terrified for their lives, they dress up as women and join an all-female band on a train to Miami. Things get complicated, however, when Joe develops a crush on his fellow female band member, and a male millionaire falls in love with Jerry. Curtis and Lemmon are a dynamite comedy pairing, and Marilyn Monroe demonstrates her considerable comedic talent in this treasure of a film.
‘The Wizard Of Oz’ (1939)
Rated: G | Genre: Musical Fanstasy | Run Time: 1 hour, 52 minutes | Director: Victor Fleming
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 | Metacritic Rating: 92
Cast: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Jack Haley
Watch the trailer for “The Wizard Of Oz”
After her dog bites a grumpy neighbor who threatens to have him put down, Dorothy (Judy Garland) runs away and comes across a fortune teller who advises her to return home. As she arrives, a tornado blows through her farm, carrying her off to the magical land of Oz. In order to return, she must make a long journey to see a powerful wizard, but finds herself entrapped in the power games between the sister witches of Oz. Along the way, she is joined by companions who each have a lesson to share so that she may discover what’s important to her and find the power inside herself.
“The Wizard of Oz” made history as the first feature-length film in full technicolor, which must‘ve been visually spectacular for audiences of the time. It remains a universally beloved classic that tells of love and friendship, adventure and homesickness, and our inherent power to choose between good and evil.