HBO Max has everything you need for the perfect weekend in, and these three films should go straight to the top of your must-watch list. As we go into the first few days of August, HBO Max will be dumping a ton of content and replacing it with new arrivals in the coming weeks. This keeps things fresh as exciting new movies and shows are added.
Max’s catalog is usually headlined by its stellar original programming, and this past year has produced more than a few major Emmy nominees. However, that’s not to say that it is lacking in the movie department. There’s a reason that HBO Max ranks third behind Netflix and Prime Video in overall subscribers, and their success is due in large part to the quality of their catalog.
The movies available on the platform run the gamut from classics to modern gems, and every genre is represented quite well. Max’s movie selection is small, but features a lot more curation than the aforementioned streamers. Nearly everything on HBO Max is worth watching, so subscribers are never lacking anything good to watch. Additionally, Max gets a lot of new releases straight from theaters.
With movies coming and going this weekend, it can be pretty difficult to actually pick something to watch. Thankfully, this list is here to solve that issue. It is a compilation of the best of what HBO Max has to offer right now, and highlights a few things that are shooting up the streaming charts.
3
Open Water (2003)
Shark Week ends this weekend, so there’s never been a time to watch some shark movies. Open Water is the story of two divers who get stranded out at sea and soon become prey to the ocean’s fiercest predators. What makes the 2003 independent hit so frightening is that it is based on a harrowing true story.
Unlike more bombastic shark movies which cast the aquatic creatures as unrealistic monsters, Open Water is much more grounded. There’s an unbearable tension that rivals even the most exaggerated horror movie in terms of gripping thrills. Though it moves at a slow pace, Open Water is worth the wait. There are plenty of horror films on HBO Max, but few are as effective.
2
American Splendor (2003)
Comic book movies are nothing new, but American Splendor is arguably the most original of the bunch. The biographical comedy chronicles the life of Harvey Pekar, the writer and artist behind the eponymous indie comic. Paul Giamatti stars as Pekar, and he gives one of the best performances of his already impressive dramatic career.
American Splendor features a meta narrative about the production of the film itself, where the real-life people from the story offer feedback to their fictional counterparts. It’s a playful dramedy that not only highlights an eccentric genius, but also the world that spawned his unique vision. It’s arguably one of the most overlooked gems of the 2003s, and a real treat as part of HBO Max’s movie selection.
1
Mortal Kombat II (2026)
We are truly living in the Golden Age of video game movies, and Mortal Kombat II is proof of that fact. A swelling roster of fighters joins the deadly tournament in order to face the evil Shao Khan. If you’re looking for deep and introspective cinema, you might want to look elsewhere. However, if you’re looking for a silly and fun time, Mortal Kombat II is a must-watch movie.
It does justice to the game franchise without being too tied down by established lore, and it’s very accessible to fans of popcorn cinema in general. The action is over-the-top (as expected), and it delivers everything that a Mortal Kombat movie should offer. HBO Max subscribers get to see the movie first after its blockbuster run in theaters, and it currently sits near the top of the streamers charts for a reason.
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Open Water
- Release Date
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October 26, 2003
- Runtime
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79 Minutes
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Blanchard Ryan
Susan Watkins
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Daniel Travis
Daniel Kintner
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American Splendor
- Release Date
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August 15, 2003
- Runtime
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101 minutes
- Director
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Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
- Writers
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Harvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner, Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
