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The 50 best movies on HBO Max for dedicated cinephiles

Film school is now in session.

The 50 best movies on HBO Max for dedicated cinephiles

Film school is now in session.

By Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

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and Debby Wolfinsohn

April 17, 2026 6:00 p.m. ET

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Sally Hawkins as Elisa Esposito in 'The Shape of Water'; Sean Penn as Steven J. Lockjaw in 'One Battle After Another'; Riley Keough as Stefani and Taylour Paige as Zola in 'Zola'

Sally Hawkins as Elisa Esposito in 'The Shape of Water'; Sean Penn as Steven J. Lockjaw in 'One Battle After Another'; Riley Keough as Stefani and Taylour Paige as Zola in 'Zola'. Credit:

HBO invented the home box office experience, and hidden behind the platform's streaming homepage of HBO Max, there are thousands of titles across dozens of genres. Scrolling the site is as close as you can get to strolling through the aisles of yesteryear's video stores, and ** is here to serve as your local video clerk and point you toward the right aisle.

Almost 100 years of cinema are represented on this list: starting with *City Lights* (1931) and extending all the way to 2026 Oscar nominees and winners, these films are artistic pioneers and cultural sculptors. Keep reading for EW's list of the 50 best movies streaming on HBO Max.**

Do you like being scared?

Bring Her Back (2025)

Jonah Wren Phillips as Oliver and Sally Hawkins as Laura in 'Bring Her Back'

Jonah Wren Phillips as Oliver and Sally Hawkins as Laura in 'Bring Her Back'.

A24 knows how to handle horror, and in *Bring Her Back*, they take audiences on a terrifying ride through grief, gore, and the occult. From the directors of *Talk to Me* (2022), *Bring Her Back* is an Australian film about processing trauma and the lengths to which people will go to hang onto their loved ones.

After their father dies unexpectedly, stepsiblings Piper and Andy move in with Laura (Sally Hawkins), an eccentric woman who is also fostering a mute child named Oliver. Critics were quick to praise the film’s performances, especially Hawkins’ work as a disturbed foster mother, and fans of *Goodnight Mommy* (2014) will find that *Bring Her Back *scratches a similar itch. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Bring Her Back*: HBO Max

**Directors:** Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

**Cast: **Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, Sally Hawkins

House (1977)

Kumiko Oba as Fantasy in 'House'

Kumiko Oba as Fantasy in 'House'. Everett Collection

Only after you've seen this completely wild Japanese cult masterpiece can you appreciate the humor in HBO Max's description: "A schoolgirl spends her summer vacation in a haunted house." Um, *sure*? Here's the real deal: Way back in 1977, director Nobuhiko Obayashi created a comedy/experimental art film/horror film based on the ideas of his, yes, *12-year-old daughter.*

That sounds cute, until you've seen the movie, which features a demonic cat, a killer piano, and plenty of evil spirits. It's another experience we can thank the Criterion Collection for (and HBO Max, which has many CC gems streaming). *—Debby Wolfinsohn*

Where to watch *House*: HBO Max

**Director: **Nobuhiko Obayashi

**Cast: **Kimiko Ikegami, Miki Jinbo, Ai Matubara, Kumiko Oba, Mieko Sato

The Substance (2024)

Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle in 'The Substance'

Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle in 'The Substance'.

Demi Moore takes on her best role yet in *The Substance*, a body horror satire about celebrity, aging, and Hollywood's pressure on women to look perfect. Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a Jane Fonda-esque TV personality who is fired from her aerobics show when she turns 50. To save her career, Elisabeth takes a single-use substance that creates Sue (Margaret Qualley), a younger version of herself. But when Sue and Elisabeth struggle for control over Elisabeth’s body and life, it’s unclear who will win. Moore’s work on the film earned her an Academy Award nod for Best Actress, and *The Substance* comes well-recommended by critics and filmmakers for its fun script, audacious execution, and clever premise and performances. —*I.G.*

Where to watch *The Substance*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** B+

**Director: **Coralie Fargeat

**Cast: **Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid**

Weapons (2025)

Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in 'Weapons'

Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in 'Weapons'.

Quantrell Colbert/Warner Bros.

One of 2025’s top horror projects, *Weapons* is the second film for writer-director Zach Cregger (2022's *Barbarian*). Julia Garner and Josh Brolin lead an ensemble cast in this story about a class of children who mysteriously go missing — and the people they left behind. While not officially intended as a metaphor for school shootings, it’s hard not to notice the parallels.

Garner stars as Justine, the kids’ teacher, and Brolin appears as Archer, the father of a missing child. Cregger divides *Weapons* into six chapters, each told from the perspective of one of the main characters, and the film’s structure, eerie cinematography, and an Oscar-winning performance from Amy Madigan as Gladys transform *Weapons *into a terrifying and emotional horror mystery. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Weapons*: HBO Max

**Director: **Zach Cregger

**Cast:** Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher**

Film school (on your couch)

The 400 Blows (1959)

Jean-Pierre Leaud as Antoine Doinel in 'The 400 Blows'

Jean-Pierre Leaud as Antoine Doinel in 'The 400 Blows'. Everett Collection

François Truffaut's autobiographical classic, beautifully shot in rich black and white on the streets of Paris, looks as modern and vibrant today as it did when it was made. Credited as one of the crown jewels of the French New Wave film movement, the story follows 12-year-old Antoine (played by Jean-Pierre Leaud, resembling a young Jake Gyllenhaal), as he floats from his rough home experience to a strict classroom to a life of juvenile crime. Each moment is more interesting than the next thanks to the shaggy, sensitive, stunning visuals — the spinning carnival Gravitron ride, the claustrophobic faces of his stressed parents, the way Antoine guzzles a bottle of milk in an alley — which are guaranteed to grab you. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *The 400 Blows*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director:** Francis Truffaut

**Cast: **Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, Claire Maurier

Beau Travail (1999)

Grégoire Colin as Giles Sentain in 'Beau Travail'

Grégoire Colin as Giles Sentain in 'Beau Travail'. Sm/Kobal/Shutterstock

This basically wordless film from director Claire Denis — who adapts Herman Melville's *Billy Budd* to be in a French Foreign Legion outpost in Africa — tells the story of an officer (the incredible Denis Lavant) and his relationship (a.k.a. power struggle) with a new recruit (Grégoire Colin). The ending is a stunner. It features one of the most haunting, beautiful, and bizarre dance scenes (a Denis Lavant solo) in modern cinema, encapsulating joy, confusion, release, and regret, set to, yes, Corona's "The Rhythm of the Night." *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Beau Travail*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Claire Denis

**Cast: **Denis Lavant, Michel Subor

Down by Law (1986)

Roberto Benigni as Roberto, Nicoletta Braschi as Nicoletta, Tom Waits as Zack, and John Lurie as Jack in 'Down by Law'

Roberto Benigni as Roberto, Nicoletta Braschi as Nicoletta, Tom Waits as Zack, and John Lurie as Jack in 'Down by Law'. Everett Collection

Though HBO Max boasts a good deal of the Jim Jarmusch collection, from the striking *Stranger Than Paradise *(1984)* *to the globe-trotting *Night on Earth* (1991) to the genre-rocking *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai *(1999), nothing beats the darkly comic hero's journey of *Down by Law.* Featuring flawless performances by John Lurie, Tom Waits, and Roberto Benigni, this film is like a master class in atmosphere and off-kilter humor.

Shot in lush black and white on the streets of New Orleans (and literally* in* the surrounding swamps), *Down by Law* possesses a relaxed magic, and the intro alone is worth the price of admission (Waits' "Jockey Full of Bourbon" plays as we travel through NOLA). Watching this is an *experience*, like the best films are. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Down by Law*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Jim Jarmusch

**Cast: **Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Ellen Barkin

Mikey and Nicky (1976)

John Cassavetes as Nicky Godalin and Peter Falk as Mikey in 'Mikey and Nicky'

John Cassavetes as Nicky Godalin and Peter Falk as Mikey in 'Mikey and Nicky'. Everett Collection

Elaine May was that Hollywood rarity: an acclaimed comedian and writer turned director with a singular, eccentric vision — who also happened to be a woman. This brings us to her film *Mikey and Nicky*, a darkly comic tale of friendship and toxic masculinity starring John Cassavetes as a paranoid mobster and Peter Falk as his lifelong best friend. With a powerfully raw script and a gritty aesthetic, the film captured two men at the end of their grubby ropes.

Wild tales from the set abound, including May's habit of letting the camera run for hours. She also hid the film in her garage so that the studio couldn't mangle it with edits (which they did, leading to box office failure). Eventually, *Mikey and Nicky* got the happy ending it deserved, including near-universal critical acclaim. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Mikey and Nicky*: HBO Max

**Director:** Elaine May

**Cast: **Peter Falk, John Cassavetes, Ned Beatty

Seven Samurai (1956)

Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo in 'Seven Samurai'

Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo in 'Seven Samurai'. Everett Collection

If you need a little push to check out Akira Kurosawa's three-hour masterpiece, consider this: It's George Lucas' favorite film (see also: Arthur Penn, Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone, and John Woo). Considered by many to be the finest action film ever made, *Seven Samurai *displays Kurosawa's unmatched command of emotional and cinematic power, using both bravura editing and daring experimental filming techniques to expertly support the character-driven plot. In other words, if you like films, you owe it to yourself to check out this one. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Seven Samurai*: HBO Max

**Director: **Akira Kurosawa

**Cast: **Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Inaba, Daisuke Katō, Seiji Miyaguchi, Minoru Chiaki

Slacker (1989)

Scott Marcus as Ultimate Loser, Teresa Taylor as Pap Smear Pusher, and Stella Weir as Stephanie from Dallas in 'Slacker'

Scott Marcus as Ultimate Loser, Teresa Taylor as Pap Smear Pusher, and Stella Weir as Stephanie from Dallas in 'Slacker'. Orion Pictures/Everett Collection

Coffee shops, conspiracy theories, Madonna's pap smear — Austin has changed *a lot *since Richard Linklater's ode to the velvet coffin/college town lifestyle was filmed there. This mesmerizingly lackadaisical, gloriously shambolic creation is a love letter to the boredom, part-time employment, and cheap rents that flooded '90s college towns (which now feels like ancient history).

Taking a "day in the life" approach, Linklater's camera follows a variety of oddball characters (most of them unprofessional actors) who cross paths as they go about their strange business in and around the University of Texas. Inspired in part by François Truffaut's naturalistic approach, Linklater's film announced his arrival on the scene in a big (but relaxed) way. And the rest, as they say, is history. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Slacker*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Richard Linklater

**Cast: **Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan, Mark James, Stella Weir, John Slate

Babette’s Feast (1987)

Stephane Audran as Babette Hersant in 'Babette's Feast'

Stephane Audran as Babette Hersant in 'Babette's Feast'.

Orion Pictures Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection

This '80s Danish drama won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film — and fealty from everyone from Stanley Tucci and Alton Brown to Pope Francis. Based on a story by Isak Dinesen (the pen name of Karen Blixen, who also wrote the book *Out of Africa*) this piece of gastro-cinema is set in the 19th century and follows a French refugee who settles in a Norwegian port city and serves as a housekeeper for a pious pastor and his two daughters.

After winning the lottery in her native France, Babette — who was formerly a celebrated chef — decides to repay the family and village with a seven-course French meal. In the process, she helps free her dinner guests from their bonds of austerity, and introduces them to passion, miracles, and celebration. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Babette's Feast*: HBO Max

**Director:** Gabriel Axel

**Cast:** Stephane Audran, Birgitte Federspiel, Bodil Kjer

Tampopo (1985)

Ken Watanabe as Gun and Ryutaro Otomo as Ramen Master in 'Tampopo'

Ken Watanabe as Gun and Ryutaro Otomo as Ramen Master in 'Tampopo'. Everett Collection

You've heard of spaghetti Westerns? Well, *Tampopo* is a *ramen* Western, a deliciously daffy movie about a feisty ramen shop owner (named Tampopo, played by Nobuko Miyamoto) and a mysterious Clint Eastwood-inspired noodle fanatic (Ken Watanabe). The film is a wild, funny, lustful, food-centric quest that fuses Western moviemaking styles with Japanese ideas.

Interesting side note: When* Tampopo *was released, ramen was still something most U.S. audiences thought of as the cheap stuff on grocery store shelves, making scenes about the quest for the "perfect noodle" feel, well, maybe a bit silly to the general audience. Now, of course, things are much different. This fact only adds extra richness to an already joyously bizarre film experience.*—D.W.*

Where to watch *Tampopo*: HBO Max

**Director: **Juzo Itami

**Cast: **Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kōji Yakusho, Ken Watanabe, Rikiya Yasuoka

Wonka (2023)

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in 'Wonka'

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in 'Wonka'.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Gene Wilder won audiences over as Willy Wonka in *Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory* (1971) the moment he made his entrance, somersaulting toward the screen. The role of Wonka has always been associated with Wilder — Johnny Depp took a stab at it during 2005’s remake, *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, *but his rendition fails to capture the mystery, duplicitousness, and whimsy of Wilder’s performance.

So it’s not overselling to say that Timothée Chalamet had big shoes to fill when he accepted the part of the candy maker in 2023’s musical comedy, *Wonka*. Intended as the character’s origin story, EW’s critic writes that Chalamet is “a warm and winning Wonka, infusing the character with a fanciful sense of humor and a guileless enthusiasm.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Wonka*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Paul King

**Cast: **Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas

The 25 best movies to watch on Hulu

David Jonsson as Dom in 'Rye Lane'; Mark Eydelshteyn as Vanya and Mikey Madison as Ani in 'Anora'; Amber Midthunder as Naru in 'Prey'

The 30 best Netflix original movies — including Best Picture nominees

Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in 'Maestro'; Matías Recalt as Roberto Canessa and Augustín Pardella as Fernando 'Nando' Parrado in 'Society of the Snow'; John Boyega as Fontaine, Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, and Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles in 'They Cloned Tyrone'

Fantastic beasts, aliens, elves, and dwarfs

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001–2003)

Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Billy Boyd as Pippin Took, and Dominic Monaghan as Merry Brandybuck in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'

Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Billy Boyd as Pippin Took, and Dominic Monaghan as Merry Brandybuck in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'. Pierre Vinet/New Line

What can we say that hasn't already been said? To quote our critic, Peter Jackson's channeling of J.R.R. Tolkien's visionary series exemplifies "what magic the movies can conjure with an inspired fellowship in charge, and unlimited pots of gold." Or take it from Middle-earth's No. 1 fan, Stephen Colbert, who created an obsessive/loving rap tribute. Thanks to HBO Max, the complete series is available to stream in full (be it the theatrical release or extended additions). *—D.W.*

Where to watch *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Peter Jackson

**Cast: **Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Sean Astin

The Shape of Water (2017)

Sally Hawkins as Elisa Esposito and Doug Jones as Amphibian Man in 'The Shape of Water'

Sally Hawkins as Elisa Esposito and Doug Jones as Amphibian Man in 'The Shape of Water'. Fox Searchlight

Guillermo del Toro took home the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for his sci-fi romance, *The Shape of Water*. Set in Baltimore during the Cold War, the film follows a mute woman named Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), who is hired to clean a top-secret government facility, only to bond with the amphibious humanoid held captive inside the laboratory.

A love story that combines mid-century American paranoia with a creature-feature inspired plot, *The Shape of Water *is elegant and bizarre — del Toro at his finest. EW’s critic calls the film “pure movie magic,” writing “*The Shape of Water* is a haunting sci-fi love story like nothing you’ve ever seen before — or dreamed that you ever wanted to see.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Shape of Water*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Guillermo del Toro

**Cast:** Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg

Time Bandits (1981)

Sean Connery as King Agamemnon and Craig Warnock as Kevin in 'Time Bandits'

Sean Connery as King Agamemnon and Craig Warnock as Kevin in 'Time Bandits'. Everett Collection

For those who like a little anarchy with their popcorn (and who have an appreciation for uh, *unconventional *endings) this genre-breaking oddity conjures a grotesque and beautiful magic that could only have come from the mind of a Python. Terry Gilliam, the man responsible for *Brazil *(1985), *The Adventures of Baron Munchausen *(1988), and *The Fisher King *(1991), has, in *Time Bandits*, created a title suitable for "the whole family" (sort of).

It tells the story of young Kevin, a boy whose parents make the Dursleys in the Harry Potter franchise look decent, who is kidnapped by ​​time-traveling dwarves and taken on a wild journey (chock-full of stop-motion animation effects). Like the best of Roald Dahl, Gilliam (who co-wrote the script) presents adults as doofuses, children as heroes, and adventure as a priority, all in a non-sentimental yet moving manner. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Time Bandits*: HBO Max

**Director: **Terry Gilliam

**Cast: **John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Timothée Chalamet as Elio Perlman in 'Call Me by Your Name'

Timothée Chalamet as Elio Perlman in 'Call Me by Your Name'.

Sony Pictures Classics/Courtesy Everett

There's no better place for a sexual awakening than northern Italy in the summer. Set in 1983, *Call Me by Your Name* tenderly tells the story of Elio (Timothée Chalamet in his breakout performance), a 17-year-old whose life is upended after his academic father's new grad student Oliver (Armie Hammer) arrives to stay with the family.

Sparks fly between the bookish Elio and the worldly Oliver, and in spite of their differences, a relationship forms between them. A romantic coming-of-age drama, *Call Me by Your Name* is based on a novel from 2007, and meditates on themes of growing up, coming to terms with one's sexuality, and the depths of feeling found in young love. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Call Me by Your Name*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Luca Guadagnino

**Cast:** Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'.

Warner Brothers/Everett

Not even magic can transform the angst brought on by puberty, and in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Harry and his classmates battle evil — and hormones. Now teenagers in their third year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to a school under siege. The convicted murderer Sirius Black has escaped wizard prison and appears to be after Harry, but Harry is more concerned about finding a way to sneak out of the castle to join his friends off-campus.

*Azkaban* offers the Harry Potter franchise’s first hint that its protagonists are growing up, and foreshadows the series’ descent into darker themes and storylines. Come for the Quidditch and Hippogriffs, stay for the emotional roller coaster that serves as the film’s ending. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*: HBO Max

**Director: **Alfonso Cuarón

**Cast: **Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon**

Marie Antoinette (2006)

Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette in 'Marie Antoinette'

Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette in 'Marie Antoinette'. Leigh Johnson/Columbia

The life of Marie Antoinette gets a sexy, stylized makeover in Sofia Coppola’s historical drama. Kirsten Dunst stars as the naive Austrian teenager who is sent to France to marry Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman), the heir to the throne. A bride at 15 and a queen before she turned 20, Marie’s life is troubled by a sexless marriage with her inexperienced husband, a lack of respect from the members of the court of Versailles, and a contentious relationship with the King’s mistress. Coppola plays fast and loose with the specifics of French history, but her creative partnership with Dunst remains as strong as it did when the duo first worked together on *The Virgin Suicides *(1999). *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Marie Antoinette*: HBO Max

**Director: **Sofia Coppola

**Cast: **Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Rose Byrne

Moonlight (2016)

Alex R. Hibbert as Little Chiron and Mahershala Ali in 'Moonlight'

Alex R. Hibbert as Little Chiron and Mahershala Ali as Juan in 'Moonlight'. David Bornfriend/A24/Everett

A film that EW's critic calls "easily one of the most personal and most powerful films" of 2016, *Moonlight* is a coming-of-age drama told in three chapters and directed by Barry Jenkins. The film follows Chiron — a young Black boy living in Miami with his mother, who has a drug problem — through his childhood, teenage years, and into young adulthood, focusing on the moments in his life that led to his present reality as a drug dealer living in Atlanta.

A powerful and beautiful rumination on racial, sexual, and gender identity, *Moonlight* is based on the semi-autobiographical play, *In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue* — and the film's stunning cinematography and lighting choices pay homage to the project's original subject matter. Wholly deserving of its three Oscar wins for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali), and Best Adapted Screenplay, *Moonlight *is a must-see. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Moonlight*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director:** Barry Jenkins

**Cast: **Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome

Starving artists

American Splendor (2003)

Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar and Hope Davis as Joyce Brabner in 'American Splendor'

Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar and Hope Davis as Joyce Brabner in 'American Splendor'. Everett Collection

"Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff," was one of cartoonist Harvey Pekar's mottos — and it also perfectly describes this film based on his ordinary and complex life. Paul Giamatti was *born* to play Pekar, the cantankerous, vinegary Cleveland resident who was, weirdly, a regular David Letterman guest.

While Giamatti's performance (and Hope Davis' as his wife, Joyce Brabner) would be reason enough to watch, *American Splendor* has a whole *other* selling point: The filmmakers took a super meta approach to the working-class story, blending drama, documentary interviews, archival footage, animation, and cartoons to tell the tale. The result is, as EW's critic puts it, "an inventive new movie hybrid that is its own formal breakthrough," or, in other words, an eye-popping delight. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *American Splendor*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Directors:** Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

**Cast: **Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis, Judah Friedlander

Basquiat (1996)

Jeffrey Wright as Jean-Michel Basquiat in 'Basquiat'

Jeffrey Wright as Jean-Michel Basquiat in 'Basquiat'.

Jeffrey Wright’s breakout film role came courtesy of *Basquiat*, a biopic in which he plays artistic phenom Jean-Michel Basquiat, the New York City painter who became the talk of the art world while he was still in his early 20s. Basquiat died at 27, but he crammed a lifetime’s worth of art into his brief time on Earth.

The film compresses his story, focusing on the artist's accelerated rise to fame and subsequent struggles with success. Wright gives a nuanced debut performance as the painter, and his friendship with Andy Warhol (David Bowie) is one of the film’s highlights. He will revisit Basquiat in an unspecified role in *Samo Lives*, a new biopic of the artist. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Basquiat*: HBO Max

**Director: **Julian Schnabel

**Cast: **Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Michael Wincott

Withnail and I (1987)

Richard E. Grant as Withnail and Paul McGann as Marwood in 'Withnail and I'

Richard E. Grant as Withnail and Paul McGann as Marwood in 'Withnail and I'. Everett Collection

Calling this downwardly mobile, oft-drunk duo "artists" might be a stretch, though *Withnail and I* is devoted to art — the art of friendship, the art of self-delusion, and especially the art of awkward comedy. Long before cringeworthy masterpieces like *The Office* and *Veep* arrived on the scene, this rain-soaked, very British tale of two struggling actors with a LOT of dirty dishes introduced the world to the charms of one Richard E. Grant as the titular anti-hero, Withnail, beside Paul McGann's "and I."

The film is one of those secret handshakes — meeting other *Withnail* fans often results in an instant bond. Based on director Bruce Robinson's early days as an actor, the film is considered one of the greatest British comedies of all time. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Withnail and I*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Bruce Robinson

**Cast: **Paul McGann, Richard E. Grant, Richard Griffiths

Working Girls (1986)

Louise Smith as Molly in 'Working Girls'

Louise Smith as Molly in 'Working Girls'. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

An '80s independent drama that follows New York City sex workers employed by a Manhattan brothel, *Working Girls *is gritty, realistic, and at times, very funny. Directed by Lizzie Borden (of filmmaking not axe-wielding fame), the film unfolds like a documentary but is actually a work of narrative fiction. Borden stylistically constructed the piece to give audiences a "behind-the-scenes" look at the business of sex work, the employees who offer the services, and the patrons who partake of them.

A commercial and critical success at the time of its release, *Working Girls *is one of those films that has been forgotten over time, but that deserves a boost back into the cultural consciousness. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Working Girls*: HBO Max

**Director: **Lizzie Borden

**Cast:** Louise Smith, Deborah Banks, Liz Caldwell, Ellen McElduff

City Lights (1931)

Charlie Chaplin as the Tramp and Virginia Cherrill as the Blind Girl in 'City Lights'

Charlie Chaplin as the Tramp and Virginia Cherrill as the Blind Girl in 'City Lights'.

Courtesy Everett

HBO Max offers a number of Charlie Chaplin’s movies, features and shorts — the actor, director, and composer made 81 throughout the course of his career — but *City Lights *shines brighter than most. Released in 1931, a few years after “talkies” began overtaking theaters, Chaplin chose to limit *City Light’s *sound to its score. But even without dialogue, this romantic comedy creates an emotional vibe that may have you reaching for a tissue to catch stray tears.

Chaplin returns as the Little Tramp, his signature character, who falls in love with a young blind woman. When the woman mistakes him for a millionaire, the Tramp befriends an actual millionaire and hopes to use his money to pay for an operation that would restore the woman’s sight. The movie is a must-see for any comedy or cinema history enthusiast. —*I.G.*

Where to watch *City Lights*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** A+

**Director: **Charlie Chaplin

**Cast: **Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers, Al Ernest Garcia

Paddington 2 (2017)

Paddington Bear (voice: Ben Whishaw) in 'Paddington 2'

Paddington Bear (voice: Ben Whishaw) in 'Paddington 2'. Warner Bros.

People can’t agree on much these days, except for the fact that *Paddington 2** *is a triumph. A sequel to the 2014 film about the bear from the Peruvian rainforest who moves to London and builds a life with a nice English family, *Paddington 2* tells the story of Paddington’s search for the perfect birthday gift for his aunt — a quest that eventually lands him in prison.

Beloved by critics and audiences, EW’s critic writes, “The clever slapstick sequences and chase scenes will entertain children and adults alike, and the entire film sparkles with a Wes Anderson-ish whimsy and a kind heart that’ll leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.” Hugh Grant said, "[it] may be the best film I've ever been in." What more could you ask for? *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Paddington 2*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Paul King

**Cast: **Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood in 'Singin' in the Rain'

Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood in 'Singin' in the Rain'. Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection

Widely considered one of the best movie musicals ever made, *Singin' in the Rain* has everything from music and dance to comedy and romance. The story stars Gene Kelly as a celebrated silent film actor struggling to make the jump to the "talkies," and Debbie Reynolds as an up-and-coming actress trying to break into the business.

The majority of the movie's comedy and over-the-top dance numbers are provided by the charismatic Donald O'Connor, and Jean Hagen makes a delightful (and Oscar-nominated) turn as Lina, a movie star with a face for film and a Brooklyn accent strong enough to stop traffic. A beloved treasure and shining representative from Hollywood's Golden Era, *Singin' in the Rain* continues to endure and inspire. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Singin' in the Rain*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** A+

**Directors: **Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

**Cast: **Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen**

Men in trouble

Joker (2019)

Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker in 'Joker'

Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker in 'Joker'. Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.

A Todd Phillips’ picture, *Joker* is an origin story for the Batman* *villain. The film was so successful in capturing the erratic, chaotic anger that is expressed by a small subset of the male population, that some critics worried it might accidentally incite violence. Joaquin Phoenix gives an Oscar-winning performance as Arthur Fleck, whose descent into madness spurs the rise of his alter ego, the Joker.

Phoenix’s portrayal of the part-time clown and aspiring stand-up comic who rationalizes his anarchic, violent tendencies as being a natural response to his sustained suffering in life is transformative, and EW’s critic writes that he “feels possessed by the part, communing with Arthur’s hurt and rage and raw vulnerability.” *—I.G.***** Where to watch *Joker*: HBO Max******Director:** Todd Phillips******Cast: **Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen**

Mountainhead (2025)

Steve Carell as Randall, Cory Michael Smith as Ven, Jason Schwartzman as Hugo, and Ramy Youssef as Jeff in 'Mountainhead'

Steve Carell as Randall, Cory Michael Smith as Ven, Jason Schwartzman as Hugo, and Ramy Youssef as Jeff in 'Mountainhead'.

Macall Polay/HBO

Four of the world’s richest men descend on a mansion atop a mountain for a casual weekend of playing poker, eating snacks, and talking smack about each other’s fortunes. The retreat takes a turn when AI-generated disinformation — distributed on one of the billionaire’s social media platforms — begins causing global turmoil. As the friends and business rivals debate their level of responsibility and decide on a course of action, the weekend descends into scheming, politicking, and violence.

*Mountainhead *is one of HBO’s best original films and comes courtesy of writer-director Jesse Armstrong (*Succession*), one of the premier satirists of our age. In *Mountainhead*, he exposes the cruelty and ego-driven mentality of the billionaire class, mercilessly mocking their shallow indulgences and cowardice. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Mountainhead*: HBO Max

**Director:** Jesse Armstrong

**Cast:** Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, Ramy Youssef**

Sinners (2025)

Michael B. Jordan as Elijah ‘Smoke’ Moore in 'Sinners'

Michael B. Jordan as Elijah ‘Smoke’ Moore in 'Sinners'.

Eli Adé/Warner Bros.

This period horror film has so much to offer, it’s hard to know what to highlight. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, *Sinners* stars Michael B. Jordan in Oscar-winning dual roles as twin brothers, nicknamed Smoke and Stack, who return to their hometown in the Mississippi Delta to create a juke joint for the Black community. But when the spot’s music is powerful enough to summon supernatural forces to its door, the bar’s patrons struggle to survive their night of revelry.

Set in 1932, the first half of the movie is a compelling drama about gangster brothers returning to the South and confronting their past loves and hopes for the future. The second half — a bacchanalian, gore-filled night of singing, dancing, and violent attacks — is both gripping and terrifying. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Sinners: *HBO Max

**Director: **Ryan Coogler

**Cast:** Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku**

The Town (2010)

Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay in 'The Town'

Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay in 'The Town'.

Local guy makes good in *The Town*, a portrait of Boston’s bank-robbing scene, co-written by, directed by, and starring Ben Affleck. Set in Charleston, Mass., home to a thriving cabal of criminals who contribute to the city’s 300 annual bank robberies, Affleck plays Doug, one of the thieves who works alongside three of his childhood friends. Trouble arrives when the quartet briefly holds a bank manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall), hostage during a robbery — only to realize she lives nearby and could identify them. As Doug tries to keep tabs on Claire, he finds himself falling in love with her. But he has to balance his feelings with the desires of his dangerous co-workers, who would rather kill Claire than risk prison. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Town*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Ben Affleck

**Cast: **Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively

Uncut Gems (2019)

Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner in 'Uncut Gems'

Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner in 'Uncut Gems'. Julia Cervantes/A24

The silly Adam Sandler who ruled in the ‘90s has more range than you know. In *Uncut Gems*, he spends more than two hours driving audiences — and himself — to the brink of a panic attack. A crime thriller set in New York City, Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a fast-talking diamond salesman who is trying to hold onto his wife, his family, and his mistress, while also trying to ward off the creditors intent on collecting on his many debts.

Featuring a stacked cast (including Kevin Garnett playing himself), and directed by the Safdie Brothers, *Uncut Gems* is less of a film and more of a race against self-combustion. EW’s reviewer writes that “Sandler’s never been better, really, balancing speedwalking desperation and fast-talking salesmanship with sorrow and glee.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Uncut Gems*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Directors: **Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie

**Cast: **Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel**

Women in trouble

Carol (2015)

Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet and Cate Blanchett as Carol Aird in 'Carol'

Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet and Cate Blanchett as Carol Aird in 'Carol'.

Wilson Webb/Weinstein Company/Courtesy Everett Collection

*Mad Men* lovers will find a similar aesthetic in *Carol*, a queer romance set against the backdrop of the repressive 1950s. From the moment New Jersey housewife Carol (Cate Blanchett) meets aspiring photographer Therese (Rooney Mara) while Christmas shopping at a New York City department store, it's obvious a connection has been forged. Eager to escape the difficulties presented by the men in their lives, the women find solace in each other, their relationship sparking and burning as brightly as the tips of their cigarettes. Directed by Todd Haynes, who explores issues of class and sexuality with the lightest of touches, *Carol *is a love story told with care. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Carol*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Todd Haynes

**Cast:** Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy

Girls Trip (2017)

Tiffany Haddish as Dina in 'Girls Trip'

Tiffany Haddish as Dina in 'Girls Trip'.

Michele K. Short/Universal

College friends reunite for a raucous good time in the raunchy comedy *Girls Trip*. Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith star as the four members of the “Flossy Posse,” a college crew that was once inseparable, but is now grown up and living separate lives.

To reconnect, up-and-coming media star Ryan (Hall) invites her three buddies to join her during a work trip to the Essence Music Festival. Their New Orleans vacation goes sideways thanks to accusations of infidelity, group dysfunction, and too much absinthe. And while the film does occasionally veer into formulaic territory, EW’s critic promises “it executes that formula with flair, delivering a delightfully outrageous comedy of female friendship.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Girls Trip*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Malcolm D. Lee

**Cast: **Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith

Sorry Baby (2025)

Eva Victor as Agnes in 'Sorry, Baby'

Eva Victor as Agnes in 'Sorry, Baby'.

Eva Victor (*Billions*) makes a meaningful feature directorial debut with their dark indie dramedy *Sorry, Baby*, which they also wrote. Agnes (Victor) is a literature professor based in New England and attempting to process a sexual assault from years earlier. Still living in the same place where the trauma occurred, Agnes feels as if everyone has moved on without her, and the dramedy tenderly conveys the emotional pain of trying to resuscitate one’s spirit after something inside has died. Structured nonlinearly across five different years of Agnes’ life, the tragically funny and touchingly real film received an honorable mention on EW’s list of the best movies of 2025. *—I.G. *

Where to watch *Sorry, Baby*: HBO Max

**Director: **Eva Victor** **

**Cast: **Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Louis Cancelmi, Kelly McCormack, Lucas Hedges**

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (2017)

Woody Harrelson as Chief Willoughby and Frances McDormand as Mildred Hayes in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'

Woody Harrelson as Chief Willoughby and Frances McDormand as Mildred Hayes in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'. 20th Century Fox/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

A film that EW’s critic calls “a tar-black comedy so caustic it nearly burns a hole in the screen,” *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri** *is a dark crime film about a grieving mother (Frances McDormand) who amps up the pressure on local law enforcement to solve her daughter’s murder after she calls them out on local billboards.

It’s an original concept filled with infuriating, complicated characters — Sam Rockwell’s abusive cop and Woody Harrelson’s dying police chief are two standouts. But the film ultimately belongs to McDormand, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of the vengeful, defiant Mildred. Critics took the script to task for its violent imagery and handling of racial issues, but the performances were some of the best that year. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Martin McDonagh

**Cast: **Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, John Hawkes

Tiny Furniture (2010)

Lena Dunham as Aura and Alex Karpovsky as Jed in 'Tiny Furniture'

Lena Dunham as Aura and Alex Karpovsky as Jed in 'Tiny Furniture'.

Lena Dunham made a name for herself as a filmmaker in 2010 with her debut indie, *Tiny Furniture*. Written, directed by, and starring Dunham — as well as her mother and younger sibling, Cyrus Grace Dunham — this rom-com is one of the first to investigate millennial post-grad life from the perspective of a real millennial.

A definite forerunner to *Girls*, the film covers similar thematic territory and includes a few familiar faces. Dunham demonstrates an early understanding of her point of view, and whether you enjoy her particular brand of self-aware entitlement or not, the film stands up to critical analysis. EW’s critic writes, “It’s a tiny tale of inertia, and it’s also the grand triumph of a young artist with a mature trust in her own unique voice.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Tiny Furniture*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director:** Lena Dunham

**Cast: **Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Cyrus Grace Dunham, David Call, Alex Karpovsky

Anything Studio Ghibli

Chihiro Ogino (voice: Rumi Hiiragi) in 'Spirited Away'

Chihiro Ogino (voice: Rumi Hiiragi) in 'Spirited Away'. Studio Ghibli

Step 1: Click the "Studio Ghibli" tab on Max.

Step 2: Start with *Spirited Away*…

Step 3: Then *My Neighbor Totoro*… and *Howl's Moving Castle*… and *Princess Mononoke*

Step 4: Now watch the rest.

Step 5: Thank us later. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Studio Ghibli*: HBO Max

**Directors:** Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata

Life of Pi (2012)

Suraj Sharma as Pi Patel in 'Life of Pi'

Suraj Sharma as Pi Patel in 'Life of Pi'.

The 2001 fantasy novel *Life of Pi** *was thought to be unfilmable. Ang Lee’s 2012 adaptation of the best-seller was a huge win for 20th Century Fox, who saw their gamble pay off with an international hit. Lauded for its direction and pioneering visual effects, *Life of Pi* tells the story of an Indian boy named Pi Patel, who lived through a shipwreck when he was 16-years-old.

Pi makes it through his ordeal with the help of a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, and the film is a fantastical story of friendship and survival. The twist at the end isn’t for everyone, but *Life of Pi* is all about the journey. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Life of Pi*: HBO Max

**Director:** Ang Lee

**Cast: **Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Rafe Spall, Gérard Depardieu

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Jack Haley as the Tin Man, Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, and Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in 'The Wizard of Oz'

Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Jack Haley as the Tin Man, Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, and Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in 'The Wizard of Oz'. Everett Collection

Based on a Broadway musical — which was adapted from a turn of the 20th century novel by L. Frank Baum — *The Wizard of Oz** *created a luscious world (now in Technicolor!) for Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion to sing and dance their way through.

*The Wizard of Oz *is classic musical theater at its finest, performed at a time when that art form reigned supreme, and the story of losing oneself before finding one’s way home is as relevant today as it was when the movie was released in September of 1939, six days before the start of World War II. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Wizard of Oz*: HBO Max

**Director: **Victor Fleming

**Cast: **Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley

Stranger than fiction

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022)

Nan Goldin in 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed'

Nan Goldin in 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed'. Neon

A documentary that puts photographer Nan Goldin on the other side of the camera, this revealing and intimate film takes a look at an artist who documented her friends' most intimate moments (and covered tough subjects in the process, from the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York to her own domestic abuse). But this isn't just a retrospective. *All the Beauty and the Bloodshed* — which EW named one of the best films of 2022 — spends ample time on Goldin's activism, notably her fight against the opioid epidemic (and specifically, the Sackler family's role in it). *—D.W.*

Where to watch *All the Beauty and the Bloodshed*: HBO Max

**Director: **Laura Poitras

**Cast: **Nan Goldin

Hoop Dreams (1994)

William Gates in 'Hoop Dreams'

William Gates in 'Hoop Dreams'. Everett Collection

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert agreeing (!) that *Hoop Dreams* was the *best movie* of 1994 should be all we need to say about this big-hearted, deep-dive doc about the lives of two young NBA hopefuls. But we'll add a little more: The film follows two talented teenage boys, Arthur Agee and William Gates, with their eyes on basketball careers. But coming from tough circumstances means it won't always be easy.

Director Steve James spent five years immersed in his subjects' lives to fully tell the tale, which he does with a poignancy that at times makes it difficult to watch, but impossible to turn away from. The result is a masterpiece. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Hoop Dreams*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Steve James

**Cast: **William Gates, Arthur Agee

Paris Is Burning (1990)

Venus Xtravaganza in 'Paris Is Burning'

Venus Xtravaganza in 'Paris Is Burning'. Janus Films

One of the most compelling and groundbreaking documentaries of all time, *Paris Is Burning* is also *off-the-hook* entertaining, as a film about drag balls should be. Helping to introduce mainstream audiences to the phenomenon that is drag, each character we meet is larger than the next, all serving magisterial amounts of color and sparkle, attitude, and pathos.

EW's critic calls *Paris Is Burning* a "passionately empathetic piece of documentary filmmaking" by director Jennie Livingston, who created an iconic piece of American culture that, to quote our review once again, records "the tensions between ridicule and reverence that render the balls themselves a kind of proletarian performance art." *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Paris Is Burning*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A

**Director:** Jennie Livingston

**Cast: **Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, Venus Xtravaganza, Octavia St. Laurent, Carmen Xtravaganza

Zola (2021)

Riley Keough as Stefani and Taylour Paige as Zola in 'Zola'

Riley Keough as Stefani and Taylour Paige as Zola in 'Zola'. Anna Kooris/Sundance Institute

In 2015, a viral Twitter thread held the internet’s attention hostage for an entire afternoon. Five years later, *Zola* — a film based on one harrowing trip to Florida as experienced by Zola (Taylour Paige), a waitress and part-time stripper — took the leap from social media to the big screen in a dark comedy directed by Janicza Bravo. The film, like the story on which it’s based, is wild, terrifying, and impossible to tear yourself away from.

But where a lesser adaptation might have succumbed to the story’s most sensational elements, EW’s critic writes that Bravo’s version offers humor, humanity, and “a sort of electric buzz: the thrill of watching something stranger than fiction, and somehow better for being some kind of true.”* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Zola*: HBO Max

**EW grade:** B+

**Director: **Janicza Bravo

**Cast:** Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Ari'el Stachel, Colman Domingo

Oscars catch up

Barbie (2023)

Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in 'Barbie'

Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in 'Barbie'.

Warner Bros. Pictures

The summer of 2023 will forever be remembered as the summer of Barbenheimer. While *Oppenheimer* was the overtly intellectual, historical prestige film, *Barbie** *more than held its own in the smarts department. A fiercely funny and feminist reading of the dolls that everyone has an opinion on, Greta Gerwig’s *Barbie* follows Stereotypical Barbie’s (Margot Robbie) journey of self-discovery, which leads her away from Barbie Land and into the real world.

Ryan Gosling may have scored the Oscar nod for his performance as Ken, but the entire cast is worthy of recognition, and as far as satirical romps go, you don’t get much better than this. EW’s critic writes, “It's Gerwig's care and attention to detail that gives Barbie an actual point of view, elevating it beyond every other cynical, IP-driven cash grab.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Barbie*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Greta Gerwig

**Cast: **Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera

The Color Purple (2023)

Fantasia Barrino as Celie in 'The Color Purple'

Fantasia Barrino as Celie in 'The Color Purple'.

Warner Bros./Everett Collection

Broadway went to Hollywood in 2023. Both *Mean Girls *and *The Color Purple** *received movie musical adaptations of their staged shows, and *The Color Purple*’s was especially successful. Based on the Alice Walker novel — which was adapted by Steven Spielberg into a 1985 movie featuring Oprah — the movie musical stars Fantasia Barrino as Celie, an early 20th century woman stuck in an abusive marriage, whose female friendships inspire her to break free from her dictatorial husband.

Barrino is excellent, successfully reprising the role she played on Broadway, but Danielle Brooks steals the show, with EW’s reviewer writing, “It’s a performance that is both showy and restrained, a master class in acting.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Color Purple*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Blitz Bazawule

**Cast: **Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins**

One Battle After Another (2025)

Sean Penn as Steven J. Lockjaw in 'One Battle After Another'

Sean Penn as Steven J. Lockjaw in 'One Battle After Another;'.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark comedy action thriller about left-wing revolutionaries is his best work in years. *One Battle After Another *stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob, a former revolutionary turned stoner living in California with his daughter, Willa, under witness protection. When a powerful colonel (Sean Penn) realizes that Willa’s existence could threaten his acceptance into a secret society of white supremacists, he dispatches a bounty hunter to eliminate her.

A satirical thriller about the power of love and justice for all, *One Battle After Another *won the battle for Oscar recognition, winning six, including Best Picture, Best Director, and the first-ever Academy Award for Best Casting. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *One Battle After Another*: HBO Max

**Director: **Paul Thomas Anderson

**Cast: **Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor

For the love of movies

Breathless (1960)

Jean Seberg as Patricia Franchini and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Michael Poiccard in 'Breathless'

Jean Seberg as Patricia Franchini and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Michael Poiccard in 'Breathless'. Everett Collection

This rebellious, breezy, sexy, black-and-white crime number is the definition of cool, exemplified in the offhand, insouciant performances by Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Meanwhile, director Jean-Luc Godard's loose, relaxed, handheld camera magic captures the spirit of love, danger, and Paris...forever. *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Breathless*: HBO Max

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Jean-Luc Godard

**Cast: **Jean Seberg, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Henri-Jacques Huet, Liliane Dreyfus, Claude Mansard

Chungking Express (1994)

Valerie Chow as Air Hostess and Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Cop 663 in 'Chungking Express'

Valerie Chow as Air Hostess and Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Cop 663 in 'Chungking Express'. Everett Collection

There's no doubt that Wong Kar-wai's *Chungking Express* is a super romantic film, telling not one, but two overlapping love stories. This classic, which was definitely influenced by another movie on our list (*Breathless*), also has one pretty big name benefactor: Mr. Quentin Tarantino, who loved the movie so much he started a company to distribute it. Its charming vision of love in Hong Kong is a gorgeously shot, super stylish journey with a winning pop soundtrack, all adding up to an experience that EW's critic describes as "a pure ecstasy bath." *—D.W.*

Where to watch *Chungking Express*: HBO Max

**Director:** Wong Kar-wai

**Cast: **Brigitte Lin Chin-Hsia, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong

My Dinner With Andre (1981)

Wallace Shawn as Wally and André Gregory as Andre in 'My Dinner With Andre'

Wallace Shawn as Wally and André Gregory as Andre in 'My Dinner With Andre'.

New Yorker/Courtesy Everett Collection

In a medium driven by plot and action, *My Dinner With Andre *argues that the most revolutionary way to make cinema is to remove both of these elements. An early '80s exploration into theatrical avant-gardism, *My Dinner With Andre *is exactly that — a film about two men who haven't seen each other in awhile catching up during a dinner.

Over the course of their meal, Wally (a struggling playwright) and Andre (a former theater director) dine at New York City's Café des Artistes where they discuss theater, new age philosophies, and what it means to live in the latter half of the 20th century. Directed by Louis Malle and co-written by Wallace Shawn and André Gregory — who also star as heightened versions of themselves — the film is daringly conceptual, dialogue-driven, and cerebral. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *My Dinner With Andre*: HBO Max

**Director: **Louis Malle

**Cast: **André Gregory, Wallace Shawn

- Movie Reviews & Recommendations

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Movie”

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