HBO Max‘s movie selection keeps getting better. So, while you could just jump straight to our list of the best movies on HBO Max, we thought you also might want to know what the world of reputable critics think about House Max’s streaming offerings.
And so we documented the best HBO Max movies with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 95% and up. That said, that story came out back in August, and since HBO Max is still the best streaming service, it’s been adding more beloved movies ever since.
And as HBO Max keeps up with the Netflixes and Hulus out there, we thought it was time to look at the most recent additions. Lo and behold, we found seven fantastic films with stellar Rotten Tomatoes (opens in new tab) scores that HBO Max added in the last two months alone!
Want more reccs? We’ve also pulled the best Netflix shows rated 90% and up, the best Apple TV Plus shows rated 90% and up and the best Hulu movies with 90% and up. This time, we’re setting the bar at 95%.
So, let’s dive into what we love about seven of the best recently added movies on HBO Max. All you’ll need after reading this is an HBO Max subscription (opens in new tab) (and some popcorn or your snack of choice).
The Witch (2015)
One of those horror movies that doesn’t fit the standard mold, The Witch (styled The VVitch) casts a dread over audiences as a witch hunt targets young Thomasin (Taylor-Joy). You’ll root for Thomasin as her mouth gets her in trouble, but you too might wonder whether or not she is in fact a witch, as she has a certain edge about her in some moments. This absolutely gorgeous film proves that audiences can be gripped without a big budget, and director Robert Eggers and Taylor-Joy (who worked again in The Northman) broke out together with this one.
Genre: Period-piece horror/drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Stream it on HBO Max (opens in new tab)
Nightcrawler (2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t need Nightcrawler, but it still served as a reminder to mid-2010s audiences that he’s always a force on the screen (provided the right material). Here, he stars as Lou Bloom an aspiring crime reporter (who seems like he has more than a few shades of Patrick Bateman in him) desperately trying to make a name for himself. And out in the field, tracking down the grittiest and most chaotic stories, Bloom never met journalistic ethics he didn’t consider a barrier to his success. Gyllenhaal dips in and out of an enraged, manic energy so easily that you’ll question every little thing he does.
Genre: Thriller
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
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District 9 (2009)
Some aliens come to Earth to invade, others to evade. District 9 is the latter, as the “prawns” that landed on our planet arrived because theirs was at the end of its rope (wait til they hear about climate change). Now, they inhabit a section of South Africa dubbed District 9, where they’re managed by the ruthless Multi-National United. While the film is not subtle about being an apartheid allegory, it still feels utterly unique. Director Neill Blomkamp’s camera swerves around Wikus Van Der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a government agent whose glib treatment of the prawns gets him into trouble once he is mysteriously infected and needs their help. You might see it as an alien movie by way of mockumentary, but the sum of District 9’s parts far outweighs its references — especially with the way that the district itself crackles with life.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Genre: Sci-fi
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Juno (2007)
Diablo Cody (who would go on to make other fantastic movies, such as the underrated Jennifer’s Body) first made her name by writing the script for Juno. And while the titular too-smart-for-the-room teen (played by Elliot Page) may be a trope that is almost played-out by now, Juno felt like a needed breath of fresh air back in 2007. Surrounded by fast-talking townspeople — from a gas station clerk played by Rainn Wilson to parents Mac (JK Simmons) and Bren (Allison Janney) — Juno lives in a world where she thankfully finds a couple who would love to adopt her child. Oh, and then there’s the hella-awkward Paulie (Michael Cera), who is the father of the unborn child that Juno refers to as a ‘seamonkey.’
Genre: Comedy/drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
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Glory (1989)
The 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the Union Army’s first Black fighting units, got a proper spotlight in the Academy Award-winning Glory. While the film is bolstered by an career-elevating performance from Denzel Washington — who won Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar for his portrayal of Private Silas Trip, a runaway slave who enlisted — the film is primarily told through the lens of the unit’s white leader, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick). That choice confused some critics, especially those who didn’t think Broderick fit the role. Still, Glory is an impeccably shot and powerful film that deserves to be seen.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Genre: War drama
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The Accused (1988)
A movie that has lived on in many places — including college classrooms — over the years, The Accused was an important movie when it hit theaters in 1988. A portrait in how the criminal justice world and society fail rape victims, The Accused shows the lights that Sarah Tobias (Jodie Foster) goes to for justice after being assaulted at a bar while men hooted and hollered. And her path to her day in court runs through Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Murphy (Kelly McGillis), who understands how tough it will be to prove this case — but disappoints Sarah along the way. The Accused is an unsettling film that demands to be seen.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Genre: Drama
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Airplane! (1980)
Leslie Neilsen, the king of all farce comedies, boards Airplane! as Dr. Rumack, who is in for the flight of his life. This comedy is basically Murphy’s Law incarnate, as everything that could go wrong on a flight — and then some — does. Not only does Dr. Rumack discover that the fish served on this flight caused food poisoning that incapacitates the flight, but the plane’s autopilot turns out to be a whole lot of air and plastic. All the while, Ted (Robert Hays) is a former fighter pilot dealing with PTSD who picked this flight to travel. Oh, and NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also plays a pilot. Airplane! is either your cup of tea, or an airline you’ll never travel on again.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Genre: Comedy
Stream it on HBO Max (opens in new tab)
