The relaunch of HBO Max is already a month old, making this a great opportunity to sign up for Max. In addition to the limited series Full Circle, directed by Steven Soderbergh, which debuted on the platform this month, 100 movies will be added in July 2023.
From iconic classics like Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino to Greta Gerwig directing from the front of the camera in Barbie to the upcoming Netflix adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia, there is no shortage of films to add to your watch list. Here are seven movies to consider seeing before moving on to other content on Max.
20th Century Women (2016)
Available on: July 1
Director: Mike Mills | Runtime: 1 h 59 min
Cast: Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Annette Bening, Billy Crudup
This insightful coming-of-age picture highlights the importance of strong female figures in a young man’s development. Dorothea (Annette Bening), a single mother, and Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), her teenage son, have trouble communicating throughout 20th Century Women.
She enlists the support of her son’s best friend Julie (Elle Fanning) and her punk-rock landlady Abbie (Greta Gerwig) to grow him into a decent man. Because of this, Jamie is able to develop a tolerance for ambiguity at an early age and learn to persevere in the face of adversity.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Available on: July 1
Director: Gus Van Sant | Runtime: 2 h 6 min
Cast: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck contributed to the writing of the script for this two-time Oscar winner. Will Hunting (Damon), a twenty-year-old mathematical prodigy who has just been released on parole, is the protagonist.
He was working as a cleaner at MIT when he answered a difficult math problem on the chalkboard, catching the attention of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard). Lambeau wants to give Will a second chance, so he offers to tutor him in math in exchange for him seeing Dr. Sean McGuire (Robin Williams) for psychotherapy.
V for Vendetta (2005)
Available on: July 1
Director: James McTigue | Runtime: 2 h 12 m
Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Rupert Graves, Stephen Rea
Having elements of science fiction, romance, action, and dystopia, this film adaptation of DC Vertigo Comics will appeal to a wide range of viewers. Plus, it has a clever and understandable script.
In the film V for Vendetta, Hugo Weaving plays the title character, V, a masked vigilante who orchestrates a series of terrorist acts to bring down the fascist totalitarian government that has taken control of the United Kingdom. When the nation’s leaders are corrupt, the film examines the public’s responsibility.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Available on: July 1
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Runtime: 2 h 34 min
Cast: Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis
One of Tarantino’s masterworks that has recently arrived on Max would be omitted from this list. Two hitmen (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta) are tasked with recovering their boss’ (Ving Rhames’s Marsellus Wallace) stolen bag.
They meet Wallace’s wife Mia (Uma Thurman) and a washed-up boxer named Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) while on their journey. They go through all sorts of comedic and violent events together, despite the fact that they have nothing in common but Wallace.
Dunkirk (2017)
Available on: July 1
Director: Christopher Nolan | Runtime: 1 h 46 min
Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy
It’s tough to keep an audience interested in a war movie from beginning to end. Dunkirk, directed by Christopher Nolan, is one of the few movies that manages to accomplish both well. Filmed on location at Dunkirk Beach, where over 300,000 Allied soldiers spent over a week stranded during World War II.
This production stands noteworthy because it follows the actions of the army from three different vantage points at once: on land, at sea, and in the air. There’s not much talking in it, but the visuals, sound design (including a score by Hans Zimmer), and editing are all excellent.
Election (1999)
Available on: July 1
Director: Alexander Payne | Runtime: 1 h 43 min
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell
In the 1999 film Election, Reese Witherspoon plays the role of Tracy Flick, a nerdy and irritating high school student. Until civics teacher Jim McAllister’s (Matthew Broderick) intervention, Flick was the only student running for student council president. McAllister then recruited a varsity football player to run as her running mate.
The film’s narrative may be absurd, but it demonstrates how politicians will resort to any measure to maintain power. Audiences of all ages can relate to stories about morality and ethics, and watching these themes unfold in a classroom setting is fascinating.
Serendipity (2001)
Available on: July 1
Director: Peter Chelsom | Runtime: 1 h 30 min
Cast: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, Bridget Moynahan
If you’re looking for a feel-good movie, keep Serendipity in mind. It begins with a whirlwind holiday romance, as do all great love stories. Meeting for the first time in their twenties, Jonathan (John Cusak) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) seem to fall in love instantly.
Everything points to them being a perfect match, but they happen to be located on opposite sides of the world. After ten years apart, they must determine if fate should reunite them. Despite its lack of spectacle, this picture is perfect for winding down with.
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