The Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now (September 2023)

Run Time: 1 hr 51 min | Genre: Horror | Director: James Wan

Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Joey King

On top of being one of my favorite movies in general, The Conjuring is easily one of my favorite horror movies of all time (beat only by its sequel). What gives The Conjuring franchise an edge is that each installment is based on the very real case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, Ed and Lorraine operate as agents of the church as they help families and individuals escape the grip of demonic possession. In The Conjuring, the couple is approached by a young mother whose family has found themselves the target of an evil spirit linked to the country home they just moved into.

What truly sets The Conjuring apart for me is not the scare factor — though director James Wan certainly doesn’t pull any punches in that regard — it’s the strength of the characters and their relationships, which is baked into the script by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes. The Conjuring works so well because, at its heart, it’s a story about love. Ed and Lorraine are driven, first and foremost, by their love for each other, but their love for helping people comes in at a close second. Meanwhile, Lili Taylor’s Carolyn Perron is driven by the love for her family, and even when a demonic spirit intends to use that against her, it’s love that ultimately saves the day. If you’re new to horror or just looking for a heart-pounding thriller with a heart of gold, check out The Conjuring. – Samantha Coley, New Editor

Run Time: 2 hrs | Genre: Biopic | Director: Craig Gillespie

Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Paul Walter Hauser, Allison Janney

Margot Robbie (Birds of Prey) gracefully embodies controversial Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in Craig Gillespie’s award-winning biopic, I, Tonya. By utilizing a mockumentary style, I, Tonya cleverly dives into Harding’s upbringing and training, carefully revealing the competitor’s home life and what ultimately led to the horrific scandal that shocked the world. I, Tonya is bursting with undeniable talent in addition to Robbie, including co-stars Sebastian Stan (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird), and Allison Janney, who each provide a richer layer to the story written by Steven Rogers. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Genre: Comedy Crime | Director: Gary Ross

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson.

Taking place in George Clooney’s Ocean’s 11 universe, Ocean’s 8 is a delightful addition to the franchise with a stellar, beautifully diverse cast and an equally entertaining heist. Sandra Bullock stars in Ocean’s 8 as the ringleader determined to recruit a team of skilled criminals for a glamorous con at the Met Gala. While the film also features Rihanna and Awkwafina, Ocean’s 8, like Clooney’s trilogy, welcomed some award-winning actors, such as Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway. Aside from director Gary Ross’s focus on dramatic fashion, jewelry, and the amazing cast, Ocean’s 8 is a thrilling couple of hours with some unexpected twists and playful humor. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 28 min | Director: John Krasinski

Cast: John Krasinski, Margo Martindale, Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Richard Jenkins

Written by Jim Strouse, The Hollars is an unexpectedly heartbreaking yet equally hilarious family drama directed by and starring John Krasinski. Krasinski plays a man who makes his way back to his family in a small town when his mother, played gloriously by legendary actress Margo Martindale, becomes sick. Supporting Krasinski and Martindale is an incredible cast of comedic talent, including Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, and Richard Jenkins, as well as Anna Kendrick, Randall Park, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Garnering festival accolades and critical appreciation, The Hollars beautifully blends family dysfunction with charming moments and captivating characters. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 17 min | Director: Emma Seligman

Cast: Rachel Sennott, Danny Deferrari, Fred Melamed, Molly Gordon

Written and directed by Emma Seligman, Shiva Baby is a comedy based on a New York Jewish experience. Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) stars in Shiva Baby as Danielle, a senior in college attending a shiva with her parents when she is confronted with the realities of her life in disarray as she finds herself on the verge of adulthood. Featuring a hilarious performance from Sennott, as well as Fred Melamed (Barry) and Molly Gordon (The Bear), Shiva Baby is a laugh-out-loud time despite its morbid setting. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 12 min | Director: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Hounsou

Director David F. Sandberg’s lighter addition to Warner Brother’s DC Universe, Shazam stars Zachary Levi as the grown-up superhero version of Asher Angel. Set in Philadelphia, Shazam follows foster kid Billy Batson (Angel), who gets not only a new home but also an unexpected set of powers. Also featuring wonderful performances from Mark Strong and Djimon Hounsou, the film explores the origin story of the superhero without diving too deep into the mythology. Shazam is a playful action flick full of humorous quips, exciting effects, and a warm, fuzzy message about family. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 30 min | Director: Salima Koroma

Cast: Scott Rogowsky, Sharon Carpenter, Scott Galloway, Laurie Segall, Taylor Lorenz

Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia is a documentary directed by Emmy winner Salima Koroma. Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia chronicles the birth of a viral gaming app, revealing the start-up mentality of the company that captivated the nation before ultimately imploding. Featuring interviews with former HQ Trivia hosts Scott Rogowsky and Sharon Carpenter, Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia explores the global phenomenon of the revolutionary app which, although often compared to Fyre Festival,somehow inspired hundreds of successful copies. Find out the truth about what happened — maybe one day there’ll be a trivia game asking about it. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hr 2 min | Genre: Crime, Drama | Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Shea Whigham

Writer and director Todd Phillips (Road Trip) presents a new angle on the clown prince of crime inspired by the Martin Scorsese classics Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy. Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix (Her) as a never-before-seen version of the infamous DC villain that takes place in a world without Batman and focuses on the society that created a madman out of an aspiring clown. Phillip’s eye for well-composed shots and great color composition is on full display throughout the film, and Phoenix’s commitment to the character makes this well worth the watch for aspiring filmmakers. — Tauri Miller

Run Time: 1 hr 26 min | Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller | Director: Meko Winbush

Cast: Jessica Frances Dukes, Mia Isaac, Garret Dillahunt

Gray Matter is a super-powered sci-fi thriller written by Philip Gelatt (Love, Death & Robots) and is the feature directorial debut for Project Greenlight winner Meko Winbush. The film follows a sixteen-year-old named Aurora (Mia Isaac) who lives a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her overprotective mother, who constantly warns her about the dangers posed by their psionic powers and what will happen if they are discovered. Unfortunately, Aurora mistakenly attracts the attention of a secret group that calls into question everything she has been told thus far. The story feels like a deconstruction of X-Men’s Jean Gray origin story with a bit of extra color thrown into the mix. It even contains a bald mentor character with potentially dubious motives…it’s got the whole package! Anyone who likes mind-bending thrillers about people with extraordinary abilities will definitely get a kick out of this one. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 1 hr 52 min | Genre: Comedy, Drama | Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, Caitlin Gerard,

Magic Mike’s Last Dance is the final installment of the Magic Mike franchise that brings Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street) back to rediscover his groove one last time. His dance partner this time around is Salma Hayek (House of Gucci), playing a single mother who enlists Mike’s help to create a memorable dance performance that will save the theater she got in her divorce. Tatum and Hayek are great together, delivering heartfelt and inspiring performances that suck you in so deep you forget the franchise started on the premise that male strippers are hot. The best thing about these movies is that they don’t rest on their laurels and continue to let the main character evolve from film to film. It almost hurts to see this trilogy take its final bow. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 3 hr 12 min | Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure | Director: James Cameron

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver

After over a decade since the original, visionary director James Cameron (Titanic) makes a big splash with the next chapter in the Avatar film franchise. Avatar: The Way of Water takes place sixteen years after the events of the first movie and introduces audiences to a whole new part of Pandora under the sea. Featuring breathtaking underwater sequences that revolutionized motion-capture technology as we know it, the film introduces the reef tribe that teaches Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) their traditions and culture as they unite the tribes to fight against the industrial invaders that prey upon the seas. Cameron delivers a film that is a feast for the senses with amazing sights coupled with stellar sound design and music. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 1 hr 44 min | Director: Stephen Kijak

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is an in-depth documentary film about the decades-long career of a classic Hollywood star. Directed by Stephen Kijak, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed examines a man named Roy Fitzgerald, known publicly as Rock Hudson, through his public life as an actor and celebrity within the golden age of Hollywood — as well as his closeted reality and struggles. A timely reflection on the entertainment industry’s devastating and disappointing history with LGBTQ+ people, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed features interviews and archive footage to spotlight the aftermath of Hudson’s tragic death without diminishing his legendary career. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 59 min | Director: James Adolphus

Cast: Mary Tyler Moore, James L. Brooks, Rob Reiner, Edward Asner

Being Mary Tyler Moore is a touching tribute to an extraordinary woman. The documentary film from director James Adolphus chronicles Mary Tyler Moore’s revolutionary career, highlighting not only her legacy as a comedic actress but also her immense heart, activism, and the undeniable influence she has made on the entertainment industry and society as a whole. With Lena Waithe and Debra Martin Chase serving as producers for the project, Being Mary Tyler Moore shares memories from co-stars and collaborators Edward Asner and Rob Reiner, welcoming them to shine a light on the illustrious life of an icon. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 46 min | Genre: Documentary | Director: Darren Foster

Co-produced by TIME and CNN, American Pain is an eye-opening documentary film from award-winning documentary director Darren Foster (Science Fair). Through investigative interviews and news footage, American Pain approaches the brutal reality of systemic greed, capitalism, and America’s truly warped healthcare system as influenced and encouraged by the worst opioid drug epidemic in American history. Focusing on the rise and fall of drug kingpins Chris George and Jeff George, a pair of identical twin bodybuilders from Florida, American Pain dives into their participation and responsibility in trafficking over $500 million in oxycodone pills. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 25 min | Genre: Comedy, Drama | Director: Jonah Hill

Cast: Sunny Suljic, Katherine Waterston, Lucas Hedges

Written and directed by Jonah Hill (You People) as his feature film directorial debut, Mid90s is a nostalgic coming-of-age story inspired by his own experiences growing up in Los Angeles. Sunny Suljic (God of War) plays Stevie, a teen boy who finds community with a group of older skateboarders that give him the attention and support he lacks at home. The film is a pretty raw affair that leaves the rose-tinted view of 90s Los Angeles at the door, presenting the grit and grime of a city filled with troubled people just trying to make their way through life. Hill delivers an authentic and unfiltered view of childhood that portrays how even imperfect friendships can shape our lives in surprising ways.

Run Time: 1 hr 40 min | Genre: Documentary | Director: Rachel Fleit

Cast: Weston Hancock, Kylan Darnell, Gracyn Edmondson, Madison Towner

Vice Studios and HBO have teamed up to produce a documentary that centers on the University of Alabama sorority rush process and the ways it affects the young women who aspire to be a part of the Greek system. After the popularity of prospective new members posting about their experiences on TikTok and all the attention it brought to the university, both positive and negative, it only makes sense that VICE would seek to synthesize the disparate pieces into a focused deep-dive. Bama Rush spends time with a sample of the girls competing to make it through the four rounds of cuts and gives them a space to discuss the demands of being a woman in college, the racism they face in Alabama, and the social capital they hope to gain through the sorority — all the while struggling with the question of if the sorority life is worth it.

Run Time: 1 hr 38 min | Genre: Action, Comedy | Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D’Onofrio

Director Barry Sonnenfeld (The Addams Family) takes the comic series from the page to the screen in this critically acclaimed action comedy starring Will Smith (Aladdin) and Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive). Men in Black is about a clandestine organization that polices alien activity on Earth that recruits a streetwise NYPD officer to help crack a case that could save the planet from being destroyed. Jones and Smith are perfect foils for one another — one gruff and world-weary, the other eager to prove himself — who both drive this mystery of extraterrestrial murder and mayhem at top speed right out the gate. But the best part of the movie is the custom Will Smith jam that plays over the end that continues to be a banger to this day.

Run Time: 1 hr 45 min | Genre: Drama | Director: Nardeep Khurmi

Cast: Karen David, Tina Parker, Dhruv Uday Singh

Writer/director Nardeep Khurmi also stars in this indie darling that takes on themes of immigration and family bonds. Land of Gold conveys its perspective through a young Mexican-American girl who is found in the back of a shipping container and the truck driver who is determined to get her back to her family — wherever they may be. Between the stunning film direction and the absolutely breathtaking acting, it’s no wonder this film won the grand prize at Tribeca Film Festival. Rarely is there a film that captures the precarious nature of immigrating to the US from multiple angles while making audiences sympathize with two people of color simply trying to build a life without everything being snatched away by the very country they idolize.

Run Time: 2 hr 12 min | Genre: Thriller | Director: Bong Joon Ho

Cast: Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Cho, Woo-sik Choi, So-dam Park

The fourth and final Bong Joon Ho thriller included on the list is the 2019 Academy Award best picture winner, Parasite. It’s quirky, it’s sad, it’s a scathing critique of capitalism and classism in the form of a film about two families—one rich, one poor. Desperation and greed tempt the low-income family into unethical, immoral decisions that erode their very being while the rich family subscribes to their services blissfully unaware of the con they’ve been crafted into. Parasite draws its tension from its unpredictability. Decisions, consequences, and threats of secrets exposed are the central conflict for the main cast of characters scrambling to collect enough capital to live life comfortably. It’s witty and nuanced, and it doesn’t celebrate the dark decisions of the Kim family, only explains them. There are no good guys left by the end of this film—the free market forest makes animals of us all.

Run Time: 2 hrs 3 min | Genre: Romance Comedy | Director: David Mirkin

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ray Liotta, Jason Lee, Gene Hackman

A truly underrated gem, Heartbreakers is a hilarious romantic comedy starring the incomparable Sigourney Weaver (Avatar: The Way of Water) and delightfully charming Jennifer Love Hewitt (Criminal Minds) as a mother-daughter grifting team who wed and divorce wealthy men. Alongside Weaver and Hewitt, Heartbreakers features a handful of stars as their swindling victims, including the late Ray Liotta, as well as Gene Hackman, in an impressively repulsive performance. Directed by David Mirkin, with a clever ahead-of-its-time script by Robert Dunn, Paul Guay, and Stephen Mazur, Heartbreakers weaves a cute romance through the uproarious physical comedy, resulting in a movie worth enjoying again and again. – Yael Tygiel