Watching great movies is a breeze with HBO Max, which is living up to its moniker as the maximum version of a Home Box Office. And this month's set of movies that have arrived on HBO Max in the last weeks is proof that it deserves the title of best streaming service. HBO Max added so many critically adored films that we've raised the bar for inclusion.
When it comes time to curating the best HBO Max movies, we often consider the wider critical consensus via the lens of Rotten Tomatoes scores. The reviews aggregator doles out scores for movies and shows by analyzing reviews from critics and audiences alike. And while we often consider 90% (basically an A-) a fine cut-off point, this month's HBO Max additions are so good we're setting the cut-off at 95%.
And we're no strangers to finding the best critically-acclaimed movies on HBO Max. This list is comprised of movies that have been added in the last month or so, as we've compiled selections last August, October, December and January.
So, welcome back to our hand-picked list of can't miss flicks recently added to HBO Max. Here are the top new to HBO Max movies to stream right now.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Leonardo DiCaprio has been a mega-star for pretty much his entire career, but he was truly riding high in the years after Titanic. He could make any movie he wanted, with the directors and co-stars he favored. And in 2002, he teamed up with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for the rollicking true crime caper Catch Me If You Can.
Leo turns up his charm to maximum as Frank Abagnale, Jr., a gifted grifter who poses as an airline pilot, doctor and lawyer and forges millions of dollars in fraudulent paychecks. At the age of 17, he became the most successful bank robber in the history of the U.S. But his deceptions make him the target of FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks), who will do whatever it takes to pursue Frank and bring him to justice.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
Genre: Comedy/drama
Stream it on HBO Max
All That Breathes (2022)
Critically-acclaimed documentary All That Breathes currently boasts a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, which suggests the kind of universal acclaim that most directors dream of. And All That Breathes, which is an Oscars nominee for best documentary feature, earned its flowers by showing angles of real life that most wouldn't think of — in mesmerizing fashion.
All That Breathes follows Saud and Nadeem, two brothers in New Delhi, India, who have taken on the cause of helping the black kite birds that can be seen nearly everywhere. These feathered friends truly need saving, due to the sad, smog-filled skies of the city who have taken on a very particular cause — helping and nurturing the black kites, birds that are nearly ubiquitous in the skies of New Delhi, India.
New Delhi's skies, though, are filled with smog, and that means these birds will always need their help. As the title of the film entails, it delivers an important message to protect all of those who can breathe, not just the ones we see, talk to or have as pets.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Genre: Documentary
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Eighth Grade (2018)
Before Bo Burnham went Inside, and before A24 became synonymous with high-brow horror, we all went back to Eighth Grade. And we see this rough time of pubescent life through the eyes of young Kayla (Elsie Fisher), who is struggling to make it through any school day without having a panic. She's trying to put her best foot forward online, though, as she's a YouTuber. Unfortunately, practically nobody knows it since her channel barely gets any clicks.
While Burnham gets deserved applause for this pitch-perfect depiction of the awkwardest years of one's life, it's Fisher who shines. Through all sorts of unfortunate settings — such as a practice drill for a school shooting and a house party that is one of the film's big set pieces — we relive those years through a hyper-tense and completely-relatable surrogate. Throughout, Kayla feels fully realized by Fisher and Burnham, and audiences will simply want what's best for her.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
Genre: Comedic drama
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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Recently escaped from the Prime Video library, The Silence of the Lambs is on HBO Max because it's always a good time to rewatch a classic. Or, if you've never heard Dr. Hannibal Lecter rave about what pairs perfectly with fava beans and a nice Chianti? Well, we'll keep the spoilers to a minimum as it's time for you to catch up. Dr. Lecter, an imprisoned killer, has a taste for the organs found inside his victims, making him the last inmate you'd turn to for help. Unfortunately, FBI agent in training Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) believes Lecter is her only hope for an active crime.
Thrilling and powerful, The Silence of the Lambs owes as much to director Jonathan Demme as anyone else. The well-plotted mystery is as economical with its storytelling as films get, and its overall tension will linger with you after its runtime is completed. It's so great that it spawned a series of spinoffs that only truly hit with the NBC series Hannibal, which is available on Hulu and Plex.
Genre: Crime
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Stream it on HBO Max
Bull Durham (1988)
If you primarily know Kevin Costner as the gatekeeper of Yellowstone, then you need to meet Crash Davis. The baseball veteran is one of the top reasons why Bull Durham is still beloved by sports and rom-com fans to this date. The film follows the antics of the Bulls minor league baseball team in Durham, North Carolina, who are a bunch of slightly lovable losers. And they may have a winning season ahead of them, thanks to a pitcher (Tim Robbins) that their super-fan Annie (Susan Sarandon) names 'Nuke.'
Perfectly acted and emotionally resonant thanks to Sarandon and Costner's chemistry, Bull Durham is a sleeper pick for Valentine's Day movie nights. If it seems like Bull Durham is the rare romantic comedy that truly understands sports, that's because it came from former minor league player Ron Shelton.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Genre: Romance/Comedy/Sports
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The Terminator (1984)
There's a peculiar trend in action movies, where sequels often outshine the predecessors — even when the original is fantastic. Take for example the James Cameron classic The Terminator, which boasts that perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Since T2: Judgement Day is the sequel that is mostly-widely known, you might not remember that Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator character actually started as a villain.
And it was perfect casting, as the statuesque actor provided a perfect combination of menace and bluntness to the time-traveling killing machine. Here, he's sent to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who is aided by another time traveler (Michael Biehn) sent to protect Sarah.
Beloved not because of its hokey premise, but because of how well James Cameron tells the story and how The Terminator is a sort of a horror movie villain without being horrific.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Genre: Action
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Taxi Driver (1976)
Unnerving protagonists, the ones you're not sure you can trust, are often the most compelling. Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) is even lower than those weirdos, as he mumbles disturbing thoughts about eradicating scum as he completes his shifts as a NYC cabbie.
Through an interest in local politics, he begins to consider murdering a presidential candidate. Bickle truly throws himself into the darkness when he discovers a 12-year-old sex worker named Iris (Jodie Foster), who works for the heinous Sport (Harvey Keitel). A moody and atmospheric masterpiece from director Martin Scorsese and writer Paul Schrader, Taxi Driver puts Bickle in increasingly chaotic situations to see how he'll explode.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
Genre: Drama
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Dr. No (1962)
The culture of James Bond may have its roots in Ian Fleming's novels, but their roots at the movie theater trace back to 1962's Dr. No, where Sean Connery brought 007 to life. Here, Bond (complete with license to kill) is given the assignment to stop the titular villain (Joseph Wiseman) whose got the U.S. space program in his targets. A target of femme fatales and various thugs, Bond keeps coming across unique opportunities on his globe-trotting adventures.
While Dr. No is undeniably silly with its fantasy fulfillment, but Connery thrives with his charisma, and it delivered a proof of concept strong enough to earn decades of refinement.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Genre: Action/Espionage
Stream it on HBO Max
Honeyland (2019)
Macedonian documentary Honeyland receive widespread acclaim from the moment of its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. It went on to become the first film to receive an Oscar nomination in both the Best International Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature categories.
It follows Hatidže Muratova, a beekeper in the remote mountains of North Macedonia who uses ancient traditions to cultivate honey. The arrival of new neighbors disrupts her way of life and livelihood. Directors Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov use Muratova's story to examine issues of climate change, resource depletion and the effects of consumerism on the natural world. It's quiet and poetic, with thought-provoking messages that go beyond the typical nature film.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Genre: Documentary
Stream it on HBO Max
Read next: Here's every new movie on Amazon Prime this month.
