The launch may have been confusing, but Max eventually landed on its feet and became a streaming service we can't live without.
The library boasts thousands of hours of endless movie magic, from hallowed Hollywood favorites in the Turner Classic Movies collection to nerdy essentials like The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter to the works of directors like Kubrick, Hitchcock, Miyazaki, and Kurosawa.
Picking the best (and distinguishing them from our personal favorites) was no easy task, but we somehow managed.
In no particular order, here are the 15 best movies on Max.
1. The Dark Knight
It's daunting to pick just one Batman movie from the literal dozens available on Max, but in the end the top spot could only go to 2008’s The Dark Knight, written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Mask of the Phantasm, we will avenge you — someday).
The Dark Knight is more than the obvious peak of Nolan’s Batman trilogy and the final, mesmerizing performance that won Heath Ledger an Oscar. Over a decade later, the film’s exploration of nuance within the poles of good and evil remains as prescient as ever. We’re drawn to the chaos and fury of Ledger’s Joker, yes, but we are as compelled by Bruce’s struggle (Christian Bale) and Harvey’s fall from grace (Aaron Eckhart). You don’t get a line like “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain” without seriously contemplating its meaning. — Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: The Dark Knight is now streaming on Max.
2. Singin' in the Rain
Easily one of the greatest movie musicals ever made, Singin’ in the Rain tells the story of Hollywood’s shift from silent films to talking pictures. Caught in this transition is leading man Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has the most grating voice imaginable. With the help of his best friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) and aspiring actor Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), he plans to make a movie musical. What follows are some of the best musical numbers in history, with showstopping choreography accompanying catchy tunes. The title number is an absolute joy, as are “Good Morning” and the comedic masterpiece “Make ‘Em Laugh.” But it’s the 13-minute “Broadway Melody” sequence in all its Technicolor glory that solidifies Singin’ in the Rain as one of the all-time greats. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Singin' in the Rain is now streaming on Max.
3. The Shining
Imagine telling Shelley Duvall that this moment would live in film history forever. Credit: Warner Bros.The legacy of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror masterpiece precedes it. There’s the electricity between actors Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, revisited repeatedly by film scholars as a toxic artifact of Kubrick’s infamous process; the Overlook Hotel’s iconic imagery, reflected and even copied in countless horror titles since; the fascinating conflict the adaptation spurred between Kubrick and author Stephen King, a kind of clash of artistic titans that never fails to intrigue fans of either; and plenty more, like, oh say, all those conspiracy theories.
But, when choosing whether or not to cue up this classic, remember: The Shining is above all a great scary movie. Truly, one of the best. Regardless of importance or prestige, the story of Jack Torrance turning on his family in an empty, icy hotel is timelessly terrifying with entertainment value to spare. It’s superlative as a matter of craft, yes, but there’s also an intangible insidiousness to it that never fails to frighten.
If you like horror, The Shining is always expecting you. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: The Shining is now streaming on Max.
4. Goodfellas
It takes less than five minutes for Goodfellas to deliver one of its most-quoted lines: "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." And it never slows down from there. Martin Scorsese's masterpiece draws you into the colorful underworld of the Brooklyn mob through the ravenous eyes of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), charting his rise and fall over the decades. It's downright intoxicating at first, all that glamor and danger — so much so, you might not even notice how tight the noose has become until that white-knuckle third act. Goodfellas has rightfully earned a towering reputation for its swagger, style, and substance, and its influence can be felt in countless other movies and shows released since. But it's also just a fantastically good time from start to finish — quite possibly the zippiest two hours and 30 minutes you'll ever experience. — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Goodfellas is streaming on Max.
5. Spirited Away
If you want to get into the beautiful, captivating films of Studio Ghibli, the vast majority of which are on Max, Spirited Away is a great place to start. It’s the story of Chihiro, a young girl trapped in a spirit world who must work to free her parents from a witch’s curse, and it’s a perfect movie. Everything about it, from the visuals to the characters to the score, grabs you tightly and immerses you in director Hayao Miyazaki’s imaginative world of spirit bathhouses, soot sprites, dragons, and more. There’s beauty in Spirited Away’s most elaborate sequences, but also in its quiet moments too, like a train ride or a meal shared between friends. These are the moments when you’ll find yourself crying without fully knowing why. All you’ll know for sure is that Spirited Away is amazing and you’ll never want it to end. — B.E.
How to watch: Spirited Away is now streaming on Max.
6. Malcolm X
Many actors have and will portray the impassioned civil rights Malcolm X, but Denzel Washington's 1992 version looms mighty. From his childhood as Malcolm Little to his arrest and subsequent indoctrination into the Nation of Islam, the film follows classic biopic formula with an intimate look at this leader's life.
Under Spike Lee's direction, Washington captures Malcolm X's vigor and magnetism in recreated speeches as well as subtler scenes, right up until his assassination in 1965. Lee encountered repeated obstacles to production, including public misperception of X over time, and backlash against his requests for Black interviewers ("The real crime is white publications don't have Black writers, that's the crime," he told The New York Times). It's a small step on the long journey to understanding leaders like X, the civil rights movement, and the Black American experience, and Lee himself is a giant in moving that needle. — P.K.
How to watch: Malcolm X is now streaming on Max.
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
"Gandalf the Grey can't come to the phone right now." Credit: Pierre Vinet / New Line / Saul Zaentz / Wing Nut / Kobal / ShutterstockPeter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy remains the gold standard for fantasy adaptations: It’s epic in scope and full of memorable characters and performances. Most impressively, the trilogy is consistently great. Choosing the best movie from the three is tricky, but I’ve got to give the edge to The Two Towers. The battle of Helm’s Deep is still the best fantasy battle put to film, and the introduction of Rohan, the Ents, and Gollum (Andy Serkis) deepens the already well-established world of Middle Earth. Gollum in particular elevates the movie to a whole new level, with Serkis and the visual effects team nailing one of the most iconic characters of the books. Max has the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in its library, as well as the extended editions if you want even more Middle Earth goodness. — B.E.
How to watch: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is now streaming on Max.
8. Drive My Car (2021)
The first Japanese film to ever be nominated for Best Picture, Drive My Car is a quietly moving masterpiece that examines an unlikely connection between two fascinating characters: widowed actor Yūsuke (Hidetoshi Nishijima) and his driver Misaki (Tôko Miura). The two are at odds with each other at first — Yūsuke would prefer to drive himself — but Drive My Car sees them gradually let down their defenses and find comfort in each other. Don't let the three-hour runtime scare you off: Drive My Car is engaging throughout. — B.E.
How to watch: Drive My Car is now streaming on Max.
9. Rashomon
What really happened in "Rashomon"? Credit: Daiei / Kobal / ShutterstockAkira Kurosawa is rightly considered one of Japan’s greatest filmmakers, and Rashomon is his best known film in the United States. When it premiered in 1950, its unique storytelling device in which the same events are told from the perspective of four different witnesses (one of whom is actually dead) was such a revelation in filmic structure that the movie became eponymous with the concept — hence, the Rashomon Effect. Through this effect, the relatively simple tale of a priest, a bandit, a samurai, a woodcutter, and a woman becomes a complex analysis of truth and perspective that earns its place as a keystone of 20th century filmmaking. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Rashomon is now streaming on Max.
10. Rebel Without a Cause
Since its premiere in 1955, Rebel Without a Cause has become one of American cinema’s most influential teen films. Its sensitive (if melodramatic to modern audiences) portrayal of angst, domestic strife, and experimental queer subtext caused flare-ups with the restrictive Hays code before its release and made stars out of then-16-year-olds Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. It didn’t have to make a star out of James Dean, whose tragic death a month before the film’s release crystallized his character and image as the eternally young face of a restless generation. Though Rebel Without a Cause never took home an Academy Award, its place in the pantheon of film is indisputable and well earned. — A.N.
How to watch: Rebel Without a Cause is now streaming on Max.
11. Grey Gardens
Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale with a portrait of her younger self at home in Grey Gardens, a rundown mansion in East Hampton, New York, 1974. Credit: Archive photos / Getty ImagesIn their famed 1976 film Grey Gardens, brothers and documentary team Albert and David Maysles pay a visit to a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons. There, they profile the intriguing and tragic lives of a reclusive mother and daughter, both named Edith Beale, in a strange and winding character study unlike any other.
Relatives of First Lady Jackie Kennedy, the life stories of "Little Edie" and "Big Edie" are sensationalized in the documentary, and many argue that the film takes an inherently exploitative view of its subjects and their apparent mental health conditions. But as far as fascinating footage goes, Grey Gardens is a must-watch — capturing a unique family at the heart of a broader dialogue about the decline of political royalty and ‘60s-era Americana. — A.F.
How to watch: Grey Gardens is now streaming on Max.
12. The Matrix
The Matrix has been imitated, referenced, and parodied so frequently in the past two decades, it's almost easy to forget how mind-blowing it once felt. Almost. Watch the real thing in 2021, and it's still plain to see that Lana and Lilly Wachowski's sci-fi thriller is a true original. Keanu Reeves stars as Neo, a computer programmer haunted by the sense that something's just off — only to be proven right when he discovers he's been living in a simulation all along. The Wachowskis weren't the first to raise the idea that reality might not be real (and there are other, less literal ways to interpret that central concept), but The Matrix did so with such panache that it forever embedded it into our pop culture consciousness. The sequels may not have the sterling reputation as the original, but they're also worth watching for the Wachowskis' unparalleled action sequences and trippy philosophizing — and they're on Max, too. — A.H.
How to watch: The Matrix is now streaming on Max.
13. North by Northwest
Identity theft is not a joke, Roger! Credit: MGM / ShutterstockEven the most hallowed classic movies can be susceptible to modern standards of acceptability, pacing, and general entertainment — but Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is not one of them. Cary Grant stars as Roger Thornhill, an innocent man pursued relentlessly while mistaken for someone else. More than 60 years after its release, the film is as thrilling, funny, and horny as ever (Grant and Eva Marie Saint could set any scene on fire), a magnificent ride from start to finish. — P.K.
How to watch: North by Northwest is now streaming on Max.
14. Ocean’s Eleven
Steven Soderbergh’s reboot (before we were even used to throwing that word around) of a clunkier 1960 film is so much sleeker, funnier, and more of a rollicking good time than it had any right to be. George Clooney stars as smooth-talking Daniel Ocean, a lifelong thief with a heart of gold who sets his eyes on the next heist as soon as he gets parole. We’ll never tire of the antics of second-in-command Rusty (Brad Pitt), inside man Frank (Bernie Mac), veteran Saul (Carl Reiner), explosives expert Basher (Don Cheadle), grease man Yen (Shaobo Qin) and the rest of the team for a groovy heist comedy as entertaining as the Vegas strip. — P.K.
How to watch: Ocean’s Eleven is now streaming on Max.
15. Little Shop of Horrors
Thirsty for comedy that sinks its teeth into the dark side? Open wide for the wild delights of this 1986 stunner from Frank Oz. Based on an off-Broadway musical (that was inspired by a dirt-cheap B-movie), Little Shop of Horrors centers on a fumbling flower shop in 1960s Skid Row. There, the meek Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis) pines for the beautiful Audrey (Broadway star Ellen Greene). When a chattering Venus flytrap promises him fortune and fame, Seymour is willing to bleed — and do much worse — to impress his dream girl. Tapping into his storied career as a Muppeteer, Oz created a movie monster that's mirthful, menacing, exciting, and sings with the voice of Motown legend Levi Stubbs. Grounding this perturbing plant in a world of wonders is plenty of doo-wop, witty one-liners, wacky lyrics, and comedy luminaries, including Steve Martin, Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest, and Bill Murray. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Little Shop of Horrors is streaming on Max.
UPDATE: Jun. 20, 2023, 5:51 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect the latest streaming options.
