In this article, we have tried to showcase the Best Movies and Series on HBO Max that you will love watching.
From ‘Dune’ to ‘Casablanca.’ From ‘Euphoria’ to ‘The Sopranos.’ From ‘The Batman’ to ‘The Bridges of Madison.’ We shared a lot of titles that you can enjoy comfortably at home. You can also find these on the streaming platform.
Get yourself comfortable if you have time to disconnect and you decide to enjoy a movie or series on HBO Max. It seems like a great plan, right?
You will see many titles in different genres and be confused about what to watch if you don’t have one in mind. The streaming platforms are movie and series buffets.
But it’s become quite hard to decide which to watch, which do not and which at the beginning. Many times people spend a lot of time trying to find the best one he/she would love. Surely, you have felt relatable with this. It has happened to all of us. That’s why we will try our best to make it easier for you.
At The News Titan, we have compiled the 55 best movies and series to watch on HBO Max.
In this list, you will find all kinds of titles, from classics and fiction to more recent ones that are worth enjoying.
Science fiction? Dune or Matrix. A film to watch if you’re interested in the history of cinema? Casablanca or Ben-Hur A series that everyone recommends but hasn’t seen yet? The Sopranos or Two Meters Underground.
Here are the 55 Best Movies and Series on HBO Max to Watch:
1. The Batman (2022)
There is a new watchman in Gotham. Batman the new version of the Dark Knight starring Robert Pattinson. The movie introduces a young Bruce Wayne who has been fighting crime in his city for only two years.
On Halloween night, a mysterious man who goes by the name Enigma commits his first murder. From that day on, the villain, played by Paul Dano, will cruelly end up with different important political figures in Gotham.
The Bat Man, with help from curator James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), and Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), will try to stop Enigma’s devastating plans.
Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman completes its cast with John Turturro as Carmine Falcone and Colin Farrell as Oz/Penguin.
2. The Arrival (2016)
If you are one of those who hallucinated last summer in cinemas with Dune, you should not miss The Arrival. It is one of the best science fiction films of the last decade, again with Denis Villeneuve at the controls.
The film tells how huge alien ships arrive on planet Earth, which puts all of humanity on alert. In this context, the US government will turn to a linguistic expert (Amy Adams) to unravel and translate the message that aliens want to convey to our planet.
It’s a genre film with a different and enigmatic style. It’s accompanied by a most immersive atmosphere. The protagonist is accompanied in the film by actors Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Forest Whitaker (Black Panther).
3. Ben-Hur (1959)
One of the great classics of cinema, directed by the filmmaker William Wyler (Holidays in Rome) and starring Charlton Heston (Planet of the Apes).
The actor gets into the role of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew his childhood friend betrays. Now he works for the Romans – Messala: he sends him as a slave to the galleys and locks up his family.
Unable to prove his innocence in the face of this affront, he will fight for his freedom. He will also take revenge on what was once his partner in exploits.
Ben-Hur was the most expensive film of its time and won 11 Academy Awards. It’s almost a milestone matched only by Titanic in 1997 and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003.
4. One of Ours (1990)
After the commercial failure of The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), New York director Martin Scorsese returned to what he does best: to tell a story of the underworld in the United States.
He did it with an expensive cast headed by Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci. One of ours tells the story of Henry. Henry is a young son of a Sicilian woman and an Irish man living in a modest New York neighborhood.
Little by little, he will begin to do work for local criminals until – with time – he fully enters the world of the Italian-American mafia. A film full of violence, swear words, and dramatic moments, all with Scorsese’s stamp.
5. Gone With the Wind (1939)
Director Victor Fleming, with the help of filmmakers George Cukor and Sam Wood, filmed 1939. It is one of the great Hollywood classics of all time: Gone with the Wind.
It’s a film that takes us to America during the Civil War, where we meet Scarlet (played by the actress Vivien Leigh). She is a beautiful young woman, the daughter of the wealthy owner of the plantation.
The girl will fall in love with a hustler named Rhett Butler (played by Clark Gable), who, to his misfortune and surprise, ends up marrying his cousin.
The film is almost four hours in length. Even though some try to cancel today for some of the things around slavery that are seen on screen. The movie has won ten Academy Awards.
6. Life Imprisonment (1994)
Life imprisonment is one of the favorite films of the 90s on all the public lists. The movie adapts a short story by Stephen King (although far from his work focused on terror).
Released the same year as Forrest Gump, Life Sentence was one of the big surprises of that edition’s Oscar nominations. It’s another topic that went empty.
But over time, many people claimed it and named it one of their favorite films of all time. The film is a moving friendship story about a man who is sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife.
The protagonist could not prove his innocence in court, and the court sentenced him to death. He enters into a beautiful fraternal relationship with a well-respected African-American prisoner. Both of them begin making an escape plan to escape his incarceration.
The film put its protagonists, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, in the firmament of Hollywood. Also, put its director Frank Darabont in the pillory of criticism.
7. The Truman Show (1998)
An apparent comedy starring Jim Carrey with a gripping philosophical reading. It presents us with the anodyne life of a guy who thinks he is living a perfect life. But in reality, everything is a ‘reality show,’ and those around him are actors.
But one day, something will make him suspicious. And when he begins to pull the string, the skein unravels dangerously. Because deep down, his perfect world is only a prison.
A revision of the cave myth was recently reinterpreted in Free Guy. This garnered three Oscar nominations in 1988 and won three Golden Globes.
8. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Anthony Burgess’s novel adaptation of the same title is one of director Stanley Kubrick’s most violent films. A story that tells the adventures of a band led by the charismatic Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) in a futuristic dystopian London.
After entering prison, he voluntarily undergoes behavioral treatment to deactivate his most brutal instincts. The movie was a magnificent reflection on the nature and origin of violence. It’s one of the most controversial productions in cinema history.
It was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, making it the first science fiction film to qualify for this award. It is worth seeing in the original version, as most of the film is narrated in Nadsat.
This fictional teenage slang combines Slavic languages, especially Russian, English and cockney rhyming slang.
9. Pulp Fiction (1994)
One of the films that marked the 90s and one of the masterpieces of acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
The movie was released in 1994, starring John Travolta, Uma Thruman, and Samuel L. Jackson. It has a soundtrack recognizable in any corner of the world, and impossible not to want to start dancing.
The cult film is a crime thriller in which two hired killers must carry out a dangerous mission for their boss.
A gangster named Marsellus Wallace is quickly complicated by the arrival of his wife, Mia Wallace. Other genuine characters are already part of the collective imagination.
The second film by the hitherto sole director of Reservoir Dogs is an iconic piece of film history.
10. Singing in the Rain (1952)
Not all movies get you singing by hearing only the title. After reading Singing in the Rain, you probably already have in mind Gene Kelly taking those mythical steps in the pouring rain while singing ‘I’m singing in the rain.’
That is the best film demonstration by Stanley Donen and Kelly himself. It’s a classic of cinema that has not lost its freshness more than 60 years after its release.
No matter how many times you see it or how old you are, the story of silent film star Don Lockwood and his suffering before the arrival of sound cinema always leaves its mark.
11. Forrest Gump (1994)
Do you know someone who has won a Medal of Honor for their work in the Vietnam War? He has become a table tennis star and has built a shrimp fishing empire. He is also known across the country for running a marathon that lasted 3 years.
Neither do we, but if Tom Hanks tells us in Forrest Gump, we believe it and applaud it. This character is one of the most beloved in the history of the seventh art. Also, his incredible story never goes out of style. It’s always a good time to remember Forrest Gump.
12. Interstellar (2014)
Christopher Nolan rejoices our eyes – and intellect – with Interstellar. The director knows how to twist our minds very well and already did it with Origen in 2010.
A few years later, in 2014, he did it again with this science fiction drama that has earned by its merit to be considered one of the essentials of the genre.
The lead role falls to Matthew McConaughey, who plays Joseph Cooper. He is a former engineer and NASA pilot recruited to lead a ship into a wormhole that will open the door to other galaxies.
13. Hangover in Las Vegas (2009)
The first film in the trilogy starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis. A classic of humor that was nominated for the Golden Globes in 2009. Also, at the BAFTAs for Best Comedy and Best Screenplay.
An entertaining ‘road movie’ that starts with a whole plan. A group of friends goes to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. But that ends up being a real mess. When the hangover appears, they try to correct the collateral damage of their revelry.
If you want to have a good time pulling this comedy, which was a success at the box office in its day, it is a success. Laughing is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and with Hangover in Las Vegas, you will. Easy laughter, yes, but not easy.
14. Mondays in the Sun (2002)
Back in 2002, in the run-up to the great crisis of 2008, Fernando León de Aranoa presented this drama. It’s ‘about a group of unemployed people and their juggling to make ends meet.
The film stars Javier Bardem, Luis Tosar, and José Ángel Egido. But with the ability to stir consciences, which only simple and real stories have.
It is considered one of the best Spanish films of the XXI century. The superb performances and the grandeur of a story walk with solvency between the dramatic and the comic. This you should not overlook when looking for what to watch on HBO Max.
15. Indiana Jones (1981-2008)
“Dr. Jones, we’ve heard a lot about you. Professor of archaeology, an expert in occultism, and, how do you say?” Consecutor’ of rare antiquities”. The Indiana Jones saga is one of the most memorable in cinema history.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, story by George Lucas, music by John Williams, and starring Harrison Ford, who gives more?
In 1981 Doctor Jones began his career on the big screen. He is capable of everything to get valuable relics without fear of adventure or setbacks.
The saga is composed of four films. They are, In Search of the Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Cursed Temple (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).
And who hasn’t heard of Indiana Jones? Who does not think of Harrison Ford with his brown hat when the mythical soundtrack composed by John Williams sounds?
16. The Others (2001)
After Tesis (1996) and Abre los ojos (1997), Alejandro Amenábar immersed himself in the world of supernatural horror with this film starring Nicole Kidman.
The Australian actress plays a woman who lives with her children in a huge house. While waiting for her husband’s return after the conclusion of World War II. Grace, the head of the family, grants a rigorous education to her offspring while complying with strict rules.
A door is not opened without closing the previous one due to a strange illness of the little ones. The family coexists with the servants, adapted to the rigid rules of the matriarch, but not everything can always be controlled… and Grace will find out in the worst possible way.
It was a blockbuster and considered one of the best horror films of its day. Amenábar conquered critics and audiences with this story full of suspense, a dark atmosphere, and a few scares for most horror fans.
17. Shrek (2001-2010)
One of the great masterpieces that DreamWorks has given us is this saga of four animated films. They are Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek Third (2007), and Shrek. Happily Ever After (2010). The anime stars a good-natured ogre who has crept into our hearts since his arrival on the big screen.
Although it sounds cliché, Shrek is synonymous with entertainment and enjoyment for adults and children. The characters of the fantasy world of this franchise offer us great lessons about friendship, love, and coexistence between different.
A delight! It’s always a good time to watch any Shrek film, whether with children, adults, or alone. Who can resist having a good time with pure, innocent humor?
18. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
HBO Max also offers you the possibility to enjoy once again, or for the first time, the epic trilogy of The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson directs the series.
After conquering viewers and creating a legion of unconditional fans with the first two films, The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Two Towers (2002); the third and final installment of the saga, The Return of the King (2003), also won the recognition of the Hollywood Academy, winning the 11 Oscars to which it opted, including Best Picture.
This feat made Jackson’s film one of the films with the most statuettes, along with Titanic and Ben-Hur. The trilogy is inspired by the saga of epic fantasy novels that J.R.R. Tolkien started in 1954.
It narrates the exciting journey undertaken by the young hobbit Frodo Baggins throughout Middle-earth to destroy the powerful One Ring and thus end the evil Sauron.
19. Harry Potter (2001-2011)
The entire Harry Potter saga is another of the wonders offered by HBO Max in its catalog. Made up of eight films, the beloved franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe is based on the seven young adult novels written by the British J.K. Rowling.
The film saga began in 2001 with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, directed by Chris Columbus. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released a year later, with Columbus behind the cameras.
Fans had to wait two years, until 2004, to see the third part, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. Alfonso Cuarón took over this film’s direction.
In 2005 came Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth film in the franchise that featured Mike Newell directing. David Yates sat in the director’s chair in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).
He finished the latest adventure, which would be released divided into two installments: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011).
The story introduces us to Harry Potter, a boy who overnight discovers he has amazing magical powers. He goes to the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry to learn to control them. A place where he will meet those who will become his two best friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson).
Together with them, he will live exciting adventures and will have to face various enemies that announce the return of the dark wizard Voldemort.
20. The Fight Club (1999)
David Fincher’s cult classic, The Fight Club, is one of the great titles that HBO Max houses within its catalog. The novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk (1996) leaped the cinema only three years after its publication, in 1999.
He did it with two luxury protagonists: Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. The latter is in charge of telling the story. His story. Despite having a good job at a major company, he must deal with chronic insomnia that leads him to sneak into meetings of alcoholics anonymous.
Also, other addictions prove that there are much worse people. His life becomes even more chaotic when he meets Tyler Durden. Tyler is a commercial that takes him into a world of illegal fights.
When he discovers liberation from fighting against other individuals, he begins to rethink some aspects of his life that he believes are fundamental.
21. Dune (2021)
Considered one of the new works of art in cinema, Dune is one of those movies that you must see at least once in your life.
Denis Villeneuve is the architect of this new film adaptation of the famous novel by Frank Herbert. The novel was published in 1965.
The movie was nominated for 10 Oscars. The film features a stellar cast headed by Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgård, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
The story tells the journey that the Atreides family undertakes to reach Arrakis. Arakis is a desert planet where Duke Leto must control the extraction of the prized melange spice.
Leto, his son Paul Atreides and the rest of his entourage will have to adapt to an extreme climate and the native people there, the Fremen.
Also, it prevented the entry into the action of the powerful Baron Vladimir, leader of the Harkonnen.
22. Joker (2019)
Joker was nominated for 11 Oscars, and ultimately, it won Best Actor and Soundtrack. Joker has become a classic of superhero cinema mainly due to the direction of Todd Phillips. The movie was very unique as it had not been seen in the theaters before about the iconic Batman villain. Besides, Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was just on another level.
Arthur Fleck works as a clown and aspires to be a very famous comedian. But a series of events and his mental problems will make him become The Joker that everyone knows.
22. The Dark Knight (2005-2012)
In 1997, Batman was a bit of a fallen cape for Batman and Robin. Joel Schumacher directed the film, which starred George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others.
The criticisms of this film are still very valid today in social networks through memes. Years later, Christopher Nolan revived the famous DC Comics superhero with the trilogy composed of Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight.
The Legend Is Reborn (2012) and starring Christian Bale. Such was its success that Warner Bros. did not hesitate at any time to make a trilogy about this Batman that managed to raise millions and millions at the global box office.
23. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Reviving the Mad Max franchise (1979), written and directed by George Miller, was successful. Mad Max: Fury on the Road brought us back to that post-apocalyptic world.
As we know, society does not exist, but gangs struggle to survive in this deserted wasteland where very few resources remain. Of the 10 Oscar nominations, he earned six. All of them are related to the technical parts of the film.
It is not surprising because his production transcends the screen in this film, full of action, impossible careers, and blood.
24. Seven (1995)
A classic of cinema. David Fincher directs one of the most acclaimed films in big-screen history. Brad Pitt plays David Mills, a young policeman who must investigate with veteran detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) a case of a serial killer who makes anyone’s hair stand on end.
He begins to kill several people inspired by the seven deadly sins. Each of the victims has incurred sin and suffered terrible punishment for it. A gripping story and a luxury cast are the main ingredients of this great thriller.
25. The Suicide Squad (2021)
After David Ayer’s failed Suicide Squad, 2021 has left us with one of the superhero and villain movies. James Gunn’s film follows Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), and The Peacemaker (John Cena), among others, on a new adventure.
The antiheroes join Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) task force on the distant island of Corto Maltese to destroy, led by Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), the Starfish Project.
A film for superhero film lovers, although different, as we find humor in large quantities, a devilish rhythm, and a lot of fun.
26. The Bridges of Madison (1995)
The Bridges of Madison tells the love story between a National Geographic photographer and a housewife who leads a monotonous life with her family on a farm.
A romance that changes the woman’s life after making an important decision. The viewer goes through the whirlwind of emotions faced by the protagonist, played by a magnificent Meryl Streep.
The 1995 film starring and directed by Clint Eastwood is a classic that every fan of romantic films, or simply a lover of cinema, should see.
27. Spider-Man: A New Universe (2018)
Spider-Man: A new universe arrived to give the audience the funny Miles Morales. It’s another version of the famous Spider-Man.
So far, we have always seen the wall climber of flesh and blood on the big screen. But in 2018, this animated version of the Marvel superhero landed.
Once again, the story tells the life of a young man who acquires superpowers after being bitten by a spider. From that moment, he combines his day-to-day in high school with saving lives and chasing villains.
What’s different about this film, and where its charm lies, are the different characters that appear. It includes Peter Parker, who will help him deal with his new skills and life as a teenager.
Animation is a little gem, and this movie is perfect if you fancy a more light-hearted and fanciful version of Spider-Man.
28. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
In 2017, Justice League arrived in theaters, the film that united the DC superheroes and that, despite carrying the signature of Zack Snyder, suffered modifications by Joss Whedon.
The story behind the project is to make a film, but in short: Whedon entered the film after Snyder left him for the war for creative control of the film with Warner Bros. and after the suicide of his daughter.
After years, fans openly complained on social media about the result and asked for the film to be released as Snyder had imagined.
In 2021 Zack Snyder’s Justice League arrived on HBO Max. Four hours long, the film tells the creation of the group formed by Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck), Diana/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Clark Kent/Superman (Henry Cavill).
Also, his confrontation against Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). With this version, Snyder has given fans what they have been asking for so long.
A film about Justice League in which its protagonists see their story developed, and everything leads to a meaningful outcome.
29. The Exorcist (1973)
A horror film classic? Surely the name that appeared in your mind is Exorcist. Based on the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, William Friedkin placed himself behind the cameras of the adaptation starring Max von Sydow and Linda Blair.
The story follows a young woman possessed by the devil and tells the exorcism sessions carried out by two priests in the victim’s room.
The Exorcist has been parodied ad nauseam, clearly confirming that his images are iconic. They are already part of the collective imagination around the world. In short, one of those films that enter the list of titles must be seen in life.
30. The Shining (1980)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick from the book of the same name written by the master of horror, Stephen King.
The Shining has become not only a classic of the genre but also a film that has led some people to look for the possible hidden message that Kubrick hid in it.
Conspiracy theories aside, The Shining follows Jack Torrance, a man who, along with his wife and young son, moves to an isolated hotel where he has accepted a job as a vigilante.
As the days go by, strange events and madness invade the protagonist. Undoubtedly, The Shining is one of Jack Nicholson’s most remembered performances.
The movie once received two Razzie nominations: Worst Actress for Shelley Duvall and Worst Director.
31. Magnolia (1999)
With a luxury cast and a mosaic of characters’ stories in search of happiness and forgiveness. Paul Thomas Anderson premiered 1999 the psychological drama, Magnolia.
An old man about to die looking for his son, a greedy woman, a young TV guru who has deceived everyone about his past…
Tom Cruise, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, and Philip Seymour Hoffman lead the film’s main cast. He earned three Oscar nominations, including Cruise in the category of Best Supporting Actor.
32. Mission Impossible (1996-2018)
One of Tom Cruise’s most mythical roles in cinema is that of Ethan Hunt, the protagonist of the Mission Impossible saga.
HBO Max offers the opportunity to recall some of the franchise’s installments that began in 1996 with Brian De Palma behind the cameras.
Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)
Mission Impossible: Secret Nation (2015) is also available on the streaming platform.
A franchise is full of action, and suspense should not be missing from espionage cinema fans’ lists.
33. Grease (1978)
Grease is the movie that every lover of musicals must have seen once in a lifetime. At the end of the summer, Danny and Sandy are forced to separate after having an affair.
When it’s time to return to high school, the protagonist has changed Australia for the United States and, curiously, ends up in the same high school as Danny.
The reunion will not be what she expected, as she meets a young man with an arrogant attitude. Sandy finds a new group of friends in the Pink Ladies, but her relationship with Danny will not be easy to forget.
Directed by Randal Kleiser and starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, Grease features musicals everyone knows will make you get off the couch and dance.
34. Casablanca (1942)
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman directed by Michael Curtiz, eight Oscar nominations and the Best Picture award. Casablanca is, without a doubt, one of the great classics in the history of cinema.
Set during World War II, this romantic drama follows an American ex-pat who must choose between the woman he loves or helping her and her runaway husband escape the Nazis.
A film combines different genres, from action and suspense to comedy, with a good story, great performances, and remarkable direction.
35. Matrix (1999)
Revolutionary and a contemporary classic. Matrix premiered in 1999 and changed everything. The science fiction film written and directed by sisters Lilly and Lana Wachowski features Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, and Hugo Weaving in its main cast.
Neo is a hacker who leads a double life until he crosses paths with Trinity. She is a woman who leads her to Morpheus, a man who reveals to him that his reality is not what it seems and that he can change it: red pill or blue pill?
Action scenes have been etched in the memory, impressive fights, and a story with many readings. After The Matrix, the Wachowski sisters continued the story with two more installments: Matrix Reloaded (2003) and Matrix Revolutions (2003).
Recently, the franchise has returned to the big screen with Matrix Resurrections (2021).
SERIES
36. Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
Based on the bestseller of the same name by Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies captivated in 2017 with the story of a group of women who feel very close.
At the same time very far away and with murder as a catalyst element of the story. Played by absolutely brilliant Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley, the main protagonists of this story, are Madeline, Celeste, and Jane.
Three mothers live in the most luxurious area of Monterey, California, and deal daily with life in a community.
They weigh almost all of the social classes and what they will say. Rumors are the worst enemy of anyone and the reality in the family environment. Besides, the couple is far from what society understands as perfection. Dark and heartbreaking, but with the ability to be curiously funny.
37. Euphoria (2019-)
One of the latest star series of HBO Max. an American adaptation of the homonymous Israeli drama of 2012.
Euphoria is a teen drama that, even focusing on the dynamics of young people of that age, leaves aside any hint of innocence that could evoke other popular “high school stories” to explore with frankness.
From a dark and heartbreaking perspective, the identity, sexuality, relationship with all kinds of substances, and the subsequent traumas related to these and other problems.
It does so hand in hand with the story of Rue, played by a masterful Zendaya. A 17-year-old drug addict who heads the cast of characters but who is surrounded by another group of teenagers and their respective experiences.
38. Hacks (2021-)
A comedy diva that does not end up penetrating the new generations, a young woman without fairs, and a ‘tour’ together in which they will have no choice but to get along.
Those are the protagonists of Hacks, the HBO Max series that became the unexpected revolution of the 2021 Emmys.
Those who had seen her were fascinated with her, and those who did not know her wanted to see her. Thus it has become one of the essential comedies of today.
39. We are Bears (2014-2019)
The animated adventures of a family of three somewhat misfit bears, Polar, Panda, and Pardo. They are fans of social networks and try to integrate into human life in the middle of San Francisco Bay.
A brilliant series, great to watch as a family, with reading levels and laughter for everyone at home with its 10-minute episodes.
HBO Max includes all four seasons of the series created by Daniel Chong as a webcomic (We Bare Bears), and the film is based on the series.
A perfect generational portrait leads us to recognize ourselves because, deep down, we are all a bit of a bear.
40. Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
The adventures and misadventures of a group of brilliant but socially incapable scientific thirty-somethings have accompanied viewers with laughter to gogó for 12 seasons in which we have seen them grow, relate, and even multiply.
Brilliant humor in that sitcom came to cover the void left by Friends in many viewers.
A hilarious comedy that was able to convince from Leonard Nimoy to Stephen Hawking to star in cameos in the series. Hours and hours to disconnect at night with guaranteed laughter.
It is a fiction that awakens our sympathy and tenderness for some ‘freaks’ who are not always cordial and brilliant and have intelligent humor.
41. Come John (2021-2022)
A pathetic and ruinous character, but one that generates tenderness, which we find impossible to hate. Also, we want to accompany him wherever his outrages take him.
We already went with him to Turkey to implant hair. And to a television program where we rejoiced when he crushed the corrupt president of his party. Also, to the party of his neighbor Carlos Baute, whom he insisted on calling Chayanne.
Magnificent and great nights of humor that Javier Cámara’s Juan Carrasco is giving us. It’s a magnificent portrait of the bleak political landscape we have lived in as a society in Spain. This series, at times, could be a documentary.
42. The Peacemaker (2022-)
One of the most enjoyable televisions superheroic revelry since superheroes conquered the contemporary ‘mainstream’ audiovisual.
Eighties tone, political incorrectness, wild humor, foul-mouthed comments, and gratuitous violence without complexes.
Starring a hilarious John Cena, who laughs at himself without compassion and is as cheque as pathetic and as forceful in his punches as fragile in his moments of loneliness.
A very acidic satire of the American society of the moment and is highly recommended when political correctness is the norm.
The Peacemaker has come to save our lives even if it is at the cost, as he puts it, “of killing women and children.”
43. Friends (1994-2004)
The protagonists of Friends need a few introductions. No one in the world has not seen at least one episode or scene of the well-known comedy.
The adventures and misadventures of Joey, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, and Chandler in New York marked a before and after in fiction. The magic of streaming allows us to have them available whenever we need to laugh or forget a bad day.
At the stroke of a click,’ you have the chapters ‘In which no one is ready (3×02) or ‘The baby party’ (8×20) and have half an hour of laughter.
44. Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
A series that made history on television. After its denouement, it has created an expanding universe with many nooks and crannies to fill.
Adapting the unfinished literary saga of George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones premiered in 2011 without knowing that it would become one of the greatest television phenomena of all time.
It conquers viewers from anywhere in the world and belongs to any generation with its perfect combination of fantasy, political intrigues, and a captivating and addictive plot like few others.
It’s a story starring unique and polarizing characters who made us choose a banner and even managed to impose themselves on the majesty of three dragons. An army of ice-dead still makes us shudder today.
45. Fringe (2008-2013)
A mixture of suspense, science fiction, and unexpected twists, often far from human understanding. For this, only the very nature of the story and its central plot thread has an answer.
The FBI’s Fringe Division is dedicated to investigating crimes and inexplicable events.
With the stamp of the prolific J.J. Abrams as part of the creative team, Fringe begins with an almost procedural format that becomes anecdotal to take viewers much further.
Specifically, even a story in which parallel and interconnected universes come into play directly affects the trio of researchers who had nothing to do with it.
46. Succession (2018-)
Succession is the title of one of HBO Max’s latest additions to its extensive catalog. In just four years, the fiction created by Jesse Armstrong has managed to sneak into countless lists where they dare even refer to it as a classic of our days.
A recognition that is also reflected within the academic landscape, as certified by its nine Emmy Awards and its five Golden Globes.
The plot follows the Roys, a multimillion-dollar, somewhat dysfunctional family headed by Logan. He is the owner of Waystar Royco, one of the leading entertainment companies in the United States.
Episode after episode, his four children bring out their more primitive side to try to become the company’s new president, regardless of the price.
Lies, betrayals, ego struggle, and brilliant notes of black smoke place Succession as one of the best series of recent years.
47. Westworld (2016-)
In 2016, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy brought us the adaptation of the film Metal Souls (1973) as a television series for HBO. One of the most ambitious projects of the American chain, and that led to becoming one of its most recent jewels.
Evan Rachel Wood plays Dolores, a gynoid from the Westworld theme park where anyone can live an immersive experience in the wild west, being able to interact with any android as if it were a person.
But everything begins to fall apart when the robots become aware of what is happening to them there. A series that catches you from the first minute.
48. The Leftovers (2014-2017)
Adapted from Tom Perrotta’s novel of the same name, The Leftovers is a supernatural drama that suddenly explores the consequences of the abrupt disappearance of 2% of the world’s population.
Through its protagonists, we try to solve the questions of this mystery while facing our existential doubts generated by this plot.
In its three seasons, the viewer begins a journey of investigation, doubts, questions, and mystery that only good fictions know how to do.
49. The Wire (2002-2008)
The Wire isn’t just a police series. Through its five seasons, the fiction introduces us to Baltimore’s local drug trafficking scene told from the agent’s point of view to those outside the law.
Thus we discover the five sides of the same story that develops in five brilliant deliveries, each with its plot. It’s the epicenter, but with most of the characters appearing, again and again, leaving none of their stories unfinished.
In short, this is one of the best series of all time and an audiovisual masterpiece.
50. 30 coins (2020-)
Between a mixture of ‘thriller’ and fantasy with many nods to horror cinema, 30 coins follow Father Vergara, veterinarian Elena, and Mayor Paco in search of the meaning of an old coin.
They do not know that this adventure will introduce them to a global conspiracy that reaches the Vatican.
The series starring Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Eduard Fernández, and Megan Montaner, brings back the best of Álex de la Iglesia.
The keys to its success are a lot of action, wild violence, and a portrait of a society that makes you empathize with its protagonists.
51. Mare of Easttown (2021)
Mare of Easttown is a series starring Kate Winslet, who plays a detective named Mare Sheehan. It revolves around his person and a crime in a small town in Pennsylvania, where he must solve the case.
However, as he deepens the event, he will also do so in his personal affairs. The series has everything you need to watch the seven episodes that, without realizing it, you will have finished in less than three days.
Winslet’s role seems tailor-made for the actress, who sheds all superficiality to immerse herself fully in a character and a story of light and shadow in equal parts.
52. The Sopranos (1997-2007)
What to say about this series… which is a classic. The Sopranos is one of that cult fiction that can always be a perfect time if you haven’t seen it yet.
Nefarious plots, families, and mafia. What more could you ask for? The fiction follows the Soprano family, an Italian mafia clan based in New Jersey. This is led by Tony, who tries to be an example for his family and the competition that lurks in the city’s shadows.
However, the pressure of business, police, partners, and family causes anxiety attacks that will make you go to a psychotherapist.
When therapy begins, Tony must deal with telling the truth or wanting to try to solve his problems. Now his psychiatrist has become the perfect accomplice that no one expected.
53. Chornobyl (2019)
Chornobyl arrived stealthily and sneakily at HBO in 2019. Within a few months, it became one of the most requested television titles on the streaming platform.
As its title suggests, the miniseries narrates the event that took place on April 26, 1986. The Chornobyl nuclear power plant explosion caused one of the greatest environmental and human catastrophes in history.
The action follows Boris Shcherbina, played by a magnificent Stellan Skarsgård, deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers and head of the USSR’s Bureau of Fuels and Energy, tasked with leading the Chornobyl government’s commission during the early hours of the accident.
Also, the scientist Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) is called to try to solve the problem. Narrated authentically and realistically, this series reaches the depths of the viewer and makes that, despite the story’s gravity and rawness, you gladly stay until the end.
54. Two Meters Underground (2001-2005)
If there is something that HBO Max has is the compilation of iconic television titles, as with The Sopranos. Two Meters Underground is another fiction that sooner or later should surely fall into your hands.
The action follows the Fisher family, who, after the death of the father of the clan, their children are left in charge of the family business, a funeral home.
Nate and Dave, those in charge of moving forward with the legacy that their father left them, will have some peculiar conversations with the deceased that embalm and prepare so their families can say goodbye to them.
Like any series that tells the story of a family, their relationships, their betrayals, separations, and endless drama, it always hooks.
But the most curious thing about this series is the dynamic created between those who have already passed to a better life and those who continue in the earthly world.
We hope you liked the article on the Best Movies and Series on HBO Max.
