The Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (May 2020)

Must-watch movies on HBO

50. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Just one of a bevy of memorable Robin Williams performances. Mrs. Doubtfire is fun for the whole family, and has a decent helping of heart to accompany the humor.

Best movies on HBO Go

49. School of Rock (2003)

Movies to watch on HBO

45. Team America: World Police (2004)

From South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker came Team America: World Police. It’s a crass satire that takes aim at America and the rest of the world. Oh, and it happens to be made entirely with puppets. For some it will be too vulgar, but it is certainly funny and there is some intelligent social commentary underneath all of the poop jokes.

Time for an HBO original movie. Fahrenheit 451 might be the adaptation that George Orwell’s novel deserves, but there are some rather strong elements at play that make it worth watching. The visual style and production design are strong, Michael B. Jordan is good and Michael Shannon is excellent (as always). It’s in the adaptation department that this one falls flat.

The Little Stranger oddly flew under the radar upon its release, despite being a wonderfully acted period drama masquerading as a ghost film. The lukewarm reception may have been due to the film’s poor marketing which presented The Little Stranger as a horror film, when its true genre lies in the romance-drama category. The acting, editing, and cinematography are all top notch.

Best movies on HBO

42. The Others (2001)

The Others is a 2001 ghost film with the spirit of 70s horror running through it. This throwback cultivates a strong, creepy atmosphere and is content to linger in quiet unease. The big scare moments are excellently executed, though they are too few and far between. The twist is rather predictable, but still makes for a different enough story to set it apart from similar stories.

HBO movies on demand

41. Big (1988)

Big is a classic Tom Hanks comedy about a boy who wakes up in an adult’s body after making a wish on a Zoltar machine. It’s chock full of feel-good moments and heart-warming scenes. The romance he has with an adult woman is quite problematic when you stop and think about it, but that’s the only rough spot on this classic comedy.

Debra Granik’s 2010 thriller, Winter’s Bone, is far more setting and character driven than much of the genre’s output. Winter’s Bone was the film that launched Jennifer Lawrence’s career, and just might contain what is still her best performance to date. The entire supporting cast is comprised of veteran character actors who turn in scene-stealing performances. John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt, Sheryl Lee, and Dale Dicky all shine.

Spike Lee’s timely Ron Stallworth biopic served as a scathing criticism of modern-day racism despite its 70s setting. It’s a bit blunt, and marred by a few oddly-present technical issues on a camera and cinematography level, but the material is strong enough to overcome any weaknesses and then some.

Best movies on HBO Go

38. Unbreakable (2000)

The now classic story of a Fedex worker who gets stranded on a deserted island. Tom Hanks gives a compelling one man show with little more than a volleyball to play off of. Robert Zemeckis’ last great film before becoming obsessed with uncanny-valley CG people.

Best movies on HBO Go

36. Half Nelson (2006)

Best movies on HBO Go

34. Quadrophenia (1979)

Quadrophenia is the film adaptation of The Who’s rock opera of the same name. The film is not content to rest on the quality of the music alone. Quadrophenia is a raw and emotional character study, and an examination of both lifestyle and class. It’s a war of 60s-70s subcultures; Mods VS Rockers, set to an iconic rock and roll soundtrack.

Raising Arizona was the second feature film to come from the inimitable Coen Brothers. It is their goofiest romp by far as it follows a Nic Cage X Holly Hunter couple who take advantage of a rich family with more children than they need. Look for the over-the-top motorcycle riding, dynamite throwing villain, the dog-filled chase scene, and a great supporting role from John Goodman.

Gangs of New York is one of a handful of great Martin Scorsese gangster films. This one trades contemporary gangster life for an 1800s setting, and unleashes a ferocious Daniel Day Lewis as Bill the Butcher. It’s a little over-long, and it’s clear where the trimming could be done.

Best movies on HBO Go

30. American Splendor (2003)

American Splendor is the biopic of Harvey Pekar, the celebrated underground comic book maestro who created an autobiographical comic series of the same name. It’s a melancholy film with a good dose of humor to lighten the load. The film takes on a pseudo-documentary quality that makes it stand out amongst its peers.

Must-watch movies on HBO

29. La La Land (2016)

Damien Chazelle’s follow up to Whiplash was just as music-centric, but traded a heavy tone for light, and traded a compelling villain, for a stirring romance. Capable of joy and sadness in equal measure, La La Land is a well-made musical throwback with a pair of world-class leading actors.

Sometimes unfairly labeled as Wes Anderson’s worst film, though in a filmography as impressive as his, that’s not too much of a blemish. The Darjeeling Limited is full of all the Wes Anderson staples from the cast and soundtrack to the cinematography and production design, and the third act takes a surprisingly emotional turn. Well worth watching.

The Station Agent is an indie gem from the early 2000s made on a tight budget of just $500,000. This is a thoughtful drama of friendship and love centering on Peter Dinklage, Bobby Cannavale, and Patricia Clarkson in three pitch-perfect performances.

Daniel Craig’s first at-bat in the iconic role of James Bond was an instant highlight for the series. Martin Campbell of Goldeneye fame returned to usher in a new, grittier Bond to great effect. There’s more depth to the character than in most prior Bond films, and the action is excellent. Plus, this was the film that rocketed parkour into the zeitgeist.

Must-watch movies on HBO

25. Shutter Island (2010)

Martin Scorsese’s mystery/thriller is a deliciously dark adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s creepy novel. Scorsese furthers the insanity of the characters in subtle ways, like including intentional continuity errors. The all-encompassing atmosphere and effectively twisty narrative make Shutter Island a must watch.

Must-watch movies on HBO

24. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

A powerhouse cast takes on some of the sharpest dialogue ever written. David Mamet provided the screenplay for this adaptation of his own stage play of the same name. Glengarry Glen Ross shows its stage roots with under-whemling visual flair, but with dialogue this good, you don’t need to dress it up.

A Woman Under the Influence is one of many collaborations between actress Gena Rowlands and her writer-director husband John Cassavetes. The first act’s pacing is a bit harsh, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with one of the most intense and emotionally raw performances ever committed to film from a fully unmasked Gena Rowlands. Peter Falk makes for an excellent foil to his troubled wife.

Must-watch movies on HBO

22. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)

Grosse Pointe Blank is an action comedy about a professional assassin attending his high school reunion and rekindling an old romance. It’s a great concept that takes the action just as seriously as the humor. John Cusack performs both sides of his cold-blooded character excellently, and he’s aided by a memorable supporting cast comprised of his sister Joan Cusack, Alan Arkin, and Dan Aykroyd among others.

Must-watch movies on HBO

21. The Nice Guys (2016)

Must-watch movies on HBO

19. Biutiful (2010)

Best HBO Movies

16. Sophie’s Choice (1982)

Meryl Streep turns in a career defining performance in this devastating drama. The only misstep is focusing too much on the less interesting Stingo as the protagonist, though his perspective does make for a compelling, gradual reveal of information about our titular heroin. Kevin Kline also turns in a layered performance as a deeply complicated character that keeps the present day storyline engrossing alongside the heartbreaking flashbacks.

Best HBO Movies

15. Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Must-watch movies on HBO

14. Prisoners (2013)

Denis Villeneuve rocketed into Hollywood consciousness with his first American-made film, Prisoners. A bleak mystery-thriller with morally grey protagonists and eerily-honest antagonists. A never-better Hugh Jackman leads a strong cast through this excellent script.

A Fish Called Wanda is a film called one of the funniest ever made. John Cleese penned the script and stars alongside fellow python Michael Palin as well as Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline. The Americans hold their own against the British comedy legends, with Kevin Kline possibly even managing to steal the show. It might be rather drab visually, but the script and characters remain blisteringly funny from start to finish.

Must-watch movies on HBO

12. In Bruges (2008)

Must-watch movies on HBO

11. Aliens (1986)

James Cameron’s follow up to the 1979 sci-fi classic is rightly hailed as one of the best sequels ever made. Aliens trades some of the focus on horror of the first film for a larger emphasis on action, while keeping things tense and claustrophobic. This is a sequel that ups the scale and spectacle on all fronts.

Criminally underseen upon its release in 2018. Blindspotting is a heady dramedy about race and identity, and one of the most poignant takes on systemic racism and police brutality you’re likely to find. The two leads Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs (AKA clipping.) also provided the inventive screenplay that is tailor made to their talents as artists. It’s a modern day tragicomedy of Shakespearean proportions.

Robbed of its theatrical release due to a dispute with the studio, S. Craig Zahler’s third feature film is a towering testament to his talents as an auteur. The 2-hour-39-minute runtime is entirely justified as Dragged Across Concrete becomes one of the most tense cinematic experiences you will likely ever have throughout the entirety of the third act.

Must-watch movies on HBO

8. Apocalypse Now (1979)

Best Movies of All Time on HBO

7. Die Hard (1988)

Must-watch movies on HBO

6. Jaws (1975)

Jaws is arguably Steven Spielberg’s best film. A pioneer of the summer blockbuster and remarkable exercise in tension. It’s the interplay between the human characters that makes this shark film work so well. The growing chemistry of the leads showcases excellent character work across the board.

Must-watch movies on HBO

5. Fight Club (1999)

Few films infect the zeitgeist as immediately and fully as David Fincher’s Fight Club. Though the message of the film is often misunderstood, Fight Club’s thought provoking themes still resonate as well in 2020 as they did when the original novel was first written. Fight Club is a stylishly assembled flick that also happens to contain one of cinema’s greatest twists; oft parroted, rarely matched.

Best Movies Ever on HBO

4. Blood Simple (1984)

The Coen Brothers came out swinging for the fences with this their debut feature. Blood Simple is a tense thriller with a hard-hitting, noir edged script and a carefully constructed climactic cat and mouse chase that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Best Movies of All Time on HBO

3. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tells the real-life story of Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who found himself struck by Locked-in Syndrome, an affliction that left his entire body paralyzed except for one of his eyes. It’s a captivating tale that speaks to the strength of the human spirit and the will to survive and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Best Movies Ever on HBO.

2. Alien (1979)