If you’re looking for the best movies on HBO right now, you’re basically looking for the “prestige” corner of the streaming world. Now known simply as Max, this platform is the heavy hitter for Warner Bros. blockbusters and the exclusive home of the A24 library. In 2026, it remains the gold standard for cinephiles who want high-bitrate visuals and films that feel like they were actually made by people with a pulse.
Finding the best movies on HBO right now can be a bit of a maze because the library is so dense. You’ve got everything from massive superhero epics to the weirdest indie experiments coming out of the festival circuit. This list is about the high-confidence picks—the ones that justify your subscription and offer that surgical craft we’re always looking for. No repeats here; just the best 2024–2026 standouts currently streaming on Max.
Best for: Cinephiles who want prestige cinema, Warner Bros. blockbusters, and the best of A24 with top-tier technical specs.
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: “Content” overload / Wasting time on movies with flat cinematography / Low-quality streaming bitrates / Missing out on A24 gems.
Related Lists: The Best Movies Across All Streaming Platforms / The Best Movies for Streaming Worth Watching Right Now / Editor’s Picks: The Best Movies / Handpicked Movies Worth Watching
What to watch for
On Max, the “pro-level” stuff usually shines through production design and lighting. Because HBO has a history of high standards, even their blockbusters tend to have better “visual weight” than most. Watch how these films use deep blacks and contrast—especially the A24 picks—to build atmosphere. On a good OLED setup, these HBO streaming hits look like real film.
10 best movies on HBO right now
1. The Boy and the Heron (2023) 🇯🇵
Director/Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
Plot: A young boy in wartime Japan enters a magical, unsettling world through a mysterious tower, guided by a talking heron on a quest to find his mother.
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s the best movie on HBO for fans of pure visual imagination. Miyazaki’s hand-drawn craft is at its peak here—the blocking within the frames and the fluidity of movement are things CGI still can’t replicate. It’s a beautifully authored dreamscape.
2. Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Todd Phillips
Plot: Arthur Fleck awaits trial for his crimes while finding an unexpected connection in Arkham, leading to a stylized, musical descent into their shared madness.
IMDb Rating: 5.3/10 (Trending high in 2026)
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: Don’t mind the polarizing score; from a craft perspective, it’s elite filmmaking. The lighting and the stage-like blocking of the musical numbers are surgical. It’s a bold, visually striking sequel that commits 100% to its specific, grimy aesthetic.
3. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Tim Burton
Plot: Three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after a tragedy, where an accidental opening of the portal to the Afterlife brings the bio-exorcist back into their lives.
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: This is Burton’s return to practical effects and tactile production design. The “Afterlife” sequences are a lesson in handmade world-building, and the pacing is surprisingly tight for a legacy sequel. It looks and feels like a classic 80s creature feature.
4. Trap (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: M. Night Shyamalan
Plot: A father and his teen daughter attend a pop concert, only to realize the entire event is a massive police operation designed to catch a serial killer who is already inside.
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: Shyamalan is a god of blocking and lens choice. The way he uses the camera to show the protagonist’s paranoia in a crowded space is a masterclass in spatial tension. It’s a high-concept thriller that relies on visual information rather than twists.
5. Dream Scenario (2023) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Kristoffer Borgli
Plot: A boring family man becomes an overnight celebrity when he starts appearing in the dreams of millions of people, but the fame turns into a nightmare when the dreams get violent.
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s visually authored surrealism at its best. The film uses sharp editing to jump between “dream logic” and reality, and the tonal control keeps the absurdity feeling grounded. It’s a smart, cynical A24 pick that most people missed in theaters.
6. Love Lies Bleeding (2024) 🇺🇸🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Rose Glass
Plot: A reclusive gym manager falls hard for an ambitious bodybuilder, but their romance sparks a violent chain of events involving her criminal family in the 1980s Southwest.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: This is high-contrast neon-noir. The sound design is heavy and physical, and the surgical pacing turns a romance into a body-horror thriller with ease. It’s a bold, muscular piece of filmmaking that uses color as a weapon.
7. I Saw the TV Glow (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Jane Schoenbrun
Plot: Two teenagers bond over their shared obsession with a mysterious late-night supernatural TV show, but as the show is canceled, the line between reality and the screen starts to blur.
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s a stylized visual experience. The use of 90s aesthetic cues, pink-and-purple lighting, and a hypnotic soundscape creates a vibe of “suburban dread.” It’s an authored, experimental film that rewards viewers who love atmospheric storytelling.
8. Problemista (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Julio Torres
Plot: An aspiring toy designer from El Salvador struggles to find a sponsor for his work visa in NYC, ending up as an assistant to an erratic, high-strung art world outcast.
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It features incredible visual metaphors. Torres uses creative production design to show the absurdity of the US immigration system as a literal labyrinth. The blocking and character design are so original it feels like a live-action cartoon for adults.
9. MaXXXine (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Ti West
Plot: In 1980s Hollywood, an adult film star and aspiring actress finally gets her big break, but a mysterious killer known as the Night Stalker begins hunting the city’s starlets.
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: It’s vibe-heavy period horror. Ti West uses grimy 80s film stocks and surgical sound design to recreate the “Satanic Panic” era of L.A. The action is staged with a clear love for Giallo and slasher craft, making it a high-confidence binge for genre fans.
10. Stop Making Sense (2023 Remaster) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Jonathan Demme
Plot: A legendary concert film capturing the Talking Heads at the height of their powers, building from a lone man on stage to a full, high-energy ensemble performance.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a must-watch: This 4K A24 restoration is pure cinema as music. Jonathan Demme’s surgical blocking of the band members and the way he uses lighting to transform the stage is still the standard for concert filmmaking. It looks and sounds better than anything made in 2026.
What to watch next
Next category: The Best TV Shows on HBO Right Now (if you want the prestige series that match this level of filmmaking craft).
FAQ: Best Movies on HBO Right Now (2026)
Q: Are A24 movies always available on Max?
A: Yes, Max currently has the exclusive rights to the A24 catalog, meaning movies like MaXXXine and Love Lies Bleeding land there after their theater run.
Q: What are the best movies on HBO for a home theater setup?
A: Go for The Boy and the Heron or Joker: Folie à Deux. The 4K HDR quality on Max is some of the best in the streaming world.
Q: Is HBO’s movie library better than Netflix?
A: For cinephiles, generally yes. While Netflix has more “content,” HBO (Max) focuses on high-quality Warner Bros. hits and indie masterpieces.