When you’re looking into subscribing to a new streaming platform, you are likely to pay attention to the big-ticket movies and TV series. Those are probably why you’re interested in the service in the first place. Whether it’s Stranger Things for Netflix or Reacher for Prime Video, people flock to streaming services to watch the latest seasons of the biggest shows and releases of the newest movies.
But the reason you might stay subscribed to a streaming service is for all the hidden gems that it offers. These can be shows and movies that you hadn’t heard of until you did some searching on the platform. HBO Max has a vast array of movies that may have flown under the radar for you. But it’s time to uncover some of the best ones you might have missed.
Megan Leavey
A biographical wartime drama about the bond between a woman and a dog
A gripping war movie that shows the companionship between a US Marine corporal and her bomb-sniffing dog, Megan Leavey is a fascinating look at the harsh reality of those in the profession. It stars Kate Mara as Leavey, who did two tours in Iraq as a Military Police K9 handler. She was paired with Rex, a German Shepard, as the two handled assignments in Fallujah and Ramadi.
The film depicts the heaviness of the Iraq War and what the power of dedication to one’s craft can accomplish. Just as impressive as Mara’s performance is the performance of Varco, the dog who played Rex. The film is based on the real-life experiences that Leavey went through and how she and Rex overcame injuries sustained during the war. Leavey even has a cameo in the film. It’s heartwarming and a bit sobering, making it a good drama for a wide variety of audiences.
- Release Date
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June 9, 2017
- Runtime
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116 minutes
- Director
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Gabriela Cowperthwaite
- Writers
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Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, Tim Lovestedt
Lady Snowblood
A dark vengeance thriller not for the faint of heart
If you’re a fan of the Kill Bill films, Lady Snowblood is a must-watch movie. Made in 1973 but set in the late 1880s, it stars Meiko Kaji as Yuki, a woman who is set on finishing a vendetta carried out by her mother against the men who raped her. She undertakes intense sword training to become a stone-cold assassin.
The story follows her as she grows into an assassin and seeks revenge on those who wronged her family. It has a low-budget feel to it, but the violence is still over the top in a good way, as it sucks you into the world even more. The final scene needs to be seen to be believed. It’s hard not to see the influence that Lady Snowblood has had on martial arts and vengeance films since it was made.
- Release Date
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March 22, 1974
- Runtime
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97 Minutes
- Director
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Toshiya Fujita
- Writers
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Kazuo Kamimura, Kazuo Koike, Norio Osada
- Producers
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Kikumaru Okuda
-
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Toshio Kurosawa
Ryūrei Ashio
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Masaaki Daimon
Gō Kashima
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Miyoko Akaza
Sayo Kashima
8-Bit Christmas
A festive and family-friendly nostalgic comedy
Many people can relate to the plot of 8-Bit Christmas, a Christmas comedy that premiered on HBO Max in 2021. It’s about a young boy (Winslow Fegley) who is obsessed with trying to get a Nintendo for Christmas. The story is told through his adult self (Neil Patrick Harris) telling his daughter a story about his Christmas as an 11-year-old. 8-Bit Christmas is a lighthearted holiday film that features a terrific group of child actors, helping show the desire and intensity of wanting a Christmas gift so badly that they’d do anything to get it.
It can be hard to find a holiday movie that is actually worth watching again and 8-Bit Christmas fits that bill. It’s the kind of movie that you want to show the whole family and everyone will enjoy some laughs, some heartfelt messaging, and revel in just how awesome the NES was and still is.
- Release Date
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November 24, 2021
- Runtime
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97 Minutes
- Director
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Michael Dowse
- Writers
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Kevin Jakubowski
Enemy
Jake Gyllenhaal can’t quite figure out what’s going on in his life
Denis Villeneuve is known as a master filmmaker. With films like Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Dune: Part Two, Incendies, and Prisoners on his resume, any time he’s set to direct, people take note. This is especially true since his next project following Dune: Messiah is going to be the next James Bond film.
One of his earlier offerings was Enemy, a 2013 film starring Jake Gyllenhaal in dual roles. It follows a man who, upon renting a movie, discovers an actor who is his identical twin. He becomes obsessed with him, stalking him and trying to learn about his life. What follows is a psychological test that the two men undergo as each tries to take over the other’s life. Gyllenhaal produces terrific performances, as does Sarah Gadon, who plays one of Gyllenhaal’s character’s wives.
The ending is hard to describe and even more befuddling when you watch it. But the film makes the audience think about their own subconscious. After I saw this film, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I bet you won’t be able to either.
- Release Date
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March 14, 2014
- Runtime
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91 minutes
- Director
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Denis Villeneuve
- Writers
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Javier Gullón, José Saramago
- Producers
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Niv Fichman, Miguel A. Faura
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Jake Gyllenhaal
Adam / Anthony
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-
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Isabella Rossellini
Mother
It Comes at Night
Unease and distrust run rampant in a disease-riddled world
Three years before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, It Comes At Night premiered. It provided a look at a world where a deadly disease has taken over the planet, and a select group of people team up to try and survive. The movie stars Joel Edgerton and Carmen Ejogo as a couple who live in a secluded home in the woods with their son. One night, they are visited by Christopher Abbott’s character, who is looking for food for his wife (Riley Keough) and son.
After the families decide to pair up to boost their manpower against potential threats, the trust, or lack thereof, while they cohabitate, is put to the test. There isn’t a big bad monster in this film. There’s no deadly psychotic killer either. The threat of a deadly disease spreading out of nowhere is haunting enough, and the film hits differently after 2020. The terror and dread linger long after the film’s end.
- Release Date
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June 9, 2017
- Runtime
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91 minutes
- Director
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Trey Edward Shults
- Writers
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Trey Edward Shults
- Producers
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Andrea Roa, David Kaplan