This way, you won’t spend two hours deciding on a movie.
Thanks to last year’s glorious merger with Discovery+, Max now has so much media that you could spend hours scrolling through all the options. But by the time you do that, you’ll probably give up and resign yourself to re-watching Sex and the City again. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with that, but you’d be missing out on several great cinematic experiences, including some of the finest films ever made. Seriously!
While Max is known for having some amazing limited series, especially as of late — The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Mare of Easttown, The Undoing, to name just a few — it’s also a prime destination for movies. (It originated as Home Box Office, after all.) So let us be your guide to the best movies on Max this month, in no particular order. And if you don’t have a Max account already, you’ll be convinced it’s worth the investment after reading this.
The 10 Best Movies on Max in May
All About My Mother (Avail. May 1)
This bittersweet Spanish film explores themes like AIDS, gender identity, sexuality, and faith. Manuela, a single mother and nurse, loses her only son, Esteban, after he’s killed in a collision. While grieving, she returns to Barcelona to find her son’s father, a transwoman, to reveal Esteban’s death. An odyssey of humanity, stage performance, and motherhood ensues.
The Florida Project (Avail. May 1)
In this devastating drama, six-year-old Moonee lives with her single mother, Halley, in an Orlando-area motel. The film follows Moonee and Halley as they try to enjoy day-to-day life adjacent to Disney while also hoping to earn spare change scamming tourists, and a kindhearted hotel manager (played by icon Willem Dafoe) serves as a source of protection. Things take a dark turn when Halley runs out of options and becomes desperate to earn cash.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Avail. May 1)
If you’re a fan of director Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) and Barry Keoghan (Saltburn), this 2017 psychological horror film is made for you. Colin Farrell stars as a lauded surgeon with a dark secret that takes the form of a creepy young man (Keoghan) who enacts a strange, supernatural form of revenge that promises to end in death.
The Lighthouse (Avail. May 1)
Two severely isolated lighthouse keepers (Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe) fight inner demons and each other for survival and sanity on an eerily secluded New England island. Expect violence and macabre themes.
Mad Max (Avail. May 1)
“Mad” Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) is a cop turned vigilante who’s got a grudge against a vicious biker gang. But the trouble (well, part of it) is that they’re also trying to survive in a not-too-distant dystopian near-future Australia amid societal collapse. As you likely know, this campy, fun action film spawned a series that has lasted decades, and the latest installment, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, comes out this month.
Jersey Boys (Avail. May 1)
It’s the 1960s and four boys from New Jersey — Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young), Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda), and Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) — go from singing on street corners to selling out shows. But stardom brings some unwanted conflict within the group that threatens to tear them apart.
Sisters (Avail. May 1)
Sisters Maura (Amy Poehler) and Kate (Tina Fey) have just one weekend to clean out old junk from their childhood bedroom. But recently-divorced Kate and wildcard Maura aren’t going quietly. Instead, the two decide to throw one final rager to recapture their glory days. But things quickly get out of hand…
Stop Making Sense (Avail. May 3)
A24 recently re-released this music documentary to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The film follows legendary band The Talking Heads as they perform in concert. Expect crisper footage and danceable tunes.
The Iron Claw (Avail. May 10)
If you didn’t catch this critically acclaimed drama film while it was in theaters last year, now’s the time to tune in. This tense biopic follows wrestling company owner Fritz Von Erich’s sons as they try to live up to their father’s expectations — from 1979 to the early 1990s — which only ends in tragedy. Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White star.
Moviepass, Moviecrash (Avail. May 29)
Years ago, did you and your loved ones purchase a Moviepass subscription so that you could go see more flicks in person? This new documentary tells the odd story of the humble beginnings, trendy rise to power, and very strange implosion of this infamous movie subscription app.
Not finding what you’re craving? Sign up for Max for even more options.
