The best movies on HBO right now (November 2018)
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True to its name, HBO has always aimed to bring the box office into people’s homes. That is easier than ever thanks to the network’s twin streaming services, HBO Go and HBO Now, both of which offer a wealth of new content each month. At any given time, the service offers hundreds of films, from obscure documentaries to summer blockbusters — but not all of them necessarily qualify as “great.” If you feel like streaming a movie and don’t want to waste your time on dreck, we’ve rounded up the best movies on HBO.
(Note: Some of these films might not be available until November.)
Members of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard wrote and starred in this silly 2001 film about a group of prank-happy Vermont state troopers whose daily routine of chugging syrup, hazing the rookie recruit, and tormenting drivers is interrupted by the accidental discovery of a drug trafficking ring. The raunchy stoner comedy was a big hit for studio Fox Searchlight, particularly in the home-entertainment market (read: college dorms and apartments), and after years of pressure to make a sequel, that follow-up film was finally released earlier this year.
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After the success of 7 Days in Hell, a mockumentary about a legendary tennis match between two fictional idiots, the Andy Samberg-led team earned a second go-round via HBO. The result? Tour de Pharmacy, a similar story that spoofs the Tour de France by focusing on competitors’ use of performance-enhancing substances in the early 1980s. Samberg returns to play Nigerian rider Marty Hass, while Orlando Bloom, Freddie Highmore, Daveed Diggs, and John Cena appear as the other made-up competitors on whom the film is focused. Tour is filled with classic slapstick comedy, and the concept is bolstered by the inclusion of several veteran actors — we won’t spoil the hilarious surprises here — who play the “modern-day” versions of the film’s protagonists. Lance Armstrong’s cameo doesn’t hurt, either.
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This low-budget comedy came out of nowhere in 2004, shooting to the top of the American consciousness and propelling Jon Heder to stardom (well, for a while, anyway). Heder stars as Napoleon, an extremely awkward Idaho high schooler struggling to fit in. From a surprisingly successful campaign to get his friend Pedro elected to the student government to the surprise reappearance of his stuck-in-the-past Uncle Rico, everything Napoleon does is funny, even if he doesn’t see it that way. Highlights include Napoleon’s brother Kip (and his online girlfriend, LaFawnduh), karate master Rex, and Napoleon’s prom dance with the equally awkward Deb. Director Jared Hess went on to helm more goofy cult comedies like Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos.
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Based upon Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World follows a young musician (Michael Cera) who falls in love with the enchanting Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but finds that he must first defeat her seven evil ex-lovers if he wants to truly win her heart. Cera is perfectly cast as Scott, a do-gooder hero with more good luck than brains or brawn, and the film quickly morphs from a mumblecore love story to a crazy, effects-laden superhero flick once the battles begin. Fittingly, the list of evil exes includes both Chris Evans (now Captain America) and Brandon Routh (who previously played Superman), in addition to Jason Schwartzman.
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Starring the late Robin Williams in one of the first leading roles of his career, Good Morning, Vietnam is loosely based upon the exploits of manic Armed Forces Radio Service DJ Adrian Cronauer. Cronauer (Williams) is sent to help raise morale in Vietnam, only to find himself in trouble with his superiors for his “irrelevant tendency” time and again. The DJ makes friends with both soldiers (Forest Whitaker) and local Vietnamese people, learning about the complex politics of war in the process. The sometimes funny, sometimes bittersweet film is enhanced by Williams, who improvised nearly all of his radio broadcasts on the spot, deviating from the script entirely.
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Few expected Guillermo del Toro’s dark fantasy about a mute janitor who falls in love with a merman imprisoned in a secret government facility during the Cold War to become one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year when the first, eerily beautiful trailer for the film premiered in the summer of 2017. That’s exactly what happened, though, as critics and audiences alike discovered the magical, breathtaking fairy tale that del Toro and his talented cast brought to the screen. The film went on to defy the odds — and long-standing traditions when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy fare — by collecting one award after another, culminating in Academy Awards for both del Toro and the film itself, which was named the year’s “Best Picture” winner.
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If our selection of Blade Runner 2049 as the best film of 2017 doesn’t tell you enough, we’ll lavish some more praise on it here. Director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival) somehow manages to take Ridley Scott’s iconic, atmospheric universe and weave a new story that ties back to the original in both satisfying and surprising fashion. Replicant Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is tasked with hunting down and “retiring” (insert skull-and-crossbones emoji) out-of-date replicants (essentially androids), but in the process, he stumbles upon a massive, world-changing discovery. K must decide whether to follow his heart or his programming, as the film takes him to several sprawling, visually spectacular locales. Few films marry such arresting cinematography with such potent, affecting narratives.
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This 1969 Western was scorned by critics upon release before later being recognized as a seminal piece of American cinema history. It’s about legendary outlaws Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and Harry Longabaugh — aka the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) — who are fleeing law enforcement following a string of train robberies around the turn of the century. Newman and Redford deftly alternate between serious, tough guy cowboying and lighthearted banter, which gives the film a unique feel compared to most stodgy Westerns. Apparently, Warren Beatty, Jack Lemmon, and Steve McQueen all turned down the role of Sundance, allowing the suave Redford to offer a different take.
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In his review of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it “[perhaps] the best war movie ever made,” putting it in the same class as epics like Saving Private Ryan. The film centers on a group of young English soldiers on the French beachfront at Dunkirk who are awaiting an evacuation that may never come while withstanding bombing runs by the Germans. Nolan splits the movie into different stories, including one featuring Tom Hardy as a fighter pilot who ignores his dwindling gas gauge to attempt a daring rescue and one featuring Mark Ryland as an aging Englishman who crosses the channel with his son in hopes of rescuing soldiers in need. Few films are as beautifully shot as Dunkirk, and its simple, minimalist soundtrack and stunning sound design underscore the desperation of the English.
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Despite the fact that most of the DC Extended Universe films thus far — including Justice League, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad, to name a few — have been pretty awful, 2017’s Wonder Woman proved that there’s still some hope for the non-Marvel superhero genre yet. Gal Gadot (Fast & Furious) absolutely slays as the Amazonian warrior goddess, who learns about the outside world after an American fighter pilot (Chris Pine) crash lands on her island of Themyscira. She quickly decides her assistance is needed elsewhere, and leaves her home for the first time to help turn the tide in World War I. Stellar reviews point to the film’s themes of gender equality and empowerment, and Wonder Woman doesn’t skimp on awesome fight scenes either.
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One of the greatest gangster films ever made and the inspiration for countless movies that followed it, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas chronicles the rise and fall of aspiring mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and the cast of colorful — and often brutally violent — characters around him between 1955 and 1980. The acclaimed film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including the coveted “Best Picture,” “Best Director” and “Best Screenplay” honors, with supporting actor Joe Pesci taking home an Oscar (and delivering some of the film’s most quotable lines) in the role of Tommy “Funny guy” DeVito. A slice of history that doesn’t pull any punches with its portrayal of mob life, Goodfellas was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress in 2000.
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Writer and director Martin McDonagh’s tense 2017 drama swept the early awards scene this year, and eventually earned lead actress Frances McDormand and supporting actor Sam Rockwell a pair of well-deserved Academy Awards. The film follows a grieving mother (McDormand) who places billboards around her small town in order to pressure the local police to make progress in the investigation of her daughter’s savage rape and murder months earlier. Her decision has a profound effect on the community, particularly the local police chief played by Woody Harrelson and his racist, alcoholic deputy played by Rockwell. After sweeping the Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards, Three Billboards received a total of seven Academy Award nominations.
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The Joe Paterno saga is a long and sad story that culminated in the erosion of Paterno’s legacy as (arguably) the greatest college football coach in history. Al Pacino plays Paterno, embroiled in controversy after the revelation that assistant coach Jerry Sandusky had an extended history of using the Penn State football facilities to sexually abuse youngsters. Paterno struggles to manage the football program while dealing with the legal proceedings and hubbub surrounding the trial. HBO’s movie is a fascinating (if not fun) look at the events, co-starring Riley Keough (Logan Lucky), as well as Kathy Baker as Paterno’s wife.
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HBO Films produced this drama based on the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson (Bryan Cranston), who took office immediately following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. In addition to dealing with the turmoil caused by Kennedy’s death, Johnson is responsible for developing the Civil Rights Act while under pressure from both activists and politicians to amend the Act itself. Meanwhile, Johnson must prepare for a re-election campaign against conservative Barry Goldwater and contend with rising animosity against the Vietnamese due to the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Cranston earned universal acclaim for his performance, while Anthony Mackie (Martin Luther King, Jr.) and Melissa Leo (Lady Bird Johnson) provide solid support.
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From the directors of Little Miss Sunshine, Battle of the Sexes is based on the true story of the 1973 tennis match between number one Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-champ and all-around chauvinist pig Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell). King is fighting for equality between men and women, while Riggs would rather see them in the kitchen. When Riggs convinces King to compete in a Battle of the Sexes, it becomes one of the most watched televised sports even of all time. Though you may already know who wins the match, the movie tackles issues far beyond a tennis game.
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Maria Full of Grace (in Spanish, Mara, llena eres de gracia) is not a happy film, but it’s one you should watch anyway. The titular, teenage Maria (Catalina Sandino Moreno, who received a nomination for Best Actress at the Academy Awards) aspires to leave behind her menial gardening job in Colombia, and finds out she is pregnant only after quitting. To make ends meet, Maria accepts a job as a drug mule smuggling drugs into the United States, making the trip with two other women. Moreno’s performance is breathtaking in its melancholy, and although her career hasn’t reached such peaks again, it’s impossible to take your eyes off her while watching this film
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A movie like no other, the cult-classic Being John Malkovich delivers mind control without the need of special powers. The film is directed by Spike Jonze and stars John Cusack as Craig Swartz and Cameron Diaz as his wife, Lotte Schwartz. When Craig discovers a portal in his office that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich, his sights turn to its monetary value. Craig, with his co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener) and Lotte, travel to Malkovich’s subconscious and control his mind. When John Malkovich himself discovers the portal he demands Craig to stop, which he refuses. The quirkiness mixed with the outrageous mind of Charlie Kaufman make Being John Malkovich a movie to see.
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This 2005 film follows six women who embark on a spelunking adventure in the Appalachian Mountains, only to become lost in an unexplored cave system and — as if that wasn’t terrifying enough — become prey for a vicious species of humanoid creature hiding in the darkness. Director Neil Marshall expertly blends the terrors of claustrophobia, darkness, and brutal monsters with an appetite for human flesh in this nightmare-fueling thriller, which gained him the attention of Hollywood and led to him becoming one of the fan-favorite directors for Game of Thrones years later. A disturbing movie that’s as psychological as it is visceral in its horror, The Descent is widely regarded as one of the scariest movies ever made.
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Joel Schumacher’s 1987 vampire movie features an ensemble of ’80s icons, including Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Cory Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, and Alex Winter, but it was more than familiar faces that made it an iconic horror film. The story follows a pair of brothers who move to a fictional beach town in California with their mother, only to discover that the town is terrorized by a pack of blood-sucking teenagers who set their sights on Patric’s character as the next inductee in their undead gang. Loosely inspired by the tales of Peter Pan and his forever-young cohorts, The Lost Boys is a time capsule for ’80s cinema that, like its vampire characters, never gets old.
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From the producers of The Conjuring and Annabelle, The Belko Experiment traps 80 co-workers in their high-rise corporate office, where they must decide if they will kill each other to survive. The story begins like any other day in the office, when they all hear an ominous voice coming from the intercom system. The voice says that if they don’t kill three people, then six people will die. What is first thought of as a joke turns quickly into a deadly social experiment, where if you don’t act fast enough, you will be killed.
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Get Out is one of the most unique movies to come along in a while. It’s a curious blend of horror, comedy, and social commentary that somehow coalesces wonderfully into one of the finest films of 2017. Director Jordan Peele (Key & Peele) crafts a terrifying vision around black photographer Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), who visits the estate owned by the family of his white girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams). Even before arriving, Chris can tell something isn’t right, but the movie’s true depravity isn’t revealed until about halfway through, after which things get real. Thanks to Peele’s superb script and some truly disturbing turns from a number of actors (including Catherine Keener, Lakeith Stanfield, and Caleb Landry Jones), Get Out earned a place at the forefront of American film discussion last year. You should see it.
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The Sandlot is one of those movies that, no matter how many times you’ve seen it, always contains a forgotten scene or line that instantly kick-starts the ol’ memory. Set in the San Fernando Valley in the summer of 1962, the film follows an ensemble of kids who spend their days playing baseball in a sandy neighborhood lot (hence the name). When the kids aren’t perfecting the 6-4-3 double-play or attempting to reclaim a lost baseball from the menacing mastiff next door, they’re out on any number of reckless adventures, including the pursuit of the untouchable Wendy Peffercorn. No matter how many times you’ve seen The Sandlot, one thing never changes: Benny is the man.
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Long before Shia LaBeouf was wrestling adolescent girls in music videos and attacking unsuspecting travelers in the forest at night, he was Stanley Yelnats. Holes takes Louis Sachar’s novel of the same name to the big screen, focusing on a Texas detention camp where juvenile delinquents are forced to spend their days digging holes in the desert as part of a supposed “character-building” exercise. Cinematographer Stephen St. John’s shots only further convey the film’s feel of isolation, and true to its literary source, the film offers a sense of friendship and quaint quirkiness not always found in Disney films. Excellent supporting work from Sigourney Weaver and Jon Voight as villains always helps, too.
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The 2006 Oscar-winning movie for Best Documentary, March of the Penguins explores the long journey penguins take to find their perfect mate. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the story starts at the end of summer in Antarctica, when the emperor penguins begin their journey across the South Pole to a traditional breeding ground. After they’ve finished their voyage and the egg hatches, the female must transfer it to the male, and then bring back food to her newborn chick. This heartwarming tale takes the audience on an adventure across the frozen tundra where every penguin tries to find the perfect match and start a family.
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