One of 2024’s most acclaimed movies is coming to HBO and Max this weekend. Queer stars Daniel Craig as a writer in 1950s Mexico City who falls madly in love with a former soldier (Drew Starkey).
Luca Guadagnino’s haunting movie isn’t for everyone, but the beauty of Max is that it has a plethora of different movies to suit your every taste and need. Want to laugh instead? Then stream the funny sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.
But why stop there? The weekend is long, and there’s time to watch multiple movies. The following three movies are somewhat underrated but are a blast to watch and feature such stars as Julia Roberts, Adrien Brody and more.
‘Juror #2’ (2024)
Nobody wants to do jury duty, but Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) has a very good reason to dread it: he might be involved in the case he’s assigned. Local ne’er-do-well James (Gabriel Basso) is accused of killing his girlfriend, Kendall (Francesca Eastwood), one stormy night after they got into a fight at a bar, but Justin was also at that bar and he vaguely remembers hitting something hard on the way home. Was it Kendall? And if it was, will Justin confess? Or will he let James be punished for a crime he might have committed?
3 Underrated HBO and Max Movies to Stream This Weekend (March 14-16)
Juror #2 is a simple but effective thriller that examines themes of law, morality, and justice. James wasn’t a great boyfriend and he has a record of violence, but does that justify him going to jail for life for a crime he didn’t commit? In contrast, Justin is a law-abiding citizen who is about to become a father. He may have hit Kendall that night, but he’s not sure. He has doubts, though, but is that enough to deprive his future son of his father?
Juror #2 ends on just the right note of ambiguity, and asks tough questions you may not have the answers to. The movie never feels like homework, though, and the director, Clint Eastwood, keeps things moving along nicely. Hoult is terrific as the conflicted protagonist and Toni Collette is great as the ambitious prosecutor who has her own moral crisis.
Juror #2 is streaming on Max.
‘Splice’ (2009)
Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) are lovers and scientists who secretly genetically engineer a human-animal hybrid to extract proteins that could cure diseases. Called Dren (Delphine Chanéac), the creature rapidly grows and bonds with Clive and Elsa.
Imprisoned in the couple’s isolated farmhouse, Dren soon craves freedom but Clive and Elsa can’t risk their illegal experiment being exposed. Dren has to be destroyed, but can the couple kill their creation? More importantly, will Dren allow them to?
Splice is a brainy sci-fi thriller that escalates the stakes in the third act. The story takes several surprising turns, including several “WTF?” moments near the end that may make you laugh out loud.
It’s all part of the fun, and normally serious-minded actors Brody and Polley are a hoot as the yuppie Frankensteins who create a monster who yearns to be human. Didn’t they read Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, or watch any of the famous movie adaptations with Boris Karloff?
Splice is streaming on Max.
‘Steel Magnolias’ (1989)
Shelby (Julia Roberts) is about to get married, and she needs to get her hair done. Like any self-respecting Southern gal in the ‘80s, she goes with her mother, M’Lynn (Sally Field), to the local hair salon, Truvy’s. Over several years, Truvy’s will play host to a variety of patrons, including rich widow Clairee (Olympia Dukakis) and salty divorcee Ouiser (Shirley MacLaine), as these women experience all forms of love, loss, and unfortunate hairdos.
From ‘Pretty Woman’ to ‘Ticket to Paradise’! Julia Roberts Through the Years
It’s not really fashionable to like Steel Magnolias nowadays — some claim it’s too melodramatic and soapy, and it’s shameless in wanting to make you cry. What’s the harm in that? It’s an excellent drama that’s held up after all these years and it’s often very, very funny.
From Field’s control freak mom to MacLaine’s grouchy grandma, everyone in the cast is terrific. This is the film that earned Roberts her first Oscar nomination and paved the way for Pretty Woman a year later.
Steel Magnolias is streaming on Max.
