It’s impossible not to watch a horror movie in October, and HBO Max doesn’t make it easy.
The streamer has a great lineup of scary films this month, led by the debut of the indie hit, Bring Her Back.
But it’s not all about blood and gore on HBO Max.
In addition to Bring Her Back, Watch With Us has selected two other underrated movies for you to watch this weekend: the erotic drama Babygirl with Nicole Kidman and the camp classic Showgirls.
These three movies are wildly different, but each delivers a satisfying experience you won’t soon forget.
‘Bring Her Back’ (2025)
After their father dies, Andy (Billy Barratt) and his stepsister Laura (Sora Wong) are sent to live with the eccentric Laura (Sally Hawkins), who also fosters a mute boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips). Andy doesn’t trust Laura, who seems too good to be true. His suspicions are raised when Oliver seems to warn him to leave his new home right away. But can Andy trust Oliver, who seems to have a good reason to want Laura all for himself? Or is Laura truly a wicked foster mother up to no good?
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Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, Bring Her Back is a moody horror movie with just the right balance of realism and fantasy. The acting, particularly by Hawkins, is terrific, and there’s a genuine sense of menace that hooks you in from the beginning. Bring Her Back takes some unexpected turns in its third act, but the climax is surprisingly moving in a macabre kind of way.
Bring Her Back is streaming on HBO Max.
‘Babygirl’ (2024)
Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, a powerful CEO who has a solid marriage and two devoted teenage daughters. But Romy has one problem she can’t seem to fix — her sex life stinks! The solution appears when Sam (Harris Dickinson), a young intern at her company, begins to seduce her. They soon engage in a dominant/submissive relationship, which seems to please them both. But how long can it last without anyone from work — or Romy’s family — noticing?
Babygirl is a thought-provoking drama that gives Kidman one of her best roles ever. As Romy, she explores all aspects of a complex personality — a woman who wants to be in control in most areas of her life, and wants to relinquish that control in the bedroom. What’s so illuminating about Babygirl is that it doesn’t shame any of its characters for how they feel about themselves or each other. It’s a liberating movie about a truly liberated woman, and it makes no apologies about the difficult subject matter it portrays so well on screen.
Babygirl is streaming on HBO Max.
‘Showgirls’ (1995)
You’ve probably heard that Taylor Swift just released her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, which dominated Spotify playlists and movie theaters worldwide last weekend. So what better way to celebrate than by watching a movie that made the word “showgirl” well-known in every household in 1995? The NC-17-rated Showgirls may not have obvious similarities to Taylor’s PG-13 album, but it’s not as different as you might think.
Saved by the Bell alum Elizabeth Berkley stars as Nomi Malone, who wants to achieve her American dream — to become a Las Vegas showgirl. To do that, however, she’ll have to work her way from sleazy strip clubs, which she does with the help of good friend Molly (Gina Ravera). Nomi finally snags a part in a showgirl revue, but she instantly locks horns with the show’s lead star, Cristal (Gina Gershon). Nomi wants to be the best, and the only one in her way is Cristal.
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Campy and fun as hell, Showgirls has a notorious reputation for being dirty and bad. It’s neither; while there’s plenty of flesh on display, it’s not really titillating or erotic. Nomi’s naked ambition is what’s most revealing, and what drives the surprisingly tight narrative. Yes, the screenplay contains some groan-inducing one-liners, but the overall experience of watching Showgirls is truly unique.
Showgirls is streaming on HBO Max.
