Top 10 Movies To Watch This Week on HBO Max | May 18, 2025

Okay, so if you’re in the mood for something epic—like, Oscar-winning epic—The Brutalist is your pick. Adrien Brody is out here giving one of his best performances ever as László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect trying to make a life for himself in America after World War II. But don’t expect some feel-good, immigrant success story—this movie is brutal (pun absolutely intended). It’s about survival, ambition, and the price you pay for chasing the American Dream.

This thing is a masterpiece, plain and simple. The cinematography is jaw-dropping, the score will straight-up give you chills, and Brody’s performance? Worth all the awards it got (and it got a lot). It’s three and a half hours long, but not a second is wasted. Settle in and get ready to feel a lot of feelings.

2073 (2024)

Want something that’ll mess with your head? 2073 is the kind of movie you finish watching and immediately need to talk about with someone—preferably someone who’s also slightly freaked out. Directed by Asif Kapadia (the guy who did Amy), this movie is a wild mix of sci-fi and documentary, which is a fancy way of saying it’s a dystopian thriller that feels a little too real. Samantha Morton is our guide through this nightmarish future where climate change has ruined everything, and authoritarianism is just… normal.

But here’s the thing—it’s not just a fictional story. Half the film is basically a documentary showing how the world we’re living in right now could turn into this nightmare. It’s unsettling, it’s thought-provoking, and honestly, it’s a little terrifying. Don’t watch this one right before bed unless you want to be staring at the ceiling, rethinking all your life choices.

Queer (2024)

Daniel Craig as a broken, lovesick American expat in 1950s Mexico City? Yeah, sign me up. Queer is Luca Guadagnino’s latest fever dream of a film, based on the William S. Burroughs novella of the same name. It’s all about this guy named William (Craig), who’s drowning in his own loneliness until he becomes obsessed with a young, troubled army vet named Eugene (Drew Starkey). It’s messy, it’s desperate, and it’s got that hazy, sun-soaked look that Guadagnino does better than anyone.

But don’t go into this expecting a sweet, feel-good love story—this is all about longing, addiction, and the absolute chaos that comes with needing someone who might not even want you. Craig is phenomenal, completely shedding his Bond persona to play a man on the edge of everything. If you love your romances complicated, you’re gonna be all over this one.

Sing Sing (2023)

This one’s a hidden gem that deserves way more attention. Sing Sing is about a group of inmates at Sing Sing Correctional Facility who find a second chance through the prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts program. Colman Domingo is an absolute powerhouse in this, playing a guy who’s made some serious mistakes but finds hope (and a little bit of freedom) through theater. And the wild part? Some of the actors are real former inmates who went through this program, which just adds this layer of authenticity you can’t fake.

But don’t think this is some sugar-coated “art will save you” story. It’s raw, it’s honest, and it’s all about what happens when people are given a chance to be more than their worst mistakes. If you’re into stories that make you feel all the feelings, this one’s for you.

Heretic (2024)

Alright, this one’s for the horror fans who love a good mind game. Heretic is one of those twisted little thrillers where you never really know who’s the bad guy until it’s too late. Hugh Grant is having the absolute time of his life here, playing a seemingly charming guy who invites two young Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) into his home… and then things get dark. Like, real dark.

Grant is absolutely wild in this—creepy, charming, and completely unhinged. And because it’s an A24 film (obviously), you know it’s going to be smart, stylish, and just a little bit messed up. If you love movies that keep you guessing and leave you a little bit haunted, Heretic is the one to watch.

A Different Man (2024)

If you’re in the mood for a psychological rollercoaster, A Different Man is about to mess with your head in the best way. Sebastian Stan plays Edward, a guy who’s been living with a facial deformity his whole life. But when he gets an experimental surgery to change his appearance, he basically decides to start over. New face, new life, new everything. He even lands a role in a play and starts dating the playwright, Ingrid (played by the amazing Renate Reinsve).

But here’s where it gets wild—Edward becomes obsessed with another man named Oswald (Adam Pearson), who has the same facial condition Edward used to have. As their paths cross, Edward’s perfect new life starts to unravel, and things get dark fast. This one’s a trippy, twisty look at identity, obsession, and what happens when you can’t outrun your own insecurities. Stan is absolutely next-level here, flipping from charming to chilling in the blink of an eye.

Juror #2 (2024)

Leave it to Clint Eastwood to keep us guessing. Juror #2 is a courtroom thriller that’ll have you on the edge of your seat—mostly because you’re gonna spend the whole movie trying to figure out what you would do in this guy’s place. Nicholas Hoult plays Justin Kemp, a regular guy who gets picked for jury duty in a murder trial. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Except Justin figures out pretty quickly that he accidentally killed the victim himself, thinking he hit a deer with his car.

So now he’s stuck on this jury, listening to the case, knowing that he’s the real killer. Does he come clean and destroy his life? Or does he keep his mouth shut and let an innocent guy go to jail? It’s intense, it’s dramatic, and it’s got that classic Eastwood sense of moral ambiguity. If you love a good ethical dilemma, this one’s basically catnip.

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Have you ever watched a movie and felt like you just had a weird, trippy dream? That’s what I Saw the TV Glow. It’s one of those films that burrows into your brain and won’t let go.

“Seeing the TV glow” has even become slang online—like a shorthand for that moment when you first start feeling uncomfortable in your own skin, like maybe the person you thought you were isn’t quite right; usually used in reference to gender dysphoria and the trans experience. And honestly, it makes sense. The movie follows a teenager named Owen who, thanks to a mysterious late-night TV show he stumbles on in static, starts seeing another world—one that’s way darker and weirder than the one he knows. And of course, nothing in his life is ever the same again.

This one’s got serious Donnie Darko vibes, with a little bit of The Ring thrown in for good measure. It’s a slow burn, but the tension just keeps building until you’re practically crawling out of your own skin. It’s the kind of movie you finish and immediately want to rewatch, just to try and figure out what the hell you just saw. If you love surreal, mind-bending horror, you can’t miss it.

Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

Kristen Stewart as a depressed gym manager who falls in love with a bodybuilder and somehow ends up in a crime thriller? Yes, please. Love Lies Bleeding is a dark, twisty romance that feels like a mashup of Bound and Neon Demon, with Stewart playing Lou, a woman who’s basically sleepwalking through life until she meets Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder who pulls her into a world of obsession, danger, and some very questionable decisions.

This is one of those movies where the chemistry is so intense you feel like you’re intruding just by watching. Stewart is magnetic, playing Lou as a woman who’s desperate for something—anything—to make her feel alive. And once the crime element kicks in, things get wild fast. It’s sexy, it’s dangerous, and it’s the kind of movie that keeps you guessing right up until the end.

Civil War (2024)

Alright, so this one’s not exactly a feel-good watch. Civil War is Alex Garland’s latest, and it’s pretty much a gut punch from start to finish. The movie drops you into a version of America that’s gone completely off the rails—a modern-day civil war, and it feels way too close to reality for comfort. You’re following this group of war photographers who are just trying to capture what’s happening, but honestly, what’s happening is chaos. Cities are burning, people are turning on each other, and everyone’s trying to figure out who the good guys are—if there even are any.

Kirsten Dunst is leading the cast, and she’s a force. You can see the exhaustion, the fear, and that tiny bit of hope she’s holding onto—all in her eyes. But here’s the thing—Civil War isn’t just about explosions and chaos. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves, the lines we draw between “us” and “them,” and how conflict can turn ordinary people into something else entirely. It’s raw, it’s intense, and it’s the kind of movie you’ll be texting your friends about the second it’s over—partly because you’ll need someone to help you process it.

Wrap Up

So that’s your watchlist. The top 10 movies on HBO Max this week, and honestly, there’s something for every vibe. If you want a gut-wrenching drama, The Brutalist is gonna wreck you. If you’re in the mood for a mind-melter, 2073 is basically a nightmare disguised as a documentary. And if you just want a wild, twisted ride, Heretic has Hugh Grant being the absolute worst in the best way.

Whatever you’re into, you’re covered. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready for a serious binge. And if you end up loving (or absolutely hating) any of these, come back and let us know. We love a good debate.