March is Women’s History Month and we celebrate powerful and poignant portrayals of women on screen with these seven films new to HBO Max. They range from influential contributors to the arts (Iris Apfel, Selena Quintanilla Perez) to kick-butt characters (Scarlett Johansson in “Lucy” and Angelina Jolie in “To Those Who Wish Me Dead). And a pair of Oscar-caliber performances (Jodie Foster in “The Accused” and Glenn Close in “The Wife”).
Check out our picks for some of the best new movies to stream on HBO Max in March 2023 below.
“Iris” (2014)
This colorful documentary, one of director Albert Maysles’ (“Grey Gardens”) final projects before his death, captures the life of the even more colorful subject: fashion icon Iris Apfel. Apfel influenced eight decades of fashion and boasted she was the first woman to wear jeans. She also worked at the White House under nine presidents. Although this film was shot back in 2014, Apfel is still alive at age 101!
“Lucy” (2014)
This sci-fi thriller explores what happens when the human brain is pushed to its limits. Scarlett Johansson stars as the titular Lucy, who develops fighting skills and reality-warping powers when she unlocks the “full capabilities” of her brain.
Selena (1997)
Jennifer Lopez became a household name portraying the meteoric rise of Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla Perez, or simply, Selena. The singer was murdered in 1995 when she was just 23 years old.
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” (2021)
The Oscar-nominated documentary follows photographer and activist Nan Goldin and her efforts to hold Purdue Pharma accountable for America’s opioid epidemic. Following her own near-fatal fentanyl overdose and addiction with Oxycontin, Goldin founded the group P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now). This film documents its efforts over the course of two years.
“The Wife” (2017)
Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Meg Wolitzer, “The Wife” stars Glenn Close as a woman accompanying her husband to Stockholm where he is set to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Close earned an Oscar nomination for her role as Joan, a woman who reflects on the choices that have led her to where she is today. Jonathan Pryce plays her husband.
“The Accused” (1988)
Jodie Foster won an Oscar for portraying Sarah Tobias, a young woman who seeks justice after being brutally gang-raped in a bar. The assault scene is still highly controversial and triggering, even by cinematic standards 35 years later. However, the impact of the film in terms of bringing awareness to an all-too-common crime cannot be overlooked.
“Those Who Wish Me Dead” (2021)
Angelina Jolie stars as Hannah Faber, a smokejumper who becomes tasked with protecting a boy from contract killers, in this 2021 film written and directed by “Yellowstone” mastermind Taylor Sheridan. She uses her firefighting training and forest expertise to elude the killers. “Those Who Wish Me Dead” drops March 29.
