Did Matt Reeves’ posting spree get you eager to watch more of “The Batman”? Did a movie currently in theaters make you want to revisit an early 2000s classic? Did a recent horror movie have you hungering for a ’90s adventure? Then HBO Max has you covered.
Here are the seven best movies streaming on HBO Max in May.
“The Batman”
Matt Reeves dominated social media this week by posting gifs of actors who will appear in “The Batman: Part II,” including returning players like Robert Pattinson and new cast members like Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson and (surprise!) Brian Tyree Henry. The enthusiasm for this social media strategy was palpable, with the first post gaining more than 151,000 likes and the last sitting at 103,000.
It’s hard to imagine this many people getting excited over gifs if Reeves and Pattinson’s first outing wasn’t as exceptional as it is. Rather than being a true origin story like “Batman Begins” or a story about an established crusader like “Batman v. Superman,” “The Batman” focuses on a Bruce Wayne who’s already had time in the cowl without fully understanding what it means to be Gotham’s Dark Knight yet. The film sees Bruce transition from vengeful vigilante to true superhero in a patient, rewarding story that understands this character to his core. It might be the best Batman movie yet.
“The Devil Wears Prada”
Few films scream “2000s” like “The Devil Wears Prada,” David Frankel and Aline Brosh McKenna’s movie (based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the same name) about an aspiring journalist (Anne Hathaway) who gets her first job as the assistant to a cruel editor (Meryl Streep) of a fashion magazine. The costumes are immaculate, the performances are fantastic (and worthy of an Oscar nomination, in Streep’s case) and the vibes are off the charts. Whether you’ve seen “The Devil Wears Prada 2” or not, now is the perfect time to circle back to the first film.
“Marie Antoinette”
Speaking of beautiful dresses and Academy Awards, “The Devil Wears Prada” found itself (and costume designer Patricia Field) nominated for Best Costume Design at the 2007 Oscars, where it lost to “Marie Antoinette” (and costume designer Milena Canonero). The film by Sofia Coppola features an outstanding leading performance from Kirsten Dunst and phenomenal production design from K. K. Barrett and Véronique Melery. Also, the soundtrack is top tier.
“The Mummy” (1999)
If “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” wasn’t your vibe, perhaps you’re better off revisiting Stephen Sommers’ “The Mummy” from 1999. This film takes the iconic horror franchise and gives it an adventurous reboot, placing Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz at the center of a big-budget action story. Watch it now before the two finally reunite in May 2028.
“Shin Godzilla”
If Godzilla ever did attack, some people would probably need to hold a bunch of meetings to figure out what to do. This idea lies at the center of Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno’s “Shin Godzilla,” a film that painstakingly details the bureaucratic procedure of a country facing a kaiju attack. This may sound dull (and at times, perhaps it is), but it builds to a masterful and moving finale well worth the wait.
“Sing Sing”
A year before they got a Best Picture nod for “Train Dreams,” Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar collaborated on “Sing Sing,” a film that picked up a handful of Academy Award nominations and deserved a handful more. The movie, directed by Kwedar and written by the duo alongside Clarence Maclin and John “Divine G” Whitfield, tells the true story of a group of men who find healing and inspiration in theater while incarcerated. “Sing Sing” features exceptional performances from Colman Domingo and Maclin, who plays himself in the film and leaps off the screen.
“A Woman Under the Influence”
Speaking of films that deserve more than they got at the Academy Awards, John Cassavetes’ “A Woman Under the Influence” picked up two nominations — one for its direction, and one for Gena Rowlands’ titanic performance. Both are extraordinarily deserved for this exceptional family drama, which belongs among the ranks of the greatest films of all time.
