There’s plenty to stream ahead of the Fourth of July weekend on HBO Max. The streaming service, known for its deep library of films new and old, is the current home to the latest film from an American icon, a clear inspiration for “Minions & Monsters” and one of the best superhero movies of all time.
Here are the three best movies to watch on HBO Max this week.
“Juror #2”
This Fourth of July weekend, you can stream the latest film from one of the quintessential American filmmakers, Clint Eastwood: “Juror #2.” Nicholas Hoult stars as a man who is called to serve on a jury for a case in which he may actually be the guilty party. Though far from his best work, “Juror #2” is a fascinating (and potentially closing) statement from Eastwood, playing with the same themes of morality, family and justice he has grappled with throughout his career.
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“Singin’ in the Rain”
“Minions & Monsters” takes the iconic yellow “Despicable Me” creatures back to old Hollywood as they navigate moviemaking during the transition from silent to sound cinema. The film, a celebration of cinema across the ages, shares some makeup with one of the greatest and most romantic movies of all time: “Singin’ in the Rain.”
This love story between a silent film star (Gene Kelly) and a chorus girl (Debbie Reynolds) features some of the most breathtaking sequences ever put to film, with the titular song being just one of many jaw-dropping musical numbers. It also has some top-tier physical comedy from Kelly and Donald O’Connor. If you or your kids are looking forward to seeing the Minions take Hollywood, be sure to circle back to this decades-old inspiration — one that still plays like new today.
“Superman” (1978)
The mixed critical reception and poor box office performance of “Supergirl” has a lot of people doomcasting over the state of comic book cinema, wondering if the stranglehold franchises like the MCU once held over pop culture has finally dissipated. While tentpoles like “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will surely still turn over a profit, it’s hard to not feel like something in the cinematic sphere has shifted (a process that began well before Craig Gillespie’s Kara Zor-El feature took flight).
If you’re looking for hope for a better tomorrow in the world of superhero cinema, circle back to one of the best comic book movies of all time: “Superman: The Movie.” Richard Donner’s first Christopher Reeve-starring Superman film is filled with hope, whimsy and wonder, endlessly delivering on the central promise that it makes you believe a man can fly. It’s a classic, one that reminds viewers what these films can be at their best.
