From action to horror to drama, here are the best new movies hitting HBO Max in January 2023.
New year, new movies! With a change in the calendar comes a change in the film libraries of streaming services. And HBO Max still boasts what's arguably the strongest collection of them all, with a range of feature films from a variety of genres. January sees the addition of one of the best action franchises in modern cinema, some fun comedies, and auteur-driven dramas; to name just a few. Check out the list below to see some of our highlights for this month’s new films.
Director: Chad Stahelski
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Ian McShane and Willem Dafoe
A retired assassin goes to war with the mob after a gangster’s son steals his car and kills the dog left to him by his recently deceased wife. Keanu Reeves reclaimed his crown as an action movie star with this one, creating an iconic new character in this stylish film that redefined action movies for the modern era in this blood-soaked bullet ballet. This month has seen all three John Wick movies joining the HBO Max library, ahead of the release of Chapter 4 later in the year. And what better way to prepare for the latest instalment than by kicking off a rewatch of the saga so far?
Watch on HBO Max
Director: Ari Aster
Cast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd and Gabriel Byrne
Ari Aster’s feature debut announced him as a new auteur of his generation, creating one of the most unsettling, yet compulsively watchable horror films to be released in recent years. After the passing of a family’s matriarch, her daughter (Toni Collette) and grandchildren (Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro) begin to unravel cryptic and terrifying secrets about their family lineage, as their sinister fate begins to close in. Toni Collette gives a tour de force performance that really should have seen her win many awards in this deeply disturbing horror film that will shock and surprise you with every twist and turn. You may find yourself restarting it from the beginning once the closing credits roll – even if it means watching it through your fingers with your jaw firmly clenched.
Watch on HBO Max
Director: Ben Affleck
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Jeremy Renner
Ben Affleck directs and stars in this excellent crime thriller. Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, the leader of a Boston-based crew of bank robbers. As the FBI begins to circle in on them, Doug starts surveying Claire (Rebecca Hall), a bank employee who the crooks took as a hostage during one of their heists, in order to make sure she hasn’t given the police any important information and the two soon begin a romantic relationship. The Town confirmed Affleck’s great talent as a director beyond any shadow of a doubt after his excellent directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, as he deftly handles some thrilling set pieces and pulled great performances out of the ensemble cast; with Jeremy Renner and Blake Lively giving career best turns.
Watch on HBO Max
Director: Drew Goddard
Cast: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchinson, Bradley Whitford, Richard Jenkins
As the title might suggest, this horror comedy takes place in a cabin in the woods as a group of college students head out in the country for a vacation, unknowingly walking into a nightmare that defies explanation. Drew Goddard’s clever reimagining of this horror subgenre is a total blast from beginning to end that will have you both laughing and screaming in equal measure. Come to see a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth, but stay for subversive horror shenanigans and the genuinely hilarious double act from Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins.
Watch on HBO Max
Director: Hugh Wilson
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Sissy Spacek and Christopher Walken
With the Brenaissance in full effect, it’s a perfect time to check out some of Brendan Fraser’s past work, and this charming comedy shouldn’t be missed. Blast From the Past opens in the 1960s during the height of the Cold War, which has caused Calvin Webber (Christopher Walken) to build an underground bunker beneath his house in order to protect his family. When he mistakes a plane crash for a nuclear attack, he moves his family into the shelter where they stay for 30 years due to fear of radiation. But after several decades, supplies start running low, so Calvin sends his now adult son, Adam (Fraser), out into the world for the first time, where he finds the 90s to be a far different place than the 60s. Fraser is excellent at playing the fish out of the water and the film finds a lot of laughs in its man-out-of-time premise.
Watch on HBO Max
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy
Jesse (Ethan Hawke), a young American man, meets a French woman named Celine (Julie Delpy) on a train in Europe, and the two wind up spending an evening together in Vienna, discussing life as they take in the beautiful city; though both know it will likely be the last time they ever see each other. With sublime performances and an excellent script, Richard Linklater’s indie drama sparked the beginning of one of modern cinema’s great romances and most unconventional trilogies; with sequels Before Sunset and Before Midnight each following up around a decade later.
Watch on Netflix
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Laura Dern
Paul Thomas Anderson delivered another masterpiece with this pensive and beautifully shot drama that has allusions to the early days of Scientology. Joaquin Phoenix gives a masterful performance as a World War II veteran turned drifter who becomes entranced by the charismatic cult leader Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and soon becomes entrenched in his following known as the Cause. With brilliant performances across the board and fantastic direction from Anderson, The Master is a truly sublime drama that should be seen by all.
Watch on HBO Max
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