5 great (HBO) Max movies you need to watch in the summer
The summer months are a great time for movies. From May to mid-August, studios will release their top blockbusters of the year in hopes of churning a huge profit. Sequels, horror movies, superhero tentpoles, and action spectacles are what you’ll typically see at the theater. This summer alone has featured Inside Out 2, Longlegs, Despicable Me 4, and Deadpool & Wolverine.
All four of these films are currently in theaters. But in the streaming era, consumers don’t have to leave their homes to experience summer movies. Max hosts hundreds of movies on its service, including blockbusters tailor-made for this time of year. Our five picks for movies to watch during the summer include a superhero origin story, a supernatural thriller, and a brilliant sequel.
Deadpool (2016)
There’s a good chance that 2024 might go down as the year of Deadpool. The Merc with the Mouth made his MCU debut in Deadpool & Wolverine. After a record-breaking domestic opening weekend of $211 million, Deadpool & Wolverine is on track to become the highest-grossing movie of the year. If you’re on a Wade Wilson kick, you can travel back to the beginning with the film that started it all, Deadpool.
Former Special Forces operative Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) spends his days working as a mercenary. After getting cancer, Wade seeks experimental treatment at a lab run by scientist Ajax (Ed Skrein). Wade becomes a lab rat, as the evil Ajax runs experiments on him, pushing him to the brink of death.
The experiments disfigure Wade and turn him into a mutant with regenerative healing. Hell-bent on revenge, Wade puts on the red-and-black suit, transforming into the foul-mouthed Deadpool, a one-of-a-kind superhero who turns the genre upside down.
Stream Deadpool on Max.
Twister (1996)
1996. 2024. No matter the year, America loves its disaster movies. This summer marked the arrival of Twisters, an epic storm-chasing adventure starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos. Audiences flocked to the theaters and made Twisters the No. 1 movie in America upon its release. Twisters is a standalone sequel to the next title on the list, Twister. Twenty-eight years later, Twister still rules.
Since she was a little girl, Dr. Jo Harding (Helen Hunt) has been obsessed with tornadoes. Now, she’s putting her obsession to good use, as she heads a research team that studies tornadoes. Jo’s team is ready to deploy Dorothy, a revolutionary device that will provide groundbreaking data to help better understand these storms.
Fittingly, Bill Harding (Bill Paxton), Joe’s estranged husband and the inventor of Dorothy, shows up right before the team goes on a storm chase. Wanting to see his invention in action, Bill joins the team for one last chase of epic proportions.
Stream Twister on Max.
Signs (2002)
M. Night Shyamalan is a fascinating filmmaker. Known for his signature twist endings, Shyamalan has been leaving audiences speechless for over two decades. Admittedly, Shyamalan’s films are extremely hit-or-miss. When Shyamalan’s films work, you get The Sixth Sense and Signs, the latter being the next title on this list.
After his wife dies in a car accident, Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) abandons the priesthood, giving up on his faith. His beliefs are further tested when crop circles appear in his field. Unfortunately for Graham and his family, these crop circles are signs of extraterrestrial life, signaling the start of an alien invasion. Signs is Shyamalan’s best atmospheric horror film, full of legitimate scares and thrills.
Stream Signs on Max.
Aliens (1986)
August brings forth Alien: Romulus, the next nightmare in the Alien franchise. While Romulus could be superior to Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, and Alien: Covenant, it might be damn near impossible to surpass the critical acclaim of Aliens. Just when you thought nothing could beat Ridley Scott’s Alien, James Cameron said, “Hold my beer,” and helmed one of the best sequels ever.
Fifty-seven years after Alien, Lt. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is rescued by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. After a quick debrief, Ripley is recruited to join a team of Marines traveling to a colony on LV-426. Shortly after arrival, Ripley’s worst fears come true when aliens invade the colony, leaving only one survivor, a small girl named Newt (Carrie Hen). The Marines are overpowered and outmatched by the aliens. Only Ripley knows how to survive, meaning she must lead the group off the planet and back to safety. Let the alien-fighting action begin.
Stream Aliens on Max.
Major League (1989)
Baseball and summertime go together like peanut butter and jelly. There’s nothing better than heading to the stadium, grabbing a hot dog, and watching baseball. Unfortunately for fans of the Cleveland Indians in Major League, their team is the worst in baseball. New owner Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton) wants the fans to abandon the team. If the attendance craters, Phelps can relocate the franchise to Miami.
To ensure a losing season, Phelps guts the team of its stars and replaces them with aging veterans and unproven rookies. Some of these players include Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger), a catcher with bad knees; Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen), an infielder on the verge of retirement; and Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), a flame-throwing pitcher with no control.
Initially, Phelps’ plan to throw the season works, as the team loses frequently. Once the players learn about the Miami plan, they rally together and turn their season around. For the Indians, there’s only one thing left to do: win the whole thing.
Stream Major League on Max.
