Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To GeekTime is a valuable asset, especially when it comes to streaming movies. I hate complaining about runtime — if a movie can hold my attention for three hours, then by all means do it. I will admit that there are times I want to get in and out with a movie in under two hours. Thankfully, there is an excellent section of movies under 120 minutes on HBO Max.
While all of these movies are worthy of being added to your watchlist, our top selection is a sci-fi masterpiece that transformed into a billion-dollar franchise. Other highlights on this list include an underrated 2018 comedy, an action thriller that revitalized a star’s career, and a rom-com with an excellent twist.
5
Game Night
How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?
Occasionally, I discover a movie that I missed in theaters. Game Night was one of those movies I knew nothing about upon its release in 2018. I caught it when it hit streaming, and honestly, I was shocked at how much I laughed. It’s now officially one of my picks when someone asks, “What’s an underrated comedy I should watch?”
Max Davis (Jason Bateman) and his wife, Annie (Rachel McAdams), are gaming connoisseurs. The couple regularly hosts game nights at their house. One night, Max’s brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), arranges a murder-mystery game. Unbeknownst to the competitors, real mobsters kidnap Brooks, causing a wild night of chaos and tragedy. Jesse Plemons, please do more comedies.
Game Night is 1 hour and 40 minutes.
4
Hell or High Water
Taylor Sheridan writes a thrilling Western
I respect what Taylor Sheridan has done for television. The empire he has created at Paramount+ is beyond impressive. How this man sleeps, I’ll never know, considering he’s constantly writing new scripts and producing new shows. However, I’m probably in the minority when I say that I prefer Sheridan’s feature films over his television shows. I’ll take Hell or High Water over Yellowstone.
In this neo-Western penned by Sheridan and directed by David Mackenzie, Chris Pine and Ben Foster star as Toby and Tanner Howard, two brothers who resort to robbing banks to avoid the foreclosure of their ranch. Leading the pursuit to capture the brothers is Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges), a Texas Ranger approaching retirement. It’s a heist thriller, a neo-Western, and a meditation on morality. Please write more movies, Mr. Sheridan.
Hell or High Water is 1 hour and 42 minutes.
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3
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Rom-coms can have plot twists, too
When discussing the greatest plot twists, you’ll hear names like The Sixth Sense, The Usual Suspects, The Planet of the Apes, and Shutter Island. Although Crazy, Stupid, Love is not nearly as intense as those four movies, it deserves to be on a list of memorable plot twists.
The middle-aged Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is stunned to learn his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), had an affair and now wants a divorce. Despite his best attempts to meet women at bars, Cal cannot overcome the sadness of his divorce. Enter Jacob (Ryan Gosling), the smooth-talking player who takes Cal under his wing. But Jacob starts to question his ways after meeting Hannah (Emma Stone). Even if I know the twist is coming, Crazy, Stupid, Love still makes me smile thanks to its indelible charm.
Crazy, Stupid, Love is 1 hour and 58 minutes.
2
John Wick
The Baba Yaga comes out of retirement
Before 2014, Keanu Reeves was in a slump. He was coming off a 2013 that included two flops: Man of Tai Chi and 47 Ronin. Keep in mind, this is the same guy who starred in Point Break, Speed, and The Matrix. Reeves needed a hit. Little did he know that a revenge movie called John Wick would revitalize his career.
Former hitman John Wick (Reeves) left the criminal underworld to start a new life with his wife, Helen (Bridget Moynahan). After Helen dies, John keeps to himself and quietly grieves. Then, the son of a Russian crime boss (Alfie Allen) steals John’s car and kills his dog. There are mistakes, and then there is antagonizing the legendary assassin known as John Wick. The ensuing action sequences are violent, exhilarating, and impressive. John Wick is now one of the top action franchises in Hollywood.
John Wick is 1 hour and 41 minutes.
1
The Terminator
I’ll be back
You don’t need a two-and-a-half-hour movie to tell a great sci-fi story. You don’t even need a budget of $100 million. Sometimes, you just need James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a great story. Released in 1984, The Terminator follows the titular cyborg assassin (Schwarzenegger) sent back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), a Los Angeles waitress who will eventually birth John Connor, the leader of the resistance in the war against the machines.
Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a member of the resistance, is sent from the future to protect Sarah and kill the Terminator. The ensuing cat-and-mouse chase is a technical marvel, which shouldn’t come as a surprise since Cameron, the talented wizard, is behind the camera.
The Terminator is 1 hour and 47 minutes.
More movies to stream this weekend
If you need another movie on HBO Max this weekend, try How to Make a Killing, a Glen Powell-led thriller that premieres on June 19. If you want a few laughs, head to Hulu for some hilarious comedies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Big Daddy.
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Simultaneous streams
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