The Best Movies on HBO Right Now (January 2023)

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022): A War-Torn Friendship

After the end of the Irish Civil, lifelong drinking buddies Colm (Brendan Gleeson) and Pádraic (Colin Farrell) drift apart. When Pádraic tries to reconnect with his old friend, their relationship takes a twisted turn.

The Banshees of Inisherin received overwhelmingly positive reviews for its depiction of the trauma of a war-torn nation. That said, it's not for the faint of heart.

Don't Worry Darling (2022): When Life is a Little Too Perfect

Alice (Florence Pugh) loves the new neighborhood where she lives with her husband Jack (Harry Styles), but she doesn't remember how she got there. Once she starts asking questions, Alice gets on the bad side of her husband's enigmatic boss, Frank (Chris Pine).

A mix of The Stepford Wives and M. Knight Shyamalan's The Village, Don't Worry Darling is a little predictable, but the strong performances make it worth a watch.

The Witch (2015): The Original American Horror Story

In 17th-century New England, a family is exiled for their religious beliefs and tortured by supernatural forces. When her baby brother goes missing, Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) draws suspicion from her parents, but who (or what) is really behind their misfortunes?

The Witch combines various legends into a genuinely haunting narrative about the hardships of American colonial life. The horror elements arise from what you don't see rather than what's presented on screen.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)—Furriest Dark Comedy Sequel From the 90s

What's weirder than cute furry creatures that turn into monsters if you feed them after midnight? A sequel to a movie with that very premise. In The New Batch, Billy (Zach Galligan) reunites with his mogwai once again to save the town from gremlins.

Most of the cast from the 1984 classic return, including Howie Mandel as the voice of Gizmo. You can also watch the original Gremlins on HBO Max.

The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022): The Belchers Bring It to the Big Screen

When a massive sinkhole appears right in front of Bob's Burgers, the Belcher family's business is once again underwater. Can they get it repaired in time for their grand re-re-re-re-opening?

This long-awaited big-screen adaptation features original musical numbers performed by the show's original cast alongside a few new characters. It's basically a long episode of the show that will satisfy any Bob's Burgers fan.

Nightmare Alley (2021): Guillermo Del Toro's Beautiful Noir

Director Guillermo Del Toro's previous film, The Shape of Water, was a poignant and touching story about two lost souls finding each other and truly connecting despite one of them being a cat-eating fish man. Nightmare Alley is not quite so lovely but is still full of the solid performances and beautiful visuals that make all of Del Toro's work so special.

This movie is an adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel (which received its first film version in 1947) and tells the story of Stanton Carlisle (Cooper), a man with a shady past who finds a good—and potentially lucrative—hiding spot in a traveling carnival. This study of the dark side of an already pretty seedy world is a must-see for fans of noir and Del Toro.

Life of Pi (2012): Best Reluctant Friendship Between a Man and a Tiger

Based on the Yann Martel novel of the same name, Life of Pi is the exciting tale of a young man who survives a shipwreck and finds himself stranded in a rowboat with a single stowaway—a Bengal tiger. Adrift on the Pacific Ocean with no help in sight, the man struggles to sustain himself while forming a bond with his new boatmate. The film is both emotional and charming, with stunning visuals, and it nabbed director Ang Lee an Oscar the year it debuted.

Moonfall (2022): Most Disastrous Blockbuster of the Year

Moonfall takes a silly concept very seriously: What if the Moon crashed into the Earth? Fortunately, astronaut Jo Fowler (Halle Berry) believes that she can stop the impending calamity with the help of a fellow astronaut and a conspiracy theorist.

It's basically a big-budget B movie that resembles the director's other disaster films like The Day After Tomorrow and 2012. If you didn't catch Moonfall on the big screen, streaming it on HBO Max is the next best thing.

The Batman (2022): The Dark Knight Returns Again

Two years into his stint as the caped crusader, Batman (Robert Pattinson) has a lot of enemies, but he also has a deranged admirer known as the Riddler (Paul Dano). As the Riddler goes after Gotham's elite one by one, the city's future is once again in the hands of the dark knight.

With its stellar cast, writing, and action sequences, The Batman is the Batman movie you didn't know you needed. Standout performances include Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman and Colin Farrell as Penguin.

No Country for Old Men (2007): A Chilling Modern Western From the Cohen Brothers

Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel, No Country for Old Men is a modern-day Western and crime drama from the Cohen brothers. When Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone bad, he decides to keep the cash he finds at the scene. But, this draws the attention of a chilling hitman named Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) and a world-weary sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones). Filled with fantastic performances, the film is a dark and compelling morality tale.

No Sudden Move (2021): Soderbergh's Latest Crime Drama

No Sudden Move is the latest crime drama from director Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky, Ocean's Eleven). Set in 1950s Detroit, it's about a bunch of criminals who are hired to steal a document. But when the heist goes wrong, they search for the mysterious person who employed them. The film features a fantastic cast of well-known actors, including Brendan Fraser, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Jon Hamm, and more, and promises to be a noirish period crime caper full of twists.

Between The World And Me (2020): A Timely Adaptation of the Best-Selling Book

Based on the critically-acclaimed best-selling book from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me is a powerful look at what it's like growing up as a Black man in America. Coates frames his book as a letter to his teenage son, and it's as relevant now as it was when it was first published in 2015. The HBO film is part stage adaptation, part animation, and part documentary. It features appearances by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, and many more.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)—A Long Awaited Harry Potter Prequel

When Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) hatches a plot to become Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) employs Newt Scammander (Eddie Redmayne) to stop his old nemesis.

Harry Potter fans have been demanding a standalone story about Dumbledore for decades, and although the movie focuses more on the other characters, The Secrets of Dumbledore is undisputedly one of the best in the series.