I Dug Up 3 Hidden Gems on HBO Max
I got tired of seeing the handful of buzzy new releases on my home screen. This is why I dug up three older gems on HBO Max for this weekend’s watchlist. Here we have a Swedish coming-of-age classic, a true-story drama exploring the darkest places in the mind, and a Soderbergh thriller you can finish before bed.
Additionally, we have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best free movies, and the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.
Kimi (2022)
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery
IMDb: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Angela Childs, played by Zoë Kravitz, works from her apartment reviewing audio flagged by a smart speaker company. One day, she hears something that sounds alarmingly like a murder. The catch? She’s agoraphobic, meaning reporting the incident would require her to leave her home for the first time in years. This plot unfolds as a tight, paranoid thriller, showcasing the fear that arises when doing the right thing comes at a steep personal cost.
Kravitz’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary, delivering pure panic through her rapid breaths and wide-eyed expressions. Director Steven Soderbergh amplifies this tension with hyper-stylized camera movements, utilizing wide angles and claustrophobic framing that envelop the audience in Angela’s overwhelming anxiety. At under 90 minutes, this film is perfect for a quick yet thrilling watch after dinner.
You can stream Kimi on HBO Max.
The Tale (2018)
Genre: Drama, Biography, Mystery
IMDb: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
In The Tale, Jennifer, portrayed by Laura Dern, is a documentary filmmaker who is compelled to reevaluate her own childhood after her mother discovers an old story she wrote. What initially appears as a cherished relationship with her coach gradually unravels into a darker reality as she begins to confront buried memories. This film highlights the complexities of memory and how it can protect us, yet sometimes at a devastating cost.
Dern’s performance in this film is a masterclass, effectively portraying the emotional turmoil of self-doubt and realization with haunting precision. Inspired by director Jennifer Fox’s own life experiences, every scene resonates more profoundly, often lingering with the viewer long after the credits roll.
You can stream The Tale on HBO Max.
My Life as a Dog (1985)
Genre: Drama
IMDb: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
My Life as a Dog features twelve-year-old Ingemar (Anton Glanzelius), who is sent to live with his uncle Gunnar (Tomas von Bromssen) in a small Swedish village while his mother battles terminal illness. To navigate his grief, Ingemar draws parallels between his struggles and Laika, the Soviet space dog sent into orbit to die alone. His journey of coping involves forming a unique friendship with Saga (Melinda Kinnaman), a spirited tomboy.
This film brilliantly sidesteps cheap melodrama, instead using bittersweet humor to paint how children inherently process grief. Glanzelius delivers a standout performance, demonstrating the raw resilience of childhood without veering into caricature. Even decades later, it remains one of the warmest and most poignant explorations of grief I have encountered.
You can stream My Life as a Dog on HBO Max.
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