Top 10 Movies To Watch This Week on HBO Max | July 27-August 2, 2025

So you’re stuck in scrolling purgatory again, huh? Endlessly thumbing through HBO Max, hoping something jumps out. We’ve been there. That’s why we pulled together the Top 10 Movies you would actually want to watch this week—no fluff, no filler. Whether you’re into thrillers, rom-coms, or indie gems, there’s something worth hitting play on. Here’s your movie cheat sheet for July 27-August 2, 2025 —because your time is too valuable for another “meh” movie night.

1. A Minecraft Movie (2025)

Yes, it’s real. Yes, it’s weird. And somehow… it kind of rules?

The Minecraft Movie drops four ordinary kids into the Overworld—a blocky, bonkers dimension full of creepers, portals, and the kind of danger you can only solve with redstone and sheer chaos. Luckily, they’ve got help from a certain blocky legend: Steve (voiced by Jack Black, obviously).

Jason Momoa plays a reluctant hero with a pickaxe. There are chickens. There are explosions. And yes, the whole thing feels like a Red Bull-fueled fever dream—but in the best way.

If you’ve ever rage-quit a survival server, this one’s for you.

2. Sinners (2025)

Twin brothers. A haunted juke joint. And vampires lurking in the Mississippi night.

Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler goes full gothic in Sinners, blending deep Southern folklore, blues music, and sharp-toothed horror. Michael B. Jordan pulls double duty as the twins—one calm, one spiraling—and Hailee Steinfeld brings the heat in a story about family, guilt, and monsters that don’t stay buried.

The vibe is From Dusk Till Dawn meets Eve’s Bayou, with smoky visuals and a killer vinyl soundtrack. It’s brutal, gorgeous, and strangely soulful.

One of the best horror swings this year. No question.

3. Kandahar (2023)

Gerard Butler once again finds himself stuck behind enemy lines, but this time it’s not just about blowing things up—it’s about surviving long enough to get home.

Kandahar follows a CIA operative and his Afghan translator as they cross hostile desert terrain while dodging foreign agents, assassins, and everything else trying to kill them before they reach extraction. It’s intense, dusty, and surprisingly emotional.

If you liked Sicario but wished it had more motorcycles and sandstorms, this is your lane. Also: Butler yells into a satellite phone. Which is basically its own genre at this point.

4. Wicked (2024)

Before Dorothy dropped in, there were two girls in Oz: one green, one blonde, and both destined for way more drama than flying monkeys.

Wicked finally brings the Broadway juggernaut to the screen, with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. The songs hit, the visuals sparkle, and Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum sprinkle in the legendary vibes.

It’s big, magical, and definitely made to watch with your loudest friends and a karaoke mic nearby.

If you ever secretly rooted for the Wicked Witch, this is your moment.

5. Arrival (2016)

What if the most important alien contact moment in human history came down to… grammar?

Arrival is haunting, cerebral sci-fi at its best. Amy Adams plays a linguist trying to decode a mysterious alien language before the world spirals into chaos. There’s no laser guns, no space battles—just quiet urgency, emotional gut-punches, and one of the best third acts in the genre.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Blade Runner 2049), this one’s all mood, all meaning, and somehow still a thrill.

Watch it. Then sit in silence for 20 minutes afterward wondering what time even is.

6. Babygirl (2024)

Nicole Kidman is a CEO with everything under control—until her intern walks in wearing a tie and bad intentions.

Babygirl dives straight into power, desire, and the complicated mess that happens when those two things collide. It’s steamy, sharp, and completely unafraid to make you uncomfortable. Kidman plays it fierce and vulnerable, and Harris Dickinson brings just enough danger to keep you guessing.

It’s not your standard age-gap romance. It’s bolder. Smarter. Weirder. And yeah—there’s a Botox scene you will not forget.

Watch with caution. Or curiosity.

7. Final Destination (2000)

A kid sees a vision of a plane crash, freaks out, saves his friends—and then Death gets… creative.

Final Destination is early 2000s horror at its peak: edgy, slick, and full of ridiculous (but genius) ways to die. It’s the movie that made people side-eye power lines, shower curtains, and literally every kitchen appliance.

Devon Sawa’s panic sells it. Ali Larter’s scream queen era is real. And Tony Todd shows up with some seriously cryptic funeral vibes.

It’s fun, fast, and still makes you nervous in traffic.

8. Final Destination 2 (2003)

Bigger premonition. Bloodier kills. Way more trucks.

In Final Destination 2, a highway pileup vision saves a new batch of almost-victims—until Death starts getting clever again. Think flying pipes, exploding air bags, and a dentist visit you will never emotionally recover from.

Ali Larter’s back. The Rube Goldberg chaos is dialed way up. And somehow, it’s even more fun than the first one.

You’ll never look at logging trucks the same way again.

9. Man of Steel (2013)

Superman gets the moody reboot treatment—and honestly? It slaps.

Man of Steel gives us a grittier, more conflicted Clark Kent, played with quiet intensity by Henry Cavill. There’s childhood trauma, alien flashbacks, Kevin Costner wisdom, and then BOOM—Zod shows up, and cities start falling.

It’s directed by Zack Snyder, so expect slow-mo, destruction, and enough visual flair to make your screen sweat. Some fans love it. Some still argue about it online.

Either way, it gave the cape some much-needed edge.

10. The Northman (2022)

A Viking revenge saga that goes way harder than you’re expecting.

Alexander Skarsgård plays a berserker prince out to avenge his father’s murder, and he does it by going full beast mode—mud, blood, and ancient prophecy included. Anya Taylor-Joy is the witchy wildcard. Nicole Kidman plays a queen with secrets. And yes, Björk is in this. Because of course she is.

Director Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch) brings the folklore and fury in equal measure. This one’s brutal, operatic, and somehow still poetic.

If you want Shakespeare with axes, it doesn’t get better than this.

And That’s a Wrap

There you go—ten HBO Max picks that run the gamut from pixelated portals (A Minecraft Movie) to full-blown Viking vengeance (The Northman). You’ve got breakout horror (Sinners), brooding superhero reboots (Man of Steel), and musicals so sparkly they need their own warning label (Wicked).

Need a dose of existential sci-fi? Arrival will bend your brain. Craving something a little spicier? Babygirl brings the heat and the drama. And if you’re just here for the chaos of creative death scenes, the Final Destination franchise is standing by with a shopping cart and a log truck.

Whether you’re in the mood to sing, scream, think, or just vibe with some vampires—this week’s lineup has something that’ll hit.

Pop the popcorn. Log in. Embrace the weird.