By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman
Max, the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, now has more than 200 4K titles (1,000 movies and show episodes) in 4K. Here are the five best 4K titles, in my humble opinion:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The Stanley Kubrick-directed film, which chronicles a government mission to investigate a strange life force in space, is a visual and narrative masterpiece with the director shedding traditional storytelling technique to communicate his vision. To this day, film critics, scholars, scientists and regular film fans still debate the movie’s meaning which some say was a prescient depiction of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence and technology as well as an optimistic view of what lies on the other side of life.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Director Chris Nolan’s angst and adrenaline-fueled drama with Christian Bale as Batman going toe to toe with The Joker, played deliciously by the late Heath Ledger. Nolan takes the comic book genre and turns it into something entirely different with psychological undertones and moral dilemmas. It’s great filmmaking.
Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese’s brilliant 1990 mob drama starring Ray Liotta (RIP), Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro. Ten years earlier, Scorsese made Raging Bull and it seemed improbable then that he could top such a work of art. But he did. Goodfellas has become one of those movies that you can watch over and over and never be bored.
Succession (2018-2023)
Succession portrays the power struggles within a wealthy and dysfunctional family that controls a global media conglomerate. (Yes, think the Murdoch family.) But it’s more than that. It’s modern-day Shakespeare with showrunner/writer Jesse Armstrong channeling the Bard. The show pits the concept of family loyalty against base human desires and comes away with a conclusion that is both fascinating and disturbing.
(Seasons one through three now in 4K. Season four, the finale, will be added in 4K on June 30.)
Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
The fantasy drama series, which is based on the George R.R. Martin novels, became a cult phenomenon with its chess-like plotlines, complex characters, and shocking twists. Starring Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Sophie Turner, Kit Harrington, and Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones is also a beautiful show to watch, the perfect showcase for any 4K TV.
To watch the 4K titles, new customers must subscribe to the ‘Max Ultimate’ plan which costs $19.99 a month. However, current subscribers to the old HBO Max $15.99 a month plan will continue to get access to the 4K titles for at least six months from Max’s launch date of May 23, the company says.
Here is the complete list of titles now available in 4K on Max.
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Idol
2001: A Space Odyssey
2nd Annual Ha Festival: The Art Of Comedy
8-Bit Christmas
A Christmas Mystery
A Christmas Story Christmas
A Clockwork Orange
A Hollywood Christmas
Ahir Shah: Dots
Aida Rodriguez: Fighting Words
Amy
And Just Like That… The Documentary
And Just Like That…
Antlers
Aquaman
Argo
Avenue 5
Bad Education
Barbarian
Barry (S2, S3) *S1 & S4 will be available on June 23.
Batman (1989)
Batman & Robin
Batman And Harley Quinn
Batman Begins
Batman Forever
Batman Returns
Batman V Superman: Ultimate Edition
Betty
Big Little Lies
Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn)
Black Adam
Brené Brown: Atlas Of The Heart
C.B. Strike
Casablanca
Catherine The Great
Chernobyl
Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This?
Coastal Elites
Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show
Cry Macho
Dc League Of Super-Pets
Death On The Nile
DMZ
Don’t Worry Darling
Dune
East Of Eden
Edge Of Tomorrow
Elvis
Empire Of Light
Euphoria
Euphoria: Trouble Don’t Last Always
Expecting Amy
Fahrenheit 451
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore
Father Of The Bride
Free Guy
Friends: The Reunion
From The Earth To The Moon
Game Of Thrones
Gaming Wall St
Garcia!
Giant
Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Kong
Goodfellas
Gossip Girl
Ha Festival: The Art Of Comedy
Hacks
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone
Heaven’s Gate: The Cult Of Cults
His Dark Materials
Holiday Harmony
House Of The Dragon
House Party
I Hate Suzie
In The Heights
Industry
Irma Vep
It Chapter Two
It’s A Sin
Joker
Judas And The Black Messiah
Julia
Justice League
Kimi
King Richard
Kong: Skull Island
Landscapers
Lizzo: Live In Concert
Lord Of The Rings, The: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Lord Of The Rings, The: The Fellowship Of The Ring (Extended Version)
Lord Of The Rings, The: The Return Of The King
Lord Of The Rings, The: The Return Of The King (Extended Version)
Lord Of The Rings, The: The Two Towers
Lord Of The Rings, The: The Two Towers (Extended Version)
Love, Lizzo
Lovecraft Country
Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty
Magic Mike
Malcolm X
Malignant
Man Of Steel
Mare Of Easttown
Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners
Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is
Matrix Reloaded
Matrix Resurrections
Matrix Revolutions
Menudo: Forever Young
Mortal Kombat
Mosaic
Moses Storm: Trash White
My Brilliant Friend
My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood
Native Son
No Sudden Move
Ocean’s Eleven
Oslo
Our Flag Means Death
Peacemaker
Pennyworth: The Origin Of Batman’s Butler
Perry Mason
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
Rain Dogs
Rap Sh!T
Reminiscence
Rio Bravo
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
Rose Matafeo: Horndog
Santa Camp
Scenes From A Marriage
Scoob!
See How They Run
Selena + Chef
Sex And The City
Sharp Objects
Shazam: Fury Of The Gods
- Shazam!
- Singin’ In The Rain
- Sort Of
- Soul Of America
- Space Jam: A New Legacy
- Starstruck
- Station Eleven
- Succession (S1-S3) *S4 will be available on June 30.
- Suicide Squad
- Superman: The Movie
- Sweet Life: Los Angeles
- Take Out With Lisa Ling
- That Damn Michael Che
- The Baby
- The Banshees Of Inisherin
- The Batman
- The Big Brunch
- The Big Shot With Bethenny
- The Bob’s Burgers Movie
- The Bridge
- The Captive
- The Climb
- The Conjuring
- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
- The Dark Knight
- The Dark Knight Rises
- The Deuce
- The Fallout
- The Fastest Woman On Earth
- The Flight Attendant
- The Gilded Age
- The Girl Before
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
- The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
- The King’s Man
- The Last Of Us
- The Lego Movie
- The Little Things
- The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
- The Many Saints Of Newark
- The Matrix
- The Menu
- The New Pope
- The Night House
- The Nun
- The Plot Against America
- The Righteous Gemstones
- The Sex Lives Of College Girls
- The Soul Of America
- The Staircase
- The Suicide Squad
- The Survivor
- The Third Day
- The Tourist
- The Undoing
- The Way Down: God, Greed, And The Cult Of Gwen Shamblin
- The Weeknd: Live At Sofi Stadium
- The White Lotus
- The Wizard Of Oz
- Those Who Wish Me Dead
- Titans
- Tom & Jerry
- Wahl Street
- Watchmen
- We Are Who We Are
- We Own This City
- West Side Story (2021)
- White House Plumbers
- Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty
- Wonder Woman (2017)
- Wonder Woman 1984
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice Is Gray