By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
More than 30 years of experience covering TV technology.
Max, the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, plans to remove 80 movies from its lineup after October 31. Here are four films you should watch before they leave:
Alpha Dog (2006)
Based on a true story, the 2006 drama stars Emile Hirsch as a young drug dealer in a Los Angeles suburb who kidnaps the brother (Anton Yelchin) of a customer who won’t pay his debts. What begins as a truth or dare situation ultimately spins out of control, leading to chaos and tragedy.
Alpha Dog, which has an incredible supporting cast of stars in the making (Justin Timberlake, Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, Ben Foster, Amber Heard), is an absorbing commentary on young egos and misdirected passions. You think it couldn’t happen to you, but this movie says it can happen to any family. This underrated film, which is directed and written by Nick Cassavetes (John’s son), also has Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone in support. Don’t miss it.
Raging Bull (1980)
Collaborating with director Martin Scorsese once again, Robert De Niro delivered an Oscar-winning performance as Jake LaMotta, a troubled boxer. The physical and emotional transformation De Niro underwent for the role is awe-inspiring. Raging Bull remains a pinnacle of cinematic storytelling, showcasing both De Niro’s dedication and Scorsese’s directorial brilliance.
The Exorcist (1973)
The 50-year-old movie makes the list because it’s not available very often on streaming or premium cable channels. (And, in case you haven’t noticed, Halloween is next week!) The horror film stars Linda Blair as a movie star’s daughter whose body is taken over by the Devil himself. (Or herself. Veteran actress Mercedes McCambridge did the voice of Satan). Directed by the recently departed William Friedkin, The Exorcist scared the bejesus out of moviegoers in the 70s and it still holds up today as a great film.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Beetlejuice, director Tim Burton’s 1988 wild, inventive and crazy comedy starring Michael Keaton as a ghost hired by the former (and formerly alive) residents of a house to scare away the new residents. Only Burton (and Keaton, or perhaps Johnny Depp) could have pulled this farce off but it’s a brilliant, hysterical and taut 92 minutes. The great ensemble cast includes Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder and Dick Cavett (!).
Here is the complete list of movies leaving Max after October 31:
13 Going on 30 (2004)
3 Godfathers (1948)
9 to 5 (1980)
Alpha Dog (2006)
Arthur (1981)
Beetlejuice (1988)
Belfast (2021)
Blame It on Rio (1984)
Blue Velvet (1986)
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Cadillac Man (1990)
Calvary (2014)
Cat People (1942)
City by the Sea (2002)
Clean and Sober (1998)
Cloudy with a Chance Of Meatballs (2009)
Come and Find Me (2016)
Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
Dark Blue (2003)
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
Equals (2016)
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
The Exorcist (1973)
Extortion (2017)
The Eye (2008)
The Fly II (1989)
The Fly (1958)
Friday (1995)
From Hell (2001)
Garfield (2004)
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006)
The Getaway (1972)
The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013)
I am Wrath (2016)
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (2013)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
It (2017)
It: Chapter Two (2019)
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Knock Knock (2015)
Leatherface (2017)
Legion (2010)
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
Line of Duty (2013)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
The Long Riders (1980)
Marked for Death (1990)
Martin: The Reunion (2022)
The Meg (2018)
Mirrors (2008)
Morris from America (2016)
My Best Friend’s Girl (2008)
Mystic Pizza (1988)
Neighbors (2014)
Never Goin’ Back (2018)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
No Way Out (1987)
Ocean’s Eight (2018)
The Omega Man (1971)
The Parent ‘Hood
A Prayer Before Dawn (2018)
Pump Up the Volume (1990)
Raging Bull (1980)
The Replacements (2000)
Rock Dog (2017)
Slice (2018)
Sliding Doors (1998)
Sorority Row (2009)
This Is Elvis (1981)
THX 1138 (1971)
Time After Time (1979)
The Time Machine (1960)
Transcendence (2014)
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
Whiteboyz (1999)
Wild Wild West (1999)
Windtalkers (2002)
Wolf (2021)
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
