By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on & X.
Former Sony employee and editor of 4 TV magazines.
Max, the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, plans to remove 73 movies from its lineup after Sunday, March 31. Here are three great ones you should watch before they leave:
Citizen Kane (1941)
Orson Welles was a mere 25 years old when he directed Citizen Kane, a film widely regarded as one of the greatest in cinematic history. The movie is about an entitled millionaire (the story from Welles and Herman Mankiewicz is based on media tycoon William Randolph Hearst) who uses his fortune and newspaper holdings to win and influence people. But it’s really a tale of lost dreams, something the mercurial Welles experienced personally throughout his uneven albeit spectacular career.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
The classic and controversial black comedy about behavioral manipulation from director Stanley Kubrick stars Malcom McDowell as a teen thug in futuristic Britain whose hedonistic life is suddenly disrupted when the government injects him with anti-violence drugs. The film is often accused of promoting violence and nihilistic behavior. But Kubrick’s point here is that every living creature (evil and good) longs for freedom, regardless of the individual and societal consequences. It’s a thought-provoking and, sometimes, disturbing film that serves as an exhibit for Kubrick’s extraordinary talents.
Se7en (1995)
Director David Fincher’s excellent neo-noir thriller stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as detectives searching for a serial killer who’s obsessed with the Seven Deadly Sins. The 1995 movie is an early peek at the brilliance of Fincher and you don’t want to miss the powerful performance of the guy who plays the killer. No spoilers here.
Honorable mentions: Full Metal Jacket, The Verdict, Revolutionary Road, Winter’s Bone, Jennifer’s Body.
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Complete List of Movies Leaving Max After March 31
A Day in the Country (1946)
Across the Universe (2007)
The Animal (2001)
The Answer Man (2009)
The Benchwarmers (2006)
The Big Wedding (2013)
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)
Cesar Chavez (2014)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Class Action (1991)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Control Room (2004)
Coraline (2009)
The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
Drive Me Crazy (1999)
Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
Dutch (1991)
Evan Almighty (2007)
Fast Food Nation (2006)
Firestorm (1998)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
George Stevens: A Filmmaker’s Journey (1984)
Ghost (1990)
The Golden Child (1986)
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
Harriet The Spy (1996)
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)
I Was a Teenage Zombie (1987)
In Vanda’s Room (2000)
Ismael’s Ghosts (2018)
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Johnny Dangerously (1984)
Late August, Early September (1998)
Lean On Me (1989)
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
The Lego Movie (2014)
Life As We Know It (2010)
Major Barbara (1941)
Millennium (1989)
Mon Oncle D’Amerique (1980)
My Life as a Dog (1985)
The Naked Kiss (1964)
Pépé le Moko (1937)
Pootie Tang (2001)
Post Grad (2009)
The Pyramid (2014)
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1937)
Revolutionary Road (2009)
The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934)
Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
Rookie of the Year (1993)
Se7en (1995)
Six Days, Seven Nights (1998)
Smallfoot (2018)
The Soloist (2009)
Strange Days (1995)
Sunset Strip (2000)
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)
Taken 3 (2015)
Tanner ’88 (1988)
Teen Wolf (1985)
Teen Wolf Too (1987)
Traffik (2018)
Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos (Aka A Brave Little Rooster) (2015)
Unfaithfully Yours (1984)
Upgrade (2018)
The Verdict (1982)
A Walk In The Woods (2015)
Wedding Crashers (2005)
Whose Streets? (2017)
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Winter’s Bone (2010)
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.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
