By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

Max, the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max, plans to remove more than 50 movies after June 30, 2024. Here’s the three you should definitely watch before they leave, in my humble opinion. (Note that Max is offering a free one-week trial for a limited time. Click here to learn more.)

The Batman (2022)
Just when you thought that the Batman saga had been exhausted, director Matt Reeves stepped up with this absorbing 2022 gem starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader fighting crime in Gotham City. The film, which matches director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy) in moodiness and atmospherics, breaks some new ground with its portrayal of Batman as trauma survivor and Paul Dano as a deeply psychotic The Riddler. The Batman is too dark for the kiddies but it’s a faithful continuation of the graphic comic book series.

Pulp Fiction (1994)
Director Quentin Tarantino’s non-linear masterpiece weaves interconnected stories of crime, wit, and dark humor as only he could. And what a cast! Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken…it just goes on and on. Pulp Fiction, which has often been copied, even to some degree by Tarantino himself, should be in anyone’s list of the top 10 best movies ever. And if you disagree, allow me to retort!

Man on Fire (2004)
Denzel Washington plays John Creasy, a former CIA intelligence agent turned alcoholic who’s hired to protect Pita, the young daughter (Dakota Fanning) of wealthy parents in Mexico City. The seemingly easy gig turns upside down when the daughter is kidnapped in a shootout that leaves Creasy fighting for his life. The subsequent events as Creasy seeks revenge, and the return of the young girl, makes Man on Fire one of the best action pictures of this century. Denzel is magnetism personified as the ruthless former government assassin who employs all his skills to set things right. Christopher Walken is also exceptional as Creasy’s former CIA colleague, as is Fanning as Pita, matching Denzel step for step in several pivotal scenes. The Denzel-Dakota chemistry was renewed last year when the now 30-year-old Fanning had a supporting role in Denzel’s The Equalizer 3. (This time, she played a CIA officer!)

Complete List of Moves Leaving Max After June 30, 2024

Practical Magic
Under the Silver Lake
Pulp Fiction
Behind Enemy Lines
Man on Fire

Killing Them Softly
The Ides of March
Hereditary
A Fistful of Dollars
mid90s

Transformers – Revenge of the Fallen
Immortals
The Lobster
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Eighth Grade

Beauty Shop
Lawless
Deepwater Horizon
Star Trek – The Motion Picture
John Carpenter’s Escape From LA

Source Code
Meet Dave
True Story
Swiss Army Man
Spring Breakers

The Art of Self Defense
The Batman
Barbershop
Moonlight
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms

I, Frankenstein
Date and Switch
The Lodge
The Gospel According To André
Monsters And Men

Naked Lunch
Shiva Baby
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
The Blackcoat’s Daughter
Empire State

Body at Brighton Rock
The Hole in the Ground
Cabin Fever
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever
88 Minutes

Hail Satan?
Escape from Alcatraz
When a Stranger Calls
Anna and the King
Dark Skies
Elizabethtown

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.