One of Warner Bros. bigger releases of the year finally arrives on HBO Max. Mickey 17, Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi black comedy based on Edward Ashton’s novel, hits the service on May 24. One of the film’s legacies will be its box office disappointment. However, Bong remains a master of social critique, and Mickey 17 will find a new life on streaming once more people see it.
Mickey 17 is only one of the many movies on HBO Max. (Yes, HBO Max is coming back.) When you look past the homepage, you’ll find some underrated movies that are worth streaming. Our picks are a Final Destination entry, a Judd Apatow dramedy, and a twisty sci-fi thriller.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Final Destination 5 (2011)
The year is 2025, and a Final Destination movie rules the box office. Is America back? Before Final Destination Bloodlines, the last entry in the franchise was 2011’s Final Destination 5. The fifth movie begins with its trademark premonition set on a suspension bridge.
Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) saves his ex-girlfriend Molly Harper (Emma Bell), boss Peter Friedkin (Miles Fisher), and a few others from dying on the bridge. However, you can’t cheat Death in this franchise, and the Grim Reaper returns with a vengeance. Final Destination 5 plays the hits, but the twist ending provided an effective wrinkle to a tried-and-true formula.
Stream Final Destination 5 on Max.
Funny People (2009)
Funny People is a fascinating movie in Apatow’s filmography. Excuse the pun, but Funny People is not Apatow’s funniest or best. It’s fairly flawed, but the performances from Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen continue to age rather well. After being diagnosed with leukemia, movie star George Simmons (Sandler) returns to stand-up comedy. While at a comedy club, George meets Ira (Rogen), a struggling comedian looking for his big break.
George decides to take Ira under his wing while also fixing the flawed relationships in his life. There’s a great movie in the first half of Funny People, as it focuses on an imperfect man grappling with mortality. Apatow just needs to cut some scenes out of the second half.
Stream Funny People on Max.
Companion (2025)
Released in January, Companion didn’t quite have the same impact as Barbarian. However, Drew Hancock’s sci-fi thriller had some fun moments in this twisty take on a robot movie. Iris (Sophie Thatcher) heads to a remote cabin for a weekend getaway with her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid), and a few other friends.
The next day, Sophie finds herself covered in blood. What happened? Although the trailer spoiled one of the twists, I’ll refrain from saying anything. One of the guests is a subservient android designed to be a companion to another human. We’ll stop there and let you put the rest of the pieces together.
Stream Companion on Max.
