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Tom’s Guide

Technology

Alyse Stanley

Max top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now

Max Max Reed Will Smith Hugh Grant

Spring is just around the corner, but a fresh batch of new movies is already sprouting on Max. With its sprawling library of blockbusters and classic films, Max tops our list of the best streaming services, but when you're spoiled for choice, figuring out what to watch can become a headache.

Whenever I can't decide what to watch next, I head over to Max's top 10 list of most-watched movies. Sure, they're not all guaranteed to be winners, as you can see by 2022's box office bomb "Morbius" making the cut, but it's a great tool for seeing what people are buzzing about.

That's why we've carefully combed through Max's top 10 list to highlight which movies deserve a spot on your watchlist. This includes a psychological horror thriller where Hugh Grant puts on his villain hat, a darling Oscar-winning animated feature, and a sci-fi action comedy that's a blast from the past.

So without further ado, let's dive into the best three movies in Max's top 10 list.

This article is based on the Max top 10 movies in the U.S. as of 11:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 8.

Best movies in Max's top 10

'Heretic'

I expected "Heretic" to be a campy thriller when I saw it in theaters, but it turned out to be one of the smartest horror movies I'd seen in years. While its wordy first half might turn off some viewers expecting a more standard thriller, those who stick with it are in for a haunting yet surprisingly thought-provoking thrill ride.

One of the main selling points is Hugh Grant's performance as the sinister Mr. Reed. While he's played villains before, Reed has more in common with his cheeky rom-com roles, which makes him all the more unsettling.

"Heretic" opens with Reed welcoming two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher of "Yellowjackets" fame) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), into his home to learn more about their faith.

Initially, they're delighted to find someone with such a keen interest in their message, but the longer they stay the more uneasy they feel as his eccentricities become increasingly unhinged.

When they try to leave, they realize they're trapped in Reed's puzzle box of a home. Drawn into a cat-and-mouse game, Reed forces the two missionaries to prove their religious faith and trust in God to escape the situation alive.

Watch it now on Max

'Flow'

"Flow" made history last weekend with its Best Animated Feature win at the Oscars, becoming the first Latvian film to win an Academy Award and sparking a wave of national pride.

For a low-budget film made using free open-source software to beat out animation kingpins Disney and Dreamworks for Hollywood's biggest award, you know it has to be good.

The mostly dialogue-free movie pairs a dreamy aesthetic with peaceful, post-apocalyptic vibes, following a cat's struggle for survival after a catastrophic flood. Fleeing the rising waters, the cat finds safety on a sailboat with a capybara that drifts through the flooded landscape, and the two are quickly joined by a menagerie of other animals.

As the unlikely group navigates their new overflowing surroundings, their relationships are tested and they must learn to coexist peacefully if they are to survive.

Watch it now on Max

'Men in Black'

Sci-fans fans are eating good this month with two classic series arriving on Max: "Ghostbusters" and "Men in Black." And Max users were just itching to get in on the nostalgia, as MIB's first venture has already cracked the top 10 list.

Even up against the galaxy's most dangerous aliens, there is little force stronger than Will Smith's charisma. While Smith's star power in the late '90s was enough to draw people to the movies for anything, "Men in Black" succeeds because of Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as a duo.

The two are iconic as Agent J (Smith), a worldly new recruit at a secret government agency that handles otherworldly threats, and his seasoned partner Agent K (Jones) who keeps his ego in check. Their excellent banter makes "Men in Black" endlessly rewatchable.

When investigating a series of unregistered close encounters, the duo stumbles upon a deadly plot that has landed Earth in the crossfire between two feuding alien species. Surprisingly, the special effects still hold up really well even now, nearly three decades later, with the head-regrowing scene one of many standouts.

Watch it now on Max