23 Best Movies to Watch From HBO (Page 2)

Who do our children become once they leave the nest and enter the throes of early adulthood? Who do our parents become when we finally leave them by their lonesome? Many films and TV shows try to answer one question or the other, but rarely both at the same, and not with the kind of nuance, boldness, and compassion Mrs. Fletcher has for its characters. That’s what makes this limited series so comforting to watch, regardless of where you are in life right now. And because it’s often so emotionally exact, it can also be painful to watch--well, painful but healing. Like how astringents heal sore wounds, Mrs. Fletcher is the satisfying sting that validates your innermost hopes, fears, and desires at 19 or 39.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Cameron Boyce, Casey Wilson, Domenick Lombardozzi, Jackson White, Jen Richards, Kathryn Hahn, Owen Teague

Rating: TV-MA

From the creators of Downton Abbey comes another period drama about social climbers and too-big homes. The Gilded Age, set in 1880s New York, follows Marian Brook as she arrives in the big city from a small town in Pennsylvania. Here, in her new home, she navigates her place among the old and new rich, as well as the upper and lower classes. 

It's not the most exciting thing on TV, but its pleasant pace, witty dialogue, and relatively low stakes make it a soothing but still stimulating watch. The grand costume and production design also make The Gilded Age a visual delight; all in all, a good period drama to lose yourself into. 

Genre: Drama, History

Actor: Blake Ritson, Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Denée Benton, Harry Richardson, Jack Gilpin, Louisa Jacobson, Morgan Spector, Simon Jones, Taissa Farmiga, Thomas Cocquerel

Rating: TV-MA

With the world of Dune regaining prominence through Denis Villenueve’s take, it’s no surprise that Max would want to expand on the franchise with Dune: Prophecy, a series centered around the creation of the ever-mysterious Bene Gesserit. It’s an interesting premise, considering the strange, supernatural powers that the fictional religious sect has, and it plays up to HBO’s favorite topics of power, deception, and royalty in the new world crafted by Villenueve, and the prequel novels written by the original author’s son Brian Herbert. There are some anachronicities to the series– after all, technology ten thousand years from Paul should feel a bit more different– but with the excellent performances of Emily Watson and Olivia Williams, Dune: Prophecy would be a series that might not match up to the films, but would be entertaining for true Dune fans.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Aoife Hinds, Chris Mason, Emily Watson, Jodhi May, Josh Heuston, Mark Addy, Mark Strong, Olivia Williams, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Travis Fimmel

Rating: TV-MA

The Franchise is a funny enough spoof attacking the oversized production and interest surrounding big-budget movies and their never-ending sequels. Marvel is the most obvious target (the studio in the show is named Maximum), but it more generally aims at an industry that puts profit and exploitation before art and wellness. In that regard, it doesn’t feel as sharp or fresh as it should be. Many other shows, from The Comeback to Episodes, have already given us their darkly funny behind-the-scenes take on Hollywood with much more depth and nuance. And making fun of Marvel, at this point, feels overdone—everyone, even the most rabid fan, is in superhero fatigue mode. Still, The Franchise makes for an entertaining watch. Daniel Brühl, playing the eccentric auteur Eric, and Billy Magnussen, playing the airhead lead Tecto, are especially funny, while Patel and Adefope are the easiest to follow and relate to. It’s never laugh-out-loud hilarious or profoundly thought-provoking. But it is an accurate and amusing spoof, one that could (and hopefully) grow into itself in the following seasons.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Aya Cash, Billy Magnussen, Daniel Brühl, Darren Goldstein, Himesh Patel, Isaac Powell, Jessica Hynes, Lolly Adefope, Richard E. Grant

Rating: TV-MA