3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (January 31-February 2)

What’s on Max this month? Uncharted, the adventure film starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, is currently the No. 1 movie in the top 10. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Accountant, Dune: Part Two, and The Batman are some of the top blockbusters on the service. Don’t be surprised if the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings franchises find their way to the homepage.

There are more options on Max besides blockbusters. Scrolling through the genre pages, you’ll see hundreds of underrated gems ready to be streamed. Our recommendations this weekend include a Nicolas Cage satirical drama, a psychological dramedy with a Marvel star, and a hilarious comedy from 2010.

We also have guides to 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+.

Dream Scenario (2023)

A24

At TIFF 2023, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage shared the five best scripts he’s ever read in his 45 years as an actor. Leaving Las Vegas, Raising Arizona, Vampire’s Kiss, Adaptation, and Dream Scenario. Written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, Dream Scenario stars Cage as Paul Matthews, a family man and professor at the local university.

In a strange twist, millions of strangers begin seeing Paul in their dreams. At first, the mild-mannered Paul becomes a celebrity and even enjoys the notoriety. Then, the dreams eventually shift to nightmares, forcing Paul to grapple with becoming an unwanted enemy to many. What starts as a quirky comedy becomes a fascinating examination of online fame and cancel culture.

Stream Dream Scenario on Max.

A Different Man (2024)

Sebastian Stan is one of the bravest actors working in Hollywood. He’s one of the few actors to use the cachet of being a Marvel star to his advantage. Stan will play in the MCU as Bucky Barnes every few years and then work with independent filmmakers to film interesting projects that need his celebrity status to get made. In 2024, Stan used his powers to get two movies off the ground: The Apprentice and A Different Man.

Edward Lemuel (Stan) is an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that leaves him with non-cancerous tumors on his face. Believing that his condition is holding his career back, Edward undergoes a medical procedure to cure his condition. The surgery works, and the new-look Sebastian begins a career as “Guy Moratz.” When Oswald (Adam Pearson), a man with neurofibromatosis, wins a role Sebastian dreamed of playing, Guy becomes obsessed with getting his old life back. Stan was rewarded for his fearlessness with a Golden Globe win.

Stream A Different Man on Max.

She’s Out of My League (2010)

Paramount Pictures

Jay Baruchel was a sneaky leading man from 2007 to 2013. Baruchel starred in 2009’s Fanboys, 2010’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and 2013’s This Is the End. The underrated comedy sandwiched in the middle of that run was 2010’s She’s Out of My League. Pittsburgh TSA agent Kirk Kettner (Baruchel) is your typical nice guy. By all accounts, he’s an average dude.

Average guys can attract extraordinary women, and that’s exactly what happens to Kirk when he meets Molly McCleish (Alice Eve) at the airport. Molly appreciates Kirk’s kindness and starts to fall in love with him. Kirk, who is on cloud nine, feels like Molly could never love him, the normal guy. Molly might be out of his league, but she’s not unattainable. Now, Kirk must conquer his insecurities if he wants to make this work.

Stream She’s Out of My League on Max.