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2022 has been a rather slow year for HBO Max, as the streaming giant only put out eight original movies. Half of those are holiday movies that got November and December release dates, meaning there were long periods where fans didn’t see anything new. However, this doesn’t translate to a glaring shortage of content on the platform.
Dozens of original movies have premiered on HBO Max since it was founded. As is the case for every streaming service, only some HBO Max Originals are successes. Through IMDb, which gives an aggregate score of the audience ratings, potential viewers can make the right decision regarding what to watch.
The Fallout’s trailer contains sounds of gun violence.
10/10 Father Of The Bride Is A Better Remake
IMDb Rating – 5.9
In comparison to the 1991 film, Father of the Bride has received better reviews from fans and critics, so this movie remake is better than the original. A major reason for this is because of how delicately Father of the Bride handles the father-daughter conflict.
The premise about parental concerns regarding an upcoming wedding is the same in both movies, but in the original, the father is unhappy with his daughter’s life choice. In the remake, however, there’s some form of understanding. An effort is also made to provide more representation, mainly by including several Latinx characters.
9/10 Let Them All Talk Is A Low-Budget Masterpiece
IMDb Rating – 6.1
Movies with high production costs are visually spectacular, but so is Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk. Revolving around a Pulitzer-winning author who’s writing aboard the Queen Mary 2, Let Them All Talk cost literally nothing to make. Additionally, Meryl Streep accepted only 25 cents as payment for her role (via IndieWire).
Let Them All Talk was shot in under 2 weeks, but the story doesn’t feel rushed at all. With all the events taking place in one location, the focus remains on making the dialogue as rich as possible. The director’s use of a beautiful transatlantic ocean liner as the setting also results in every scene beaming with glitter and elegance.
8/10 There Is A Major Conspiracy In Kimi
IMDb Rating – 6.3
Zoë Kravitz has gotten more recognition for playing one of DC’s best female characters, Catwoman. However, Kravitz is equally impressive in Kimi, which came only a month before The Batman. In Kimi, Kravitz’s character tries to deal with her agoraphobia, which was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and her job editing software.
From the first few minutes, viewers might be tricked into concluding that the proceedings will be tame, but a cat-and-mouse game soon follows after Angela discovers that her boss has committed a crime. Interestingly, she makes this discovery through the company’s smart speakers that she is testing.
7/10 No Sudden Move Makes Good Use Of Its Cast
IMDb Rating – 6.4
An ensemble cast that includes Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, John Hamm, and Ray Liotta is guaranteed to make even the most complex of movies watchable. Additionally, quality can always be guaranteed when one of the best new-age directors is at the helm.
No Sudden Move isn’t exactly at the apex of Steven Soderbergh’s mountain of work, but it’s close because the script plays to the strengths of each actor. Hamm is domineering and composed, whereas Cheadle channels some of War Machine’s wit. As No Sudden Move moves at a slow pace, viewers can easily digest the proceedings.
6/10 Unpregnant Is A Keen Exploration Of Teen Pregnancy
IMDb Rating – 6.5
Buddy road comedies tend to focus on laughs rather than societal issues, but Unpregnant takes a deep dive into reproductive health. In the HBO film, a 17-year-old girl and her friend head to Albuquerque to get an abortion because the state allows girls to do so without parental consent.
Apart from critiquing America’s conflicting state laws, Unpregnant also covers themes such as stalking and poor parenting. Plenty of effort is put into the cinematography, too. Consequently, the journey to Albuquerque seems like a fun road trip, despite Veronica’s feelings.
5/10 Crime Takes Center Stage In Charm City Kings
IMDb Rating – 6.6
Dreams can be faulty, which is just what a 14-year-old boy realizes when he achieves his goal of joining a dirt-biking team in the coming-of-age movie, Charm City Kings. Hoping to look cool, the boy finds himself deep inside the world of crime.
Charm City Kings is impressive because all the cast members have little to no acting experience, yet they deliver beyond expectations. Chief among them is rapper Meek Mill, who had only ever appeared in one movie before. Apart from the performances, Charm City Kings expertly sheds light on the gang culture in Baltimore and how it affects children.
4/10 8-Bit Christmas Emphasizes The Importance Of Gifts
IMDb Rating – 6.7
8-Bit Christmas covers technological advances with a story about a father looking to his past. He narrates a story to his phone-obsessed daughter about how he worked hard to get a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console in the early ‘80s. The majority of the scenes are nostalgic flashbacks.
Thanks to the perfect casting, 8-Bit Christmas stands out among the saturated holiday film genre. Apart from showing how far technology has come, the proceedings remind parents about how much gifts mean to children. Watching the main character struggle to get his own gift is sad, but watching his father eventually realize his mistake is heartwarming.
3/10 A Christmas Story Christmas Is A Great Addition To A Large Franchise
IMDb Rating – 6.8
The Parker Family Saga is still underrated as a franchise, but it remains one of the strongest franchises to date. In 2022, fans got to watch an eighth installment, which revolves around Ralphie as he tries to recreate the memorable Christmas celebration that he experienced as a child.
A Christmas Story Christmas has plenty of callbacks to the original. There’s also the same type of humor that was witnessed back in the ’80s, which is a good thing for fans who hate to see franchises change too much. The visual gags are endless, but they all perfectly fit within the Christmas theme.
2/10 The Fallout Is Sad And Educational
IMDb Rating – 7.0
Gun violence is a delicate topic, so movies and TV shows have avoided it in recent years. However, The Fallout boldly addresses the issue by forcing main character Vada to switch up her life while dealing with trauma.
While showing the difficulties that come with grief and trauma, the teen drama is also able to analyze drug use and sexuality. Since Vada struggles to cope with her emotions, she uses drugs and intimacy to heal. However, these choices lead to more problems, instead of solving the existing ones. The Fallout is a poignant and educational discussion of violence, grief, and mental health.
1/10 Zack Snyder’s Justice League Corrects Earlier Mistakes
IMDb Rating – 8.0
Fans love Zack Snyder’s work, which was proven when they waged one of the greatest-ever internet campaigns to have him finish what he started. Audiences thus got to see a four-hour cut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO Max.
Thanks to the lengthy running time, nothing feels rushed. The presence of more fan-favorite DC characters also makes Zack Snyder’s Justice League feel like a grand event rather than just another DCEU installment. Most importantly, Snyder relies on his strength, which has always been the cinematography, rather than the plot.
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