While the Looney Tunes might be spared from being removed from Max (formerly HBO Max), many other titles will be off of the streaming platform by the end of December 2023. As Leo Rich‘s stand-up show Literally Who Cares ?! and documentary film Time Bomb Y2K join Max, films like Nightcrawler and The Iron Lady will no longer be available to stream in 2024. Here are a few titles worth keeping in mind for those looking for recommendations to watch before they are removed from the streaming service’s catalog.
Nightcrawler (2014)
Leaving on: December 9 | Director: Dan Gilroy
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed
Jake Gyllenhaal is well-known for his roles in twisted thrillers, and his portrayal of Louis Bloom in Nightcrawler is arguably one of his best in this genre. A wannabe videographer, Louis is determined to make a career out of recording footage of crime scenes for TV news. Living out the famous journalism concept of “if it bleeds, it leads”, the protagonist becomes too involved with his work and even gets his hands dirty in the process. Instead of keeping things strictly professional, the lines get blurry when the character’s ambition leads him to cover crime reports that he fabricates. Now, instead of overlooking murder scenes and capturing them on camera to inform people, Louis progressively becomes the subject of his gory stories.
Spotlight (2015)
Leaving on: December 21 | Director: Tom McCarthy
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber
This Academy Award-winner for Best Picture is centered on a group of investigative journalists from The Boston Globe, who work together on a story about sexual assault allegations that were covered up by the Catholic Church. Spotlight shows the ins and outs of the research and interviews with victims, priests, and lawyers that kept this subject hidden from the public eye for years. The plot is based on a real life investigation that won a Pulitzer Prize for revealing a long history of abuse involving one of the most trusted religious institutions in the world.
Garden State (2004)
Leaving on: December 31 | Director: Zach Braff
Cast: Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm
After rising to fame in the hit series Scrubs, Zach Braff wrote, directed, and starred in this cult classic. In Garden State, he plays Andrew Largeman, an actor in his late 20s who returns to his hometown for his mother’s funeral. As he reconnects with his estranged family (especially with his father, played by Ian Holm) and forges new friendships, the protagonist heals old wounds and learns to enjoy life to the fullest. If you are looking for a feel-good with a relatable plot, a memorable soundtrack, and some romance, this one will do the trick. After watching this project by Braff, it’s worth checking out his latest film, A Good Person, starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman.
Precious (2009)
Leaving on: December 31 | Director: Lee Daniels
Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey
Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, this film follows the heartbreaking story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a 16-year-old girl who is pregnant with her second child and with no prospects for a better future. Her two children are the product of sexual abuse that she has endured from her father and her mother only adds to the misery and mistreatment that the protagonist experiences at home. Instead of hearing her mother’s advice to get welfare and quit studying, Precious enrolls in an alternative school and has a second chance to learn how to read and write with Ms. Rain (Paula Patton). The teacher also helps the main character to feel like she can find love and hope outside the hostile environment she grew up in.
Maggie’s Plan (2015)
Leaving on: December 31 | Director: Rebecca Miller
Cast: Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Maya Rudolph
Before directing Barbie, Greta Gerwig used to star in multiple uplifting indie films, including this one. In Maggie’s Plan, Gerwig plays an art career advisor who is determined to get pregnant from a sperm donor in the next four months. Yet, when she meets John (Ethan Hawke), her plan is suddenly sidetracked. Although Maggie’s original intent was to get pregnant in an untraditional way, she ends up marrying John and becoming a parent soon afterward. Three years into their relationship, the protagonist is underwhelmed by her life alongside him and decides to undo their marriage and reunite her husband with his ex-wife Georgette (Julianne Moore). This unconventional rom-com is perfect for film buffs that are into Woody Allen‘s cinematic style.
Shoplifters (2018)
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Leaving on: December 31 | Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
Cast: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Kirin Kiki, Mayu Matsuoka
This Japanese film snatched the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film. Directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu, Shoplifters follows a family undergoing poverty on the outskirts of Tokyo. Osamu (Lily Franky) and his son Shota (Kairi Jō) frequently shoplift to bring food home. After one of their stealing sprees, they meet a young girl locked out of an apartment balcony and take her in. When word goes out that the girl has been missing for over two months, the family decides to do whatever it takes to keep her with them.
The Iron Lady (2011)
Leaving on: December 31 | Director: Phyllida Loyd
Cast: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Susan Brown
Meryl Streep channels former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Her award-winning performance led the actress to land her third Academy Award 29 years after her second Oscar win. The biopic is set during Thatcher’s time as the longest-serving UK prime minister, with a few flashbacks to her girlhood. While tackling some major events that took place while she was in power, the film also follows the political figure in constant conversation with her deceased husband as she tries to overcome grief while in office.
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