Furiosa and the best (and worst) movies streaming on Max right now

Furiosa, the latest installment in the Mad Max franchise, is now streaming on Max. The prequel to the universally beloved Max Mad: Fury Road may not have lit up the box office, but fans and critics were taken with the action set pieces and the titular performance by Anya Taylor-Joy.

Furiosa is the kind of film that will only grow in esteem over time, and what better way to expediate that process than by checking out George Miller's latest action extravaganza at home. Max has a ton of great streaming options throughout the month, though, as with films released in theaters, not all are created equal.

We decided to break down the Max releases that you absolutely should check out, and a few that you'd be better off skipping when you scroll by them on the app.

Movies to watch on Max right now

Furiosa (2024)

Release date: Premiered in theaters on May 24, 2024
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, Charlee Fraser

Synopsis: The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.

Watch this movie if: Mad Max is a very specific kind of franchise. George Miller creates a world and a tone unlike any other, especially in the action genre, so mileage will vary depending on how one feels about this tone. That being said, Furiosa contains some of the best action scenes of the year, and the franchise as a whole.

Minari (2020)

Release date: Premiered in theaters on December 11, 2020
Cast: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Will Patton

Synopsis: A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Watch this movie if: you liked Twisters and would like to see the same level of attention character on a smaller scale. Minari was the breakthrough release for Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung, and while the stakes are radically different, both benefit from Chung's ability to tell relatable human stories.

Dune: Parts 1 & 2 (2021/24)

Release date: Premiered in theaters on October 22, 2021/March 1, 2024
Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem

Synopsis: A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.

Watch this movie if: You are a fan of science fiction. Dune is hallowed property for genre lovers, and while the 1984 version has its defenders, the new films have widely been accepted as the definitive screen adaptation. It's easy to see why: the scope is epic, the cast is talented, and the story still hits hard decades later. We can't wait for the third one.

The Lighthouse (2019)

Release date: Premiered in theaters on October 18, 2019
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karamän, Logan Hawkes

Synopsis: Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Watch this movie if: you're a sicko, frankly. Robert Eggers has become one of the defining horror filmmakers of the 21st century, but The Lighthouse is most abstract and aggressive venture into the genre. He really goes full Lovecraft here, and the stylized visuals, coupled with the slowly unraveling performances of the two leads, really help The Lighthouse feel like something beamed in from an alternate timeline.

2 movies on Max to skip

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Release date: Premiered in theaters on May 1, 2009
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Ryan Reynolds, Lynn Collins

Synopsis: The early years of James Logan, featuring his rivalry with his brother Victor Creed, his service in the special forces team Weapon X, and his experimentation into the metal-lined mutant Wolverine.

Why you should skip: Wolverine is a beloved film character, as evidenced by Logan (2017) and the new Deadpool & Wolverine sequel, but woof did his solo franchise get off to a rough start. Despite a game performance from Hugh Jackman, X-Men Origins is one of the blandest, tiresome superhero films to come out of the 2000s (which is saying a lot).

Fantastic Four (2015)

Release date: Premiered in theaters on August 7, 2015
Cast: Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell

Synopsis: Four young outsiders teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe which alters their physical form in shocking ways. The four must learn to harness their new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

Why you should skip: Fantastic Four is getting lots of attention these days due to the upcoming MCU reboot. The last thing Marvel wants you to do, frankly, is dig this failed 2015 version and recall just how tedious and disjointed it is. Despite its talented ensemble cast, Fantastic Four is a slog that was reportedly even less fun to make than it is to watch.

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