Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming for a larger streaming audience. On May 23, the company’s streaming service, HBO Max, will lose the HBO part of its name and officially become just Max – offering both HBO’s premium content and lifestyle content from Discovery+ cable networks including HGTV, TLC, Food Network, and the Discovery Channel.
HBO Max has been a top streaming service for cinephiles, as its catalog includes not only films from major studios like DC, Warner Brothers, and New Line Cinema, but also popular classics from the Criterion Collection and highly sought-after animated films from Studio Ghibli.
For fans of R-rated films, which can offer honesty, grit, and uncensored realism, Max’s catalog has a lot to offer. To determine the best R-rated movies to stream on Max this May, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of early May 2023, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, and ruled out documentaries. Data on streaming availability, also current as of early May, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood. Directorial credits are from IMDb.
Click here to see the best R-rated movies to stream on Max this month
The list contains many cult favorites including indie filmmaker John Cassavetes’s groundbreaking 1968 drama “Faces,” David Lynch’s surreal neo-noir mystery thriller “Blue Velvet,” Stanley Kubrick’s Vietnam War drama “Full Metal Jacket,” and relative newcomer “Nightcrawler,” a psychological thriller written and directed by Dan Gilroy. (Read about Nightcrawler on our list of the 25 best journalism movies.)
Many Academy Award-winning films are available to stream including Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” which swept the 2020 Oscars with five nominations and four wins; Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” which won four out of nine nominations; and the Coen brothers’ Cormac McCarthy adaptation “No Country for Old Men,” which garnered eight nominations and four wins. (Check out all 18 movies by the Coen brothers, ranked.)
50. Chef (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (205,846 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (60,014 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (191 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon Favreau
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49. A Star Is Born (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (355,833 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (20,903 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (527 reviews)
> Directed by: Bradley Cooper
48. The End of the Tour (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (29,804 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (14,648 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (161 reviews)
> Directed by: James Ponsoldt
47. Precious (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (108,197 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (141,258 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Lee Daniels
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46. Faces (1968)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (10,175 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (5,632 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (24 reviews)
> Directed by: John Cassavetes
45. The Full Monty (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (102,609 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (180,151 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Cattaneo
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44. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (601,125 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (93,449 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (355 reviews)
> Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
24/7 Wall St.
43. Predator (1987)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (387,266 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (389,324 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (49 reviews)
> Directed by: John McTiernan
42. Bull Durham (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (51,426 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (51,174 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: Ron Shelton
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41. Win Win (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (53,408 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (32,037 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (177 reviews)
> Directed by: Tom McCarthy
40. Braveheart (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,041,328 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (32,708,456 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (84 reviews)
> Directed by: Mel Gibson
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39. Office Space (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (251,954 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (325,914 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (102 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Judge
38. District 9 (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (654,962 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (1,178,687 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (314 reviews)
> Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
37. The Fly (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (167,978 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (90,069 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (68 reviews)
> Directed by: David Cronenberg
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36. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (67,183 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (46,617 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (30 reviews)
> Directed by: Stephen Frears
35. The Exorcist (1973)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (411,866 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (420,561 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: William Friedkin
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34. JFK (1991)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (158,513 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (62,651 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (64 reviews)
> Directed by: Oliver Stone
33. After Hours (1985)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (64,467 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (22,235 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (56 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese
32. The Verdict (1982)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (38,047 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (10,404 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (34 reviews)
> Directed by: Sidney Lumet
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31. American Splendor (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (48,914 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (44,582 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (187 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Pulcini
30. Richard III (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (14,342 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (7,022 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Loncraine
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29. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (262,239 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (210,008 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (181 reviews)
> Directed by: Ben Affleck
28. Gone Girl (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (908,882 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (128,693 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (365 reviews)
> Directed by: David Fincher
27. The Player (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (57,404 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (20,657 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (64 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Altman
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26. Maria Full of Grace (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (34,635 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (39,744 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (146 reviews)
> Directed by: Joshua Marston
25. Down by Law (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (49,905 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (22,383 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (31 reviews)
> Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
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24. Blue Velvet (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (189,207 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (77,108 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (76 reviews)
> Directed by: David Lynch
23. An Angel at My Table (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (8,041 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (4,505 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (18 reviews)
> Directed by: Jane Campion
22. Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (36,300 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (15,648 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (26 reviews)
> Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
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21. Nightcrawler (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (495,525 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (86,557 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (274 reviews)
> Directed by: Dan Gilroy
20. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (745,547 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (97,896 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (310 reviews)
> Directed by: Wes Anderson
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19. The Green Mile (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,204,006 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (814,054 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (134 reviews)
> Directed by: Frank Darabont
18. No Country for Old Men (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (900,943 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (399,547 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (288 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen
17. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (818,017 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (1,155,878 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (289 reviews)
> Directed by: Danny Boyle & Loveleen Tandan
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16. Platoon (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (395,356 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (240,012 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (69 reviews)
> Directed by: Oliver Stone
15. Argo (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (617,860 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (208,987 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (359 reviews)
> Directed by: Ben Affleck
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14. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (23,726 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (8,243 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (31 reviews)
> Directed by: John Cassavetes
13. Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (81,784 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (495 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (339 reviews)
> Directed by: Shaka King
12. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (28,840 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (9,478 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: Joseph Sargent
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11. The Wrestler (2008)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (296,807 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (140,629 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (233 reviews)
> Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
10. Network (1976)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (152,343 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (36,416 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (70 reviews)
> Directed by: Sidney Lumet
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9. Room (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (392,959 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (49,823 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (317 reviews)
> Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
8. The Terminator (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (820,969 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (776,923 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (65 reviews)
> Directed by: James Cameron
7. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (746,294 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (324,778 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
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6. The Departed (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,241,061 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (738,191 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (283 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese
5. Unforgiven (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (391,927 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (122,861 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (106 reviews)
> Directed by: Clint Eastwood
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4. Memento (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,169,429 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (381,352 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (181 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan
3. Parasite (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (810,722 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (5,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (475 reviews)
> Directed by: Bong Joon Ho
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (954,220 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (279,963 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: Miloš Forman
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1. Goodfellas (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (1,165,874 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (430,048 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (103 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese
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