While ‘Beetlejuice’ continues its box office reign and ‘Transformers: One’ falls short, Max offers a haven for those seeking quality weekend entertainment. If streaming is your go-to for a relaxing weekend, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve handpicked three underrated movies that are sure to keep you engaged for a good two hours. If you find yourself bored, I’ll punish myself by watching ‘Madame Web’ again. We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and, of course, Max.
Out of Time (2003)
Denzel Washington is now one of the most respected actors working today, but he’s often underrated as an ideal noir hero. In films like ‘Devil in the Blue Dress,’ he displays an easy charm and everyman quality that perfectly suits the genre. That’s especially apparent in the now-forgotten thriller ‘Out of Time,’ Carl Franklin’s 2003 movie that deserves more recognition. Washington stars as Matt Lee Whitlock, a police chief in a small Florida town who gets ensnared in a web of deception. His current girlfriend, Ann (Sanaa Lathan), is caught in an abusive marriage, and to make matters worse, she has cancer. She needs money for an experimental treatment overseas, so Matt steals cash from an unrelated drug bust to help her out. But when Ann and her husband turn up dead, and Matt discovers Ann never had cancer, he uncovers a plot that draws in both him and his ex-wife Alex (Eva Mendes). Will they make it out alive? Or will they run… out of time? ‘Out of Time’ is streaming on Max.
Bad Education (2020)
COVID-19 wreaked havoc on many films, and ‘Bad Education’ was one of them. A potential Oscar-bait film, it was released quietly on HBO Max in April 2020 and was lost amid the chatter about the pandemic. That’s a shame because it features a dynamic Allison Janney and a never-better Hugh Jackman, who has since gone back to comic book movies like ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Wolverine.’ Jackman plays Frank Tassone, a real-life Long Island school superintendent. He’s under pressure as a school reporter is close to uncovering that he and his assistant superintendent Pam Gluckin (Janney) have embezzled millions of dollars to fund their personal expenses. As the noose tightens around Frank’s neck, he’s desperate to hide the truth in any way he can without resorting to violence. The outcome is never in doubt, but it’s immensely entertaining to see Jackman, one of our most suave actors, play a sleazy man slowly undone by his desperate need to be liked by everyone. It’s a terrific, slippery performance, all palm sweat and bad hair gel, and it makes you wish he’d ditch the superhero spandex and play roles more like this one. ‘Bad Education’ is streaming on Max.
Bernard and Doris (2006)
Sometimes, actors who seem like they shouldn’t be in the same movie, actually make for a captivating pairing. That’s the case with ‘Bernard and Doris,’ a 2006 true-crime HBO movie that paired Susan Sarandon with Ralph Fiennes. They star as the titular duo Bernard Lafferty and Doris Duke, a real-life butler and heiress whose close relationship caused tongues to wag and suspicions to be raised. Doris is incredibly wealthy, and Bernard is close enough to her that he can control who she has access to, including her family and lawyers. But is Bernard in it for the money, or does he actually love the eccentric Doris, who at one point was the wealthiest woman in the world? ‘Bernard and Doris’ leaves it to the viewer to decide, but there’s no doubt that Sarandon and Fiennes make for an irresistible pair. You can understand why Doris is drawn to Bernard, and why Bernard is so protective of his relationship with Doris. ‘Bernard and Doris’ is streaming on Max.
