Mid-August has a way of sneaking up on you, and HBO Max has so far done a great job of dangling several delicious carrots in front of its U.S.subscribers with movies like and creeping up its top 10 chart (not to mention ).As for this weekend, things are about to get awesome, with the premiere of a new action film I'm personally stoked for.
For starters, though, I've curated a well-rounded roster of movies on HBO Max for the weekend, including Greta Gerwig's pink-splashed masterpiece, a funny new stand-up special/documentary hybrid, a nail-biting horror, and the main event, a new Bob Odenkirk ass-kicker that everyone's going to be talking about.4 Barbie Greta Gerwig's billion-dollar existential comedy I'm not afraid to admit that in the great Barbenheimer war of 2023, I was firmly on team .Sure, that big mushroom cloud finale was cool, but Ryan Gosling serenading Barbie with Matchbox Twenty's was chef's kiss.
Greta Gerwig's satirical take on the world's most famous doll remains the highest-grossing movie in Warner Bros.history, pulling in more than $1.4 billion, and winning the Oscar for best original song (sadly, not for ).The film follows Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie), whose life in the perfect pastel world of Barbie Land is interrupted by dark existential thoughts and weird things happening to her body, like flat feet.
Weird Barbie (the excellent Kate McKinnon) sends her off to the real world (a.k.a.Los Angeles) to see if the little girl playing with her can help.Ken (Gosling) tags along, and while Barbie searches for answers, Ken is smitten by the power of the real world's patriarchy and brings it back to Barbie Land to take over.
Will what Barbie learns about humanity save her and Barbie Land? Barbie PG-13 Comedy Adventure Release Date July 21, 2023 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT Cast Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Sharon Rooney, Ana Cruz Kayne, Ritu Arya, Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, Emerald Fennell, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, John Cena, Michael Cera, Rhea Perlman, Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell, Connor Swindells Runtime 114 minutes Director Greta Gerwig Writers Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig Producers David Heyman, Robbie Brenner, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley Franchise(s) Barbie Main Genre Adventure Budget $145 Million Studio(s) LuckyChap Entertainment, Mattel Films, Heyday Films Distributor(s) Warner Bros.Pictures Where To Stream M Executive Producer(s) Toby Emmerich, Courtenay Valenti, Cate Adams, Josey McNamara, Richard Dickson, Ynon Kreiz Powered by Expand Collapse 3 Whitmer Thomas: Terminal Crew of Dudes A wild and funny comedy special/documentary hybrid Comedian/musician/writer/actor Whitmer Thomas is one of those Swiss-Army-knife kind of performers who can mesmerize audiences on stage or screen with a smorgasbord of jokes, songs, and deeply personal storytelling that gives the whole thing meaning.He demonstrated his prowess at doing this with his first HBO special, 2020's Bo Burnham-produced , which was a comedy special-documentary hybrid that was also a tribute to his late mother.
A hard act to follow, but with his brand-new special hitting HBO Max August 14, , the wild-haired indie darling swaps grief for a beautiful homage to his lifelong best friends.His "terminal crew of dudes," he calls them, are also his band, and they join him on stage in a live performance.Digging into his small-town Alabama roots, the show combines stand-up, songs, wild stories, childhood photos, and home videos, as his crew eggs him on.
It's unique, funny, and a good time. Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge Netflix standup specialsTrivia challenge Think you know your favorite comedians' Netflix specials? Prove it with this quiz. ComedySpecialsComediansNetflixStand-Up Begin 01 / 8 Specials John Mulaney filmed his 2018 Netflix special 'Kid Gorgeous' at which famous New York City venue? AMadison Square GardenBCarnegie HallCRadio City Music HallDThe Beacon Theatre Correct! John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City was filmed at Radio City Music Hall in 2018.The special won Mulaney an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, cementing his place as one of comedy's top storytellers. Not quite — the special was filmed at Radio City Music Hall.
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City was a massive hit for Netflix in 2018, and Mulaney's sharp storytelling earned the special an Emmy for Outstanding Writing. Continue 02 / 8 Comedians Bill Burr's 2019 Netflix special, which was filmed at The O2 Arena in London, is titled what? AF**k Your FeelingsBPaper TigerCWalk Your Way OutDLet It Go That's right! Bill Burr: Paper Tiger was filmed at The O2 Arena in London and released on Netflix in 2019.It was a landmark moment for Burr, as performing at such a massive international venue showed just how far his global fanbase had grown. Not quite — the correct answer is Paper Tiger.Bill Burr: Paper Tiger was filmed at The O2 Arena in London, a huge milestone for Burr that demonstrated his massive international following.
It dropped on Netflix in 2019 to strong reviews. Continue 03 / 8 Specials Shane Gillis released his debut Netflix special in 2023.What is it called? ABeautiful DogsBTater SaladCLive in AustinDGood Guy Correct! Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs was released on Netflix in 2023 and became a breakout hit, helping solidify Gillis as one of the most talked-about comedians of his generation.The special showcased his laid-back, character-driven storytelling style. Not quite — Shane Gillis's debut Netflix special is called Beautiful Dogs.
Released in 2023, it was a major success for Gillis and helped establish him as a dominant voice in modern stand-up comedy.Good Guy came later in 2024. Continue 04 / 8 Comedians Dave Chappelle's 2019 Netflix special Sticks & Stones earned him which major award? AA Peabody AwardBA Grammy Award for Best Comedy AlbumCAn Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety SpecialDA Golden Globe for Best Performance That's right! Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2020.Despite its controversy at the time of release, the special became one of the most discussed comedy specials of the year and further cemented Chappelle's legendary status. Not quite — Sticks & Stones won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2020.
The special was deeply controversial when it dropped in 2019, but it went on to win one of comedy's most prestigious recording honors the following year. Continue 05 / 8 Specials Nate Bargatze's Netflix special The Tennessee Kid is named in reference to what? AA nickname given to him by David LettermanBHis hometown of Old Hickory, Tennessee, and his clean, small-town comedic personaCA song by country legend Kenny RogersDHis high school football nickname Correct! The title The Tennessee Kid reflects Nate Bargatze's roots in Old Hickory, Tennessee, and his wholesome, small-town comedic identity.Released in 2019, the special introduced many viewers to his gentle, relatable humor and became one of Netflix's most rewatchable comedy specials. Not quite — the title reflects Bargatze's roots in Old Hickory, Tennessee, and his clean, small-town comedic style.The Tennessee Kid, released in 2019, was a breakthrough moment that introduced a huge new audience to his warm and relatable brand of humor. Continue 06 / 8 Comedians Anthony Jeselnik's 2019 Netflix special is titled Fire in the Maternity Ward.
What style of comedy is Jeselnik best known for? AObservational, family-friendly humorBDark, shock-value one-liners and anti-jokesCPolitical satire and impressionsDSelf-deprecating storytelling about relationships Exactly right! Anthony Jeselnik is renowned for his dark, meticulously crafted one-liners that subvert expectations and push boundaries.Fire in the Maternity Ward, released in 2019, is a prime example of his signature style — each joke is carefully designed to shock, then twist the audience's assumptions. Not quite — Jeselnik is famous for his dark, shock-value one-liners and anti-jokes.Fire in the Maternity Ward, his 2019 Netflix special, showcases his precise comedic craftsmanship, where every punchline is engineered to catch audiences completely off guard. Continue 07 / 8 Specials Ali Wong's groundbreaking 2016 Netflix special Baby Cobra was notable for what striking visual detail during her performance? AShe performed entirely seated on a stoolBShe was seven and a half months pregnant during the tapingCShe wore a traditional Vietnamese áo dài throughoutDShe performed in total darkness with only a spotlight That's right! Ali Wong performed Baby Cobra while seven and a half months pregnant, which became one of the most iconic images in modern stand-up comedy.
The special was a massive word-of-mouth hit on Netflix and launched Wong into mainstream stardom almost overnight. Not quite — Ali Wong was seven and a half months pregnant when she filmed Baby Cobra in 2016.That image became iconic in the comedy world, and the special's raw, unfiltered humor about pregnancy, relationships, and ambition made it a runaway Netflix hit. Continue 08 / 8 Netflix Which of these comedians released TWO back-to-back Netflix specials in a single year, both filmed on the same night? ABill BurrBNate BargatzeCDave ChappelleDJohn Mulaney Correct! Dave Chappelle released two Netflix specials simultaneously in 2017 — The Age of Spin and Deep in the Heart of Texas — both filmed on the same night at different venues years earlier.It was an unconventional and highly talked-about debut that marked his long-awaited return to the spotlight. Not quite — it was Dave Chappelle who pulled off this unique feat.
In 2017, Netflix released two Chappelle specials at once: The Age of Spin and Deep in the Heart of Texas, both filmed on the same night.It was a bold and memorable comeback move that got the entire comedy world talking. See My Score Challenge Complete Your Score / 8 Thanks for playing! Try Again 2 It Comes at Night Whatever you do, don't open the red door Oh boy, if you're looking for a nerve-shredding psychological sci-fi horror to ramp up your weekend movie night, will do nicely.Here's the deal: The world has been decimated by a civilization-killing disease, and a small family—Paul (Joel Edgerton), his wife Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), and teenage son Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.)—has taken refuge inside a boarded-up house in the woods.
They can only go out during the day, they must wear gas masks, and when they're inside, the big red door stays locked.When Paul and Sarah agree to take in another family—Will (Christopher Abbott), his wife Kim (Riley Keough), and their toddler—weird things start happening.Late at night, the door mysteriously opens, trust starts eroding, paranoia takes over, infection creeps in, horror happens.
This A24 feature from Trey Edward Shults (Apple's ) has a solid 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.It Comes at Night R Drama Horror Mystery Release Date June 9, 2017 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT BUY Cast Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Griffin Robert Faulkner, David Pendleton, Mikey, Chase Joliet, Mick O'Rourke Runtime 91 minutes Director Trey Edward Shults Writers Trey Edward Shults Producers Andrea Roa, David Kaplan Main Genre Horror Budget $2.4–5 million Studio(s) A24 Distributor(s) A24 Executive Producer(s) Joel Edgerton Powered by Expand Collapse 1 Normal Bob Odenkirk continues giving John Wick a run for his money My top pick this week is also HBO Max's biggest score for the month.Bob Odenkirk, who we would normally refer to as "comedic actor" or "'sBob Odenkirk" has been beating that moniker into a bloody pulp with violent action films like and Welp, he's back at it again with , a fisticuffs-filled crime thriller which premieres tomorrow on HBO Max.
From a story written by Odenkirk and 's Derek Kolstad, Odenkirk stars as Sheriff Ulysses, who takes a quiet short-term placement in the small town of Normal, Minnesota, to lick his wounds after messing up on the job, and heal after his marriage falls apart.But if you've seen , you know there's no rest for the weary.When a bank robbery goes wrong, it uncovers the town's dark secrets.
Henry Winkler co-stars as Normal's mayor, as does ' Lena Headey, who plays feisty bartender Moira.Normal R Action Crime Thriller Release Date April 16, 2026 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH RENT BUY Cast Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Billy MacLellan, Ryan Allen, Reena Jolly, Brendan Fletcher, Peter Shinkoda, Jess McLeod, Dan De Jaeger, John C.MacDonald, David Lawrence Brown, Derek Barnes, Megan MacArton, Carson Nattrass, Chad Bruce, Harry Nelken, Bradley Sawatzky, Lauren Cochrane, Takahiro Inoue, Brian Kawakami, Yosuke Mino, Aaron Merke, Alan Castanga, Shannon Guile Runtime 91 minutes Director Ben Wheatley Writers Derek Kolstad, Bob Odenkirk Producers Bob Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad, Marc Provissiero Main Genre Thriller Studio(s) WME Independent Executive Producer(s) Andrew C.
Robinson, Carrie Wilkins, Elan Gale, Ellen Rutter, Glenn D.Feig, Jared Underwood, Matthew J.Anderson, Matthew M.
Welty, Molly C.Quinn, Rhonda Baker Powered by Expand Collapse A solid smorgasbord of movies Pink and existential on Thursday, Odenkirk throwing guys through windows on Friday, nerve-shredding horror on Saturday, and weird, music-filled comedy on Sunday.Or just do you.
When you're done, though, How-To Geek's streaming section has more picks like these every week.HBO Max Subscription with ads Yes, $10.99/month Simultaneous streams 2 or 4 HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more.In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut "HBO" from its name.
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