Max may not have the large number of new movies every month that it used to have. But the new films that were added in August should make any cinema lover happy. There are some genuine classics and crowd-pleasers in this month’s films. And we’ve narrowed down our selections to the three underrated movies on Max that you need to watch in August.
Our first selection is a French romance that was an international sensation 23 years ago. A pulp adventure hero headlines our second pick before we close out the month with an unconventional adaptation of a beloved children’s book.
Amélie (2001)
You’ll rarely see an image of Audrey Tautou from Amélie where she isn’t smiling. Despite suffering a life of crushing loneliness and tragedy, Amélie Poulain (Tautou) finds a purpose for herself in this French romantic comedy. Amélie decides that she wants to make other people happy in mischievous ways. Some times, that means setting up potential partners to fall in love. On other occasions, Amélie’s practical jokes have the same effect.
But even Amélie wants to have some piece of happiness in her own life. And she may have finally found her kindred spirit in Nino Quincampoix (Mathieu Kassovitz), a young man with quirks of his own.
Watch Amelie on Max.
The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
The Legend of Tarzan had a resurgence of popularity on Netflix earlier this year. And on August 18, it will make its return to Max. The film takes a novel approach by starting after Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) has already left Africa and returned to England with his wife, Jane (Margot Robbie), and reclaimed his real name: John Clayton III, the Earl of Greystoke.
John doesn’t have any interest in being Tarzan again, but George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) gives him a compelling reason to go back to his home. King Leopold II of Belgium and his representative, Captain Léon Rom (Christoph Waltz), are enslaving the people and endangering the animals. George needs Tarzan’s help to prove that, but neither man is aware that Rom has set a trap for Tarzan as part of a larger plan.
Watch The Legend of Tarzan on Max on August 18.
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Spike Jonze was not the obvious choice to bring Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, to the big screen. But this film captures the spirit of the story, as a young boy’s fantasy world comes to life. Max (Max Records) is having a hard time with his mother, Connie (Catherine Keener), and he’s generally being a brat. After a fight with his mom, Max runs off and soon finds himself on the island of the Wild Things.
The late James Gandolfini provides the voice of Carol, the leader of the Wild Things who is somewhat suspicious of Max’s claims to be a king. Max seems less inclined to rule and he’s more interested in having fun with the other Wild Things, including KW (Lauren Ambrose), Ira (Forest Whitaker), and Douglas (Chris Cooper). But the longer Max stays with the Wild Things, the more he realizes that he doesn’t belong among them.
Watch Where the Wild Things Are on Max.
