HBO Max is a new station on HBO that offers a variety of movies and TV shows that are not available on the old HBO.com. The station will be playing everything from some of the best documentaries to some good dramas and comedies.
This blog post will list six of those great docu-films from HBO Max and describe some fun facts about each one and their reviews from Rotten Tomatoes.
Six Best Documentaries on HBO Max:
1. Everything Is Copy (2016)
Nora Ephron passed away due to leukaemia in 2012. Still, her legacy continues to live on through the film “Everything is Copy”, which chronicles her success and impact on big Hollywood stars.
In the documentary, Jacob Bernstein and Nick Hooker take a closer look at how Nora Ephron impacted the careers of Hollywood’s brightest stars. The film explores her life and achievements. How she helped break down barriers for women in Hollywood and brought them opportunities they never had before and her relationships with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Through personal interviews, it becomes clear that Nora had a hand in modifying the system in meaningful ways before, during, and after her death.
2. André the Giant (2018)
HBO’s documentary André the Giant presents a view on sports entertainment through the life of the French wrestler André Roussimoff. He was revered for his size but also respected for his ability to influence the world of wrestling. He debut on screen in The Six Million Dollar Man and from there went on to star in many films.
3. A Dangerous Son (2018)
Liz Garbus, a veteran documentary filmmaker and Emmy Award-winning producer, is undeniably talented. This time around, she uses her talents to bring us an essential and profoundly concerning issue in her docu-film A Dangerous Son.
The film focuses on the ever-present struggles surrounding 3 families, in particular, with children affected by severe mental and emotional illnesses, few resources and no support. It exposes the system with all its flaws and dramatic consequences.
4. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” is an insightful documentary about the life of one of America’s most beloved television personalities, Fred Rogers. Fun fact: Rogers was ordained as a minister before he became associated with children’s TV.
The film explores how Rogers’s messages have evolved in the current media landscape, often dark and divisive. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” shows how his dedication to simplicity and empathy are just as relevant today as they were when his program first aired in 1968?
As society pivots away from consensus-driven attitudes towards individualism, this documentary should serve as a model for what we should teach our children.
5. At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (2019)
This film is a harrowing, tragic, and infuriating story about the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the USA Gymnastics national team and Michigan State University. Though it’s hard to tell how many people were affected by this tragedy, there’s no denying that it has completely changed the lives of those closest to it.
The film looks at victims who were sexually abused by one of their closest family friends and trusted members of their teams’ staff. It explores his manipulative behaviour and brazenness with authorities and how he could go on for so long without getting caught.
Unfortunately, this is just one of the heartbreaking stories victims have to share on camera while trying to heal. It’s terribly difficult to watch some of these stories.
6. Hoop Dreams
Suppose you want to see what it’s like to be a professional basketball player. In that case, Hoop Dreams is the documentary for you. It follows the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who dream of becoming professional basketball players, and it takes you on their journey.
The film focuses on the first five years of their high school careers. The first half of the movie tells of their recruitment from junior high. One of the boys is from a very poor family and attends a school that doesn’t have enough resources to support him. In contrast, his teammate attends a private school where he plays as a small forward.
The film shows how each player’s life progressed after high school and where they ended up after college.
As a documentary, it is incredibly well done and quite entertaining to watch. This is not a film for everyone, however. It is a very graphic docu-film in its depiction of sport and youth culture in inner-city Chicago.
Conclusion
If you are an interested and curious person, documentaries are the thing for you. Here we have selected a range that covers very different but significant genres of docufilms. Surely there’s one that will tickle your fancy, otherwise HBO Max has many, many more for you to choose from!
