Sometimes, the best weekend plans are just chilling inside on your couch with a great movie on streaming.
HBO Max is one of the best platforms around, with one of the best movie libraries. They have Old Hollywood classics dating back to the early 20th century, and brand-new hits like One Battle After Another.
This week, Watch With Us recommends three movies that we feel are slightly under the radar, but no less deserving of your attention.
Our first pick is Just Mercy, a biographical legal drama starring Michael B. Jordan.
‘Just Mercy’ (2019)
Based on the real life of defense attorney Bryan Stevenson (Jordan), Just Mercy explores Stevenson’s work after graduating from Harvard, becoming a defender for people wrongfully convicted and awaiting death row. In particular, the film focuses on Stevenson’s time defending Walter McMillan (Jamie Foxx), a Black man who was sentenced to die in 1987 for the murder of a teenage girl, despite evidence that exonerates him. Stevenson jumps through many hurdles and battles legal bureaucracy and systemic racism as he works tirelessly to ensure Walter’s freedom.
Just Mercy is solid docudrama filmmaking that speaks to the injustices that still persist in our legal system to this day. Both Foxx and Jordan give commanding performances, and they are flanked by a terrific cast that includes Brie Larson, Tim Blake Nelson and O’Shea Jackson Jr. The film manages to be both poignant and informative; a powerful narrative that is as well-crafted as it is urgent.
‘My Cousin Rachel’ (2017)
When young Englishman Philip (Sam Claflin) finds his cousin Ambrose (Deano Mitchison) dead, he vows revenge against his cousin’s wife, Rachel (Rachel Weisz), whom he believes is responsible for his death. However, Philip had never met Rachel before, and when he finally comes face to face with his enemy, he finds his mood suddenly swayed by her charms and beauty. Philip’s fondness for Rachel grows from innocent attraction to an all-encompassing obsession — all the while, Rachel begins plotting a scheme to take control of her late husband’s estate that rightfully belongs to Philip.
Based on Daphne du Maurier’s classic 1951 novel of the same name, My Cousin Rachel features Weisz in a captivating performance that the actress seems born to play, rivaling that of Old Hollywood actress Olivia de Havilland, who played the same part in the 1952 version. Rich in atmosphere, confidently directed and featuring some gorgeous cinematography, the film is a sumptuous romantic mystery that’s a must-watch for any period drama fans (or fans of du Maurier adaptations).
‘Open Water’ (2003)
Based loosely on true events, Open Water follows newly certified scuba divers Daniel (Daniel Travis) and Susan (Blanchard Ryan), who join a scuba-diving group during their relaxing, tropical vacation. While on a group dive with their new friends, the couple separates from the group to explore a little further, but when the rest of the group returns to the boat, Daniel and Susan are left behind. Now stranded in the middle of shark-infested waters, they struggle to seek help elsewhere as their window of survival time rapidly closes.
Open Water is a captivating and thrilling minimalist survival horror, an impressive low-budget film that does a lot with very little. Heaping on the tension, atmosphere and a pervasive sense of dread, Open Water gets under your skin and makes you feel like you’re stranded out in the open ocean alongside the characters. If you love small-scale survival movies like Fall and Buried, be sure to check out this chiller.
