Many parts of the United States are bracing for one of the worst winter storms in years this weekend. So, what better to do than hunker down with some good movies?
If you’re looking for some snow day watches, Watch With Us has you covered. We’ve got the best movies recently added to HBO Max to keep you warm all weekend.
Our picks include Margaret, a harrowing drama starring Anna Paquin, the ’70s classic Taxi Driver starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster, and Spaceballs, the classic Mel Brooks parody of the Star Wars movies.
‘Spaceballs’ (1987)
When the planet Spaceballs has depleted its entire air supply, its leader, President Skroob (Mel Brooks), orders that the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) capture Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) to hold her as ransom in exchange for her planet’s air supply. However, help is sent for her in the form of a space pilot named Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his doofy sidekick, the dog-man Barf (John Candy). Along the way, Lone Starr learns the power of “the Schwartz,” which he must master before it’s too late.
Though Star Wars is the primary target of lampooning in this classic Mel Brooks parody, several other pop culture behemoths also get jabs, such as The Wizard of Oz, Alien, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Planet of the Apes. While the film received mixed reviews at the time, it’s developed a passionate cult following for its hilarious, goofy send-up of a cinema behemoth, memorable performances such as Candy and Moranis and iconic lines like, “May the Schwartz be with you.”
‘Margaret’ (2011)
While riding a bus one day, New York City high school student Lisa Cohen (Paquin) has an interaction with the driver (Mark Ruffalo) that causes him to accidentally run over and kill a pedestrian (Allison Janney). Wracked with guilt over her role in the woman’s death, Lisa begins experiencing erratic mood swings, most violently directed towards her mother (J. Smith-Cameron). Her attempts to make amends with the driver and the dead woman’s best friend (Jeannie Berlin) face heavy pushback, and Lisa finds herself forced to face the realities of the adult world faster and more drastically than she wants.
Due to studio insistence, Kenneth Lonergan was forced to pare down his preferred version of the film, so if you want the full experience, you’ll want to watch the extended cut of Margaret that’s also available on HBO Max. Don’t worry about runtime — Margaret is a deeply rewarding cinematic experience. Often cited as one of the best films of the decade, Margaret is a psychological and emotional masterpiece that dives deep into the human condition.
‘Taxi Driver’ (1976)
Disillusioned, insomniac loner Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) works nights as a taxi driver in 1970s New York City, growing more and more detached from reality and from human connection. Travis carries crazy ideas about looking to “clean up” the city, but his ideas become even more obsessive when he meets pretty campaign worker Betsy (Cybill Shepherd) and young sex worker Iris (Jodie Foster). Travis decides he’s going to save the world in two ways: by assassinating a presidential candidate and then saving Iris from her pimp.
With each new year comes change, and that’s especially true at HBO Max. The streamer just added a slew of high-quality movies this month, from new releases like the Golden Globe-winning picture One Battle After Another and old classics like Taxi Driver, featuring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. […]
You think a line of dialogue like “You talkin’ to me?” has become so ubiquitous in pop culture that it’s lost its original meaning, but then you watch Taxi Driver and realize that couldn’t be further from the truth. De Niro is absolutely iconic in his unsettling performance as Travis, and Martin Scorsese paints Travis’ world as a nightmarish fever dream of his own making in this tensely moody neo-noir. Watching Taxi Driver in 2025, it still feels as fresh and disturbing as it did five decades ago.