HBO Max: quick links
HBO Max: new this week
Bookish (16 July)
Series. In post-war London, Gabriel Book, a literary enthusiast and bookseller, combines his day job with his favourite hobby – helping solve knotty murder cases. Although happily married to his best friend Trottie, Book is a gay man at a time when homosexuality was illegal. When a new assistant, Jack, arrives at the book shop, it soon becomes clear his appointment wasn’t as random as it at first seems. Created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Watch the trailer.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes (19 July)
Two-part documentary. An expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting. With unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews, the documentary intimately explores the life and work of Joel, whose music has endured across generations.
HBO Max: recently added
Back to the Frontier (10 July)
Reality series. Can three modern families survive life on the frontier? From Wall to Wall, pioneers of immersive, living history programming, comes a bold new series that transports three very different families back in time to the 1880s American prairie.
Leaving behind the comforts of the 21st century, they arrive by wagon train, ready to take on every aspect of frontier life: building homesteads, raising animals, growing crops, and even celebrating like it’s 1889. Watch the Max trailer.
Superman Through the Years (8 July)
Documentary. Revisit the legacy of the original superhero before he soars onto the big screen once again. From Christopher Reeve’s legendary portrayal in Superman: The Movie and Superman II, to animated favourites like Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, there’s something for every fan.
Sinners (4 July)
Film (2025). Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler. Starring Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell and Wunmi Mosaku. Watch the trailer.
From the ScreenHub review: ‘Understanding music as a form of connection to your ancestral culture is the key to understanding this film, and leaves all the vampire carnage as something of an afterthought. But it is certainly tonnes of fun to watch the fanged horror unfold, and Coogler makes it all make perfect sense, with each side of the film complimenting the other like catfish and cornbread.’
‘Aside from being a certified barn-burner at the cinema, Sinners is also a very good looking film (and no, I’m not just talking about Michael B. Jordan). Shot by cinematrographer Autumn Durald on IMAX cameras, it’s worth the extra bucks to see this beautiful flick on the largest screen imaginable.’
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (3 July)
Animated film (2025). In this sequel to Batman Ninja, the Batman family has returned to the present to discover that Japan has disappeared, and a giant island – Hinomoto – is now in the sky over Gotham City.
Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print (3 July)
Documentary. Launching its first trailblazing issue in 1972 and still publishing today, Ms. magazine revolutionised the feminist movement, igniting provocative conversations about issues that impact women, from politics to harassment, race, sex, and abortion. In the documentary, three filmmakers select iconic cover stories to explore the complexities of creating a magazine that was unafraid to wrestle with challenging, and often polarising, issues.
