HBO joined the likes of Netflix and Hulu when it created its own streaming service: HBO Max. While the streaming service is still comparatively young, HBO itself vastly predates its streaming competitors, and Warner Bros. owns a ton of films which are exclusively on the streaming platform.
Combine that with a great deal of many masterpieces from The Criterion Collection, recently released movies, every DC title, and a bevy of TV shows, and HBO Max is a must-have for many. The catalog of original titles released in 2022 provide further proof. Between documentaries and features, HBO released something for everyone last year.
15 Call Me Miss Cleo
Call Me Miss Cleo is the story of 90s TV psychic, Youree Dell Harris, better known as Miss Cleo. This documentary highlights Miss Cleo and explores whether she was truly gifted with otherworldly powers or gifted with enough charisma and audacity to deceive.
Her pseudo-Jamaican accent and eccentric energy captivated believers and nonbelievers alike on the Psychic Readers Network. Through interviews with those who knew her before, during, and after becoming Miss Cleo, this documentary explores the real truth about Youree Dell Harris.
14 Santa Camp
Santa Camp is a documentary about a yearly summer camp for professional Santas, elves, and Mrs. Clauses, that until this documentary, has had very little diversity. Some of the newly invited Santas include a Black Santa, a transgender Santa, and a Santa with a disability. They each have a unique background and struggles to voice in the pursuit of diversifying this beloved character.
This documentary also explores how Mrs. Clause is often disregarded in the Christmas industry, and the pay gap between Mr. Clause and Mrs. Clause, if she is included at all. Santa Camp is a must-see documentary because it not only brings viewers into the surreal Santa subculture, but also uses this bizarre but vibrant backdrop to comment on bigger American issues.
13 Moonshot
Moonshot is a science-fiction romantic comedy starring Cole Sprouse (Walt) and Lana Condor (Sophie). Walt is a barista who dreams of going to Mars and while his dream is a much closer reality than anyone today, he keeps getting rejected by Kovi Industries Student Mars Program, a program that takes students to Mars, because they don't think he can contribute to humanity on
Best HBO Shows of 2022, Ranked
Mars. Sophie is a college student who is no-nonsense and is heartbroken after her boyfriend extends his stay on Mars. Conveniently, Walt falls for a girl right before she leaves for Mars and convinces Sophie to buy a ticket and sneak him on board. This movie is a whirlwind and not one to miss.
12 We Met in Virtual Reality
We Met in Virtual Reality is a documentary filmed entirely in virtual reality that lets audiences into the inner workings of the VR movement, even revealing the intimacy and connection that can blossom in this lonely technological era. This documentary features observational scenes that show how necessary this new form of communication has become, especially since the COVID-19 lockdown. Despite the online nature of this documentary, it provides a peek into a different human experience, one that will shape future generations.
11 The Princess
The Princess is a documentary that takes a closer look into the tragically cut-short life of Princess Diana. Nearly two decades later the life and mysterious circumstances of the beloved Princess of Wales's death, she (and her son) are still making headlines. Her glamour, kindness, and activism made her an international icon. The Princess follows her life chronologically by use of contemporaneous archival audio and video footage. It's the perfect documentary for both Princess Diana's fans and for those who don't know much about her.
10 George Carlin's American Dream
George Carlin's American Dream tells the story of the legendary stand-up comedian, George Carlin. This documentary tells the story of his 50-year-long career and how he evolved like no other comic could, staying relevant until he died in 2008 and even still now. In addition to this documentary to commemorate his legacy, he also appeared in 14 HBO comedy specials and appeared on The Tonight Show over 130 times throughout his career, which immortalizes his work for generations to come.
9 Love, Lizzo
Love, Lizzo is a documentary that was three years in the making. It follows the beloved and talented star through the pandemic on her Cuz I Love You world tour and throughout the conception of her album Special. This documentary allowed Lizzo to dive deep into body positivity, self-love, and the recognition she gives to the contributions Black women have made. It works as both a concert film and a behind-the-music doc, giving viewers an intimate look into Lizzo's life on tour and her inspirational life story.
8 Katrina Babies
Filmed over seven years, Edward Buckles, Jr. created Katrina Babies, a documentary that reveals the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the children of New Orleans from the perspective of someone who was a child himself. This documentary utilizes a variety of styles from home videos to interviews with survivors.
Buckles uses his camera to help his city heal through storytelling and community. Katrina Babies is an intimate and enlightening documentary about children who were neglected by the government in a time of crisis and how this disaster shaped their adolescent and adult years.
7 Endangered
Endangered can be described as an enraging, yet empowering documentary about four journalists reporting from Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. This documentary investigates the threats journalists Patrícia, Carl, Sáshenka, and Oliver face, ranging anywhere from intimidation to actual violence. Even though they all work in democratic countries, online misinformation and world leaders putting distrust in the media create a reality in which the truth needs to be fought for.
6 Say Hey Willie Mays!
Say Hey Willie Mays! captures Willie Mays' path from Negro League to Major League baseball as one of the first Black baseball superstars to erode racial barriers. This documentary follows him on and off the field as he achieves his American Dream. He was meant for the spotlight with a huge personality and a bright smile; he charmed fans coast to coast championing baseball games and a path for future Black sports superstars. This documentary about his life and his story is a must-see for all.
5 How to Survive a Pandemic
How to Survive a Pandemic might be a documentary people aren't ready to watch yet, considering they lived this documentary, but it is still worth a watch. This documentary goes into the details of how much research and work went into researching, developing, regulating, and rolling out COVID-19 vaccines.
This documentary started filming back in 2020, chronicling the largest public health effort in history that was surviving a pandemic in addition to governmental failures along the way. How to Survive a Pandemic highlightsthe work of researchers, scientists, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and essential frontline workers. Even though most people know all about the COVID-19 pandemic, this film provides a behind-the-scenes perspective which many didn't experience.
4 Kimi
Kimi is a thriller about an agoraphobic technological geniues named Angela who works to improve glitches in a product called KIMI, a futuristic in-person variation on today's Alexa or Echo. In post-pandemic times, most people don't leave their homes which suits Angela well, and she finds romance with a man across the street, Terry. He is the only human she actually sees in person.
One day while working she overhears what she believes is a violent crime and with her access to technology, she confirms her superstitions. She receives pushback while trying to report the crime, and she discovers she must go against her company to do what's right, and even worse: she has to leave her apartment. It's a Steven Soderbergh film, so it's obviously stylish, and is a tense conspiracy thriller.
3 The Janes
The Janes is a documentary about a secret network of women that have created a system to give women illegal but safe and accessible abortions. In order to remain anonymous and evade the law, they call themselves, "Jane." This documentary follows the story of seven women who were arrested on the South Side of Chicago in 1972 for this operation.
The story is powerful, but even more so, this documentary features first-hand accounts from the Janes, even some that have never spoken out, until now. This documentary about the pre-Roe v. Wade era and what women did to keep one another safe is especially important to watch as the government tries to overturn this lifesaving protection.
2 Navalny
Navalny is the story of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition politician, and his life after being poisoned with Novichok. The documentary follows his triumphant recovery and not-so-triumphant arrest upon returning to Russia. Like many opposition figures and famed protesters in Russia, he is seen as a symbol of resistance, but being that he remains incarcerated today, his story might end in tragedy. This documentary's timely release coincides with the brutal attacks on Ukraine and highlights some ugly truths about Putin's regime.
1 The Fallout
The coming-of-age drama The Fallout centers around school shootings. A young teenager, Vada, is in the bathroom when an active shooter situation happens at her school. She and another student, Mia, huddle together in fear during the tragedy making it out alive, unlike some of their classmates, but not unaffected.
The rest of the movie follows what the aftermath of a school shooting feels like from Vada's perspective as she distances herself from old friends and grows increasingly closer to Mia. The audience sees how deeply and differently these tragedies change young people's lives, sometimes making them unrecognizable from life before. This movie is incredibly difficult to watch but gives such a unique perspective on what students fear going to school every day.