For most viewers these days, a goodRotten Tomatoes scoreis the first thing they look for when trying to find something new to watch. The score, which is calculated based on the number of positive reviews a movie or show has received from recognized critics, has faced its share ofcriticisms, but it is still a widely used tool that’s usually quite reliable. A 100% Rotten Tomatoes score is, therefore, a mark of honor equivalent to any major award. The streaming service Max is home to some of the best films made around the world, and, appropriately, they have a sizable collection of movies with that coveted 100% fresh rating. These movies range from epic cinematic masterpieces to cutting-edge documentaries to beautiful works of animation and everything in between. Read on to discover our list of the best movies with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score that you can stream now on Max.
For more recommendations, check out our lists of thebest movies on Max, thebest shows on Max, and thebest classic movies on Max.
‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.6/10
Seven Samurai
Co-written, directed, and edited byAkira Kurosawa,Seven Samuraiis a 1954 Japanese epic samurai action film. Set in 1586 in the Sengoku period of Japanese history, the movie follows a group of samurai who are hired by a village of desperate farmers to protect their crops from dangerous bandits. The film starsTakashi Shimura,Yoshio Inaba,Daisuke Katō,Seiji Miyaguchi,Minoru Chiaki,Isao Kimura, andToshiro Mifuneas the titular warriors.Seven Samuraiis a landmark film both in terms of its production and its impact. At the time, it was the most expensive film made in Japan, and it went on to become a massive box-office success. In the decades since its release, the movie has been remade, referenced, and reworked by filmmakers around the world, especially in the Western genre. Now hailed as one of the greatest films ever made,Seven Samuraiis widely regarded as Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece. It’s an epic, entertaining adventure with brilliant action, well-crafted characters, and a thoroughly engaging story that may seem familiar to modern audiences, but only because it’s inspired so many other films over the years.
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‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.3/10
Singin' in the Rain
Directed and choreographed byGene KellyandStanley Donen,Singin' in the Rainis a 1952 musical romantic produced byArthur Freed, who came up with the film based on songs written by himself andNacio Herb Brownduring the transition from silent movies to the talkies. The film is set in the same period, following the production of a movie in late 1920s Hollywood that faces challenges when the producers decide to make it a musical. Besides co-directing, Gene Kelly also stars in the film, appearing alongsideDonald O’Connor,Debbie Reynolds,Jean Hagen,Millard Mitchell,Rita Moreno, andCyd Charisse. At the time of its release,Singin’ in the Rainreceived critical acclaim but only modest success at the box office. Over time, however, the movie has been hailed as one of the greatest films of all time and arguably the best musical produced in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Decades after its initial release, the movie continues to entertain audiences with its smart humor, satirical narrative, and, of course, great music.
‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.0/10
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Adapted from the 10th-century Japanese storyThe Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,The Tale of the Princess Kaguyawas the final film directed and co-written byIsao Takahatabefore his death in 2018.Produced by Studio Ghibli, this Japanese animated historical fantasy film follows the story of Kaguya-Hime, a divine child discovered inside a bamboo stalk by a farmer and his wife who raise her to become a beautiful princess courted by five noblemen, who compete to win her hand.The Tale of the Princess Kaguyafeatures an ensemble voice cast starringAki Asakura,Kengo Kora,Takeo Chii,Nobuko Miyamoto, andAtsuko Takahata, withChloë GraceMoretz,Darren Criss,James Caan,Mary Steenburgen, andLucy Liuproviding the voices for the English dub. At the time of its premiere,The Tale of the Princess Kaguyawas the most expensive Japanese film made until that time. The film received universal critical acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. With its emotionally deep and rich narrative, combined with stunning visual art,The Tale of the Princess Kaguyais a timeless movie that’s moving, evocative, and undeniably beautiful.
‘Honeyland’ (2019)
Directed byTamara KotevskaandLjubomir Stefanov,Honeylandis a Macedonian documentary film that documents the life ofHatidže Muratova, one of the last keepers of wild bees in Europe. A Macedonian beekeeper of Turkish descent living in the village of Bekirlija, Hatidže tends to the wild bees from the surrounding mountains while navigating her relationship with her ailing mother and neighbors.Honeylandis a conservationist film that explores pressing environmental topics like climate change, loss of biodiversity, and exploitation of natural resources, focusing on the deteriorating ecosystem of bees and its impact on the ecological balance through Hatidže’s story.Honeylandalso explores various filmmaking styles and has earned universal critical acclaim for its timely message and attention to detail on the part of the filmmakers. The documentary has earned several awards and nominations, including two nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature, becoming the first documentary film to receive nominations in both categories.
‘Welcome to Chechnya’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.9/10
Welcome to Chechnya
Welcome to Chechnyais a 2020 documentary film by American reporter, author, and documentarianDavid France. The film documents the anti-gay purges in Chechnya in the late 2010s, following activists rescuing survivors of torture from the region. The documentary includes footage captured by LGBTQ+ Chechen refugees using hidden cameras, cell phones, GoPros, and handycams.Welcome to Chechnyahad its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing and was nominated for the U.S. Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize. The movie went on to receive several more awards and universal critical acclaim. A moving and illuminating call to action,Welcome to Chechnya’s production was as groundbreaking as its content is eye-opening. To protect the identities of interviewees, advanced AI-based techniques and visual effects technology were used in the film so that viewers could see real faces and real emotions without revealing the actual faces of the speakers. The film is a technical triumph that effectively documents the horrifying and all-too-recent atrocities committed against the LGBTQ+ community in Chechnya.
‘M’ (1931)
Directed and co-written byFritz LangwithThea von Harbou,Mis a 1931 German mystery thriller that was Lang’s first sound film. Set in Berlin, the film tells the story of Hans Beckert, an insane serial killer who targets children, exploring how the city’s criminals join hands with the police to catch him. Following a manhunt for a wanted killer, the mystery thriller is also considered an early example of what we know as procedural dramas. The movie features the first major starring role ofPeter Lorre, who would go on to star in20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.Lorre plays the role of the killer protagonist, appearing alongside legendary German actors likeOtto WernickeandGustaf Gründgens.Mfeatures several cinematic innovations, including unique camera angles and sound techniques, like using theme music throughout the film,which became major influences in crime, mystery, and thriller genres in the following decades. A classic mystery thriller and a landmark film,Mwas regarded by Lang himself as his magnum opus and it is widely considered one of the greatest films of the German Expressionist movement.
‘Only Yesterday’ (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.6/10
only yesterday
Directed byIsao Takahata,Only Yesterdaywas the filmmaker’s second Studio Ghiblidirectorial afterGrave of the Fireflies. The animated film is based on the 1982 manga of the same title byHotaru OkamotoandYuko Toneand tells the story of a 27-year-old woman living in Tokyo, Taeko Okajima, who takes a vacation outside the city in order to visit her sister’s relatives in the countryside. The journey and the vacation make Taeko reminisce about her childhood, making her question her choices in life. The original Japanese voice cast includesYōko Honna,Miki Imai, andToshirō Yanagiba. An English dub version, voiced byDaisy Ridley,Dev Patel,Alison Fernandez,Laura Bailey, andAshley Eckstein, was released in 2016. A nostalgic film about self-discovery and finding your inner child,Only Yesterdayis a fun, simple, and sensitive movie. The film received praise for its empathetic reflection of women in Japanese society at the time. Featuring brilliant artwork, animation, and music,Only Yesterdaywas a huge success on its release, both critically and commercially, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese film of 1991.
‘Three Colors: Red’ (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.1/10
Three Colors: Red
Co-written, produced, and directed by Polish filmmakerKrzysztof Kieślowski,Three Colors: Redis the third and final installment in the popularThree Colors Trilogy, a film series that examines French Revolutionary ideals. The drama film follows part-time model and student Valentine, who meets Joseph Kern, a retired judge, after she runs over his dog. Valentine ends up forming an unlikely bond with Joseph when she finds out he spies on his neighbors.Irène JacobandJean-Louis Trintignantstar as Valentine and Joseph, respectively, and earned Cesar Award nominations for their stellar performances.Three Colors: Redexplores themes of human connection, fraternity, and the interconnectedness of human lives, where two characters form a connection despite little in common. On its release, the drama film earned universal acclaim and was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Director for Kieślowski. It is considered the best film of the trilogy and one of the greatest French-language films of all time.
‘Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds’ (2016)
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds
Directed byAlexis BloomandFisher Stevens,Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynoldsis a documentary film that explores the relationship between actor-singerDebbie Reynoldsand her daughter, the equally iconic actor-writerCarrie Fisher. The film is an intimate portrait of the mother-daughter relationship between theStar Warsstarand the legendary entertainer in what would be their final years together. Reynolds’ sonTodd Fisherand actor-filmmakerGriffin Dunnealso appear in the film.Bright Lightsmarks the final film appearances of both Reynolds and Fisher before their deaths in 2016. The documentary features candid moments with both the actors, exploring stories of their family lives and respective careers through archival footage, home videos, and interviews with family and friends, all of it culminating at the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards, where Fisher presented her mother with the Life Achievement Award.Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynoldshas been greatly praised for its funny, charming, and poignant narrative on one of Hollywood’s most beloved families.
‘Tampopo’ (1985)
Written and directed byJuzo Itami,Tampopois a 1985 Japanese comedy film that celebrates the love of food.Marketed as a “Ramen Western,“the film follows a truck driver and his sidekick who stop at a roadside ramen shop, where they decide to help the proprietor improve her business. The movie starsTsutomu Yamazaki,Nobuko Miyamoto,Kōji Yakusho, andKen Watanabe.Tampoporeceived universal acclaim from critics around the world at the time of its release. The movie won two Japanese Academy Awards in the Best Editing and Best Sound categories. It also received nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film and the National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Director. An offbeat, satirical film with the style of a Western but the content of a food comedy,Tampopohas had a lasting impact on Japanese culture and the wider global appreciation of Japanese cinema. It’s also a deliciously great time.
