Star-Filled Rom-Com Tops HBO Max’s Top 10 Most-Watched Movies List of the Week

Streaming audiences this week are diving into an eclectic mix of films ranging from nostalgic romantic comedies to intense new biopics. The current lineup on HBO Max showcases a blend of star-studded ensemble pieces, animated family favorites, and critically acclaimed dramas that have recently hit the platform. Viewers are revisiting early 2000s classics while also tuning in for the latest A24 releases that have generated significant buzz during the awards season. From the high-stakes world of MMA fighting to the chaotic humor of heist comedies, this selection offers something for every type of moviegoer.

‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked’ (2011)

In this animated musical adventure, the famous chipmunk trio and the Chipettes turn a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground. Dave Seville struggles to control the chaos as Alvin’s antics eventually cause the group to be blown overboard and stranded on a remote island. While Dave teams up with his nemesis Ian Hawke to find them, the Chipmunks encounter a castaway who has been living in solitude for years. The film combines pop song covers with survival humor as the group learns to work together to escape the island before a volcano erupts.

‘The Shape of Water’ (2017)

Set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America around 1962, this fantasy drama follows Elisa, a mute woman working as a cleaner in a high-security government laboratory. Her life changes forever when she discovers a classified experiment involving a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank. Elisa forms a unique, non-verbal bond with the amphibian man and eventually orchestrates a daring escape plan with the help of her neighbor and a co-worker. Director Guillermo del Toro crafts a visually stunning narrative about love, acceptance, and the monsters that exist within human society.

‘MacGruber’ (2010)

Based on the popular ‘Saturday Night Live’ sketch, this action-comedy parodies the tropes of 1980s television heroes. Will Forte stars as the titular special operations agent who is called out of retirement to stop his sworn enemy, Dieter Von Cunth, from using a stolen nuclear warhead. MacGruber assembles a team of experts, though his incompetence and unorthodox methods frequently jeopardize the mission and the lives of his allies. The film is known for its absurdity and crude humor as the protagonist bumbles his way through high-stakes espionage scenarios.

‘Robin Hood’ (2010)

Ridley Scott directs this gritty origin story that reinterprets the legend of the English folk hero. Russell Crowe plays an expert archer in King Richard’s army who travels to Nottingham after the king’s death, only to find the local people suffering under a corrupt sheriff and crippling taxation. He assumes the identity of a deceased knight to protect the man’s widow, played by Cate Blanchett, and eventually leads an uprising against the crown’s tyranny. The film focuses on the political intrigue and large-scale warfare that leads the archer to become the outlaw known as Robin Hood.

‘Monster-in-Law’ (2005)

Jennifer Lopez stars as Charlotte, a temp worker and aspiring artist who finally meets the man of her dreams in a successful doctor named Kevin. However, their romance hits a massive obstacle in the form of Kevin’s mother, Viola, a recently fired news anchor played by Jane Fonda who is terrified of losing her son. Viola launches a calculated campaign to drive Charlotte away through psychological warfare and passive-aggressive antics. The film escalates into a comedic battle of wills as Charlotte realizes what is happening and decides to fight back against her overbearing future mother-in-law.

‘The Notebook’ (2004)

This romantic drama adapts Nicholas Sparks’ novel about a young couple, Noah and Allie, who fall deeply in love during a summer in the 1940s. Their relationship faces challenges due to their differing social backgrounds and the intervention of Allie’s wealthy parents, who disapprove of Noah’s working-class status. The story is framed by a modern-day narrative where an elderly man reads their love story from a notebook to a fellow nursing home resident suffering from dementia. It remains a genre staple for its emotional portrayal of enduring love that withstands time, war, and separation.

‘The Smashing Machine’ (2025)

Dwayne Johnson delivers a dramatic transformation in this biographical sports drama about Mark Kerr, a legendary figure from the early days of the UFC. The film chronicles Kerr’s meteoric rise in the mixed martial arts world during the late 1990s, highlighting his dominance in the ring as a two-time heavyweight tournament champion. Beyond the fights, the narrative delves deeply into his personal struggles with addiction to painkillers and his volatile relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples. Directed by Benny Safdie, the movie offers an unflinching look at the physical and psychological toll of combat sports.

‘Masterminds’ (2016)

Zach Galifianakis leads this crime comedy based on the true story of the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina. He plays David Ghantt, an armored car guard who is manipulated by his work crush and her criminal accomplices into stealing $17 million in cash. After successfully pulling off the heist, David flees to Mexico while his partners in crime live lavishly and plot to have him killed to cover their tracks. The film utilizes a cast of comedic heavyweights to satirize the incompetence and absurdity surrounding one of the largest cash robberies in U.S. history.

‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ (2025)

Rose Byrne stars in this dark comedy-drama as Linda, a therapist whose life begins to crumble under the weight of maternal and professional stress. While her husband is away at sea, Linda must manage her young daughter’s mysterious illness and feeding disorder, a situation made worse when their apartment ceiling collapses. Forced to move into a motel, she navigates a hostile relationship with her own therapist, played by Conan O’Brien, and forms an unlikely bond with a neighbor. The film is a chaotic and anxiety-inducing exploration of modern motherhood and the feeling of losing control.

‘Valentine’s Day’ (2010)

Director Garry Marshall weaves together multiple storylines featuring an ensemble cast of A-list stars in this romantic comedy set in Los Angeles. The plot follows various couples and singles as they navigate the pressures, expectations, and heartbreaks associated with February 14th. From a florist proposing to his girlfriend to a soldier on leave sharing a flight with a stranger, the characters’ lives intersect in unexpected ways throughout the day. The film explores different stages of love, including first dates, long-term commitments, and unrequited crushes, all culminating in a grand finale.

Which of these trending movies are you planning to stream this weekend? Let us know your top picks in the comments!