Rebranded last year from HBO or HBO Max to simply Max, this popular streaming platform operates under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella, and among the many movies it offers are classics from the Warner Bros. catalog – along with plenty of other memorable motion pictures.
Not surprisingly, given the breadth of the Max movie library, a good number of the films currently offered on the platform have won Academy Awards – sometimes a single one, other times a multi-category sweep.
To determine the best Oscar-winning movies to stream on Max this February, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of early February 2024, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, and ruled out documentaries. Information on awards comes from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscar database. Note that the names of some categories have changed over the years, while some award categories have been deleted or added. Data on streaming availability, also current as of early February, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood.
The list goes back as far as 1928, to Charlie Chaplin’s romantic comedy “The Circus,” but its place here requires an asterisk. The comic genius was originally nominated for three awards – Best Director, Comedy Picture; Best Actor; and Best Writing (Original Story), but for some reason the Academy decided to rescind the nominations and instead award Chaplin its first ever Special Award, “for versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing ‘The Circus.’” (These are Charlie Chaplin’s best and worst movies.)
The earliest winners of Oscars in conventional categories came in 1939 (the first year, incidentally, in which the name “Oscar” was officially used), a year sometimes described as the summit of Hollywood’s Golden Era: John Ford’s iconic Western “Stagecoach,” which won for Best Music (Scoring) and garnered Thomas Mitchell an award for Actor in a Supporting Role, and the immortal “Wizard of Oz,” honored for Music (Original Score) and Music (Song) – the latter, of course, being “Over the Rainbow.”
The most recent honorees are the Batman-adjacent “Joker,” directed by Todd Phillips, which won Oscars for Hildur Guðnadóttir’s original score and Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in the leading role, and Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s ground-breaking “Parasite,” which won for Writing (Original Screenplay), Directing, and International Feature Film, but also made Oscar history by being the first foreign-language movie to win Best Picture.
40. Suicide Squad (2016)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 5.9/10 (651,492 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 59% (146,901 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 26% (387 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Makeup and Hairstyling
39. Tom Jones (1963)
Source: Courtesy of Lopert Pictures Corporation
Source: Courtesy of Lopert Pictures Corporation
- IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (13,326 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (5,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (41 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Directing; Music (Music Score – Substantially Original); Writing (Screenplay – Based on Material From Another Medium)
38. Yentl (1983)
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company
- IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (13,509 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (7,913 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 65% (17 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Music (Original Song Score or Adaptation Score)
37. The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (24,028 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (9,768 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (36 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Music (Song – Original for the Picture)
36. Ghost (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (205,500 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (469,676 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (74 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actress in a Supporting Role; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
35. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (428,445 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (88,208 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (343 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Costume Design
34. Hustle & Flow (2005)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Classics
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (39,694 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (120,198 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (163 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Music (Original Song)
33. Crazy Heart (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (86,771 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (124,819 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (212 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actor in a Leading Role; Music (Original Song)
32. The Naked City (1948)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (12,936 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (3,269 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (26 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Cinematography (Black-and-White); Film Editing
31. Avatar (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (1,156,181 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (1,382,993 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (322 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Art Direction; Cinematography; Visual Effects
30. Joker (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,067,897 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (66,339 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (587 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actor in a Leading Role; Music (Original Score)
29. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (601,125 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (93,449 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (355 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Directing; Writing (Original Screenplay); Cinematography
28. RoboCop (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (235,958 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (226,534 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (68 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Special Achievement Award
27. Moonlight (2016)
Source: Courtesy of A24
Source: Courtesy of A24
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (288,673 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (45,830 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (392 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Actor in a Supporting Role; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
26. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Distribution Company
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Distribution Company
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (119,047 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (56,598 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (53 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actor in a Leading Role
25. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (188,284 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (172,798 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (73 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Sound Effects Editing
24. The Last Emperor (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (104,898 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (25,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (119 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Cinematography; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Music (Original Score); Sound; Writing (Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium)
23. Ordinary People (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (49,514 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (23,252 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (55 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Actor in a Supporting Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium)
22. Skyfall (2012)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (648,708 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (374,338 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (381 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Music (Original Song); Sound Editing
21. The French Connection (1971)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (124,768 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (44,428 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (83 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Actor; Directing; Film Editing; Writing (Screenplay – Based on Material From Another Medium)
20. Platoon (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (395,356 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (240,012 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (69 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Directing; Film Editing; Sound
19. The Matrix (1999)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (1,759,161 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (33,324,202 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (155 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Film Editing; Sound; Sound Effects Editing; Visual Effects
18. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (629,868 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (299,429 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (113 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Special Visual Effects
17. Stagecoach (1939)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (46,215 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (14,658 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (45 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actor in a Supporting Role; Music (Scoring)
16. Babette’s Feast (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (20,191 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (5,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (34 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Foreign Language Film
15. Room (2015)
Source: Courtesy of A24
Source: Courtesy of A24
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (392,959 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (49,823 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (317 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actress in a Leading Role
14. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (379,622 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (876,535 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (145 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Music (Original Score); Music (Song)
13. Paper Moon (1973)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (44,587 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (11,421 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (41 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actress in a Supporting Role
12. Fargo (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (643,417 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (234,520 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (102 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actress in a Leading Role; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
11. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10 (1,710,236 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (34,679,773 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (275 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Art Direction; Costume Design; Directing; Film Editing; Makeup; Music (Original Score); Music (Original Song); Sound Mixing; Visual Effects; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
10. The Circus (1928)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (32,235 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (6,739 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (28 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Special Award
9. Some Like It Hot (1959)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (254,537 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (82,393 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (65 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Costume Design (Black-and-White)
8. Aliens (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (678,602 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (430,019 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (77 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Sound Effects Editing; Visual Effects
7. Parasite (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Neon
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Neon
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (810,722 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (5,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (475 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Writing (Original Screenplay); Directing; International Feature Film
6. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (900,884 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (365,042 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (83 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actor in a Supporting Role; Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,731,527 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,355,751 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (235 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Cinematography; Makeup; Music (Original Score); Visual Effects
4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,332,128 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (847,443 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (104 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Best Picture; Actor in a Leading Role; Actress in a Leading Role; Directing; Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (1,546,188 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,341,428 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (255 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Sound Editing; Visual Effects
2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10 (1,909,111 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (1,128,444 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (108 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10 (2,419,864 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (1,831,566 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (345 reviews)
- Oscar(s) won: Actor in a Supporting Role; Sound Editing