February 2023 is another solid month for HBO Max. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, subscribers will be able to enjoy Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special – the first one-shot of its kind for the hit DC animated series. Animation fans will also be treated to the premiere of Poor Devil, which is HBO Max’s first adult animated original show from Europe. Continuing on with adult animation, Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, the latest film from the cult Adult Swim series, will finally be available to stream as well. It was recently announced that Frylock, Master Shake, and Meatwad will return for an official 12th season of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, meaning there’s no better time to binge past seasons along with the new film on HBO Max.
Those looking to catch up on some Oscar-nominated films in the lead-up to the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12 can do so with Empire of Light and All that Breathes both hitting HBO Max. The former is director Sam Mendes’ ode to how cinema can bring people together and is nominated for Best Cinematography via the great Roger Deakins. All that Breathes, on the other hand, is nominated for Best Documentary Feature this year and carries a crucial message of environmentalism and inter-species coexistence. Swiss Army Man, the first film from the Oscar-nominated creators of Everything Everywhere All at Once, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, is another HBO Max must-see for February 2023. More notable additions this month include Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Catch Me If You Can, and a collection of classic James Bond movies from basically every era of the franchise.
Finally, HBO Max will premiere a hot new concert special this February withThe Weeknd: Live at SOFI Stadium. Discover more on our monthly recs below along with the full list of everything coming to and leaving HBO Max in February 2023. You can also find what’s getting added and removed from Netflix and Disney+ this month right here on DiscussingFilm.
Our Recs:
Empire of Light
Coming off the Daniel Craig 007 saga and the award-winning WWI drama 1917, writer-director Sam Mendes takes a more intimate turn with Empire of Light. Led by acting veteran Olivia Colman and rising star Michael Ward, the film explores the unlikely romance between an aging movie theater manager and a new employee in early 1980s England. There’s more to this story than meets the eye though, as Mendes uses this unique pairing to touch upon themes of mental health, generational divide, and even race.
Above all else, Empire of Light explores how cinema can bring those together even in the most turbulent of times. Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodiem, Hannah Onslow, and Crystal Clarke co-star. The great Roger Deakins is nominated for Best Cinematography at the upcoming Academy Awards for his stunning visual work here. He’s previously won the Oscar in the same category for Blade Runner: 2049 and 1917.
Empire of Light debuts on HBO Max February 7, 2023!
All That Breathes
One of the 5 films nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2023 Oscars, All That Breathes follows two noble brothers in India’s capital city of New Dheli who take it upon themselves to rehabilitate black kites in their own self-made bird hospital. The birds of prey play a crucial role in the region’s ecosystem but are falling from the sky at alarming rates due to rising smog levels. These “Kite Brothers” are willing to go the extra mile in an effort to preserve the natural balance of their home.
In one of the world’s most populated cities that has already learned how to co-exist with all kinds of animals from cows to monkeys to hogs on its busy streets, these precious birds are tragically neglected. The Kite Brothers are doing invaluable work for the city, yet even they are starting to wear thin. In documenting their journey, director Shaunak Sen chronicles New Dheli’s collapsing ecology and the precious relationship between mankind and nature.
All That Breathes hits HBO Max February 7, 2023!
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special
Following Harley Quinn Season 3, the show’s very first one-shot comes in the form of a holiday event titled, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special. For as raunchy as this series is known for, this special is heating things up even further as every hero, villain, and average citizen in Gotham City is feeling the full effects of Valentine’s Day.
As a bonus treat, Etrigan the Demon makes his series debut in this special. Other familiar DC faces include Darkseid, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, and, of course, Bane. Harley Quinn Season 4 is already expected to release on HBO Max later this year, so this 44-minute holiday event is just an appetizer for whatever new hijinks Haley Cuoco, Lake Bell, and the gang have in store for 2023.
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special premieres on HBO Max February 9, 2023!
HBO Max Arrivals for February 2023
Coming February 1
A Vigilante, 2018 (HBO)
Acts of Vengeance, 2017 (HBO)
Another Country, 2022
Blair Witch, 2016 (HBO)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), 2014 (HBO)
Blame it on Rio, 1984 (HBO)
Bride Wars, 2009 (HBO)
Bull Durham, 1988 (HBO)
Can’t Hardly Wait 1998, (HBO)
Casino Royale, 2006 (HBO)
Catch Me If You Can, 2002 (HBO)
Come and Find Me, 2016 (HBO)
Cooties, 2014 (HBO)
Diamonds Are Forever, 1971 (HBO)
Don’t Play Us Cheap, 1972
Dr. No, 1962 (HBO)
Eighth Grade, 2018 (HBO)
Factual: Love Off The Grid, Season 1
Food: Hungry for Answers
Footloose, 1984 (HBO)
Force Majeure, 2014 (HBO)
Girl with a Pearl Earring, 2003 (HBO)
Goldeneye, 1995 (HBO)
Good Boy!, 2003 (HBO)
Gossip, 2000 (HBO)
Graffiti Bridge, 1990 (HBO)
Hannibal, 2001 (HBO)
Heist, 2001 (HBO)
High Society, 1956
Honeyland, 2019 (HBO)
Hotel for Dogs, 2009 (HBO)
How I Live Now, 2013 (HBO)
I Am Wrath, 2016 (HBO)
Just Cause, 1995 (HBO)
Live Free or Die Hard, 2007 (HBO)
Luce, 2019 (HBO)
Mandabi, 1968
Mannequin Two: On the Move, 1991 (HBO)
Mermaids, 2003 (HBO)
Moonraker, 1979 (HBO)
Never Grow Old, 2019 (HBO)
Niaye, 1964
Nothing Like the Holidays, 2008 (HBO)
Octopussy, 1983 (HBO)
Own: The Great Soul Food Cook Off
Pens & Pencils, 2022
Person to Person, 2017 (HBO)
Platoon, 1986 (HBO)
Quantum of Solace, 2008 (HBO)
Red, 2010 (HBO)
Scary Movie, 2000 (HBO)
Scary Movie 2, 2001 (HBO)
Scary Movie 3, 2003 (HBO)
Superbad, 2007
Sleepy Hollow, 1999 (HBO)
So I Married an Axe Murderer, 1993
Space is the Place, 1974
Superbad, 2007
Suspect Zero, 2004 (HBO)
Swiss Army Man, 2016 (HBO)
Take This Waltz, 2011 (HBO)
Taxi Driver, 1976
Thanks For Sharing, 2012 (HBO)
The Art of Self-Defense, 2019 (HBO)
The Best of Blaxploitation
The Crazies, 2010 (HBO)
The Living Daylights, 1987 (HBO)
The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974 (HBO)
The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009 (HBO)
The Mexican, 2001 (HBO)
The Miracle Worker, 1962 (HBO)
The Monster, 2016 (HBO)
The Music Man, 1962
The Show, 2020 (HBO)
The Silence of the Lambs, 1991 (HBO)
The Story of a Three Day Pass, 1967
The Terminator, 1984 (HBO)
The Vow, 2012
Throw Mama from the Train, 1987 (HBO)
Thunderball, 1965 (HBO)
TLC: The Culpo Sisters
Tommy Boy, 1995 (HBO)
Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997 (HBO)
Village of the Damned, 1960
War of the Worlds, 2005 (HBO)
Wayne’s World, 1992 (HBO)
Wayne’s World 2, 1993 (HBO)
White Bird In A Blizzard, 2014 (HBO)
You Only Live Twice, 1967 (HBO)
Coming February 2
Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, Max Original Premiere
Super Villains, The Investigation (Supervillains, l’enquête), Max Original Premiere
Flordelis: A Family Crime (Flordelis: Em Nome da Mãe), Max Original Premiere
Coming February 3
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, 2014 Extended Version (HBO)
Coming February 6
C.B. Strike: Troubled Blood Premiere (HBO)
Coming February 7
All That Breathes, 2022 (HBO)
Edge of Tomorrow, 2014 (HBO)
Empire of Light, 2022 (HBO)
Coming February 8
Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, 2022, Adult Swim
Coming February 9
Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special, Max Original Season 3B Premiere
Coming February 10
Marcella Arguello: Bitch, Grow Up! (HBO)
Coming February 11
Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark (HBO)
Coming February 12
Puppy Bowl XIX
Coming February 14
King Star King!/!/!/, Adult Swim
Coming February 16
U.S. Women’s Soccer vs Canada, Live Sports
Coming February 17
Poor Devil, Max Original Season 1 Premiere
Coming February 18
Family Restaurant
Coming February 20
Ballmastrz: Rubicon, Adult Swim
Coming February 23
Gravity, 2013
Leaving HBO Max in February 2023
HBO Max is unfortunately losing some fantastic titles in February 2023. For starters, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy is departing in the first half of the month. Ryan Coogler’s feature debut Fruitvale Station is leaving soon after. Fans who are now more familiar with Coogler’s name thanks to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever absolutely need to check that film out. On that same note of Black Panther, the late Chadwick Boseman’s Jackie Robinson biopic 42 is set to leave HBO Max this month too.
Magic Mike XXL is sadly leaving HBO Max the same month its sequel and trilogy capper Magic Mike’s Last Dance hits theaters. Guillermo del Toro’s fan-favorite kaiju flick Pacific Rim is on its way out as well. If that wasn’t already enough, laugh-out-loud comedies like Crazy Rich Asians, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Coming to America, The Wedding Singer, and Friday are also all saying goodbye to HBO Max soon. There’s way more ground to cover, so check out the full list of everything leaving HBO Max in February 2023 below.
Leaving February 1
This is Where I Leave You, 2014 (HBO)
Leaving February 9
Mo Willems Storytime Shorts! (2020)
Leaving February 10
Central Intelligence, 2016
Leaving February 11
Batman Begins, 2005
The Dark Knight, 2008
The Dark Knight Rises, 2012
Leaving February 12
Vacation, 2015
Leaving February 13
Fruitvale Station, 2013
Leaving February 24
Boy Interrupted (HBO)
Leaving February 28
9½ Weeks, 1986
42, 2013
Above the Rim, 1994
Action Jackson, 1988
After the Sunset, 2004 (HBO)
American History X, 1998
American Psycho, 2000 Extended Version (HBO)
American Psycho II: All American Girl, 2003 (HBO)
Americano, 2017 (HBO)
Amistad, 1997
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever, 1939
Andy Hardy Meets a Debutante, 1940
Assassins, 1995
Assassination Nation, 2018 (HBO)
Atonement, 2007(HBO)
Bandslam, 2009 (HBO)
Beau Brummel, 1954
Blood on the Moon, 1948
Blast from the Past, 1999
Blow-Up, 1966
Bombshell, 1933
Bringing Down the House, 2003 (HBO)
Bug, 2007 (HBO)
Captain Blood, 1935
Captains Courageous, 1937
Chain Lightning, 1950
Chasing Papi, 2003 (HBO)
Chips, 2017
Cimarron, 1960
Coming to America, 1988 (HBO)
Contagion, 2011
Crash, 2004
Crazy Rich Asians, 2018
Crazy, Stupid, Love, 2011
Doctor Zhivago, 1965
Double Jeopardy, 1999 (HBO)
Dragged Across Concrete, 2018 (HBO)
Dragon Blade, 2015 (HBO)
Executive Decision, 1996
Fantastic Voyage, 1966 (HBO)
Final Analysis, 1992
Freaks, 1932
Free Willy 2 The Adventure Home, 1995 (HBO)
Free Willy 3 The Rescue, 1997 (HBO)
Friends with Benefits, 2011
Friday, 1995
Ghost Town, 2008 (HBO)
Gigi, 1958
Going the Distance, 2010
Grand Hotel, 1932
Greased Lightning, 1977
Gridiron Gang, 2006
High Anxiety, 1977 (HBO)
Hairspray, 2007
Hotel Coppelia, 2021 (HBO)
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, 2008 (HBO)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, 1932
I Am Legend, 2007
In the Fade, 2017 (HBO)
Ivanhoe, 1952
Libeled Lady, 1936
Limbo, 2021 (HBO)
Little Children, 2006
Love Jones, 1997
Lord of War, 2005 (HBO)
Loser, 2000 (HBO)
Love & Mercy, 2015 (HBO)
Magic Mike XXL, 2015
Mars Attacks!, 1996
Max Payne, 2008 Extended Version (HBO)
Meet Dave, 2008 (HBO)
Melancholia, 2011 (HBO)
Money Talks, 1997
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, 2020
Next Friday, 2000
Open Season, 2006
Open Season 2, 2009
Pacific Rim, 2013 (HBO)
Please Stand By, 2018 (HBO)
Princess of the Row, 2019
Rent, 2005 (HBO)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, 1991
Roots (Mini Series), 1977
Screaming Eagles, 1956
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954
Shadow Dancer, 2013 (HBO)
Shadow of the Thin Man, 1941
Show Boat, 1936
Smart People, 2008 (HBO)
Stomp the Yard, 2007
Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, 2010
The Adventures Of Tintin, 2011 (HBO)
The Butterfly Effect, 2004 Director’s Cut (HBO)
The Butterfly Effect 2, 2006 (HBO)
The Charge of the Light Brigade, 1936
The Cincinnati Kid, 1965
The Craft, 1996
The Eyes Of My Mother, 2016 (HBO)
The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, 2006 (HBO)
The Fog, 2005 (HBO)
The Great Ziegfeld, 1936
The Hangover Part II, 2011
The Haunting In Connecticut, 2009 (HBO)
The Impossible, 2012 (HBO)
The Lake House, 2006
The Mustang, 2019 (HBO)
The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1946
The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1981
The Rocker, 2008 (HBO)
The Ruins, 2008 (HBO)
The Savages, 2007 (HBO)
The Sea Wolf, 1941
The Secret Garden, 1993 (HBO)
The Snowman, 2017 (HBO)
The Tailor Of Panama, 2001 (HBO)
The Uninvited, 2009 (HBO)
The Vow, 2012
The Wedding Singer, 1998
The Wood, 1999 (HBO)
The X-Files, 1998 (HBO)
Two Girls And A Guy, 1998 (HBO)
Two Weeks Notice, 2002
Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married (HBO)
Universal Soldier, 2007 (HBO)
Valentine’s Day, 2010
Walking With Dinosaurs 3d, 2013 (HBO)
Warrior, 2011 (HBO)
When Harry Met Sally, 1989
Within, 2016
