Max’s U.S. movie additions in September 2024 ranged from Studio Ghibli fantasy and a near-future war thriller to landmark horror, adult drama, and blockbuster spectacle. These seven films were standout recommendations from the month’s larger slate.
Max’s U.S. movie additions in September 2024 gave viewers a particularly varied set of choices: a major Studio Ghibli fantasy, a recent war thriller, two landmark horror films, a sprawling adult drama, a romantic thriller, and a huge 1990s alien-invasion spectacle. These are seven standout recommendations from the month’s broader slate—not a complete list of every film added.
The best starting point depends on your mood. Choose The Boy and the Heron for imaginative animation, Civil War for an intense journalism thriller, Independence Day for accessible blockbuster fun, or The Exorcist and The Shining for foundational horror. Boogie Nights and Addicted round out the selection with very different kinds of adult drama.
1. The Boy and the Heron (2023)
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron was the clearest animation and fantasy standout in Max’s September 2024 lineup. The film follows 12-year-old Mahito, who is grieving the death of his mother while adjusting to major changes in his family. After meeting a talking gray heron, Mahito enters a strange world concealed inside an abandoned tower.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Mini Portable Media player】-- Fits into the palm of your hand, It is a perfect travel partner for those short on space and sockets. Also compact and easy multifunction HD media player for office work and home entertainment;Made of aluminum alloy, it has better protection during carrying
- 【1080P MP4 Player】-- Full HD 1080p supports most video decoding formats: RM, RMVB, AVI, DIVX, MKV, MOV, HD MOV, MP4, M4V, PMP, AVC, FLV, VOB, MPG, DAT, MPEG, TS, TP, M2TS, WMV, (H.264,H.263,WMV9/VC-1,MPEG1/2/4),Not support VPR files. Note: Please use our 4K player to play some videos taken with smart phones, ASIN: B07WPY8VKL
- 【HDMI or AV Output】-- Supports 1080p HDMI output, allowing you to transmit crisp, clear video and audio in a pure digital format to an HDTV; it also supports composite AV output for use with analog TVs. An analog AV cable is included. While using HDMI video output, you can also connect external speakers via the AV output. However, video cannot be output via both AV and HDMI at the same time.
- 【USB 2.0/3.0 Compability】-- Drive external USB 2.0/3.0 storage devices such as SD card(up to 128G)/USB flash(up to 512G) and hard drive(partition should be MBR, up to 8TB), you can also delete or copy files in the USB drive(FAT or FA32) directly, Also plays subtitle files as well as loop videos
- 【Support Multiple Formats of Files and Playback Modes&Multi-functional Remote Control】-- Supports most video, audio, and image formats on the market, supports random playback of video and image modes, and supports loop playback. Supports repeat, zoom, fast forward, fast rewind, rotation, breakpoint playback method, start from scratch playback method and time selection playback method. It is also equipped with a convenient remote control for easy navigation of menu screens (ASIN: B0C9PZPFL8)
As with much of Miyazaki’s work, the movie operates on several levels at once. It is a visually rich fantasy adventure, but it is also a story about grief, death, family, memory, and the difficult process of accepting a changed life. Its symbolism is intentionally open-ended, and the dreamlike structure may appeal more to viewers who enjoy interpretation than to those looking for a straightforward quest narrative.
The English-language voice cast includes Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh. TV Guide listed the film’s Max debut for September 6, 2024, after its theatrical run and awards-season attention. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for that year.
Best for: Studio Ghibli fans, animation viewers, and anyone who wants a thoughtful fantasy rather than a simple children’s adventure.
Content note: Grief, death, family disruption, and surreal images are central to the film.
If you wanted to revisit Miyazaki’s fantasy outside the streaming rotation, the film also received physical editions. Look for The Boy and the Heron 4K UHD/Blu-ray or the Blu-ray/DVD release. That home-video purchase is separate from any availability the film may have had on Max.
2. Civil War (2024)
Alex Garland’s Civil War was one of the month’s most prominent recent theatrical additions. Set in a near-future United States fractured by armed conflict, the film follows journalists traveling through a country where institutions and ordinary life have broken down.
The movie deliberately avoids explaining the political alignment of the opposing forces in conventional left-versus-right terms. Instead, it concentrates on what the conflict looks like from the perspective of people documenting it: the danger of getting close enough to record violence, the pressure to keep moving, and the emotional cost of treating catastrophe as a professional assignment.
That approach makes Civil War more of a war-and-journalism thriller than a traditional partisan political drama. Garland, who wrote and directed the film, builds its tension through sudden violence, chaotic encounters, and the contrast between the reporters’ professional instincts and their personal fear. It is not an easy watch, and viewers should expect disturbing violence and emotionally harsh subject matter.
Rank #2
- MULTIMEDIA STREAMING: With HDMI streaming, you can access your favorite shows, movies, and other content through an external Wi-Fi media player or popular streaming platforms like Roku and Amazon Firestick. The 7" LCD screen delivers clear, vivid picture quality.
- PORTABLE DESIGN: The boombox is designed for mobility and on-the-go entertainment, prepared for all of your outdoor activities. You can operate it via a power adapter or 8 D batteries (not included), giving you the flexibility to use it anywhere, whether you're at home or on the go.
- BLUETOOTH CONNECTIVITY: The boombox is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to easily and wirelessly stream and play your favorite digital music from your Bluetooth-enabled device. You can control the music playback and volume directly from your smartphone or tablet, making it a convenient and versatile entertainment solution.
- MULTIPLE PLAYBACK OPTIONS: The boombox offers a variety of playback options, including a top-loading DVD/CD/MP3 player, Bluetooth wireless, USB playback, Aux-in jack, HDMI input, audio/video output, and FM radio.
- HIGH-QUALITY AUDIO: The boombox delivers a crisp, clear sound with its 3W x 2 speakers and bass function, making your music, movies, and other audio content sound great. The included remote control makes it easy to control the boombox from a distance, so you can sit back and relax while you enjoy your entertainment.
A24’s official description calls the film an adrenaline-driven thriller about a fractured near-future America. TV Guide listed its Max debut for September 13, 2024.
Best for: Viewers who want a tense, contemporary-feeling thriller about war correspondents and the dangers of witnessing a collapsing country.
Content note: Graphic and disturbing violence, wartime atrocities, death, and sustained psychological intensity.
3. Boogie Nights (1997)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights is an ambitious ensemble drama set in the late-1970s San Fernando Valley. Mark Wahlberg plays Eddie Adams, a young man whose discovery by adult-film director Jack Horner, played by Burt Reynolds, launches him into a new identity and career.
Recommended Free Tools
The film begins with energetic humor, colorful personalities, and the seductive promise of fame. But its large ensemble story gradually turns darker as success produces ego, excess, drug use, dependency, and decline. Eddie’s rise is only one part of a broader portrait of people trying to build a family and a sense of belonging inside an unstable industry.
Its period detail and comic momentum can make the movie feel immediately entertaining, but it should not be mistaken for a light comedy. The second half is considerably more tragic and volatile than the opening setup suggests. Anderson balances satire with genuine affection for characters whose ambitions and insecurities repeatedly get the better of them.
Best for: Viewers looking for a sprawling ensemble film, dark humor, strong period atmosphere, and a drama that becomes increasingly serious as it unfolds.
Content note: Explicit adult themes, nudity, drug use, violence, addiction, and sexual material.
Rank #3
- EASY TO ASSEMBLE - This DVD case arrives flat and can be put together or taken apart in a jiffy; Simply snap the sides together for ready-to-use movie storage
- Leather-Like PVC laminate
- Functional chrome accents
- Chrome card holder for labeling
4. The Exorcist (1973)
William Friedkin’s The Exorcist remains a foundational supernatural-horror film. It centers on Regan, a young girl whose disturbing behavior escalates after medical explanations fail to account for what is happening. Her mother eventually seeks help from a priest, beginning a confrontation with apparent demonic possession.
The film’s reputation is not based only on shock. Its dread comes from the collision of the ordinary and the impossible: a child’s illness, a mother’s desperation, clinical investigation, and religious belief gradually become part of the same terrifying problem. Friedkin’s restrained atmosphere and serious tone give the supernatural events an unusually grounded force.
This is the choice for viewers who want to see one of the films that established the modern possession story—not a fast succession of contemporary jump scares. It remains intense because it treats the family’s fear and helplessness as seriously as the horror itself.
Best for: Horror viewers interested in landmark cinema, atmospheric possession stories, and religious horror.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Content note: Demonic possession, child endangerment, disturbing imagery, religious themes, and intense psychological distress.
5. Addicted (2014)
Adapted from Zane’s novel, Addicted is the lineup’s adult romantic-thriller option. It follows Zoe Reynard, a successful woman whose compulsive sexual behavior leads to a secret life that threatens her marriage, career, and stability.
The film combines relationship drama with the mechanics of a secret double life. Zoe’s professional success and family commitments create an outward image of control, while her private choices steadily make that image harder to maintain. The resulting tension comes less from a conventional mystery than from watching personal and domestic consequences accumulate.
Addicted is best approached as a mature melodrama and relationship thriller. It explores compulsive behavior and its effects on intimacy, but it is not a medical explainer or a substitute for clinical guidance. Its subject matter is plainly adult, and viewers should expect sexual content and relationship conflict.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #4
- 【Mini Portable Media player】-- Fits into the palm of your hand, It is a perfect travel partner for those short on space and sockets. Also compact and easy multifunction HD media player for office work and home entertainment;Aluminum alloy material, not easy to damage during carrying
- 【1080P MP4 Player】-- Full HD 1080p@60Hz supports most video decoding formats: RM, RMVB, AVI, DIVX, MKV, MOV, HD MOV, MP4, M4V, PMP, AVC, FLV, VOB, MPG, DAT, MPEG, TS, TP, M2TS, WMV, (H.264,H.263,WMV9/VC-1,MPEG1/2/4),Not support VPR files. Note: Please use our 4K player to play some videos taken with smart phones, ASIN: B07WPY8VKL
- 【HDMI or AV Output】-- Supports 1080p HDMI output, allowing you to transmit crisp, clear video and audio in a pure digital format to an HDTV; it also supports composite AV output for use with analog TVs. An analog AV cable is included. While using HDMI video output, you can also connect external speakers via the AV output. However, video cannot be output via both AV and HDMI at the same time.
- 【USB 2.0/3.0 Compability】-- Drive external USB 2.0/3.0 storage devices such as USB flash(up to 512G)/SD card(up to 128G) and hard drive(partition should be MBR, up to 8TB), you can also delete or copy files in the USB drive(FAT or FA32) directly, Also plays subtitle files as well as loop videos
- 【Support Multiple Formats of Files and Playback Modes&Multi-functional Remote Control】-- Supports most video, audio, and image formats on the market, supports random playback of video and image modes, and supports loop playback. Supports repeat, zoom, fast forward, fast rewind, rotation, breakpoint playback method, start from scratch playback method and time selection playback method. It is also equipped with a convenient remote control for easy navigation of menu screens (ASIN: B0C9PZPFL8)
Best for: Adults looking for a romantic thriller centered on secrecy, desire, marriage, and personal consequences.
Content note: Mature sexual material, infidelity, compulsive behavior, and relationship drama.
6. Independence Day (1996)
For the most accessible popcorn-movie choice, it was hard to beat Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day. Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum lead an ensemble of characters confronting a massive extraterrestrial invasion, as humanity is forced to cooperate against a planet-wide threat.
The film is built around scale: enormous alien ships, city-level destruction, fighter-jet battles, recognizable star power, and a straightforward communal-action premise. Its tone is much more upbeat than the other films on this list, even when the stakes are global. The result is a highly rewatchable blockbuster that favors spectacle, jokes, inspirational speeches, and crowd-pleasing momentum.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Best for: Viewers who want a familiar, high-energy alien-invasion spectacle with large-scale destruction and an optimistic action-movie spirit.
Content note: Mass-casualty disaster imagery, explosions, military combat, and frightening invasion sequences.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.7. The Shining (1980)
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, adapted from Stephen King, is the other major horror anchor in the September selection. Jack Torrance takes a winter caretaker job at Colorado’s isolated Overlook Hotel, bringing his wife and son to a place where isolation, supernatural forces, and his own worsening mental state begin to converge.
Unlike a conventional haunted-house movie, The Shining builds dread through space, repetition, silence, and visual precision. The hotel’s ghosts are important, but so is the uncertainty surrounding Jack’s deterioration. The film keeps the viewer alert to both supernatural danger and the threat posed by a person whose judgment and behavior are becoming increasingly unstable.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallBest Value
- 1080p HDMI Upscaling - Enjoy a sharper, more vivid picture as your DVDs are upscaled to Full HD, perfect for your home theater setup.
- Multi-Region DVD Playback - Watch DVDs from all regions (1–6) without restrictions—ideal for movie lovers with international collections. Supports both NTSC and PAL video formats for worldwide compatibility.
- Multi-Format Compatibility - Supports video discs including DVD, DVD+R/R DL, DVD+RW, DVD-R/R DL, DVD-RW, SVCD, VCD; audio CDs including CD, CD-R, and CD-RW; plus MP3, WMA, and JPEG file formats. Note: does not support Blu-ray Disc playback or DVD-copy.
- USB Port - Play MP3 and WMA audio files, as well as JPEG images, directly from USB flash drives. Supports drives up to 128GB (FAT32 format only; NTFS and exFAT are not supported).
- Easy Setup - Connects easily to your Smart TV, HDTV, or projector via HDMI for high-quality digital audio and video through a single cable. Also includes RCA AV output for older TVs and coaxial digital audio out for multi-channel surround sound (coaxial cable not included).
Its slow-building approach makes it a better fit for viewers who enjoy atmosphere and ambiguity than for anyone expecting nonstop action. The film’s imagery has become deeply embedded in popular culture, but familiarity with individual scenes does not eliminate the force of the full, steadily tightening experience.
Best for: Viewers seeking psychological horror, oppressive atmosphere, visual formalism, and sustained dread.
Content note: Domestic violence, psychological deterioration, child endangerment, disturbing imagery, and intense horror.
What else was part of Max’s September 2024 slate?
These seven films were editorial picks from a much broader United States catalog rollout. The September 1 batch also included films such as Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Harry Potter movies, along with other catalog additions. Contemporaneous streaming calendars warned that listings could change, so dates should be understood as the published schedule for that period rather than a permanent catalog guarantee.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe month’s notable releases included The Boy and the Heron on September 6 and Civil War on September 13. The seven selections were films; The Penguin, sometimes mentioned alongside the month’s Max programming, was a television series and is not part of this movie list.
Which September 2024 Max movie should you watch first?
- For animation and fantasy: The Boy and the Heron.
- For a current-feeling thriller: Civil War.
- For an ambitious adult drama: Boogie Nights.
- For classic supernatural horror: The Exorcist.
- For a mature romantic thriller: Addicted.
- For blockbuster spectacle: Independence Day.
- For psychological horror: The Shining.
Because this was a September 2024 guide, it does not establish that any of these films remain on Max now, nor that the same dates or catalog applied outside the United States. Max’s rights and availability change by time and territory, so current viewers should check the service directly before planning a watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these movies still streaming on Max?
No. This is a retrospective guide to the United States Max lineup published for September 2024. Streaming rights change, so the films’ current availability must be checked on Max.
What seven movies were recommended?
The seven films were The Boy and the Heron, Civil War, Boogie Nights, The Exorcist, Addicted, Independence Day, and The Shining. The list was an editorial selection from a larger monthly slate.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Which movie is best for a casual movie night?
The Boy and the Heron is the strongest choice for animation and fantasy, while Independence Day is the most straightforward blockbuster recommendation. The two films offer very different viewing experiences.
Which September 2024 Max movies are horror films?
The Exorcist and The Shining are the classic-horror selections. The Exorcist focuses on supernatural possession, while The Shining emphasizes isolation, psychological deterioration, and slow-building dread.
The Bottom Line
Max’s September 2024 movie slate offered something for nearly every mood: start with The Boy and the Heron for Miyazaki fantasy, Civil War for intense near-future journalism drama, Independence Day for blockbuster entertainment, or The Exorcist and The Shining for essential horror. These were seven recommendations from the broader U.S. lineup, not a claim about current Max availability.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
