Colossal

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Colossal is available in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on Netflix and Kanopy right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 2,295 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Anne Hathaway sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Available now on HBO Max — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Colossal is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Colossal through its more ambitious moments. A woman discovers that severe catastrophic events are somehow connected to the mental breakdown from which she's suffering. Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2017. The rules of Colossal's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Colossal is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Watch for Anne Hathaway in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.