WarGames

Right now you can watch WarGames in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 2,187 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Matthew Broderick — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Put it on tonight on MGM Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, WarGames earns its spot. WarGames uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. High school student David Lightman has a talent for hacking. But while trying to hack into a computer system to play unreleased video games, he unwittingly taps into the Department of Defense's war computer and initiates a confrontation of global proportions. Together with his friend and a wizardly computer genius, David must race against time to outwit his opponent and prevent a nuclear Armageddon. Matthew Broderick and Dabney Coleman lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1983. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, WarGames fits the bill. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Matthew Broderick's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.