It’s too easy to spend an entire evening scrolling through streaming services like Prime Video picking a movie to watch. By the time you pick a movie, you could have watched one. Or two. Maybe even three. We’re here to solve that problem with the 25 best Amazon Prime movies that are available right now. From recent critical darlings like La La Land and Licorice Pizza to modern classics like Fight Club and Minority Report, here is our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video (some remain paid options), so you can spend your next movie night actually watching a movie:
Last updated on June 1, 2023.
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Year: 2001
Cast: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Sean Bean, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 178 minutes
Director: Peter Jackson
Trailer: Watch here
The introductory film in Peter Jackson’s award-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy is a classic with ground-breaking special effects, affecting performances, and unbelievable set pieces, costumes, and unfathomable scale. The cast and their sparkling chemistry turns the otherwise quite dark hunt for The One Ring into comfort viewing.
2. Licorice Pizza
Year: 2021
Cast: Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 133 minutes
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Trailer: Watch here
Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson is obsessed with two things: Hollywood and the 1970s. Licorice Pizza combines those inside a coming-of-age story featuring performances from first-time leads Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman (the son of the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, a frequent Anderson collaborator). The film is not Anderson’s strongest to date, but it is, perhaps his most personal film to date. Like a typical Anderson film, the narrative feels epic with many acts and many characters, some of who only appear for a scene or two. The best part of the film is Bradley Cooper’s truly wild performance as film producer Jon Peters.
3. The Silence of the Lambs
Year: 1991
Cast: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Genre: Horror
Rating: R
Runtime: 118 minutes
Director: Jonathan Demme
Trailer: Watch here
Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs is not only one of the best horror movies ever made, but one of the best movies ever made full stop. The disturbing psychological thriller gets its energy from its rousing lead performances from Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Their chemistry on screen is a palpable force that helped earn the film – and the genre – deserved recognition at the Oscars, where it swept the five major categories: best actor, best actress, best-adapted screenplay, best director, and best picture. To this day, it is the only horror film to win best picture.
4. La La Land
Year: 2016
Cast: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend
Genre: Drama, Musical
Rating: R
Runtime: 128 minutes
Director: Damien Chazelle
Trailer: Watch here
While its legacy might be it was a fake Academy Award winner, Damien Chazelle’s romantic but painful musical La La Land shows how ambition and success can unite people, and also how it can divide and change them in an idyllic, colorful version of Los Angeles (the titular La La Land, of course). Although the year’s best picture Oscar actually went to Moonlight, Emma Stone won the Oscar for best actress for her charming performance as aspiring actress Mia.
5. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Year: 2020
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, Rudy Giuliani
Genre: Comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 minutes
Director: Jason Woliner
Trailer: Watch here
This sequel landed like a jackhammer, precisely at the moment that the American public would enjoy it most. The film even managed to be an October surprise in its own way while giving Rudy Giuliani one of the most unflattering cameo appearances in all of cinematic history. Sacha Baron Cohen’s brainchild did it again, overall, while introducing the world to Maria Bakalova’s talent, and together, they pulled off mischievous feats more daring than the original film.
6. The Wolf of Wall Street
Year: 2013
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 180 minutes
Director: Martin Scorsese
Trailer: Watch here
The best thing about The Wolf of Wall Street? It doesn’t give a sh*t. Martin Scorsese’s hilarious adaptation of Jordan Belfort’s life and career as a wealthy stock-market manipulator brought out another side of his directing style and another unexpected side of Leonardo DiCaprio. With the help of effortlessly funny co-stars Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie, DiCaprio finally lets loose and allows himself to be funny. Fortunately, he is just as good at it as he is at drama, if not better.
7. M3GAN
Year(s): 2023
Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw
Genre: Horror
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 102 minutes
Trailer: Watch here
Why is this one ranked so high on a list that includes some high-brow Oscar fare? It’s all relative, and this movie knows where to shoot and excels in that realm, but we really shouldn’t be too surprised. Never bet against James Wan when a homicidal doll is involved, and the same goes for any horror movie starring Allison Williams. This AI-fueled nightmare brought down the house in January 2023 with a sequel already on the way, and between Wan and Jason Blumhouse, one can expect further upgrades to the programming. Much like M3GAN, horror movies will never die, given how producers know how to keep budgets low and returns relatively high, and we need to watch characters make dumb moves (like unleash AI upon the world) to distract us from the real-life horrors that persist in this world. Whew!
8. The Whale
Year: 2023
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 117 minutes
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Trailer: Watch here
Brendan Fraser makes an Oscar-nominated turn to play an estranged, morbidly obese, gay father in this A24 film from Darren Aronofsky. That’s heady stuff, but it’s also nice to see Fraser really stretch himself as an actor, proving that he’s much more than the 1990s boxes where he previously resided. By all accounts, Fraser is well overdue for this type of breakout, and he’s also on tap for Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Killers Of The Flower Moon, so he won’t be going anywhere again anytime soon.
9. The Hunger Games
Year: 2012
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrellson
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 142 minutes
Director: Gary Ross
Trailer: Watch here
The Hunger Games novel is practically written like a screenplay, and the film adaptation stays as loyal as it can be (it was, probably pretty easy). The themes are a little heavy-handed at times, but its the direction, cinematography, and performances from leads Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson (as well as supporting ones from Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, and Lenny Kravitz) that make it staggering and thought-provoking.
10. Nope
Year(s): 2022
Starring: Kiki Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun
Genre: Horor
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 131 minutes
Trailer: Watch here
Jordan Peele once again delivered a crowd-pleaser with added nuance to the horror audience. The Academy didn’t bite on this selection for the Oscars, and perhaps that’s because Peele takes swings at Hollywood, but this project will stand the test of time. Peele is a true auteur, and most importantly, he’s a lover of genre. That comes through, both in Get Out and Nope, and we can’t wait to see his next directing turn.
11. The Fighter
Year: 2010
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
Genre: Drama, Biopic
Rating: R
Runtime: 116 minutes
Director: David O. Russell
Trailer: Watch here
David O. Russell’s film about professional boxers and half-brothers Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund follows all the typical beats of a sports drama and a biopic. Despite its predictability, formulaic structure can be great. In this case, it gives us the committed performances (some of the decade’s best) room to shine from Melissa Leo’s Oscar-winning performance, Christian Bale’s Oscar-winning performance, and Amy Adams non-Oscar winning or nominated performance (a casual reminder that Amy Adams is long overdue for an Oscar ).
12. Fight Club
Year: 1999
Cast: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Rating: R
Runtime: 139 minutes
Director: David Fincher
Trailer: Watch here
Ah, yes, the movie whose poster was tacked to the dorm walls of straight men everywhere for years on end. Despite the annoying film bro following that this David Fincher film developed over time, Fight Club is a decade-defining classic, featuring clever, extremely physical performances from stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. If you love a twist, you’ll love this, even if you see it coming five minutes into the movie.
13. The Italian Job
Year: 2003
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Seth Green
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 105 minutes
Director: F. Gary Gray
Trailer: Watch here
It doesn’t get more 2003 than this remake of the 1969 movie of the same name. Action star of the moment Mark Wahlberg stars as professional fixer Charlie Croker, who, seeking revenge for the murder of a friend leads a team of people with various useful skills when it comes to a heist on a heist. Edward Norton plays a villain with a little mustache who often wears a beanie.
14. The Lost City Of Z
Year: 2016
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller
Genre: Biography/Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 141 minutes
Director: James Gray
Trailer: Watch here
While the world waits for Martin Scorsese to bring David Grann’s Killers Of The Flower Moon to life onscreen, it’s worth revisiting this adaptation of his 2009 deep dive into the ill-fated adventures of explorer Percy Fawcett. Charlie Hunnam picks up that role and proves that he has range for miles while searching for a mythical civilization, and Robert Pattinson almost completely disappears in his companion role. As Grann’s own subtitle declares, this is a tale of obsession, but it’s one firmly rooted in reality through painstaking research that unfurls into fascinating onscreen performances.
15. Sound of Metal
Year: 2020
Cast: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 120 minutes
Director: Darius Marder
Trailer: Watch here
Riz Ahmed earned himself an Oscar nomination for best actor for his performance as heavy-metal drummer Ruben who hopes to make it in the music scene but discovers that he is losing his hearing, which changes his life and his plans to pursue a career doing what he loves. House of the Dragon’s Olivia Cooke, who plays Ahmed’s girlfriend and bandmate Lou, also delivers an impressive performance in Darius Marder’s directorial debut..
16. X
Year(s): 2022
Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi
Genre: Horror
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 106 minutes
Trailer: Watch hereIn this selection, Mia Goth kicks off Ty West’s X trilogy, which continued with Pearl and will culminate with MaXXXine. This selection follows an adult film production gone very wrong, and Goth pulls off dual roles with thematic heft, which has carried on throughout the series. Goth will one day receive the recognition that she deserves for her scream queen status, although she’s taking it all in stride.
17. Plane
Year: 2023
Cast: Gerard Butler, Mike Colter
Genre: Action
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 minutes
Director: Jean-François Richet
Trailer: Watch here
Gerard Butler is truly doing what he wants these days, and that includes taking the world back to 1980s-style actioner pictures, in which a catastrophic crisis can somehow be tied up within a few hours. That’s the very definition of escapism, and his willingness to embrace that type of ride is precisely why we haven’t seen Butler hop into any major franchises of late. Nope, he’s truly doing well by doing his own thing, and that makes him a truly refreshing style of Hollywood trailblazer in 2023.
18. The Tender Bar
Year: 2021
Cast: Ben Affleck, Lily Rabe, Ty Sheridan
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 104 minutes
Director: George Clooney
Trailer: Watch here
This sentimental coming-of-age film from director George Clooney tells the story of American journalist J.R. Moehringer’s life growing up on Long Island, where he spent a significant portion of his time at a bar, which is his only escape from his complex life at home. It is based on Moehringer’s 2005 memoir of the same name.
19. The Big Sick
Year: 2017
Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter
Genre: Dramedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 120 minutes
Director: Michael Showalter
Trailer: Watch here
Real-life couple Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon received an Oscar nod for their screenplay that takes inspiration from their own relationship. In the film, an interracial couple (a Pakistani comic and an American grad student) must tackle cultural discomfort that he fears from his traditional Muslim family. The Emily character falls into a coma, which leads familial relationships to deepen in an unexpectedly rewarding manner.
20. Manchester By The Sea
Year: 2016
Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 137 minutes
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Trailer: Watch here
Casey Affleck makes a dramatic and acclaimed return (which was both hailed and controversial at the time) to the spotlight in his role as a reluctant guardian, Lee, to his late brother’s son. Michelle Williams is scene-stopping as always as his estranged love, and this is a film that not only takes on the transformative nature of grief but also the power of reckoning with the past after Lee goes home.
21. The Report
Year: 2019
Cast: Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Corey Stoll, Jon Hamm, Sarah Goldberg, Michael C. Hall
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 119 minutes
Director: Scott Z. Burns
Trailer: Watch here
Adam Driver stars in this based-on-real-events story about the secrets that persist inside the CIA as his character, Daniel J. Jones, uncovers horrible secrets about the Detention and Interrogation Program born from the 9/11 aftermath. Annette Bening portrays Senator Dianne Feinstein, the boss of Jones, and although the subject matter is often overly technical and dry, the good, old fashioned, no flourishes acting on display carries the audience through its atrocities.
22. The Northman
Year: 2022
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke
Genre: Action
Rating: R
Runtime: 136 minutes
Director: Robert Eggers
Trailer: Watch here
Like every Robert Eggers film, The Northman is even weirder than it looks. The film follows the Viking Amleth who devotes his life to seeking revenge on the man who murdered his father King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke) and, seemingly, took his mother. Amleth gets his revenge, but slowly and very violently. And yes, the rumors are true: there is a naked volcano fight scene in this. And also a magically unhinged performance from Nicole Kidman.
23. Alice, Darling
Year: 2023
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Wunmi Mosaku, Kaniehtiio Horn, Charlie Carrick
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 89 minutes
Director: Mary Nighy
Trailer: Watch here
This movie, clearly, was never intended as the easiest watch, but it will hit home for anyone who’s endured a psychologically and mentally abusive relationship and hasn’t felt represented onscreen. Anna Kendrick has been quite upfront about how this film helped her work through the fallout of her own abusive relationship, and she portrays a woman in denial of the insidious nature of her own cycle of abuse. And Wunmi Mosaku and Kaniehtiio Horn play the concerned friends who stage a necessary intervention.
24. The Tomorrow War
Year: 2021
Cast: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovsk, iJ.K. Simmons
Genre: Action/Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 138 minutes
Director: Chris McKay
Trailer: Watch here
Chris Pratt in action mode rarely misses, and here, he portrays a high school teacher/soldier sent forward in time (as the title indicates) to fight a future war and change the event that irrevocably changes our planet. This is ultimately a forgettable story, although the set-up is engaging enough, as Pratt’s character is motivated to make a future possible for today’s children by heading off to erase the future, 30 years ahead in time. Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, and Betty Gilpin round out the able cast.
25. Brittany Runs A Marathon
Year: 2019
Cast: Jillian Bell, Jennifer Dundas, Patch Darragh
Genre: Dramedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 104 minutes
Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
Trailer: Watch here
This unexpectedly charming little film follows a train wreck of a protagonist’s quest to revamp her health and life by doing the unthinkable task that many people take on to disastrous effect: running a marathon. Cue the stress fracture lesson that many people must learn, but also, a story full of damn beautiful human relationships as Brittany works not only to lose weight but also to achieve loftier goals (and inspire others in their own lives) than she ever imagined.
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