The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now

Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen | Run Time: 122 minutes | Genre: Neo-Western Crime Thriller

Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald

Possibly the greatest filmmaking duo in American history, certainly the best modern-day filmmakers of Americana, the Coen Brothers have proven time and again that they are masters of the thriller genre. But out of a shared filmography that reads like a “best of the century” list, if there’s one film that can stand out as the ultimate Coen Brothers movie, it would have to be No Country for Old Men (2007). The plot may seem somewhat familiar; after all, it’s been adapted and satirized plenty of times, even getting a parody on The Simpsons. The story kicks off in West Texas, in 1980, when Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds two million dollars from the scene of a drug deal gone wrong. Psychopathic hitman Anton Chigurh is hired to recover the money, and his hunt draws the attention of the local Sheriff, Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones). A thoroughly engaging story at every beat, No Country for Old Men is easily one of the best neo-westerns ever made and possibly the best Coen brothers movie of all time. And if that’s not enough reason to watch this Best Picture Oscar winner, then you will definitely want to see the film for Javier Bardem’s Chigurh, easily one of the most terrifying villains cinema has ever produced. — Remus Noronha

Director: Quentin Tarantino | Run Time: 111 minutes | Genre: Martial Arts Revenge Thriller

Cast: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine

What’s your favorite Quentin Tarantino movie? For many, the answer is the director’s iconic two-part tale of vengeance, Kill Bill. In this the first part of this revenge epic, the Bride (Uma Thurman), a former assassin, is attacked by her old mentor/lover, Bill (David Carradine), and his crew of deadly women (plus one guy, played by Michael Madsen). Left in a coma, she wakes up years later and sets out to destroy them all, especially Bill. It’s an entertaining action thriller that blends grindhouse and pulp elements with the samurai and martial arts genres, with brilliant performances by Thurman, Lucy Liu, and more. Bonus: an anime sequence by Japanese studio Production I. G. and a kickass soundtrack by RZA. Kill Bill: Volume 2 is also currently streaming on Prime Video.— Remus Noronha

Director: Garth Jennings | Run Time: 109 minutes | Genre: Science Fiction Comedy

Cast: Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell, Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, Alan Rickman

Co-written by series creator Douglas Adams, who sadly died before production began, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) is an adaptation of the “trilogy in five parts” (six if you count the book written by Eoin Colfer). It follows the misadventures of six-foot-tall ape-descendant Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), whose house is demolished shortly before the Earth itself is destroyed, both ironically to make way for bypasses. With the help of his friend, an eccentric alien guidebook writer from the vicinity of Betelgeuse called Ford Prefect (Mos Def), Arthur hitches a ride off the planet. From that point, the story diverges significantly from the radio show and novels, which themselves are often contradictory so that’s all just business as usual for the franchise. The movie follows Arthur on a madcap adventure through space, running into an alien daredevil, a clinically depressed robot, and a rather nice girl he once met at a party in Islington. It’s a hilarious ride all the way through, with an ending that leaves room for more.— Remus Noronha

Director: Ridley Scott | Run Time: 129 minutes | Genre: Road Crime Comedy-Drama

Cast: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt, Michael Madsen

When he’s not doing science fiction, Ridley Scott has eclectic tastes. 1991’s Thelma & Louise is exhibit A. The story of a pair of female fugitives—played by Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in the title roles, respectively—is a movie about friendship. Mistreated by the men in their lives, these gals decide to take a road trip one day, but when a drunk tries raping Thelma outside a bar, and Louise shoots and kills him, they opt to run from the law. It’s a fresh spin on the road movie, considering its lead characters and the reason they’re on the move. In spite of the catalyst for their fleeing and, ultimately, how this movie ends, the tone is generally light, fun, and funny. It is not tongue-in-cheek, however. In that, the stakes are high, the tension palpable. These ladies are affable, though taking inspiration from them would be ill-advised. Its most indelible moments, outside of the closing minute, are those featuring a young Brad Pitt as a hitchhiking cowboy. — Brendan Michael

Director: Gerard Johnstone | Run Time: 102 minutes | Genre: Science Fiction Horror

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald

One of the first movies released in 2023, M3GAN has already established itself as a horror favorite. The story follows Gemma (Allison Williams), a brilliant roboticist who unexpectedly becomes her niece Cady’s (Violet McGraw) guardian after Cady’s parents die in an accident. Struggling to connect with the young girl, Gemma introduces Cady to M3GAN, an AI-powered robot that Gemma has been developing to be the ultimate toy. As you might imagine, things quickly start to go wrong once Cady forms an unhealthy bond with the hyper-advanced robot, who has plans of her own. On the one hand, M3GAN is a story about trauma, parenting, and corporate greed. But what makes it so fun is that it’s also a campy killer robot story that’s thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. — Remus Noronha

Director: Denis Villeneuve | Run Time: 116 minutes | Genre: Science Fiction Drama

Cast: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma

If you thought Denis Villeneuve‘s work on Dune (2021) was great, you should definitely check out his acclaimed 2016 film Arrival. Starring Amy Adams as a linguist who is called in to interpret an alien language, Arrival is a brilliant work of sci-fi that ties together concepts of time, linguistic relativism, and fate. And it does this with a great score, evocative cinematography, a perfect performance from Amy Adams, and a complex narrative that makes this film both artistic and scientifically rooted. — Remus Noronha

Director: Anthony Fabian | Run Time: 115 minutes | Genre: Period Comedy Drama

Cast: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo

Here’s something for when you want a healthy dose of warmth and wholesomeness. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris follows the titular character (played by Lesley Manville), a cleaning lady in 1950s London, who goes on a trip to France, where she hopes to purchase the Dior dress of her dreams. Manville’s Mrs. Harris is a delightful character who brings light to the lives of all she meets on her quest. But while the film is fundamentally optimistic, it never veers so far as to become saccharine, presenting a fair balance of darkness that just makes its positive notes all the more poignant. For a quiet, beautiful, and charming story, look no further than this joyful movie.— Remus Noronha

Director: Jonathan Demme | Run Time: 126 minutes | Genre: Legal Drama

Cast: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, Jason Robards, Ann Dowd

Before Philadelphia, Tom Hanks was a comic actor. After Philadelphia, he was the most sought-after A-lister in Hollywood for award-bait dramas. In the film, Hanks plays Andy Beckett, a gay lawyer attempting to hide his HIV status from the higher-ups at his law firm. When he’s unjustly fired as a result of his condition, he hires a reluctant Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to defend him in a wrongful termination suit. Made in a time when HIV and AIDS were still oft-misunderstood by the American public, the film tracks Andy’s gradual demise, and Miller’s growing compassion for him as he suffers. Any movie whose upsetting resolution is a foregone conclusion makes for a hard watch, though the performances and character arcs here help make this one go down a little easier. The pairing of powerhouses Hanks and Washington is alone worth the price of admission/time to stream. — Brendan Michael

Director: George Miller | Run Time: 108 minutes | Genre: Fantasy Romantic Drama

Cast: Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba

One of the most criminally underrated movies of 2022, Three Thousand Years of Longing is an epic, grandiose story that’s equal parts surreal and touching. Tilda Swinton stars as a scholar who buys a strange memento while on a trip to Istanbul. Predictably, she attempts to clean it and accidentally unleashes the djinn who has been trapped within (played by Idris Elba). You do see where this is going, don’t you? The George Miller film isn’t just a rehash of Alladin, however. For one thing, it’s based on the short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A. S. Byatt, not The Arabian Nights. Unlike most characters who encounter a genie, Swinton’s pragmatic scholar does not immediately wish for riches or fame. Instead, she accuses the djinn of being a trickster and claims that wishes are more trouble than they are worth. And so, he begins to tell her his story, a tale of betrayal, ambition, and love that stretches across three millennia. With an almost fable-like quality, and interspersed with fascinating insights into the “science” of djinn and the “cold fire” that gives them form, Three Thousand Years of Longing is a wonderful experience that blends the worlds of fantasy and imagination with that of hard reality, ultimately showing how even the most beloved fantasies must come to a bittersweet end.— Remus Noronha

Director: Joseph Kosinski | Run Time: 130 minutes | Genre: Action Drama

Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer, Monica Barbaro

With legacy sequels all the rage these days, it was really only a matter of time before someone attempted one for Top Gun. And thankfully, Top Gun: Maverick (2022) is a worthy addition to this legendary story. Picking up over 30 years after the original film, Maverick follows Tom Cruise‘s titular pilot as he faces the end of an era. With drones and automation replacing pilots in warfare, people like Maverick are becoming obsolete, a fact that he is constantly reminded of. But when he’s given a chance to train a special squadron to undertake a secret mission, Maverick sees it as a chance to prove that he’s still got some fight left in him. Cruise is as delightful as ever and Miles Teller puts on a brilliantly layered performance as Rooster, the son of Maverick’s dead best friend Goose (Anthony Edwards). The real highlight of the movie, however, is Val Kilmer, who reprises his fan-favorite role as Maverick’s rival-turned-friend Iceman one last time, in a touching performance that’s a fitting farewell for an iconic character and the unforgettable actor who brought him to life. — Remus Noronha

Director: Stanley Donen | Run Time: 113 minutes | Genre: Romantic-Comedy Mystery Thriller

Cast: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy

When Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn have top billing on a movie, that’s reason enough to want to watch it. The sizzling chemistry between these two Hollywood legends is the engine that runs this film but make no mistake, Charade (1963) has a lot more going for it. There’s plenty of comedy and romance, yes, but also a plot filled with twists of Hitchcockian proportions. Hepburn stars as Regina “Reggie” Lampert, an interpreter planning on divorcing her rich husband, who happens to meet a mysterious American (Grant) while on holiday in the French Alps. There’s an instant spark between them, but that’s as far as that goes. She soon returns to her home in Paris, only to find that it has been stripped bare and that her husband, Charles, had been killed while trying to leave the country. At his funeral, three strangers show up, who all seem less than distraught. Later, she is called into the American embassy, where she’s informed that her husband served in WWII alongside these three men and another now-deceased soldier. They were entrusted with a large sum of gold that they stole and ran, but Charles double-crossed the others and made off with all of it. Now his surviving co-conspirators—and the United States government—are after the money, and they’re all convinced Reggie has it.

As she attempts to evade her pursuers and locate the loot, she reunites with the American she met on holiday, who offers to help. The only problem? He keeps changing his name and his reasons for helping her, until both Reggie and the audience have no idea what to believe. Part screwball comedy, part mystery thriller, Charade is an engaging story that keeps you hooked right to the very last scene. — Remus Noronha

Director: Jordan Peele | Run Time: 130 minutes | Genre: Neo-Western Sci-Fi Horror

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea

How did this movie not get an Oscar? Showcasing brilliant cinematography (courtesy of Hoyte van Hoytema), mind-blowing visuals, and a sharp, well-crafted script that flips everything you know about UFOs on its head, Jordan Peele‘s Nope (2022) is one of the best horror films of recent years. In fact, even calling it a “horror film” seems limiting when you consider the story and its execution. The film follows two sibling horse-wranglers, the quiet, almost-stoic Otis “OJ” Haywood Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya) and his more enterprising and sociable sister Emerald “Em” Haywood (Keke Palmer). As they try to keep their failing family ranch afloat, OJ and Em discover a strange, possibly alien presence that’s marked their lands as its hunting ground. Meanwhile, an incident with a monkey in the 90s leads a theme park owner to think he could possibly tame this impossible predator. Nope isn’t just a good horror movie, it’s everything you need for a true cinematic experience. And for those who couldn’t catch it in the theaters, streaming it at home is your next best shot. Either way, you don’t want to miss this spectacular piece of filmmaking! — Remus Noronha

Director: Nikyatu Jusu | Run Time: 99 min | Genre: Horror Thriller

Cast: Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Sinqua Walls, Morgan Spector

Anna Diop stars in Nanny from writer/director Nikyatu Jusu in her feature directorial debut. Diop plays Aisha, a woman caring for the child of a wealthy family in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Nanny co-stars Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector as Aisha’s wealthy employers, along with Sinqua Walls, who gives a layered performance as Malik, Aisha’s love interest. Grounded in the realities of immigrant life in New York City, Nanny blends thrilling drama with psychological suspense as the haunting film swerves through hallucinations that greatly alter Aisha’s journey towards a nightmarish American Dream. – Yael Tygiel

Director: Jonathan Lynn | Run Time: 97 minutes | Genre: Black Comedy Mystery

Cast: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Lee Ving

An ensemble cast, a strange invitation, and a murder in a mansion. No, it isn’t Glass Onion, it’s Clue. Featuring a mix of characters from the game and new ones created for the film, Jonathan Lynn‘s take on the classic mystery board game is one of those few game adaptations that actually succeed in translating the fun of the original article. Getting back to the plot, the film follows six strangers who converge at a secluded New England mansion. Each of them is given a pseudonym to mask their identity and they are all being blackmailed by a seventh guest, Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving), who gives them all weapons (taken straight out of the board game) and suggests that they kill the butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry). The lights go out and we, along with the guests, are launched into a wild ride full of murder and mayhem. The film was originally released with three different endings but luckily, the version on Prime Video combines all three. — Remus Noronha

Director: Frank Capra | Run Time: 131 minutes | Genre: Christmas Fantasy Drama

Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers

Widely regarded as one of the most influential films ever made, It’s a Wonderful Life is a timeless classic. The story follows George Bailey (James Stewart), a down-on-his-luck banker who spends a lifetime putting the needs of others ahead of his own. Faced with absolute ruin one Christmas Eve, George resolves to commit suicide. However, thanks to the prayers of his loved ones, a guardian angel is sent to save George from this horrible fate. The angel, Clarence (Henry Travers) shows George what the world would be like if he was never born, leading him to a profound realization about the value of every kind deed. While It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas movie through and through, it’s a great watch no matter when you see it. The film presents a sentimental and touching portrait of a genuinely good man and the wonderful, wonderful life that he leads. Whether you’re looking for a Holiday season watch or just a really good movie, It’s a Wonderful Life is an experience everyone should have at least once. — Remus Noronha

Director: Clive Barker | Run Time: 93 minutes | Genre: Horror

Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, and Ashley Laurence

Clive Barker’s name has become synonymous with the horror genre, just as his first feature-length film Hellraiser has become a symbol for leather-wearing, sadomasochistic, pain-worshippers. Both descriptors are fitting, though there’s so much more to Barker’s original 1987 film than mere fetishism. There’s a deep mythology here, a rather original one that started with Barker’s novella “The Hellbound Heart” and was carried on in numerous sequel films, comic books, novels, video games, and more. And it all started with Hellraiser, a film that explores the linked sensations of pain and pleasure on a number of levels. The main players are Larry Cotton and his second wife Julia, who cheated on him with his brother Frank shortly after they were married. This sets up one of the most bizarre yet rich mythologies in cinema history: Julia’s obsession with Frank continues well after his death and is rejuvenated when Frank himself is resurrected. However, Frank needs fresh blood to return to his full health, blood that Julia is happy to supply by luring men back to Frank’s abandoned childhood home and sacrificing them. And yet, as horrible as this is, it’s mundane compared to the arrival of the Cenobites, beings from another dimension obsessed with carnal experiences elucidating the extremes of pain and pleasure. Their design and presence is fantastic in the truest sense of the word and the practical effects on display here are just as terrifying today as they were in 1987. If you haven’t seen the original or any of the sequels, Hellraiser is the perfect place to start. If you’re not careful, this movie will tear your soul apart. – Dave Trumbore

Director: Nia DaCosta | Run Time: 91 minutes | Genre: Horror

Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Colman Domingo, Vanessa Williams, Tony Todd

Legacy horror sequels, now there’s a fad that’s really tricky to get right. Whenever filmmakers attempt one, it can either be a valuable addition to the canon that elevates the whole or a horrible cash grab that’ll be hated by fans. Nia DaCosta‘s Candyman is most definitely the former. The 2021 film is the fourth in the series and quite possibly the best, going further than even the 1992 original. With brilliant performances by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, and Colman Domingo, as well as a gripping script penned by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, and DaCosta, the movie takes the Candyman myth and breathes new life into it. Abdul-Mateen II plays Anthony McCoy, an artist with a past tied to the events in 1992. As he seeks out inspiration for his art, he is introduced to the legend of the Candyman, which sets him on a dangerous path. There’s a sense of intense foreboding to the story, not because it makes you afraid of potential jumpscares or gore but because right from the beginning, you can see where the story is going and you really hope you’re wrong. Candyman is a tragedy but also a new origin story, one that ties together all the past origins of the Candyman with an important message about racial discrimination, systemic violence, and the power of stories to help the oppressed fight back against their oppressors. There are levels to this movie, never just about gentrification or violence or even Candyman the myth. Peele and DaCosta actually manage to turn narrative and storytelling into a supernatural force of vengeance. But don’t let us spoil it for you, check out the movie yourself. Fair warning though, you’re going to be thinking about this film long after the credits roll. — Remus Noronha

Director: Robert Eggers | Run Time: 136 minutes | Genre: Period Action Drama

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke

The Northman echoes a very old narrative premise, following in a long line of stories ranging from Shakespeare’s Hamlet to Disney’s The Lion King. But what Robert Eggers does with his age-old story turns it into something exceptionally fresh. On the face of it, The Northman is a revenge story, following a prince who lost his kingdom as he sets out to avenge his murdered father, save his kidnapped mother, and kill the usurper who took away his birthright. And if that’s all you’re looking for, you would be satisfied. However, that’s not all there is to this tale. Depending on how you look at it, The Northman can be interpreted as the struggle between man as an animal and man as a civilized being. You can also see it as a reminder that we are all doomed to our fates, no matter how much we may want to escape them. And by the end of it all, there is a feeling you may get that this act of vengeance, as grand and bloody as it is, is only a footnote in a history that stretches endlessly back and forth through time. As for what’s actually seen on screen, Jarin Blaschke‘s cinematography is spectacular, especially when we get to the movie’s fiery final battle. Alexander Skarsgård unleashes his inner beast like never before, Anya Taylor-Joy delivers a haunting performance, and Nicole Kidman plays what may just be one of her most complicated characters yet. Don’t sleep on this Viking tale, it’s easily one of the best movies to grace our screens in 2022. — Remus Noronha

Director: Dominic Cooke | Run Time: 111 minutes | Genre: Historical Spy Drama

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan, Jessie Buckley, Angus Wright

For most people, Benedict Cumberbatch is either Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Stephen Strange. Yes, the actor has made quite a name for himself in major franchise movies but to limit him to those roles would be to ignore some of the best performances Cumberbatch has given over the course of his stellar career. Whether it’s his not-entirely-historical take on Alan Turing in The Imitation Game or the complex rancher he plays in The Power of the Dog, Benedict Cumberbatch has shown that he has the chops to play intricate, well-written characters with real and complicated lives. In The Courier (originally titled Ironbark), the actor takes on the role of Greville Wynne, a real-life British businessman who was recruited by intelligence officers to serve as a messenger, communicating with a valuable Soviet spy in Moscow. Unlike most spy dramas, The Courier is more concerned with the harsh realities of being a Cold War spy than the good vs evil narrative that you usually see in the genre. The fact that the story is based on true events just makes you feel even more for the movie’s two protagonists, as played brilliantly by Cumberbatch and co-star Merab Ninidze. This movie is a must-watch for fans of spy fiction and period stories, especially those interested in knowing more about the behind-the-scenes operations that kept the nukes from falling during the volatile Cold War years. — Remus Noronha

Directors: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee | Run Time: 112 minutes | Genre: Romantic Adventure Comedy

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe

Not to be confused with another similarly titled entry on this list, The Lost City is a hilarious romantic adventure comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. A surprise summer hit, the movie stars Bullock as a reclusive writer who is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire and forced to hunt for a long-lost treasure. She also receives some unexpected help in this endeavor from her cover model, played by Tatum. The movie’s two leads have excellent chemistry, with Bullock playing the embittered novelist and Tatum the enthusiastic himbo to absolute perfection. The Lost City also stars the ever-delightful Daniel Radcliffe as the movie’s villain, a role that the Harry Potter actor plays with charm and cartoonish evil. It’s a fun popcorn movie that’s perfect for a night in, and the experience is raised to a whole other level by a Brad Pitt cameo that’s easily one of the actor’s best comedic performances in recent times.— Remus Noronha