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The best movies on Amazon Prime Video (August 2024)

KJ Apa in One Fast Move.
Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video isn’t letting the summer run out without a few more original movies. This week, the racing drama One Fast Move is heading to the top of Prime Video’s movie charts. It’s far from a masterpiece, and if it came out at the box office this weekend, One Fast Move would probably wind up out of the top five. But for Prime Video subscribers, it’s a free movie to watch at home.

Also this week, we’re throwing the spotlight on The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and the rest of the LOTR trilogy. Those are some fantastic films, and easily one of the highlights of Prime Video’s August selections. But if you need more options, keep reading for the best movies on Amazon Prime Video right now.

We’ve also put together guides to the best shows on Prime Video, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Netflix, the best new movies to stream, and the best movies on Disney+.

Editor’s Pick

One Fast Move (2024)

One Fast Move
4.7/10
r
107m
Genre
Action, Drama, Romance
Stars
K.J. Apa, Eric Dane, Maia Reficco
Directed by
Kelly Blatz
Watch on Amazon

Prime Video has had some success using the cast from Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in its YA films. Now it’s Archie’s turn, as Riverdale’s leading man, KJ Apa, headlines One Fast Move as Wes Neal, a young man with a dream and a lot of abandonment issues. After getting drummed out of the military, Wes seeks out his estranged father, Dean (Eric Dane), to get his help in becomming a motorcycle racer.

A local bike shop owner, Abel (Edward James Olmos), does his best to keep this father-and-son reunion on track. Wes also finds potential love with Camilia (Maia Reficco), but their mutual secrets may drive them apart.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
92%
8.9/10
pg-13
179m
Genre
Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Stars
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
Directed by
Peter Jackson
Watch on Amazon

The Rings of Power season 2 is coming soon, which is why the Lord of the Rings trilogy is back on Prime Video. Over two decades later, there still hasn’t been a better fantasy trilogy than this one directed by Peter Jackson. There’s no better place to start than the first film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Decades after the events of The Hobbit, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) suspects that the dark lord Sauron has returned, and if he regains his One Ring, then the world is doomed. It falls to a young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and a fellowship of eight others to protect the Ring during a perilous journey to destroy its power once and for all. This film is visually arresting and emotionally moving like few others.

Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Lisa Frankenstein
47%
6.1/10
pg-13
102m
Genre
Comedy, Horror, Romance
Stars
Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano
Directed by
Zelda Williams
Watch on Amazon

What kind of a world are we living in when a young woman can’t resurrect her ideal man without being compared to one of the most famous mad scientists in literary history? The title character of Lisa Frankenstein isn’t even a real Frankenstein! That said, Lisa (Kathryn Newton) does show an amoral side of her personality after she accidentally resurrects the Creature (Cole Sprouse). She’s been looking for love in all the dead places, and now that she’s found it, Lisa isn’t going to let him go.

After being dead for over a century, the Creature is missing a few parts. And Lisa is more than willing to kill a few people to get what her newfound lover needs to be a complete man again. She just can’t outrun the consequences of her murderous actions for long.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pulp Fiction
95%
8.5/10
r
154m
Genre
Thriller, Crime
Stars
John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman
Directed by
Quentin Tarantino
Watch on Amazon

Thirty years ago, the legend of Quentin Tarantino began with Pulp Fiction. Although this wasn’t Tarantino’s directorial debut, it was the film that made him famous. Pulp Fiction’s nonlinear storytelling may be disorienting at times, but the cast of characters in this crime comedy are unforgettable. The hit men, Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson); the washed-up boxer, Butch Coolidge (Butch Coolidge); the crime lord, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), and his wife, Mia (Uma Thurman); all have their own memorable roles to play.

Tarantino’s dialogue is especially good in this flick, as are his esoteric music choices and the film’s stylized violence. Even after three decades of imitators, nothing has come close to replicating what Tarantino pulled off here.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
80%
7.7/10
pg-13
164m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames
Directed by
Christopher McQuarrie
Watch on Amazon

If you’re looking for high-caliber action, then Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning is the film for you. Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie have made the last few Mission: Impossible movies into events, and this may be the beginning of the end for Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt.

This time, Ethan and his IMF team are going up against The Entity, a sentient AI that the world’s governments are scrambling to control. Only Ethan realizes that it has to be destroyed, but The Entity itself has other plans. It exerts its influence in the real world through Ethan’s old foe, Gabriel (Esai Morales). And an enigmatic thief named Grace (Haley Atwell) may hold the key to stopping The Entity dead in its tracks.

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Bob Marley: One Love
43%
6.3/10
pg-13
104m
Genre
Music, History, Drama
Stars
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton
Directed by
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Watch on Amazon

Bob Marley: One Love is a music biopic that takes place late in the life of reggae superstar Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir). After Bob and his wife, Rita Marley (The Marvels actress Lashana Lynch), narrowly survive an assassination attempt in his native Jamaica, it sends him into a creative tailspin that threatens to derail his dreams.

Before Bob can resume his message of peace, he has to face his own inner demons and work out his issues with Rita. Bob Marley didn’t have a lot of time in this world, but the film shows that he made the most of what he had and left a lasting legacy of music behind.

My Spy: The Eternal City (2024)

My Spy: The Eternal City
38%
5.6/10
pg-13
112m
Genre
Action, Comedy
Stars
Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal
Directed by
Peter Segal
Watch on Amazon

Perhaps a better name for this film would be My Spy Kid, since that captures the tone of the movie more than My Spy: The Eternal City. In the first film, Sophie (Chloe Coleman) had to blackmail CIA agent J.J. (Dune: Part Two‘s Dave Bautista) to give her spy lessons. Now, he’s firmly entrenched in her life as both her surrogate father and her trainer. Except 14-year-old Sophie’s no longer sure she wants to be a spy.

After J.J. is roped into serving as a chaperone on Chloe’s school trip to Europe, the duo uncover a plot that may lead to the destruction of the Vatican. And it’s time for Sophie to put everything she’s learned from J.J. to good use when the fate of the world is potentially on the line.

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black (2024)

Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black
4.5/10
r
121m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Mystery
Stars
Meagan Good, Cory Hardrict, Joseph Lee Anderson
Directed by
Tyler Perry
Watch on Amazon

Although Divorce in the Black is ostensibly a drama and a thriller, writer and director Tyler Perry’s latest film has several moments that play as unintentional comedy. Meagan Good stars as Ava, the wife of Dallas (Cory Hardrict), a man she married over the objections of her parents.

And wouldn’t you know it, but Ava’s parents were right all along. Dallas treats Ava like dirt and she’s still stung when he files for divorce from her. The good news for Ava is that being newly single gives her a chance to possibly find love with Benji (Joseph Lee Anderson). However, Dallas still feels like he owns Ava, even when he’s the one who initiated their split. And Dallas isn’t going to be happy when he learns that Ava is moving on.

Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator
67%
8.5/10
r
155m
Genre
Action, Drama, Adventure
Stars
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
Directed by
Ridley Scott
Watch on Amazon

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator earned multiple Oscars, including Best Actor and Best Picture. Maybe the upcoming sequel, Gladiator 2, can replicate that feat? Russell Crowe had the role of his career as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a general who is the favorite of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) — so much so that the emperor wants to pass on his power to Maximus so Rome can be a republic again.

Marcus’ insane son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), ensures that never comes to pass by murdering his father and Maximus’ family, and having Maximus attacked and left for dead. When Maximus is subsequently sold into slavery, he becomes a gladiator and fights his way to the top in the hope of getting his revenge on Commodus.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Evil Dead Rise
69%
6.5/10
r
96m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies
Directed by
Lee Cronin
Watch on Amazon

Evil Dead Rise is neither as ambitious nor as good as the 2013 Evil Dead reboot. But for a horror film that was originally meant to go direct-to-streaming on Max, it’s very entertaining. Lily Sullivan stars as Beth, a guitar technician who is facing a major life change before visiting her sister, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), and her three kids: Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher).

On the same night as Beth’s visit, Danny discovers a strange book and disturbing recordings hidden away below the parking structure of their apartment building. Soon enough, Danny accidentally unleashes the Deadites, who in turn possess Ellie. With Ellie irrevocably transformed into something evil, it falls to Beth to protect her family. However, Ellie is relentless, and she has plenty of other people that she can kill before turning her attention to her kids and her sister.

The Beekeeper (2024)

The Beekeeper
54%
6.4/10
r
105m
Genre
Action, Crime, Thriller
Stars
Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi
Directed by
David Ayer
Watch on Amazon

If you’re looking for a movie with Oscar buzz, The Beekeeper isn’t one of those films. But it is a Jason Statham action flick that lives up to everything you may expect to see from it. Statham plays Adam Clay, a former member of a secretive organization called the Beekeepers and an actual beekeeper.

Adam is content in his retirement until his friend and landlady, Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), is taken for everything she has by scammers. Eloise commits suicide rather than live with the shame of having allowed her charity foundation to be robbed of millions. Adam vows revenge, and his bloody path of retribution puts him on opposite sides of the CIA and his former colleagues in the Beekeepers.

Space Cadet (2024)

Space Cadet
35%
5.0/10
pg-13
110m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Emma Roberts, Tom Hopper, Poppy Liu
Directed by
Liz W. Garcia
Watch on Amazon

Space Cadet is a Legally Blonde-like comedy starring Emma Roberts as Tiffany “Rex” Simpson, a young woman who gave up on her dreams of becoming an astronaut a long time ago. But Rex gets her second chance when she writes a heartfelt letter to NASA, which is intercepted and greatly embellished by her friend, Nadine (Poppy Liu), to make her look like a viable candidate.

Suddenly, Rex has a path forward if she can get through astronaut training before the deception is discovered. She is really good with people and has great leadership skills, but Rex’s lack of technical knowledge may keep her grounded if she can’t overcome it.

Cyrano (2021)

Cyrano
66%
6.4/10
pg-13
124m
Genre
Drama, Romance
Stars
Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Directed by
Joe Wright
Watch on Amazon

American moviegoers didn’t have a song in their hearts when it came to Cyrano, an updated version of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac. This is one of the rare dramatic musicals, which features Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage as the title character, Cyrano de Bergerac.

Cyrano is hopelessly in love with his friend, Roxanne (Haley Bennett), but he feels that his small size means that she would not accept his love in return. Regardless, Cyrano is disappointed that Roxanne is so taken with a young man, Christian de Neuvillette (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who can barely express himself at all. Yet in the name of Roxanne’s happiness, Cyrano coaches Christian to help him win her heart.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Oppenheimer
90%
8.3/10
r
181m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Watch on Amazon

The best movie of 2023 is now the best movie on Prime Video. Director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan will have a hard time topping the flick that finally won two Oscars for him. Because Oppenheimer not only lived up to the hype bit it’s the kind of film that will likely endure for decades to come.

Cillian Murphy gives an Oscar-winning performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who was instrumental in putting together the team that built the atomic bomb. Nolan’s narrative jumps back and forth to different years in Oppenheimer’s life, including an attempt by Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) to destroy his reputation. Yet nothing will hit Oppenheimer harder than the full weight of the atomic destruction that he unleashed upon the world.

The Grey (2012)

The Grey
64%
6.7/10
r
117m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Stars
Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo
Directed by
Joe Carnahan
Watch on Amazon

There came a day when Liam Neeson ran out of asses to kick, so he took on some wolves in The Grey. That may sound like an unfair fight in Neeson’s favor, especially since his character, John Ottway, is handy with a sniper riffle. But the wolves have a few advantages over John and his co-workers, especially when a plane crash strands them in the Alaskan wilderness with little hope of rescue.

The wolves are patient, and this is their territory. They know just when to strike to whittle John’s party down one-by-one. And if John is going to make it out of this ordeal alive, then he’ll have to come to terms with his own mortality before he can face the wolves.

Daddy's Home (2015)

Daddy's Home
42%
6.2/10
pg-13
96m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini
Directed by
Sean Anders
Watch on Amazon

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg co-headline Daddy’s Home as Brad Whitaker and Dusty Mayron, respectively. Brad is the new husband of Dusty’s ex-wife, Sara Whitaker (Linda Cardellini), and the step-father to their kids, Megan (Scarlett Estevez) and Dylan (Owen Vaccaro).

Brad tries everything he can think of to get the children to accept him as their step-father. And it almost works until Dusty re-enters their lives, and attempts to force Brad out of the house and out of the family. It’s a contest of wills, and Brad may come out on the losing side because he just isn’t as cool or as fun as Dusty.

Mean Girls (2024)

Mean Girls
58%
5.7/10
pg-13
113m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli'i Cravalho
Directed by
Arturo Perez Jr., Samantha Jayne
Watch on Amazon

Mean Girls isn’t just a remake of the 2002 film, it’s also an adaptation of the 2017 Mean Girls musical. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprise their roles from the original movie, but the leading part of Cady Heron features rising star Angourie Rice as she steps into Lindsay Lohan’s shoes. Lohan even has a cameo in the film, which you should be able to spot if you keep your eyes open near the end.

Cady has never gone to an actual school before, since she’s been homeschooled her entire life. Once she finally enrolls in North Shore High School, Cady is initially accepted by the Plastics, the titular mean girls. When the Plastics inevitably turn on Cady, she hatches a scheme to take them down from within. And she might just lose herself along the way.

Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall
81%
7.8/10
pg-13
143m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Stars
Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem
Directed by
Sam Mendes
Watch on Amazon

Skyfall is easily the most beloved James Bond movie of the modern era, and a high point of Daniel Craig’s time as 007. After nearly getting killed in the field, Bond attempts to retire from MI6 before a terrorist bombing draws him back into the fold. It quickly becomes clear that Bond is far from recovered from his injuries, but M (Judi Dench) still takes him back because of the threat that Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) represents to the nation and the world.

Raoul is also closely linked to M’s past, and Bond is going to have to face his own inner demons before he can take on Silva directly. It all leads to a final showdown at Bond’s ancestral home, Skyfall.

Die Hart 2: Die Harter (2024)

Die Hart 2: Die Harter
4.2/10
92m
Genre
Action, Comedy
Stars
Kevin Hart, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ben Schwartz
Directed by
Eric Appel
Watch on Amazon

Kevin Hart is back in the role he was born to play: himself. The Roku Channel’s Die Hart action comedy series returned for a second season in 2023, and it has now been reedited into a film called Die Hart 2: Die Harter.

Following his attempt to become a true action star, Hart is obsessed with showing off his newfound skills in an improvised action movie of his own creation. And when Hollywood doesn’t bite, Hart takes a meeting with a shady character, Karl Stromberg (Greg Kriek), that sends him headfirst into a revenge plot. It’s a good thing that Hart has friends like Mr. 206 (John Cena) who can help him get out of this mess alive.

The Blue Angels (2024)

The Blue Angels
7.5/10
g
93m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Brian Allendorfer, Bobby Speed Baldock, Bryon Beck
Directed by
Paul Crowder
Watch on Amazon

If you live near an actual IMAX theater, then you may want to see The Blue Angels there before watching it on Prime Video. This documentary has some jaw-dropping visuals from never-before-seen footage of the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron.

The film covers the 2022 season for the Blue Angels as new pilots undergo intense training alongside veteran pilots to prepare for some very difficult flying formations and maneuvers. This isn’t a job that everyone can pull off, but for those who can, the Blue Angels are a calling.

American Fiction (2023)

American Fiction
81%
7.5/10
r
117m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Jeffrey Wright, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander
Directed by
Cord Jefferson
Watch on Amazon

American Fiction casts The Batman Part Two’s Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a college professor and a novelist whose books sell very poorly. Monk is also upset that another writer, Sinatra Golden (Issa Rae), has found massive success while seemingly pandering to Black stereotypes. So Monk writes his own novel as a satire of Golden’s books before submitting it for publication.

Much to Monk’s surprise and horror, his satire is embraced by the publisher and the general public. The satire of the piece goes unnoticed, as the book becomes so popular that it starts taking over Monk’s life, even though he made sure that his real name wasn’t listed as the author. But once the book is out and Hollywood comes knocking, it may be too late.

The Idea of You (2024)

The Idea of You
67%
6.7/10
r
116m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Music
Stars
Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin
Directed by
Michael Showalter
Watch on Amazon

The irony of the premise of The Idea of You is that the romantic entanglement of Solène Marchand (Eileen‘s Anne Hathaway) with boy band lead singer Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine) would probably be more of a fantasy for Solène’s daughter, Izzy (Ella Rubin), than for Solène herself. But one unplanned encounter between Solène and Hayes soon leads to several others.

There is an age gap between Solène and Hayes that does come up in the film, but the bigger issue between them is the celebrity gap. As long as Hayes is a world-famous musician, he and Solène may never be able to enjoy a normal romance without being hounded by the press.

The Holdovers (2023)

The Holdovers
82%
7.9/10
r
133m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Directed by
Alexander Payne
Watch on Amazon

It’s a little early for Christmas movies, but The Holdovers may become a holiday tradition. Paul Giamatti stars as Paul Hunham, an unpopular and curmudgeonly teacher at Barton Academy boarding school in 1970. Hunham is forced to spend his Christmas vacation as a chaperone for the students who don’t have anywhere to go for the holidays.

Despite himself, Hunham starts empathizing and bonding with one of his students, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), as well as Barton cafeteria manager, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is grieving over the loss of her son. Through them, Hunham rediscovers his compassion, even though it may cost him what’s left of his teaching career.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

The Exorcist: Believer
39%
4.6/10
r
111m
Genre
Horror
Stars
Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill
Directed by
David Gordon Green
Watch on Amazon

Fifty years after the events of the original Exorcist, demons strike again in The Exorcist: Believer. Two young girls, Angela Fielding (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine West (Olivia O’Neill), have fallen prey to evil, and their parents are at a loss as how to handle their possession.

Angela’s father, Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), eventually finds help in the form of Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a woman who has made herself an expert in the field of demonic possession since her daughter, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), suffered the same ordeal decades earlier. But no amount of preparation is sufficient in the face of the unrelenting evil that has the two children in its grasp.

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Minions: The Rise of Gru
56%
pg
87m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Family
Stars
Pierre Coffin, Steve Carell, Russell Brand
Directed by
Kyle Balda
Watch on Amazon

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the origin story of Despicable Me’s main character, Gru (Steve Carell), but probably not in the way that you expect. In the 1970s, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and the rest of the Minions (Pierre Coffin) have all latched on to Gru as their new master. Gru himself has ambitions of being the biggest supervillain in the world so he can join the Vicious 6.

Unfortunately for Gru, his attempts to join the most notorious gang of bad guys spectacularly backfires, which turns his idols in the Vicious 6 into his deadliest enemies. To defeat them, Gru and the Minions will have to turn to the Vicious 6’s former leader, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin).

Música (2024)

Música
76%
6.5/10
pg-13
91m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Music
Stars
Camila Mendes, Rudy Mancuso, J.B. Smoove
Directed by
Rudy Mancuso
Watch on Amazon

Almost everyone can hear a song in their head, but the lead character of Música, Rudy (Rudy Mancuso), can’t stop hearing it. Rudy suffers from synesthesia, which means music is an ever-present part of his life, even when he would probably prefer silence.

Mancuso is a YouTube star who co-wrote and directed this coming-of-age romance, which finds Rudy torn between two women: Isabella (Camila Mendes) and Haley (Francesca Reale). Luckily — or perhaps unluckily — Rudy has a friend, Anwar (J.B. Smoove), who can give him some advice and guidance. But ultimately, Rudy has to make his own choices in life, including whom he really wants to be with.

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023)

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain
49%
6.1/10
r
92m
Genre
Comedy, Adventure
Stars
Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Ben Marshall
Directed by
Paul Briganti
Watch on Amazon

If you thought that Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain was a Peacock original movie, then you’re not wrong. But everything on Peacock tends to end up on Prime Video. The comedy group Please Don’t Destroy — Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy — stars in The Treasure of Foggy Mountain as fictionalized versions of themselves.

After the trio discovers they may have the lead on a priceless treasure hidden away in Foggy Mountain, they inadvertently create rivals for their quest when they tell Lisa (Megan Stalter) and Taylor (X Mayo) what they’re looking for. Additionally, other treasure seekers have already descended upon the mountain. Even if the trio can find the treasure, bringing it home will be a lot harder.

Witness (1985)

Witness
76%
7.4/10
r
112m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Stars
Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Josef Sommer
Directed by
Peter Weir
Watch on Amazon

At the peak of his stardom, Harrison Ford was more than just Indiana Jones or Han Solo. Witness is a thriller that cast Ford as John Book, a detective in the Philadelphia police department who is given an unusual case to investigate. A young Amish boy, Samuel Lapp (Lukas Haas), has accidentally witnessed the murder of an undercover cop.

Much to his alarm, Book realizes that the killer was another cop, and that the corruption in his department may threaten both Samuel and his widowed mother, Rachel Lapp (Kelly McGillis). Book’s suspicions are confirmed when he’s nearly taken out by one of his fellow officers, which forces him to hide with Rachel and Samuel among the Amish. And even though Book and Rachel are from very different worlds, they can’t hide their obvious attraction to each other.

Road House (2024)

Road House
59%
6.3/10
r
121m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor
Directed by
Doug Liman
Watch on Amazon

In this remake of the popular 1989 movie starring Patrick Swayze, Jake Gyllenhaal portrays Elwood Dalton as a former UFC fighter who has fallen on some hard times. Road House gives Elwood a chance for redemption when Frankie (Jessica Williams) recruits him to be the bouncer at her bar, which shares its name with the title of the film.

Elwood’s fighting skills go a long way towards keeping order at The Road House, much to the anger of a local mobster, Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen). Elwood took care of Brandt’s regular goons with ease, but he’ll have a much harder time handling Knox, an enforcer for Brandt who is played by an actual UFC fighter, Conor McGregor.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
35%
5.2/10
pg-13
92m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Elena Kampouris
Directed by
Nia Vardalos
Watch on Amazon

It shouldn’t surprise you to hear that there is another wedding in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 — it’s just not between the main characters, Fotoula “Toula” Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) and Ian Miller (Sex and the Citys John Corbett). Through two sequels and one non-canon sitcom spinoff, Toula and Ian are still together. But they don’t know that their daughter, Paris Miller (Elena Kampouris), is struggling with both her love life and her academic pursuits in college.

Michael Constantine, who played Toula’s father, Gus Portokalos, in the previous films, passed away in 2021. That’s why a lot of this film deals with the family struggling with their grief over the loss of Gus as the extended clan travels to Greece to fulfill his last wishes. This turns out to be more difficult than they imagined, as his childhood friends have scattered, and some unrelated relationship dramas are coming to the surface.

Ricky Stanicky (2024)

Ricky Stanicky
44%
6.2/10
r
113m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino
Directed by
Peter Farrelly
Watch on Amazon

The first thing that you need to know about the movie called Ricky Stanicky is that there is no Ricky. He’s just someone who was made up by three friends — Dean (The Iron Claw‘s Zac Efron), Wes (Jermaine Fowler), and JT (Andrew Santino) — as a convenient scapegoat for the last two decades. But when “Ricky” causes Dean to miss the birth of his child, the trio’s significant others demand to finally meet him.

That’s why Dean hires a washed-up actor, Rod (John Cena), to pretend to be Ricky just long enough to fool their friends and family. The problem is that Rod not only loves playing Ricky, but he does it too well and he even lands a job that may keep him permanently in their lives. If the truth about Ricky gets out, then Dean, Wes, and JT are going to pay the price for everything they’ve done.

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

Five Nights at Freddy's
33%
5.5/10
pg-13
110m
Genre
Horror, Mystery
Stars
Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth Lail
Directed by
Emma Tammi
Watch on Amazon

The hit video game series Five Nights At Freddy’s was also a big success with moviegoers last fall. For this adaptation, Josh Hutcherson steps into the role of Mike Schmidt, a man who can barely hold down a job or provide a home for his younger sister, Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail). Out of desperation, Mike takes a job as the night shift guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a restaurant that’s been abandoned for decades.

With no one else that he can trust to watch over Vanessa, Josh brings her to work with him. That turns out to be a terrible mistake, because at night, the animatronics come to life. And while Freddy and his mechanical friends like Vanessa, they’re somewhat murderous toward Mike and anyone else who stumbles upon their secret.

Road to Perdition (2002)

Road to Perdition
72%
7.7/10
r
117m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars
Tom Hanks, Tyler Hoechlin, Paul Newman
Directed by
Sam Mendes
Watch on Amazon

About two decades before he starred in The CW’s Superman & Lois series, Tyler Hoechlin appeared in a much darker comic book adaptation, Road To Perdition. Tom Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a mob hitman during the Great Depression who is forced to go on the run shortly after his son, Michael Sullivan Jr. (Hoechlin), witnesses his father and Connor Rooney (future James Bond Daniel Craig) murder another local crime figure.

Connor is also the son of a mob boss, John Rooney (Paul Newman), who favors Michael Sr. over his own flesh and blood. That’s why Connor had Michael’s wife and other son murdered, before ordering an assassin, Harlen Maguire (Jude Law), to track down Michael and Michael Jr. before they can make new lives for themselves.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
74%
7.2/10
pg
100m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Action, Science Fiction
Stars
Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu
Directed by
Jeff Rowe
Watch on Amazon

The TMNT have been reinvented numerous times over the last four decades. But the unique thing about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is that it focuses on them as believable teenagers. Donatello (Micah Abbey), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), and Raphael (Brady Noon) may be ninja turtles, but what they really want are some human friends who are their own age.

Despite the disapproval of their adoptive father, Splinter (Jackie Chan), the turtles meet and befriend a human girl, April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri). The turtles also believe that they can win over humanity if they become heroes. However, their first real test is Superfly (Ice Cube) and his army of mutants. And even the TMNT are outnumbered and outmatched against them.

Giannis: The Marvelous Journey (2024)

Giannis: The Marvelous Journey
8.5/10
109m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Veronica Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Directed by
Kristen Lappas
Watch on Amazon

In 2022, the Disney+ original movie Rise was a dramatized version of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s journey to the NBA from his humble beginnings. However, it’s one thing to see that version and another to hear Antetokounmpo share his story in his own words in the sports documentary Giannis: The Marvelous Journey.

Long before Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA championship and became one of the best players in the game, he and his family were illegal Nigerian immigrants in Greece who faced vicious discrimination that Antetokounmpo clearly still feels wounded by. But despite the adversity, Antetokounmpo achieved his dreams. It’s hard not to be inspired by that story.

Upgraded (2024)

Upgraded
6.6/10
r
105m
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Stars
Camila Mendes, Archie Renaux, Marisa Tomei
Directed by
Carlson Young
Watch on Amazon

Former Riverdale star Camila Mendes is going full rom-com in Prime Video’s original film Upgraded. Mendes plays Ana, an intern who works for an absolute tyrant of a boss named Claire Dupont (Marisa Tomei). But Ana is willing to take Claire’s abuse because she knows that working for her is an opportunity to get a career in the art world.

When Ana is forced to accompany Claire on a business trip to London, she winds up in first class on a later flight. That’s where Ana meets and flirts with Will (Archie Renaux), who believes that she’s Claire. Ana keeps the deception going because she’s really attracted to Will and the feeling is mutual. Can their burgeoning romance survive if and when the truth is inevitably exposed?

Surrounded (2023)

Surrounded
57%
6.0/10
r
100m
Genre
Western, Action, Drama
Stars
Letitia Wright, Jamie Bell, Michael Kenneth Williams
Directed by
Anthony Mandler
Watch on Amazon

In Surrounded, Mo Washington (Letitia Wright) has a secret that only the audience is in on: She’s a woman pretending to be a man following a stint as a Buffalo Soldier during the Civil War. Five years after the conflict, Mo just wants to go west and stake her claim to a gold mine. Mo’s plans are upended when the stagecoach she is traveling with comes under attack by Tommy Walsh (Jamie Bell) and his gang.

The survivors of the attack manage to capture Tommy and drive off his men. In order to salvage their trek west, most of the survivors head out to bring someone back so they can claim the bounty on Tommy’s head. That leaves Mo with the unenviable task of standing guard over Tommy and preventing his gang from rescuing him. When a stranger named Will Clay (Michael K. Williams) comes along, he presents himself as an ally to Mo. But can anyone really be trusted, especially when blood and money are on the line?

The Other Zoey (2023)

The Other Zoey
5.9/10
pg-13
91m
Genre
Romance, Drama, Comedy
Stars
Josephine Langford, Drew Starkey, Archie Renaux
Directed by
Sara Zandieh
Watch on Amazon

The Other Zoey is not a remake of the Sandra Bullock rom-com While You Were Sleeping. But romantic comedy fans may notice some similarities between the two. Josephine Langford stars as Zoey Miller, a high school student who is definitely not the girlfriend of soccer star Zach MacLaren (Drew Starkey), whose girlfriend is also named Zoey (Maggie Thurmon).

When Zach suffers a head injury that gives him partial amnesia, he mistakes Zoey for his girlfriend, and his doctors warn her not to upset him with the truth. So Zoey carries on the deception and gets closer to Zach on a lavish vacation. At the same time, Zoey also feels attracted to Zach’s cousin, Miles Maclaren (Archie Renaux), who shares many of her views about love and life. So, which guy does Zoey really want? You’ll have to watch the film to find out.

Fast X (2023)

Fast X
56%
5.8/10
pg-13
142m
Genre
Action, Crime, Thriller
Stars
Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson
Directed by
Louis Leterrier
Watch on Amazon

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) couldn’t be happier when Fast X begins, since he’s got his family together and his life in order. What Dom doesn’t have is a clue that Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa) — the son of one of Dom’s dead enemies — is out for revenge. When Dante strikes, no one is safe. Dom’s wife, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), their son, Brian Marcos (Leo Abelo Perry), their team, and even their old adversary, Cipher (Charlize Theron), are all open targets.

In short order, Dante destroys the team’s reputation and hurts the people Dom cares about most. And Dante is only getting started, as the real suffering hasn’t begun yet.

The Passenger (2023)

The Passenger
62%
6.4/10
98m
Genre
Crime, Thriller, Horror
Stars
Kyle Gallner, Johnny Berchtold, Liza Weil
Directed by
Carter Smith
Watch on Amazon

It’s been said that “a good friend will help you move, but a true friend will help you hide a body.” Benson (Kyle Gallner) may have taken that expression a little bit too literally in The Passenger. After witnessing his work buddy, Randolph “Randy” Bradley (Johnny Berchtold), get bullied by their co-workers, Benson snaps and murders everyone but Randy.

Suddenly Randy finds himself riding shotgun with an absolute lunatic, and he truly doesn’t know what Benson will do next. If Randy can’t find a way out, then it might be his body that gets ditched by Benson.

Role Play (2023)

Role Play
5.5/10
r
101m
Genre
Crime, Romance, Action
Stars
David Oyelowo, Kaley Cuoco, Bill Nighy
Directed by
Thomas Vincent
Watch on Amazon

Emma (The Flight Attendant‘s Kaley Cuoco) and Dave Brackett (David Oyelowo) are just about as happy as a couple could be in Prime Video’s Role Play. The Bracketts have two children and a beautiful home in a New Jersey suburb. What they’re lacking is the passion in the bedroom that they used to have before starting a family.

For their anniversary, Dave and Emma take a trip to New York and indulge in some role play. That turns out to be a mistake when Bob Kellerman (Bill Nighy) blows Emma’s cover and exposes her as an international assassin. Now, Emma has to use her skills to protect her family and keep her marriage to Dave intact.

Foe (2023)

Foe
44%
5.3/10
pg
111m
Genre
Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Stars
Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, Aaron Pierre
Directed by
Garth Davis
Watch on Amazon

Humanity’s future looks bleak in Prime Video’s Foe, but at least Hen (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) have each other. Or do they? Their bonds of marriage are tested when Junior is selected to be among the lucky few to live and work on OuterMore, the orbiting habitat that may be humanity’s best hope of survival.

However, Hen is not selected for the program, even though a stranger named Terrance (Aaron Pierre) promises Junior that Hen will be well cared for in his absence by a special companion. Yet, as the vetting process drags on, Junior becomes convinced that Terrance will be the one living with his wife while he’s stuck in space.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
42%
6.0/10
pg-13
127m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Stars
Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen
Directed by
Steven Caple Jr.
Watch on Amazon

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts rolls back the clock to 1994 and follows a young man, Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), who is so desperate to provide for his family that he agrees to steal a car. Unfortunately for Noah, the car turns out to be Mirage (Pete Davidson), one of the Autobots hiding on Earth. And while Mirage is eager to make friends with Noah, Autobot leader Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) is not as trusting.

Thanks to a discovery made by museum research intern Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), she and Noah are drawn into the Autobots’ war with the Terrorcons, who want to bring the planet-killing Transformer Unicron (Colman Domingo) to Earth. In order to save the world, Noah and Elena will have to help the Autobots find the Maximals and their leader, Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman).

About Fate (2022)

About Fate
6.4/10
r
100m
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Stars
Emma Roberts, Thomas Mann, Lewis Tan
Directed by
Marius Weisberg
Watch on Amazon

Parallel lives intersect in director Maryus Vaysberg’s romantic comedy About Fate, which was inspired by Emil Braginsky and Eldar Ryazanov’s The Irony of Fate. Margot Hayes (Emma Roberts) and Griffin Reed (Thomas Mann) both want to marry their respective partners, Clementine Pratt (Madelaine Petsch) and Kip (Lewis Tan). But when those plans fall apart, Griffin drunkenly comes home to Margot’s place because it was so easy to mistake for his own.

Instead of being angry at a stranger sleeping in her bed, Margot uses their meeting as an opportunity to ask Griffin to pretend to be Kip when she attends the wedding of her sister, Carrie Hayes (Britt Robertson). However, neither Kip nor Clementine are completely out of the picture, and it may take an act of fate to bring Griffin and Margot together as a real couple.

Saltburn (2023)

Saltburn
61%
7.3/10
r
131m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Thriller
Stars
Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike
Directed by
Emerald Fennell
Watch on Amazon

Saltburn is a movie that’s designed to catch you off guard, even if you’re paying attention. So keep your eyes on Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan), the Oxford University college student who befriends his wealthy classmate, Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). When Oliver receives word about his father’s death, Felix invites him to stay at his family’s estate at Saltburn for the summer.

Felix’s immediate family, including his parents, Lady Elspeth Catton (Rosamund Pike) and Sir James Catton (Richard E. Grant), as well as Felix’s sister, Venetia Catton (Alison Oliver), are very welcoming towards Oliver. However, Felix’s cousin, Farleigh Start (Gran Turismo‘s Archie Madekwe), is immediately suspicious about Oliver’s motives. It will be a long summer at Saltburn, and Oliver will have to go out of his way to earn his place there.

Asteroid City (2023)

Asteroid City
75%
6.6/10
pg
105m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks
Directed by
Wes Anderson
Watch on Amazon

When it comes to Wes Anderson movies, you can always bet that they will be emotionally moving and deeply weird. Asteroid City is no exception, and it seems to take place in a world all of its own. Jason Schwartzman stars as a newly widowed father, Augie Steenbeck, who has brought his children to the annual Junior Stargazer convention. Despite the fact that Augie is still mourning his late wife, he is immediately drawn to Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson), an actress who brought her daughter, Dinah (Grace Edwards) to the event.

Dinah also strikes up a relationship with Augie’s son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan), and it’s not the only romance brewing in town. But there’s something incredible happening at this year’s Junior Stargazer event, and it may change the world forever.

A Good Person (2023)

A Good Person
50%
7.1/10
r
128m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Molly Shannon
Directed by
Zach Braff
Watch on Amazon

Dune: Part Two star Florence Pugh sheds all aspects of her MCU Black Widow role as a broken young woman in A Good Person. Zach Braff wrote and directed the film, which casts Pugh as Allison, a woman who was once engaged to her high school boyfriend, Nathan (Chinaza Uche). But shortly after her engagement, Allison causes a car accident that claims the lives of Nathan’s sister, Molly (Nichelle Hines), and her husband, Jesse (Toby Onwumere).

One year later, Allison is attempting to kick her addiction to painkillers when she reunites with Nathan and Molly’s father, Daniel (Morgan Freeman). As Daniel attempts to forgive Allison, they reenter each other’s lives and she tries to make amends with Ryan (Celeste O’Connor), the daughter that Molly and Jesse left behind.

Bye Bye Barry (2023)

Bye Bye Barry
8.2/10
93m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Barry Sanders, Eminem, Jeff Daniels
Directed by
Micaela Powers, Paul Monusky, Angela Torma
Watch on Amazon

In the late 1990s, few NFL players were more exciting to watch than Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders. On the field, Sanders moved with uncommon speed and agility, and he was well on his way toward the all-time NFL rushing record when he abruptly retired from the game and never played another down.

Bye Bye Barry is based on Sanders’ book of the same name, and it offers his account of why he left behind an incredibly lucrative career. Several other NFL luminaries also weigh in on Sanders’ legacy, but the film is at its most enticing when Sanders himself speaks about what he was going through at that key moment in his life.

Memento (2000)

Memento
83%
8.4/10
r
113m
Genre
Mystery, Thriller
Stars
Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Watch on Amazon

Christopher Nolan made his name in Hollywood with Memento, a brilliantly twisted story that is told out of order. L.A. Confidential’s Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby, a man who is out to avenge the murder of his wife. The problem is that Leonard can’t make any new long-term memories, which is why his body is covered with tattoos designed to lead him to his wife’s killer.

Every face Leonard sees is the face of a stranger, so each time he meets Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), he’s unsure of who he can trust. And everyone who knows about Leonard’s condition takes advantage of it, including Leonard himself.

Silver Dollar Road (2023)

Silver Dollar Road
77%
7.3/10
pg
101m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Mamie Reels Ellison, Kim Renee Duhon
Directed by
Raoul Peck
Watch on Amazon

I Am Not Your Negro director Raoul Peck helms a new documentary, Silver Dollar Road, that may leave a sick feeling in your stomach. The name of the film comes from a stretch of waterfront property in North Carolina that has been owned by a Black family, the Reels, for over a century.

Mitchell Reels purchased the land decades ago, but the ownership was divided among his many heirs. This leads to a rude awakening for the family members still living on the land when one of the relatives sells their share out from under them. Melvin and Licurtis Reels refused to leave their homes on the land and they spent eight years in jail for that. Meanwhile, Mamie Reels Ellison and her niece Kim Renee Duhon fight to hold on to Silver Dollar Road. There may not be a happy ending to this story, but it has to be told.

The Burial (2023)

The Burial
74%
6.9/10
r
126m
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Alan Ruck
Directed by
Margaret Betts
Watch on Amazon

Amazon Studios’ The Burial is based on a real story that happened in 1995. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones), the owner of his family’s funeral home business, made a handshake deal with Raymond Loewen (Bill Camp), the head of the Loewen Group. However, Loewen failed to hold up his end of the deal, which left O’Keefe no other choice but to take him to court.

O’Keefe turns to a successful lawyer, Willie E. Gary (The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘s Jamie Foxx), to represent him in the case. And despite their numerous differences, O’Keefe and Gary form a bond and an unusual friendship as they battle Loewen in court.

Totally Killer (2023)

Totally Killer
60%
7.1/10
r
106m
Genre
Horror, Comedy
Stars
Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen
Directed by
Nahnatchka Khan
Watch on Amazon

Amazon Studios’ Totally Killer seems to welcome comparisons to Back to the Future, and it’s one of the more unique blends of sci-fi, comedy, and horror. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s Kiernan Shipka stars as Jamie, a teenager who is very familiar with the story about how her mom, Pam (Julie Bowen), survived the Sweet Sixteen Killer 35 years ago. It’s something that Jamie has heard about many times in her life.

When the Sweet Sixteen Killer returns in the present, Jamie finds herself transported back in time to 1987, when her much younger mother (Olivia Holt) was apparently one of the mean girls in school. Yet if Jamie can’t protect Pam in the past then she may not have a future to go home to.

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023)

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant
63%
7.5/10
r
123m
Genre
War, Action, Thriller
Stars
Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Sean Sagar
Directed by
Guy Ritchie
Watch on Amazon

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant takes place in the not-too-distant past of 2018, during the War in Afghanistan. Despite initially distrusting his new interpreter, Ahmed (Dar Salim), Master Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) comes to respect him because of the way that Ahmed looks out for his troops. And when Kinley is incapacitated and his fellow soldiers are killed, Ahmed rises to the occasion and personally fights the Taliban to get Kinley to safety.

Ahmed’s act of heroism doesn’t win him favor with the U.S. government, which fails to take Ahmed and his family to safety even as the Taliban hunt them down for revenge. Kinley is so outraged by the injustice that he returns to Afghanistan to personally save Ahmed… if he can.

A Million Miles Away (2023)

A Million Miles Away
62%
7.5/10
pg
121m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Michael Peña, Rosa Salazar, Julio Cedillo
Directed by
Alejandra Márquez Abella
Watch on Amazon

Prime Video’s new movie, A Million Miles Away, was originally a Netflix film before landing at Amazon. And it reached No. 1 on Prime Video’s movie chart in the U.S. in its debut week. The film is based on the autobiography of José M. Hernández, who became the first-ever Mexican-American astronaut at NASA.

Michael Peña plays Hernández, while Rosa Salazar plays his wife, Adela Hernández. The biopic chronicles Hernández’s journey from being child in a struggling migrant family to his education, training, and family life on his way to achieving a dream that few have ever attained. This is an inspirational tale, and it really is emotionally moving at times.

A Thousand and One (2023)

A Thousand and One
81%
7.0/10
r
116m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Teyana Taylor, William Catlett, Josiah Cross
Directed by
A.V. Rockwell
Watch on Amazon

Very few people saw A Thousand and One when it was in theaters in early 2023, but you might be hearing a lot more about it during Oscar season. Teyana Taylor headlines this drama as Inez de la Paz, a woman who is determined to provide for her 6-year-old son, Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola), despite abandoning him years earlier.

With Terry’s consent, Inez kidnaps him from foster custody and does her best to raise him alongside her husband, Lucky (Will Catlett). As Terry grows into a teen (Aven Courtney) and a young man (Josiah Cross), he discovers that he may truly have a future. But a secret from Inez’s past may destroy their family.

Sitting in Bars with Cake (2023)

Sitting in Bars with Cake
65%
6.4/10
pg-13
120m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Drama
Stars
Yara Shahidi, Odessa A'zion, Bette Midler
Directed by
Trish Sie
Watch on Amazon

How’s this for a fun way to meet people? Jane (Yara Shahidi) bakes cakes and her best friend, Corinne (Odessa A’zion), convinces her to bring them to bars to attract single guys and increase Jane’s social skills and confidence. And it works so well that Jane and Corinne do it again and again.

Sitting in Bars With Cake is loosely based on a true story, and it takes a darker turn when Corinne is stricken with a life-threatening sickness. Although Jane attempts to stand by her friend, the burden of Corinne’s diagnosis may compromise their bond.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
72%
7.3/10
pg-13
134m
Genre
Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy
Stars
Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith
Directed by
John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Watch on Amazon

The D&D franchise got a fresh start on the big screen with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which casts Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez as a pair of close friends, Edgin Darvis and Holga Kilgore, respectively. After being betrayed by their former friend, Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), Edgin and Holga escape prison and plot to reunite with Edgin’s daughter, Kira (Chloe Coleman).

After reconnecting with a sorcerer of dubious talent, Simon Aumar (Justice Smith), Holga and Edgin recruit Doric (Sophia Lillis) to help them rob Fitzwilliam in the heist of a lifetime to force him from power. However, they soon find that Forge is involved with a plan that threatens everyone in Neverwinter, and only Edgin’s group can stop it from happening.

Bones and All (2022)

Bones and All
74%
6.8/10
r
131m
Genre
Drama, Horror, Romance
Stars
Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance
Directed by
Luca Guadagnino
Watch on Amazon

Believe it or not, Bones and All is not an elaborate plot to lure a disgraced actor back from the Cayman Islands. It really is a cannibal romance story starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell as young lovers, Lee and Maren, who share certain urges to eat human flesh. The film treats cannibals as if they were vampires, and they know each other by scent.

If it wasn’t for the great chemistry between Chalamet and Russell, this wouldn’t work at all. But sometimes chemistry is all it takes to make a romance movie click, even if the cannibal angle is really reaching at times.

Babylon (2022)

Babylon
60%
7.2/10
r
189m
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva
Directed by
Damien Chazelle
Watch on Amazon

Director Damien Chazelle (La La Land) took a big swing with Babylon, a high-budget period film set during Hollywood’s transition away from silent movies in the 1920s. Brad Pitt headlines the movie as Jack Conrad, an actor whose star power is on the wane as actress Nellie LaRoy (Barbie‘s Margot Robbie) lands her big break.

Manuel “Manny” Torres (Diego Calva) has Hollywood ambitions of his own, and he forges a connection with Nellie while riding his own wave of success in the studio system. But the path to fame is rocky, and Nellie may suffer a serious fall before ever fully achieving her dreams.

Till (2022)

Till
79%
7.2/10
pg-13
131m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Frankie Faison
Directed by
Chinonye Chukwu
Watch on Amazon

Till was largely overlooked by moviegoers in 2022 despite being a powerful look back at a very ugly period in our nation’s history. In 1955, a Black boy named Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall) allegedly whistles at a white woman, Carolyn Bryant (Haley Bennett). This quickly escalates out of control as Till was kidnapped, beaten, and lynched over the perceived offense.

Mamie Till (Danielle Deadwyler) is devastated at the loss of her son. Devastated and angry. Rather than letting Emmett’s death be buried, Mamie pushes to get justice for her murdered son, even when the law seemingly can’t hold his murderers accountable.

Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar
74%
8.7/10
pg-13
169m
Genre
Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction
Stars
Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Watch on Amazon

Director Christopher Nolan delivers again in Interstellar, one of the best sci-fi movies of the last decade. In the near future, Earth is dying and humanity desperately needs a new home. Former NASA pilot Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) reluctantly leaves his children, Murphy “Murph” Cooper (Mackenzie Foy) and Tom Cooper (Dune: Part Twos Timothée Chalamet), behind to join Dr. Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) on a search for an inhabitable world.

Unfortunately for Cooper, time passes differently for him in space as his children grow older on Earth. And if Cooper ever wants to make it back home, he needs to solve a scientific mystery that has haunted Murph (Jessica Chastain) for years.

Creed III (2023)

Creed III
73%
6.9/10
pg-13
116m
Genre
Drama, Action
Stars
Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors
Directed by
Michael B. Jordan
Watch on Amazon

Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III, which theoretically could work as the end of the Rocky movies. At this point in his life, Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Jordan) has pretty much done everything he wanted in boxing, so he retires to spend more time with his wife, Bianca Taylor-Creed (Tessa Thompson), and their daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent).

Unfortunately for Donnie, the good times end when his former friend, Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), renters his life. Years ago, Dame was sent to prison, and it was largely Donnie’s fault. Now that Dame is back, he’s going to push Donnie until he gets the chance for payback in the ring. And this may not be a fight that Donnie can win.

Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

Three Thousand Years of Longing
60%
6.7/10
r
108m
Genre
Drama, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Stars
Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba, Erdil Yaşaroğlu
Directed by
George Miller
Watch on Amazon

Literature is filled with stories about genies tricking mortals into making wishes that ultimately harm them. This is something that Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is keenly aware of in Three Thousand Years of Longing. Alithea is an aging British scholar who hasn’t quite worked out what she wants from life. But Alithea isn’t sure she can believe what she sees and hears when she suddenly finds herself face-to-face with a real Djinn (Idris Elba) who wishes to be free from his enslavement.

To win Alithea’s trust and to entice her to make three wishes, the Djinn shares his centuries-long tale of heartbreak and desire. And much to Alithea’s surprise, this inspires her to make a major change in her life.

Air (2023)

Air
73%
7.7/10
r
112m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman
Directed by
Ben Affleck
Watch on Amazon

Prepare for the origin story of Michael Jordan’s shoes. Don’t worry, Air is more compelling than it sounds. And while it is the story of how the Air Jordan sneakers came into being, it’s also the story of how executives at Nike realized that teaming up with Jordan was a once-in-a-generation opportunity. But first, they have to convince Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis).

Ben Affleck directed the film and stars as Phil Knight, one of the co-founders of Nike. At Phil’s behest, talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) is tasked with turning around the company’s basketball operation. And as soon as Nike gets behind the Jordan pitch, the future of the company is on the line.

Judy Blume Forever (2023)

Judy Blume Forever
77%
7.6/10
97m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Judy Blume, Molly Ringwald, Lena Dunham
Directed by
Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchok
Watch on Amazon

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Amazon Studios’ new documentary Judy Blume Forever is that the author herself, Judy Blume, is not only still alive, but she was able to be an active participant in the movie. The film essentially tells her life story, often in her own words, as it chronicles her journey from a housewife to a beloved children’s author whose books are still widely read.

Several famous commentators also share their thoughts about Blume, including Molly Ringwald, Lena Dunham, Anna Konki, Samantha Bee, Mary H.K. Choi, and Jacqueline Woodson. But the ones who really stand out are the ordinary women whose lives were deeply touched by Blume and her stories.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
51%
6.4/10
pg-13
136m
Genre
Adventure, Science Fiction, Action
Stars
Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen
Directed by
Luc Besson
Watch on Amazon

Did you know that Star Wars and dozens of other films were greatly influenced by the French sci-fi comic Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin? However, the comic didn’t make it to the big screen until director Luc Besson adapted it into Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. True to its title, the space station Alpha is indeed the product of aliens from thousands of worlds, and it is kept under the watchful eye of the United Human Federation.

Two of the station’s primary operatives, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne), try to keep the peace before they unknowingly stumble upon a conspiracy that could bring down Alpha itself. Laureline also has her hands full keeping Valerian’s amorous intentions toward her in check, even though his attraction to her isn’t one-sided.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Official Trailer - Teaser (2017) - Movie

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Top Gun: Maverick
78%
8.3/10
pg-13
131m
Genre
Action, Drama
Watch on Amazon

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Top Gun: Maverick is the most popular movie of 2022 and one of biggest blockbusters in years. And after cleaning up at the box office, the Top Gun sequel is coming in for a landing on Prime Video. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a test pilot-turned-instructor who doesn’t quite have the same fire that he had in the ’80s.

While teaching the next generation of Top Gun pilots, Maverick also finds himself in conflict with one of his students, Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his late friend, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. However, Maverick and his pilots will need to find common ground as they are drawn into a new mission with high stakes and breathtaking flying sequences.

Top Gun: Maverick | NEW Official Trailer (2022 Movie) - Tom Cruise

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
63%
6.8/10
111m
Genre
Drama, History, Comedy
Stars
Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough
Directed by
Will Sharpe
Watch on Amazon
Benedict Cumberbatch portrays turn-of-the-century English artist Louis Wain in this colorful biopic about the eccentric artist who famously made a name for himself with depictions of cats using bright, psychedelic colors and imagery. Cumberbatch is joined in the cast by Claire Foy (The Crown), who plays Wain’s wife, Emily.

I Want You Back (2022)

I Want You Back
117m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Scott Eastwood
Directed by
Jason Orley
Watch on Amazon
This lighthearted romantic comedy casts Charlie Day and Jenny Slate as heartbroken strangers whose chance encounter after being dumped leads them to formulate a crazy plan: They’ll each attempt to infiltrate the life of the other’s ex-partner and break up their new relationship. Silly, edgy, and fueled by the stars’ wonderfully funny chemistry, the film also features some great supporting roles for Gina Rodriguez, Scott Eastwood, and Pete Davidson.

Somebody I Used to Know (2023)

Somebody I Used to Know
106m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons
Directed by
Dave Franco
Watch on Amazon
Dave Franco and Alison Brie team up for this romantic comedy that casts Brie as a workaholic television producer who decides to return to her hometown after suffering a professional setback. The film is directed by Franco and co-written by him and Brie, and has her character reconnecting with her currently engaged first love (Jay Ellis). Their reunion sets off a series of events that has everyone getting in touch with who they are and who they really want to be in life and love.

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Manchester by the Sea
138m
Genre
Drama
Directed by
Kenneth Lonergan
Watch on Amazon
Casey Affleck won an Academy Award for his performance in this powerful drama about a man forced to confront the sins — and tragedies — of his past when his older brother dies, leaving his teenage son orphaned. Praised for its thoughtful, emotional script and the performances of Affleck and supporting actress Michelle Williams, the film also earned director Kenneth Lonergan an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Good Night Oppy (2022)

Good Night Oppy
65%
7.8/10
pg
105m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Angela Bassett, Steve Squyres, Jennifer Trosper
Directed by
Ryan White
Watch on Amazon

In the same way that audiences fell in love with Pixar’s cute Wall•E, watching Good Night Oppy elicits a similar response, drawing you into the gushy human emotion surrounding a robot roaming Mars 50 million miles away. But that’s because this documentary is as much about the people at NASA that made the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover mission possible as it is about the rover itself. Narrated by Black Panther: Wakanda Forevers Angela Basset, Good Night Oppy tells the inspiring story of Opportunity, a six-wheeled, solar-powered vehicle that touched down on the Red Planet in January of 2004 and was supposed to roam and explore the landscape for a pre-determined 90 days. But beyond anyone’s expectations, Oppy’s mission endured for nearly 15 years before going dark. Told through interviews with many of the scientists and engineers on the project, as well as archival footage, this is a feel-good doc not to be missed.

Good Night Oppy - Official Trailer | Prime Video

American Animals (2018)

American Animals
68%
7/10
r
117m
Genre
Drama, Crime, Documentary
Stars
Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner
Directed by
Bart Layton
Watch on Amazon
You know a movie’s gonna be good when it’s based on a true story and it’s as crazy as this. Barry Keoghan (DunkirkThe Killing of a Sacred Deer) and Evan Peters (American Horror Story, WandaVision) star as Spencer Reinhard and Warren Lipka, two students in Kentucky who get the idea of stealing a handful of rare, valuable books from the Transylvania University library, including a first edition of James Audubon’s Birds of America, which would sell for millions if they were to snag it. Together with their friends Eric Borsuk (Jared Abrahamson) and Chas Allen (Blake Jenner), they hatch an insane plan involving dressing up like elderly businessmen and restraining the librarian to make off with the books. The fact that a movie was made about it perhaps gives some insight into whether they were successful or not, but it happened, it’s bananas, and we’re all delightfully entertained by it.

Catherine Called Birdy (2022)

Catherine Called Birdy
71%
6.6/10
pg-13
108m
Genre
Adventure, Comedy
Stars
Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott
Directed by
Lena Dunham
Watch on Amazon
If you like sassy, era-crossing period content such as Netflix’s Enola Holmes and Apple TV Plus’ Dickinson, then this adventure comedy from Girls‘ Lena Dunham might be perfect for you. Based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Karen Cushman, this passion project for Dunham stars Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsay (who’s also starring as Ellie in the upcoming The Last of Us series), who became a fan favorite for her depiction of feisty Lyanna Mormont, as the titular Lady Catherine, aka “Birdy,” a teenager in Medieval England. When her father, Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott), tries to marry her off to a long list of suitors to prevent the family’s financial ruin, Birdy uses her wit and cunning to stave them off in a battle for her independence.

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Thirteen Lives
63%
7.8/10
pg-13
147m
Genre
Drama, Thriller
Stars
Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton
Directed by
Ron Howard
Watch on Amazon
After practice on June 23, 2018, 12 boys aged 11 to 16, teammates of the Thai junior football team Wild Boars, and their assistant coach, went in to the scenic Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Thailand and were trapped after heavy rain flooded the caves. The massive rescue effort drew worldwide attention, as a team of international divers traversed several kilometers to bring the boys out. Thirteen Lives tells this intense, nail-biting story, with Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton playing three of the heroic divers who risked their lives to bring the team and their coach to safety.
Thirteen Lives - Official Trailer | Prime Video

The Vast of Night (2019)

The Vast of Night
84%
6.7/10
pg-13
91m
Genre
Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars
Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz, Bruce Davis
Directed by
Andrew Patterson
Watch on Amazon
This nostalgic throwback to classic sci-fi thrillers follows a young switchboard operator and a radio DJ whose discovery of a mysterious audio frequency sets off a series of discoveries that lead them deep into the unknown. The Amazon Studios film is the directorial debut of Andrew Patterson and has earned high praise from critics and streaming audiences alike for its suspenseful, low-budget spin on the genre.

Sound of Metal (2020)

Sound of Metal
82%
7.8/10
r
121m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Directed by
Darius Marder
Watch on Amazon
Sound of Metal doesn’t mess around, getting straight to the intense and terrifying moments that Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a drummer in a heavy metal duo with his girlfriend (the wonderful Olivia Cooke), starts to lose his hearing. It’s the little things we take for granted that director/screenwriter Darius Marder zeroes in on in the film’s opening minutes — the excruciating silence of a blender, the subtle drip of percolating coffee, or the shushing spray of a showerhead — all gone. But Sound of Metal isn’t about deafness, it’s a story about change and the journey we must take to embrace it, as Ruben enters a facility to help him learn to live with his deafness while also avoiding a relapse into his old life of drug abuse. It’s a beautiful film about life-changing loss and redemption and shouldn’t be missed.
Movie images and data from:
Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
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