If you have Amazon Prime, then you have access to a wealth of great movies at no extra charge.
But searching the catalog can be a slog.
Whether you need a comedy, thriller, or an award-winning drama, these are our faves from
the current Prime library.
The real-life relationship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon is the basis for
The Big Sick, a charming romantic comedy.
It’s an honest, hilarious reminder that our differences are the best things about
us.
It’s an Amazon original movie and one of 2017’s best films.
Hereditary is atmospheric as hell, features outstanding acting, and is full of terrifying
imagery.
The film centers on a family dealing with the loss of their grandmother and disturbing
visions of more tragedy.
Hereditary is the kind of horror movie that sticks with you long after you’re done watching
it.
Watching Eighth Grade is almost guaranteed to trigger traumatic middle school flashbacks,
which is a testament to the film’s authenticity.
Critics heaped praise on writer-director Bo Burnham for capturing the mindset of a 13-year-old
girl, and rightfully so.
But the key to the movie’s success is recognizing that awkwardness does not end when you move
on to high school, or as you get older.
Greta Gerwig wrote and directed Lady Bird, a coming-of-age story set in early 2000s Sacramento.
The film nails the period details and the universal truths about growing up that everyone
can relate to.
The Machinist is where Christian Bale began his shape-shifting method actor run.
He famously dropped down to 120 pounds with a diet of water, an apple, and a cup of coffee
per day in order to play an insomniac machinist.
After an accident on the job, he goes on a quest for answers, and the story only gets
more weird, paranoid, and tense.
Inside Llewyn Davis plays like one of the title character’s songs: haunting, sorrowful,
and ultimately wonderful.
Oscar Isaac gives a lived-in performance that rings so true you’ll be disappointed that
he doesn’t have a blues side project going.
The movie takes place over one week, with Llewyn playing his songs and trying to grab
his big break—if he could just get out of his own way long enough to let it happen.
If you skipped this classic in 2013, it’s time to rectify that.
Manchester by the Sea is a tough watch, as it revolves around a handyman dealing with
his brother’s death, and taking in his nephew at a dark time.
Despite the gloomy setting and gloomier subject matter, Manchester has a wicked funny bone
and deserves all of its many awards and nominations.
In First Reformed, Ethan Hawke plays a minister whose humanity is put to the test by what
he perceives to be growing indifference to global warming.
His despair, issues from his past, and deteriorating health lead him down a dark and potentially
dangerous path.
First Reformed is an intense film, but also a deeply rewarding one.
In High Life, Robert Pattinson plays a criminal serving a death sentence on a spaceship heading
toward a black hole.
But he isn’t alone.
He has his daughter to care for, which immediately raises the stakes.
High Life goes to some truly disturbing and fascinating places that will baffle and delight
you in equal measure.
Last Flag Flying opens with Vietnam vet Larrry (played by Steve Carell) tracking down his
wartime friend Sal (played by Bryan Cranston), to help him transport the body of his son,
who was killed in Iraq.
They pick up a fellow vet (played by Laurence Fishburne), which is where this road trip
film starts to dig into the patriotism and darkness of a post-9/11 world.
The Mission: Impossible films continue to get better, and Fallout is the best entry
yet.
Ethan Hunt and his team search for stolen plutonium and face a new villain played by
Henry Cavill.
Killer stunts, amazing action sequences, and a plot that never stops twisting will keep
you glued.
If you haven’t seen it yet, stop everything you’re doing and spend the next two-and-a-half
hours with The Handmaiden.
The movie is packed with twists and role-reversals and is so much fun that mentioning any story
specifics would be unfair
Park Chan-wook is one of the world’s most entertaining directors, and The Handmaiden
is arguably one of his best.
The holidays aren’t always the most wonderful time of the year -- a central theme in Billy
Wilder’s 1960 film.
The loneliness and hopefulness of that time is what makes The Apartment one of the best
New York City Christmas films.
Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine are charming in this Mad Men-era rom-com about the corporate
ladder slog and finding love.
A Quiet Place is one of the scariest films of 2018.
In post-apocalyptic America, John Krasinski and Emily Blunt play the parents of a young
family, hiding from deadly aliens who attack based on sound.
Despite a surprisingly idyllic existence in the countryside, they must live in complete
silence, communicating only in sign language.
Obviously, this is a great idea for a horror movie, but the execution is what really elevates
it.
The film is warm, thoughtful, and visually beautiful, while also a muscle-clenching watch.
What If is a low-key anti-rom-com starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan as the central
duo.
They’re happy being friends but have too much chemistry to stay that way forever.
The hijinks of this adorable pair will win over any rom-com fan.
Bernie weaves the story of a Texas murder that mixes real interviews with scripted mysteries.
Jack Black’s vocal and physical affectations walk the line of caricature, but he never
crosses it.
This is Black’s best acting work to date.
Shirley Maclaine is also stellar in this dark comedy about a relationship gone horribly
wrong.
Stranger Than Fiction capitalizes on everything Will Ferrell does well.
He plays an IRS auditor who starts hearing his life being narrated by a famous author.
Things only get weirder from there, but the movie never loses sight of its characters.
You’ll also be treated to stellar performances from Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, and Emma
Thompson.
Annihilation explores Area X, a quarantined land besieged by mysterious environmental
changes.
Natalie Portman plays a biologist and former soldier who is grieving the loss of her husband
who was previously sent on a secret mission into Area X, and feared dead.
But he suddenly returns home—altered.
The revelation sparks a mission into the unknown that will haunt you long after it’s over.
In Young Adult, Charlize Theron plays an author named Mavis who returns home after a divorce
and sets out to win back her married ex.
Mavis is a tough, compelling character, and Theron gives one of her best performances.
Movies about characters struggling to grow up have become a cliché, but Young Adult
is sharp enough to offer an insightful and genuinely funny story.
Those are just some of our picks for the best movies on Amazon Prime, but you can find many
more recommendations using the links in the description of this video.
And if you’re still not sure what to binge tonight, check out the other streaming guides
linked right here for our favorite shows, movies, documentaries, and limited series.
Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the next one.