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The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now
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As Netflix pours more of its resources into original content, Amazon Prime Video is picking up the slack, adding new movies for its subscribers each month. Its catalog has grown so impressive, in fact, that it’s a bit overwhelming — and at the same time, movies that are included with a Prime subscription regularly change status, becoming available only for rental or purchase. It’s a lot to sift through, so we’ve plucked out 100 of the absolute best movies included with a Prime subscription right now, to be updated as new information is made available.As Netflix pours more of its resources into original content, Amazon Prime Video is picking up the slack, adding new movies for its subscribers each month. Its catalog has grown so impressive, in fact, that it’s a bit overwhelming — and at the same time, movies that are included with a Prime subscription regularly change status, becoming available only for rental or purchase. It’s a lot to sift through, so we’ve plucked out 100 of the absolute best movies included with a Prime subscription right now, to be updated as new information is made available.
Here are our lists of the best TV shows and movies on Netflix, and the best of both on Hulu and Disney+.Here are our lists of the best TV shows and movies on Netflix, and the best of both on Hulu and Disney+.
Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents’s ingenious musical adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet,” which updated its setting and story to the streets and gangs of New York, remains one of the towering achievements of the Broadway stage. So it’s no surprise that it spawned one of the great movie musicals. The original stage director and choreographer Jerome Robbins and the filmmaker Robert Wise shared directorial duties, thrillingly placing the show’s songs and dances on the real streets of New York City while using the proximity and intimacy of the camera to render the longing and loss of the story even more poignant. Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer perform admirably in the leads, but Rita Moreno and George Chakiris steal the show in support — and won Oscars for their efforts, two of the film’s astonishing ten-statue haul, which included prizes for best picture and best director. (For more classic ’60s cinema, stream “Judgment at Nuremberg” or “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.”)Watch it on Amazon
Matt Damon turns in one of his best performances — by turns desperate, sexy and chilling — in this first-rate adaptation of the novel by Patricia Highsmith. Damon stars as the title character, a clever con artist who uses a fleeting instance of mistaken identity to ingratiate himself into the sphere of the rich and beautiful (namely, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow) and to stay there at any cost. The director Anthony Minghella carries off the drama and suspense with aplomb and handily orchestrates the excellent cast, which also includes Cate Blanchett and a memorably weaselly Philip Seymour Hoffman.Watch it on Amazon
Too many people only know Oscar Grant III because of the final moments of his life, in which he was shot to death by a Bay Area transit cop on a train platform in the early hours of New Year’s Day, 2009 — a tragedy captured by the cameras of several passengers. But we too often reduce victims to their deaths, and this heartfelt drama seeks to restore Grant’s life to its full richness and complexity. Director Ryan Coogler’s “powerful and sensitive debut feature” focuses instead on Grant’s final day, and on the relationships he attempts to repair and cultivate, blissfully unaware of the fate that awaits him. It’s a wrenching, humanistic portrait of an average life, cut cruelly short by prejudice and circumstance.Watch it on AmazonToo many people only know Oscar Grant III because of the final moments of his life, in which he was shot to death by a Bay Area transit cop on a train platform in the early hours of New Year’s Day, 2009 — a tragedy captured by the cameras of several passengers. But we too often reduce victims to their deaths, and this heartfelt drama seeks to restore Grant’s life to its full richness and complexity. Director Ryan Coogler’s “powerful and sensitive debut feature” focuses instead on Grant’s final day, and on the relationships he attempts to repair and cultivate, blissfully unaware of the fate that awaits him. It’s a wrenching, humanistic portrait of an average life, cut cruelly short by prejudice and circumstance.Watch it on Amazon
Spike Lee’s sophomore film, after his micro-budgeted and critically acclaimed debut, “She’s Gotta Have It,” was this big, bold ensemble musical set on the campus of a historically Black college over a busy homecoming weekend. Though steeped in the specific politics and activism of its 1988 release, it’s approach to issues like classicism, colorism and misogyny remains timely. Lee’s cast is first-rate — Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, Samuel L. Jackson and Jasmine Guy make early appearances — and his directorial confidence is striking as he moves smoothly from the intimacy of “She’s Gotta Have It” to an Altman-style mosaic of music, comedy and confrontation. (John Singleton’s similarly provocative campus drama, “Higher Learning,” is also on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon It looks, at first glance, like the perfect New York City romance: a roomy apartment on the Upper West Side, a gorgeous wife and her handsome actor husband, a bouncing baby on the way. Look closer. Roman Polanski’s “mainstream masterpiece” is a chilling examination of the terror that lurks just beneath those shiny surfaces, beneath the wide-eyed good intentions of new friends and the cheerful opportunism of the young couple at it center. Mia Farrow does some of her finest acting as the increasingly sickly mother-to-be, John Cassavetes is appropriately devil-may-care as her career-minded husband, and Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her work as the couple’s nosy next-door neighbor. (Fans of vintage genre films will also enjoy “The Naked Kiss” and “Bird With the Crystal Plumage.”)
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“Mudbound” director Dee Rees made her feature debut with this heartfelt and thoughtful story about a Brooklyn teenager (the “incandescent” Adepero Oduye) named Alike and her delicate attempt to come out as a lesbian — fully aware of the resistance she will face from her parents (Kim Wayans and Charles Parnell). Rees, who also penned the screenplay, tells this semi-autobiographical tale like a richly detailed short story, well-versed in the lives these characters live, the neighborhoods they inhabit and the lies they tell one another in order to coexist. But she also captures the seductiveness of the subcultures Alike begins to explore, and the alternative they present: the choice to live one’s truth, with no apologies. (Fans of character-driven indie fare should also check out “Zebrahead” and “Igby Goes Down.”)
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The musician and activist Boots Riley makes his feature directing debut with this wildly funny, frequently bizarre mixture of Marxist dogma and Marx Brothers-style silliness. LaKeith Stanfield (of “Atlanta” and “Judas and the Black Messiah”) stars as Cassius, a telemarketer who discovers the secret to success and must determine how nakedly to exploit it. That sounds like a fairly straightforward setup, but Riley approaches the material with the surrealistic eye of an experimental filmmaker, and ends up taking Cassius on a journey into the dark heart of extreme wealth and depravity. You may love it or you may hate it, but you’ve certainly never seen anything quite like it. (“The Wolf of Wall Street” also deftly balances dark comedy and social commentary.)Watch it on AmazonThe musician and activist Boots Riley makes his feature directing debut with this wildly funny, frequently bizarre mixture of Marxist dogma and Marx Brothers-style silliness. LaKeith Stanfield (of “Atlanta” and “Judas and the Black Messiah”) stars as Cassius, a telemarketer who discovers the secret to success and must determine how nakedly to exploit it. That sounds like a fairly straightforward setup, but Riley approaches the material with the surrealistic eye of an experimental filmmaker, and ends up taking Cassius on a journey into the dark heart of extreme wealth and depravity. You may love it or you may hate it, but you’ve certainly never seen anything quite like it. (“The Wolf of Wall Street” also deftly balances dark comedy and social commentary.)Watch it on Amazon
This debut film from the director Andrew Patterson wears its “Twilight Zone” influence right on its sleeve, opening (on a vintage television, no less) with the spooky intro to an anthology series called “Paradox Theater,” and presenting this story as “tonight’s episode.” The throwback framework is key; this is a film that bursts with affection for analog, with the look, feel and (above all) sound of black-and-white tube TVs, reel-to-reel tape recorders, telephone switchboards and the distant voices of a radio disc jockey and his mysterious callers. Patterson orchestrates it all with the grinning giddiness of a campfire storyteller — he’s having a great time freaking us out. Our critic called it “a small-scale movie that flexes plenty of filmmaking muscle.” (For more small-town sci-fi adventure, stream “Super 8.”)Watch it on Amazon
The brutality and hopelessness of the war on drugs gets the thriller treatment in the hands of the director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”) and the screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (“Hell or High Water”). They tell their story through the eyes of Kate (Emily Blunt), a tough but idealistic F.B.I. agent who is asked to join a multiagency task force to track and apprehend the head of a Mexican drug cartel. In doing so, Kate gets a quick education in moral flexibility, courtesy of a folksy C.I.A. agent (Josh Brolin) and his coldblooded associate (Benicio Del Toro). Sleek and muscular, filled with pulse-pounding action and harrowing suspense, “Sicario” nonetheless approaches its subject matter with the practicality and cynicism of a sharp political drama.Watch it on AmazonThe brutality and hopelessness of the war on drugs gets the thriller treatment in the hands of the director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”) and the screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (“Hell or High Water”). They tell their story through the eyes of Kate (Emily Blunt), a tough but idealistic F.B.I. agent who is asked to join a multiagency task force to track and apprehend the head of a Mexican drug cartel. In doing so, Kate gets a quick education in moral flexibility, courtesy of a folksy C.I.A. agent (Josh Brolin) and his coldblooded associate (Benicio Del Toro). Sleek and muscular, filled with pulse-pounding action and harrowing suspense, “Sicario” nonetheless approaches its subject matter with the practicality and cynicism of a sharp political drama.Watch it on Amazon
So much of this 1981 Steven Spielberg adventure has entered the realm of pop culture immortality — the rolling boulder, the melting Nazi face, the truck chase — that it’s easy to forget how fleet-footed, fresh and funny it is. Riffing on the Saturday afternoon serials that thrilled them as children, Spielberg, the director, and George Lucas, the producer, packed a full series of heroes, villains, cliffhangers and fisticuffs into a single crowd-pleasing feature. Our critic called it “one of the most deliriously funny, ingenious and stylish American adventure movies ever made.” (The sequels “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” are also on Prime, as is Spielberg’s “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.”)Watch it on AmazonSo much of this 1981 Steven Spielberg adventure has entered the realm of pop culture immortality — the rolling boulder, the melting Nazi face, the truck chase — that it’s easy to forget how fleet-footed, fresh and funny it is. Riffing on the Saturday afternoon serials that thrilled them as children, Spielberg, the director, and George Lucas, the producer, packed a full series of heroes, villains, cliffhangers and fisticuffs into a single crowd-pleasing feature. Our critic called it “one of the most deliriously funny, ingenious and stylish American adventure movies ever made.” (The sequels “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” are also on Prime, as is Spielberg’s “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.”)Watch it on Amazon
Will Smith got his first Academy Award nomination for his masterly turn as Muhammad Ali in this robust biopic. Thankfully eschewing the cradle-to-grave approach of too many such projects to focus on the key decade of 1964 to 1974, “Ali” adroitly dramatizes the champ’s transformation from gifted young fighter to political figure as he loses his hard-earned title for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War and becomes the focus of controversy for his conversion to Islam. The director, Michael Mann, exchanges his customarily sleek and contemplative style for something earthier and more emotional; our critic predicted, “his overwhelming love of its subject will turn audiences into exuberant, thrilled fight crowds.” (Smith is also excellent in “Six Degrees of Separation.”)Watch it on Amazon
Julie Delpy, who plays the female lead in Richard Linklater’s “Before” trilogy, created a chatty-couple series of her own with her 2007 treat “2 Days in Paris” and this snazzy sequel. In “New York,” she crafts an opposites-attract story for her brash, neurotic Frenchwoman, Marion, and Marion’s Brooklynite boyfriend, Mingus (well played by a slightly restrained Chris Rock). We then watch as their precariously balanced relationship implodes under the stress of a visit from Marion’s family. It’s both a romantic comedy and a comedy of manners, in which the politeness of familial interactions is capsized by their subtext, and the relationship bends until it nearly breaks.Watch it on Amazon
Ben Stiller directs and stars in this giddily goofy comedy as Derek Zoolander, a delightfully dim male model who is pulled into a hilariously convoluted story — Stiller wrote the screenplay with John Hamburg — of spies, political intrigue and fashion industry exploitation. Owen Wilson is his rival, a fellow male model who becomes his unlikely partner; Will Ferrell is the dastardly villain of the tale, and he does not underplay the role. Stiller’s influences aren’t subtle, but his unique directorial style and inside knowledge of celebrity culture makes “Zoolander” a surprisingly pointed social commentary that’s also very stupid and very funny. (For more laughs, stream “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”)Watch it on AmazonBen Stiller directs and stars in this giddily goofy comedy as Derek Zoolander, a delightfully dim male model who is pulled into a hilariously convoluted story — Stiller wrote the screenplay with John Hamburg — of spies, political intrigue and fashion industry exploitation. Owen Wilson is his rival, a fellow male model who becomes his unlikely partner; Will Ferrell is the dastardly villain of the tale, and he does not underplay the role. Stiller’s influences aren’t subtle, but his unique directorial style and inside knowledge of celebrity culture makes “Zoolander” a surprisingly pointed social commentary that’s also very stupid and very funny. (For more laughs, stream “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”)Watch it on Amazon
The acclaimed playwright David Mamet made his feature directorial debut with this razor-sharp, “wonderfully devious” story of con artists and their marks. Joe Mantegna is electrifying as a master of card bluffs, sleights of hand and other manipulations of the mind; Lindsay Crouse is the coolheaded psychiatrist fascinated by his world whose observation quickly turns to participation. Mamet deploys the tools of the thriller — there are guns, briefcases of money and a big score to take down — but the real thrills reside in his dialogue, where every interaction is loaded like a rifle. (Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money” tells a similar story of grifts and hustles.)Watch it on AmazonThe acclaimed playwright David Mamet made his feature directorial debut with this razor-sharp, “wonderfully devious” story of con artists and their marks. Joe Mantegna is electrifying as a master of card bluffs, sleights of hand and other manipulations of the mind; Lindsay Crouse is the coolheaded psychiatrist fascinated by his world whose observation quickly turns to participation. Mamet deploys the tools of the thriller — there are guns, briefcases of money and a big score to take down — but the real thrills reside in his dialogue, where every interaction is loaded like a rifle. (Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money” tells a similar story of grifts and hustles.)Watch it on Amazon
It speaks to the high quality of the entire series that no clear consensus seems to exist on the best film of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. But there’s a strong case to be made for this, the fourth entry, which was the live-action directorial debut of the Pixar alum Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”). Tom Cruise returns as Agent Ethan Hunt, this time drawn into the complex, globe-trotting pursuit of a nuclear terrorist who frames Hunt and his team for a bombing at the Kremlin. Simon Pegg offers welcome comic relief, the new additions Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton add considerable spice, and two of the set pieces — the aforementioned Kremlin sequence and Cruise’s gripping climb of the Burj Khalifa — are among the franchise’s best.Watch it on AmazonIt speaks to the high quality of the entire series that no clear consensus seems to exist on the best film of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. But there’s a strong case to be made for this, the fourth entry, which was the live-action directorial debut of the Pixar alum Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”). Tom Cruise returns as Agent Ethan Hunt, this time drawn into the complex, globe-trotting pursuit of a nuclear terrorist who frames Hunt and his team for a bombing at the Kremlin. Simon Pegg offers welcome comic relief, the new additions Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton add considerable spice, and two of the set pieces — the aforementioned Kremlin sequence and Cruise’s gripping climb of the Burj Khalifa — are among the franchise’s best.Watch it on Amazon
This white-knuckle zombie-apocalypse thriller from the South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, set onboard train hurtling toward possible safety, is a fantastic entry in the “relentless action in a confined space” subgenre (recalling “Snowpiercer,” “The Raid,” “Dredd” and the granddaddy of them all, “Die Hard”). The set pieces are energetic, the makeup effects are convincing, and the storytelling is ruthless. (Don’t get too attached to anyone.) But it’s not all blood and bluster; there’s a patient, deliberate setup before the orgy of gore and mayhem, leading to a surprising outpouring of emotion at the story’s conclusion. Our critic deemed it “often chaotic but never disorienting,” and praised its “spirited set pieces.” (For more breathless action, try “El Mariachi” and “The Running Man.”)Watch it on AmazonThis white-knuckle zombie-apocalypse thriller from the South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, set onboard train hurtling toward possible safety, is a fantastic entry in the “relentless action in a confined space” subgenre (recalling “Snowpiercer,” “The Raid,” “Dredd” and the granddaddy of them all, “Die Hard”). The set pieces are energetic, the makeup effects are convincing, and the storytelling is ruthless. (Don’t get too attached to anyone.) But it’s not all blood and bluster; there’s a patient, deliberate setup before the orgy of gore and mayhem, leading to a surprising outpouring of emotion at the story’s conclusion. Our critic deemed it “often chaotic but never disorienting,” and praised its “spirited set pieces.” (For more breathless action, try “El Mariachi” and “The Running Man.”)Watch it on Amazon
Bud Cort, a death-obsessed 19-year-old rich kid, and Ruth Gordon, a 79-year-old woman with a zest for life, play one of the most inspired odd couples in movie history. The director Hal Ashby and the screenwriter Colin Higgins don’t shy away from the shock value of the pairing, but they don’t stop at it either, helping the viewer understand the peculiarities that draw these two lovers together, and make them the people that they are. And it’s all done with such oddball humor that one can’t help but surrender to the film, particularly when observing Harold’s ill-fated dating attempts and Maude’s good-natured criminal activities. (For more dark comedy, stream “Heathers” or “The Fortune Cookie.”)Watch it on AmazonBud Cort, a death-obsessed 19-year-old rich kid, and Ruth Gordon, a 79-year-old woman with a zest for life, play one of the most inspired odd couples in movie history. The director Hal Ashby and the screenwriter Colin Higgins don’t shy away from the shock value of the pairing, but they don’t stop at it either, helping the viewer understand the peculiarities that draw these two lovers together, and make them the people that they are. And it’s all done with such oddball humor that one can’t help but surrender to the film, particularly when observing Harold’s ill-fated dating attempts and Maude’s good-natured criminal activities. (For more dark comedy, stream “Heathers” or “The Fortune Cookie.”)Watch it on Amazon
The esteemed character actor Charles Laughton made his one and only trip behind the camera for this haunting small-town thriller, which melds the conventions of film noir and Hitchcock-style suspense with a healthy taste of Southern Gothic. Robert Mitchum crafts a chilling, unforgettable performance as a mysterious stranger who romances a widowed mother (a superb Shelley Winters) whose children seem to be the only ones capable of seeing the evil within him. Our critic called it “clever and exceptionally effective.” (Mitchum is also on fire in Howard Hawks’s “El Dorado.”)Watch it on AmazonThe esteemed character actor Charles Laughton made his one and only trip behind the camera for this haunting small-town thriller, which melds the conventions of film noir and Hitchcock-style suspense with a healthy taste of Southern Gothic. Robert Mitchum crafts a chilling, unforgettable performance as a mysterious stranger who romances a widowed mother (a superb Shelley Winters) whose children seem to be the only ones capable of seeing the evil within him. Our critic called it “clever and exceptionally effective.” (Mitchum is also on fire in Howard Hawks’s “El Dorado.”)Watch it on Amazon
Sidney Poitier brings his customary grace — as well as a fair amount of warmth and shagginess — to this early iteration of the old chestnut about the new teacher who struggles but eventually wins over a class full of unruly cast-offs. This one, written and directed by the “Shogun” author James Clavell, is set in the heyday of Swinging London, so the expected gaps of race and generation are supplemented by a heavy dose of class commentary. The characterizations are vivid and Poitier is (as usual) marvelous, and the picture goes a bit deeper than the films it inspired, examining how challenges to the teacher continue to arise even after he’s got his students on his side. (Poitier is also terrific in that year’s Best Picture winner, “In the Heat of the Night.”)Watch it on AmazonSidney Poitier brings his customary grace — as well as a fair amount of warmth and shagginess — to this early iteration of the old chestnut about the new teacher who struggles but eventually wins over a class full of unruly cast-offs. This one, written and directed by the “Shogun” author James Clavell, is set in the heyday of Swinging London, so the expected gaps of race and generation are supplemented by a heavy dose of class commentary. The characterizations are vivid and Poitier is (as usual) marvelous, and the picture goes a bit deeper than the films it inspired, examining how challenges to the teacher continue to arise even after he’s got his students on his side. (Poitier is also terrific in that year’s Best Picture winner, “In the Heat of the Night.”)Watch it on Amazon
Al Pacino, fresh off the success of “The Godfather,” teamed up with the director Sidney Lumet to tell the true story of Frank Serpico, the undercover New York Police Department detective who, at great personal risk and expense, exposed the graft and corruption within the department. Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler’s screenplay (adapting Peter Maas’s non-fiction book) is a sprawling affair, encompassing years of Serpico’s life and work, but it’s an intimate, psychologically nuanced affair — thanks in no small part to Pacino’s magnificent title turn as a cop who will not look the other way. Our critic called it “a new kind of cop film.” (For more ’70s action, check out “Coffy” and Escape From Alcatraz.”)Watch it on AmazonAl Pacino, fresh off the success of “The Godfather,” teamed up with the director Sidney Lumet to tell the true story of Frank Serpico, the undercover New York Police Department detective who, at great personal risk and expense, exposed the graft and corruption within the department. Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler’s screenplay (adapting Peter Maas’s non-fiction book) is a sprawling affair, encompassing years of Serpico’s life and work, but it’s an intimate, psychologically nuanced affair — thanks in no small part to Pacino’s magnificent title turn as a cop who will not look the other way. Our critic called it “a new kind of cop film.” (For more ’70s action, check out “Coffy” and Escape From Alcatraz.”)Watch it on Amazon
The writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson picked up nominations for best director, best original screenplay and best picture for this richly textured, quietly bittersweet and frequently funny story of growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. The actor Cooper Hoffman is charismatic and charming as a young would-be entrepreneur; the musician Alana Haim, in a star-making performance of astonishing depth, is the perpetually out-of-reach object of his affections. It’s the kind of movie that sneaks up on you with its warmth and insight. Manohla Dargis called it “a shaggy, fitfully brilliant romp.”Watch it on AmazonThe writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson picked up nominations for best director, best original screenplay and best picture for this richly textured, quietly bittersweet and frequently funny story of growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. The actor Cooper Hoffman is charismatic and charming as a young would-be entrepreneur; the musician Alana Haim, in a star-making performance of astonishing depth, is the perpetually out-of-reach object of his affections. It’s the kind of movie that sneaks up on you with its warmth and insight. Manohla Dargis called it “a shaggy, fitfully brilliant romp.”Watch it on Amazon
Reese Witherspoon turned what could have been a one-dimensional caricature into one of the most iconic performances of her era in this whip-smart satire of small-town life, political ambition and middle-age malaise from the director Alexander Payne (“Sideways”). Witherspoon stars as Tracy Flick, a zealous high school student whose election to class president seems a foregone conclusion until the student government supervisor (Matthew Broderick) decides the front-runner could use a little competition. Broderick’s casting is a masterstroke, allowing the viewer to reimagine Ferris Bueller as a feckless school administrator, while Payne and his co-writer, Jim Taylor (adapting the novel by Tom Perrotta), nimbly weave a tale that plays both as small-scale drama and big-picture allegory.Watch it on Amazon
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are dangerously good in this Ridley Scott road movie, which became the center of a national conversation for its unapologetic portrait of two modern women who reject toxic masculinity. Sarandon and Davis play friends whose weekend getaway is derailed by an attempted assault; when they strike back, they find themselves on the run. Callie Khouri won an Oscar for her screenplay. “It reimagines the buddy film with such freshness and vigor that the genre seems positively new,” our critic wrote. (For an even more twisted road movie, try “Freeway.”)Watch it on AmazonSusan Sarandon and Geena Davis are dangerously good in this Ridley Scott road movie, which became the center of a national conversation for its unapologetic portrait of two modern women who reject toxic masculinity. Sarandon and Davis play friends whose weekend getaway is derailed by an attempted assault; when they strike back, they find themselves on the run. Callie Khouri won an Oscar for her screenplay. “It reimagines the buddy film with such freshness and vigor that the genre seems positively new,” our critic wrote. (For an even more twisted road movie, try “Freeway.”)Watch it on Amazon
Early in Garrett Bradley’s extraordinary documentary (a co-production of The New York Times), someone asks Fox Rich about her husband, and she replies, “He’s, uh, out of town now.” Technically, it’s true; he’s in Angola prison, for a 1997 bank robbery, serving a 60-year sentence without the possibility of parole. Rich has spent years fighting for her husband’s release — and against mass incarceration — and Bradley interweaves her crusade with years of home video footage, contrasting the possibilities of those early videos and the realities of today. But Rich never gives up hope, and this “substantive and stunning” film suggests that even in the grimmest of circumstances, that spirit can pay dividends.Watch it on AmazonEarly in Garrett Bradley’s extraordinary documentary (a co-production of The New York Times), someone asks Fox Rich about her husband, and she replies, “He’s, uh, out of town now.” Technically, it’s true; he’s in Angola prison, for a 1997 bank robbery, serving a 60-year sentence without the possibility of parole. Rich has spent years fighting for her husband’s release — and against mass incarceration — and Bradley interweaves her crusade with years of home video footage, contrasting the possibilities of those early videos and the realities of today. But Rich never gives up hope, and this “substantive and stunning” film suggests that even in the grimmest of circumstances, that spirit can pay dividends.Watch it on Amazon
In 1959, the famed novelist and bon vivant Truman Capote traveled to Kansas to write about the shocking murder of the Clutter family; the resulting book, “In Cold Blood,” all but created both the nonfiction novel and the true crime genre. It also changed the author forever, according to this a “fascinating and fine-grained reconstruction” by director Bennett Miller, which argues that Capote’s interactions with (and betrayal of) the killers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith haunted him for the rest of his life. Philip Seymour Hoffman won a much-deserved Oscar for his stunning work in the title role.Watch it on AmazonIn 1959, the famed novelist and bon vivant Truman Capote traveled to Kansas to write about the shocking murder of the Clutter family; the resulting book, “In Cold Blood,” all but created both the nonfiction novel and the true crime genre. It also changed the author forever, according to this a “fascinating and fine-grained reconstruction” by director Bennett Miller, which argues that Capote’s interactions with (and betrayal of) the killers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith haunted him for the rest of his life. Philip Seymour Hoffman won a much-deserved Oscar for his stunning work in the title role.Watch it on Amazon
Our critic praised this “sweetly absurd high school comedy,” in which a pair of horny teen outcasts (Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) try to bluff their way into the party of the year. The screenwriters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote the script when they were in high school — the protagonists even share their names — and that proximity to the subject matter gives the picture an honesty and truth too often lacking in teen sex romps. Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Emma Stone (in her debut role) all shine, but Hill is a roaring lighting bolt of comic energy and surprising vulnerability.Watch it on Amazon
The actor Zero Mostel is an absolute gas in this leading role of this “leering clown of a movie,” adapted from the Broadway smash with energy and verve by the director Richard Lester (“A Hard Day’s Night”). Mostel stars as Pseudolus, a fast-talking and faster-thinking slave in ancient Rome who cooks up a plot to win his freedom, with uproarious complications blocking his path at every turn. Lester keeps things moving at a healthy clip, smoothly weaving in slapstick set pieces and songs from the great Stephen Sondheim. Keep an eye out for Buster Keaton in his final feature film role. (For more vintage musical comedy, stream “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”)Watch it on AmazonThe actor Zero Mostel is an absolute gas in this leading role of this “leering clown of a movie,” adapted from the Broadway smash with energy and verve by the director Richard Lester (“A Hard Day’s Night”). Mostel stars as Pseudolus, a fast-talking and faster-thinking slave in ancient Rome who cooks up a plot to win his freedom, with uproarious complications blocking his path at every turn. Lester keeps things moving at a healthy clip, smoothly weaving in slapstick set pieces and songs from the great Stephen Sondheim. Keep an eye out for Buster Keaton in his final feature film role. (For more vintage musical comedy, stream “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”)Watch it on Amazon
The director Sergio Leone brought his signature dusty landscapes, offbeat music, brutal violence and morally flexible protagonists to this Hollywood studio production. Henry Fonda is truly chilling as a ruthless villain, conveying a pure evil not even hinted at in his decades of good-guy turns, and the film’s heroine (Claudia Cardinale) and her tough-guy companions (Charles Bronson and Jason Robards) make an unlikely but effective team. Atmospheric, bracing and effortlessly cool, with an unforgettable closing confrontation. (Fans of vintage genre films will also enjoy “The Naked Kiss” and “Bird With the Crystal Plumage.”)Watch it on Amazon
Edward Norton made his memorable film debut in this crackling legal drama, based on the novel by William Diehl. Norton co-stars as Aaron Stampler, a young man accused of killing a powerful Chicago priest. Richard Gere is Martin Vail, the slimy, hotshot lawyer who, smelling headlines, takes on Aaron’s case pro bono, and finds himself in way over his head. The director, Gregory Hoblit, smoothly orchestrates a brooding mood and top-notch supporting cast, including Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Andre Braugher, Alfre Woodard, John Mahoney and Maura Tierney. (The earlier Gere vehicles “American Gigolo” and “Internal Affairs” are also on Prime.)Watch it on AmazonEdward Norton made his memorable film debut in this crackling legal drama, based on the novel by William Diehl. Norton co-stars as Aaron Stampler, a young man accused of killing a powerful Chicago priest. Richard Gere is Martin Vail, the slimy, hotshot lawyer who, smelling headlines, takes on Aaron’s case pro bono, and finds himself in way over his head. The director, Gregory Hoblit, smoothly orchestrates a brooding mood and top-notch supporting cast, including Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Andre Braugher, Alfre Woodard, John Mahoney and Maura Tierney. (The earlier Gere vehicles “American Gigolo” and “Internal Affairs” are also on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon
The director David Gordon Green has tried a bit of everything in his career, from broad comedy (“Pineapple Express”) to slasher horror (the recent “Halloween” trilogy) to inspirational true stories (“Stronger”). But his specialty, from the beginning of his career, has been modest indie dramas like this one, which he builds as freewheeling showcases for terrific actors. This time, those actors are Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch as two mismatched guys spending a summer doing country highway roadwork. Their dislike grows to grudging affection, of course. Rudd and Hirsch give their characters life and agency, and Green’s easy-breezy style makes this a pleasing watch. (Fans of character-driven indie fare should also check out “Zebrahead” and “Igby Goes Down.”)Watch it on AmazonThe director David Gordon Green has tried a bit of everything in his career, from broad comedy (“Pineapple Express”) to slasher horror (the recent “Halloween” trilogy) to inspirational true stories (“Stronger”). But his specialty, from the beginning of his career, has been modest indie dramas like this one, which he builds as freewheeling showcases for terrific actors. This time, those actors are Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch as two mismatched guys spending a summer doing country highway roadwork. Their dislike grows to grudging affection, of course. Rudd and Hirsch give their characters life and agency, and Green’s easy-breezy style makes this a pleasing watch. (Fans of character-driven indie fare should also check out “Zebrahead” and “Igby Goes Down.”)Watch it on Amazon
Robert Eggers, the director of “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse,” goes big — very big — with this epic Viking adventure, based on the Scandinavian legend of Amleth. Alexander Skarsgard stars in the title role, a young prince who is ousted from his kingdom when his uncle (Claes Bang) kills his father (Ethan Hawke). He grows into a young man and fierce warrior, vowing to avenge his father and save his mother (Nicole Kidman). Eggers stages the medieval action with thrilling gusto.Watch it on AmazonRobert Eggers, the director of “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse,” goes big — very big — with this epic Viking adventure, based on the Scandinavian legend of Amleth. Alexander Skarsgard stars in the title role, a young prince who is ousted from his kingdom when his uncle (Claes Bang) kills his father (Ethan Hawke). He grows into a young man and fierce warrior, vowing to avenge his father and save his mother (Nicole Kidman). Eggers stages the medieval action with thrilling gusto.Watch it on Amazon
The “Girls” creator and star Lena Dunham is about the last person you’d imagine to direct a film adaptation of a young adult novel set in medieval England, circa 1290. (Perhaps that’s why she did it.) What she accomplishes is a minor miracle: a delightful film that inserts a modern comic sensibility into the past, without resorting to anachronism or satire. She gets a big assist from star (and “Game of Thrones” alum) Bella Ramsey, who brings the title character to vivid, playful life, involving us in her tribulations and frustrations, as her oft-drunken father (Andrew Scott, the “hot priest” of “Fleabag”) desperately attempts to marry her off. Our critic called it a “winning,” “headstrong comedy.”Watch it on AmazonThe “Girls” creator and star Lena Dunham is about the last person you’d imagine to direct a film adaptation of a young adult novel set in medieval England, circa 1290. (Perhaps that’s why she did it.) What she accomplishes is a minor miracle: a delightful film that inserts a modern comic sensibility into the past, without resorting to anachronism or satire. She gets a big assist from star (and “Game of Thrones” alum) Bella Ramsey, who brings the title character to vivid, playful life, involving us in her tribulations and frustrations, as her oft-drunken father (Andrew Scott, the “hot priest” of “Fleabag”) desperately attempts to marry her off. Our critic called it a “winning,” “headstrong comedy.”Watch it on Amazon
This “assured, intense” drama follows the monthslong hijacking of a Danish cargo ship by Somali pirates. The events span oceans and continents, but most of the action is confined to two tight spaces: below the ship’s deck somewhere in the Indian Ocean, where the pirates’ spokesman dictates their demands; and the sterile Copenhagen conference room at the other end of the line. The director, Tobias Lindholm, tightly squeezes both locations, with the company’s chief executive seemingly as trapped and helpless as the men onboard, while the hours tick away at a glacial pace. “A Hijacking” focuses on the logistics of the hostage situations and the formalities of negotiation, while never letting the psychological intensity go slack. (For more acclaimed foreign drama, try “Shoplifters.”)Watch it on Amazon
Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen, a resourceful teenager who volunteers to compete in the decadent, dangerous televised title event, in which teens engage in blood sport to entertain the rich. The film series hadn’t quite found its footing in this initial outing, but it contains much of what makes the movies memorable — the tense action sequences, the striking costume and production design and especially Lawrence’s tough, muscular work in the leading role. (The three follow-up films — “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part One,” and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part Two” — are all streaming on Prime.)Watch it on AmazonJennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen, a resourceful teenager who volunteers to compete in the decadent, dangerous televised title event, in which teens engage in blood sport to entertain the rich. The film series hadn’t quite found its footing in this initial outing, but it contains much of what makes the movies memorable — the tense action sequences, the striking costume and production design and especially Lawrence’s tough, muscular work in the leading role. (The three follow-up films — “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part One,” and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part Two” — are all streaming on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon
George Clooney turns in one of his most nuanced performances in this sharp and affecting comedy-drama from the writer and director Jason Reitman (“Juno”). Clooney uses his movie-star good looks and charisma in service of the supremely confident Ryan Bingham, a man who specializes in being the corporate bad guy (he is brought in to handle the layoffs), but whose confidence slowly deteriorates; Anna Kendrick is pitch-perfect as the young woman who is seeking to streamline their profession, and consequently put him out of a job. Our critic praised this “laugh-infused stealth tragedy.” (If you like the feel of this melancholy comedy-drama, add “50/50” to your watch list.)Watch it on AmazonGeorge Clooney turns in one of his most nuanced performances in this sharp and affecting comedy-drama from the writer and director Jason Reitman (“Juno”). Clooney uses his movie-star good looks and charisma in service of the supremely confident Ryan Bingham, a man who specializes in being the corporate bad guy (he is brought in to handle the layoffs), but whose confidence slowly deteriorates; Anna Kendrick is pitch-perfect as the young woman who is seeking to streamline their profession, and consequently put him out of a job. Our critic praised this “laugh-infused stealth tragedy.” (If you like the feel of this melancholy comedy-drama, add “50/50” to your watch list.)Watch it on Amazon
James Marsh’s documentary tells the exhilarating story of the French daredevil Philippe Petit, whose team of friends and accomplices sneaked into the World Trade Center one night in 1974 and spent the night running a high-wire between the Twin Towers, so Petit could dazzle downtown New York with an early morning tightrope walk. Marsh ingeniously meshes archival footage and contemporary interviews with stylish re-enactments, framing Petit’s daring feat as a heist movie where the payoff is the possibility of death. A.O. Scott called it a “thorough, understated and altogether enthralling documentary.”Watch it on AmazonJames Marsh’s documentary tells the exhilarating story of the French daredevil Philippe Petit, whose team of friends and accomplices sneaked into the World Trade Center one night in 1974 and spent the night running a high-wire between the Twin Towers, so Petit could dazzle downtown New York with an early morning tightrope walk. Marsh ingeniously meshes archival footage and contemporary interviews with stylish re-enactments, framing Petit’s daring feat as a heist movie where the payoff is the possibility of death. A.O. Scott called it a “thorough, understated and altogether enthralling documentary.”Watch it on Amazon
Taylour Paige — so electrifying as the title character of last year’s “Zola” — shines brightly in this wonderful comedy-drama from the writer and director Stella Meghie. Paige stars as Jean Jones, a boho Brooklyn novelist whose career, love life and family seem to implode simultaneously. Sherri Shepherd, Gloria Reuben, Michelle Hurst and Erica Ash also star as the women of the Jones family, and their dialogue crackles with running jokes, passive insults and hidden resentments aplenty. It’s funny and breezily executed, and Paige is a tremendous presence, charismatic and likable even when she’s making a mess of things. (Meghie’s follow-up, “The Weekend,” is also on Prime.)Watch it on AmazonTaylour Paige — so electrifying as the title character of last year’s “Zola” — shines brightly in this wonderful comedy-drama from the writer and director Stella Meghie. Paige stars as Jean Jones, a boho Brooklyn novelist whose career, love life and family seem to implode simultaneously. Sherri Shepherd, Gloria Reuben, Michelle Hurst and Erica Ash also star as the women of the Jones family, and their dialogue crackles with running jokes, passive insults and hidden resentments aplenty. It’s funny and breezily executed, and Paige is a tremendous presence, charismatic and likable even when she’s making a mess of things. (Meghie’s follow-up, “The Weekend,” is also on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon
After years of playing second banana, John Candy got his first shot at a full-on leading role in this zippy family comedy from the legendary director Carl Reiner. Candy plays an air traffic controller and perpetually harried family man whose attempt at a mellow summer vacation goes hilariously awry, thanks to unexpected injuries, sunburns and awkward encounters with the snooty locals (including a delightfully slimy Richard Crenna). The script is a fairly formulaic, post-“Caddyshack” snobs versus slobs affair. But Candy is a charming, likable, charismatic lead, and he and Rip Torn make for an unexpectedly excellent comedy team.Watch it on AmazonAfter years of playing second banana, John Candy got his first shot at a full-on leading role in this zippy family comedy from the legendary director Carl Reiner. Candy plays an air traffic controller and perpetually harried family man whose attempt at a mellow summer vacation goes hilariously awry, thanks to unexpected injuries, sunburns and awkward encounters with the snooty locals (including a delightfully slimy Richard Crenna). The script is a fairly formulaic, post-“Caddyshack” snobs versus slobs affair. But Candy is a charming, likable, charismatic lead, and he and Rip Torn make for an unexpectedly excellent comedy team.Watch it on Amazon
Taissa Farmiga and Alexandra Daddario star in this “playfully arch and unsettling” adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1962 novel as the Blackwood sisters, who live (along with their infirm uncle) in solitude and mystery. Their parents died years earlier, under cloudy circumstances, and they’re still the subjects of talk in town. That chatter grows louder with the arrival of an enigmatic cousin, Charles (Sebastian Stan, wild and woolly), who shakes the precarious household to its core. Farmiga and Daddario exude both fragility and danger, while Crispin Glover underplays nicely (and surprisingly) as Uncle Julian. (For more Gothic mystery, stream “Dead Again.”)Watch it on AmazonTaissa Farmiga and Alexandra Daddario star in this “playfully arch and unsettling” adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1962 novel as the Blackwood sisters, who live (along with their infirm uncle) in solitude and mystery. Their parents died years earlier, under cloudy circumstances, and they’re still the subjects of talk in town. That chatter grows louder with the arrival of an enigmatic cousin, Charles (Sebastian Stan, wild and woolly), who shakes the precarious household to its core. Farmiga and Daddario exude both fragility and danger, while Crispin Glover underplays nicely (and surprisingly) as Uncle Julian. (For more Gothic mystery, stream “Dead Again.”)Watch it on Amazon
Few premises in modern cinema are more exhausting than the reimagining of classic characters in contemporary settings. But this goofy, endearing buddy movie from the writing and directing team of Aaron and Adam Nee, which gives us grown-up versions of Tom Sawyer (Adam Nee) and Huck Finn (Kyle Gallner) as modern-day, small-time criminals, has its own sprung rhythm and distinct comic voice. The filmmakers (who went on to direct “The Lost City,” also on Prime) refuse to romanticize these literary favorites, instead casting them as likable screw-ups who, like their child iterations, get in way over their heads.Watch it on AmazonFew premises in modern cinema are more exhausting than the reimagining of classic characters in contemporary settings. But this goofy, endearing buddy movie from the writing and directing team of Aaron and Adam Nee, which gives us grown-up versions of Tom Sawyer (Adam Nee) and Huck Finn (Kyle Gallner) as modern-day, small-time criminals, has its own sprung rhythm and distinct comic voice. The filmmakers (who went on to direct “The Lost City,” also on Prime) refuse to romanticize these literary favorites, instead casting them as likable screw-ups who, like their child iterations, get in way over their heads.Watch it on Amazon
August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about an African American family’s struggles in 1950s Pittsburgh was first performed on Broadway in 1987; after Denzel Washington starred in its 2010 revival, he retained much of the original cast for this film adaptation. As a director, Washington does little to expand upon the play; he seems well aware that the film is carried by the lyricism of the words and the power of the performances, particularly his nuanced portrayal of the bitter Troy Maxson and Viola Davis’s heart-rending turn as his wife, Rose. (Washington fans can also stream “Man on Fire” on Prime.)Watch it on AmazonAugust Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about an African American family’s struggles in 1950s Pittsburgh was first performed on Broadway in 1987; after Denzel Washington starred in its 2010 revival, he retained much of the original cast for this film adaptation. As a director, Washington does little to expand upon the play; he seems well aware that the film is carried by the lyricism of the words and the power of the performances, particularly his nuanced portrayal of the bitter Troy Maxson and Viola Davis’s heart-rending turn as his wife, Rose. (Washington fans can also stream “Man on Fire” on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon
In this inspiring story of empowerment and hope, Keisha Castle-Hughes stars as Pai, a young Maori woman who bucks the rules and traditions of her tribe. She was nominated for an Oscar, and deserved it — this is a complicated portrayal of a driven young woman, one who simply cannot understand the limits her family has placed on her, and sees no need to abide by them. The director, Niki Caro, situates herself and her film inside the culture, filling her scenes and frames with keenly observed details and richly drawn characters. Our critic wrote, “it has the inspiring resonance of found art.” (For more family-friendly fare, check out John Sayles’s “The Secret of Roan Inish.”)Watch it on AmazonIn this inspiring story of empowerment and hope, Keisha Castle-Hughes stars as Pai, a young Maori woman who bucks the rules and traditions of her tribe. She was nominated for an Oscar, and deserved it — this is a complicated portrayal of a driven young woman, one who simply cannot understand the limits her family has placed on her, and sees no need to abide by them. The director, Niki Caro, situates herself and her film inside the culture, filling her scenes and frames with keenly observed details and richly drawn characters. Our critic wrote, “it has the inspiring resonance of found art.” (For more family-friendly fare, check out John Sayles’s “The Secret of Roan Inish.”)Watch it on Amazon
The director Robert Altman teamed up with his frequent collaborator Elliott Gould, and paired him up with George Segal, for this “fascinating, vivid” snapshot of two lovable losers. Gould and Segal play a pair of Los Angeles gamblers, floating from card table to racetrack to casino, in constant search of that one big score. Such a payday presents itself at the end of their journey, but Altman is too unconventional a filmmaker to put much stock in that destination. He’s more interested in the journey, and is film is propelled by the rowdy hum of those rooms and the colorful personalities of the people who inhabit them. (John Cassavetes’s “Husbands” works a similarly shaggy vibe.)Watch it on AmazonThe director Robert Altman teamed up with his frequent collaborator Elliott Gould, and paired him up with George Segal, for this “fascinating, vivid” snapshot of two lovable losers. Gould and Segal play a pair of Los Angeles gamblers, floating from card table to racetrack to casino, in constant search of that one big score. Such a payday presents itself at the end of their journey, but Altman is too unconventional a filmmaker to put much stock in that destination. He’s more interested in the journey, and is film is propelled by the rowdy hum of those rooms and the colorful personalities of the people who inhabit them. (John Cassavetes’s “Husbands” works a similarly shaggy vibe.)Watch it on Amazon
Jim Jarmusch directs this documentary portrait of Iggy Pop and his seminal punk band the Stooges with a fan’s enthusiasm and a filmmaker’s craft. His best asset is Iggy himself, aged and hardened but still an entertaining storyteller with a novelist’s knack for details — no mean feat considering the volume of substances he recalls having ingested in the Stooges’ short but eventful existence. Jarmusch supplements Pop’s remembrances with interviews from surviving band mates and collaborators, along with enough archival material to delight his fellow superfans. Our critic praised its “many moments of foaming-at-the-mouth musical fury.” (For a dramatization of the life of another iconic rocker, try Oliver Stone’s “The Doors.”)
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Pawel Pawlikowski’s Oscar winner looks and sounds like an unapproachable foreign prestige picture, a grim post-Holocaust story in an austere style with moody (and gorgeous) black-and-white photography. And it is indeed a vivid historical drama and an evocative road movie. But its real subject is the bond between two very different women, young Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) and her aunt Wanda (Agata Kulesza) — a cold relationship that slowly thaws during this forceful and resonant trip through their shared history. It’s an emotional story about coming to terms with family secrets, containing, our critic wrote, “a cosmos of guilt, violence and pain.” (Pawlikowski’s “Cold War” is also on Prime.)Watch it on AmazonPawel Pawlikowski’s Oscar winner looks and sounds like an unapproachable foreign prestige picture, a grim post-Holocaust story in an austere style with moody (and gorgeous) black-and-white photography. And it is indeed a vivid historical drama and an evocative road movie. But its real subject is the bond between two very different women, young Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) and her aunt Wanda (Agata Kulesza) — a cold relationship that slowly thaws during this forceful and resonant trip through their shared history. It’s an emotional story about coming to terms with family secrets, containing, our critic wrote, “a cosmos of guilt, violence and pain.” (Pawlikowski’s “Cold War” is also on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon
The ’50s gangster movie gets a snazzy musical makeover in this 1955 film adaptation of the Broadway hit, itself based on the colorful New York characters of Damon Runyon’s fiction. Joseph L. Mankiewicz (“All About Eve”) directs with energy and pizazz, coaxing cheerful, engaged performances out of Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine and that most unlikely of crooners, Marlon Brando. Our critic called it “as tinny and tawny and terrific as any hot-cha musical film you’ll ever see.” (If you love classic musicals, add “Funny Girl” to your watch list.)Watch it on AmazonThe ’50s gangster movie gets a snazzy musical makeover in this 1955 film adaptation of the Broadway hit, itself based on the colorful New York characters of Damon Runyon’s fiction. Joseph L. Mankiewicz (“All About Eve”) directs with energy and pizazz, coaxing cheerful, engaged performances out of Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine and that most unlikely of crooners, Marlon Brando. Our critic called it “as tinny and tawny and terrific as any hot-cha musical film you’ll ever see.” (If you love classic musicals, add “Funny Girl” to your watch list.)Watch it on Amazon
Kenneth Lonergan makes films about people in turmoil, roiled by bottomless sadness, dysfunction and guilt. Casey Affleck won an Oscar for his nuanced portrayal of Lee Chandler, a Boston janitor who, for all practical purposes, is broken; Lucas Hedges is prickly and funny as the nephew who needs him to put himself together again. It’s a tear-jerker in the best sense, never stooping to cheap manipulation. Our critic called it “a finely shaded portrait.” (For more Oscar-winning acting, stream “Paper Moon.”)Watch it on Amazon
The “one night” of the title of Regina King’s feature directorial debut is Feb. 25, 1964 — the night Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) took down Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight championship. But the fight footage is brief, because King isn’t making a boxing movie; she’s making a film about Black identity, filled with conversations that are still being had, and questions that are still being asked. The four participants — Ali (Eli Goree), Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) — are giants in their fields and are friends celebrating a victory. It’s a moving, powerful film, confrontational and thought-provoking. Our critic called it “one of the most exciting movies I’ve seen in quite some time.”Watch it on AmazonThe “one night” of the title of Regina King’s feature directorial debut is Feb. 25, 1964 — the night Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) took down Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight championship. But the fight footage is brief, because King isn’t making a boxing movie; she’s making a film about Black identity, filled with conversations that are still being had, and questions that are still being asked. The four participants — Ali (Eli Goree), Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) — are giants in their fields and are friends celebrating a victory. It’s a moving, powerful film, confrontational and thought-provoking. Our critic called it “one of the most exciting movies I’ve seen in quite some time.”Watch it on Amazon
Riz Ahmed is devastatingly good as Ruben, a hard rock drummer whose entire life — his music, his relationship, his self-image — is upended by a sudden case of extreme hearing loss, in this wrenching drama from the writer and director Darius Marder. A former addict in danger of relapse, Ruben enters a school for the deaf, where he must confront not only his new condition, but the jitteriness that predates it. His sense of solitude, even with others, quickly transforms to self-consciousness, then self-doubt, then self-destruction, and “Sound of Metal” is ultimately less about finding a silver bullet cure than finding the stillness within oneself. Marder works in a quiet, observational style, skillfully avoiding every cliché he approaches, taking turns both satisfying and moving. Our critic praised the film’s “distinctive style.” (For more indie drama, try “Raising Victor Vargas”or “Poison.”)Watch it on Amazon
Spike Lee adapts and updates Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata” to the streets of contemporary Chicago in this wildly funny, vividly theatrical mash-up of gangland drama, musical comedy and surrealist fantasy. Teyonah Parris shines as the determined young woman who leads a sex strike to stop the city’s violence, while Samuel L. Jackson struts and rhymes as “Dolmedes,” the picture’s one-man Greek chorus. His Dolemite-style interludes push the premise to its bawdy extremes, but Lee isn’t just playing for laughs. He’s swinging for the fences, and the result, according to our critic, “entertains, engages and, at times, enrages.” (Leos Carax’s “Annette” is a similarly fresh twist on the movie musical format.)Watch it on Amazon
This “meticulously acted” serio-comic drama was the feature filmmaking debut of Joey Soloway, the creator of “Transparent” and “I Love Dick.” Kathryn Hahn is astonishing in the leading role, clearly conveying her dissatisfied housewife’s longings and nerves but keeping her intentions enigmatic, and Juno Temple is electrifying as a young woman who’s learned how to use her sexuality as a weapon without fully considering the carnage left in its wake. Their byplay is vibrant, and it gets messy in fascinating ways; this is a sly, smart sex comedy that plumbs unexpected depths of sadness and despair. (For more character-driven comedy-drama, stream “Panic.”)Watch it on AmazonThis “meticulously acted” serio-comic drama was the feature filmmaking debut of Joey Soloway, the creator of “Transparent” and “I Love Dick.” Kathryn Hahn is astonishing in the leading role, clearly conveying her dissatisfied housewife’s longings and nerves but keeping her intentions enigmatic, and Juno Temple is electrifying as a young woman who’s learned how to use her sexuality as a weapon without fully considering the carnage left in its wake. Their byplay is vibrant, and it gets messy in fascinating ways; this is a sly, smart sex comedy that plumbs unexpected depths of sadness and despair. (For more character-driven comedy-drama, stream “Panic.”)Watch it on Amazon
The director Frank Capra and the actor Jimmy Stewart took a marvelously simple premise — a suicidal man is given the opportunity to see what his world would have been like without him — and turned it into a holiday perennial. But “It’s a Wonderful Life” is too rich and complex to brand with a label as simple as “Christmas movie”; it is ultimately a story about overcoming darkness and finding light around you, a tricky transition achieved primarily through the peerless work of Stewart as a good man with big dreams who can’t walk away from the place where he’s needed most. Our critic said it was a “quaint and engaging modern parable.” (Classic movie fans can also stream “Man With the Golden Arm.”)
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The South Korean master Park Chan-wook (“Oldboy”) takes the stylistic trappings of a period romance and gooses them with scorching eroticism and one of the most ingenious con-artist plots this side of “The Sting.” Working from the Sarah Waters novel “Fingersmith,” Park begins with the story of a young woman who, as part of a seemingly straightforward swindle, goes to work as a Japanese heiress’s handmaiden, occasionally pausing the plot to slyly reveal new information, reframing what we’ve seen and where we think he might go next. Our critic saw it as an “amusingly slippery entertainment.” (Thriller fans should also check out “Dressed to Kill” and “Breakdown.”)Watch it on AmazonThe South Korean master Park Chan-wook (“Oldboy”) takes the stylistic trappings of a period romance and gooses them with scorching eroticism and one of the most ingenious con-artist plots this side of “The Sting.” Working from the Sarah Waters novel “Fingersmith,” Park begins with the story of a young woman who, as part of a seemingly straightforward swindle, goes to work as a Japanese heiress’s handmaiden, occasionally pausing the plot to slyly reveal new information, reframing what we’ve seen and where we think he might go next. Our critic saw it as an “amusingly slippery entertainment.” (Thriller fans should also check out “Dressed to Kill” and “Breakdown.”)Watch it on Amazon
Asghar Farhadi writes and directs this lucid and contemplative morality play, in which a married couple must grapple with the fallout of an assault on the wife in their home, particularly when the husband’s desire for vengeance surpasses her own. Farhadi’s brilliance at capturing the complexities of his native Iran’s culture is as astonishing as ever — particularly when coupled with insights into victimhood, justice, poverty and intimacy that know no borders. Our critic praised the picture’s “rich and resonant ideas.” (Fans of international cinema may also enjoy “Transit” and Farhadi’s “A Hero.”)Watch it on AmazonAsghar Farhadi writes and directs this lucid and contemplative morality play, in which a married couple must grapple with the fallout of an assault on the wife in their home, particularly when the husband’s desire for vengeance surpasses her own. Farhadi’s brilliance at capturing the complexities of his native Iran’s culture is as astonishing as ever — particularly when coupled with insights into victimhood, justice, poverty and intimacy that know no borders. Our critic praised the picture’s “rich and resonant ideas.” (Fans of international cinema may also enjoy “Transit” and Farhadi’s “A Hero.”)Watch it on Amazon
The broad plot outlines — a traumatized vet, working as a killer-for-hire, gets in over his head in the criminal underworld — make this adaptation of Jonathan Ames’s novella sound like a million throwaway B-movies. But the director and screenwriter is Lynne Ramsay, and she’s not interested in making a conventional thriller; hers is more like a commentary on them, less interested in visceral action beats than their preparation and aftermath. She abstracts the violence, skipping the visual clichés and focusing on the details another filmmaker wouldn’t even see. Joaquin Phoenix is mesmerizing in the leading role (“there is something powerful in his agony,” our critic noted), internalizing his rage and pain until control is no longer an option. (Ramsay’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin” is also on Prime.)Watch it on Amazon