The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video

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

Cast: Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba

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

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

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

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

Director: Stephen Chow | Run Time: 98 minutes | Genre: Action Comedy

Cast: Stephen Chow, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, Yuen Qiu, Yuen Wah, Leung Siu-lung

The martial arts movie is a beast that’s been roaring along for decades now, with numerous examples of great films within the genre. But what sets Kung Fu Hustle (2004) apart from its peers is the sheer absurdity that permeates the story. Combining comedy and martial arts is hardly a new idea (Jackie Chan built a whole career doing just that) but not many have managed to pull off the combination to such spectacular effect as this 2004 romp from Shaolin Soccer director Stephen Chow. Kung Fu Hustle is set in 1940s Shanghai where two aspiring gangsters attempt to join the notorious Axe Gang. As a rite of passage, they are told to kill someone. Unfortunately, their chosen target turns out to be a Kung Fu master. The rest of the movie basically serves as a redemption story for the film’s protagonist, Sing (Stephen Chow). With spectacular action sequences, especially during its climactic final battle, Kung Fu Hustle is both a tribute to and reimagining of classic wuxia movies. If you’re a fan of martial arts films and international perspectives, this is one movie you shouldn’t sleep on. — Remus Noronha

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

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

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

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

Director: Mike Nichols | Runtime: 106 minutes | Genre: Romantic Comedy-Drama

Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross

Entering the real world isn’t so easy. Ben Braddock sure learns this lesson in Mike Nichols’ watershed comedy, The Graduate. Played by a sub-thirty Dustin Hoffman, Ben is seduced by the older Mrs. Robinson, who is married to Ben’s father’s business partner. Despite their affair, Ben later falls for Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine. And Mrs. Robinson is none too pleased about that. With that sort of dynamic, there’s no way Ben gets out of this thing unscathed. Entangled in a predicament of his own making, Ben’s desire for Elaine only grows, culminating in an iconic climax that sees Ben stop her wedding. But it’s the closing image that film lovers remember best (and the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack, of course)—the two on a bus, she still in her wedding dress, having chosen Ben over her groom-to-be. When the high subsides, the lack of chemistry between the two is palpable, and regret fills their faces. It’s one of the more potent final shots of the 1960s, and a reminder that true love is far more valuable than what so many young people are after. — Brendan Michael

Director: Tomas Alfredson | Run Time: 127 minutes | Genre: Spy Thriller

Cast: Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Colin Firth

There are two kinds of espionage stories: the glitzy, glamorous Bond-esque blockbusters and… John le Carré. This gritty adaptation of le Carré’s novel of the same name stars Gary Oldman as a complicated British spy who is tasked with rooting out a mole within the intelligence service. Over a decade before Oldman’s more recent success as a spymaster in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, the veteran actor showed audiences just how comfortable he is in the shadowy world of spies and counter-spies with his acclaimed performance as George Smiley, who is easily one of le Carré’s best characters. Showing Cold War espionage in its darkest and most thrilling form, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) is by far one of the best movies to be made in the genre. The cast alone should be enough to draw in even the most casual moviegoer, with supporting turns by actors like Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, and more. Unlike the Bonds of the world, the characters here are all morally compromised on some level or the other, which lends a certain depth to the story that you just can’t achieve with straightforward beat-the-baddie narratives. The plot is more or less that of a mystery with suspects at every corner, and when the mole is finally revealed it’s not so much the shock of the reveal that hits you, it’s the fact that the answer was staring you in the face all along. — Remus Noronha

Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen | Run Time: 117 minutes | Genre: Crime Comedy

Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro

The Big Lebowski (1998) is by far one of the most influential films of all time. It’s inspired countless storytellers, it’s taught in film schools—it’s even spawned a religion! But to define this masterpiece of a film is one of the hardest tasks ever. Yes, broadly speaking, it’s a crime comedy. But it’s also, in its way, a neo-western, a stoner film, a satirical film, an anti-war movie, and a buggy comedy, all rolled into one. Written, produced, and directed by the Coen Brothers, The Big Lebowski stands quite high on the list of their best films. The movie follows Jeff Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), who prefers to be called The Dude, a lazy slacker whose only goal in life is to do nothing. And bowl with his friends. When he is mistaken for another, richer Lebowski (the actual title character), two gangsters break into the Dude’s house and urinate on his rug. After he decides to get some form of restitution from the other Lebowski (the rug really tied the room together, man), he finds himself pressed to solve a kidnapping. What starts out as a simple enough story soon escalates to comical levels, as the Dude encounters all sorts of strange characters, finding himself in increasingly ludicrous situations, with only his slightly insane friend Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) for support. Of course, that’s just the plot. The actual experience of the film goes above and beyond that, giving us what’s arguably one of the best movies ever made. In fact, you know what, forget all that. Nothing captures the feel and tone of the movie better than its opening scene, with narration by Sam Elliot, and you can watch that in the player below. — Remus Noronha

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

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

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

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

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

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

Director: Quentin Tarantino | Run Time: 105 minutes | Genre: Crime

Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, Uma Thurman

A criminal couple sticks up a diner. Two mob enforcers retrieve a suitcase. A boxer agrees to throw a fight. Every single one of them finds their plans turned upside down. Pulp Fiction (1994) may not have been Quentin Tarantino‘s first film, but chances are it’s the first one you saw. The film was both critically acclaimed (winning the Palme d’Or) and commercially successful when it was released, and the passage of time has only increased its charm. Pulp Fiction is a wild ride told in a non-linear fashion, weaving through the lives of loosely-connected people, all intersecting in ways both exciting and absurd. John Travolta and Uma Thurman‘s dance scene, Harvey Keitel‘s unforgettable appearance as the Wolf, that moment with Bruce Willis and the katana; there are so many unforgettable scenes in this film that make it a must-watch for any cinephile.— Remus Noronha

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson | Run Time: | Genre: Horror

Cast: Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Kathleen Quinlan, Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson

If history taught you that Event Horizon is a “bad movie,” understand that’s only because history is often stupid and wrong. Director Paul W.S. Anderson‘s absolutely bananagrams cosmic horror sees the crew aboard the “Lewis and Clark” tracking down a distress signal being sent from the ship Event Horizon, which disappeared seven years prior during its maiden voyage into the furthest reaches of space. The rescue mission turns into a horrific haunted-house-in-space-scenario when it’s revealed the Event Horizon’s experimental technology opened up a hole in reality and flew right into a hell-dimension, bringing traces of that torture-happy alternate-dimension back with it. Basically a Hellraiser movie on a spaceship, Event Horizon is a wild, sloppy late-90s gem that absolutely deserves another look. (Assuming, of course, you’re on an astral plane that requires eyes to see.) –Vinnie Mancuso

Director: Woo-Ping Yuen | Run Time: 107 minutes | Genre: Martial Arts, Action

Cast: Jin Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Dave Bautista, Tony Jaa, Chrissie Chau

The Donnie Yen-led Ip Man series is one of the great action franchises of our era, and with Master Z: Ip Man Legacy, it gets the ass-kicking spinoff it deserves. Fair warning, Yen sits this one out, but fans will recognize a familiar face in Jin Zhang‘s Cheung Tin-chi, the antagonist from Ip Man 3 who was soundly defeated in the third act and walks into Master Z downtrodden and determined to leave Wing Chun behind — until he gets caught up in a battle against opium-slinging crimelords. Directed by the legendary Woo-Ping Yuen with an ensemble cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Dave Bautista, and Tony Jaa, Master Z is a wonderful spectacle of a martial arts film, sending the heroes and villains swinging from rooftop neon signs and trading blades in epic ensemble fights, and it introduces a completely different tone to the Ip Man franchise — electric guitar riffs and all — that promises a potential future for the series after Ip Man 4: The Finale. — Haleigh Foutch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, and Ashley Laurence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe

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

Director: Ridley Scott | Run Time: 158 minutes | Genre: Biographical Crime Drama

Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Al Pacino

If you’re looking for a straight-up biographical film, then House of Gucci is probably not for you. Well, sure, the Ridley Scott movie follows the romance between Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci and shows how it rocked the iconic fashion brand the film is named after. But the real fun of watching House of Gucci is in the performances by its star-studded cast. From Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani to Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci, there are so many great and campy characters who bring a ton of energy to this film. Though the movie received rather lackluster reviews, it has managed to find its fans who regard it a misunderstood camp classic. — Remus Noronha