Next to Netflix, Prime Video has delivered some heavy hitters in terms of quality streaming films in the last few years. Heart-wrenching dramas and explosive action flicks are just a smidgen of the offerings available on Prime's dedicated streaming service, with some of their films absolutely dominating in terms of audience reception and critical reviews. But with hundreds of films on offer at Prime Video, it may be hard to sift through the hours of cinema for the best of the best.
We've found it useful to compile the best of the best films streaming on Prime Video, incorporating as many diverse genres and entries as possible. All films placed here have been the subject of widespread critical praise and numerous award nominations and wins, with positive audience reception acting as a cherry on top. Without further ado, these are just some of the best movies streaming on Prime Video right now.
Updated on August 8, 2023, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
20 Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Based on a 1965 novel by Donn Pearce, Cool Hand Luke is an interesting prison drama about Luke, a confident, free-spirited prisoner who manages to escape from prison every time he is captured. Sometimes with charm but mostly with wits, the rule-breaker is part of a rough-and-tumble Southern chain gang that will have you rooting for him despite his questionable ethics. It’s only when the prison staff devises a plan to trap him that things get even more dramatic.
Paul Newman is absolutely dazzling as Luke. His refusal to conform to life in a Florida prison camp in the 1960s becomes the heart of his rebellion. Perhaps the best scenes are of him landing in trouble with the prison Captain, played remarkably by Strother Martin.
19 Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Desmond T. Doss’ inspiring true story of service and sacrifice goes down in history as one of the most remarkable war tales ever told. Which was also proven in fact when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the movie directed by Mel Gibson, Andrew Garfield gives an extraordinary performance as the WWII combat medic. Apparently, even before Doss enlisted, he was a firm believer in non-violence.
When in training, as an objector, Doss refused to practice shooting or carry a weapon. However, he single-handedly saved 75 men in the hellscape of Okinawa. Hacksaw Ridge features hard graphic scenes of war to make the entire experience feel incredibly realistic. From the hero’s ideals and faith to his compassion towards humans, everything is portrayed with an emotional intensity.
18 The Pianist (2002)
Films about the Holocaust are always difficult to watch, and The Pianist isn’t one to provide you with any comfort. The epic tale displays the triumph of the human spirit but in the most devastatingly real form. It follows Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Jewish pianist who finds himself amidst the brutal Nazi occupation of Warsaw. After losing touch with his family and loved ones, he has no option but to lay low and hide in the ruins of the city.
In the middle of the unthinkable horror, the gifted musician becomes a beacon of light and the only ray of home for several others hiding with him. Played by Adrien Brody, Szpilman’s character channels every knowledge of his and has people rely on him because of his courage and resilience. Moreover, the film is anchored by Roman Polanski’s flawless direction.
17 Licorice Pizza (2021)
Paul Thomas Anderson has quite masterfully romanticized the San Fernando Valley. Set in the picturesque time of the 1970s, this nostalgic film plays out as a breezy, bittersweet story that perfectly captures the thrills and uncertainties of first love. It follows Alana Kane and Gary Valentine, two offbeat youngsters who grow up together – one a twenty-something dreamer and drifter and the other a naïve teen wanting to make it big so he can finally turn his friendship into romance.
If the premise seems simple, it’s because PTA wants it to be. The beauty of Licorice Pizza lies in its soothing California sunshine, the sharp dialogue, and the quirky characters. Both Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim are exceptional as two people running around and making the most of their youth. In a way, the film reminds you to live in the present, and love it wholly.
16 His Girl Friday (1940)
A classic screwball comedy, His Girl Friday stars Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell as the main characters. To summarize the plot, we have two sparring ex-spouses living in a world of ambitious newspaper reporters. Hildy Johnson is a famous reporter who is engaged to marry Bruce and Walter Burns is a ruthless editor and the ex-husband trying to break them up. For this, Walter plots relentlessly. He uses cheap tricks and pays bribes just to bring Hildy back into the newsroom.
We already know that Grant and Russell have an irresistible chemistry so to watch them fall into an endless pit of rapid-fire dialogues and charming exchanges. His Girl Friday is not just a quotable comedy but a film that, in the forties, redefined the role of women by giving us a character like Hildy, who holds her own against her opponent.
15 The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
This outrageous true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort is one of the most scathing indictments of capitalism in recent history. The Wolf of Wall Street paints an unflinchingly raw portrait of Belfort’s meteoric rise and fall on Wall Street in the late '80s and '90s via pump-and-dump schemes involving penny stocks. Overall an entertaining, over-the-top tale full of sex, drugs, lavish lifestyles, and greed, the movie comes alive as an absurd satirical display under Martin Scorsese’s direction.
Moreover, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers his most outlandish performance of all time as the fun-loving, party animal stockbroker with no moral compass who somehow manages to remain strangely appealing to the masses. The storyline is quite fast-paced for being finance-oriented, but it delivers a hilarious rollercoaster ride to the audience.
14 The Big Sick (2017)
Lionsgate
Rom-coms do not get more heartwarming than The Big Sick. Based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gardner, the movie follows Kumail as himself, a Pakistani comedian in Chicago, who meets grad student Emily at one of his standup comedy shows. From one date to another, from casual flirting to witty banter, their relationship blossoms quite rapidly.
But all their efforts are put to test when Emily mysteriously falls ill, leaving Kumail to deal with the trials and tribulations of dealing with her traditional American parents who do not approve of him. Directed by Michael Showalter, the movie carves an utterly charming story that not only focuses on the culturally contrasting upbringings of two people but does so in a light, laugh-out-loud tone.
13 Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
The long-awaited sequel finally arrives over three decades later and delivers breathless action and jaw-dropping aerial sequences with a mostly brand-new ensemble cast. Tom Cruise reprises his iconic role as the cocky pilot Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, who is forced to confront the ghost of his past when he trains a group of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission. Stars like Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer, and Glen Powell offer outstanding performances as young pilots, love interests, and the organization itself.
As for the flying scenes, they are pure visual poetry. Nothing matches the thrill of watching Maverick soar through the skies with the technical mastery and daredevil flair that made him a legend. But what truly elevates Top Gun: Maverick is the quiet balance between pulse-pounding thrills, funny moments, and eye-catching visuals.
12 Nope (2022)
The man who gave us the brilliant films Get Out and Us returned with an alien invasion story like no other. Jordan Peele’s Nope follows residents of the isolated town of Agua Dulce, California, who suddenly experience disturbing events after a mysterious object is spotted in the sky. Siblings OJ Haywood and his sister try to capture visual evidence of the object on video like many others to profit and make money.
Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer are absolutely stunning as the film advances and weaves together a nerve-wracking, genre-blending mix of sci-fi, horror, and social satire. Moreover, it features some of the most beautifully captured wide shots of isolated American landscapes and night shots that are sure to churn some emotion.
11 Heathers (1988)
A coming-of-age movie from the ‘80s that was way too ahead of its time, Heathers is a wicked and subversive dark comedy with razor-sharp dialogue and a killer soundtrack. It follows Winona Ryder as Veronica, an outcast teen who joins the popular clique in her high school known as the Heathers. They are basically a trio of mean girls who rule the school. She also befriends the Gen X bad boy J.D. (Christian Slater), who offers her an unsettling solution to deal with bullies – murder them and make it look like suicide.
The film makes an unrivaled commentary on high school hierarchy by pairing pitch-black humor with memorable one-liners. Ryder and Slater have incredible chemistry on screen in this delicious and dark high school fantasy. A cult classic from its very first scene, Heathers still packs a punch.
10 The Handmaiden (2016)
Korean media has seen a massive explosion in popularity outside its native country, with a particular fascination it held by those in the West. Suffice it to say, when The Handmaiden made its international debut, people went wild for it. A historical drama set in the 1930s, it tells a tale of deception when a conman and a pick-pocket attempt to steal the fortune of a Japanese heiress. But, like all potential great cons, things don't always go the way you expect.
Directed by the legendary Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Thirst), this drama bears his signature stamp of his style and quality. Shot in both Japan and Korea, the film has topped just about every "top ten" list you could imagine, with others declaring that it surpassed films like Memories of Murder in being one of the greatest South Korean films to date.
9 The Tomorrow War (2021)
When a group of time travelers from the future deliver a harrowing message of what's to come, what do you get? Well, you get Chris Pratt leading an action movie. The Tomorrow War is a time-traveling action film wherein soldiers from the current day are delivered to the year 2051 to fight a war that would otherwise be unwinnable. Don't worry about paradoxes either, as they've already been accounted for in a particularly grim fashion.
Straight from the mind of Chris McKay (Renfield), this mind-bending flick already has a sequel in development. But, in the meantime, this time-twisting adventure is sure to entertain with its unique alien designs and unconventional approach to time travel. While some have noted the film's derivative qualities, its originality in other areas more than makes up for it.
8 Suspiria (2018)
If you're expecting a straightforward remake of Dario Argento's classic film, you may want to look elsewhere. Suspiria, the 2018 remake directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name), is a harrowing homage to the original slasher film that goes in a completely different direction. Taking a distinctly historically-political edge, it follows an American woman who enrolls at a prestigious ballet academy in the middle of Cold War-era Berlin. But when some mysterious revelations are made about who truly operates the establishment, a horrible fate lies in wait for its occupants.
A "disaster at the box office," per Guadagnino himself, this polarizing remake would arguably set the stage for future "elevated horror" films to take the world by storm. While plans for a sequel would be snuffed out due to its financial returns, Suspiria remains a surprising remake with plenty of abstract concepts to analyze.
7 Honey Boy (2019)
A semi-biographical film depicting the early years of Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy sees the actor playing his own father in a gripping, emotionally-charged drama. When a former child actor finds himself forced into rehab under the threat of a prison sentence, he flashes back to his childhood at different stages, highlighting his difficult familial relationships and gradual reliance on substance abuse.
Directed by Alma Har'el, Honey Boy is a deeply personal film that examines the passing of intergenerational trauma, and the unhealthy things we rely on in order to cope with it. Praise would be lobbed towards the individual performances strewn throughout, with most noting that LaBeouf's script showcased a kind of emotional vulnerability that feels hard to come by nowadays.
6 She Said (2022)
Based on the titular 2019 biography, She Said is a film with direct ties to the earth-shaking "#MeToo" movement that rocked Hollywood just a few years ago. A pair of New York Times reporters, Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) receive a tip that a prominent Hollywood actress was sexually assaulted by producer Harvey Weinstein. From there, a lengthy investigation uncovers the true extent of what's been going on, highlighting a horrible network of abuse and fear within the film-making industry.
A powerful film showcasing the integrity and willpower of our two journalists, She Said is a shocking revelation of just how deep the rabbit hole went when examining Weinstein's crimes. The contents of the original investigation would also play a significant role in exposing further injustices outside the film industry, a trend now appropriately referred to as the "Weinstein effect."
5 Creed (2015)
Is it cheating to place multiple movies in one entry? Maybe a little bit, sure. But that's not to say that you should miss out on the Creed trilogy, with its first entry originally released in 2015. A spin-off of the beloved Rocky franchise, we follow the son of the late Apollo Creed, Adonis Johnson, as he begins to rise the ranks in the professional boxing world. In need of a mentor, Johnson turns to the one person with the know-how to make him the best: Rocky Balboa himself.
Starring Michael B. Jordan, the Creed trilogy has plenty to offer for both Rocky fans and boxing enthusiasts alike. On their own, they tell a unique story of pursuing one's dreams while passing on the torch from one generation to the next. They're more than your typical underdog stories, and their connections to the Rocky universe give them an edge you won't find elsewhere.
4 Gleason (2016)
If you're unfamiliar with American football, you may not know the story of Steve Gleason. A player on the New Orleans Saints, his immense contributions to the team would come with a terrifying announcement in 2011. He was battling ALS, otherwise known as "Lou Gehrigs' disease." With only a few years left to live according to his doctor, he and his family sought to document their experiences over a five-year period, leading to the eventual creation of the stellar athlete documentary Gleason.
While the progression of the disease was unable to be stopped, you'll be happy to know that Gleason is still alive and kicking as of writing, now living with assistance via voice synthesis technology and mobility aids. Still, his journey is as gut-punching as it is empowering, being an example of how to trailblaze both on the field and in a loving home.
3 TÁR (2022)
The latest psychological drama from Todd Field, TÁR stars Cate Blanchett as the eponymous Lydia Tár, a renowned classical music conductor. To be more specific, Tár is considered to be one of the greatest living composers and conductors in German orchestras. But, when accusations of misconduct and a growing sensitivity to her own craft, she finds herself battling strained relationships and stress alike in a desperate attempt to keep her composure.
Tár is a brilliant examination of a real-world problem in conducting. It's a lengthy film, but this length is used as means to accentuate its points about power and control. Besides, despite the length, critics had nothing but rave reviews for both Blanchett's performance and the subtleties found throughout this morally gray feature.
2 Sound of Metal (2019)
We all like to blare some heavy music now and again, but doing so sparingly is key to the health of our hearing. Unfortunately, in Sound of Metal, a technical drummer will find himself losing the one thing he needs for his beloved profession. Riz Ahmed plays Ruben, a drummer in a metal duo who finds himself forced to confront his eventual absence of hearing the best way he can, with a past of drug addiction and a supportive partner pulling him in opposing directions.
With a heavy focus on sound design, this brilliant examination of deafness and the deaf community is an incredibly honest and refreshing look at the decisions we make, the fleeting sense of normalcy, and a desire to keep things the way they once were. It's a film that lets itself simmer, allowing the audience to reflect on the similar tribulations they may have faced.
1 Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Amazon Studios
Manchester by the Sea is a rare example of a movie that seemingly gets everything right. An immense success at both the box office and the Academy Awards, Manchester by the Sea sees Casey Affleck playing a dejected, lonely custodian named Lee Chandler in the middle of Massachusetts. When he receives word that his brother has passed away, Lee finds himself thrust back into a traumatic past, forced to exhume his worst demons as he tends to his brother's remaining affairs.
It is a film that will absolutely devastate you emotionally, complete with one of the most bittersweet endings put to screen in recent years. It's a refreshingly honest examination of depression that captures its ups and downs with graceful ease, making Manchester by the Sea the most essential film in all of Prime Video's expansive library.