Has this ever happened to you? You’re browsing the Amazon Prime Video library and you find a movie that you want to watch. Then you check back later and the movie is gone. Sometimes, Amazon gives ample notice that a movie is expiring so you can plan accordingly. But other times, movies are removed from the streaming service due to licensing issuesd without any forewarning.
The best way around this? Find a good source to keep you updated. Here, we have five movies leaving Prime Video in December to watch before they’re gone. These movies range from thrilling to hilarious and heartwarming. There are some lesser-known titles as well if you’re looking for something new and exciting.
Django Unchained (2012)
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained is a spaghetti Western movie with Tarantino’s signature style all over it. Set in the Antebellum South in 1858, the story follows Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave who is separated from his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), and sold into slavery. But a chance encounter with a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) could be his ticket to freedom. It will require, however, that Django hunts down three outlaws.
The fabulous cast that also includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel J. Jackson, and James Remar, combined with the intriguing story, put Django Unchained in the running for five Academy Awards, of which it won two. The movie is bloody, gory, and extra-long at nearly three hours. But if you have the time, check out this movie before it is gone soon.
Stream Django Unchained on Prime Video.
Ben is Back (2018)
It’s a story that’s all too relatable for many. Julia Roberts (Ticket to Paradise) stars in Ben is Back as Holly, a mother struggling with an addict son, Ben (Lucas Hedges). When he returns home from spending time in rehab, Holly is reluctant to let him in, especially with other kids in the house. She’s unsure of what he might do, how he might act, and if he really has quit drugs.
Ben is Back is deeply emotional and will hit home for anyone who has dealt with addiction within their own family. Beautifully acted, the movie tugs at the heartstrings. And while it might leave you feeling drained, Ben is Back can be cathartic and eye-opening as well.
Stream Ben is Back on Prime Video.
Holiday in Handcuffs (2007)
If you want to squeeze one last Christmas movie into the mix before the year is over, Holiday in Handcuffs is an underrated, feel-good flick for adults to watch once the kids are in bed. Taking you right back to the ‘90s, it stars former teen stars Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez. Hart is Trudie, an aspiring painter who makes ends meet working as a waitress. Things go totally wrong for Trudie right before Christmas: she gets dumped by her boyfriend and misses a job interview, all while feeling the pressure to live up to her parents’ expectations. In a panic, she kidnaps a customer from the restaurant named David (Lopez) and forces him to come home with her for the holidays and pretend to be her boyfriend.
Holiday in Handcuffs is completely silly and unbelievable. But the predictable rom-com ending will have you feeling good. Initially a TV movie for ABC Family, the film became the most-watched telecast in the channel’s history at the time of its release. It’s one of those Christmas movies you probably never heard of, but will make you laugh heartily.
Stream Holiday in Handcuffs on Prime Video.
The Lost City (2005)
Not to be confused with the 2022 movie of the same name starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, this movie from the early 2000s is directed by and stars Andy Garcia. He is Fico Fellove, owner of an upscale nightclub in Cuba, which is suffering under a dictatorship in the late 1950s. His family members all support different sides. Despite Fico’s best efforts, his brother, Ricardo (Enrique Murciano), who joins a rebel army, keeps getting himself into trouble.
Reviews of The Lost City were polarizing, and while some critics found it one-dimensional, others praised the strong performances, soundtrack, and “bizarre appearances” from actors like Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. Sheri Linden from The Hollywood Reporter says that the film “conveys a bittersweet longing for a lost moment and the unfulfilled promise of a democratic Cuba.”
Stream The Lost City on Prime Video.
The Magic of Bell Isle (2012)
Rob Reiner’s The Magic of Bell Isle isn’t among his best movies, but it’s a sweet tale that will leave you feeling inspired. The comedy-drama stars Morgan Freeman as Monte, a writer who lost his spark following the death of his wife six years prior. When his nephew, Henry (Kenan Thompson), brings him to a lakeside cabin for the summer in hopes it will help get him out of his funk, Monte starts to slowly let his guard down. He meets, helps, and inspires others, all the while reigniting his creativity and sense of hope.
Audience scores are much higher for this movie than that of critics’, but those who appreciate the movie love the tenderness, optimism, and magic of the nice, warm story. This isn’t an award-winning film, but it’s a lovely tale of a man overcoming grief and finding his purpose.
Stream The Magic of Bell Isle on Prime Video.
