Netflix may get the most press, but Amazon Prime Video has quietly become the go-to streamer for original movies. Whether you’re looking for a sci-fi blockbuster, a thought-provoking documentary, or a hilarious comedy, Prime Video will have something to keep you entertained.
Recently, Amazon has invested heavily in original movies and acquisitions of films from other studios to stream exclusively on Prime Video. Today, the collection is impressive and deep, which could be problematic when you want to find something to watch.
To help you find something to watch, we’ve rounded up the best Amazon original movies that you can stream right now.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? We also have helpful guides to the Best Amazon original series and the best Netflix original movies.
100m
Genre
Comedy, Action
Stars
Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Coolidge
Directed by
Jason Moore
Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel) dreamed up the ultimate destination wedding.
Unfortunately, upon their arrival, the entire wedding party is taken hostage. Now, despite both individuals suffering from cold feet, as well as some opinionated and grumpy family members, everyone has to dig deep to give “‘Til Death Do Us Part” a whole new meaning.
106m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons
Directed by
Dave Franco
Dave Franco and Alison Brie team up for this romantic comedy that casts Brie as a workaholic television producer who decides to return to her hometown after suffering a professional setback.
The film is directed by Franco and co-written by him and Brie, and has her character reconnecting with her currently engaged first love (Jay Ellis). Their reunion sets off a series of events that has everyone getting in touch with who they are and who they really want to be in life and love.
98m
Genre
Horror, Drama
Stars
Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Sinqua Walls
Directed by
Nikyatu Jusu
This critically acclaimed horror film casts Anna Diop as Aisha, an immigrant from Senegal who hopes to bring her son to the U.S. with the income she earns as a nanny for a wealthy couple in Manhattan. Her plans take a dark turn when a violent entity begins to creep into her dreams, then her reality.
141m
Genre
Drama, Crime, History
Stars
Ricardo Darín, Peter Lanzani, Alejandra Flechner
Directed by
Santiago Mitre
This critically acclaimed historical drama released in 2022 explores the events surrounding 1985’s “Trial of the Juntas,” in which the ringleaders of Argentina’s last bloody civil-military dictatorship were prosecuted.
The events that transpired became the basis for the most prominent war crimes trial since the Nuremberg Trials, and the first major trial for war crimes conducted by a civilian court. Nominated for an Oscar for Best International Feature (it lost to Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front), Argentina 1985 also won a Golden Globe Award en route to becoming one of the country’s most celebrated films of all time.
105m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Angela Bassett, Steve Squyres, Jennifer Trosper
Directed by
Ryan White
In the same way that audiences fell in love with Pixar’s cute Wall•E, watching Good Night Oppy draws you into the gushy human emotion surrounding a robot roaming Mars 50 million miles away. But that’s because this documentary is as much about the people at NASA that made the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover mission possible as it is about the rover itself.
Narrated by Angela Basset, Good Night Oppy tells the inspiring story of Opportunity, a six-wheeled, solar-powered vehicle that touched down on the Red Planet in January 2004 and was supposed to roam and explore the landscape for a predetermined 90 days. But beyond anyone’s expectations, Oppy’s mission endured for nearly 15 years before going dark. Told through interviews with many of the scientists and engineers on the project, as well as archival footage, this is a feel-good doc that’s not to be missed.
147m
Genre
Drama, Thriller
Stars
Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton
Directed by
Ron Howard
In the summer of 2018, a Thai soccer team became trapped in the Tham Luang cave during an unexpected rainstorm. The shocking, potential tragedy roused an enormous global effort to rescue the twelve trapped boys and their coach despite seemingly impossible odds. The world’s greatest divers joined with Thai forces and more than 10,000 volunteers to stage an extremely dangerous rescue attempt with the entire world watching. Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton star as Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, and Dr. Richard Harris in this Ron Howard-directed dramatic adaptation.
96m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Drama
Stars
Eva Reign, Abubakr Ali, Renée Elise Goldsberry
Directed by
Billy Porter
Amazon breaks the rom-com mold with this Gen Z romance that focuses on a trans high school girl navigating the troubles of dating while trans. Kelsa (Eva Reign) knows who she is, but she can’t control the stigma that her classmates fear they may endure from asking her out. Khal (Abubakr Ali), however, develops feelings for Kelsa that he can’t shake. So, despite knowing the drama that might ensue, Khal summons up the courage to ask Kelsa out and see where those feelings lead.
Billy Porter directs this off-the-cuff coming-of-age rom-com (enough hyphens for you?) that stars Eva Reign as Kelsa, a trans high school girl who is supremely confident in her skin yet can’t seem to find romance. That’s in part due to the stigma feared by her classmates should someone ask her out. But when Khal (Abubakr Ali) gets a crush on Kelsa, he summons the courage to ask her out, despite what his peers might say.
105m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Stars
Donald Watkins, RJ Cyler, Sebastian Chacon
Directed by
Carey Williams
Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and Sean (RJ Cyler) are getting ready to head out for an epic night of partying on spring break. Determined to take a “legendary tour” of parties, Sean has the whole night planned out while Kunle is a bit distracted by finishing an experiment in his lab. When they come back from a bit of partying, they find a drunk, semi-conscious woman has stumbled into their apartment and isn’t exactly looking good. While Kunle wants to call the cops, Sean insists that two drunk Black men and their Latino roommate finding a nearly passed out white female might lead to more problems with the cops than solutions.
102m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Lucie Arnaz, Bette Midler, Carol Burnett
Directed by
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler directs this poignant documentary about one of Hollywood’s most prolific and beloved power couples of all time. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were an unlikely couple, from completely opposite backgrounds, who risked everything to be together. The real-life couple wasn’t perfect behind the scenes, but their love story played out for the world on I Love Lucy, redefining the sitcom medium.
132m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons
Directed by
Aaron Sorkin
Amazon doubled down on the Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz story with this dramatization of the classic Hollywood couple’s romance. Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem star as the couple enduring shocking personal accusations, a political smear campaign, and cultural taboos in the background of the production of the groundbreaking sitcom, I Love Lucy.
117m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Jenny Slate, Charlie Day, Scott Eastwood
Directed by
Jason Orley
When Peter (Charlie Day) and Emma (Jenny Slate) meet one day, they soon discover that they were both dumped by their respective partners on the same weekend. Both are eager for vengeance and more than happy to encourage one another’s worst impulses when it comes to sabotaging their respective lovers’ new romances. Terrified that they may be alone for the rest of their lives, they’ll turn themselves into complete idiots in desperate attempts to win back their exes.
98m
Genre
Horror, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Amber Gray
Directed by
Mariama Diallo
Master is a slow burn that takes place at an elite New England university built on the site of a Salem-era gallows hill. There, two Black women navigate the politics and privilege that permeates the institution. But when they begin to encounter terrifying manifestations of the school’s haunted past, they soon find that the past may still be present.
111m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Richard Ayoade
Directed by
Will Sharpe
One of the wackier historical dramas you’ll ever see, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular British artist whose psychedelic anthropomorphic portraits of cats created a cultural sensation. The film moves through the late 19th century and into the 20th century, following Wain as he seeks to unlock the “electrical” mysteries of the world that inspire his art. Along the way, he discovers a more profound understanding of himself, the world, and the love he shares with his wife.
109m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Val Kilmer, Jack Kilmer, Mercedes Kilmer
Directed by
Leo Scott, Ting Poo
He’s been Batman. He’s been the ghost of Elvis. He’s been the voice of K.I.T.T. and the polarizing frontman for The Doors. Since before he became a star, Val Kilmer has been constantly recording his life, from revealing moments on Hollywood productions to more private corners of his life. That obsession is a gift to us, in the form of the 2021 documentary Val. The picture we get is of a complicated man often at odds with himself struggling with his mortality and his legacy. Val is a surprisingly open and honest portrait of the actor that you don’t want to miss.
140m
Genre
Drama, Romance, Musical
Stars
Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg
Directed by
Leos Carax
What was absolutely everyone thinking while watching Adam Driver rage as Kylo Ren in some of the most recent Star Wars films? “I wonder if that guy could sing in a rock opera?” Well, now you can find out. In Amazon’s new musical Annette, Driver puts down his lightsaber to become stand-up comic Henry, who gets engaged to the world-renowned soprano Ann Desfranoux (Marion Cotillard). Things get strange after the birth of their titular daughter, represented by a marionette puppet. While Henry’s envy builds for Ann’s thriving career as he’s forced to stay home with Annette, Ann has frightening visions of what she believes may be Henry’s checkered past.
138m
Genre
Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
Stars
Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons
Directed by
Chris McKay
Amazon takes the plunge into the sci-fi epic in The Tomorrow War, a massive movie in which time travelers from the year 2051 arrive on Earth in a last-ditch effort to ward off an alien invasion. In 2051, the planet is losing an intergalactic battle. Their only hope is to return to 2021 to transport soldiers and civilians alike to the future to join the fight and attempt to win a war of attrition. High school teacher Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) answers the call, teaming up with a scientist and his estranged father to attempt to save humanity’s future.
109m
Genre
Action, Thriller, War
Stars
Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith
Directed by
Stefano Sollima
The general consensus among critics is that Michael B. Jordan is terrific in Without Remorse, but the rest of the movie has a lot of the same dramatic beats that everyone has seen before. So what? It’s a free-action flick on Prime Video and a Tom Clancy story that hasn’t previously been adapted. It’s also a fun way to spend the better part of two hours. Jordan plays John Kelly, an elite Navy SEAL who narrowly survives an attempt on his life after returning home from a mission. But his wife, Pam Kelly (Lauren London), is not as fortunate. To avenge Pam and their unborn child, John goes on a mission of revenge that could spark a new Cold War between the United States and Russia.
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111m
Genre
Drama, Romance, History
Stars
Rosamund Pike, Sam Riley, Aneurin Barnard, Anya Taylor-Joy
Directed by
Marjane Satrapi
Radioactive tells the life story of Marie Curie (Rosamund Pike), a brilliant scientist in the early 20th century who discovered radiation, polonium, and radium. Amazingly, Marie wasn’t the only genius in the family. Marie’s husband, Pierre Curie (Sam Riley), was a formidable scientist and partner in his own right. Even Marie and Pierre’s daughter, Irene Curie (Anya Taylor-Joy), went on to make a name for herself in science. The film chronicles Marie’s struggle with sexism and xenophobia, both of which threaten to overshadow her achievements. And when World War I unfolds across Europe, Marie and Irene revolutionize wartime medical treatment with their X-Ray machine.
100m
Genre
Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars
Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashād, Amanda Christine
Directed by
Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Jr.
Black Box is the second film in the partnership between Prime Video and Blumhouse. Mamoudou Athie stars as Nolan Wright, a man who survives a horrific car accident that claimed the life of his wife. Unfortunately, Nolan is also stricken by amnesia that makes it hard to maintain his life or care for his daughter, Ava (Amanda Christine). Only Dr. Lilian Brooks (Phylicia Rashad) offers Nolan hope to reclaim the memories that he once had. However, Dr. Brooks’ treatment hides a dark secret that haunts Nolan. Once the truth comes out, Nolan will have to fight to hang on to everything that he holds dear.
110m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Morgan Freeman
Directed by
Craig Brewer
Coming 2 America is not particularly good, but it still makes this list because the original is such a classic. Amazon revived Prince (now King) Akeem of the lush African nation of Zamunda nearly 25 years later and brought him on a whole new adventure. Once again with his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall), Akeem embarks on a brand new adventure to the heart of American civilization: Queens, New York.
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Cast
Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Shaun Parkes
Created by
Steve McQueen
This is the most unusual entry on this list because Small Axe isn’t just one film, it’s five. The anthology series hails from Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen and tells the stories of London’s West Indian community throughout the 1960s and 1980s. It has a similar feel to playwright August Wilson’s Century Cycle, albeit with a focus on a different community in a different country.
114m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge
Directed by
Regina King
One Night in Miami is a fictionalized account of one incredible night in 1964 when four civil rights icons all meet in Miami. Sports, music, and activism collide on the night of one of the biggest boxing upsets in history after Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) defeats heavyweight Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall. Clay — soon to be known as Muhammad Ali — is memorialized after the event by Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).
114m
Genre
Drama, Romance
Stars
Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Aja Naomi King
Directed by
Eugene Ashe
A classic love story for a modern age, Sylvie’s Love is undeniably familiar, but that familiarity works in its favor. In the summer of 1957 in New York, Sylvie (Tessa Thompson) — who dreams of a career in television — meets Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha), a saxophonist who hangs out in her father’s record store. When Robert takes a part-time job at the store, the two strike up a friendship that sparks a deep passion. But when the summer winds down, life takes them in different directions. Years later, Sylvie is thriving as a TV producer as Robert copes with the world of jazz fading into obscurity for the bopping beats of Motown. In a chance meeting, they find that despite the drastic changes in each of their lives, their feelings for one another remain the same.
121m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Directed by
Darius Marder
You may come across this film and start thinking Whiplash, but that would be a mistake. The critically acclaimed Sound of Metal is less about music and the sacrificial pursuit of art than it is about deafness and the sudden demolition of one’s identity. Riz Ahmed stars as Ruben, a heavy metal drummer who suddenly and unexpectedly loses his hearing, forcing him to completely re-evaluate his life.
91m
Genre
Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars
Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz, Bruce Davis
Directed by
Andrew Patterson
This sci-fi flick premiered at the Slamdance Festival in 2019 before Amazon acquired the exclusive distribution rights and released it online and at some drive-in movie theaters in 2020. Drive-in theater is especially appropriate for this eerie ’50s-era sci-fi thriller. One night in 1950s New Mexico, a young switchboard operator, Fay (Sierra McCormick), and radio DJ Everett (Jake Horowitz) discover a strange audio frequency that threatens to change the future forever. Dropped phone calls, AM radio signals, secret reels of tape, crossed patch-lines, and an anonymous phone call hurtle Fay and Everett on an unwitting mystery to be unlikely heroes.
120m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter
Directed by
Michael Showalter
Most known for his role as Dinesh on the HBO series Silicon Valley, Kumail Nanjiani proved his immense talent as a screenwriter as well with this touching rom-com he co-wrote with his wife, Emily V. Gordon. Loosely based on their own life, it follows the story of an interracial couple who struggle with their cultural differences. But when Emily (Zoe Kazan) falls ill, everything is put into perspective. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, it was one of the highest-grossing independent films that year.
138m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler
Directed by
Kenneth Lonergan
One of Amazon Studios’ first film acquisitions for the Prime Video streaming service, this heartbreaking story remains among the best thanks to its poignant plot and convincingly emotional performances. After returning to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, to see his sick brother, Lee (Casey Affleck) finds himself revisiting old trauma that led to him leaving town in the first place and facing a tough decision about his nephew and his brother’s final wishes. It’s a tearjerker but worth the watch to learn why the film received numerous nominations and wins, including one for Affleck.
93m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King
Directed by
Raoul Peck
This film based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript Remember This House and narrated by Samuel L. Jackson looks at recollections of stories of various civil rights leaders like Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. and observations on American history. Baldwin, a novelist, playwright, essayist, poet, and activist, was close friends with the three aforementioned leaders and wrote the manuscript throughout the ’70s as a collection of notes and letters. Nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards, it has an almost perfect rating by critics who refer to it as an “incendiary snapshot of James Baldwin’s crucial observations on American race relations” and a “sobering reminder of how far we’ve yet to go.” This title leaves Amazon Prime on November 5.
94m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe, FKA Twigs
Directed by
Alma Har'el
Actor Shia LaBeouf has always been open about his unconventional childhood, and this screenplay he wrote is based on his time growing up and, most critically, his turbulent relationship with his father. LaBeouf wrote the film as a form of therapy, with a premise that begins when a young man named Otis (Lucas Hedges) is forced to revisit his troubled past to uncover the root of his severe alcohol addiction. It takes you through a troubling, eye-opening, and emotional journey, which The A.V. Club called a “fascinating … glorified form of drama therapy.”
102m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella
Directed by
Nisha Ganatra
After experiencing a steady decline in her ratings, Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson), a once-popular talk show host, hires a new writer to shake things up. She hopes that Molly (Mindy Kaling), an Indian American woman, is exactly who she needs to help develop the kind of fresh material she isn’t getting from her current team of all white men. Not only does Molly help Katherine boost her ratings, but her talented work leads to an expanded audience base. Thompson was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role.
118m
Genre
Thriller, Drama
Stars
Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm
Directed by
Scott Z. Burns
Based partly on the Vanity Fair article “Rorschach and Awe” written by Katherine Eban, this film delves deep into the investigation of torture used by the CIA following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The focus is the 6,700-page report by Daniel Jones of the Senate Intelligence Committee. With a star-studded cast, it’s no surprise the film has been heavily lauded for both its story and performances.
118m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Barry Shabaka Henley
Directed by
Jim Jarmusch
In the second Adam Driver film on this list, he stars as a bus driver and poet who lives a typically boring life, contrasted by his wife’s ever-changing ambition. As he goes about his mundane daily tasks, however, like walking the dog and grabbing a beer at the local bar, he takes in the seemingly insignificant moments around him and turns them into beautiful poetry. The entire film takes place over the span of just one week, and while it has been described as undramatic, that is precisely what makes it so satisfying to watch.
141m
Genre
Adventure, Drama, History
Stars
Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Sienna Miller
Directed by
James Gray
British explorer Percy Fawcett traveled to Brazil to try and find a lost city in the Amazon, and this film looks at his journey. It is based on the 2009 David Grann book of the same name and looks at Fawcett’s exploration efforts through many years as he became obsessed with finding this lost city. While the movie actually didn’t perform very well at the box office, critics praised the story and Charlie Hunnam’s performance, so it might be worth checking out when you have the time to sit through the two-plus-hour film.
145m
Genre
Thriller, Drama, Romance
Stars
Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo
Directed by
Park Chan-wook
Also known as Ah-ga-ssi, this erotic psychological thriller hails from South Korea and tells the story of a con man who sets up to seduce and marry a Japanese heiress. His intention? To have her committed to an institution so he can inherit her riches. The film is inspired by Fingersmith, a novel by Sarah Waters, which was set in the Victorian era versus the Japanese colonial rule depicted in this film version of the menacing story.
152m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth
Directed by
Luca Guadagnino
Luca Guadagnino’s remake of the 1977 Italian film is a perfect blend of rhythmical allure and psychical horror, offering a uniquely gratifying feeling. Dakota Johnson plays the role of Susie, a protected, religious American woman who journeys to Berlin toward the end of the ’70s with aspirations of joining an avant-garde dance organization she’s admired for some time. As with many other dance movies, Susie develops under her instructor, Madame Blanc’s (Tilda Swinton) guidance, and quickly becomes the leading dancer. However, Susie possesses a mystical and bewitching power over her audience, which Blanc eventually uses for her own benefit. Unfortunately, when Susie discovers her exploitation, but by then, it’s much too late.
121m
Genre
Biography, Drama
Stars
Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan
Directed by
Felix van Groeningen
Movie viewers loved this film much more than the critics. This captivating film is based on two powerful memoirs, Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction by David Sheff and Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff, and was also co-produced by the legendary Brad Pitt. The movie examines a father and son’s relationship as they battle a serious addiction.
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