Our list of best Amazon Prime movies ranges from all-time classics to some of the best movies of 2024, making it so much easier to find a movie to watch right now. Is it the thrill of an action movie you're after, or is it the beautiful visuals of an animated gem, or the jump scares of a spooky horror? We've got you covered on all fronts.
With the Christmas break around the corner, this is the place to find the best movies on Amazon Prime Video. Make sure you have a subscription, now available bundled with a Prime membership or as an independent service, and you're all sorted to enjoy all the incredible movies in this list.
From recent new movies like Challengers to family classics like Jurassic Park, Prime Video's catalog is impressively varied, making it one of the best streaming services around. Here we offer a mix of Amazon Studios' originals and films acquired by the streaming service to make sure there are options for all kinds of viewers.
We are aware that scrolling down on dozens of titles can be overwhelming, so we've selected 25 must-watch movies on Amazon Prime for you to pick from.
The list includes some of the best action movies on Amazon Prime and animated offerings, as well as the most entertaining fantasies, best Amazon Prime horror movies, and sci-fi.
Don't forget to check out our lists of the best shows on Amazon Prime and the best movies on Netflix for more recommendations for the holiday break, but for now, let's dive into all that Prime has to offer this December!
Pick of the month
Challengers
Year: 2024
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
Not really into tennis? Don't worry — Luca Guadagnino's steamy drama Challengers is much more than a sports movie, as the lines between love, sex, friendship, and rivalry become blurred on and off the court.
Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor are a winning trio in this electrifying movie that follows the relationship between two friends and tennis players who become adversaries after falling in love with the same woman. However, nothing is as simple as it might seem, as the erotic tension between the friends and the colossal ambitions of Zendaya's Tashi turns the movie into a horny exploration of power and desire.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' techno score is absolutely phenomenal throughout the movie, as the ending will leave you on the edge of your seat.
For more information, read our Challengers review and our piece on why Challengers doesn't need sex scenes to make it the sexier movie of the year.
Action movies on Amazon Prime
You Were Never Really Here
Year: 2017
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
Joaquin Phoenix stars as a traumatized hitman hired to rescue a young girl from a sex trafficking ring in Lynne Ramsay’s violent psychological thriller. As the job spirals out of control, his sordid past and PTSD catch up with him in this intense, atmospheric ride.
Ramsay's storytelling ingenuity is evident here, using a dramatic edit as the film's primary visual language — much like in the 2011 film, We Need to Talk About Kevin. She has a signature style, and in it, there's a fine balance between brutality and gentleness. The movie perceives cruelty but bristles when enacting it. This takes the cake if you’re looking for a smart action thriller.
Check out our You Were Never Really Here review for more details!
Skyfall
Year: 2012
Director: Sam Mendes
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when MI6 is attacked by an enigmatic villain with a personal vendetta. With stunning action scenes, crisp tailoring, and surprising emotional depth, Skyfall redefined 007 on the heels of Casino Royale.
The most stylish and sharp of Daniel Craig's Bond movies, Sam Mendes took the 007 moniker to new heights. Skyfall is clever, well-acted, and exceptionally gorgeous to look at. The production quality is simply sublime, with snappy choreography, steamy romance, and classic Bond costume design all aiding the suspension of disbelief. It has one of the weirdest modern Bond villains too, if you’re partial to mustache-twirling.
For more on one of the best thriller movies ever made, read our five-star Skyfall review.
Monkey Man
Year: 2024
Director: Dev Patel
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
Star and director Dev Patel plays an underground fighter on a revenge quest in modern India, blending gritty combat with pointed social commentary. Expect high-octane thrills in this unique, neon-soaked, and culturally rich action flick.
Monkey Man may have some John Wick copycat vibes, particularly in the fight stylings and cinematography, but the context within the story makes it stand out as its own thing. Patel's direction makes the most out of a tight budget, and the hand-to-hand action is visceral. Monkey Man may have flown under the radar upon release, but it's worth seeking out.
This is a must-watch, and you can learn more about it in our in-depth Monkey Man review.
No Time to Die
Year: 2021
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
Bond returns for one last mission in No Time to Die, confronting a dangerous new adversary with ties to his past and future. It’s an exciting, spirited ride that concludes Craig’s run in this iconic role.
It's a splendid send-off. Elegant, action-packed, sleek, big and loud. It's easy to understand why MGM insisted on lengthy release delays to ensure this film played exclusively in theaters. So much devotion went into making No Time to Die as cinematic as possible, reminding audiences of the pristine quality they've come to expect from 007. And more than anything, this final bow was willing to evolve Bond in new, emotionally satisfying ways that made the goodbye pack a punch.
While we wait for the next James Bond to appear, check out our No Time To Die review.
Jurassic Park
Year: 1993
Director: Steven Spielberg
Available on: Amazon Prime Video UK
If you are based in the UK, then you're in luck because one of the best action sci-fi movies is now available on Prime. Jurassic Park is the best dinosaur movie around and was responsible for kickstarting a global franchise that is still ongoing today. Based on Michael Crichton's 1990 novel of the same name, the film is set on a fictional island where a billionaire is trying to open a new amusement park with real dinosaurs that have been bought to life by ancient DNA.
However, as you can probably guess, the dinosaurs end up out of their cages and hunting everything in their path. Spielberg’s film finds the perfect balance between wonder and excitement. You'll be left amazed at the dinos as well as terrified of them on your small screen.
Animation movies on Amazon Prime
Ghost in the Shell
Year: 1995
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
In 2029 cybernetics are all the rage, but this technological revolution brings brain-hacking. When a wanted hacker known as 'The Puppetmaster' begins manipulating politics, Section 9, a group of enhanced cops, is called in to stop it.
One of the best anime movies ever, Ghost in the Shell is a layered and heady journey into cerebral territory. Slightly terrifying, beautifully animated, and unquestionably iconic, if you're on a mission to check off essential anime, Ghost in the Shell should be on that list — and definitely not the live-action remake. It’s one of those stories you might have to mull over a bit before fully getting it, but it’s worth the legwork.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Year: 2023
Director: Jeff Rowe
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles return in a fresh, Into the Spider-Verse animated style as they try to stop a mutant army from taking over New York City. High energy, lots of comedy, and plenty of ninja turtling for all involved here, making this one of the best family movies on Amazon Prime to watch right now.
Mutant Mayhem puts its own twist on the textured, comic-book style of animation popularized by the aforementioned Marvel movie, and the result is a colorful and frenetic ride sure to keep the kids off those damn iPads. It has the usual Ninja Turtle beats, too, with the gang trying to win the hearts of New Yorkers and live a semi-normal teen life.
Read our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem review for more details!
The Bad Guys
Year: 2022
Director: Pierre Perifel
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A group of smooth-talking criminals, led by the slippery Mr. Wolf, try to go straight but find it harder than they thought it would be. With clever humor and slick animation, this heist movie is basically Suicide Squad fun for all ages.
The Bad Guys takes a bit to get fully running but really hits its stride once the story picks up. The direction is dynamic and makes full use of the limitless bounds of animated filmmaking, and the visual style is refreshingly different. It's not the finest of Dreamworks' movies, but it’s an enjoyable ride with likable characters nonetheless.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Year: 2022
Director: Joel Crawford
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
Puss embarks on a brave journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine cat lives. Along the way, he learns the value of courage, love, and friendship in this charming adventure set in the SCU (Shrek Cinematic Universe).
If we are to discuss the finest Dreamworks films, you can't skip The Last Wish. This is a shockingly well-written exploration of mortality and found family, despite the fact it’s about a snarky orange fuzzball in questionable footwear. It's an absolute treat in every facet of the storytelling. The plot has depth, the characters are messy and lovable, and it's a visual feast.
While we wait for Shrek 5 (yes, it's real), check out our Puss in Boots: The Last Wish review.
Fantasy movies on Amazon Prime
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Year: 2023
Director(s): John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A group of failed heroes set out on a quest to retrieve a lost relic, facing dangerous monsters and competing interests. On the way, they have to find ways to make their differences work for them while chasing the goal of resurrection magic.
Despite not making a splash at the box office, Honor Among Thieves is a near-perfect DnD movie. It has plenty of nods to TTRPG fans, yet is entirely accessible to people who have no interest in actually playing the game. It doesn't take itself seriously, but there’s clear care in the spells, casting, and structure, to make it DnD come to life. Michelle Rodriguez as a Barbarian might be the most inspired creative choice ever made.
Read our Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves review for more reasons to watch.
A Monster Calls
Year: 2016
Director: J.A. Bayona
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
A young boy struggling with his mother’s terminal illness finds solace in a giant, tree-like creature who helps him confront his fears. It’s a heartfelt and visually stunning story about grief and healing. May we interest you in a tearjerker?
A Monster Calls is a grounded drama movie, despite the giant talking Liam Neeson tree, that pulls on your heartstrings. The fantasy elements are wonderfully well-realized, but it’s the love between an ill mother and her scared son that will sear this into your memory. If you’re a sucker for brilliant acting and family dynamics, you’ll be blown away by this. Seriously, this is easily one of the best fantasy movies on the platform right now, so don't miss it!
Check out our A Monster Calls review for more information on this gem.
The Green Knight
Year: 2021
Director: David Lowery
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
Dev Patel stars as Sir Gawain in this stunning, mystical reimagining of the Arthurian legend from director David Lowery. His long and arduous journey to confront the mysterious, gigantic, Green Knight is a tale of courage and recklessness that twists a well-known story.
Lowery is known for his elevated takes on fantastical concepts (Peter and Wendy, A Ghost Story), but The Green Knight is his most flat-out fantasy film, with tales as old as time modified to fit a grand vision. Talking points are the intricate costumes, abstract optics, and inventive bending of mythology.
Annette
Year: 2021
Director: Leos Carax
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A surreal musical where a stand-up comedian and an opera singer's whirlwind romance leads to the birth of their extraordinary child, Annette. It's an unusual, emotionally layered film with helpings of bold visuals and memorable performances.
Marion Cotillard and Adam Driver star in this genre-blending love affair, where a career spiral leads to a dark place. Themes of fame, talent, and tragedy are at the heart of Annette, and it has a few eerie turns that might catch you off guard. Carax's typical wit finds a satisfying balance beside the movie's sad undertones. Fans of the unconventional need look no further.
Labyrinth
Year: 1986
Director: Jim Henson
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A teenage girl — played by a young Jennifer Connelly in her breakout role — must navigate a fantastical maze to rescue her baby brother Toby from the clutches of the Goblin King, brought to life by the iconic David Bowie. She has 13 hours to rescue him by solving a labyrinth.
This cult classic of magical adventure is a staple of many childhoods, and for good reason. Henson's (who most people will know from his work on The Muppets) fingerprints are all over it, with spellbinding practical effects, creatures, and puppetry making a delightful but dangerous world. The nostalgic, other-worldly tone hits every time.
Sci-fi movies on Amazon Prime
Donnie Darko
Year: 2001
Director: Richard Kelly
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A depressed teen is tormented by visions of a creepy rabbit named Frank who warns him the world will end. Equipped only with foresight and half-baked time-travel theories, Donnie prepares for an unknown threat while navigating his disassociated existence.
Donnie Darko is one of the best movies of all time. It's a special, haunting sci-fi film that enraptures you from start to end. Its whip-smart jaded cynicism, mind-bending concept, and eerie atmosphere are uncompromised, and the stirring answers to its questions are part of a bigger jigsaw puzzle never intended to be solved. Donnie Darko's ambitious creativity and bold swings make it Kelly's one and only masterpiece.
For more information on one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, read our five-star Donnie Darko review.
The Thing
Year: 1982
Director: John Carpenter
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A group of scientists living in a remote Antarctica research station come face to face with a shape-shifting, murderous alien that can perfectly mimic any living creature.
Carpenter's The Thing is a masterclass in tension, paranoia, and wonderfully weird practical effects. Don’t bother with the remake, go straight to this classic. Carpenter is no stranger to making brilliant horror (he did popularize the slasher movie with Halloween, after all). Still, The Thing is much frostier than his other work, and we're not just talking about the weather. There's a cold and calculated quality to the alien that makes this film nail-biting.
After more streaming space picks? Check out our list of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix.
V for Vendetta
Year: 2006
Director: James McTeigue
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
In a dystopian future, a masked vigilante named V leads a rebellion against a totalitarian government, inspiring a hesitant young woman to join his cause. This politically charged adaptation is packed with action from Alan Moore's graphic novel.
Directed by McTeigue and written by The Wachowski Sisters soon after they wrapped their Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta is a pointed, bloody, rage against the machine. The slick kills, turbulent political atmosphere, and broody visuals make it sound like a unilaterally dark film. In actuality, V for Vendetta has hope and rebellion baked in.
For more on this dystopian, read our V For Vendetta review.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Year: 1978
Director: Philip Kaufman
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
San Fransico residents are taken over by aliens in this chilling remake of the 1956 sci-fi horror. A group of survivors must uncover the invasion before it’s too late in this paranoia-fueled thriller.
Though the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers is no slouch, the 1978 remake tends to be favored. With an eye-catching cast (Donald Sutherland, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum) and more modern effects to play with, this remake takes the cake because of its atmosphere. It plays up the paranoia element of the story effectively, and while it does look its age in some respects, fans of practical effects will find lots to smile about.
Ready to meet some galactic friends? Check out our guide on the best alien movies of all time.
The Tomorrow War
Year: 2021
Director: Chris McKay
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
Time travelers from 2051 arrive to recruit present-day soldiers to fight in a war against an alien species threatening to wipe out humanity. This Chris Pratt vehicle is action-packed and has plenty of futuristic twists.
More than the bland military movie it appears to be on the surface, The Tomorrow War's plot wrinkles separate it from the usual dystopian muck being spat out by streaming services. Watching the capable fighters from the future try to teach unprepared soldiers in the present time how to win combat encounters with a much stronger enemy is an interesting point. It's also chilling to watch present-day humanity reckon with the idea they're losing a global war that hasn't even started for them yet.
For more details, head over to our The Tomorrow War review!
Horror movies on Amazon Prime
Totally Killer
Year: 2023
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
A teenager accidentally time-travels to the 1980s and teams up with her slightly bratty teenage mother to stop a serial killer on the loose. Equal parts slasher and time-travel comedy, Kiernan Shipka shines in this fun, bloody ride.
This slasher quietly released in 2023 has no right to be as hearty and funny as it is. Shipka has no trouble carrying the film on her shoulders, and watching her Gen Z character wrestle with both a serial killer and outdated Gen X humor in the '80s is really entertaining. It doesn't reinvent the time travel wheel, but it doesn't have to.
For streaming picks, head over to our list of the best horror movies on Netflix.
The Neon Demon
Year: 2016
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A young aspiring model in L.A. is drawn into a dark world of beauty, obsession, and jealousy. With stunning visuals and an eerie atmosphere, Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon is a hypnotic, unsettling probe into vanity at its most extreme.
This divisive, stomach-churning dive into beauty standards and what people may do to achieve them is gutsy — literally and figuratively. The cinematography is the standout, though. Weaving colors, inspired makeup and costume design, and heart-pounding music plunge you into a heightened and cutthroat modeling landscape. There's much to be debated about the film's male gaze and potential blindspots, making it all the meatier to be engrossed in.
Want to know more about this flick? Read our The Neon Demon review.
Suspiria
Year: 2018
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
A young dancer joins a prestigious but mysterious academy in Berlin, only to uncover dark, supernatural secrets. Luca Guadagnino's remake of the 1977 classic (aka one of the best horror movies ever made) is striking and deeply unnerving.
The original Suspiria is a Giallo masterstroke that would be impossible to recreate, so Guadagnino didn't try to. This is an earthier remix of the vague outline from the '70s film. Fitted with body horror, cult-like relationships, and a hair-raising atmosphere you can't pinpoint the source of. There are few frights here, so Suspiria is best suited for people who like a disturbing tone and a mystery to solve.
Carnival of Souls
Year: 1962
Director: Herk Harvey
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US/UK
After surviving what should have been a fatal car accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival and sees visions.
With its bizarre ambiance and appropriately haunting imagery, this indie horror film is a cult favorite for good reason. The hypnotism of the strange and alluring deserted carnival on the outskirts of town is palpable, and protagonist Mary Henry is a blank slate without being bland. With secrets of her past to unlock and weird visions plaguing her, Carnival of Souls is a compelling and creepy mystery.
Hellraiser
Year: 1987
Director: Clive Barker
Available on: Amazon Prime Video US
A puzzle box found by a hedonist unleashes a group of sadistic, otherworldly beings known as the Cenobites. It's a nightmarish blend of horror, pain, and pleasure in Clive Barker's original dark fantasy.
People in horror movies really need to unlearn the 'finders, keepers' philosophy. It never leads to anything good. Nor does it here, in this stomach-churning body horror flick with heaps of dark fantasy thrown in. Pinhead is one of the scariest big bads of all time, and it’s not even close. We'd take Michael Myers chasing us down a dark street over this dude any day. Warning though: Hellraiser is not for the faint of heart.
After more streaming titles? Head over to our guide on the best shows on Netflix, and the best movies on HBO Max.
