The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (September 2020)

Gripping Dramas on Amazon

Manchester by the Sea (2017)

It’s no wonder why Casey Affleck won the Oscar for Best Actor for Manchester by the Sea — it’s an engrossing, nuanced, and impactful performance. It's a tragedy that doesn't overstay its welcome or overstep its bounds.

Affleck isn’t the only stellar actor that holds up Manchester by the Sea though. The film is also supported by great performances from Lucas Hedges and Michelle Williams.

Classic Movies on Amazon Prime

The African Queen (1952)

The Robert Pattinson renaissance is in full swing, evident by his starring roles in films like Good Time, The Lighthouse, and yes, High Life. If you’re expecting High Life to be anything like Pattinson’s early works, you’re in for a rude surprise.

High Life is an intimate sci-fi story with a brilliant plot. Sadly, the film never quite finds its footing. But still, due to some brilliant cinematography and a great performance from Pattinson, High Life is worth checking out.

Amazon Prime Originals

The Big Sick (2017)

Amazon Movies Literally

The Lost City of Z (2016)

Amazon Prime Brings Classics

Charade (1963)

Concert Classic on Prime

Stop Making Sense (1984)

Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense is a documentary feature that showcases the legendary Talking Heads concert of the same name.

The film is filled with frenetic energy from start to finish. Few “concert films” feel as realistic as Demme’s classic Stop Making Sense.

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Rocketman (2019)

Is there any filmmaker in the world who’s slept on more than Richard Linklater? It’s not hyperbole to say that he’s made four or five of the best films of the past 30 years.

But even after all his success, Linklater’s name is rarely mentioned in the same breath of Tarantino, Nolan, or Paul Thomas Anderson. Last Flag Flying is one of Linklater’s most recent features and stars Steve Carrell, Laurence Fishburne, and Bryan Cranston as three marines united due to tragedy.

Familiar, Formulaic, but Fun

Creed II (2018)

Although it isn’t quite as good its 2015 franchise reboot Creed, Creed II is sure to scratch that “Rocky” itch for fans of the series. Michael B. Jordan does a good job in the lead role of Adonis Creed, the son of series favorite Apollo Creed.

Forty-two years after the release of the original Rocky, Sylvester Stallone returned to co-write the screenplay and act in Creed II.

Warrior was largely overshadowed by another fighting movie released around the same time, David O. Russell’s The Fighter. Both films are great, but the latter definitely stole a lot of the former’s thunder.

Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton star across one another in Warrior as two brothers competing at a mixed martial arts tournament.

True Stories on Prime

The Report (2019)

Don’t Dance With the Devil

The Wailing (2016)

WWII on Amazon 

Downfall (2005)

Best Comedies on Amazon Prime

Logan Lucky (2017)

Orson Welles on Amazon Prime

The Stranger (1946)

Movies About Movies

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Gus Van Sant Drama

Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot (2018)

Joaquin Phoenix stars in Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot as the late cartoonist John Callahan, who was paralyzed after a car accident at the age of 21. The film was written and directed by Gus Van Sant in 2018.

Jonah Hill, Jack Black, and Rooney Mara all give excellent performances in supporting roles. 

Beach Boys on Amazon

Love and Mercy (2015)

A Stroll in the Rain

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Midnight in Paris is a beautifully shot film that features one of the best screenplays of the 21st century. The film also features an all-star cast that includes Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, and Tom Hiddleston.

Most Woody Allen movies use a central theme to create a narrative throughline -- Midnight in Paris is no exception. In Midnight in Paris, the past is always more special than the present.

It’s been ten years since the release of Inception, and we’re still talking about its unforgettable ending to this day. If you want to read more about Christopher Nolan’s iconic cliffhanger, check out our article on the Inception ending explained.

Christopher Nolan is famous for making movies that play with our brains, but Inception gave new meaning to the term “cerebral cinema.”

The Adventures of Tintin marked a massive collaboration between some of modern cinema’s brightest minds, including Steven Spielberg (director), Peter Jackson (producer), Steven Moffat (writer), Edgar Wright (writer), and Joe Cornish (writer).

Despite all of the talent associated with it, The Adventures of Tintin never quite came together perfectly. That’s not to say it was bad by any means, it just didn’t live up to the lofty expectations.

No doubt one of the best movies of 2019, Knives Out proved that writer/director Rian Johnson may be better suited to make films outside of the Star Wars universe.

Mel Gibson’s Mayan-era epic has benefitted from some great critical analysis in the fourteen years since release. Many historians and anthropologists have cited the film as one of the most accurate depictions of Mayan culture in cinema history.

If you’re looking to journey back into the past, all the way to 16th century Mesoamerica, Apocalypto may be the movie for you.

Coen Brothers on Amazon Prime

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Ari Aster’s directorial debut Hereditary marked the debut of an exciting new voice in American cinema. The film is not perfect; in many ways, it’s far from it. But if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and roll with the genre tropes, you’ll find a good amount to like in Hereditary.

Hereditary quickly became A24’s highest grossing film upon release and has garnered a cult-following with horror fans.

Zombie movies have become a largely tired sub-genre due to a lack of innovation and a heavy reliance on cliches. But in 2016, Yeon Sang-ho breathed new life into the sub-genre with Train to Busan -- one of the best zombie movies of the 21st century.

If you’re looking for a visceral action film that will also make your skin crawl, Train to Busan is a perfect fit.

Amazon Movies Get Dark

You Were Never Really Here (2016)

‘How Long Have We Been on this Rock?’

The Lighthouse (2019)

Director Robert Eggers made a name for himself with his 2015 film The Witch. His second feature, The Lighthouse, proved that he wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. Much can be said about Eggers’ decision to shoot the film in a square 19:16 aspect ratio, but what he does put in the frame is often brilliant.

Robert Pattinson and Willem DaFoe star in the film and both give excellent performances. The Lighthouse is a movie that demands repeat viewings and close attention to detail.

The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Woody Allen has made a career out of exploring the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, and one could argue that he was never more focused on this subject matter than he was with Hannah and Her Sisters.

Hannah and Her Sisters is widely regarded as one of Allen’s best works, with many critics citing the film’s screenplay and cast as its greatest strengths.

Scary Movies on Amazon

A Quiet Place (2018)

Diegetic sound is king in the mega-hit horror film A Quiet Place; a film that established world-famous actor John Krasinski as an up and coming director.

A Quiet Place is a visceral film that puts its actors front and center. That’s a good thing too as the whole cast does a great job in their many minutes of screen time.

Prime Jarmusch Movies

Paterson (2016)

B&W Will Never Die

Cold War (2018)

Paweł Pawlikowski's post-World-War II epic Cold War is a stunning picture about two lovers entangled in a changing society. Both Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot deliver excellent leading performances.

Cold War uses black and white cinematography to immersive effect, which creates a strong tone and visual style.

Prime Action Movies

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)

The Mission: Impossible films are everything big-budget cinema should be; fast-paced, well-made and invigorating to watch. After over twenty years in the role of Ethan Hunt, Tom Cruise has shown no signs of slowing down.

In addition, Henry Cavill (and his infamous mustache) does a great job of supporting the action with a great performance.

Critical Darlings on Prime

The Farewell (2018)

Meta-Biopic Movies on Amazon Prime

Honey Boy (2019)

Few American celebrities are as polarizing in the limelight as Shia LaBeouf. At just 14 years old, LaBeouf accrued national fame for starring in the Disney Channel original series Even Stevens. In the near two decades since, LaBeouf has starred in blockbuster hits like Transformers but has also struggled mightily with alcohol abuse and arrests.

One such arrest led to court-ordered rehab, where LaBeouf wrote the autobiographical script for Honey Boy, an unflinchingly intimate story of familial turmoil, love and the effect of stardom.

Ash is Purest White is a remarkably “modern” gangster movie from the mind of Jia Zhangke. Both Zhao Tao and Liao Fan give excellent performances in the roles of two combative lovers.

Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Ash is Purest White is its breathtaking cinematography, composed by Eric Gautier.

There aren’t many movies that have had more of an impact on today’s filmmakers than Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western classic Once Upon a Time in the West.

Although Once Upon a Time in the West is perhaps most well-known today for its musical score by the late great Ennio Morricone, it’s cinematography has undoubtedly inspired generations of filmmakers.