With such a wealth of new movies to rent on Amazon Prime, it can be hard to keep track of and parse new movies as they are added to the platform. Here we cover 10 new movies worth your time landing on Amazon Prime in October 2020 with plenty of horror in the mix for the Halloween season. You can also read our list of the best overall films available on Amazon Prime right now. All movies will be available as of October 1st unless otherwise noted. Now let’s take a look at what’s new on Amazon Prime Video.
Amazon new release movies
10. Welcome to Blumhouse Collection (2020)
Welcome to Blumhouse Collection • Trailer
Our first pick for the month is actually a horror collection to get you in the mood for Halloween. The Welcome to Blumhouse collection is a new horror anthology divided into four parts. These four parts are being released as two double-features. The first two parts, Black Box and The Lie are being released on October 6th, and the other two segments, Evil Eye and Nocturne, are being released the following Tuesday, the 13th of October. Blumhouse titles can be extremely hit or miss. They are behind a few horror hits of recent years such as Get Out or The Invisible Man, but they have also been responsible for a number of duds as well. Find out which end of the spectrum the Welcome to Blumhouse collection falls on when it arrives on Amazon Prime this October.
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If you’re in the Halloween spirit, be sure to check out our list of the best horror films ever made.
New movies to rent on Amazon Prime
9. John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998)
John Carpenter Vampires • Trailer
Vampires was John Carpenter’s penultimate film before taking an extended hiatus, eventually returning with The Ward and then returning to semi-directorial-retirement thereafter. While it is a far cry from John Carpenter’s best films, Vampires still has enough going for it to be worth watching this Halloween season. A full-throttle James Woods leads the cast in this action-horror hybrid with plenty of style to spare. If you’re looking for a scary horror film, this will not do the trick; it lands far more on the cool, action side of the spectrum than on the creepy, horror side. Fans of From Dusk Till Dawn should find a lot to enjoy in John Carpenter’s Vampires.
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For more action-packed goodness, be sure to check our list of the best action films of all time and if you’re looking for more vampire films to check out, be sure to look through our list of the best vampire films ever made.
What’s new on Amazon Prime Video
8. The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
The Mothman Prophecies • Trailer
The Mothman Prophecies is another creepy film to get you in the Halloween spirit, without being a straight-up horror film but more of a mystery, thriller. The Mothman Prophecies is a bit of a mixed bag and not all of the individual elements work but the parts that do work, work exceedingly well. There are so many great ideas packed into The Mothman Prophecies that it is possible to overlook the myriad flaws. One thing that often disappoints viewers on their first watch is how little the titular Mothman appears in the film.
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The Mothman creature has mere seconds of screentime, so be sure to go into the film with the right expectations.
New movies on Prime
7. Spaceballs (1987)
Spaceballs • Trailer
From classic comedy filmmaker Mel Brooks, Spaceballs is a feature-length Star Wars parody. If you have seen Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, or any of Mel Brooks’ other spoof films, then you know exactly what type of humor to expect from Spaceballs.
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The film is goofy and hilarious with only the occasional miss-fire joke. The laughs come fast and there is hardly any downtime.
Amazon Prime movies new releases
6. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Drugstore Cowboy • Trailer
Drugstore Cowboy was an early Gus Van Sant film, his second feature-film following Mala Noche. Drugstore Cowboy follows a crew of addicts as they stick up drugstores to feed their addictions. The film was one of Matt Dillon’s early break-out roles. I
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t’s a stylish and inventive film made for a relatively low budget, an important film in the developing indie scene of the time.
What’s new on Amazon Prime Video
5. Mud (2012)
Mud • Trailer
Mud arrived at the height of McConaissance, right after Matthew McConaughey’s incredible performances that saw the actor reinventing himself with The Lincoln Lawyer and Killer Joe, and right before his Oscar winning turn in Dallas Buyers Club.
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Mud is a drama from director Jeff Nichols who has been quietly releasing some of the best character dramas in recent years. His films don’t always make the biggest splash but you can be sure to find compelling characters and stellar performances when his name is attached.
Amazon Prime new releases
4. A Knight’s Tale (2001)
A Knight's Tale • Trailer
From writer, director Brian Helgeland comes A Knight’s Tale, one of the handful of Heath Ledger starring roles before his untimely passing. This is a stylish, medieval film. Period details are of little importance as historical accuracy is not something A Knight’s Tale is preoccupied with, as evidenced by modern soundtrack choices and through the use of more modernized speech.
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Critic Review Highlight
It’s a fun film with a brisk pace, definitely worth checking out.
New Movies on Amazon Prime
3. The Pianist (2002)
The Pianist • Trailer
The Pianist is an extremely heavy World War II film about a Jewish musician struggling within the Warsaw ghetto. It’s a depressing watch and its two and half hour runtime can seem daunting, but The Pianist is worth all of the bleakness and despair. Adrien Brody’s performance is incredible and launched his career to new heights.
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He won the Best Lead Actor Oscar for his efforts, and the film also won for directing and writing at the Academy Awards.
New on Prime video
2. The Departed (2006)
The Departed • Trailer
The Departed is the Oscar winning story of cops and gangsters squaring off in Boston. Coming from master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, you know it’s going to be good. The film is a loose adaptation of the Hong Kong action, thriller Infernal Affairs. The entire cast is firing on all cylinders in The Departed, especially Jack Nicholson as the volatile Frank Costello, based on real-life Boston gangster Whitey Bulger.
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Find out where The Departed ranks on our list of the best gangster films ever made.
Best new movies on Amazon Prime
1. Raging Bull (1980)
Raging Bull • Trailer
And we close out our October list with a second Martin Scorsese film. Raging Bull has endured as one of Scorsese’s best films and it contains one of Robert De Niro’s very best performances. The film is a biopic on boxer Jake LaMotta but even viewers who could not care less about boxing will still find much to enjoy in Raging Bull.
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Critic Review Highlight
The filmmaking on display is top notch and every performance is pitch perfect in the portrayal of incredibly complex characters.
UP NEXT
The Best Movies on Amazon Prime
Those were 10 of the best new movies on Amazon Prime. For a rundown of all the best films currently available on Prime video right now, be sure to give this next article a read. It is updated each month with fresh picks.
Up Next: The Best Movies on Amazon Prime →
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