Best movies on Amazon Prime Video to watch now

Michael B Jordan returns as boxer Adonis Creed in this pumped-up third Rocky spin-off. Also stepping behind the camera for his directorial debut, Jordan crafts an electric tale of friendship gone awry, as Creed is reunited with his old friend Damian (Jonathan Majors), an aspiring boxer fresh from a long stint in jail. Now back in Los Angeles, Damian wants a shot in the ring, which he hopes Creed will engineer.

Jordan proves unafraid of shaking up the franchise, setting the film away from the series' spiritual Philadelphia home. The boxing scenes are punchy, while Majors is a heavyweight addition to the cast, bringing muscular intensity to the film.

James Mottram

Bill Nighy received the first Oscar nomination of his career for this superb remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru (1952).

Brilliantly reimagined by Booker Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, the film follows stiff upper-lipped bureaucrat Williams (Nighy) as he decides to make the most of the time he has left after being told he has only months to live. The result is a thoughtful exploration of reawakening and redemption, and Nighy’s subtle and reflective performance makes it truly soar.

Alan Jones

Director Darren Aronofsky's heartfelt, often wildly funny adaptation of Samuel D Hunter's semi-autobiographical off-Broadway play is a moving tale of last-chance redemption. Brendan Fraser gives a heroic, Oscar-winning performance as Charlie, a morbidly obese gay recluse who desperately tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink from Stranger Things).

Aronofsky deliberately reins in his often flamboyant style, underlining the theatrical origins of the intense chamber piece by using the claustrophobic Academy ratio. The result is an penetrating examination of self-destruction.

Alan Jones

Ben Affleck directs and co-stars in this infectious 1980s-set tale of how underperforming sports clothing brand Nike turned its fortunes around by luring basketball star Michael Jordan to endorse its trainers. Affleck plays Phil Knight, Nike's Porsche-driving CEO, but the film belongs to Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the basketball guru who spots Jordan's potential and sets out to reel him in with the creation of the Air Jordan trainer.

Air is an absorbing film about money, power, race and class, revealing how Jordan's relationship with Nike changed the face of corporate sponsorship for ever.

James Mottram

An undocumented nanny struggles with both the supernatural and the harsh realities of everyday life in Nikyatu Jusu’s unsettling thriller. Caught between the life she has left behind and the one she wishes to obtain, Senegalese migrant Aisha (Anna Diop) cares for the six-year-old daughter of a well-to-do couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector). She longs to save enough money to bring her son to the US, while also experiencing disturbing dreams that could be the work of a malevolent presence. Meanwhile, the way she is treated by her casually privileged employers proves every bit as disturbing as her nightmares.

Ultimately, this is an atmospheric and deeply personal debut that simmers with slow-burn dread.

Amber Wilkinson

A nature film that’s more about humans than animals, this feature documentary follows British ex-soldier Harry Turner as he lives a new life in the Amazon Rainforest, having been discharged from the Army with depression and PTSD. We see him transformed, or at least inspired and comforted, by his relationship with American conservationist Sam, and in particular by their fostering of a baby ocelot, whose struggles to be ready for release into the wild can be seen as mirroring Harry’s effort to regain his own mental health. The result is a stark picture of the internal struggles undergone by many veterans, but with beautiful notes of hope.

Jack Seale

Let’s face it, we’re in the year of the romcom revival and there’s no better time than now to get reacquainted with the genre.

While Jennifer Lopez became one of the most familiar faces of the film genre for a while, she returns to her roots in this hilarious new movie, alongside Josh Duhamel.

The film is as joyously random as it starts with Darcy and Tom gathering their families for a destination wedding. But the ceremony gets put on hold when gunmen take everyone hostage. It’s a tale of survival and protection, but ultimately, this is a new family trying to figure out how not to kill each other first – and it’s a great lighthearted feat to witness. – Morgan Cormack

It should be said up top that if you’re squeamish, Men may not be for you. The folk horror film from Ex Machina and Annihilation director Alex Garland stars Jessie Buckley as a woman who visits a quiet country house following the death of her husband.

From there on out is where things get weird as all the men she meets are played by the same actor – Rory Kinnear. What follows are some seriously creepy, disturbing and shocking goings-on, with a final sequence that is so gloriously depraved that it made the film instantly divisive to both critics and viewers.

Regardless, if you enjoy the folk horror genre, and want to see some phenomenal performances from two actors at the top of their game then Men may very well be for you. Maybe just don’t watch it right before bed… – James Hibbs

When Sheila (Kaley Cuoco) picks up Gary (Pete Davidson) at a bar, the hint of impatience in her tone suggests this is not the usual “meet cute”: that moment in a movie when a chance encounter leads to romance. Indeed, Sheila is a time traveller who has played out this scene many times before, unbeknownst to Gary, because she cannot face tomorrow.

A refreshingly unsentimental love story, Meet Cute has some chuckles despite its sombre tone, and Alex Lehmann plays the time-loop element with a knowing wink. Cuoco and Davidson are charismatic as the time-stuck couple, with Cuoco effectively exploring the pain underlying Sheila’s desperation to cling to a moment of happiness. – Stephen Applebaum

It’s fair to say that Nicolas Cage is a divisive actor, known for making some bold (or one could say inexplicable) choices. For every person who thinks he’s a master of his craft, another will dismiss him entirely.

At this point in his career Cage seems to be very aware of his larger than life reputation, so much so that he has appeared in a film about it. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a delightful, good-natured send-up of Cage, a love letter to his work in which he isn’t afraid to poke fun of himself.

It’s an action comedy that may not leave you cackling out loud, but will certainly pass the time and give you a chuckle or two. Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal potentially even manages to outshine Cage, playing a billionaire playboy who may or may not be a master criminal. – James Hibbs

This film is not only a cleverly interwoven thriller, but also tells the important story of American civil rights activist Fred Hampton (played here by Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya).

William O’Neal, a petty criminal played by LaKeith Stanfield, is tasked by the FBI to infiltrate the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, which Hampton leads. He is supposed to get close to and provide intelligence on him, but also bears witness to Hampton’s increasing charisma and plans of mobilisation.

While we know it’s a story of the ultimate betrayal, this is a film that will undoubtedly linger with you long after watching, in no small part to the efforts of this stellar cast. – Morgan Cormack

Girls creator Lena Dunham brings a modern sensibility to a medieval British setting in this effervescent comedy based on the 1994 children’s novel by Karen Cushman. Fourteen-year-old Birdy (Bella Ramsey) is a free-spirited maker of mischief living in intensely repressive times, whose spendthrift father Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott) is plotting to marry her off in order to clear his debts. Meanwhile her mother, Aislinn (Billie Piper), is negotiating one pregnancy after another, which mostly end in heartache. Lesley Sharp plays Birdy’s indispensable nursemaid, with Joe Alwyn her handsome uncle, whom Birdy is more than a little in love with. Ramsey is a sparky match for the material, and a soundtrack of fun cover versions keeps the energy high. – Emma Simmonds

Sophie Hyde’s 2022 sex comedy Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is up for four BAFTAs at this year’s awards, including for Leading Actress, Leading Actor and Outstanding British Film – so you know it’s worth a watch.

The film stars Emma Thompson as Nancy, a woman whose husband has died and who, in an effort to achieve her first orgasm, hires a male prostitute by the name of Leo Grande, as played by Daryl McCormack.

The film is set almost entirely inside the one hotel room, so isn’t the most cinematic of movies. However, what it lacks in visual splendour it more than makes up for in deep explorations of character, with come crackling, funny dialogue, some real heart and an openness around traditionally sensitive topics which is to be applauded. – James Hibbs

From Monty Norman’s signature theme to Billie Eilish’s No Time to Die, the secrets of the music of the 007 series are laid bare in this superb documentary, released to coincide with Global James Bond Day. Director Mat Whitecross takes viewers behind the scenes for tales of Shirley Bassey removing her bra to help her hit the high notes in Goldfinger, and Tina Turner’s shock at Bono’s “really bad” vocal demo for GoldenEye. With various other Bond alumni getting involved, it all adds up to a fitting salute to the screen franchise as it celebrates its 60th anniversary. – Terry Staunton

Remarkable romcoms have become a rare commodity in the streaming era, with few modern movies managing to stand out in the endless sea of generic, paint-by-numbers “chick-flicks” regularly churned out by the countless platforms we subscribe to. Thankfully, Palm Springs – the sci-fi romcom starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti – swooped in last year to save the day, giving the genre a much-needed shot of adrenaline.

Best described as Groundhog Day meets Four Weddings and a Funeral, Palm Springs follows Sarah (Milioti), an apathetic maid-of-honour just trying to get through her sister’s California wedding when she finds herself trapped in a time loop with charming, care-free wedding guest Nyles (Samberg) and the pair are forced to relive the same day over-and-over again.

A fast-paced, hugely funny and refreshing take on the time loop concept, Palm Springs features stunning performances from Milioti and Samberg, an outstanding supporting cast made up of JK Simmons, Meredith Hagner, Camila Mendes and Peter Gallagher, and surprisingly twists that will have you returning for multiple viewings. – Lauren Morris

If you enjoyed Rosamund Pike’s blood-curdling turn in Gone Girl, you’ll love her performance in this fast-paced thriller, which earned the British actress a Golden Globe earlier this year. Pike plays ruthless Marla Grayson, a woman appointed by the courts to act as the legal guardian of elderly people who need assistance to take care of themselves. The problem is, the people she chooses are absolutely fine – the only thing they have to be scared of is Grayson, who steals their money, puts them in a home and exploits them for her own purposes. But one day she picks the wrong elderly woman.

Her son is a gangster (played by Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage) and he’ll do whatever it takes to make sure his mum is OK. Cue a cat and mouse game, where both players will stop at nothing to get what they want. Impossible to predict and dealing with unsettling subject matter, I Care a Lot is a film that will get your heart pumping and keep you guessing until the very end. Refreshingly original and brought to life by brilliant performances, it’s real gem that you should add to your watchlist immediately. – Emma Bullimore

It’s the breakout film of summer 2022! While blockbusters like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Top Gun: Maverick earned more dollars at the global box office, this little indie movie challenged them both in terms of social chatter and fan enthusiasm, and went on to get the most Oscar nominations at the 2023 awards of any film.

Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn Quan Wang, a Chinese-American woman who is unsatisfied with her marriage and career, at loggerheads with her daughter, and in the midst of a painful audit by the IRS. Suffice to say, things aren’t going very well. But when a version of her husband from a parallel universe makes contact, she has the opportunity to do something far greater than she could have ever imagined.

Everything Everywhere All at Once won the hearts of fans and critics with its eccentric sense of humour, unleashing some truly jaw-dropping scenes as the madcap story escalates. However, between the chaos, there are some touching moments as Evelyn is challenged with facing the lives she could have lived and healing the rift that has grown between her family. – David Craig

Chilean auteur Pablo Larrain previously shone a spotlight on Jacqueline Kennedy with his 2016 film Jackie, and in 2021 he returned with another unconventional biopic of a major female figure from the 20th Century: Princess Diana.

Kristen Stewart shines in the lead role in a film that is about as different from The Crown – or any other more traditional royal drama – as you could possibly imagine. It unfolds over three days at the Sandringham estate during Christmas of 1991, as Diana faces an existential crises while mulling over her position in the royal family.

The superb score by Jonny Greenwood and stunning cinematography from Claire Mathon help bring an almost fairytale quality to the film – which largely does away with realism in favour of a more artful, poetic, and melodramatic approach. – Patrick Cremona

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest offering, a coming-of-age drama set in the 1970s, certainly won’t be for everyone, but those taken with slow-paced character dramas might just fall in love with this Best Picture nominee. The story follows 15-year-old Gary Valentine, a child actor who develops a crush on photography assistant Alana Kane, who is about a decade his senior.

Over summer break, their relationship evolves and becomes strained by Gary’s entrepreneurial priorities as well as the (uncomfortable) age gap between them. Indeed, some of what Licorice Pizza deems appropriate is questionable, but it certainly has charm in abundance and some great comedic moments – including a tour de force cameo from none other than Bradley Cooper. – David Craig

Kumail Nanjiani stars in and co-wrote this funny, heartfelt film which is loosely based on his own life, and his relationship with his wife and co-writer Emily V Gordon. In the film, Kumail meets Emily and falls in love with her, but she ends the relationship when she discovers that he doesn’t think it can go anywhere because of pressure from his Pakistani American family.

When she then suffers from a lung infection and is placed in an induced coma, Kumail spends time by her bedside getting to know her parents, who have their own thoughts and feelings about how the relationship ended. It’s a tonally well-balanced movie, never slipping too broadly into the comedy or the other way into the heart-ache, but landing right in the middle for a film which will leave you with plenty of laughs and a warm feeling when all is said and done. – James Hibbs

The film that launched a thousand sayings, theories and obsessions, David Fincher’s Fight Club remains a seriously impressive accomplishment. Starring Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden and Edward Norton as the unnamed narrator, the film lives and dies on its twist – and thankfully it very much lives, in a rug pull for the ages.

Exploring themes including conflict, commercialism, violence and nihilism, the film has been both hugely influential and controversial ever since it debuted in 1999, and just earlier this year was censored in China for its ending.

If you haven’t seen it and want to know what all the fuss is about, it’s available now on Prime Video, and remains well worth your time as one of Fincher’s boldest films, which also stars Helena Bonham Carter in a mesmerising supporting role. – James Hibbs

If you’re only familiar with the hugely popular series of the same name but haven’t seen this 2014 film, stop what you’re doing and log into Prime immediately. This riotous comedy from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement sees them star alongside Jonathan Brugh as a trio of vampires living in a house-share, whose simple lives are documented in mockumentary style.

It’s the film that really launches Waititi into the big time and it’s easy to see why: the whole cast are on top form, the gags are consistently hilarious and the mockumentary style gets new life here after being so extensively used over the years.

The spin-off series, which stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry and Natasia Demetriou is a riotous follow-up and a very worthy successor, but you really have to see this original film to understand just how well-realised this unlikely franchise was from the very start. – James Hibbs

This 2021 horror reboot/sequel comes from executive producer Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) and is a continuation of 1992’s horror classic. Directed by Nia DaCosta, who’s set to helm upcoming Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels, it follows Anthony McCoy, an artist living in Chicago who hears an urban legend detailing the events of the original film and the gruesome supernatural killer Candyman. In exploring his legacy through his art, Anthony soon becomes entrapped by the same supernatural forces that surrounded Helen Lyle all those years ago.

The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris, and includes a cameo appearance from original Candyman actor Tony Todd. The cast are all on top form in a film which includes all the blood-splattering you’d expect, but chooses to focus its main attentions on themes of gentrification, generational trauma and racial injustice. In turning the original’s premise on its head, and deepening the mythology of the Candyman while still showing a reverence for what that first film achieved, the new movie may not be the scariest horror out there today, but it is one of the most thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. – James Hibbs