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The best movies on Amazon Prime Video (May 2023)

Sometimes, Amazon Prime Video is a lot like the video stores of yesteryear. There’s a wide selection, but at first glance, there’s not always a lot of things that you want to watch. Fortunately, Prime Video has a major addition this week in the form of Air, a new drama from Ben Affleck that tells the story of how Michael Jordan and Nike united to create one of the most enduring brands in sports apparel: Air Jordan.

If you know where to look, then you’ll see that Prime Video has a wide selection of new and classic titles. But at times, it can be a challenge to find something good to watch. That’s why we update our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video on a weekly basis. If you stick with us, you’ll quickly find something fun.

We’ve also put together guides to the best shows on Prime Video, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Netflix, the best new movies to stream, and the best movies on Disney+.

Recently added to Amazon Prime Video
Air (2023) new
Air
73 %
7.7/10
r 112m
Genre Drama, History
Stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman
Directed by Ben Affleck

Prepare for the origin story of Michael Jordan’s shoes. Don’t worry, Air is more compelling than it sounds. And while it is the story of how the Air Jordan sneakers came into being, it’s also the story of how executives at Nike realized that teaming up with Jordan was a once-in-a-generation opportunity. But first, they have to convince Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis).

Ben Affleck directed the film and stars as Phil Knight, one of the co-founders of Nike. At Phil’s behest, talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) is tasked with turning around the company’s basketball operation. And as soon as Nike gets behind the Jordan pitch, the future of the company is on the line.

Mamma Mia! (2008) new
Mamma Mia!
51 %
6.5/10
pg-13 108m
Genre Comedy, Romance
Stars Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd

In the ABBA-inspired musical Mamma Mia!, young bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) just wants to get her father to walk her down the aisle. Unfortunately, she’s not sure who her father is. But she does have three likely candidates: Harry Bright (Colin Firth), Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård), and Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan).

Much to the alarm of Sophie’s mother, Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep), Sophie invites all three of these men to her wedding. Even Donna doesn’t know which one is Sophie’s father, but each of her trio of ex-lovers soon become convinced that they are the dad that Sophie is longing to find. And it’s going to take a lot of singing and dancing to resolve this issue.

A Beautiful Mind (2001) new
A Beautiful Mind
72 %
8.2/10
pg-13 135m
Genre Drama, Romance
Stars Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris
Directed by Ron Howard
Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind is based on the true story of John Nash (Russell Crowe), a brilliant mathematician who came up with Game Theory in the 1950s. As John settles into his academic life and starts a family with his wife, Alicia Nash (Jennifer Connelly), he is drawn into a bizarre conspiracy by William Parcher (Ed Harris), his contact at the Defense Department. But the deeper that John goes down the rabbit hole to decode hidden Soviet messages, the more he loses touch with what’s real — and what isn’t.
Fatal Attraction (1987) new
Fatal Attraction
67 %
6.9/10
r 119m
Genre Drama, Thriller
Stars Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer
Directed by Adrian Lyne

Paramount+ may have the Fatal Attraction series, but Prime Video has the classic film that inspired the show, and it will not be ignored! In the movie, Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is a happily married man who nevertheless has a one night stand with Alex Forrest (Glenn Close). Afterwards, Dan thinks he’s free to go back to his wife, Beth Rogerson Gallagher (Anne Archer), and their daughter, Ellen (Ellen Hamilton Latzen). And when Alex tries to advance their affair, Dan shuts her out of his life.

However, Alex simply won’t take “no” for an answer, and she continuously escalates the situation while threatening to expose Dan’s infidelity to Beth. And when that fails to produce results, Alex starts to become truly dangerous to both Dan and his family.

The Way Back (2020) new
The Way Back
66 %
6.7/10
r 107m
Genre Drama
Stars Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins
Directed by Gavin O'Connor

Ben Affleck lives so much of his life in the tabloid haze of Hollywood that it’s sometimes easy to forget that he’s a good actor. The Way Back gives Affleck another chance to prove his dramatic chops, while dealing with a subject matter that is very close to him. In the film, Affleck stars as Jack Cunningham, a former high school star basketball player whose marriage to Angela (Janina Gavankar) is threatened by their shared grief over the death of their son, and by Jack’s alcoholism.

Jack is soon recruited by Father Edward Devine (John Aylward) to return to his alma mater and coach the school’s basketball team, which has fallen on hard times. At first, the kids give Jack a new sense of purpose. However, a resurgence of his grief threatens to cost Jack everything he holds dear.

Game Night (2018) new
Game Night
66 %
6.9/10
r 100m
Genre Mystery, Comedy, Crime
Stars Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler
Directed by John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein

Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams make a delightful husband and wife team in Game Night, a wild comedy in which they play Max and Annie Davis. This couple loves to play, but their game nights have been getting pretty stale. When Max’s brother, Brooks Davis (Kyle Chandler), hosts his own game night, Max and Annie, along with two other couples, witness Brooks’ abduction by armed men.

Initially, the assembled couples assume that Brooks’ kidnapping was all part of the game. Unfortunately, the danger turns out to be all too real, which forces Max and Annie to turn to Gary Kingsbury (Jesse Plemons), their lonely policeman neighbor who had recently been excluded from their game nights.

Judy Blume Forever (2023)
Judy Blume Forever
77 %
7.6/10
97m
Genre Documentary
Stars Judy Blume, Molly Ringwald, Lena Dunham
Directed by Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchok

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Amazon Studios’ new documentary Judy Blume Forever is that the author herself, Judy Blume, is not only still alive, but she was able to be an active participant in the movie. The film essentially tells her life story, often in her own words, as it chronicles her journey from a housewife to a beloved children’s author whose books are still widely read.

Several famous commentators also share their thoughts about Blume, including Molly Ringwald, Lena Dunham, Anna Konki, Samantha Bee, Mary H.K. Choi, and Jacqueline Woodson. But the ones who really stand out are the ordinary women whose lives were deeply touched by Blume and her stories.

Ticket to Paradise (2022)
Ticket to Paradise
50 %
6.2/10
pg-13 104m
Genre Romance, Comedy
Stars Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Kaitlyn Dever
Directed by Ol Parker

There’s a simple reason why Ticket To Paradise is such an effective romantic comedy. George Clooney and Julia Roberts are so comfortable together onscreen that you can almost believe that they were married at one point. In the film, they play David and Georgia Cotton, a divorced couple whose marriage fell apart two decades earlier.

Despite their lingering resentment towards each other, David and Georgia make a pact to break up the impromptu wedding of their daughter, Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), and her fiancé, Gede (Maxime Bouttier). And while David and Georgia plot together, the tropical setting and their renewed partnership reawaken the old feelings that they used to have.

Ticket to Paradise | Official Trailer [HD]
Face/Off (1997)
Face/Off
82 %
7.3/10
r 138m
Genre Action, Crime, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen
Directed by John Woo

Nicolas Cage recently vamped it up on the big screen as Dracula in Renfield. But in terms of over-the-top performances, Cage would be hard-pressed to surpass his masterpiece: Face/Off. In this John Woo-directed flick, Cage plays a terrorist named Castor Troy who falls into a coma after hiding deadly bombs that are primed to go off. To save lives, FBI Agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) agrees to undergo an experimental face transplant so he can go undercover as Troy and find the bombs.

When Troy awakens from his coma without a face, he forces the doctors to attach Archer’s face to his body before killing anyone who knows the truth. Thus, for nearly the entire movie, Cage is playing his version of Archer, while Travolta gets to go wild as Troy with Archer’s face. This film is so ludicrous that it becomes incredibly enjoyable to watch.

Face/Off (1997) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers
Life of Pi (2012)
Life of Pi
79 %
7.9/10
pg 127m
Genre Adventure, Drama
Stars Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Ayush Tandon
Directed by Ang Lee

For most of his screen time in Life of Pi, Suraj Sharma shares the stage with a CGI Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. And it is absolutely mesmerizing. Ang Lee directed Yann Martel’s novel with an elevated sense of magical reality. When young Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel (Sharma) and his family are caught in a shipwreck, he finds himself stuck on a lifeboat with animals from his family’s zoo, including tiger Richard Parker.

As the tiger takes out the other animals, Pi has to find a way to co-exist with Richard Parker, as well as the strength of will to survive a harrowing ordeal at sea. This film is a visual masterpiece, and it has an unforgettable story.

Life of Pi Official Trailer #1 (2012) Ang Lee Movie HD
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
51 %
6.4/10
pg-13 136m
Genre Adventure, Science Fiction, Action
Stars Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen
Directed by Luc Besson

Did you know that Star Wars and dozens of other films were greatly influenced by the French sci-fi comic Valérian and Laureline by Pierre Christin? However, the comic didn’t make it to the big screen until director Luc Besson adapted it into Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. True to its title, the space station Alpha is indeed the product of aliens from thousands of worlds, and it is kept under the watchful eye of the United Human Federation.

Two of the station’s primary operatives, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne), try to keep the peace before they unknowingly stumble upon a conspiracy that could bring down Alpha itself. Laureline also has her hands full keeping Valerian’s amorous intentions toward her in check, even though his attraction to her isn’t one-sided.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Official Trailer - Teaser (2017) - Movie
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick
78 %
8.3/10
pg-13 131m
Genre Action, Drama

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Top Gun: Maverick is the most popular movie of 2022 and one of biggest blockbusters in years. And after cleaning up at the box office, the Top Gun sequel is coming in for a landing on Prime Video. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a test pilot-turned-instructor who doesn’t quite have the same fire that he had in the ’80s.

While teaching the next generation of Top Gun pilots, Maverick also finds himself in conflict with one of his students, Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his late friend, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. However, Maverick and his pilots will need to find common ground as they are drawn into a new mission with high stakes and breathtaking flying sequences.

Top Gun: Maverick | NEW Official Trailer (2022 Movie) - Tom Cruise
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Good Will Hunting
70 %
8.3/10
r 127m
Genre Drama
Stars Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck
Directed by Gus Van Sant

Good Will Hunting is the movie that made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck into stars. They co-wrote the script together, and Damon plays the title character, Will Hunting, with Affleck as his best friend, Chuckie Sullivan. Will is a genius whose personal issues have held him back in life. But while working as a janitor at Harvard, Will solves an incredibly difficult math problem that catches the attention of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård).

Lambeau is the first person to realize that Will has limitless potential if he can stay out of trouble with the law. Enter Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams in an Oscar-winning turn), a psychologist who challenges Will to overcome his past and embrace the man he could become. It’s a riveting feel-good drama for the ages. How do you like them apples?

Good Will Hunting | Official Trailer (HD) Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck | MIRAMAX
Nope (2022)
Nope
77 %
6.8/10
r 130m
Genre Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction
Stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea
Directed by Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele’s latest film, Nope, is an impressive blend of sci-fi and horror. Siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em Haywood (Keke Palmer) are on the verge of selling their father’s horse ranch when they realize that a UFO appears to be hanging around their property and devouring horses. With the assistance of a Fry’s Electronics tech, Angel Torres (Brandon Perea), they attempt to record footage of the UFO as a way to get rich.

Unfortunately for the unlikely trio, the aforementioned UFO is far more dangerous than they initially realized. And it’s not what they expected at all. Nope made DT’s list of the best movies of 2022, and there’s a good reason why: it’s entertaining and smart, which is a rare combination in blockbuster movies these days.

NOPE | Official Trailer
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp Fiction
94 %
8.9/10
r 154m
Genre Thriller, Crime
Stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Pulp Fiction was not Quentin Tarantino’s first movie, but it is the film that made him a legend. Tarantino intentionally tells the events of the story in non-chronological order. But the characters are so memorable that it’s almost impossible to take your eyes off of them. This is especially true of the hitmen, Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), as they find themselves in way over their heads after an accidental death.

Bruce Willis also has a strong turn as Butch Coolidge, an aging boxer who double-crossed the local crime boss, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), by refusing to throw a match after accepting a large bribe. And in Butch’s attempt to skip town with the money, he comes face-to-face with Marsellus himself.

Pulp Fiction Official Trailer #1 - (1994) HD
Jackass Forever (2022)
Jackass Forever
74 %
6.9/10
r 96m
Genre Comedy, Documentary
Stars Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius
Directed by Jeff Tremaine
No one could ever argue that Jackass Forever’s title doesn’t tell you exactly who it was made for. It’s not really a movie — it’s more like a reality show car crash that you can’t turn away from. Most of the cast members from Jackass make their return for some truly dangerous and often disgusting stunts. If this is your thing, have at it. But it’s definitely not going to be for everyone.
jackass forever | Official Trailer (2022 Movie)
The Magnificent Seven (2016)
The Magnificent Seven
54 %
6.8/10
pg-13 132m
Genre Adventure, Action, Western
Stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke
Directed by Antoine Fuqua

The original Magnificent Seven is one of the all-time great Westerns. The modern remake is nowhere near that good, but it’s still enjoyable on its own terms. Strangely enough, it plays more like a superhero movie than a Western, as each of the seven brings a particular skill to the table.

Over a decade after the Civil War, Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) and his men enslave and brutalize a small town. The beleaguered townspeople turn to U.S. Marshal Sam Chisholm (Denzel Washington), and his hastily assembled Avengers of the Old West, including Joshua Faraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). The outcome is never really in doubt, but it’s still a fun ride.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN - Official Trailer (HD)
Rocky (1976)
Rocky
120m
Genre Drama, Romance
Stars Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
Directed by John G. Avildsen
The film that launched a franchise, Rocky casts Sylvester Stallone — who also wrote the film’s screenplay — as a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia boxer who gets the chance of a lifetime when Heavyweight World Champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) decides to offer an unknown fighter a chance at the title. Based on a true story, the drama went on to become an Oscar darling, taking home three Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and earning Stallone a nomination for both his performance and the film’s script. One of the most iconic underdog stories in Hollywood history, Rocky spawned a franchise that continues to this day with the Creed spinoff films.
Smile (2022)
Smile
115m
Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Stars Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey
Directed by Parker Finn
This chilling 2022 horror film was a surprise hit for filmmaker Parker Finn. The film follows a therapist whose deadly encounter with a seemingly paranoid patient initiates her own terrifying ordeal.  Terrorized by supernatural events based around maniacally grinning people, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) desperately tries to unravel a mystery before time runs out and something even more nightmarish unfolds.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
63 %
6.8/10
111m
Genre Drama, History, Comedy
Stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough
Directed by Will Sharpe
Benedict Cumberbatch portrays turn-of-the-century English artist Louis Wain in this colorful biopic about the eccentric artist who famously made a name for himself with depictions of cats using bright, psychedelic colors and imagery. Cumberbatch is joined in the cast by Claire Foy (The Crown), who plays Wain’s wife, Emily.
I Want You Back (2022)
I Want You Back
117m
Genre Comedy, Romance
Stars Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Scott Eastwood
Directed by Jason Orley
This lighthearted romantic comedy casts Charlie Day and Jenny Slate as heartbroken strangers whose chance encounter after being dumped leads them to formulate a crazy plan: They’ll each attempt to infiltrate the life of the other’s ex-partner and break up their new relationship. Silly, edgy, and fueled by the stars’ wonderfully funny chemistry, the film also features some great supporting roles for Gina Rodriguez, Scott Eastwood, and Pete Davidson.
Somebody I Used to Know (2023)
Somebody I Used to Know
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.
I'm Your Woman (2020)
I'm Your Woman
120m
Genre Crime, Drama
Stars Rachel Brosnahan, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Arinzé Kene
Directed by Julia Hart
This gritty 1970s-era crime drama casts Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan as Jean, the bored suburban housewife of shady hustler Eddie (Bill Heck). When Eddie suddenly disappears one night, it sets off a series of events that sends Jean on the run with their baby from mysterious, gun-toting villains. Soaked in ’70s aesthetic with a memorable, era-appropriate soundtrack, I’m Your Woman is an under-the-radar gem of high-stakes crime drama.
Argentina, 1985 (2022)
Argentina, 1985
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 most prominent war crimes trial since the Nüremberg Trials, and the first major trial for war crimes conducted by a civilian court. Argentina’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at this year’s Academy Awards, Argentina 1985 also won a Golden Globe Award en route to becoming one of the country’s most celebrated films of all time.
Serpico (1973)
Serpico
81 %
7.7/10
130m
Genre Crime, History, Drama
Stars Al Pacino, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Al Pacino portrays real-life former New YorkCity Police Department officer Frank Serpico in this biographical drama based on Peter Maas’ book of the same name. The film chronicles Serpico’s efforts to expose the corruption that was rampant within the city’s police department, only to be ignored — an environment that eventually leads him to be shot and, later, become one of law enforcement’s most prominent whistleblowers. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the 1973 film earned a long list of accolades, including a Golden Globe Award for Pacino’s memorable portrayal of the film’s titular honest cop.
Clue (1985)
Clue
94m
Genre Comedy, Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Stars Tim Curry, Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn
Directed by Jonathan Lynn
The perfect blend of mystery and comedy, Jonathan Lynn’s big-screen adaptation of the popular Parker Brothers board game brought an all-star cast together for a classic whodunit story. Seven strangers are invited to a creepy mansion, and when one of them dies, the hijinks begin as the colorful cast of characters attempts to figure out the identity of the murderer in their midst. Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Madeline Kahn, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, and Lesley Ann Warren lead the cast of the film, which famously features a set of alternate endings that explore the night’s events from different characters’ perspectives.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Raiders of the Lost Ark
115m
Genre Adventure, Action
Stars Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
Directed by Steven Spielberg
The film that spawned one of the greatest adventure franchises of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark introduces Harrison Ford as intrepid archeologist Indiana Jones, whose efforts to recover priceless historical artifacts often end up with him running, fighting, or flying for his life — occasionally assisted by his signature bullwhip. This debut feature puts him on the trail of the fabled Ark of the Covenant and in the crosshairs of Nazi agents bent on putting it to evil use. It’s easy to see why audiences became enamored with Dr. Jones after watching this saga play out.
Cold War (2018)
Cold War
88m
Genre Drama, Romance, War, Music
Paweł Pawlikowski’s gorgeous, Oscar-nominated historical drama Cold War follows Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) and Zula (Joanna Kulig), a music director and singer respectively, who meet and fall in love in Poland after the end of World War II. As the years drag on and the Soviet grip over Eastern Europe tightens, the two drift across borders, in and out of each other’s lives. Their turbulent romance, set against a backdrop of paranoia and repression, is messy but moving. Filmed in stark black-and-white, Cold War is a beautiful film full of masterfully composed shots.
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Manchester by the Sea
138m
Genre Drama
Directed by Kenneth Lonergan
Casey Affleck won an Academy Award for his performance in this powerful drama about a man forced to confront the sins — and tragedies — of his past when his older brother dies, leaving his teenage son orphaned. Praised for its thoughtful, emotional script and the performances of Affleck and supporting actress Michelle Williams, the film also earned director Kenneth Lonergan an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Nanny (2022)
Nanny
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.
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
99m
Genre Fantasy, Romance
Stars Kathryn Newton, Kyle Allen, Jermaine Harris
Directed by Ian Samuels
The time-loop genre goes young-adult in this charming film about a teenager whose comfortable, infinitely repeating life is shaken up when he meets a teenage girl living through a similar, constantly looping day. Kyle Allen and Kathryn Newton portray the star-crossed, time-looping lovers in the teenage rom-com, which was written by The Magicians author Lev Grossman.
Good Night Oppy (2022)
Good Night Oppy
65 %
7.8/10
pg 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 elicits a similar response, drawing 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 of 2004 and was supposed to roam and explore the landscape for a pre-determined 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 not to be missed.

Good Night Oppy - Official Trailer | Prime Video
American Animals (2018)
American Animals
68 %
7/10
r 117m
Genre Drama, Crime, Documentary
Stars Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner
Directed by Bart Layton
You know a movie’s gonna be good when it’s based on a true story and it’s as crazy as this. Barry Keoghan (DunkirkThe Killing of a Sacred Deer) and Evan Peters (American Horror Story, WandaVision) star as Spencer Reinhard and Warren Lipka, two students in Kentucky who get the idea of stealing a handful of rare, valuable books from the Transylvania University library, including a first edition of James Audubon’s Birds of America, which would sell for millions if they were to snag it. Together with their friends Eric Borsuk (Jared Abrahamson) and Chas Allen (Blake Jenner), they hatch an insane plan involving dressing up like elderly businessmen and restraining the librarian to make off with the books. The fact that a movie was made about it perhaps gives some insight into whether they were successful or not, but it happened, it’s bananas, and we’re all delightfully entertained by it.
Torn Hearts (2022)
Torn Hearts
59 %
5.1/10
r 97m
Genre Horror, Thriller, Music
Stars Katey Sagal, Abby Quinn, Alexxis Lemire
Directed by Brea Grant

Early Rotten Tomatoes critics’ reviews bode well for this haunting horror-thriller starring Katey Sagal who is terrifying as reclusive Nashville country icon Harper Dutch. Young, up-and-coming country duo Jordan Wilder (Abby Quinn) and Leigh Blackhouse (Alexxis Lemire) are paying their dues in Nashville bars when they get the chance to meet Harper and record a song with her at her decrepit mansion (which should have been the first sign). They say you should never meet your idols, which is the understatement of the year as the girls are drawn into Harper’s twisted nightmare — kind of like if Dolly Parton went all Jack Torrance. One respite from all the thrills is Torn Hearts‘ music: there are some truly great vocal numbers sung by Sagal herself.

Torn Hearts I Official Trailer
The Northman (2022)
The Northman
82 %
7.1/10
r 137m
Genre Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang
Directed by Robert Eggers

The Northman is nothing short of brutal. That’s not a critique of the film (it has a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 89%) — by that, we mean that The Northman is a dark and vicious Viking revenge tale that makes shows like Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla look like episodes of Sesame Street. Directed by Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse), Northman tells the Viking legend of prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), whose father, King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke), is murdered by his own brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang), who assumes rule and takes Aurvandill’s wife (Nicole Kidman) as his own. Young Amleth flees by boat, narrowly escaping death, and spends the following years preparing and plotting his revenge. And boy, does he get it. Now a grown man and a trained berserker, Amleth tracks a usurped Fjolnir down in Iceland, where he’s living a much more modest life as a farmer. With the help of a young slave woman (Anya Taylor-Joy), all Viking hell is set to break loose.

Catherine Called Birdy (2022)
Catherine Called Birdy
71 %
6.6/10
pg-13 108m
Genre Adventure, Comedy
Stars Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott
Directed by Lena Dunham
If you like sassy, era-crossing period content such as Netflix’s Enola Holmes and Apple TV Plus’ Dickinson, then this adventure comedy from Girls‘ Lena Dunham might be perfect for you. Based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Karen Cushman, this passion project for Dunham stars Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsay (who’s also starring as Ellie in the upcoming The Last of Us series), who became a fan favorite for her depiction of feisty Lyanna Mormont, as the titular Lady Catherine, aka “Birdy,” a teenager in Medieval England. When her father, Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott), tries to marry her off to a long list of suitors to prevent the family’s financial ruin, Birdy uses her wit and cunning to stave them off in a battle for her independence.
Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan
73 %
7.6/10
118m
Genre Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction, Action
Stars Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho
Zombie apocalypse movies and TV shows come and go (and some stay way, way too long — The Walking Dead, we’re looking at you), but some are so good and unique that they linger in your psyche. South Korea’s Train to Busan is one such memorable film. It tells the story of divorced father Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), whose work-obsessed lifestyle is taking its toll on his young daughter, Su-an (Su-an Kim), so the pair board a train from Seoul to Busan to visit Su-an’s mother. But wouldn’t you know it, all hell breaks loose when a strange virus suddenly grips the country, turning everyone infected into frenzied, blood-hungry zombies … and it’s found its way onto the train. With some absolutely stunning action sequences, Train to Busan not only explores the chaos of everyone-for-themselves mass hysteria but also how humans band together when in need.  
Let the Right One In (2008)
Let the Right One In
82 %
7.9/10
r 115m
Genre Horror, Drama
Stars Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Swedish horror author John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let the Right One In is one of the most unique vampire movies ever made. It’s a dark story of love and acceptance under macabre circumstances, but it’s oddly touching nonetheless. Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a 12-year-old boy who is bullied relentlessly at school. He lives with his mother in a duplex in suburban Sweden. Eli (Lina Leandersson) is a pale, peculiar girl who only visits Oskar at night, and the pair develop a close bond. While Oskar plots his revenge on his classmates, strange, gruesome murders start happening in the neighborhood, which Eli, who is much more than she appears to be, may have something to do with. This film is in Swedish with English subtitles.
Thirteen Lives (2022)
Thirteen Lives
63 %
7.8/10
pg-13 147m
Genre Drama, Thriller
Stars Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton
Directed by Ron Howard
After practice on June 23, 2018, 12 boys aged 11 to 16, teammates of the Thai junior football team Wild Boars, and their assistant coach, went in to the scenic Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Thailand and were trapped after heavy rain flooded the caves. The massive rescue effort drew worldwide attention, as a team of international divers traversed several kilometers to bring the boys out. Thirteen Lives tells this intense, nail-biting story, with Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton playing three of the heroic divers who risked their lives to bring the team and their coach to safety.
Thirteen Lives - Official Trailer | Prime Video
The Vast of Night (2019)
The Vast of Night
84 %
6.7/10
pg-13 91m
Genre Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz, Bruce Davis
Directed by Andrew Patterson
This nostalgic throwback to classic sci-fi thrillers follows a young switchboard operator and a radio DJ whose discovery of a mysterious audio frequency sets off a series of discoveries that lead them deep into the unknown. The Amazon Studios film is the directorial debut of Andrew Patterson and has earned high praise from critics and streaming audiences alike for its suspenseful, low-budget spin on the genre.
Master (2022)
Master
66 %
4.9/10
r 99m
Genre Horror, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Stars Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Talia Ryder
Directed by Mariama Diallo

Regina Hall (Nine Perfect StrangersInsecure) stars in this social thriller/horror about an elite New England university that’s as old as the country itself and has just as many dark secrets. Hall plays Gail Bishop, the school’s new headmaster and the first Black person to hold the position. A Black student, Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee), arrives as a freshman and is soon subjected to anonymous racist attacks that she is convinced are being done by an ancient presence from the school’s past — turns out the school was built on the site of some Salem-era witch trials. As Gail and Jasmine learn to navigate the school’s elite politics and privilege, they uncover the truth about the school and just how tied to its past it really is.

One Night in Miami... (2020)
One Night in Miami...
83 %
7.1/10
r 114m
Genre Drama
In actress Regina King’s excellent directorial debut, she takes Kemp Powers’ screenplay of his own stage play and turns it into a riveting drama. One Night in Miami is a fictionalized ponderance of a real-life meeting that happened in Miami Beach in 1964 in which famous friends Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), who earlier that night just beat Sonny Liston for the world championship, Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben -Adir), singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and football star Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) gathered to enjoy each other’s company, debate, and discuss their roles in affecting change in Black America. Each star holds his own portraying such cultural heavyweights, and the film mixes beautifully shot sequences of their individual lives and achievements with fly-on-the-wall ensemble scenes that give you a sense of what it might have been like being in the room with these icons.
Sound of Metal (2020)
Sound of Metal
82 %
7.8/10
r 121m
Genre Drama, Music
Stars Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Directed by Darius Marder
Sound of Metal doesn’t mess around, getting straight to the intense and terrifying moments that Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a drummer in a heavy metal duo with his girlfriend (the wonderful Olivia Cooke), starts to lose his hearing. It’s the little things we take for granted that director/screenwriter Darius Marder zeroes in on in the film’s opening minutes — the excruciating silence of a blender, the subtle drip of percolating coffee, or the shushing spray of a showerhead — all gone. But Sound of Metal isn’t about deafness, it’s a story about change and the journey we must take to embrace it, as Ruben enters a facility to help him learn to live with his deafness while also avoiding a relapse into his old life of drug abuse. It’s a beautiful film about life-changing loss and redemption and shouldn’t be missed.
The Handmaiden (2016)
The Handmaiden
84 %
8.1/10
145m
Genre Thriller, Drama, Romance
Stars Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo
Directed by Park Chan-wook
From Korean director Park Chan-wook, award-winning director of OldboyThe Handmaiden is an intense, pulse-pounding crime drama set in the early 1900s during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The film follows two women — a young Japanese lady on a secluded estate, and the Korean woman who is hired as her new handmaiden. Little does the former know, though, that the latter is conspiring with a con man to defraud the woman out of her inheritance.

Editors' Recommendations

Movie images and data from:
Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
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