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The best movies on Amazon Prime Video (December 2024)

John David Washington in The Creator.
20th Century Studios

Amazon Prime Video has added some new movies under the tree as an early Christmas gift for subscribers. The Creator has migrated over from Hulu, while The Bikeriders has done the same from Peacock. Neither of those films were blockbusters in theaters, but they’re both enjoyable movies that may do well in their new streaming home.

Speaking of movies that weren’t successful in theaters, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Red One has been a big hit on Amazon Prime Video this week. Too bad it was so expensive that even this flurry of success won’t help it turn a profit or transform it into the Christmas action franchise that Johnson wanted it to be. Check out the best Christmas movies on Prime Video if you want more holiday cheer. You can find the rest of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video below.

Need more recommendations? 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

Editor’s Pick

The Creator (2023)

The Creator
63%
6.7/10
pg-13
134m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Stars
John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Gemma Chan
Directed by
Gareth Edwards
Watch on Amazon

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards broke his long hiatus between films to return to cinemas with The Creator. In this vision of the future, the world is divided over A.I. beings, which are embraced by the East and despised by Western nations. Sergeant Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) has lost a lot to this conflict, including family members, body parts, and his wife, Maya (Gemma Chan).

Taylor is drawn back into the war when he learns Nirmata, the inventor behind A.I.’s greatest achievements, has created a weapon that could lead to a decisive victory for the machines. Instead of a weapon, Taylor discovers that it resembles a young child, Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), which forces him to make a decision that will affect humanity’s entire future on Earth.

The Bikeriders (2024)

The Bikeriders
70%
6.7/10
r
116m
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy
Directed by
Jeff Nichols
Watch on Amazon

The Bikeriders is loosely based upon the experiences of author Danny Lyon, a character portrayed by Mike Faist in this adaptation. But the film is largely reworked into an original story that focuses on three characters: Kathy (Jodie Comer), her lover, Benny (Austin Butler), and the leader of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, Johnny (Tom Hardy).

Johnny had high-minded ideals when he founded the club in the 1960s. Over the course of the next decade, Johnny and his friends are almost unrecognizable in what they’re willing to do for the club. Despite Benny’s love for Kathy, he keeps getting drawn back into Johnny’s vision for the club, even when it may destroy him.

Red One (2024)

Red One
34%
6.7/10
pg-13
124m
Genre
Comedy, Action, Fantasy
Stars
Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons
Directed by
Jake Kasdan
Watch on Amazon

Despite its inclusion on this list, Red One is not one of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video. It’s a terrible movie, but it’s one of those films where you have to see it to appreciate just how bad it really is. It’s the kind of flick people might throw candy canes at if it had regular midnight showings. Weirdly, it could be fun to watch it.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson continues his downward career trend as Callum Drift, the head of security for none other than Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons). When Santa gets kidnapped, Callum and his boss, Zoe Harlow (Lucy Liu), forcibly recruit bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans) to help them find Saint Nick and save Christmas.

Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out
82%
7.9/10
pg-13
131m
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Stars
Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
Directed by
Rian Johnson
Watch on Amazon

Daniel Craig sheds his James Bond persona like a separate skin in Knives Out. Craig steps into the role of Southern sleuth Benoit Blanc, a man whose accent is just shy of Foghorn Leghorn territory. However, the voice somehow works for this comedic murder mystery. Ana de Armas has a standout turn as Marta Cabrera, the loyal housekeeper of a wealthy author, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer).

After Harlan dies, his spoiled extended family is stunned to discover that his entire fortune has been left to Marta. The family does not know that Harlan was murdered. Plus, Marta is horrified to discover that the evidence points back to her just as Blanc begins his investigation.

Almost Famous (2000)

Almost Famous
90%
7.9/10
r
124m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson
Directed by
Cameron Crowe
Watch on Amazon

Writer and director Cameron Crowe drew upon his own life story when creating Almost Famous, and it’s arguably the best movie he’s ever made. In the 1970s, teenager William Miller (Patrick Fugit) doesn’t fit in at school, but his writing talent lands him a gig with Rolling Stone. He even gets a chance to write a feature-length profile about a band named Stillwater and go on the road with them.

While on the assignment, William falls hard for Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), one of the band’s groupies, who only has eyes for lead guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). William thinks he’s found a new group of friends in the band, but he’s lost sight of the real reason he’s there. And tensions inside of Stillwater may keep William from ever getting the story he was chasing in the first place.

The Batman (2022)

The Batman
72%
7.8/10
pg-13
177m
Genre
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Stars
Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright
Directed by
Matt Reeves
Watch on Amazon

Look everyone, it’s the prequel to The Penguin! The Batman Part 2 is still two years away, but The Batman is back on Prime Video for the holidays. Matt Reeves’ Dark Knight reboot is packed with villains, and foremost among them is the Riddler (Paul Dano), a serial killer on a twisted quest for justice. The Riddler begins his rampage by murdering the mayor of Gotham City.

Robert Pattinson’s Batman is still young and inexperienced, and oddly not very good at pretending to be normal as Bruce Wayne. Batman finds a kindred spirit in Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) and an ally in Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright). However, the scope of Riddler’s plans are far too big for anyone to handle alone, even Batman.

The Meg (2018)

The Meg
46%
5.7/10
pg-13
113m
Genre
Action, Science Fiction, Horror
Stars
Jason Statham, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson
Directed by
Jon Turteltaub
Watch on Amazon

Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) looks like a man who was born to karate kick a shark. Unfortunately for Jonas, the title creature in The Meg is just a little bit too big for him to beat up. As a rescue diver, Jonas had an unexplained encounter with the previously thought-to-be-extinct megalodon shark when it murdered two members of his team.

Half a decade later, Jonas’ ex-wife, Lori (Jessica McNamee), embarks on a mission to explore a deeper part of the Mariana Trench. Unfortunately, Lori and her team are trapped in the trench after an attack by the Meg. Jonas is recruited to rescue Lori. However, his team has much bigger problems on their hands in the trench when the Meg goes on the attack. Once the Meg finishes decimating their ranks, it will hunt for more humans.

Coraline (2009)

Coraline
80%
7.8/10
pg
100m
Genre
Animation, Family, Fantasy
Stars
Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders
Directed by
Henry Selick
Watch on Amazon

What do you get when you combine a Neil Gaiman story with Harry Selick, the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas? A wonderfully spooky stop-motion animated film called Coraline, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is a young girl who is having trouble adjusting to her new home after a cross-country move. Neither of her parents, Mel (Teri Hatcher) and Charlie Jones (John Hodgman), have much time for Coraline. But there are alternate versions of both of Coraline’s parents who can give her whatever she wants.

Somehow, Coraline’s new home has a doorway to an alternate world where her parents dote on her every need. It’s like a dream come true until Coraline realizes why it’s really a nightmare. She’s not the first kid to be lured to this devilish dimension by the fiend that resembles her mother. However, she might be the last.

Abigail (2024)

Abigail
62%
6.6/10
r
109m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir
Directed by
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Watch on Amazon

Scream‘s Melissa Barrera reunites with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett for Abigail, a film that is very much unlike her previous genre movies. Barrera plays Joey, a military veteran who has hit hard times. That’s why she agreed to work with Frank (Dan Stevens) and a group of other criminals to kidnap a young girl named Abigail (Alisha Weir).

Joey tries to form a connection with Abigail to assure the young girl that she will remain safe before learning that the latter is the daughter of a dangerous crime lord, Kristof Lazaar (Matthew Goode). However, the greatest threat to the kidnappers is Abigail herself, because she’s more than she appears to be. When Abigail strikes, it’s lethal.

Dune (2021)

Dune
74%
8.0/10
pg-13
155m
Genre
Science Fiction, Adventure
Stars
Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac
Directed by
Denis Villeneuve
Watch on Amazon

Denis Villeneuve pulled off an amazing feat with his adaptation of Dune, which finally gave Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic the treatment it deserves. Timothée Chalamet stars as Paul Atreides, the son and heir of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), one of the most powerful men in the universe.

But with that power come enemies, both from within the empire and from House Harkonnen, the former rulers of the planet Arrakis. The Harkonnens and the Emperor have prepared a lethal trap to destroy House Atreides once and for all. Meanwhile, Paul comes to grips with visions he doesn’t understand about the Fremen natives, including a young woman named Chani (Zendaya). Destiny is calling Paul; he just has to stay alive long enough to answer it.

My Old Ass (2024)

My Old Ass
79%
7.4/10
89m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White
Directed by
Megan Park
Watch on Amazon

Singer Maisy Stella makes her feature film debut in My Old Ass as Elliott, opposite Agatha All Along‘s Aubrey Plaza as Elliott. Confused yet? So is the younger Elliott! Somehow — and it may be due to some hallucinogenic mushrooms — the older Elliot has come back from the future to give her younger self a warning. And the warning is simply to stay away from a guy named Chad.

When young Elliott meets Chad (Percy Hynes White) shortly thereafter, she realizes that her encounter with her older self may have been real. She can’t understand why old Elliot tried to warn her away, because Chad awakens a side of Elliott that she’s never felt before. Even running away from Chad doesn’t seem to diminish his interest in her or her growing feelings for him.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Silver Linings Playbook
81%
7.7/10
r
122m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro
Directed by
David O. Russell
Watch on Amazon

Jennifer Lawrence was already a star before she made Silver Linings Playbook, but this was the film that made her an Oscar-winner. Lawrence plays Tiffany Maxell, a young widowed woman who likes Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper), a man trying to rebuild his life after a bipolar incident led his wife, Nikki Solitano (Brea Bee), to leave him.

There are romantic sparks between Pat and Tiffany, but he is laser-focused on winning Nikki back. Because she needs a partner for a dance contest, Tiffany agrees to act as a go-between for Pat and his ex-wife. But after spending so much time training with Tiffany, Pat’s feelings for her complicate his attempt to rebuild his marriage.

Infinite (2021)

Infinite
28%
5.5/10
pg-13
106m
Genre
Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Thriller
Stars
Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Cookson
Directed by
Antoine Fuqua
Watch on Amazon

Mark Wahlberg stars as a man who is very confused in Infinite. For almost his entire life, Evan McCauley (Wahlberg) has been dismissed as schizophrenic. He has knowledge and skills that he can’t account for. After Evan is arrested and brought face-to-face with Ted Bathurst (Chiwetel Ejiofor), he is told that he’s known Ted for centuries.

Before long, Nora Brightman (Sophie Cookson) breaks Evan out of jail and reveals that he’s in the middle of a war between reincarnating immortals. And if Evan can’t remember his past life as Heinrich Treadway (Dylan O’Brien), then the fate of the world may lead to Armageddon.

Canary Black (2024)

Canary Black
5.5/10
103m
Genre
Action, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Kate Beckinsale, Rupert Friend, Saffron Burrows
Directed by
Pierre Morel
Watch on Amazon

You can tell that Canary Black has been on the shelf for a while since it has the late Ray Stevenson in one of his final roles. But it’s also a showcase for Kate Beckinsale to get back into her action heroine mode, which she’s been doing for about two decades now. Beckinsale plays Avery Graves, a CIA operative who has kept her husband, David Brooks (Rupert Friend), in the dark about who she really is and what her job entails.

When terrorists kidnap David, they blackmail Avery into retrieving a file called Canary Black that could lead to an attack on her country. Stevenson plays Avery’s mentor and boss, Jarvis Hedlund, and even he’s not sure he can trust her when she goes rogue. But if Avery can’t find a way out from under the terrorists’ control, she may lose everything she holds dear.

Monkey Man (2024)

Monkey Man
70%
6.9/10
r
121m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Dev Patel, Sikandar Kher, Pitobash
Directed by
Dev Patel
Watch on Amazon

Dev Patel made his directorial debut with Monkey Man, a film in which he also stars as the main character. And despite the title, Patel’s character doesn’t actually transform into a monkey or even go by that name. The audience only knows him as Kid, a man who will do anything to get his revenge on Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher), the corrupt police chief who murdered his mother.

Kid does wear a monkey mask when he’s in the ring for an underground fighting circuit. However, his real disguise is pretending to be an ordinary waiter at a high-end brothel so he can rise through the ranks and get close enough to assassinate Rana no matter what his vengeance costs him.

Terrifier 2 (2022)

Terrifier 2
59%
6.1/10
r
138m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Elliott Fullam
Directed by
Damien Leone
Watch on Amazon

Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is back for another round of terror in Terrifier 2. Some evil entity has resurrected Art yet again, and he goes on another rampage. A teenager named Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) is haunted by dreams of Art and she’s convinced that her late father knew how to stop the clown once and for all.

Art must sense the same thing, since he kidnaps Sienna’s brother, Jonathan (Elliott Fullam), and terrorizes their family. Now, Sienna has to save her brother, but first, she must live through her encounter with Art.

IF (2024)

IF
46%
6.5/10
pg
104m
Genre
Comedy, Fantasy, Family
Stars
Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski
Directed by
John Krasinski
Watch on Amazon

For his first directorial effort after helming the initial Quiet Place films, John Krasinski went in a completely different direction with the more family-friendly IF. That title is also the abbreviation for Imaginary Friends, all of whom are creatures that defy reality’s conventions. A young girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) doesn’t initially know what to think when she encounters IFs like Blue (Steve Carell) and Blossom (Phoebe Waller-Bridge).

Fortunately, Bea’s neighbor, Cal (Ryan Reynolds), can see IFs. It’s his job to help them find new children to befriend after their previous kids were separated from them. Bea gets roped into helping Cal, but her solution to the IF problem is even more bold than his. Yet, it’s still going to take a lot of work to pull off, imaginary or not.

Challengers (2024)

Challengers
82%
7.2/10
r
132m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor
Directed by
Luca Guadagnino
Watch on Amazon

You may have to pay close attention to Challengers, because the story doesn’t take place in chronological order. Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, a rising tennis star romantically drawn to two other players on the pro tour: Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist).

Both young men want Tashi for themselves, but only one of them is willing to play dirty to get her. Even when one of them wins Tashi’s heart, it doesn’t end the romantic entanglement between this trio as their lives unfold and intersect over several years. Ultimately, the battle between these two men is going to come back to the place where it all began: on the tennis court.

Colette (2018)

Colette
74%
6.7/10
r
112m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Denise Gough
Directed by
Wash Westmoreland
Watch on Amazon

Keira Knightley adds another daring performance to her credits in the title role of Collette, a biopic about the famous French author Gabrielle Colette. In the late 19th century, Collette marries Henry Gauthier-Villars (Dominic West), who encourages her to write. And by “encourages,” we mean that he steals credit for her work and literally imprisons her to make her write another hit.

Collette turns out to be a natural writer, but rebuilding her life and reputation proves to be difficult after Henry takes everything that she created. However, the real story of the film isn’t about Collette’s fall; it’s about her rise and her ability to reinvent herself.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
73%
7.8/10
pg
103m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Family
Stars
Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillén
Directed by
Joel Crawford
Watch on Amazon

In the long wait between Shrek movies, Antonio Banderas’ Puss in Boots has been keeping the franchise alive. But in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, time is almost up for the title character. Puss relies on his nine lives to survive the epic adventures. And now that Puss is on his very last life, he’s truly scared about his potential fate — so much so that he abandons his identity and tries to live as a normal cat.

However, Puss learns that there may be a way to restore his lost lives if he can find a magical wishing star. Puss isn’t the only one looking for the star, nor the only one who desperately needs what it can offer him. This quest reunites Puss with his ex-fiancée, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault), and forces him to reevaluate what he really wants.

Snack Shack (2024)

Snack Shack
64%
6.9/10
r
112m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Abdalla
Directed by
Adam Rehmeier
Watch on Amazon

Snack Shack is a coming-of-age comedy set in 1991. A.J. Carter (Conor Sherry) and his friend, Moose Miller (Gabriel LaBelle), are 14-year-olds whose schemes to get money almost always backfire on them. At least until they hit upon the idea of running the local Snack Shack for the summer.

Their bond of friendship is tested when A.J. meets Brooke, his attractive new neighbor. Because Moose makes the first move on Brooke, this creates tension between him and A.J., who isn’t willing to simply back off. As Brooke begins to reciprocate A.J.’s feelings, his friendship and lucrative partnership with Moose may come crashing down.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

10 Cloverfield Lane
76%
7.2/10
pg-13
104m
Genre
Thriller, Science Fiction, Drama, Horror
Stars
John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr.
Directed by
Dan Trachtenberg
Watch on Amazon

The first Cloverfield movie was anything but subtle, and its found-footage format may have given some viewers vertigo. There’s none of that in 10 Cloverfield Lane, a largely standalone sequel that works as both a thriller and a sci-fi story. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Michelle, a woman who finds herself locked in an underground bunker by Howard Stambler (John Goodman).

Howard claims that he saved Michelle’s life after the outside world was poisoned in a sudden attack. Emmett DeWitt (John Gallagher Jr.), the only other person in the bunker, backs up Howard’s account. Michelle doesn’t trust either man, and she needs to see for herself. But she may not like what she finds waiting for her outside …

Paddington (2014)

Paddington
72%
7.3/10
pg
96m
Genre
Comedy, Adventure, Family
Stars
Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins
Directed by
Paul King
Watch on Amazon

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who hates Paddington Bear (James Bond movie series star Ben Whishaw), but the Paddington movie does find someone: Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman). Beautiful on the outside, and spitefully evil within, Millicent hates animals and makes it her mission to kill and stuff Paddington once she learns he’s in London.

Fortunately, Henry (Hugh Bonneville) and Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins), and their children, adore Paddington and treat him like a member of the family. Yet even the Browns can’t protect Paddington from Millicent’s malevolence by themselves. Fortunately for Paddington, he also has a knack for getting out of trouble.

Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Lisa Frankenstein
47%
6.1/10
pg-13
102m
Genre
Comedy, Horror, Romance
Stars
Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano
Directed by
Zelda Williams
Watch on Amazon

What kind of a world are we living in when a young woman can’t resurrect her ideal man without being compared to one of the most famous mad scientists in literary history? The title character of Lisa Frankenstein isn’t even a real Frankenstein! That said, Lisa (Kathryn Newton) does show an amoral side of her personality after she accidentally resurrects the Creature (Cole Sprouse). She’s been looking for love in all the dead places, and now that she’s found it, Lisa isn’t going to let him go.

After being dead for over a century, the Creature is missing a few parts. And Lisa is more than willing to kill a few people to get what her newfound lover needs to be a complete man again. She just can’t outrun the consequences of her murderous actions for long.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
80%
7.7/10
pg-13
164m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames
Directed by
Christopher McQuarrie
Watch on Amazon

If you’re looking for high-caliber action, then Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning is the film for you. Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie have made the last few Mission: Impossible movies into events, and this may be the beginning of the end for Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt.

This time, Ethan and his IMF team are going up against The Entity, a sentient AI that the world’s governments are scrambling to control. Only Ethan realizes that it has to be destroyed, but The Entity itself has other plans. It exerts its influence in the real world through Ethan’s old foe, Gabriel (Esai Morales). And an enigmatic thief named Grace (Haley Atwell) may hold the key to stopping The Entity dead in its tracks.

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Bob Marley: One Love
43%
6.3/10
pg-13
104m
Genre
Music, History, Drama
Stars
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton
Directed by
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Watch on Amazon

Bob Marley: One Love is a music biopic that takes place late in the life of reggae superstar Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir). After Bob and his wife, Rita Marley (The Marvels actress Lashana Lynch), narrowly survive an assassination attempt in his native Jamaica, it sends him into a creative tailspin that threatens to derail his dreams.

Before Bob can resume his message of peace, he has to face his own inner demons and work out his issues with Rita. Bob Marley didn’t have a lot of time in this world, but the film shows that he made the most of what he had and left a lasting legacy of music behind.

The Beekeeper (2024)

The Beekeeper
54%
6.4/10
r
105m
Genre
Action, Crime, Thriller
Stars
Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi
Directed by
David Ayer
Watch on Amazon

If you’re looking for a movie with Oscar buzz, The Beekeeper isn’t one of those films. But it is a Jason Statham action flick that lives up to everything you may expect to see from it. Statham plays Adam Clay, a former member of a secretive organization called the Beekeepers and an actual beekeeper.

Adam is content in his retirement until his friend and landlady, Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad), is taken for everything she has by scammers. Eloise commits suicide rather than live with the shame of having allowed her charity foundation to be robbed of millions. Adam vows revenge, and his bloody path of retribution puts him on opposite sides of the CIA and his former colleagues in the Beekeepers.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Oppenheimer
90%
8.3/10
r
181m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Watch on Amazon

The best movie of 2023 is now the best movie on Prime Video. Director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan will have a hard time topping the flick that finally won two Oscars for him. Because Oppenheimer not only lived up to the hype, it’s the kind of film that will likely endure for decades to come.

Cillian Murphy gives an Oscar-winning performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who was instrumental in putting together the team that built the atomic bomb. Nolan’s narrative jumps back and forth to different years in Oppenheimer’s life, including an attempt by Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) to destroy his reputation. Yet nothing will hit Oppenheimer harder than the full weight of the atomic destruction that he unleashed upon the world.

Mean Girls (2024)

Mean Girls
58%
5.7/10
pg-13
113m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli'i Cravalho
Directed by
Arturo Perez Jr., Samantha Jayne
Watch on Amazon

Mean Girls isn’t just a remake of the 2002 film, it’s also an adaptation of the 2017 Mean Girls musical. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprise their roles from the original movie, but the leading part of Cady Heron features rising star Angourie Rice as she steps into Lindsay Lohan’s shoes. Lohan even has a cameo in the film, which you should be able to spot if you keep your eyes open near the end.

Cady has never gone to an actual school before, since she’s been homeschooled her entire life. Once she finally enrolls in North Shore High School, Cady is initially accepted by the Plastics, the titular mean girls. When the Plastics inevitably turn on Cady, she hatches a scheme to take them down from within. And she might just lose herself along the way.

Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall
81%
7.8/10
pg-13
143m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Stars
Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem
Directed by
Sam Mendes
Watch on Amazon

Skyfall is easily the most beloved James Bond movie of the modern era, and a high point of Daniel Craig’s time as 007. After nearly getting killed in the field, Bond attempts to retire from MI6 before a terrorist bombing draws him back into the fold. It quickly becomes clear that Bond is far from recovered from his injuries, but M (Judi Dench) still takes him back because of the threat that Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) represents to the nation and the world.

Raoul is also closely linked to M’s past, and Bond is going to have to face his own inner demons before he can take on Silva directly. It all leads to a final showdown at Bond’s ancestral home, Skyfall.

American Fiction (2023)

American Fiction
81%
7.5/10
r
117m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Jeffrey Wright, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander
Directed by
Cord Jefferson
Watch on Amazon

American Fiction casts The Batman Part Two’s Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a college professor and a novelist whose books sell very poorly. Monk is also upset that another writer, Sinatra Golden (Issa Rae), has found massive success while seemingly pandering to Black stereotypes. So Monk writes his own novel as a satire of Golden’s books before submitting it for publication.

Much to Monk’s surprise and horror, his satire is embraced by the publisher and the general public. The satire of the piece goes unnoticed, as the book becomes so popular that it starts taking over Monk’s life, even though he made sure that his real name wasn’t listed as the author. But once the book is out and Hollywood comes knocking, it may be too late.

The Idea of You (2024)

The Idea of You
67%
6.7/10
r
116m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Music
Stars
Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin
Directed by
Michael Showalter
Watch on Amazon

The irony of the premise of The Idea of You is that the romantic entanglement of Solène Marchand (Eileen‘s Anne Hathaway) with boy band lead singer Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine) would probably be more of a fantasy for Solène’s daughter, Izzy (Ella Rubin), than for Solène herself. But one unplanned encounter between Solène and Hayes soon leads to several others.

There is an age gap between Solène and Hayes that does come up in the film, but the bigger issue between them is the celebrity gap. As long as Hayes is a world-famous musician, he and Solène may never be able to enjoy a normal romance without being hounded by the press.

The Holdovers (2023)

The Holdovers
82%
7.9/10
r
133m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Directed by
Alexander Payne
Watch on Amazon

It’s a little early for Christmas movies, but The Holdovers may become a holiday tradition. Paul Giamatti stars as Paul Hunham, an unpopular and curmudgeonly teacher at Barton Academy boarding school in 1970. Hunham is forced to spend his Christmas vacation as a chaperone for the students who don’t have anywhere to go for the holidays.

Despite himself, Hunham starts empathizing and bonding with one of his students, Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), as well as Barton cafeteria manager, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who is grieving over the loss of her son. Through them, Hunham rediscovers his compassion, even though it may cost him what’s left of his teaching career.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

The Exorcist: Believer
39%
4.6/10
r
111m
Genre
Horror
Stars
Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill
Directed by
David Gordon Green
Watch on Amazon

Fifty years after the events of the original Exorcist, demons strike again in The Exorcist: Believer. Two young girls, Angela Fielding (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine West (Olivia O’Neill), have fallen prey to evil, and their parents are at a loss as how to handle their possession.

Angela’s father, Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), eventually finds help in the form of Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a woman who has made herself an expert in the field of demonic possession since her daughter, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), suffered the same ordeal decades earlier. But no amount of preparation is sufficient in the face of the unrelenting evil that has the two children in its grasp.

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Minions: The Rise of Gru
56%
pg
87m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Family
Stars
Pierre Coffin, Steve Carell, Russell Brand
Directed by
Kyle Balda
Watch on Amazon

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the origin story of Despicable Me’s main character, Gru (Steve Carell), but probably not in the way that you expect. In the 1970s, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and the rest of the Minions (Pierre Coffin) have all latched on to Gru as their new master. Gru himself has ambitions of being the biggest supervillain in the world so he can join the Vicious 6.

Unfortunately for Gru, his attempts to join the most notorious gang of bad guys spectacularly backfires, which turns his idols in the Vicious 6 into his deadliest enemies. To defeat them, Gru and the Minions will have to turn to the Vicious 6’s former leader, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin).

Road House (2024)

Road House
59%
6.3/10
r
121m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor
Directed by
Doug Liman
Watch on Amazon

In this remake of the popular 1989 movie starring Patrick Swayze, Jake Gyllenhaal portrays Elwood Dalton as a former UFC fighter who has fallen on some hard times. Road House gives Elwood a chance for redemption when Frankie (Jessica Williams) recruits him to be the bouncer at her bar, which shares its name with the title of the film.

Elwood’s fighting skills go a long way towards keeping order at The Road House, much to the anger of a local mobster, Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen). Elwood took care of Brandt’s regular goons with ease, but he’ll have a much harder time handling Knox, an enforcer for Brandt who is played by an actual UFC fighter, Conor McGregor.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
74%
7.2/10
pg
100m
Genre
Animation, Comedy, Action, Science Fiction
Stars
Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu
Directed by
Jeff Rowe
Watch on Amazon

The TMNT have been reinvented numerous times over the last four decades. But the unique thing about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is that it focuses on them as believable teenagers. Donatello (Micah Abbey), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), and Raphael (Brady Noon) may be ninja turtles, but what they really want are some human friends who are their own age.

Despite the disapproval of their adoptive father, Splinter (Jackie Chan), the turtles meet and befriend a human girl, April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri). The turtles also believe that they can win over humanity if they become heroes. However, their first real test is Superfly (Ice Cube) and his army of mutants. And even the TMNT are outnumbered and outmatched against them.

The Other Zoey (2023)

The Other Zoey
5.9/10
pg-13
91m
Genre
Romance, Drama, Comedy
Stars
Josephine Langford, Drew Starkey, Archie Renaux
Directed by
Sara Zandieh
Watch on Amazon

The Other Zoey is not a remake of the Sandra Bullock rom-com While You Were Sleeping. But romantic comedy fans may notice some similarities between the two. Josephine Langford stars as Zoey Miller, a high school student who is definitely not the girlfriend of soccer star Zach MacLaren (Drew Starkey), whose girlfriend is also named Zoey (Maggie Thurmon).

When Zach suffers a head injury that gives him partial amnesia, he mistakes Zoey for his girlfriend, and his doctors warn her not to upset him with the truth. So Zoey carries on the deception and gets closer to Zach on a lavish vacation. At the same time, Zoey also feels attracted to Zach’s cousin, Miles Maclaren (Archie Renaux), who shares many of her views about love and life. So, which guy does Zoey really want? You’ll have to watch the film to find out.

Role Play (2023)

Role Play
5.5/10
r
101m
Genre
Crime, Romance, Action
Stars
David Oyelowo, Kaley Cuoco, Bill Nighy
Directed by
Thomas Vincent
Watch on Amazon

Emma (The Flight Attendant‘s Kaley Cuoco) and Dave Brackett (David Oyelowo) are just about as happy as a couple could be in Prime Video’s Role Play. The Bracketts have two children and a beautiful home in a New Jersey suburb. What they’re lacking is the passion in the bedroom that they used to have before starting a family.

For their anniversary, Dave and Emma take a trip to New York and indulge in some role play. That turns out to be a mistake when Bob Kellerman (Bill Nighy) blows Emma’s cover and exposes her as an international assassin. Now, Emma has to use her skills to protect her family and keep her marriage to Dave intact.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
42%
6.0/10
pg-13
127m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Stars
Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen
Directed by
Steven Caple Jr.
Watch on Amazon

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts rolls back the clock to 1994 and follows a young man, Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), who is so desperate to provide for his family that he agrees to steal a car. Unfortunately for Noah, the car turns out to be Mirage (Pete Davidson), one of the Autobots hiding on Earth. And while Mirage is eager to make friends with Noah, Autobot leader Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) is not as trusting.

Thanks to a discovery made by museum research intern Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), she and Noah are drawn into the Autobots’ war with the Terrorcons, who want to bring the planet-killing Transformer Unicron (Colman Domingo) to Earth. In order to save the world, Noah and Elena will have to help the Autobots find the Maximals and their leader, Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman).

A Good Person (2023)

A Good Person
50%
7.1/10
r
128m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Molly Shannon
Directed by
Zach Braff
Watch on Amazon

Dune: Part Two star Florence Pugh sheds all aspects of her MCU Black Widow role as a broken young woman in A Good Person. Zach Braff wrote and directed the film, which casts Pugh as Allison, a woman who was once engaged to her high school boyfriend, Nathan (Chinaza Uche). But shortly after her engagement, Allison causes a car accident that claims the lives of Nathan’s sister, Molly (Nichelle Hines), and her husband, Jesse (Toby Onwumere).

One year later, Allison is attempting to kick her addiction to painkillers when she reunites with Nathan and Molly’s father, Daniel (Morgan Freeman). As Daniel attempts to forgive Allison, they reenter each other’s lives and she tries to make amends with Ryan (Celeste O’Connor), the daughter that Molly and Jesse left behind.

Memento (2000)

Memento
83%
8.4/10
r
113m
Genre
Mystery, Thriller
Stars
Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Watch on Amazon

Christopher Nolan made his name in Hollywood with Memento, a brilliantly twisted story that is told out of order. L.A. Confidential’s Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby, a man who is out to avenge the murder of his wife. The problem is that Leonard can’t make any new long-term memories, which is why his body is covered with tattoos designed to lead him to his wife’s killer.

Every face Leonard sees is the face of a stranger, so each time he meets Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), he’s unsure of who he can trust. And everyone who knows about Leonard’s condition takes advantage of it, including Leonard himself.

Totally Killer (2023)

Totally Killer
60%
7.1/10
r
106m
Genre
Horror, Comedy
Stars
Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen
Directed by
Nahnatchka Khan
Watch on Amazon

Amazon Studios’ Totally Killer seems to welcome comparisons to Back to the Future, and it’s one of the more unique blends of sci-fi, comedy, and horror. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s Kiernan Shipka stars as Jamie, a teenager who is very familiar with the story about how her mom, Pam (Julie Bowen), survived the Sweet Sixteen Killer 35 years ago. It’s something that Jamie has heard about many times in her life.

When the Sweet Sixteen Killer returns in the present, Jamie finds herself transported back in time to 1987, when her much younger mother (Olivia Holt) was apparently one of the mean girls in school. Yet if Jamie can’t protect Pam in the past then she may not have a future to go home to.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
72%
7.3/10
pg-13
134m
Genre
Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy
Stars
Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith
Directed by
John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Watch on Amazon

The D&D franchise got a fresh start on the big screen with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which casts Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez as a pair of close friends, Edgin Darvis and Holga Kilgore, respectively. After being betrayed by their former friend, Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), Edgin and Holga escape prison and plot to reunite with Edgin’s daughter, Kira (Chloe Coleman).

After reconnecting with a sorcerer of dubious talent, Simon Aumar (Justice Smith), Holga and Edgin recruit Doric (Sophia Lillis) to help them rob Fitzwilliam in the heist of a lifetime to force him from power. However, they soon find that Forge is involved with a plan that threatens everyone in Neverwinter, and only Edgin’s group can stop it from happening.

Creed III (2023)

Creed III
73%
6.9/10
pg-13
116m
Genre
Drama, Action
Stars
Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors
Directed by
Michael B. Jordan
Watch on Amazon

Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with Creed III, which theoretically could work as the end of the Rocky movies. At this point in his life, Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Jordan) has pretty much done everything he wanted in boxing, so he retires to spend more time with his wife, Bianca Taylor-Creed (Tessa Thompson), and their daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent).

Unfortunately for Donnie, the good times end when his former friend, Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), renters his life. Years ago, Dame was sent to prison, and it was largely Donnie’s fault. Now that Dame is back, he’s going to push Donnie until he gets the chance for payback in the ring. And this may not be a fight that Donnie can win.

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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