20 of the best movies to watch on Amazon Prime Video

Sylvie’s love

Amazon

Although Sylvie’s Love is, in essence, an old-fashioned love story, her dewy romance is remarkably invigorating: a black-centered period drama that is not dominated by issues of race and intolerance. Set in the aesthetically enchanting 60s New York City, he follows Sylvie and Robert, who have a chance to reconnect after a summer romance five years ago. Both work with music and the film’s soundtrack, with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and more, helps transport you to this brilliant place.

I am your wife

Amazon

Not your usual police thriller, I’m Your Woman follows the perspective of a mobster’s wife, played by Rachel Brosnahan from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. A betrayal forces Jean to flee with a newborn baby and a bodyguard, the former partner of her husband Cal (Arinzé Kene). The neo-noir of the 70s revolves around themes such as racial tensions, privileges and survival. It moves at a surprisingly steady pace, giving you time to absorb the powerful psychological impact of Jean’s new situation.

The 12 lives of Sissy Carlyle

Amazon

This crowdfunded film is a quirky and joyful adventure pack in a 90-minute hit. After a tragic loss, the owner of an antiques store Sissy Carlyle, 27, takes refuge in her inner world, imagining 11 different and exciting lives that she details in her diaries. But eventually she questions whether she should get rid of her fantasy cocoon and face rigid realities, which may not be as desperate as they seemed before. Inspiring is the word to describe Sissy’s final adventure in Sissy Carlyle’s 12 Lives.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Amazon Prime Video

Almost 15 years after the Kazakh journalist and TV personality Borat first appeared on our screens, he went back to playing pranks on unsuspecting Americans, while making incredibly incisive cultural comments. In Borat 2, or Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivering prodigious bribes to the American regime to benefit the formerly glorious nation of Kazakhstan, Borat is on a trip to the United States to offer his daughter Tutar (played by developer Maria Bakalova) to Vice President Mike Pence during the 2020 presidential elections – and the COVID-19 pandemic. Get ready to cringe at the double political incorrectness before succumbing to outrageous laughter.

Selah and the Spades

Amazon

If you like the dark-Things-happening-at-boarding schools genre, then Selah and the Spades may be the subject to enroll. A veteran leads a faction called Spades, which sells drugs to other students. But Selah is about to graduate, so he must find the right candidate to continue his legacy. Filmed beautifully and guided through the unique lenses of debuting director Tayarisha Poe, this is a taste of even greater things to come.

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The Big Sick introduced the world to Kumail Nanjiani, who co-wrote the film based on his real-life romance with partner Emily V. Gordon. After the couple goes on some promising dates, Emily inexplicably falls ill and must be put into an induced coma. While Kumail meets his worried parents at the hospital, his own Pakistani family continues to arrange appointments for him with other women. Not just ripe for cultural comedy montages, The Big Sick is also a down-to-earth and candid story of an interracial couple.

Amazon Studios

A psychological thriller starring a pre-Joker Joaquin Phoenix? Yes, more people need to watch You Were Never Really Here. Lynne Ramsay’s masterful vision of a story about a murderer hired to rescue the daughter of a politician from a human trafficking network is harsh, brutal and mercifully to the point, running a tense 90 minutes. With Phoenix acting as a brilliant and committed actor, You Never Really Been Here is more than just an ordinary thriller.

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A fun comedy, yes, but Brittany Runs a Marathon also comes close to home, focusing on the things we’re all obsessed with: food, body image and exercise. Brittany, played by the easily identifiable Jillian Bell, receives strong advice from her doctor to lose weight and cut the lifestyle of heavy parties. She starts running, taking all the difficult steps towards the finish line that changes her life. Watch from your couch and get inspired to go for a run.

Amazon Studios

Luca Guadagnino’s horror film framed by a gloomy window in an art house will not be for everyone, but for those who dive into the rabbit hole of his prestigious dance school in Berlin, you will have a different treat. Tilda Swinton is the majestic head teacher, mentoring the naive young Dakota Johnson. Be warned: flexible dancers bring new contortions to bodily terror. It’s a long movie, over two and a half hours, but if you like disturbing visuals and a touch of witchcraft, there are some jaw-dropping scenes that you’ll want to stick with.

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Based on the life of British adventurer Percy Fawcett, The Lost City of Z takes you into the Amazon Forest in search of an ancient lost city. If this setting for the adventure isn’t appealing enough, the film stars Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland … with a mustache. A beautiful and grandiose film assembled with great care, The Lost City of Z may move more slowly than you think, but it only adds to its fascinating psychological layers.

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Get ready for the first big and prestigious movie from Amazon that will punch you in the chest. A broken man who has suffered terrible losses becomes the guardian of his teenage nephew. Lee Chandler’s story will hit you with an emotional punch after another, as will the immense performances of names like Michelle Williams. Another achievement by Kenneth Lonergan, in Manchester by the Sea, is a full-bodied and unforgettable narrative.

Amazon Studios

Even if you’ve heard good things about The Maiden, nothing can prepare you for the insane twists and turns that this exquisite South Korean film takes. Classified as a erotic psychological thriller, The Handmaiden contains explicit scenes that you should probably avoid watching with parents around. It all starts with a swindler courting a Japanese heiress with the intention of interning her in an asylum as soon as they get married. But his pickpocket partner, who introduces himself as his maid, runs away from the plan. If you are interested in South Korean films thanks to Parasite, this is a must.

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In the characteristic style of Jim Jarmusch, this discreet indie focuses on the finer details of normal life with a distinct sense of humor. For a week, Paterson follows a bus driver and poet named Paterson, who overhears passengers talking, takes his dog for a walk and stops for a beer at his local bar. Adam Driver alone makes all of this infinitely viewable. Dotted with the idiosyncratic characters who live in a New Jersey city, Paterson offers an intelligent view of life, immersing himself in personal setbacks and the new paths woven around them.

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Written and starring Mindy Kaling, Late Night follows an acclaimed news anchor whose ratings are declining. She hires an Indian-American writer to rock her white-male writer’s office. Never boring, while arguing to turn Emma Thompson into a real-life talk show host, Late Night is an animated comedy with hints from The Devil Wears Prada. That alone should be a solid reason to attend.

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Following lovers of different origins and temperaments, Pawel Pawlikowski’s historical drama takes place in a Poland devastated after World War II. Zula is an ambitious young singer who pretends to be a peasant identity, while Wiktor is a jazz musician who auditions for a state-sponsored folk music group. The policy is treated with elegance and the black and white visuals are precise and beautiful. For an 88-minute treat on a sumptuous, passionate, almost impossible love story, look no further than the Cold War.

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The Vast of Night is a curious independent science fiction film by director Andrew Patterson, who plays with narrative in clever ways. Long, radical shots take us after two young radio workers who investigate an audio frequency that they think can be tracked by aliens. The distinctive New Mexico setting of the 1950s and the characters delivering monologues with the soft intonations of those on the radio, all create a mysterious atmosphere with satisfying rewards.

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Shia LaBeouf wrote the script for this autobiographical film about a child actor and his relationship with his father. We followed Otis, who was traumatized after days on set with his father, a former rodeo clown. LaBeouf actually plays the character inspired by his father, giving Honey Boy even more psychological layers. This is fascinating film therapy from a unique perspective.

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I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary narrated by Samuel L. Jackson and inspired by a collection of notes and letters written by the American writer and activist James Baldwin in the mid-1970s. The subject of these memories? His close friends, revolutionary civil rights leaders Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers. Exploring the history of racism in the United States, I Am Not Your Negro highlights, through Baldwin’s remarks, the painful struggle for civil rights.

Amazon Studios

One Child Nation offers an illuminating look at China’s one-child policy, which lasted from 1979 to 2015. Its directors, Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang, were born during this period and explore the side effects of what has become a normal aspect of life for Chinese. Looking at the unpleasant side of “population war” through the experiences of a wide variety of people, One Child Nation is a clear illustration of this period in Chinese history.

Amazon Studios

The Coen brothers meet Wes Anderson in this black comedy thriller directed by two brilliant young protagonists. Set in a snowy fishing town in Maine, Blow the Man Down follows the sisters, played by Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe, who try to hide a man’s body after he attacked one of them and she reacted. While in their crime trap, they find themselves digging up dark secrets from the city’s matriarchs, turning this into a noir mystery. It is as wonderful as it looks.