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    76 Of The Best Movies To Stream On Amazon Prime Video In November

    Mrs. Doubtfire, Cast Away, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, and more great titles you'll want to stream this month.

    Matthew Huff
    by Matthew Huff

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We hope you love the shows and movies we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of revenue or other compensation from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI: Platform, prices, and other availability details are accurate as of time of posting.

    1. *12 Years a Slave (2013)

    Chiwetel Ejiofor and Paul Giamatti speak on a dock surrounded by slaves
    Jaap Buitendijk / Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

    It's difficult to find a more highly lauded, historic film than 12 Years a Slave. Telling the true story of a freeborn Black man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South, the film received nine Oscar nominations and won three awards, including Best Picture. Its producer-director, Steve McQueen (who was later snubbed for the fantastic Widows), became the first Black producer to win Best Picture and the first Black director to have their film win the award. The film's top-notch ensemble includes Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, whose career skyrocketed after this breakthrough performance. The somber tale is not an easy sit (and shouldn't be) but deserves a viewing on the merits of its production and the importance of its story. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    2. *50/50 (2011)

    Bryce Dallas Howard talks to Joseph Gordon-Levitt while holding his arms
    Chris Helcermanas-Benge / Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I really feel for Bryce Dallas Howard. She has got the shittiest luck with roles. She was the titular lady in the abysmal Lady in the Water. She was Gwen Stacy in the oft-mocked Spider-Man 3. She ate a poop pie in The Help and was the replacement ginger in Twilight. She became this meme from Black Mirror. But it's hard to go lower than playing someone who cheats on their boyfriend with cancer. And that is what she does in this Joseph Gordon-Levitt–Seth Rogen comedy about one friend taking care of the other with death possibly looming. It's a sweet film about friendship, grief, and how badly Howard needs redemption. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    3. (500) Days of Summer (2009)

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel stare at each other at dinner
    Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Perhaps the most outstanding thing about (500) Days of Summer  — more so than the incredible indie soundtrack, Zooey Deschanel's "manic pixie dream girl" rise to fame, and that it makes every person walking through Ikea pretend that it is their dream house — is that every time you watch it, a different member of the romantic couple is the villain. Is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Tom too idealistic, clingy, controlling, and unrealistic? Is Deschanel's Summer leading him on, afraid of commitment, and toying with his feelings? Everyone you ask has a different (VERY STRONG) opinion. The beauty of the script and performances, however, is that it accurately portrays an ill-fated relationship where neither party is the hero or the villain. They're just both people who at that time are not compatible, for whatever reason. You've just never seen it on film before. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    4. *Alien (1979)

    Yaphet Kotto, Sigourney Weaver, and ian Holm
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Alien is equal parts analog sci-fi adventure and horror film of the slasher variety (only instead of Michael Myers, it’s the titular alien doing the killing). When the spaceship Nostromo and its seven-member crew touch down at an abandoned spaceship because of a distress call, they end up leaving with a stowaway. The alien then proceeds to slowly kill the crew one by one à la Jason Voorhees with a much longer head. The film skyrocketed Sigourney Weaver (playing the iconic Ripley) to stardom and would spawn several sequels/prequels/spinoffs, including Aliens, the rare example of a second movie being just as good as the first. This is also a classic cat movie, if you’re into that. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    5. Annette (2021)

    Adam Driver wears sunglasses in the back of a van
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Let me say right off the bat that this is NOT a film for everyone. The rock opera musical from French auteur Leos Carax (Holy Motors) performed well among the elite cinephiles present at its Cannes Film Festival premiere, but its polarizing, slightly obtuse nature will make it a difficult sit for many. Adam Driver plays an edgy stand-up comedian who falls in love with Marion Cotillard’s opera singer. While Driver and Cotillard throw the full force of their acting powers into the roles, to mesmerizing effect, the structure of the movie, mimicking that of an opera, is much slower than a traditional movie musical. For those in love with French cinema and looking for a challenge, however, this could be a rewarding way to spend an evening. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    6. Atonement (2006)

    James McAvoy and Keira Knightley sit at a dinner table
    Mary Evans / Universal Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I'd like to start by saying that Keira Knightley's green dress in Atonement is one of the greatest pieces of modern cinematic costume design ever. To watch her float around that mansion in the film's early scenes is better than anything going on at Paris Fashion Week — and the costumes deservedly scored the film one of its seven Oscar nominations. This epic romance, based on the bestselling Ian McEwan novel, details one tragic dinner party and how the events that transpire haunt those present for decades to follow. Saoirse Ronan makes her splashy Oscar-nominated breakthrough on the world stage, James McAvoy is looking as dapper as ever, and that sex scene in the library! My god, what else can you ask for from a film?

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    7. *Beginners (2010)

    Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor look at records together
    Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    It's a real curve ball when your father comes out of the closet at the age of 75, and despite what the girls on The White Lotus may have to say, embracing your father's newly expressed sexuality can take some time. Christopher Plummer, in an Academy Award–winning turn, plays Hal, who comes out after the death of his wife and begins a whole new life, only to find out he's dying of cancer. Oliver (Ewan McGregor), his son, then must not only process his father's new life choices, including a relationship with a much younger man, but also care for him in his final days. The film questions how well any of us truly knows our parents, and also asks how we would react if we were suddenly given a fuller picture of their lives. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

    Maggie Smith puts a letter in a box
    Ishika Mohan / Fox Searchlight Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If Dame Maggie Smith decides she's going to India, then by golly, I'm going to India with her. In this delightful romantic comedy aimed at a more, shall we say mature, audience, Smith's Muriel moves to a retirement home in India along with a posse of fellow British pensioners (that is a UK phrase if I've ever heard one). The ragtag group is, of course, full of English acting royalty, including Old Deuteronomy herself Dame Judi Dench, Davy Jones sans tentacle beard Bill Nighy, and feisty Cousin Isabel Penelope Winton. The titular hotel is, of course, run by the dreamy Dev Patel, who fosters the group's various romances and adventures. Don't let the cast's average age fool you — this is a romp for the whole family if you can swallow a few jokes about taking pills. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    9. The Big Sick (2017)

    Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan talk
    Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

    So let’s say you dated a girl for five months and then she broke up with you. And then she went to the hospital and was put into a coma. And then her parents came and they knew you broke up. And then you just had to sit with them awkwardly in the waiting room because you did still care about the girl. Thus is the premise of The Big Sick, and also the real-life events surrounding the romance of the film's writers, Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani (who is also the star). One of the best romantic comedies of the past decade, this film also examines interracial dating in a smart, nuanced way and is stacked with your comedy faves, including Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, and Bo Burnham (whose recent comedy special Inside is a masterpiece). Now is also a great time to watch The Big Sick, as ripped Nanjiani will be in Marvel’s Eternals this fall. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    10. *Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

    Tom Cruise gives a speech while in a wheelchair and veterans uniform
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    In today's age of Tom Cruise the stunt double, it is hard to remember that in the '90s, his career was much more focused on Oscar-sighted dramas than on breaking bones as an action movie star. The three-time Oscar-nominated actor consistently proved that he was more than just a handsome face. Perhaps his best performance comes in this Best Picture nominee about a handicapped Vietnam War veteran who returns home disillusioned and ready to speak out against the government. Cruise disappears into the role of a man suffering under PTSD and the scars of war, only to be shunned by his family and community for not being patriotic enough. Watching Cruise here makes you wonder what he is capable of should he stop hanging out of helicopters. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    11. Bottle Shock (2008)

    Alan Rickman looks at a Mason jar full of wine while Chris Pine looks on
    Freestyle Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Once upon a time, I was home for the summer from college and rented this film from the library because I love Alan Rickman (Harry Potter, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Sense and Sensibility; I could go on). I found the movie captivating and demanded the DVD for Christmas. Rickman stars as a snobbish connoisseur of French wine who decides to throw a competition between the lauded French wineries and the looked-down-upon Californian upstarts (the leads of whom are Bill Pullman and Chris Pine). Rickman is an absolute delight, and I (someone who buys $4 watermelon rosé from Trader Joes) was mesmerized by the true story that put Napa Valley on the map in the ’70s. Perhaps uncork a bottle of wine and settle in for the evening?   

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    12. *Bride Wars (2009)

    Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson hold hands in bridal gowns
    Fox 2000 Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Call me dreamcatcher. I'll answer." You can also call me an Anne Hathaway superfan (I've seen every single one of her movies) and a Bride Wars apologist. Don't let the 11% Rotten Tomatoes score deceive you — this Kate Hudson–Annie two-hander is a hoot. It's a campy sendup of bridezillas, with the pair resorting to Home Alone–level pranks to try to ruin the other's wedding. Candice Bergen, Casey Wilson, and Kristen Johnston show up in hilarious bit roles, and Chris Pratt was perfecting his creepy, overly possessive partner bit here long before his cringe IG post. Also, catch me doing "sprockets" on every dance floor from now to eternity. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    13. Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019)

    Jillian Bell runs down the street
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    As somewhat of a marathon expert (I’ve written a whole book about the sport), I can personally attest to the tremendous amount of work that goes into running 26.2 miles, as well as the euphoric emotional payoff of finishing. This Jillian Bell film (based on a true story) follows Brittany as she signs up for the New York City Marathon in an attempt to get her life back on track. The heartwarming comedy also stars Michaela Watkins (Search Party) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect) and is the first feature film to actually shoot on location during the marathon. Watching Brittany finish her race is incredibly inspiring and will make you want to sign up for a marathon as well. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    14. Burning (2018)

    Yoo Ah-In, Jeon Jong-seo, and Steven Yeun watch a sunset from a back porch
    Well Go USA / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Yes, this is a two-and-a-half-hour Korean film with subtitles, but BOY, OH BOY, is it worth it. Watching Burning, which is based on the short story “Barn Burning” by Haruki Murakami, was one of the most enjoyable viewing experiences I’ve had in recent memory. The film (which the Oscars snubbed) begins as a lyrical love story between Jong-Su (Yoo Ah-in) and Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), but just as the two seem to have found a rhythm, they are interrupted by the suave, charismatic Ben (Minari’s Oscar-nominated Steven Yeun). Not knowing what will happen is the beauty of this film, so I won’t say more, but like Parasite, it pivots into something more mysterious, subverting expectations repeatedly along the way. Please do yourself a favor and go stream it.    

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.

    15. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

    Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, and Paul Newman sit on a fountain in cowboy apparel
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If you're looking to cross another classic off your to-watch list, then this Western is ripe for the taking. The film, which consistently shows up on "Best Movies Ever" lists, stars Hollywood legends Paul Newman and Robert Redford as outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. After a string of train robberies leaves them in the crosshairs of the authorities, the pair go on the run, outwitting and outshooting the investigators hot on their trail. The film was nominated for seven Oscars (including Best Picture) and remains a watchable caper to this day. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    16. *Casino Royale (2006)

    Daniel Craig shirtless wading in the ocean
    Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    With Daniel Craig's final James Bond outing in the rearview and the world patiently awaiting a casting announcement for the new Bond (please be Daniel Kaluuya), it's time to revisit the film that launched his tenure. Casino Royale was just so damn good that it put the previous films to shame and created a shadow so deep and dark, its sequels could never quite wriggle out of it. It has often been called the best Bond film of all time, includes one of the best action sequences ever shot, and created a Bond girl so captivating that the hero was still grieving her five films later. If you want to watch a Bond movie, this is the one to choose. You'll never think about blue swim trunks, a construction crane, or a cage elevator the same way again. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    17. *Cast Away (2006)

    Tom Hanks shirtless and excited about fire
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Survivor - Jeff Probst + Tom Hanks Oscar performance + Christian Bale weight loss transformation - Christian Bale + two iconic product placement deals = Cast Away. The film focuses on a FedEx employee (SO MUCH FEDEX HERE) who becomes stranded on a deserted island alone with nothing more than the contents of some adrift mail and his wits to keep him alive. Hanks does some of his best work as the charming dad-bod businessman turned wiry island wild man. Of course the most memorable part of the film is Hank's relationship with a volleyball named Wilson (product placement number two), whom he bonds with deeply. The Wilson raft scene alone is enough reason to watch this film. Also, it changed the way I think about ice forever. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    18. Closer (2004)

    Julia Roberts and Jude Law look at a piece of artwork
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Oh, what a tangled web this movie is. Jude Law falls in love with Natalie Portman. But then also Julia Roberts. But then Julia Roberts is with Clive Owen. Until she leaves him for Jude Law. Who leaves Natalie Portman. Who then sleeps with Clive Owen. Who wants to get back with Julia Roberts. Basically, this foursome is a HORNY MESS of beautiful people trying to figure out their lives and relationships, and we're just along for the ride. All four of these Oscar-nominated actors are at the peak of their game, with Portman shining especially bright. A fascinating character study with juicy dialogue and exquisite early-aughts fashion, this is a film not nearly enough people are talking about. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    19. Cold War (2018)

    Tomasz Kot and Joanna Kulig lean against each other on the floor of a bathroom
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The first time I tried to see Cold War in theaters, I had to leave 10 minutes in because the man sitting behind me said he’d found bedbugs in his chair. Nevertheless! I had such high hopes for the movie that I booked a ticket at a different theater the next day (after nuking my clothes in the dryer and scrubbing down in the shower), and I was not disappointed. This Oscar-nominated Polish film from Pawel Pawlikowski follows the star-crossed 20-year romantic saga of Zula and Wiktor during the Cold War. Shot in stark black and white, the story is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. A romance for the ages.  

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    20. *The Constant Gardener (2005)

    Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz look into each other's eyes
    Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Look, I'll just say it. If you're in love with Ralph Fiennes in a movie and he wants to go to Africa, DON'T DO IT. It didn't end well for poor Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient, and it doesn't end well for Rachel Weisz here. Whether a gardener or a patient, he is bad news. In this film, he plays a British diplomat to Kenya, who is trying to solve the murder of his wife (Weisz). Alternating between present day and flashbacks, the film slowly unravels the mystery, handling Weisz a meaty role (and Oscar win) in the process. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    21. *Dan in Real Life (2007)

    Juliette Binoche Alison Pill, and Steve Carell dance in the lawn with the family
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Let's gather the family around the piano and sing a rousing round of "Ruthie Pigface Draper" in honor of Dan in Real Life coming to Amazon. An extremely strange/eclectic cast — including funnyman/villain Steve Carell, French Oscar winner Juliette Binoche, cheerfully dying Christian Brittany Robertson, stand-up comedian Dane Cook, living legend and cruise attender Dianne Wiest, and of course Pigface herself, Emily Blunt — descend upon a Rhode Island house for a weekend with comedy and drama to transpire. Carell's titular Dan, a widower, falls in love with Binoche's Marie, the girlfriend of Dan's brother. MESSY, MESSY, MESSY, but oh so fun to watch. The whole thing is written and directed by Peter Hedges (Lucas's dad) and ends with a group dancing scene. How can you not love a movie that ends with dancing? 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    22. *Dead Poet's Society (1989)

    Robin Williams speaks to his class of students
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Curses on Saturday Night Live for making this sketch the first thing I think about when I hear "dead poets society," but if I can push past my trauma, I do remember how wonderfully marvelous this Robin Williams boarding school drama is. The Best Picture nominee (and Best Screenplay winner) follows Williams as he tries to inspire his students by teaching them to love poetry. The film single-handedly taught a generation the meaning of "carpe diem" and two lines of a poem by Walt Whitman. The magic of a great teacher when you're in those prime high school years can do endless good for a person, and Williams here gives you all the feels and inspiration you had (or wish you did) as a teen. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    23. Die Hard (1988)

    Bruce Willis climbs through an air duct with a lighter
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Please weigh in on the cultural debate. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Every year when the holidays roll around and new lists of best Christmas movies arrive, the issue is drudged back up. Is the Bruce Willis–helmed action film about a cop stopping a terrorist attack on Christmas Eve technically a "Christmas movie" or a "movie set on Christmas"? The debate rages on. Either way, the caper, which sees Willis crawling around in air ducts and Alan Rickman pontificating as iconic villain Hans Gruber, is extremely watchable. There are bona fide Christmas films *cough* It's a Wonderful Life *cough* that are much more of a slog to get through. Christmas films would be lucky to have Die Hard. So "Yippee ki-yay" to that, Mother Marys. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    24. *Divergent (2014)

    Shailene Woodley looks at Theo James as they wear matching black outfits
    Jaap Buitendijk / Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The Divergent franchise quickly fell down a large pit (without a safety net at the bottom), free-falling through plot holes, cringey acting, and behind-the-scenes drama so potent, it destroyed any hope of the series' fourth and final installment. That all aside, the opening film is a sexy, fun YA romp set to one of the most badass movie scores in recent memory. Divergent is action packed, it's got steamy scenes with Theo James shirtless, it's got an iconic Navy Pier Ferris wheel moment, and of course at its center is a campy performance by Oscar winner Kate Winslet. Not every movie can be an indie darling. Some movies are entertaining YA bangers, and this happens to be one of those. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    25. Do the Right Thing (1989)

    Spike Lee stands with a a pizza box talking to Danny Aiello
    Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Many films begin to lose cultural relevance the moment they leave the theater (if they ever even had any to begin with), but Spike Lee's early masterpiece only seems to gain relevance with each passing day. Lee stars in the film — which he also wrote, directed, and produced — as Mookie, who wanders around Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, on a blistering-hot summer day. He shows us the neighborhood and its eclectic inhabitants as the heat and tension between the Black and Italian community members rise. The way the film stares racial violence square in the face made many people uncomfortable when it was released, leading to its largely being snubbed at awards shows. The film has only grown in stature over the years, however, as the problems addressed in 1989 continue to plague the nation. Do the Right Thing is more than just a great film — it is a necessary indictment of the world we live in. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    26. Duplicity (2009)

    Julia Roberts and Paul Giamatti stare at each other
    Andrew D. Scchwartz / Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A film about two cosmetics companies racing to find the cure for balding doesn't sound all that interesting. But what if we took two government spies with a romantic past, put them into the private sector as corporate agents of espionage, and had them battle it out to steal the opposing brand's hair loss miracle treatment? Sound more interesting? Or at least camp enough that you want in? The pair of romantic spies are played by Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, with the never disappointing Paul Giamatti as the head of one of the corporate brands. The fizzy, twisty film is an entertaining puzzle for viewers to piece together, and if you're not into that, you can at least watch spies fall in love. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    27. *The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)

    Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy paint flowers
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Somehow I assumed this movie was about an inventor. Probably because of "electrical" in the title. It is not. It is basically a movie about a man who REALLY, REALLY, REALLY likes cats. Based on the real life of Louis Wain, the film follows Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), an eccentric artist at the turn of the century who specialized in drawing brightly colored cats. If the film is to be believed, Wain almost single-handedly turned cats into the rival of dogs for most popular house pet. Prior to him, they were considered mangy strays. But after he adopted cats with his wife (Claire Foy) and then spent his entire life drawing them, they took the world by storm, with everyone nabbing a cat after falling in love with his illustrations. If you're a dog person, you now know to whom you should send your hate mail. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    28. Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)

    Max Harwood stands with a garment bag over his arm
    Deam Rogers / 20th Century Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If you're a musical and you can get me listening to your song on repeat for a week, then you've got my support. And my Spotify certainly knows I've been jamming to "And You Don't Even Know It" nonstop. The film, based on the smash hit, Olivier Award–nominated West End musical, follows a teenage boy named Jamie (newcomer Max Harwood) who dreams of becoming a drag queen. The songs are certified bops, and the glitzy choreography is a joy to watch. The supporting cast — including the never bad Richard E. Grant as his drag mentor, Sarah Lancashire as the supportive mother every queer kid wishes they had, and Lauren Patel as Jamie's peppy best friend — also bolsters the film. Inject this kind of pure, wholesome, LGBTQ fun straight into my arm, please. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    29. *The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

    Mr. Fox and Kylie stand next to each other with hats on
    Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

    For diehard Wes Anderson fans, or people who loved The French Dispatch and want more, or just for people who follow the Accidental Wes Anderson Instagram account, might I suggest visiting/revisiting his stop-motion classic? Based on the Roald Dahl novel, the Oscar-nominated family film follows the ingenious (and obviously sly) fox with a penchant for stealing. Anderson's particular, pastel-infused, symmetrical shots are right at home in this world where every set, backdrop, and prop is hand-crafted for his vision. And while some Anderson films veer a little too far off into the weeds in the name of aesthetics, this one is highly approachable. I know we've already got a whole Willie Wonka movie on the horizon, but wouldn't an Anderson Charlie and the Chocolate Factory be a vibe? 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    30. The Farewell (2019)

    Awkwafina leans on Zhao Shuzhen's shoulder at the dinner table
    A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Apparently, in China it is not an uncommon practice to hide death prognoses from patients in hopes that they will have a higher quality of life as they near life’s end. In this film, directed by Lulu Wang and based on her experience, the Wang family receive news that the matriarch, Nai Nai, has terminal lung cancer. Instead of sharing that news, they decide to stage a wedding as an excuse to bring the whole family to China to see their grandmother one final time. Billi (Awkwafina) tags along but is extremely uneasy about lying to her grandmother so excessively. What transpires will make you not only laugh but also cry, sigh, smile, and feel a gamut of other emotions as the film looks at the importance of family and the ends we’ll go to to protect the ones we love.    

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    31. Fight Club (1999)

    Brad Pitt talks with Edward Norton
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The first rule of Fight Club may be "Do not talk about Fight Club," but here I am talking about it anyway. The cult classic David Fincher film, based on a Chuck Palahniuk novel, is a must-watch, if only to know all of the references people constantly make to this film. The rules. The soap. Brad Pitt's sweaty abs. This trippy film about a straitlaced man's crisis and descent into insomniac madness has become a favorite among those dissatisfied by consumerism, complacency, and the corporate machine. The film is also filled with endless Easter eggs and hidden references so that even those who have seen it a dozen times will still pick up on something new. And like I said, Brad Pitt's sweaty abs. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    32. Get Shorty (1995)

    John Travolta and Rene Russo talk with Danny DeVito on sofas
    MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

    We saw in The Godfather that the mob and the film industry do not always go hand in hand. Occasionally, when the two worlds touch, you end up with a horse head in your bed. In Get Shorty, however, the merger of cinema and "construction" leads to a more pleasant effect. John Travolta's Chili heads from Miami to LA to settle a debt with a B-movie director (Gene Hackman) and somehow manages to find himself as the newest member of a production team. The gangster comedy sends its lead down an increasingly absurd and humorous path as he's tasked with casting an aging scream queen (Rene Russo) and her Oscar-winning ex (Danny DeVito) in the new film. The whole film is like one of Donkey Kong's mine cars, bouncing down a path of messy, chaotic fun — but we're enjoying every single minute of it. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    33. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

    Rooney Mara reads a newspaper
    Anders Linden / Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I swear there will be things on this list aside from snowy thrillers, but here’s another one, just in case. Back in the ’00s, Stieg Larsson’s trilogy of Swedish psychological crime thrillers sold like gangbusters and were then adapted into a trio of Swedish-language films starring Noomi Rapace. Fresh off their success, David Fincher (Mank) decided to adapt the books for an American film starring Rooney Mara as the punk cyberhacker Lisbeth Salander and Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist. The unlikely pair team up to investigate the missing person case of a girl who disappeared 40 years earlier. While this Part 1 of the trilogy never received its sequels, it is a harrowing and captivating mystery, and Mara’s Best Actress–nominated performance is worth a watch in and of itself.   

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    34. The Graduate (1967)

    Dustin Hoffman talks with Anne Bancroft over a drink
    United Artists / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If you've ever heard the phrase "Mrs. Robinson" used for an older woman seducing a younger man, this is where the term came from. Anne Bancroft played the OG Mrs. Robinson (in an Oscar-nominated performance, I might add) in this '60s romantic dramedy. A very young Dustin Hoffman is the titular graduate, done with college and adrift in the world, unsure what to do with his life. Then he meets Mrs. Robinson, who has some ideas as to what/whom he should do. The film, directed by the legendary Oscar-winning Mike Nichols, scooped up seven Oscar nominations on its way to becoming a cultural touchstone and launching Hoffman's career. This is also the film we have to thank for the great Simon & Garfunkel song. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    35. The House Bunny (2008)

    Tyson Ritter talks to Emma Stone and Anna Faris at a party
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    What a delightfully bonkers premise for a movie. A Playboy bunny gets kicked out of the Playboy mansion but doesn’t know what to do with herself while living alone, and so decides to be the house mother to a dorky sorority of misfits. Anna Faris gives a career-best performance as the ditzy and earnestly lovable Shelley Darlingson, and you can’t help but root for her, her romance with the nerdy Colin Hanks, and her attempts to empower the Zetas to get out of their shells. The sorority girls are expertly cast — from Emma Stone, in one of her earlier film performances, and WandaVision’s Kat Dennings to American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee and Cheetah Girl, Cheetah Sister Kiely Williams. It may have a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, but clearly, film critics in 2008 were just not up to the task of recognizing art. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    36. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

    Oscar Isaac stands up against a car that Garrett Hedlund is in
    CBS Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I would like to begin this section with a direct appeal to Spotify: Dear Spotify executives, please put the entire Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack on your site. Why do we get only three songs? I know it’s probably got something to do with legal things, but it’s rude nonetheless. Thank you. If, however, you would like to hear the entire soundtrack from this Coen Brothers folk musical, you can watch it on Amazon Prime. Oscar Isaac plays the titular struggling folk singer as he tries to make sense of his life, and sings haunting melodies in the process. My beloved Carey Mulligan and the scandal-shrouded Justin Timberlake also make appearances (although their song isn’t on Spotify). This underappreciated, lyrical film should have been showered with more awards and praise than it was. Sometimes the people just get it wrong. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    37. Jack and Jill (2011)

    Adam Sandler dressed as a woman rides in a car with Adam Sandler dressed as a man
    Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I will not be reading the comments for this article, because I KNOW you all are going to rake me over the coals for this one, but this is actually an incredible film. Does it have a 3% on Rotten Tomatoes? Yes. Did it win every single Razzie the year it came out? Yes. But those folks are not watching this film from the perspective that it's a masterpiece of camp. Send this film to the 2019 Met Gala! Adam Sandler (whose recent Hubie Halloween is also a winner) plays both Jack and Jill, fraternal twins, in this truly bonkers affair. It’s stuffed to bursting with product placement (Dunkin' Donuts, anyone?), Sandler is bouncing off the walls as Jill, and the writing often borders on nonsensical. And yet SOMEHOW, Sandler convinced Al Pacino to play himself in this film as the third-billed actor, AND convinced him to fall in love with Jill! Insane. Honestly, I have no idea how this fever dream of a film got made, but I’ve watched it several times, and I will watch it again. (Oh, and the Survivors loved it.)     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    38. *Jane Eyre (2011)

    Mia Wasikowska stands outside a carriage
    Laurie Sparham / Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Okay, I feel guilty already. As an English major, I should not be saying this, and your high school teacher will not be pleased, either — BUT if you are assigned this Charlotte Brontë classic for class and don't have time to read, you can probably just watch this movie. This is the most recent adaptation of the oft-adapted novel about a young governess who falls in love with her employer, only to realize he has something much more problematic going on in his attic. While the novel is well worth a read, if you aren't down for a 500-page saga, this Mia Wasikowska–Michael Fassbender film is nearly as good. The sprawling landscapes, marvelous acting, and Oscar-nominated costumes make the whole experience lush and literary. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    39. Jennifer's Body (2009)

    Megan Fox stands in front of a burning building
    Doane Gregory / Fox Atomic / Courtesy Everett Collection

    When Jennifer's Body came out over a decade ago, is was panned by (mostly male) critics and marketed largely as the latest film in which to ogle Megan Fox straight off her stint in the Transformers franchise. However, in a post–#MeToo world, and especially after this summer, as society relitigates the way Fox was treated during her rise, this horror comedy has become a feminist cult classic. The film was written by female screenwriter and Oscar winner Diablo Cody, directed by female director Karyn Kusama, stars women, and yet is miraculously not either a romance or about motherhood (try finding films from before 2018 that fit those qualifications). It's also about a (female) succubus who can survive only by killing and eating men (an urge that seems oddly relatable sometimes). Let's get the team on the phone because this is set up nicely for a sequel, and we'd like to see it. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    40. *Jingle All the Way (1996)

    Arnold Schwarzenegger runs through a mall
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The holidays are just around the corner, and Amazon is here with what I feel like is an underappreciated Christmas film that should be more firmly placed in the canon. Everyone's favorite body builder–turned actor–turned governor–turned actor–turned replacement host of The Apprentice Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Howard, a workaholic father trying to prove to his son (The Phantom Menace's Jake Lloyd) that he loves him by buying him a Turbo-Man (aka the most sought-after toy of the year.) What follows is a mad dash around town trying to get the action figure by any means necessary. Oh, and Sinbad is there as competition. If you want a holiday film you haven't seen 500 times, might I recommend this one? Also, COVID survivor Rita Wilson is here doing great work. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    41. *Johnny English (2003)

    Rowan Atkinson puts Oliver F. Davies into a headlock
    David Appleby / Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I'd rather have my bottom impaled on a giant cactus than pass up an opportunity to recommend this Rowan Atkinson masterpiece. The British cult classic (which has gone on to spawn two sequels) features Atkinson as a cross between James Bond and Inspector Clouseau. He's incompetent in nearly every way, but when the entirety of MI7 is killed, he's the only agent left to stop a coup against the British throne by John Malkovich's jumped-up Frenchman, Pascal Sauvage. I nearly die laughing every time I watch the caper, including the scene where English tries to unmask the archbishop of Canterbury. Atkinson is a master of asides and ad-libs, and they do not disappoint here. The film also includes live footage of me performing a lip sync for my life every night while getting ready for bed. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    42. The Kids Are All Right (2010)

    Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, and Mia Wasikowska sit around the dinner table
    Suzanne Tenner / Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I'd like to start the coverage of this film by saying that Josh Hutcherson's character is named "Laser," which is the kind of chaotic naming of fictional characters you've got to get behind. But that is neither here nor there. This Best Picture–nominated family drama about a pair of lesbians raising two teenagers is exquisite and a massive push for representation, since same-sex couples with kids are still rarely seen in the media. The film focuses on the family once Laser brings his sperm donor (played by Mark Ruffalo) into the lives of his mothers (played by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore in award-winning turns). Small and intimate in some ways and yet bombastic in the stories it is trying to tell and the force of the performances, The Kids Are All Right is a necessary watch. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    43. Knives Out (2019)

    Daniel Craig speaks while Ana de Armas sits on a knife chair behind him
    Claire Folger / Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

    You’ve got to love a classic whodunit, especially with an ensemble cast of the caliber of this one. Rian Johnson’s mystery (so well written, its screenplay landed an Oscar nom) focuses on the death of Harlan Thrombey, a famous novelist, and the family desperate to scoop up his inheritance. I know that listing actors is boring, but just go with me here. We’ve got James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, and his future Bond girl/Ben Affleck’s former coffee-walks partner, Ana de Armas. America’s Ass Chris Evans is there in a beautiful cable-knit sweater. Halloween badass/yogurt guru Jamie Lee Curtis is a suspect, as is two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon. Lime enthusiast Dakota Johnson’s dad, Don, is here, and so is perhaps the world's greatest living actor, Toni Collette. LaKeith Stanfield is here without his straw hat from Get Out, and so is 13 Reasons Why’s ghostly Katherine Langford. And just as a final flex, the casting director secured Pennywise’s favorite victim, Jaeden Martell, and the legendary Christopher Plummer, may he rest in peace. Like, really. It’s an all-star lineup, and there's something similar planned for the sequel.     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    44. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

    Jonathan Majors and Jimmie Fails stand on the roof of a house
    A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    In case you haven’t checked the news in the last decade, San Francisco is in the midst of (or perhaps ending) a MASSIVE wave of gentrification, thanks to the explosion of Silicon Valley, and the area’s been flooded by affluent white tech moguls. As a result, streets previously occupied by Black families are now almost entirely white. Thus is the story of Jimmie Fails, who wrote this film based partly on his life. He plays a man set on reclaiming his childhood Victorian home from a gentrified neighborhood, lovingly taking care of the beautiful house behind its owners’ backs. Hauntingly poignant and tragically melancholy, the film, an indictment of gentrification, also engages with the pains of growing up, of change, and of having to say goodbye.     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    45. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

    Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, Jeff Goldblum, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Waris Ahluwalia all walk together wearing blue outfits and red beanies
    Touchstone / Courtesy Everett Collection

    With the recent wide release of The French Dispatch, perhaps now is a good time to revisit some of Wes Anderson's older titles, including this maritime comedy starring Bill Murray. Murray plays Zissou, a Jacques Cousteau–like figure intent on getting revenge on the jaguar shark for killing his former partner. In classic Wes Anderson fashion, the film is beautifully shot in brightly colored, immaculately constructed, symmetrical frames. Also in classic Wes Anderson fashion, the film stars a sprawling cast of A-listers, including Anderson regulars Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Anjelica Huston, and Jeff Goldblum. Beware, however — watching Steve Zissou could give you the urge to buy a red beanie. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    46. The Lighthouse (2019)

    Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson stand outside a lighthouse
    Eric Chakeen / A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Robert Eggers’ follow-up to The Witch (where we all learned to live deliciously) is a claustrophobic psychological nightmare and anything but delicious (unless dead seagulls and farting whet your appetite). Shot in black and white with a nearly square aspect ratio, the film resembles an 1800s home video as it tracks Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson’s characters to a rocky island lighthouse. Fueled by alcohol and cut off from society, the pair descend into a salty, windswept madness. This is certainly not for everyone, but those of you with a strong constitution and love of psychological horror will find this a riveting exploration of the untethered mind. Watch it while we anxiously await The Northman, Eggers’ next film. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.   

    47. *Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

    Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Toni Colette and Abigail Breslin sit i a row in an emergency room
    Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

    In the world of melancholy, indie family dramedies, there is only one Little Miss Sunshine, and everyone else is simply playing for second. The film, about a family of struggling misfits driving in a decrepit yellow van to attend a children's beauty pageant, is one of a kind in its achievements. It's a feel-good movie that's not cloying. It's a movie about depressed people that isn't depressing. The all-stars in the cast — including Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Toni Collette, and Alan Arkin — not only give great performances but are also in roles that highlight their individual strengths to bolster the film. Colette in particular is flawless as the supportive mother and gets to deliver the greatest Popsicle-eating performance ever recorded onscreen. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    48. Manchester by the Sea (2016)

    Case Affleck and Lucas Hedges walk down a road
    Claire Folger / Roadside Attractions / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Manchester by the Sea is a beautiful, if disastrously depressing film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck both give incredible performances (even if Casey’s more recent controversies have detracted from his star power). But what I’d like to discuss is the birth of Lucas Hedges into the American consciousness. Hedges plays Patrick, a 16-year-old with a THICK Boston accent, who goes to live with his depressed uncle (Affleck) after the death of his father. His performance is so strong that it nabbed him a rare young male Oscar nomination and launched him into lead roles in subsequent films like Ben Is Back and Boy Erased. He would also go on to become an A24 darling in films like Lady Bird and Waves. Just as I couldn’t stop looking at this recent photo of him, I was transfixed by his presence here and have loved watching his journey to stardom.     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    49. *Mayor Pete (2021)

    Pete Buttigieg takes a selfie with supporters
    Amazon Prime Video / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I think it's easy in 2021 (post–run for president, post–arrival in Washington, DC, as secretary of transportation, and post–shirtless thirst trap) to forget what a trailblazer Pete Buttigieg is. Putting aside how you feel about his politics, his track record, or his stoic demeanor, his fairly successful campaign as an openly gay man was an incredible achievement for LGBTQ rights. This documentary, while rehashing many of the campaign facts that you already know, does a nice job of reminding viewers of how powerful it was for many people (especially not those in liberal urban enclaves) to see a married gay man running for president. The film also provides some interesting behind-the-scenes moments, including him repeatedly having to face a likability/relatability question and his eventual decision to drop out. You may not like Mayor Pete, but you can't help but acknowledge what he was able to accomplish. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime starting Nov. 12. 

    50. Midsommar (2019)

    Florence Pugh crying with a bunch of women surrounding her
    A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Where do I even begin to describe my love for this horror film? Directed by Ari Aster (whose Hereditary is somehow even better), Midsommar follows a group of friends who travel to Sweden for a folk festival. Only, instead of a normal village, there's something menacing and mysterious at play. Aster does the seemingly impossible job of making a field in broad daylight scarier than the dark, and the dread he creates in these scenes is palpable. At the center of this detailed masterpiece is Florence Pugh’s breakout performance as a grieving woman, whose family just died, on vacation with a boyfriend. It’s terrifying. It’s beautiful. It’s oddly cathartic. Although I will never forgive it for teaching me what a blood eagle is.     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    51. *Moulin Rouge (2001)

    Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor sing together surrounded by dancers
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    It took Baz Luhrmann nearly three years to secure all the rights to this jukebox musical, but he had a vision, and the finished product was well worth the time. We've seen plenty of filmed musicals and even a few jukebox musicals, but never an original one based on music from so many different artists: Madonna. Elton John. Nirvana. The resulting film is a romance between Christian (Ewan McGregor), an English writer, and Satine (Nicole Kidman), a cabaret singer at the Parisian Moulin Rouge. The one-of-a-kind film immediately struck a chord with critics and audiences, landing eight Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. And we're still listening to "Lady Marmalade" to this day because of it. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    52. *Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

    Robin Williams dressed as Mrs. Doubtfire dances in a living room
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    She's the "hip old granny who can hip-hop, bebop, dance till ya drop, and yo, yo, make a wicked cup of cocoa." The incomparable Robin Williams stars in this '90s classic comedy as Daniel Hillard, who, after a divorce, dresses up as an older British nanny in order to spend more time with his kids. Williams, Sally Field, and Pierce Brosnan all deliver pitch-perfect performances, and the thing is BURSTING with quotable lines ("Oh, the terrorists! They ran that way. It was a run-by fruiting!"). I rewatched this during quarantine multiple times, and the whole movie still slaps. The makeover montage with Harvey Fierstein? Delightful. The whip-cream face mask? A delight. Also, there has NEVER, NEVER, NEVER been a better line reading than when Field says, "The whole time, the whole time, THE WHOLE TIME." To see those lines written in a script and then deliver them in such a way is why this woman has two Oscars (and, honestly, probably deserves at least two more).

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    53. My Name Is Pauli Murray (2021)

    Pauli Murray sits at hr desk writing
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I am ashamed to say that prior to watching this documentary, I had no idea who Pauli Murray was. If you, too, have never heard of this fascinating, groundbreaking, trailblazing individual, then you need to hustle right on over to Amazon and give this a watch. A civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat on the bus before Rosa Parks. An African American lawyer whose work paved the way for Ruth Bader Ginsburg's landmark cases on sexism. A queer intellectual who sought to understand gender and sexuality during a time before modern labels. Murray is an icon we should be learning about in school, so if you're a schoolteacher and you're reading this article, wheel that TV into the classroom and press play. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    54. One Night in Miami (2020)

    Leslie Odom Jr. performs as Sam Cooke
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    In 1964, famed African American civil rights activist Malcolm X, boxer Muhammad Ali, football star Jim Brown, and singer Sam Cooke all spent an evening together in a hotel room in Miami. That historic meeting serves as the basis for this film, directed by Regina King (an Oscar-winning actor herself) and adapted by Kemp Powers, who also wrote the play and Pixar's Soul (big year for him!). Focused on the relationships between these four great men, the film creates fictional dialogue that aims to unpack race, privilege, and the responsibility that comes with fame. Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr. plays Cooke (a performance for which he was Oscar-nominated), but it's Kingsley Ben-Adir’s take on Malcolm X that is most captivating. Never has such a long stay in a hotel room been so interesting.     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    55. Pride (2014)

    Imelda Staunton and Andrew Scott talk in a doorway
    20th Century Fox

    I LOVE to promote a good LGBTQ film, and this funny little historical British dramedy is a fantastic one. Back in 1984, during a British miners' strike, gay activist Mark Ashton (Ben Schnetzer) realized that the police were too busy focusing on the miners to focus on their usual harassment of the gay community, and so he started Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners to help a fellow group of oppressed folks. It’s this fight by the LGBTQ community on behalf of the labor class that serves as the plot here. Hot priest Andrew Scott is here, along with 1917’s George MacKay and Professor Umbridge, aka Imelda Staunton. The film is charming and uplifting and shows you how underdogs helping underdogs can do a lot of good for everyone. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    56. *The Princess Bride (1987)

    Wallace Shawn and Robin Wright stand together in the woods
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I would like someone to do a study to find out what is the most-often-quoted movie. (Apple is probably the ones to do it, since they're listening to us through our phones anyway.) If I had to guess, however, I'd put my money on The Princess Bride, based on the sheer number of times I've had to listen to someone say "marriage" with a speech impediment. The fantasy storybook tale follows Westley (Cary Elwes) as he attempts to rescue Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). The goofy classic is sometimes meta and sometimes outlandish as it tells its tale for maximum comedic effect. Even people who have never seen the film can quote at least 10 lines, and it shall endure as a timeless family classic. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    57. Prometheus (2012)

    Noomi Rapace wears an astronaut suit and carries a flashlight
    Kerry Brown / 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Before the xenomorphs were chasing Sigourney Weaver & Co. around the Nostromo, they were wreaking havoc on the crew of Prometheus in this prequel to Alien. Noomi Rapace (pre–lamb mom days) and Michael Fassbender lead this new (although, technically speaking, older) cohort as they search for human ancestors in space. What they find, however, is a violent alien life form that ends up impregnating Rapace's Shaw, leading to a disgusting birthing scene and a baby alien ready to cause trouble for countless future generations. Moral of the story: Don't mess with aliens. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    58. Raising Arizona (1987)

    Holly Hunter, dressed in a police uniform, sits beside Nicolas Cage
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    There's nothing I love more than a ridiculous crime film from the Coen Brothers, and Raising Arizona is certainly ridiculous. Holly Hunter plays a cop who falls in love with a convict played by Nicolas Cage (I mean, that casting alone is gold). The two can't have a kid, so they decide to steal a quintuplet from a furniture tycoon. Then a competing set of criminals steal the baby from Hunter and Cage — pure lunacy in the best possible way. The crime comedy is a bit lighter than the Coens' usual fare, but the ingenuity is all there, and you've got supporting performances from Frances McDormand and John Goodman to boot. If The Tragedy of Macbeth strikes you as a bit too somber, this might be the Coen film for you. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    59. *The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

    Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn stand around Tim Curry
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    For a movie that was largely panned by critics and made very little money in its opening weeks, this film has certainly made a pivot. Not only did the comedic musical sendup to B movies become a cult classic, but it quickly transformed into a participatory film experience in which audience members respond while it's playing. The film about stranded motorists who arrive at a home full of larger-than-life characters is also often accompanied by a "shadow cast" whose actors mime the actions onstage. If you can't see the film in theaters, though, Amazon has got you covered. Invite over some friends and you can scream at your own television, or take the opportunity to learn and perform a few numbers in a shadow cast of your own. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    60. Rugrats Go Wild (2003)

    Angelica Pickles and Debbie Thornberry ride together in the back of a van
    Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If there are two iconic badass Nickelodeon women we should all aspire to be, they are the megalomaniacal toddler Angelica Pickles from The Rugrats and the too-cool-for-school, blasé Debbi Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys. The beauty of this crossover animated film is that the two sassy villains get to go on a trip together. Finally, instead of stupid babies and gorillas, these women get to interact with someone on their own intellectual level, and there is magic to behold. ALSO, this has nothing to do with watching this on Amazon, because sadly, the tech is not here yet, but when I saw this movie in theaters, I watched it with an Odorama scratch-and-sniff card from Burger King, so I got to smell the action. Never has there been a more magical theatergoing experience. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    61. *Rushmore (1998)

    Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman hold the handle of a shovel together
    Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Before Wes Anderson's style and filmmaking became legendary, he made a little film called Rushmore about a high school student (Jason Schwartzman) and a rich middle-aged man (Bill Murray) who become friends until they realize they are both in love with the same teacher at his school. Watching the quirky picture, you can see the budding of Anderson's signature style, but it doesn't get in the way of the storytelling as it does in some of his later works. Murray is fabulous (as always), and Schwartzman keeps up with him the entire time. While the film was not initially successful, it's picked up more and more fans over the years as Anderson's star has risen. Its soundtrack, full of British Invasion tracks, is another reason to watch, if you needed one. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.

    62. Short Term 12 (2013)

    Brie Larson sits beside LaKeith Stanfield
    Cinedigm / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I don’t know what was happening on the set of Short Term 12, but someone had a rabbit's foot or made a deal with the Illuminati, because truly, everyone in this tiny indie drama has gone on to have their careers BLOW UP! There’s Captain Marvel herself, Brie Larson. There’s Booksmart’s scene-stealer Kaitlyn Dever. There’s Best Actor/Freddie Mercury impersonator Rami Malek. There’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz. And of course, there is the very recent Oscar nominee for Judas and the Black Messiah, LaKeith Stanfield. This film, which focuses on a group home for troubled teenagers, is funny, sad, and heartwarming in its own right, but watching all your current faves’ younger selves is a trip.   

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    63. *Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

    Dev Patel and Freida Pinto smile at each other
    Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Winning one Oscar is a monumental feat. Winning eight is mind-blowing. And yet this tiny film about a boy growing up in India somehow managed to swipe eight statues, including the one for Best Picture. Slumdog Millionaire follows Jamal (Dev Patel in his breakthrough performance) who wins the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and then must recount the story of his life to the authorities to prove how he knew the answers to the questions. With a snappy soundtrack, a final Bollywood dance number, and a heartwarming central romance, the film was as much a crowd-pleaser as it was a gritty drama. It also really makes you wonder what questions they'd have to ask in order for you to win a trivia show. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    64. The Social Network (2010)

    Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg sit on a couch
    Merrick Morton / Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Where does one even begin when trying to nail down the greatness of this film? Perhaps it's in the Aaron Sorkin script that so aptly gives life to the chaos of Facebook's creation. Perhaps it's in Jesse Eisenberg's star-making turn as founder Mark Zuckerberg, in which he chews up and spits out Sorkin's dialogue as few others have been able to. Perhaps it's in the pitch-perfect casting of Andrew Garfield as the sympathetic elitist Eduardo Saverin, or Justin Timberlake as the slimy Sean Parker. Perhaps it's in David Fincher's masterful directing or in the haunting, soft, Oscar-winning score. While each of these aspects is masterful, however, I'm going to give the edge to Rooney Mara's brief performance in the film's opening scene, where she dumps Eisenberg. It launches the film to a high-octane propulsion that it will maintain until the credits, and perfectly frames how even something as massive as Facebook can really just be a means of compensating for a bruised ego. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    65. Sound of Metal (2019)

    Riz Ahmed plays the drums shirtless
    Amazon / Courtesy Everett Collection

    One of this year’s freshly minted Best Picture nominees, Sound of Metal follows Ruben, a heavy metal drummer who comes to the (at first) horrifying realization that he is losing his hearing. The indie drama, which continued to pick up more steam and accolades through the awards season, stars Riz Ahmed in the lead as he mourns his hearing and struggles to find ways to cope. Both he and Paul Raci, who plays the deaf leader of a shelter for recovering addicts, landed Oscar noms for their performances, and Olivia Cooke, who plays Ruben’s girlfriend, rightfully should have received one as well. This fascinating film also substantiates my mom’s claim that "you are going to lose your hearing from turning the radio up too loud."

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    66. The Souvenir (2019)

    Honor Swinton Byrne laughs with a birthday cake in front of her
    A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

    With The Souvenir Part II fresh off its well-received premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and now playing in select theaters, there is no time like the present to catch up on the first installment of Joanna Hogg’s autobiographical film duology. The Souvenir Part I stars Honor Swinton Byrne (the daughter of Tilda Swinton, who also appears in the film) playing a version of Hogg through her encounters at film school. Byrne’s Julie meets Anthony (Tom Burke), and the two have a whirlwind romance that is cut short when some details of Anthony’s unsavory past float to the surface. The quiet, lyrical film is a sad little treat (like so many A24 titles), and the performances shine. I can’t wait to see round two. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    67. Stop Making Sense (1984)

    Tina Weymouth and David Byrne perform on stace
    Island Alive Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    As someone with particularly bad musical taste, I will take this moment to admit that I had no idea who the Talking Heads were until this summer, when I watched David Byrne’s American Utopia, a filmed version of the Broadway performance. Byrne, for the uninformed, was the lead singer of a new wave band called the Talking Heads (the one song I knew by them was used in the trailer for the horrid Matt Damon film Downsizing). American Utopia, however, gave me an appreciation for the Talking Heads, and so I naturally stumbled upon Stop Making Sense, which is a filmed version of their live performances at the Pantages Theater in 1983. It is an exquisite concert film. The music is wonderful. The concert is theatrical. And the whole thing jumps off the screen in a way that concert videos don’t often manage to do. So everyone follow my lead and become a Talking Heads fan. Better three decades late than never. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.   

    68. Sunset Boulevard (1950)

    Gloria Swanson descends a staircase full of people
    Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    We start with a mansion on Sunset Boulevard. And oh look, there is a body floating facedown in the swimming pool. Whose body is it? How did it get there? You’ll have to watch to find out. The black-and-white Hollywood classic tracks the events leading up to the mysterious death, as William Holden plays a young screenwriter who is slowly sucked into the web of the reclusive former silent-film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). The iconic film, which gave us lines like “Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” was nominated for 11 Oscars and holds an ironclad spot in the film canon. A perfect film, it feels startlingly modern even as it is a ’50s noir, and it packs just as much punch today as it did at its release. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    69. Taken (2008)

    Liam Neeson shoots a gun from behind a car door
    20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    The influence of Taken on our cinematic landscape cannot be overstated. In 2008, when it was released, the whole thing was seen as an anomaly. An action film starring a nearly 60-year-old actor most notable for dramas like Schindler's List? Who would go and see that? Well, apparently, a lot of people (and a lot of dads). The film was so successful, it launched a whole genre of old-man action films, including a dozen for Liam Neeson himself. Now Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Mel Gibson are all talking up their "very particular sets of skills." Despite all of the flawed follow-ups, however, Taken still stands as the exemplar of the genre, and far be it from me to pass up an evening of Neeson taking out 50 baddies, all half his age. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    70. Thank You for Smoking (2006)

    J.K. Simmons and Aaron Eckhart sit on a board room table
    Fox Searchlight / Everett Collection

    Oh, the joys of watching the mental gymnastics involved in marketing cigarettes as a "good life decision." And yet there is a whole multimillion-dollar industry dedicated to enticing people to inhale fumes they know could give them cancer. Thus is the premise of this satirical comedy in which Aaron Eckhart works as the chief spokesperson for the tobacco industry. The darkly funny film follows Eckhart as he employs all manner of spin tactics to assure the public that smoking isn't that bad, all while trying to maintain his status as a good guy in the eyes of his family. I 10/10 wouldn't recommend smoking, but I would recommend this film. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    71. *Three Men and a Baby (1987)

    Ted Danson, Tom Selleck, and Steve Guttenberg sit together on the edge of a pool
    Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    My roommate and I can barely figure out how to assemble our Ikea furniture. For us, raising a child would be catastrophic, but thankfully, neither of us has had a love child with an actor at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival (or at least we don't know about it yet). When Ted Danson's Jack is bequeathed a child on his doorstep because he did, in fact, have a love child with an actor at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, however, he and his two roommates (Tom Selleck and Steve Guttenberg) must try their darndest to keep the new baby alive. It's a goofy yet heartwarming film that will somehow leave you wishing a baby would show up on your doorstep. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    72. Time (2020)

    Fox Rich sits at her desk
    Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Rarely do we get a documentary as raw and moving as Time. The film follows Fox Rich, using over 25 years’ worth of home videos as she fights tirelessly for her husband, Rob, who is serving time in prison for his participation in an armed bank robbery, to be granted clemency. What filmmaker Garrett Bradley thought would be a short film turned into a feature when Fox handed her over 100 hours of home video footage taken while her husband was in prison. Bradley then took the home videos and her own footage, converted it all to stunning black and white, and built the moving, 81-minute-long final product. The documentary, which was nominated for an Oscar, vividly shows the flaws of the criminal justice system and how that can deeply affect the families of those struggling through it. It’s a beautiful statement as to what can be accomplished if you try hard enough, and how important it is to have someone tirelessly in your corner. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    73. The Tomorrow War (2021)

    Chris Pratt, Edwin Hodge, and Sam Richardson aim guns
    Frank Masi / Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

    A recent 2021 release, this Chris Pratt sci-fi film is set in a world in which aliens overrun the planet in 30 years. The future, therefore, is drafting humans from the present to time-travel to the future to fight off the aliens in order to save humanity. Pratt, playing a former Green Beret, is drafted alongside a ragtag crew including Sam Richardson (Veep) and Mary Lynn Rajskub (aka Gail the Snail from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). While the time-travel logistics are a bit murky, the action sequences (especially on a giant, oil rig–style military base) are incredible, and the monsters will give you nightmares.     

    Watch it on Amazon Prime.  

    74. Traffic (2000)

    Topher Grae sits with a drink on a leather sofa
    Bob Marshak / USA Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

    First, I'd like to say that this movie is not Crash, a distinction that took me many years to realize, as they are both one-word, car-related titles with ensemble casts from the early aughts that did well at the Oscars. But while Crash is a very problematic film about racism, a car crash, and Sandra Bullock just being angry and not knowing why, Traffic is a Steven Soderbergh film about the illegal drug trade. The ensemble cast features Don Cheadle (who is trying to forget he was in Space Jam 2), Benicio Del Toro (who won an Oscar for the role), Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones (who were dating at the time and are still together), and not–Tad Hamilton Topher Grace. The way the storylines tie together perfectly is a testament to the Oscar-winning screenplay, and the film is as suspenseful and riveting as it is well done. Should it have beat Gladiator for the Oscar? Probably. 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    75. Wanderlust (2012)

    Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd sit around a campfire with Lauren Ambrose, Jordan Peele, Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Kerri Kenney, and Kathryn Hahn
    Gemma La Mana / Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    By most accounts, this movie barely exists. When it came out, it made virtually no money and was unceremoniously swept out of theaters after just six weeks with average ratings from critics. That, however, is unfair because this is a funny movie, y'all, with an unimpeachable cast. The premise: Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd accidentally find themselves on a hippie commune in Georgia after their big-shot New York City dreams are killed in the recession. And so now they get to spend an entire film on a farm with kooky individuals played by Jordan Peele, Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Alan Alda, and, of course, the brilliant Kathryn Hahn. Yet no one has ever heard of this movie, for some reason. Be the hero to your friend group. Go watch this, tell everyone you know about it, and then bask in their praise for having found this hidden gem.  

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    76. What the Constitution Means to Me (2020)

    Heidi Schreck gives a speech
    Indican Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    I would hazard a guess that most of us know next to nothing about the US Constitution. Perhaps you memorized the preamble in school, but even that I never understood. Heidi Schreck, however, was well versed in the legal document from a young age, traveling around the country to compete in speech competitions about the Constitution for scholarship money. Now an adult, Schreck wrote and starred in a Broadway show about her experience with this document and what it means for our country and culture today. The deeply personal and incredibly charming show was recorded for your non-Broadway viewing (thank goodness this is happening more and more these days) and is available on Amazon. It will teach you a thing or two about this essential American document while also forcing you to answer, "Should I know more about the laws that govern me?" 

    Watch it on Amazon Prime. 

    * Denotes title that has been newly added to Amazon Prime for November.

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