100 Of The Best Movies To Stream On Prime Video In August

Thirteen Lives, Licorice Pizza, The Devil Wears Prada, and more great titles you'll want to stream this month.

1. 1UP (2022)

Samantha Falco / Samantha Falco/Lionsgate

If you, like me, have been aggressively hoping for another Pitch Perfect movie, then I'm here to make your wishes come true by telling you that 1UP will scratch that itch — just with video games instead of a cappella singing. The film (which, full disclosure, was produced by BuzzFeed Studios) follows Paris Berelc, a college student who forms an all-girls e-sports team to take on the very douchey boys team. Trans icon Hari Nef plays her bestie, and Ruby Rose plays their coach with an amount of humor and humanity I did not get from her in Batwoman or The Meg. The film has that scrappy, rapid-fire, slightly raunchy humor of the original Pitch Perfect and isn't afraid to be weird and clever. The relationships are very sweet (especially the nerdy romance plotline), and as someone who has not played a video game since Mario Party 5 came out, I was intrigued by the world of e-sports. 

Available on Prime Video. 

2. *21 Jump Street (2012)

Scott Garfield/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

According to my esteemed colleagues here at BuzzFeed, this is Channing Tatum's second best film performance of all time. Sadly no one here has done an Ice Cube film ranking, but I imagine it would be high on that list as well. The hit comedy is a remake of an '80s television show in which two police officers go undercover in a high school. In the film version, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill play the pair of cops with a who's who of comedy (Dave Franco, Nick Offerman, Ellie Kemper, etc.) swooping in to steal scenes. The film performed so well at the box office that it garnered a sequel, and FUN FACT, during the Sony email hack, it was revealed that a Jump Street/Men in Black crossover film was in the works. I don't know if that is a good idea for a movie, but I'd watch the crap out of it. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

3. The 355 (2022)

Robert Viglasky/Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

TALK ABOUT A CAST. Newly minted Oscar winner/TikTok star Jessica Chastain leads a group of five international spies who must take down terrorists trying to start World War III. Her compatriots? First up, we've got Jessica's Best Actress fellow nominee and Donatella Versace impersonator, Penélope Cruz. Then, of course, we have Diane Kruger who famously helped to steal the Declaration of Independence, so we'd love to have her on any spy team. Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who made her American film debut in X-Men: Days of Future Past, is in the group representing MSS, and last but certainly not least, we've got Oscar-winner/scissor assassin Lupita Nyong'o. While not the most original spy film ever to be made, it is a fun showcase for five actresses usually known for more serious, dramatic work. And who doesn't want to watch Tammy Faye Messner kick some ass? I mean, come on. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

4. (500) Days of Summer (2009)

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Perhaps the most outstanding thing about (500) Days of Summer  — more than the incredible indie soundtrack, Zooey Deschanel's "manic pixie dream girl" rise to fame, and the fact 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 Prime Video. 

5. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

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As Steven Spielberg has been wracking up the Oscar nominations for his historical films like The Post, Bridge of Spies, Lincoln, and even this year's West Side Story remake, it can be easy to forget he started as a sci-fi savant. One of his most ambitious pieces of futuristic storytelling is this reimagining of Pinocchio in which The Sixth Sense's Haley Joel Osment plays a robot child who wants desperately to be a real boy. Osment offers an eery adorableness in the role as he stumbles upon a series of misadventures trying to unlock the secret to humanity. A robotic gigolo Jude Law joins him on part of the dangerous journey, and Meryl Streep arrives briefly for some voice work. If you've already polished off Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. then this is your next step into the Spielberg-verse.  

Watch it on Prime Video. 

6. All the Old Knives (2022)

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In the ongoing debate over which of the four Chrises is the best, this is certainly a strike in the favor of Mr. Pine. What could have easily been a run-of-the-mill spy thriller based on a novel (think Jack Reacher or Jack Ryan) is elevated by a creative storyline and unsurprisingly good performances by the all-star cast consisting of Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Laurence Fishburne, and Jonathan Pryce. Set over a sumptuous food-porn dinner (think Pig without the Nic Cage grunting), Pine and Newton discuss their days working in Vienna years earlier, where their relationship, as coworkers and lovers, disintegrated. After their CIA team botched a hostage situation that resulted in the deaths of an entire plane full of civilians, the pair moved on only to reconnect and attempt to unravel what exactly happened all those years ago. The film looks expensive, the mystery is compelling, and a series of twists will keep you on the edge of your seat. Chris's best work since he fell in that fountain in Princess Diaries 2. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

7. Babe (1995)

Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

If there were a Mount Rushmore for movie pigs (and honestly, there should be), I would argue the four immortalized swine would be Wilbur (obviously, he is number one as he is "some pig"), Miss Piggy, Hamm from Toy Story, and Babe (sorry to the titular pig from Pig). Babe, however, is a very special pig as I am fairly certain he is the only lead pig in a Best Picture nominee (a remarkable achievement in pig representation, especially for 1995). Babe, a pig who really wants to be a sheep dog, is the star of this Oscar darling, which was a technological feat and won the visual effects Oscar for giving the pig facial expressions and a voice. It is also a WILD bit of trivia that Mad Max: Fury Road director George Miller was a producer on this film and the director of its sequel Babe: Pig in the City, which is not nearly as good as the quaint original. For my Shrek-obsessed Gen Z crew, this is also the film that originated the line, "That'll do pig, that'll do," which was repurposed for Donkey. (The Mount Rushmore for film donkeys btw is Donkey, Eeyore, Pinocchio as a donkey boy, and the donkey Mary and Joseph rode on).

Watch it on Prime Video. 

8. Before Midnight (2013)

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It's hard to make one critically acclaimed film, let alone a trilogy, and yet, somehow the trio of director Richard Linklater and actors Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke did the impossible. Starting with the 1995 film Before Sunrise and continuing with Before Sunset (2004) and the concluding Before Midnight, the three trace the journey of a couple who meet serendipitously one night in Vienna. Each film, set nine years after the previous, visits the couple for a few hours as they wander, talking about their lives. The third installment finds the pair in Greece as a couple trying to determine their next steps in life. With the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in the bunch at 95%, it's hard to find a more enjoyable way to spend a weekend than with these films. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

9. Being the Ricardos (2021)

Glen Wilson / Amazon Content Services LLC

"LUCY, I'M HOME!" And so is Amazon's new Lucille Ball biopic, which now resides on the tech giant's streaming platform. While the internet has expressed consternation about Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman's casting as the sitcom legend since the film's early stills appeared, there was no reason for concern. Kidman and Javier Bardem (who plays her husband, Desi Arnaz) combine just enough impression within their performances to make them believable without becoming caricatures. The Aaron Sorkin script is tight, focusing on the pair as they traverse a hectic week full of accusations of communism, cheating allegations, an unexpected pregnancy, inter-cast drama, and of course a full-episode production cycle. The film zips along, with Sorkin's dialogue leading the film to a propulsive and cathartic end. A rare Oscar contender that is as fun as it as good. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

10. *The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

Ishika Mohan/Fox Searchlight/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 Wilton. 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 Prime Video. 

11. The Big Sick (2017)

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 Prime Video.  

12. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

Orion/Courtesy Everett Collection

When my uncle suggested that we marathon all three Bill & Ted movies in one day during the pandemic, I was skeptical. An '80s slacker film? How good could it be? The answer is most excellent dude! Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter play a pair of lovable goofballs who travel back through time collecting famous historical figures for a high school project. It is a DELIGHT! The whole film holds up remarkably well (which cannot be said for most movies of the time), and the scene where the pair end up leaving their posse of historic besties at the San Dimas Mall is one for the ages (and one of the best mall scenes in cinema). Most outstanding! *plays air guitar*

Watch it on Prime Video. 

13. Bottle Shock (2008)

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 Prime Video.  

14. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Name a more iconic on-screen look. I'll wait. Audrey Hepburn's LBD complete with gloves, a tiara, and a long cigarette holder has been plastered on posters, mugs, and sweatshirts for decades now. Countless individuals site this simple, elegant look as the inspiration for their own personal style (despite having no idea what the movie is even about). For those who want to know, the movie is actually about a woman who falls in love with a struggling writer, and she does indeed eat breakfast at Tiffany's. It's based on a Truman Capote novella and is sort of sad, but the costumes are exquisite!

Watch it on Prime Video. 

15. Bride Wars (2009)

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"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 Prime Video. 

16. Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019)

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 Prime Video.  

17. *Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

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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 Prime Video. 

18. Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Sayomhu Mukdeeprom/Sony Pictures Classics/Courtesy Everett Collection

Famously, this film has one of the Best Original Songs of the 21st Century in "Mystery of Love" by Sufjan Stevens, and that alone is enough reason to watch this film. Luckily, this Best Picture nominee from Luca Guadagnino has plenty of other wonders to recommend it as well. There are the beautiful landscape shots of the Italian countryside, and the many, many, many pairs of wonderful short shorts. There's the queer coming-of-age at its center. And then, of course, this is the film that introduced the world to Timothée Chalamet (unless of course, you remember him from being the Vice President's bratty son in Homeland). I shall skip over the Armie Hammer of it all, and instead remind you that it also includes one of the best end credit scenes involving Chalamet just weeping into the camera. Such a lovely film. I just wanna open my mouth and swallow the whole thing (as one might do with a peach). 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

19. *Clockstoppers (2002)

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Is this movie straight-up awful? I am almost certain of it. Have I watched it many times? Yes, I have. Have I watched it in the last 15 years? No. Absolutely not, nor will I. As a tween, I remember Clockstoppers, a film about a bunch of high schoolers who get magic watches that allow them to pause time, being THE SHIT. I wanted one of those watches so bad! I wanted to be able to move water droplets coming out of sprinklers. I wanted to be able to put a peeing dog on the hood of a nemesis's car. I wanted to be able to steal food off someone's plate without them noticing. The whole concept was just so remarkable for my brain, and is one I think about regularly. The movie itself, however, would I'm sure buckle under scrutiny. It has a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, doesn't star a single person I've ever heard of, and was produced by Nickelodeon. BUT you know what? Nostalgia is a powerful drug, and also Rotten Tomatoes says it's "a pleasant diversion for the young adults, but a waste of time for anyone older," which I'm taking to mean "great tween movie." So why not give it a try? In my mind, it is a stone-cold classic!

Watch it on Prime Video. 

20. Clue (1985)

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Mr. Green in the conservatory with the revolver? This ’80s comedy, based on the classic board game, takes the mystery of who killed Mr. Body and turns it into a slapstick black comedy. The band of comedians, including Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, and Martin Mull, arrive at a large mansion on a stormy night, only to witness murder after murder to increasingly humorous effect. The film is chock-full of quotable lines (“Flames on the side of my face”) and has developed a cult following, even if it did poorly in theaters. Also, the three alternate endings available give the whole thing an extra dose of kookiness. I’d hazard to say that the movie is better than the book — I mean, board game.

Watch it on Prime Video. 

21. Clueless (1995)

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Every high school has its popular girl, and Bronson Alcott High School's queen bee is Cher Horowitz. She lives in a Beverly Hills mansion. She spends her free time shopping at the mall. She loves a makeover. Most importantly though, she is here to serve a look every single day she steps foot in the classroom. The now iconic plaid yellow skirt suit. The black beret. The countless white collar-under sweater ensembles. The woman is a legend of '90s teenage style, and we in the year 2022 can only aspire to have TikTokers dressing up like us in 30 years. This reworking of Jane Austen's Emma is a classic rom-com that is required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a human being. Also, just FYI, but the closing song "Tenderness" by General Public is the perfect "getting dressed to go on a date" song.

Watch it on Prime Video. 

22. Cold War (2018)

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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 Prime Video. 

23. The Craft (1996)

Peter Iovino/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

When it comes to teenage witches, you've got plenty of options: Hermione Granger, Sabrina, Thomasin the titular Witch, and of course, the four girls from the '90s cult classic The Craft. In the revenge fantasy-gone-wrong, the four outcasts decide to try and become witches in order secure popularity, power, and a curse upon their enemies. As it often goes when summoning demonic forces, however, things quickly devolve, and our oddballs are now in danger. If you are VERY upset about Neve Campbell famously not coming back for Scream 6, you can get your fix of her here in another spooky option that also stars Skeet Ulrich. Makes me wonder how Riverdale was never able to secure Neve to play someone's murderous mother. Such a missed opportunity. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

24. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

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Over Christmas break in 2008, me being a pretentious high schooler desperate to prove myself an intellectual, opted to see this film (alone) instead of Marley & Me (which my entire extended family was seeing together). Clearly, I was going through something, but also I became instantly smitten with David Fincher's retelling of the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story. Screenwriter Eric Roth works wonders turning something that is basically a thought experiment asking, "What would it be like to age backward?" into this lyrical epic. This lifelong romance between Brad Pitt's and Cate Blanchett's characters is one for the ages. And if you are anything like 15-year-old me, be prepared to feel very emo and weep off and on throughout. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

25. Dark Waters (2019)

Mary Cybulski/Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

Things that don't seem exciting: the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, decade-long corporate litigation, a room full of file boxes, and Teflon. However, when these things are combined to create a true-crime horror story about hundreds of cows mysteriously dying, a poisoned water supply that is giving people cancer, and an evil corporation trying to cover it up, it becomes much more interesting. This Mark Ruffalo vehicle (with brief scenes from Anne Hathaway in increasingly bizarre wigs) is based on the real life legal saga between DuPont and the inhabitants of a West Virginia town were they were dumping toxic waste. Ruffalo plays the stalwart lawyer on a mission to find justice, and even if the subject matter seems a bit dull, in the hands of Carol director Todd Haynes, the terrifying tale becomes engrossing. It also provides you with your daily dosage of "all corporations are horrible," which I find necessary for life. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

26. Deadpool (2016)

Brianna Hildebrand/20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

In a market flooded with superheroes, supervillains, and superpowers, there is only one Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds brings his irreverent wit and crass charm to the Marvel antihero who is technically a part of the X-Men franchise. (If we want to get into the weeds, this film and its sequel were made by 20th Century Fox prior to the Disney/Fox merger, so while these were outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe umbrella, Deadpool now falls under their jurisdiction and will be introduced into the MCU with a third film that's in the works and will cross over with the X-Men who are also now MCU material, but I digress.) Deadpool breaks the fourth wall, swears, and is out to get the man who scarred his body and gave him superpowers. Foremost a comedy, this film will appeal to viewers who are less into Captain America and more into Seth Rogen. It should also be noted (as it is on Wikipedia) that this is not The Dead Pool, the Dirty Harry action film in which Clint Eastwood says, "Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one" even though that sounds like a line Deadpool would also say. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

27. *The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Barry Wetcher/20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

There are dozens if not hundreds of reasons to watch The Devil Wears Prada. There is of course Meryl Streep's Oscar-nominated performance as an Anna Wintour-esque fashion editor-in-chief. There is Emily Blunt's incredible wit as her assistant. There are the beautiful outfits, the quippy one-liners, and Stanley Tucci. There is the iconic opening credits sequence to "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall, and of course there is my favorite actor, Anne Hathaway smack dab in the center as the assistant to Streep in this novel adaptation based on the author's life. BUT the main reason to watch this delightful dramedy is Meryl Streep's monologue about the color cerulean. The writing and delivery are otherworldly. This is why Streep gets the big bucks, y'all. So you should immediately drop what you're doing and go (not at a glacial pace) to rewatch this movie (because I'm assuming you've already seen it at least 15 times). 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

28. District 9 (2009)

David Bloomer/Sony Pictures Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection

District 9 is such an odd little blip in cinema history, but I really do love it. Back in the early 2000s, Peter Jackson was attempting to make a movie based on the Halo video games (which has only just now escaped development hell to air as a TV show) with Neill Blomkamp, an unknown director. Unable to secure the funding, the pair decided to use many of the props they'd already created to make a found footage alien film as an allegory for South African apartheid. Despite an unknown cast and director, the film became a financial success, gaining more and more support until it broke into that year's newly expanded Best Picture race. And while it has faded a bit from memory, especially when compared to its 2009 Oscar competitors like Up, Avatar, and Inglorious Bastards, it is well worth the watch. Please don't hold the fact that Blomkamp went on to make Chappie and introduced Yolandi Visser's terrifying bangs to the world against this film. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

29. Don't Make Me Go (2022)

Amazon Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection

BRING TISSUES. I REPEAT: BRING TISSUES. 

Every year, someone is out here trying to make us weep during a young adult drama, and this year, it's the sadistic team behind Don't Make Me Go, which premiered at Tribeca. The film stars John Cho (and his wonderfully luscious hair) as the father of newcomer Mia Issac. The pair go on a roadtrip to meet her estranged birth mother after he realizes he has a terminal disease. John Cho will make you sob uncontrollably while singing karaoke, so of course, beware of the music cues and invest in waterproof mascara. The force behind this charming tearjerker is Hannah Marks, who, based on her Q&A post-screening while wearing a bra/blazer combo, is quite possibly the coolest director I've ever seen. Next up for her is the adaptation of John Green's Turtles All the Way Down, so maybe just buy the 12-pack of Kleenex in prep. 

Available on Prime Video July 15. 

30. *Easy A (2010)

Adam Taylor/Screen Gems/Courtesy Everett Collection

If there is one book that EVERY member of the American populace has read, one book to unify us across partisan lines, one book that has taught us all the word "scaffold," it is The Scarlet Letter. Sorry to Demi Moore, but I don't necessarily think that The Scarlet Letter is the best book to be turned into a movie (or the best book to force high schoolers to read if they're only going to read one). That being said, the LOOSE adaptation of it, Easy A, is a delight. Who needs Chillingworth, and Hester Prynne, and Pearl when you've got Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, and Aly Michalka? Stone plays a girl cast out by the students in her high school for lacking morality in this rom-com, but thankfully she has a happier ending here than in the book. The happiest ending of all, however, came for Stone herself, as the film launched her robust career. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

31. Emergency (2022)

Quantrell Colbert/Amazon Studios

If someone pitched me a movie by saying "It's like Booksmart meets The Hate U Give", I would immediately say, "No thanks. That sounds awful." And yet that is exactly how I'd pitch Emergency, which is shaping up to be one of the best films of the year. With strong buzz coming out of Sundance and SXSW, the film follows a trio of POC college seniors whose typical "get to the party" comedy shenanigans are cut short when they find a white girl passed out in their living room. Equal parts horrifying and hilarious, it never pulls punches for the sake of the audience, but still somehow manages to be an incredibly watchable romp. Exceptional performances from RJ Cyler (Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl), Donald Elise Watkins, and Sebastian Chacon make this films tightrope walk between genres possible, and the screenplay by KD Davila deserves a round of shots (or an Oscar nomination depending on what kind of party we're at). Never have I been so worried about bacterial cultures. Never has there been such a scathing use of notes app apology. And never has my body whiplashed back and forth between a belly laugh and sheer horror so quickly. Clearing a spot on my 2022 Best Of Film list as we speak. 

Watch it on Prime Video.

32. Emma. (2020)

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Emma Woodhouse is certainly no stranger to the screen. She was, of course, played by Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1996 film version. Kate Beckinsale played her in a rival 1996 TV version. Emma has been the center of at least eight television adaptations of the Jane Austen novel, several stage adaptations, a manga, and was famously renamed Cher Horowitz in Clueless, which was based on the novel. It didn't appear that we needed a new Emma in 2020, but boy oh boy am I glad we got one, because this quirky, highly stylized period drama from Autumn de Wilde is shocking, biting, and delightful. Anya Taylor-Joy steals the show (as she tends to do) as the it girl of regency England, while a cast of British up-and-comers — including Mia Goth, Josh O'Connor, Connor Swindells, and Callum Turner — take the supporting roles. This is how you properly do a remake. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

33. Encounter (2021)

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Not a movie to watch if you are easily creeped out by bugs, parasites, or tiny microbial creatures burrowing into your body while you sleep, only to slowly take over your mind and turn you into a zombie. In this sci-fi/horror feature, Riz Ahmed's Malik believes the world to be under threat by microscopic alien lifeforms, and so he kidnaps his children to protect them from their infected mother. As a cross-country chase ensues, with the police and potentially dangerous diseased carriers closing in, Malik struggles to keep his tiny family together. And then, of course, there is the question: Is this all just in his head? 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

34. *Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

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Alcatraz is an endlessly fascinating subject for some reason. The Californian island penitentiary has made appearances in movies, in books, and in video games. Nic Cage has been there. Harry Potter's Azkaban is based off it. And y'all remember that Fox one-season wonder from J.J. Abrams? Much of the prison's notoriety stems from the mysterious escape attempt dramatized in this film, in which three inmates managed to flee what was supposedly the world's most secure prison. The inmates were never found leading some to believe they'd drowned in the water around Alcatraz, while others claim it was one of the most successful escapes of all time. The Clint Eastwood action thriller details the events of the escape in what has become a stone-cold classic and the inspiration for numerous other prison break stories. Perhaps we have Escape from Alcatraz to thank for Michael Scofield's tattoos? 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

35. Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)

John Rogers / Courtesy Amazon Studios

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 Prime Video. 

36. *Face/Off (1997)

Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

If there is someone looking camp right in the eye, it is John Woo, the director of Face/Off. Truly there has never been a more preposterously enjoyable film than this one about an FBI agent and serial killer who get each other's face transplanted. What a deliciously bizarre premise! This is made even more ridiculous by the fact that the actors leading this bonkers action thriller are none other than Nicolas Cage and John Travolta, two men who have gone out of their way in recent years to take the most batshit roles possible. Hairspray. Gotti. Pig. Left Behind. These men know how to dispense with any shred of apprehension they have and throw themselves fully into questionable acting choices (and accents). Nowhere has that worked better for them than in this film. It is SUCH an entertaining watch, and I wouldn't want anyone else as the leads. Yes. I will gladly take a sequel. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

37. Fences (2016)

David Lee/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

If you're looking for a masterclass in acting, you needn't look any further than this film based on the August Wilson play, the revival of which earned both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis Tony Awards. The Best Picture–nominated film version earned them both Oscar nominations as well, with Davis taking home the trophy. While the toxic relationship between Troy (Washington) and Rose (Davis) is certainly front and center in the film, Troy's fraying relationship with his son Cory (Jovan Adepo) fights for top billing. An alcoholic terrified of how his own past sports career didn't serve him well, Troy forbids Cory from attempting to get a football scholarship, instead making him vastly unhappy, forcing him into the military, and robbing him of a chance to make it big. Their relationship is contentious, and the film grapples with how our parental relationships can affect us even after their deaths. But oof, those performances though.

Watch it on Prime Video. 

38. The Fighter (2010)

Jojo Whilden/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Consider The Fighter. Consider one of Christian Bale's extreme body transformations that ended up landing him an Oscar. Consider Amy Adams in one of her six Oscar-nominated roles playing the wife of a boxer. Consider Mark Wahlberg, who played the lead boxer in the Best Picture contender, channeling his own life as a working class Massachusetts boy. Consider David O. Russell's rise as an Academy Award–level director, launching his first in a trio of Best Director noms. And, of course, we must always consider Melissa Leo. Because she gave a harrowing performance as the mother of Bale and Wahlberg's brothers, because she would go on to win the Oscar, and most importantly, because she told us to. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

39. Force Majeure (2014)

Magnolia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

While I have you here, halfway through this massive list, which I'm sure you're reading every single word of, I'd like to give you a piece of life advice. It would be good to sit and think now about what you would do if you were eating lunch with your significant other and two children on a ski trip and an avalanche decided to head your way. Because that is what happens in Force Majeure, and the dad opts to sprint for his life and leave the other three there defenseless. Not a great look necessary, and perhaps if he'd considered this situation ahead of time, it would have helped him out. This Swedish film is from acclaimed two-time Palme d'Or-winner Ruben Ostlund and is as entertaining and funny as it is stressful. I'd also like to say that it reinforces for me that people should never go skiing. If Natasha Richardson's death wasn't enough to scare you away from this ridiculously stupid sport, then perhaps this film will be. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

40. Groundhog Day (1993)

Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Groundhog Day is a genre-creating movie, so good that people have been stealing its concept ever since it was made. From Happy Death Day to Palm Springs to Groundhog Day: The Musical, many have tried to capture the genius of this film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, but there is nothing quite like the OG. Murray plays a newscaster forced to relive the same day over and over until he learns some lessons (and finds love). Makes me want to head to Punxsutawney next year. Makes me want to head to Punxsutawney next year. Makes me want to head to Punxsutawney next year. Makes me want to head to Punxsutawney next year. (Oh no. It's happening again.)

Watch it on Prime Video. 

41. *The Haunting (1999)

Dreamworks/Courtesy Everett Collection

With horror, there are good movies, bad movies, and so-bad-they're-good movies. This would be one of the latter. Based on Shirley Jackson's oft-adapted The Haunting of Hill House (you perhaps saw the Netflix series recently), this film was originally supposed to be a Stephen King/Steven Spielberg project, but was eventually made without much input from either (and that shows). Lili Taylor plays an insomniac who signs up for a study at a creepy old house in search of a cure. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a glamorous and kooky fellow participant. Liam Neeson plays the the doctor in charge. Bruce Dern is the house's creepy caretaker. And while the film got TERRIBLE reviews and plenty of Razzie nominations, it's venturing into a Cats space. Plus the visuals here are still pretty stunning, and the story, while a bit mangled in a fun way, is based on a classic. If you like bad (yet fun) horror films, add this to your list. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

42. Heathers (1988)

New World Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Perhaps you know Heathers because you love this '80s film. Perhaps you know Heathers because you love the musical of the 2010s. Or perhaps you know Heathers because you (like me) watched the Heathers: The Musical episode of Riverdale and then backtracked to the source material. Whatever journey you take in order to arrive at Heathers is valid. The dark tale about a rich girl and her new boyfriend trying to murder a clique of Heathers is as terrifying as it is funny. Complete with croquet mallets and '80s blazers, the film is a haunting romp whether you're watching Winona Ryder or Cheryl Blossom. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

43. A Hero (2021)

Courtesy Amazon Studios

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has won the Oscar for Best International Feature twice in the last 10 years: once for A Separation in 2011 and then again for The Salesman in 2016. Well, now he's back trying for a third with this year's short-listed title about a man who thinks his ticket out of debtors prison is a purse full of cash that his girlfriend finds. But a fairly simple act goes awry very quickly and threatens to leave him worse off than he started. The intricately subtle set of moral quandaries at this film's center are as terrifying as they seem insignificant, and watching Amir Jadidi act his way through them is mesmerizing. If Farhadi takes home a third Oscar, it will certainly be well deserved. 

Watch it on Prime Video.

44. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (2021)

Sony Pictures Animation / Courtesy Amazon Studios

Your favorite family of monsters is back on the big screen. Well, scratch the "big," since the film was snatched away from a theatrical release because of the Delta variant of the coronavirus and sent to Prime Video for its debut instead, but they are back nonetheless. And in the fourth installment of the much-loved Adam Sandler–led animated franchise, a de-monstering gun goes awry, leading the entire monster cast to be transformed into regular humans (and a plate of jello, in one case). The goofy caper is just as delightful as its previous installments, and the premise sets up a never-ending string of entertaining jokes and bits. It also makes you wonder what monster you'd be turned into if the gun on its opposite setting were aimed at you. Where's my BuzzFeed quiz? 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

45. House of Gucci (2021)

Fabio Lovino/MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

Allow me to introduce you to one of the best performances of 2021, saweetie. That of my pop queen-turned-Oscar winner, Lady Gaga. The fashion murder mystery follows the rise and fall of Patrizia Reggiani, a woman who married into the Gucci family only to be pushed back out again soon thereafter. While it is true that the second half is a bit slow (mostly because of the lack of Gaga), and that every actor appears to be in a different film (because no one reaches Gaga's one-of-a-kind camp performance), House of Gucci is a decadent wild ride. The (Gucci-heavy) fashion of the film includes plenty of men's suits and, of course, the famed Gucci loafers, but also a number of ski-trip ensembles that Narnia's White Witch would be jealous of. Apparently, Gaga will be in a musical sequel to Joker soon, so while we wait for that, give this bad boy a watch. If not, you might be cursed by father, son, and House of Gucci. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

46. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

DreamWorks SKG/Courtesy Everett Collection

IDK why you would ever want to kill a dragon when they are so darn cute, but the Viking warriors in this film franchise really have it out for the ickle-wickle, cutey-patootie fire breathers. In fact, the whole existence of the Viking crew seems to be hunting down and murdering dragons (I mean, truly get a life). But of course, when Hiccup, a young Viking, finally captures his first dragon, he is smitten with how freaking adorable the little guy is and decides to be his bestie rather than his butcher. Thus begins a lifelong friendship and three films' worth of hijinks as Hiccup tries to convince everyone that Toothless the dragon is a friend, not foe, and so are all his dragon buddies. I will also say that my sister probably watched this move 500 times one summer when I was home from college, and the score SLAPS even as you're watching the closing scene for the fourth time in a day. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

47. The Hunt (2020)

Patti Perret/Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

This film's original release was scrapped because of a frenzied outcry from conservative media in the wake of dual shootings on Aug. 3, 2019. The satirical horror film was eventually reintroduced to the lineup after more careful consideration for a squeeze-it-in-before-the-theaters-shut-down premiere. The plot focuses on a bunch of “deplorables” (i.e., conservatives) being hunted for sport by a posse of liberal elites. Betty Gilpin (Glow) takes center stage as a wily Army veteran, but the cast is stuffed with your favorite comedic actors as Ike Barinholtz (Blockers), Emma Roberts (Scream Queens), and Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) all pop up. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

48. I Want You Back (2022)

Amazon Prime Video

While much hand-wringing has taken place over the death of the rom-com, a genre that peaked in the '90s and largely disappeared after, I'm here to report that a new great has emerged. This new Amazon Original begins with both Charlie Day and Jenny Slate being broken up with, only to meet each other when they're both weeping in the stairwell of their office building. But then the pair comes up with an ingenious plan: ruin the romance of the other's ex in order to drive them back into the arms of their former love. Naturally, this plan goes incredibly poorly, and Charlie and Jenny end up falling in love with each other along the way. A genuine joy to watch, with loads of laughs, great chemistry, and very few cringey moments (sorry to Marry Me), this film is perfect for anyone missing an old-fashioned rom-com, but with texting and dating apps rather than love letters over email. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

49. Ida (2013)

Music Box Films/Courtesy Everett Collection

A beautiful, eery, black-and-white international film about a nun who learns secrets about her past? Don't mind if I do! Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski reached more mainstream success in the US back in 2019 when his film Cold War earned him a Best Director nomination from the academy. His previous film, Ida, I would argue is even better, and took home the statue for Best International Film (a feat that Cold War couldn't quite muster against the juggernaut Roma). It follows a young woman on the cusp of becoming a nun who learns that her parents were Jews who had been murdered during World War II. A gorgeous, haunting, coming-of-age saga and character study, it is the perfect high-brow film if you're in the mood for Cinema with a capital C. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

50. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

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 Prime Video.  

51. The Invisible Man (2020)

Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

It may have had an abbreviated theatrical run due to the pandemic, but this taut sci-fi thriller is living its best life scaring people in the comfort of their own home on streaming. In this film from Leigh Whannell (Saw), Elisabeth Moss’s husband died by suicide…or did he? Perhaps he only faked his death so he could torment her dressed up in a high-tech bodysuit that renders him invisible. The floating knives and mysterious footprints start as unsettling but ramp up to a full-on nightmare by the film’s riveting climax. And while it's a great horror film, it is also a startling representation of the gaslighting women endure even in the #MeToo era.     

Watch it on Prime Video. 

52. The Italian Job (2003)

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Boy oh boy, do I love a heist movie. When executed well, it is easily one of the most entertaining, satisfying genres of film. Ocean's Eleven, Tenet, Jackie Brown. Action-packed with plenty of room for clever writing and creative set pieces. The Italian Job is a phenomenal entrant into this genre based loosely off a 1969 film of the same name. The mission (stealing gold) is not particularly unique, but the methods used and the chase scenes throughout are anything but standard. This is also an early action entry onto the filmographies of Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Jason Statham, all of whom would go on to headline plenty of bigger budget, buzzier films, so it's exciting to see them all here as youngsters trying out their action acting chops. The way I wanted to go into safecracking after seeing this film. If only my parents had let me. I could have be living a very different life. Rather than writing for BuzzFeed, I could be sneaking into their headquarters to steal rubies out of their vault (something I just assume we have on hand). 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

53. Jennifer's Body (2009)

Doane Gregory/Fox Atomic/Courtesy Everett Collection

When Jennifer's Body came out over a decade ago, it 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 re-litigates 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 (Yellowjackets), 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 Prime Video. 

54. The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (1994)

MCA/Universal Home Video

Feeling nostalgic? Then queue up this direct-to-video sequel to The Land Before Time. Or really you can watch any of the franchise's 14 dinosaur-helmed adventures starring Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike. The second film, in which the gang finds and raises a T-rex, proving that they can be friends with carnivores and live together in peace, is a warmhearted delight that is perfect for kids (or aging millennials who want to relive their childhood). Unfortunately, this is not the one that contains the iconic "I need you like a hole in the head" song, but has eggnappers, sharptooths, and sinking sand as a good adventure should have. (I'd like to speak briefly about the prevalence of sinking sand in children's movies vs. real life. Never have I encountered the stuff, but I was TERRIFIED that it would just show up based on these movies.) Should I rewatch all of these films and write a ranking? Sound off in the comments. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

55. *Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

TW: This movie contains mentions of suicide.

Not to be confused with Sheryl Crow's "Leaving Las Vegas" music video (which is technically based on John O'Brien's novel as well and was the source of much consternation, but for that story please see the Sheryl documentary), this adaptation of the novel was an Oscar heavy hitter in 1996. Based on the semi-autobiographical, now classic, novel, the film follows a suicidal alcoholic played by Nicolas Cage who decides to drink himself to death in Las Vegas. Upon arrival, he meets a sex worker, played by Elisabeth Shue, and the two begin a brief affair. The novel, which has been called O’Brien’s suicide note as he died by suicide shortly after, is an incredibly dark look at humanity, but one that still finds the beauty in life (as awful as it can sometimes be). Both Cage and Shue were Oscar-nominated for their performances (with Cage winning), and the directing and screenplay also received nominations. While not a particularly pleasant film, it is one that will leave a lasting impression on you and remind you of what Cage is capable of at the top of his game. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

56. *Licorice Pizza (2021)

Melinda Sue Gordon/MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

As a Paul Thomas Anderson fan, a Haim fan, and a fan of waterbeds (although that was in childhood, and I haven't tested one out in a while), I am a sucker for this odd '70s Hollywood dramedy. The movie is a long series of vignettes (some of which work better than others) that follow an unlikely pair of friends played by Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim as they traipse around Los Angeles getting into trouble. A who's who of Hollywood elite also pop up in scene-stealing roles. Bradley Cooper as Barbra Streisand's lover and Harriet Samson Harris as a child talent agent both give tremendous (if brief) performances. While the film didn't end up winning any Oscars last year, it did land three nominations (nothing to scoff at) and minted the youngest Haim as a double acting/singing threat. Speaking of which, I need Haim to get to work on a new album so PTA can shoot some more of their music videos. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

57. The Lighthouse (2019)

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 Prime Video.   

58. Love & Friendship (2016)

Roadside Attractions / Courtesy Everett Collection

You have probably seen Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, or Emma, but I'm here to tell you about the recent adaptation of Jane Austen's lesser-known novel Lady Susan, which was published long after her death. Kate Beckinsale plays the titular, recently widowed protagonist, who, in true Austen fashion, is on the prowl for a wealthy husband, not just for herself but for her daughter. No one does Regency wit and matchmaking quite like Jane Austen, and the film is a thrilling romantic dramedy. Also, assuming you weren't assigned this book in college, the tale should be fresh, whereas we've all seen Mr. Darcy propose to Elizabeth Bennet 100 times. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

59. Love & Monsters (2020)

Jasin Boland/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

As a completist, I make it a point every year to watch every Oscar-nominated film (shorts, documentaries, and song nominees included). Often this is a thankless task, but occasionally you stumble upon greatness! I'd never heard of this dystopian romance before it nabbed a Best Visual Effects nomination during the 2020 COVID Oscars. It had gone straight to VOD and boasted little star power beyond Teen Wolf actor Dylan O'Brien. This was the best surprise of the season. Witty, fresh, and full of imaginatively designed monsters, this film is a romp. O'Brien's Joel must travel through monster-infested territory to reach his true love and the whole thing is hilarious and incredibly smart. I recommend this film so often, and it was honestly better than at least half of the Best Picture nominees that year. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

60. Madagascar (2005)

DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection

While this film has most recently been brought up as the cinematic connection point between Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith (who play Marty the zebra and Gloria the hippo respectively) who were both involved with The Slap (TM), it was previously known mostly for introducing the world to King Julian and "I Like to Move It Move It." The children's film about four animals escaping the Central Park Zoo in order to return to their home in Africa is an animated classic that spawned two sequels, a spinoff, and several TV shows. I'm unsure how it was passed over for the Best Animated Feature Oscar the year it was released, but its clever script and great voice performances (including David Schwimmer as an anxious giraffe) make it top-tier viewing (especially if you are trying to entertain a kid). 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

61. *Mamma Mia! (2008)

Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

It's a star-studded cast singing ABBA music in Greece for two hours. Do I really need to sell you on this film any more? It's based on a Tony-nominated stage musical. It has Meryl Streep wearing overalls. It has a brilliant sequel where Cher shows up and sings "Fernando." Tony Garcia is named "Fernando" precisely for this bit. Horny Christine Baranski sings to young men crawling around on a beach. (Why has the woman never been nominated for an Oscar? Why was she not nominated for this?) Amanda Seyfried became a household name. Pierce Brosnan bulldozed his way through a few songs. Everyone booked trips to Santorini. One of the most iconic movie musicals ever made, and I would argue one of the best stage-to-film adaptations. My grandparents saw it a dozen times in theaters they loved it so much, and shame on everyone who saw it less. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

62. Manchester by the Sea (2016)

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 Prime Video.  

63. Marry Me (2022)

Barry Wetcher/Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

This is perhaps the most ridiculous film ever made. Jennifer Lopez plays a pop star who is jilted at the altar (i.e. on the stage of an internationally televised concert) only to spontaneously and tearfully drag Owen Wilson's derpy school teacher onto the stage to marry her instead. And while this premise is lunacy of the highest order, it ends up being a very sweet rom-com (which fared well in one handsome, clever author's ranking of J.Lo's movie romances). The best part about the film, however, is the never-ending parade of new pop tracks from the superstar including "Church" which the Academy MUST nominate for Best Original Song or risk losing all credibility. If you like silly rom-coms, this one is for you, and imho does more to prove J.Lo's star power than her Netflix documentary does. I mean, how could you possibly watch her perform "Church" and not be agog? 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

64. Master (2022)

Amazon Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection

2022 Sundance was ruled by Regina Hall, who after decades of strong work in films like Scary Movie and The Best Man  finally seems to be breaking through into prestigious lead roles like that in Support the Girls, Black Monday, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.,  and Master. In this horror film, Hall plays the first Black master at a largely white New England private college. The campus is supposedly haunted by the ghost of the first Black student ever admitted, BUT, hear me out, perhaps it is mostly haunted by a lot of racists. Hall, of course, is the consummate professional and plays her role as the conflicted, haunted, horrified academic perfectly. Terrifying and speaking to the broader cultural toxin that is WASP-y, elitist colleges, the film has the potential to break through into awards conversations as well. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

65. Mayor Pete (2021)

Courtesy Amazon Studios

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 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 Prime Video. 

66. My Fake Boyfriend (2022)

Stephanie Montani/Lionsgate

We are all in need of a cute rom-com. We are all in need of a cute queer rom-com. We are all in need of a cute queer rom-com that involves a faked funeral. And, of course, we are all ALWAYS in need of more Sarah Hyland. Luckily, My Fake Boyfriend — which was produced by the folks at BuzzFeed (ever heard of it?) — checks all these boxes. Starring Keiynan Lonsdale of Love, Simon fame, the film follows Andrew (Lonsdale) as his best friend Jake (Dylan Sprouse) creates a fake boyfriend for Andrew in order to help him get over his on-again, off-again toxic ex. All three of the leads give entertaining performances, and the film is an easy, breezy fun watch that is great for Pride or any of the other eleven months where queer love is also worth celebrating. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

67. My Name Is Pauli Murray (2021)

Courtesy Amazon Studios

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 Prime Video. 

68. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

Never Rarely Sometimes Always is not an easy watch, nor is it necessarily a fun one, but it is necessary, especially to those of us lucky enough to have avoided making the choice as to whether or not to have an abortion. Eliza Hittman's award-winning indie follows Autumn (Sidney Flanigan), a pregnant 17-year-old who must travel from Pennsylvania to New York in order to get an abortion without her parents' consent. The journey is fraught on so many levels as she comes up against bureaucratic roadblocks at every turn, and with little money or support, must face those crises largely alone. Autumn's relationship with her best friend Skylar is the bright spot of the film as the girls work together on their trip to New York's Planned Parenthood, and the intake where Autumn is repeatedly asked questions with the titular answers is a heart-wrenching piece of cinema. This is also the most effective use of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in film history. You feel every miserable minute that they have to spend there. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

69. No Time to Die (2021)

Nicola Dove/MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

You hopefully don't have time to die, but you should make time to watch the latest James Bond film (and Daniel Craig's last). The spy thriller was widely lauded as a well-executed sendoff to the latest Aston Martin driver, and it includes a slew of great supporting performances from Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, and Ben Whishaw. Ana de Armas pops up in a few scenes as a perfect dose of machine gun–wielding comedic relief, and the stunts are obviously top notch. It should be noted that the Billie Eilish–sung theme song "No Time to Die" won the Oscar for Best Original Song this year, which makes it the third Bond song in a row to take home the top prize. Now, we just have to sit and wait to see who will be cast as the new Bond and if our next musician will nab an Oscar. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

70. Office Space (1999)

20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

Office Space was ahead of its time. The indie film, which grew into a beloved cult classic, somehow knew how to become a meme well before the internet even knew what a meme was. The office is the definition of a corporate wasteland, and Ron Livingston's Peter Gibbons navigates the TOO REAL everyday realities of a horrible boss, a meaningless job, and technology malfunctions. The supporting cast including Jennifer Aniston and Barry's Stephen Root (who just wants his red stapler) are strong and oh so quotable. And then of course there is the iconic, oft-imitated scene of the office workers destroying a printer. Who among us hasn't wanted to take a bat to some outdated piece of equipment your employer insists you use daily? I know I'm lined up and ready to smash. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

71. One Night in Miami (2020)

Patti Perret/Courtesy of Amazon Studios

In 1964, famed 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 Prime Video.  

72. Paterson (2016)

Mary Cybulski/Bleecker Street Media/Courtesy Everett Collection

I will say this after working in publishing for half a decade: There is no tougher, less lucrative arts field than poetry. We may study the crap out of it in college and take creative writing classes where we learn to write sonnets, but making a living off poetry is insanely difficult. It's best to just keep as a hobby. In Jim Jarmusch's Paterson (named after the William Carlos Williams poem), Adam Driver plays a driver (!) named Paterson (!) who writes poetry about people on his bus. His wife wants him to publish (good luck), but he is resistant. The sweet little film, however, is ultimately an encouraging message to do what you love (no matter what curmudgeonly BuzzFeed writers may tell you) and to follow your dreams as a writer (because who knows? They might come true!). We are due for another great sonnet writer after all. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

73. Philadelphia (1993)

TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

In the early 1990s when Philadelphia hit theaters, the AIDS crisis was still ravaging the world, taking the lives of thousands (many of whom were gay men) every year. The stigma, misinformation, and lack of treatment made the disease terrifying to much of the general public, whose fear was coupled with homophobia spread by the anti-gay movement of the religious right. This all made Philadelphia that much more urgent, the story of a man with AIDS fighting for his life while also fighting to win a lawsuit against his former employer for firing him because he was a gay man with the disease. The heartbreaking film is historic for being one of the first mainstream pictures to tackle the AIDS crisis and for helping to sway public opinion about the disease. Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for the role and is supported by an all-star cast, including Denzel Washington and Antonio Banderas. While the film uses some unfortunate cliches by today's standards and casts straight men in gay roles, I think these can be excused given the era in which the film was made and what it was attempting to do on behalf of the queer community. A monumental piece of history that is worth revisiting this month. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

74. *Post Malone: Runaway (2022)

Amazon Freevee/Courtesy Everett Collection

If you are a fan of the concert film genre or Post Malone, then you are in luck. Runway, which covers the genre-defying artists 2019–20 tour of the same name, follows Postie to various stops on the road. We see him write and record music, perform, and play an obscene amount of beer pong. The production value of the concert is not extremely high (something that cannot be said for those being filmed here), but he performs his hits AND spits beer into the audience. The film gets a pickup at the end when we see his interactions with Ozzy Osbourne (who appears on "Take What You Want"), and there are plenty of great vocal performances throughout. Really we need a doc about the parties following Post Malone concerts, because those look to be ON ANOTHER LEVEL.

Watch it on Prime Video.

75. Pride (2014)

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 Prime Video.  

76. A Quiet Place Part II (2020)

Jonny Cournoyer/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Please read this blurb in a whisper, because if you don't then a giant tentacled beast will come eat you, your deaf daughter, your brand new baby, and your dumbass son. (Sorry Noah Jupe. I love you, but your character here is itching to get everyone killed). The sequel to the much-loved 2018 film directed by and starring John Krasinski is now only directed by John Krasinski, (Not gonna say why, but I'll give you three guesses), but Jupe, Emily Blunt, and Millicent Simmonds are back hustling silently through the weeds. The sequel expands the world beyond the confines of the family farm and provides some backstory as well. It's an entertaining horror/action movie and Emily Blunt is acting her ass off (without speaking) yet again. Someone nominate her for an Oscar. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

77. Raging Bull (1980)

United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection

At this point we've all seen plenty of boxing movies. Rocky, Creed, The Fighter, Million Dollar Baby. But when it comes to artistry, none quite matches Martin Scorsese's boxing epic. The early Scorsese film earned eight Oscar nominations including his first for Best Director, a win for his longtime editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, Robert DeNiro's second Oscar win (and somehow his most recent), and Joe Pesci's first nomination. The black-and-white film follows DeNiro's Jake LaMotta, a self-destructive boxer as he bulldozes through his life, leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. It also must be said that DeNiro is BUILT in this film. He put on 60 pounds of muscle for the role, and I would be terrified to meet him in the ring. (Full disclosure, I'd be terrified to meet almost anyone in a boxing ring, but 1980 DeNiro especially). 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

78. Respect (2021)

Quantrell D. Colbert/MGM?Courtesy Everett Collection

I mean, it's basically two hours of Jennifer Hudson singing Aretha Franklin songs. What's not to love? Oscar winner Hudson has an immaculate voice. Grammy winner Franklin wrote immaculate songs. And the two are paired together here to perfection as we follow Franklin's life over three decades watching her career rise and fall and rise again while she also overcomes challenges in her personal life. While the film ultimately fell short of landing any Oscar nominations, it is still well worth a watch, both for the music and as a monument to the life of a historic Black woman within the music world. It should also be noted that Franklin hand picked Hudson to play her before her death, so you know she's got the goods.

Watch it on Prime Video. 

79. Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Poor Rosemary. All she wants to do is be a mother, but as it would turn out, her neighbors are all in a satanic cult and her baby is the child of Satan. Mia Farrow plays the titular Rosemary here in this classic old-school horror film, which traffics in mysterious dread as she tries to unravel what is happening around her. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her role as the terrifying neighbor, and the script was also nominated for an Oscar. Another interesting Hollywood tidbit, which you might remember from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is that director Roman Polanski was dating/married to Sharon Tate while working on this project and had hoped that she would star in the film rather than Farrow. Very interesting to think of the world where the devil's mother was played by the gone-too-soon icon. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

80. The Sandlot (1993)

20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

The movie that single-handedly taught a generation of kids who "the Great Bambino" (not "the Great Bambi") was. This nostalgic film about nine boys who spend a summer playing baseball together is a quotable classic. Even as someone who played only one year of T-ball, I gained a reverence for America's favorite pastime from watching this film, and it made me wish I'd spent summer breaks trying chewing tobacco, riding carnival rides, and hitting home runs into dog-guarded backyards. I can't watch 4th of July fireworks without thinking of this movie. I can't see a public pool without thinking of this movie. And, of course, I can't hear "Tequila" without getting vivid images of the gang vomiting off a fair ride. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

81. *Serpico (1973)

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Al Pacino was famously nominated for an Oscar eight times before he finally won for Scent of a Woman in 1993. Many claim that this was not in fact the legendary actor's best work, and that he should have been given his Oscar much earlier for a better film such as Serpico. In this biographical crime drama, Pacino plays Frank Serpico, an NYPD vice detective, who worked with the New York Times as a whistleblower to uncover rampant corruption in the police force. Pacino's performance here is one of his best and most lasting. Who doesn't love a good whistleblower narrative (especially against corrupt cops)? And watching Pacino use his full force in what is basically an extended character study is mesmerizing. While his performances in House of Gucci and Jack and Jill were certainly something to behold, I really recommend you go back and watch him shine in his earlier work. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

82. Short Term 12 (2013)

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 Prime Video.  

83. *Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Paramount/Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (and Sonic the Hedgehog 1 for that matter) are both exceptionally fun, watchable, family-friendly comedies. I have seen both at early morning IMAX screenings with one of my besties. We snuck in bagels and iced coffees and watched our favorite furry blue video game character surrounded by dozens of children's birthday parties and half-asleep parents (and we will be recreating the experience for Sonic 3). These movies are pure, wholesome delights. Jim Carrey is giving classic Jim Carrey like we haven't seen since he played Count Olaf. Ben Schwartz and James Marsden have great chemistry as Sonic and his dad(?). The plots are silly but stick to the high points of the Sonic video games (LOVE ME some Sonic Adventure 2: Battle). And if you are feeling a little too snooty to watch, might I entice you with the fact that Natasha Rothwell (of Mike White's acclaimed The White Lotus) is given some real hilarious material as a bridezilla who hates Marsden. The film RAKED in over $400M, and a third film is on the way. PLEASE introduce Rogue the Bat into the franchise. I beg of you. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

84. Sound of Metal (2019)

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 Prime Video.  

85. *Source Code (2011)

Jonathan Wenk/Summit Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection

It's not often we get a great, twisty sci-fi thriller of this caliber. While many (Old, Serenity, Passengers, Terminal) really biff the landing, it's rare to get something that is both inventive and well executed. If it can also incorporate a human element with powerful performances? Well DING DING DING, we have a winner! Such is the case with Source Code, the Jake-Gyllenhaal-helmed action mystery that follows an army officer into an eight-minute-long time loop where he must identify the bomber of a train in order to prevent subsequent terrorist attacks. It's using the Groundhog Day conceit in a really creative way, and the twists we encounter as we watch the explosion play out over and over continue to pay off (there is a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score to prove it!). Gyllenhaal's chemistry with Michelle Monoghan also pushes this movie into the epic romance space, so there is truly something for everyone. The sole loser in this endeavor is whoever buys this cursed Walmart poster of Monoghan serving haunted wraith at the premiere. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

86. *Spy (2015)

20th Century Fox/ Courtesy Everett Collection

I'm going to make a bold claim and say that this is Melissa McCarthy's best film of the post-Bridesmaids era. In it she plays Susan Cooper, a CIA office employee who is finally sent back into the field after the identities of her fellow agents are exposed. The over-zealous Susan fits nicely into McCarthy's wheelhouse of bold, loud, slightly terrifying go-getters, but always feels grounded in a way that some of her other characters have not. The spoof on the spy thriller genre is bolstered by Jason Statham playing against type, Jude Law playing a satirical version of James Bond, and Rose Byrne dressed as a "slutty dolphin trainer." Paul Feig (who also happens to be responsible for Bridesmaids) utilizes his cast to perfection, and with actors like Allison Janney, Zach Woods, and 50 Cent popping up, there are plenty of funny asides and one-liners that are instantly quotable. Miranda Hart, who plays Susan's best friend and a remote intelligence officer, steals the show however. I could watch her anxiously flit about for hours. We don't need another James Bond. We need a Spy 2. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

87. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection

The Talented Mr. Ripley is one of my favorite films of all time. It tells the story of a repressed nerdy gay man, in love with his best friend, and driven to all manner of con-man tactics and violence when that love isn't reciprocated. Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, the thriller stars a very hot cast (Jude Law, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett) who gallivant around the Italian countryside. They get up to endless mischief, and they look amazing doing it. The writing is taut, the cinematography is breathtaking (although how hard is it to make coastal Italy look good?), and there are several GOAT level murder scenes. I also went out and bought several knit, short-sleeve button-downs for this summer just so that I could attempt to look like Jude Law. MA'AM. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

88. Tangerine (2015)

Magnolia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

If you haven't watched Sean Baker's revolutionary film about transgender sex workers in Los Angeles, then you need to stop what you're doing and go watch immediately. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was the best film I saw during my never-ending pandemic film binges. Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), one of the pair of sex worker besties at the heart of the film, goes on a rampage when she learns her boyfriend is dating a new woman. Finding the "other woman," Dinah, Sin-Dee drags the beleaguered Dinah around the streets of LA for an evening on the hunt for her pimp/BF. A movie about trans people starring trans people, this is a win-win.

Watch it on Prime Video. 

89. The Tender Bar (2021)

Claire Folger / Claire Folger/ © 2021 Amazon Content Services LLC

With Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, Ben Affleck is a bona fide awards season hopeful in this coming-of-age drama about a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist growing up with his eccentric family on Long Island. Affleck plays the literary, yet rough-and-tumble owner of a bar who mentors his nephew (Tye Sheridan) on all things life, love, and booze. The George Clooney–directed period piece also features Lili Rabe and Christopher Lloyd as the supportive mother and crotchety grandfather respectively. Plus, who doesn't want to listen to bickering in Long Island accents?  

Watch it on Prime Video. 

90. The Terminator (1984)

Orion Pictures Corp. / Courtesy Everett Collection

“I’ll be back.” This Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action film not only has gone on to spawn multiple spinoffs but also gave us some of the most quotable lines in cinema history. The former governor of California plays an evil AI cyborg assassin sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the woman who will eventually give birth to the man who will save humankind. While the later films in the franchise are more action focused, the original is basically a horror film with the terminator killing anyone that gets in the way of him murdering Sarah. Watch your favorite Austrian bodybuilder deliver his classic lines before his fake skin is melted off and he turns into a terrifying red-eyed robot. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

91. The Theory of Everything (2014)

Liam Daniel/Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

After watching this film, I still don't really understand theoretical physics, but I do know a hell of a lot more about theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and his incredible life. Hawking is played by Eddie Redmayne (to an Oscar win) in an intense full-body physical transformation that is astonishing, and follows him from life as a healthy young man through his diagnosis with ALS and the slow deterioration of his body. And while the film, of course, deals plenty with science (yay, nerds), it is primarily a romantic drama (yay, emotional Cancers). Felicity Jones plays Hawking's wife (to an Oscar nom) as the pair struggle to keep their flame alive amid the burgeoning illness and fame. Bring a box of tissues with you (and possibly a calculator, if you're into that).

Watch it on Prime Video. 

92. *Thirteen Lives (2022)

Vince Valitutti/MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

The media frenzy around the 2018 Thai cave rescue in which 13 young men were trapped inside a cave for over two weeks is now immortalized on the silver screen in this thriller starring Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton as three of the divers tasked with saving the children. Oscar-winner Ron Howard directed the film, and with the somewhat similar Apollo 13 under his belt, you know he knows how to do a tense rescue in a tight space. The film, which supposedly tested incredibly well in pre-screenings and you can see why, was set to have a juicy awards-y November release this year before MGM was bought by Amazon. With an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, stellar performances from Oscar-nominated actors, and a great real-life news hook, I am SHOCKED this was dumped onto the streaming site without much fanfare in August. This movie is exceptional and should be in the conversation for Oscars this year. Please go watch and then DM me how much you agree. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

93. Time (2020)

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 Prime Video.  

94. Top Gun (1986)

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Here's the thing about Top Gun. It is not nearly as good as its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. BUT it is well worth watching to better understand the masterpiece that is Top Gun: Maverick. Where did Maverick come from? What was he like when he was in Top Gun, his flight school? Who is Goose? Why is Meg Ryan randomly in one of these flashback scenes? These are all questions that you'd likely ask while watching the incredible Top Gun: Maverick if you didn't watch Top Gun first. Top Gun also does include lots of flying and goofy nicknames on its own, so that's another reason to watch this film. Mostly though, you should watch it so you can then go to the theaters and watch Top Gun: Maverick, which is one of the best films of the year. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

95. Train to Busan (2016)

Well Go USA Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

South Korean puts out great horror films, including this zombies-on-a-train flick. When a zombie apocalypse breaks out, a group of survivors must band together as their high-speed train from Seoul to the titular Busan begins to fill up with overeager flesh eaters. Honestly, given the choice, I’d take snakes on a plane any day of the week.     

Watch it on Prime Video. 

96. Twilight (2008)

Summit Entertainment

You know what Twilight is. It is a vampire love story based on a book by Stephenie Meyer in which a hot, pale vampire named Edward Cullen falls in love with a less hot, less pale girl named Bella Swan, who also happens to have a romance with a more hot, even less pale werewolf named Jacob Black. Those three roles are played by two of the finest actors of our generation, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. I think this movie and its sequels are incredible pieces of camp filmmaking, and I would like to send the Volturi to the homes of my four colleagues who gave Pattinson's performance here low placement on this comprehensive ranking. It also must be said that the soundtrack to this film is one of the best movie soundtracks of all time. I would lastly like to say that I did, in fact, attend multiple midnight screenings for the Twilight films under the guise of my very straight love for Alice Cullen, when in actuality I was a homosexual, and so I have the clout to say that these films are in fact art and you should in fact watch them. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

97. *Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Touchstone/Courtesy Everett Collection

Before we were Eat Pray Loving, we were Under the Tuscan Sunning. If you're in the middle of your life and finding yourself aimless post-divorce, then the obvious solution is to travel to Italy, eat some pasta, and write yourself toward a new life. In this romantic dramedy, Diane Lane's Frances does just that at the prodding of her friend Patti (the never-not-funny Sandra Oh). While gallivanting through the Italian countryside, Frances searches for a new love, begins writing again, and tries to find direction in life after the one she had imploded. If your life is going well, enjoy the breezy watch. If your life is going poorly, perhaps consider booking a ticket.  

Watch it on Prime Video. 

98. What the Constitution Means to Me (2020)

Joan Marcus / Courtesy Amazon Studios

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 ask, "Should I know more about the laws that govern me?" 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

99. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Leonardo DiCaprio's best performance, which comes within one of his five collaborations with Martin Scorsese, is his portrayal of Wall Street stockbroker/party animal/deplorable human being Jordan Belfort. The role is pure drug-fueled, high-adrenaline chaos from start to finish, and Leo chews up every scene with a campy, delicious, talk-to-the-camera flair that makes you like this man even as you despise him. But DiCaprio isn't the only shining star here. Jonah Hill and his fake teeth also got an Oscar nomination, Margot Robbie launched her career on the back of her performances as the Long Island–accented wife, and of course Scorsese makes the whole thing sing. It was nominated for five Oscars, and as long as I live, I'll be thinking about the woman who shaved her head in the party scene. 

Watch it on Prime Video. 

100. You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection

In its premise, You Were Never Really Here sounds like a Taken copycat. Joaquin Phoenix plays an assassin who is hired by a prominent politician to find the man's daughter who was kidnapped by human traffickers, and then murder the traffickers violently. In execution, while certainly similar in some of its plot, the film is much more interested in humanity and character development than it is action sequences. Directed by Lynne Ramsay, the woman behind the incredibly creepy We Need to Talk About Kevin, the film has a fascination with its subjects and nuanced view that most vigilante justice films don't. The score from Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and the performance from Phoenix also do a lot to move this into a genre all its own. Despite strong reviews and a buzzy Cannes debut, it never quite earned mainstream success in the US, which means it's a hidden gem ripe for the watching now. 

Watch it on Prime Video.

* Denotes title that has been newly added to Prime Video for August.

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