The Best Movies on⤠Amazon Prime: Hidden Gems and Crowd-Pleasers
While Netflix and Disney+⤠have been âŁbattling⤠it out for the most prestigious film offerings, Amazon Prime âVideo has quietly amassedâ an impressive collection of â˘cinematic treasures. âFrom festival darlings⣠toâ beloved âfavorites, the streamer’s library âis a⤠treasure trove waiting to be explored. If you missed these gems the⢠first time around, now is the perfect opportunity to catch up.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: A Celebration of Self-Expression
Based on a âtrue story and adapted⢠from the stage play of⢠the same name, thisâ uplifting musical follows the journey of Jamie New (Max â¤Harwood), a young man who dreams of escaping the bullying⢠and homophobia he faces âat school through the art of drag. With the guidance âofâ hisâ mentor, âretired drag performer â˘Hugo Battersby (Richard E. Grant), Jamie embarks on a quest to bring his inner queenâ “Mimi Me”â to life. Set against the backdrop of Sheffield, â¤England, Everybody’s Talkingâ About Jamie explores themes of class, culture, and the liberating power of self-expression.
Bottoms:â A Subversive Twist on the High School âComedy
In this unconventional high school âcomedy, PJ (Rachel Sennott) âŁand Josie (Ayo Edebiri), known as the “ugly, untalented gays,” devise a plan to win over their crushes, popular cheerleaders Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and âBrittany (Kaia Gerber), âby starting an all-girl fight club. âWhile the premise may sound like a throwback to exploitation⤠films, Bottoms defies expectations at everyâ turn, delivering a queer, rage-filled, and hilarious âŁtake âŁon the genre.
Saltburn: Aâ Darkly âComedic Psychological Thriller
Whenâ Oxford âstudentâ Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan)⢠befriends the popular andâ wealthy âŁFelix Catton (Jacob Elordi), heâ finds â˘himself drawn into a world of privilege and invited to spend the summer at the Catton â¤family estate, Saltburn. As Oliver’s âŁobsession with Felix âtakes increasingly⢠disturbing turns, writer and â˘director âŁEmerald Fennel (Promising Young Woman) craftsâ a film that oscillates⤠between âblack comedy and âpsychological thriller. Shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, Saltburn createsâ a voyeuristic viewingâ experienceâ that amplifies its unsettling moments, making âŁit â¤one of the year’s most divisive yet captivating films.
The Burial: â˘A Darkly Humorous Courtroom Drama
In this true story,â funeral home director Jeremiah⤠O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones)â and⤠his flamboyant lawyerâ Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx)â take on a âmajor⢠player in America’s “death care” system, exposing the massive inequality and⣠overcharging of Black communities. Director âŁMaggie Betts â(The Novitiate) infuses the grim proceedingsâ with a⤠dark sense of humor, whileâ Jurnee Smollett deliversâ a scene-stealing performance as â¤Mame Downes, â˘Gary’s rival attorney. Despite its somber subject matter, The Burial ⣠proves to be a life-affirming tale.
A Million Miles Away: âŁAn Inspirational Biopic
This biopic, based on JosÊ⢠HernĂĄndez’sâ own book, chronicles his journey from migrant farm worker to becoming the first Mexican-American astronaut.â Michael PeĂąa deliversâ a compelling performance as HernĂĄndez, âŁportraying a man driven âŁto reach space at any cost,â while Rosa Salazar shines as his wife Adela, who puts her own dreams on hold to support her husband’s aspirations. Director Alejandra MĂĄrquez Abella balances the splendor of space with the small beauties ofâ life on Earth, creating a â˘rare and delightful film.
Red, White, and Royal⤠Blue:⣠A Gloriously Cheesy Rom-Com
Adapted from Casey McQuinston’sâ best-selling novel, this âintercontinental rom-com follows the relationship between First âSon Alex âClaremont-Diaz (Taylorâ Zakhar Perez) and Prince â¤Henry (Nicholasâ Galitzine), the “spare” to the British throne, as they go âfrom rivals to lovers. While often ludicrous, with âUma Thurman vamping scenes as âPresident Ellen Claremontâ with a bizarre “Texan”â accent, Red, White, and âRoyal Blue â is irresistibly wholesome and upbeatâthe movie equivalent⤠of pizza, not good for you but still delicious.
Shin Masked Rider: A Fresh⢠Take on a Japanese Icon
For âŁthose tired of⣠cookie-cutter Hollywood superhero movies, this ground-up reboot of âone ofâ Japan’s most beloved heroes⣠is a must-see. Helmed by âHideaki Anno (Evangelion, Shin âGodzilla,â Shin Ultraman), Shin Masked Rider revamps the âŁ1971 TV series Kamen Rider, following motorcyclist Takeshi Hongo (Sosuke Ikematsu)⢠as he usesâ his newfound cyborg powers to take down the terrorist organization S.H.O.C.K.E.R. âŁAnno’s approach taps into the body horror of the core concept while challenging characters and audiences to â¤hold onto their âhumanityâ in â¤a âdehumanizing world. Although âmore violent⣠than expected,â Shin⢠Masked Rider â offers an exciting â˘outingâ forâ thoseâ seeking something fresh from âŁtheir⣠hero⢠movies.
Air:â The Untold Story Behind the Iconic Sneakers
In 1984, Michael Jordan was âa rookie, â¤and â¤Nike was on the verge of closing its basketballâ shoe division.⣠Enter âSonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), aâ talent scout who âspots âŁa rising star in Jordan andâ must convince everyone that he’s âworth betting the company on.â While we all knowâ theâ outcome,â Air is more than a two-hour shoe advertisement. Damon, Jason⤠Bateman, Chris Tucker, âand director Ben Affleck deliver strong performances, but it’s Viola Davis who steals the show in aâ magnetic andâ powerful turn as matriarch Deloris Jordan.⣠Alex Convery’s script⣠keeps the focus on the people⤠and personalities âŁinvolved,⤠making Air a refreshing change of pace in an age of â˘franchises and endless blockbusters.
Cinematic Gems âŁon Amazon Prime: A âCurated Selection
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Shock and Awe in Trump’s⣠America
Inâ this âaudacious sequel, Sacha Baron âŁCohen’s iconic Kazakh reporter,⢠accompanied by his âmischievous daughter, embarks on⣠a wild journey across the United States. âFrom⢠encounters with fervent QAnon believers to awkward interactions⣠with high-profile politicians, the duo’s⣠antics â¤expose the âabsurdities and contradictions of American society. Even amidst a âglobal pandemic, âŁBaron⢠Cohenâ manages to deliver a provocative and⢠darkly humorous commentary on â¤the state of the nation.
Shotgun âWedding: A Riotous âŁTwist on the Classic Romcom
What begins as a picturesque island wedding quickly descends into chaos when⢠the ceremony is hijacked by ruthless pirates. â¤Jennifer Lopez and Josh â˘Duhamel shine as the bride and groom, Darcy âŁand Tom, whose special day morphs into a⤠hilarious and gory fight for âsurvival. With scene-stealing performances⣠from the likes of Jennifer Coolidge, Shotgun Wedding is a raucous and âŁentertaining ride â¤that breathes new life into the romcom genre.
Nanny: A Haunting Portrayal of the Immigrant Experience
In her powerful debut âfeature, director Nikyatu Jusu tells the story of⣠Aisha, a Senegalese nanny working for a wealthy New York couple. Asâ she ânavigates the â¤challenges of her job and the longing forâ her own child back home, Aisha’s dreams become increasingly disturbing, blurring âthe lines between reality and nightmare. With⤠a mesmerizing performance â˘by âAnna Diop and stunning cinematography, Nanny offers a âpoignant⢠and unsettling exploration of⤠the â¤sacrifices made by those seeking a better⣠life.
Coming 2 â˘America: A Nostalgic Return⤠to Zamunda
More than⣠three âŁdecades after âthe beloved original, Eddie Murphy âreprises his role as Prince Akeem, now the â˘king of Zamunda, â˘in this long-awaited sequel. When⣠Akeem discovers he has aâ son in America, he setsâ off on âŁa journeyâ that reunites âŁhimâ with familiar faces and introduces new âcharacters to theâ mix. With a clever âscript that flips the formula of the first film, Coming 2⣠America proves that nostalgia, â˘when done right, â˘canâ make for a thoroughly enjoyable comedy.
Thirteen Lives:⤠A Gripping âTale âŁof Heroism and Survival
Ron Howard’s gripping dramatization of⢠the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue â˘follows the harrowing efforts to save a Thai soccer team trapped in a flooded cave system. With an all-star cast, â˘including Viggo Mortensen,⢠Colin Farrell, and⢠Joel Edgerton, the film captures the â¤claustrophobic tension and incredible bravery of â˘the rescuers asâ they navigate treacherous underwater passages. Thirteen Lives isâ a testament to⣠theâ power of â˘human resilience and the extraordinary lengths people will go to save others.
One Night in Miami: A Powerful⤠Convergence of Icons
Adaptedâ from the acclaimed â˘play, Regina King’s directorial debut imagines a pivotal meeting between Malcolm⤠X, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Muhammad Ali in 1964. As the four men discuss âŁtheir roles â˘in the Civil Rights Movementâ and theirâ impactâ on society, âŁthe film delves into the â˘complexities of their⣠livesâ and the weight of their legacies. Withâ electrifying performances â¤from its talented cast, One Night in Miami is a âthought-provoking and emotionally charged exploration of a defining moment in history.
Kingsley Ben-Adir is⤠on fire as Malcolm X, with Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., and Eli Goreeâas Brown, Cooke, and Aliâall utterly magnetic.
The Report: Uncovering the Truth Behind âEnhancedâ Interrogation
This gripping⤠political âthriller follows Daniel Jones, a Senate investigator tasked⤠with uncovering the truth behind âŁthe CIA’s controversial “enhanced interrogation”â program. As âJones, â˘played brilliantly by Adam Driver, delves deeper into the investigation, he âŁfaces â˘increasing resistance â˘from both⢠political â˘forces â˘and the CIA itself.⣠The Report â is a⢠taut â¤and engrossing âdepiction of one man’sâ relentless pursuit â˘of justice inâ the face of âseemingly insurmountable odds.
Sound of Metal: A Profound Exploration of Identity and Resilience
When punk-rock âdrummer⤠Ruben âbegins to lose his âŁhearing, his entire world is âŁthrown into turmoil. Faced with⤠the prospect of giving up his passion or adapting to a ânew reality, Ruben must confront his⢠ownâ demons and âredefine his sense â¤of â˘self. Riz âŁAhmed delivers a tour-de-force performance as the troubled musician, while Olivia Cooke shines as his girlfriend â¤Lou, who grapples with her own struggles.⢠With its innovative âŁsound⤠design and deeply moving narrative, Sound of Metal is a cinematic triumph that willâ resonate long after the final credits roll.
1 Comment
Oh, because what we needed was more screen time, right? But hey, I’m in for a movie marathon!