Now is a great time to get an Amazon Prime subscription and start watching movies. Much like Netflix, Prime Video can be unnecessarily difficult to navigate. If you don’t already know what movies or Amazon Prime TV shows you’re looking for, you really only have the app’s suggestions to go off of. To help you out, we’ve slogged through thousands of movie titles to find the best movies on Amazon Prime in July 2021.
If you’re looking for more than just what movies are on Amazon Prime, we’ve also found the best Netflix movies, Hulu movies, Disney+ movies, and documentaries to stream right now.
Added to the list this month
-
Burn After Reading2008 -
-
Alien (1979)
Genre
Horror, Sci-fi
Stars
Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
Director
Ridley Scott
117m
The first of the unforgettable sci-fi movie series, Alien delivers a horrifyingly creative concept that began the universe of canon it has become today. Responding to a distress call, a crew of space travelers is ambushed by a creature of unknown origin that slowly picks them off one by one as it grows into its final form. After watching this classic and memorable film, you’ll want to check out the rest of the series — the follow-up is considered one of the best James Cameron movies ever.
Burn After Reading (2008) new
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Drama
Stars
Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney
Director
Joel and Ethan Cohen
96m
Like any Cohen brothers film, Burn After Reading will leave you wondering what just happened. When two fairly unintelligent gym employees get ahold of what seem to be sketchy CIA tapes, they go to great lengths to expose their findings at the cost of many equally paranoid and strange individuals. Highlighted by dark and hilarious moments of surprise and Cohen brothers comedy, you may need to watch it again to fully understand it.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) new
Genre
Comedy, Sport
Stars
Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Vince Vaughn
Director
Rawson Marshall Thurber
92m
One of the most popularly quoted comedy movies in its time, Dodgeball takes Ben Stiller’s comedy to new heights of immortal hilarity. Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) is the owner of the soon-to-be-foreclosed Average Joe’s gym — unless he can find some way to come up with $50,000 quickly, say by winning a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament. Funny and fun are words that come to mind, especially with the wide variety of characters and acting talent Stiller manages to recruit for his zany flicks.
Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014) new
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Stars
Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Tracy Ann Oberman
Director
Peter Chelsom
114m
A lovely and pleasant affirmation of life, Hector and the Search for Happiness plays to Simon Pegg’s strengths in a great way. When Hector (Simon Pegg) starts treating his job in psychiatry as just the daily grind, he decides he must find out what happiness means by searching the globe for it himself before he can give it to others. Delightfully British and intensely charming, this film is a great tale of life, love, and happiness.
Honey Boy (2019)
Genre
Drama
Stars
Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe
Director
Alma Har'el
94m
Loosely based on the life of once child actor and now tabloids target Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy is a gripping and emotional tale riddled with fantastic performances. A 12-year-old boy starts to make it in Hollywood on a hit comedy show, causing his alcoholic and abusive father to push him forward in his own manipulative way. Fun fact: Shia himself chose to portray his own father in the film, despite telling him that Mel Gibson would portray him to get him to sign off for the film’s creation.
The Manual Streaming Roundup
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Genre
Action, Comedy
Stars
Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr.
Director
Ben Stiller
107m
A Ben Stiller comedic triumph, Tropic Thunder blends the reality of Hollywood with the absurdity of the comedy genre. When three famous actors with contrasting backgrounds of work are cast for a big-budget Vietnam War movie, they are pushed by their director and the story writer that inspired it to actually film in Vietnam but have trouble differing between reality and movie effects when things go belly-up. With hilariously satirical movie trailers within the movie and over-the-top uproarious performances from guest stars like Tom Cruise, this comedy is a gem that should not be overlooked.
Fight Club (1999)
Genre
Drama
Stars
Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Meat Loaf
Director
David Fincher
139m
Based on Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, some young and aggravated men decide the best way to solve their problems is to kick the crap out of each other and reject social standards. Other than causing social unrest in the frustrated young men of society (despite the story’s moral resolution in the end), the movie has some great writing and an awesome twist ending. In one of Brad Pitt’s best performances, he is somehow charming, disgusting, sexy, and terrifying all at once, commenting on the social expectations and outlooks of young men in a sometimes very meta way.
The Fisher King (1991)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Stars
Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Adam Bryant
Director
Terry Gilliam
137m
In one of the best Jeff Bridges movies ever, The Fisher King lends an ear to the less fortunate and the ignored, drawing parallels between the working class and the homeless. When a rude and mouthy radio DJ (Jeff Bridges) is the accidental cause of a horrifying shooting incident, his life begins to spin out of control, causing social disorders and heavy drinking habits. Co-starring the late and great Robin Williams, the two characters are brought together by cruel fates and unexpected common ground, resulting in a profoundly life-changing experience for them both.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer
Director
David Fincher
158m
Before watching this film, be forewarned that it has some very disturbing and graphic scenes. Don’t get me wrong, the revenge is swift and just, but the shock is surely the darkest of all of the David Fincher films and among the most affecting in film history. A journalist at the likely end of his career teams up with an anti-social computer hacker, agreeing to look for the member of a big and rich family who has been missing for forty years. The highlight of this film is its unique story and its incredible cast, all of which do well to creep you out in a lingering way.
Sound of Metal (2019)
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Director
Darius Marder
120m
An Amazon original and a breakout starring role for Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal is an intensely dramatic film of a man torn between two lives as he loses his hearing. After hearing the distressing news that his condition will only worsen, he tries not to go back into his ways of heavy drug use and the rock star lifestyle he has come to know and love. Winner of best film editing and best sound editing at this year’s Oscars, it was also nominated for a handful of other awards including best picture.
Across The Universe (2007)
Genre
Drama, Fantasy, History
Stars
Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson
Director
Julie Taymor
133m
An ode to the revolutionary band the Beatles, Across The Universe is a dramatic story and musical that you won’t want to miss. “All you need is love” — at least that’s what they say, but it’s never really that easy, is it? A story of love, war, tragedy, and joy, this film weaves a story through some of the band’s most impactful songs in a very impressive way.
The Green Hornet (2011)
Genre
Action, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz
Director
Michel Gondry
119m
In a strangely entertaining reboot of the series, The Green Hornet takes a star-studded cast and goes for the moon. When rich and lazy Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) loses his emotionally distant father, he decides to use his inherited riches for good and to attempt to fight crime with his personal valet, Kato. With some genuinely entertaining scenes, this film is fun to watch but is highlighted by the action and the randomly awesome appearance from Christoph Waltz as the bad guy.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, Tom Hanks
Director
Jason Woliner
95m
In a shockingly ridiculous social experiment of a movie, Sacha Baron Cohen takes his classic Borat character back to the screen in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Borat is released from prison in his home country of Kazakhstan under one condition: return to America and redeem Kazakhstan by giving the vice president a great gift. Loose plot aside, this film goes to new lengths of shock with the help of Tutar (Maria Bakalova), Borat’s daughter and “gift” to the vice president. Nominated this year for best adapted screenplay and best actress in a supporting role, Bakalova is instrumental to the hilarity of this raunchy sequel, acting at times alone opposite normal people unaware of the movie’s production.
Signs (2002)
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-fi
Stars
Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin
Director
M. Night Shyamalan
106m
Back when M. Night Shyamalan was making awesome movies, Signs was in the top five of most memorable and unique. When a small and fragmented family starts to notice large crop circles in their cornfields, things get stranger and more ominous until they must hunker down and stay on the defensive. Signs features a great cast of characters and some seriously chilling horror scenes. Just make sure not to watch it near any tall grass, forests, or cornfields to save yourself some hours of sleep.
Highlander (1986)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars
Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown
Director
Russell Mulcahy
116m
If you’re looking to experience one of the most 80s movies ever made, look no further than this for a somewhat corny but timeless epic that has been forever referenced in pop culture since its premiere. Russell Nash aka Connor MacCleod (Christopher Lambert) is the Highlander: An immortal warrior among a handful of others destined to battle throughout the centuries, only defeated by decapitation. Featuring a rock-operatic soundtrack and the excellent, spine-chilling villain, Kurgan played by the under-appreciated Clancy Brown, Highlander might make your list of favorites (given you enjoy ’80s films).
Snatch (2000)
Genre
Comedy, Crime
Stars
Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Stephen Graham
Director
Guy Ritchie
102m
“D’ya like dags?” Snatch is a movie you might expect to see from writer/director Guy Ritchie, especially if you’ve seen his catalog of gun-toting crime movies that always feature some thick accents and a few broken teeth. Multiple storylines collide when news of a giant diamond is loose on the streets, causing mayhem and dark hilarity throughout. Maintaining his wiry and chiseled physical shape from Fight Club the year before, Pitt is definitely used for eye candy but makes this hands down another one of the best Brad Pitt movies ever.
Reign of Fire (2002)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars
Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, Izabella Scorupco
Director
Rob Bowman
101m
A young boy goes to the mine where his mother works on the wrong day: The day that she awakes a giant fire breathing dragon that kills basically everyone but him. Two decades later, Quinn (Christian Bale) is the leader of a pack of survivors living in a castle, just doing their best to survive the dragons that have since multiplied to the hundreds. Like it or not, this Christian Bale movie is fun and boasts an original premise that definitely gets the imagination going.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars
Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler, Chris Barrie
Director
Jan de Bont
117m
In arguably one of the best video-game-to-movie transitions, this sequel takes the original premise and has tons of fun with it. Lara Croft is on another mission: This time, she must find the literal Pandora’s Box before an evil scientist can use it to what he thinks is his advantage. Fans of the original video game series and action movie aficionados alike will enjoy this full-on popcorn movie. Who doesn’t love watching Angelina Jolie kick some ass?
Guns Akimbo (2019)
Genre
Action, Comedy, Thriller
Stars
Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, Ned Dennehy
Director
Jason Lei Howden
98m
One of the only Daniel Radcliffe films following his career in the Harry Potter series, this film runs the exact opposite direction from family entertainment and headfirst into blood and carnage. An unconfident, office-working internet troll messes around on the wrong comment thread, resulting in his unwilling recruitment into a modern-day gladiator fight with the city as its battlefield. With some fun and original special effects and plot devices, Guns Akimbo gives Radcliffe an opportunity to expand and explore his acting range.
Unbreakable (2000)
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-fi
Stars
Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright
Director
M. Night Shyamalan
106m
Out of M. Night Shyamalan’s good streak comes Unbreakable, a slow-burning story that piques interest and tiptoes fantasy. David Dunn (Bruce Willis) is a security guard and the sole survivor of a hugely fatal trainwreck. After a series of curious follow-up events, a man who is abnormally fragile (Samuel L. Jackson) tracks him down to explain a theory of why he is so fortunate.
The Mexican (2001)
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, James Gandolfini
Director
Gore Verbinski
123m
A film that definitely isn’t his best, The Mexican is a surprisingly pleasant story and especially enjoyable if you enjoy Brad Pitt in general. Promised it will be his last job, Jerry Welbach (Brad Pitt) is instructed to retrieve a special pistol from Mexico and bring it to the States, unaware of its cultural significance or curse. Promoted as a romantic comedy in its time, it’s really more of a gangster movie — it features a surprising amount of violence — with romance intertwined with the plot.
Pumping Iron (1977)
Genre
Documentary, Sport
Stars
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Matty Ferrigno
Director
George Butler, Robert Fiore
86m
In a distinctive and career-forming documentary, we follow the journey of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his younger years, absolutely destroying the competition in the bodybuilding universe. Focused on the lifestyle and multiple divisions of bodybuilding competitions (including a narrative of Lou Ferrigno’s younger years), this documentary provides a glimpse into the unique world that these super-men live and breathe. Though it’s not one of the best Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, it’s a great way to learn about his early feats.
The Big Sick (2017)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano
Director
Michale Showalter
120m
The Big Sick is based on the real-life love story of comedian Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon. The story follows Nanjiani as he struggles to build up a career in stand-up. After a run-in with a heckler named Emily (Zoe Kazan), a relationship quickly forms. However, the couple is faced with a family pushback and when they break up, a coma is what brings them back together. This original dramedy is one of the best romantic comedy movies of our generation.
The Lighthouse (2019)
Genre
Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Stars
Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe
Director
Robert Eggers
110m
This unique and captivating horror-drama follows two lighthouse keepers (Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe) as they fight each other for survival and sanity. As it turns out, staying sane on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s isn’t nearly as easy it seems in this Oscar-nominated film.
One Night in Miami... (2020)
Genre
Drama
Stars
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge
Director
Regina King
114m
A film based on true events follows 4 icons in their prime, Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke, as they meet in Miami one historic night. As these figures come together in the mid-’60s, they discuss what their success and responsibility mean as they carry the weight of the world during the civil rights movement. In Regina King’s directorial breakout, we learn more about the struggle of civil rights in its time and how it has changed today. Boasting a handful of Oscar nominations this year, this film is a powerhouse of performance and information to take with you.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Music
Stars
Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman
Director
The Coen Brothers
110m
This comedic music movie drama follows a week in the life of young folk singer Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. Following the death of his partner, Davis struggles to make it as a musician during a harsh New York winter. With many seemingly insurmountable obstacles to overcome, the life of a folk musician is not a glamourous one. If you like the Coen Brothers as filmmakers, then you’re most likely going to enjoy this movie.
Editors' Recommendations
- The 7 Best Kombucha Brands to Drink Right Now
- The 10 Best Comedy Movies To Stream on Netflix Right Now
- The 12 Best Movies of the 2000s You Must Watch or Rewatch in 2021
- Watch The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown on Prime Video Today
- The 12 Best Disney+ Series to Watch Right Now
