Prime Video is one of the best streaming services, but it doesn’t always do the best job of surfacing new content. In fact, finding new Prime Video movies to watch can be far more of a challenge than it really should be. Indeed, you’ll often stumble upon movies that aren’t included with your Prime membership and instead require a rental fee.
To help cut through the clutter we’ve got a list of the best movies on Prime Video. However, that list is pretty long and encompasses everything available in the service’s content library. Instead, you may be after a more curated rundown of the new movies recently added to Prime Video, and that’s where this list of top-rated Prime Video movies comes in.
We last round up the latest Prime Video cinematic offerings in November 2022, so we’ve now got two months of fresh movies to sift through. And while there are several new additions that fall into the filler category, we’ve been able to pick out the gems that are highly rated by critics. Of course, a high Rotten Tomatoes score is not a guarantee of a movie's quality, but it’s a useful metric for gaining an idea of the general consensus surrounding a film.
So if you’ve got an Amazon Prime account and are looking for something to stream this weekend, here are 11 new Prime Video movies that are well worth adding to your watchlist.
50/50 (2011)
Loosely based on the real-life experience of cancer survivor and screenwriter Will Reiser, 50/50 is a humorous but also emotionally impactful look at battling illness. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a mild-mannered radio presenter who is diagnosed with cancer, he embarks on a journey of recovery alongside his fowl-mouthed best friend played by Seth Rogan. A rare film that perfectly balances comedy and drama, 50/50 firmly deserves its critical acclaim.
Genre: Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Stream it on Prime Video
Election (1999)
A classic satirical comedy, Election may be more than two decades old but it still holds up to this day thanks to laser-sharp writing and excellent performances from Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon. The film focuses on overachiever and general know-it-all Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) as she attempts to run for student body president, but her path to being elected is halted when the school’s social studies teacher (Broderick) starts a clandestine campaign against her that involves backing a rival candidate and tampering with the ballots.
Genre: Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Stream it on Prime Video
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
This 2016 documentary is based on the works of American writer James Baldwin, and in particular, his unfinished manuscript Remember This House. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, I Am Not Your Negro looks at the history of racism in the United States in an uncompromising fashion. It was nominated for Best Documentary at the Oscars and won a BAFTA in the same category. I Am Not Your Negro may not be the most enjoyable watch on this list, but it is arguably the most vital.
Genre: Documentary
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Stream it on Prime Video
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Director Barry Jenkins followed up his Best Picture-winning movie Moonlight with the equally stunning If Beale Street Could Talk. Emotionally charged from the start, it follows the tragic story of childhood sweethearts Tish and Fonny in 1970s New York. Their romantic bliss is shattered when Fonny is falsely accused of sexual assault, and Tish must set out to prove his innocence. Regina King co-stars and won an Oscar for her powerful performance as Tish’s strong-willed mother. Coincidentally, If Beale Street Could Talk is based on a novel written by James Baldwin whose writings are the subject of I Am Not Your Negro mentioned above.
Genre: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Stream it on Prime Video
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
What more needs to be said about Raiders of the Lost Ark? The first Indiana Jones movie is a pulpy globetrotting adventure that is as beloved today as it was on release more than four decades ago. If you’ve somehow never heard of this cinematic classic, it stars Harrison Ford as a whip-cracking archaeologist who embarks on a quest to discover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant. Directed by the iconic Steven Spielberg, with a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, it’s one of the best action-adventure movies ever made.
Genre: Adventure
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Stream it on Prime Video
Rec (2007)
Often cited alongside the likes of Paranormal Activity for being instrumental in bringing the found footage horror genre back into the spotlight, Rec is a chilling Spanish spooker that will have you sleeping with the lights on for days afterward. It follows a TV news reporter who is shadowing a group of firefighters when they’re called in to assist in an emergency situation at an apartment complex. The building is soon quarantined as a mysterious infection begins to spread and a nightmare scenario plays out. Just be warned, Rec is not for viewers who scare easily.
Genre: Horror
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Stream it on Prime Video
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Rosemary’s Baby is one of the most celebrated psychological horror movies of all time, and while it may be a slow burn with a runtime of more than two hours, it builds to a stomach-turning finale. It stars Mia Farrow as Rosemary, a young wife who has recently moved into a new apartment building with her struggling actor husband Guy. Once there they get quickly acquainted with the older couple next door and Rosemary becomes pregnant. All seems well until strange occurrences begin to frighten the young mother-to-be, and for some strange reason, the neighbors seem to be taking a special interest in her pregnancy.
Genre: Horror
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Stream it on Prime Video
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
A surrealist comedy from the mind of Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You stars plenty of top talent including LaKeith Standfield, Tessa Thompson, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt and Steven Yeun. It follows Cassius “Cash” Green a young telemarketer who is swept into a corporate conspiracy that sees him forced to choose between climbing the career ladder and fighting for a just cause. Hilariously screwball, Sorry to Bother You is a zippy comedy movie that will make you laugh and also reflect on the many injustices in our modern society.
Genre: Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Stream it on Prime Video
Serpico (1973)
Helmed by legendary director Sidney Lumet, Serpico is a biographical crime film that sees Al Pacino step into the role of Frank Serpico, an NYPD cop who risked his own safety to expose corruption within the force. A tense neo-noir drama, Serpico expertly builds up its stakes and draws you into its engaging plot throughout its two-hour runtime. Pacino won a Golden Globe for his performance, and the movie deserves to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greats of the crime genre.
Genre: Crime
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Stream it on Prime Video
La La Land (2016)
One of the most popular modern movie musicals, La La Land is a glitzy picture written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It sees Ryan Gosling play a struggling jazz pianist who meets an aspiring actress, played by Emma Stone, and sparks soon fly between the pair. As much a love letter to Los Angeles as cinema itself, La La Land combines loveable characters and strong performances with toe-tapping musical numbers. It all builds to an expertly crafted finale that won’t leave a dry eye in the house.
Genre: Musical
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Stream it on Prime Video
Paper Moon (1973)
Most well known for starring real-life father and daughter duo Ryan and Tatum O’Neal, Paper Moon follows a slick con man (Ryan O’Neal) tasked with getting a precocious 9-year-old (Tatum O’Neal) to her relatives in Missouri. But his attempts to swindle her backfire and soon enough he’s forced to take her on as a partner instead. Tatum’s performance, in particular, was almost universally acclaimed and she became the youngest-ever winner of an Academy Award for her role as Addie. Blending comedy and drama expertly, this is a charming movie that has very much stood the test of time.
Genre: Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Stream it on Prime Video
