25 Best Prime Video Original Movies
While streaming movies often get lost in the shuffle, Prime Video has managed to put together quite an impressive line-up of films that have achieved success not only in terms of viewership, but also in the wider awards world, including several Best Picture Oscar nominees.
You’re probably already paying for an Amazon Prime subscription, so you can take advantage of Prime Video’s library of exclusive deals. Here are some of the best ones.
G20 (2025)
What do you do if you’re an EGOT winner whose awards shelves are overflowing? Apparently, whatever you want – as Viola Davis’ recent turn to action roles over the past couple of years confirms. Here she plays US President Danielle Sutton, who has a rebellious daughter and a plan to increase the prosperity of sub-Saharan African farmers. She’s also an army veteran, and it’s not just a resume detail: those skills come in handy when an Australian mercenary and company ambush a G20 summit with the goal of making a fortune in cryptocurrency. Big mistake! Viola Davis: President of Action goes all out for the mercenaries, and yes, it’s as stupid as it sounds, but it’s still a lot of fun. You can stream the G20 here .
Another Simple Favor (2025)
Almost the entire team is back from the 2018 comedy/mystery, including director Paul Feig and writer Jessica Sharzer, as well as our leads Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). Emily, last seen in prison for a double murder, is released from prison on appeal, and Stephanie needs to increase her book sales. She is talked into being Emily’s bridesmaid and the two go to the wedding in Capri, although Stephanie is still a little worried that her “friend” will try to kill her again. The film has more casualties than the original and pays homage to Ghalli’s gory filmmaking while the plot revolves around Emily’s marriage to the mob, but the real treat here remains the sexy, funny, surreal chemistry between Kendrick and Lively. You can stream Another Simple Favor here .
Saltburn (2023)
Writer/director Emerald Fennell followed up her Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman with the downright scandalous Saltburn , an even darker take on The Talented Mr. Ripley , in which Barry Keoghan’s Oliver Quick does everything he can to ingratiate himself into the endlessly chic world of his Oxford classmate Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). Making the most of his manipulation and bath-scrubbing skills, the fellow makes his way into the titular estate and discovers that the family is desperately gullible, but rich enough to still hold all the cards. No matter: Oliver has a plan. Opinions are divided on whether it’s smart satire or dark trash, but either way it’s pretty entertaining. You can stream Saltburn here .
One Night in Miami… (2020)
Actress Regina King had plenty of TV directing experience before taking on her first feature-length directorial project, and this is certainly an impressive debut. Based on the 2013 play by Kemp Powers (who also wrote the screenplay), the film offers a speculative look at the real-life meeting of four of the twentieth century’s most prominent figures at the Hampton House Motel in Florida in 1964. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. as Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay at the time), Jim Brown and Sam Cooke as the four debate and debate their roles in the Black Power and Civil Rights movements, while also highlighting their own demons and the demands of their lives as role models. Its origins as a play are clear, but the powerful acting and King’s confident direction give the story tension and power. You can stream One Night in Miami… here .
Red, White and Royal Blue (2023)
Queer people deserve silly rom-coms just as much as anyone else, and Red, White, and Royal Blue (from Casey McQuiston’s best-selling novel) more than fits the bill. Taylor Zakhar Perez plays Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the US President (Uma Thurman) opposite Prince Henry Nicholas Galitzine, the alternate heir to the British throne. A public falling out between the two sparks an international incident, which naturally leads to a slow-burn romance and a couple of mildly racy sex scenes. You can stream Red, White and Royal Blue here .
Malegaon Superfights (2024)
An absolutely charming coming-of-age drama , Malegaon Superboys was inspired by a 2008 documentary about the town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, India. There’s not much money in Malegaon, but there is a love of cinema and a thriving local arts scene, where residents create parodies of popular Bollywood films. Based on stories from the documentary, this drama follows a group of friends who make a hugely successful film in 1997, but find that their achievements have driven a wedge between them over the years. There’s a lot of heart and a real love for film and filmmaking here, but the film never becomes cloying. You can stream Superboys of Malegaon here .
Katherine Called Bird (2022)
Bella Ramsey ( Game of Thrones and, of course, The Last of Us ) stars in this adaptation of Karen Cushman’s beloved novel, and they deliver some pretty amazing performances. 14-year-old Katherine lives in 13th-century Lincolnshire, England, and although she’s the daughter of a lord, it’s still not the best time to be a young girl – even or especially one as nimble and independent as Katherine (who prefers you call her Birdie). She’s simply not put on the marriage market, thank you very much, and so she comes up with various schemes to avoid her potential fate as a commodity (rags soaked in menstrual blood are stuffed under floorboards, and shit ointments become, unsurprisingly, an effective way to ward off unwanted suitors). Director Lena Dunham and company strike an impressive balance of tones here: The stakes for Birdie are real, but there’s still plenty of joy to be had in the coming-of-age story. You can watch Katherine Called Birdie here .
Frida (2024)
Not to be confused with the Salma Hayek drama , filmed back in 2002. This is a smart and inventive documentary (from debutant director Carla Gutierrez) that explores the real life of iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. What’s new here, besides the new animations of Kahlo’s paintings, is the film’s format: using existing scripts and interviews, Gutierrez and company tell Frida’s story from her own point of view, in the first person, as if she were telling her own, always fascinating life story. What’s more, the film uses some rarely seen footage and camera footage to flesh out the narrative – some newly restored film of Frida in her Blue House, with former lover Leon Trotsky no less, is particularly stunning. You can stream Frida here .
In My Mother’s Skin (2023)
Caring for an aging parent is difficult even under the best of circumstances, and these circumstances are far from ideal. It’s 1945 in the Philippines, and Japanese soldiers are terrorizing the locals as the war comes to an end, while a local authoritarian leader is determined to strip a once-prominent family of the wealth he believes they have hidden. Desperate for food, the family’s two children wander into the forest in search of food and instead come across what appears to be a helpful fairy offering food and medicine to their dying mother Ligaya (Beauty Gonzalez). However, the treatment involves “saving” Ligaya by turning her into the vampire Aswang of Philippine legend. This dark, bloody supernatural horror is a little under the radar, but is worth seeking out for fans who have the courage. You can watch In My Mother’s Skin here .
A Million Miles Away (2023)
In this inspiring biopic, Michael Peña plays real-life Mexican-American astronaut Jose M. Hernandez. If “inspirational” sounds like condemnation with faint praise, that’s entirely fair: the film is based on Hernandez’s own memoir, and plays it fairly safely in many ways. However, it is a stylishly shot and well-acted film, with excellent performances from Peña, Sarayu Blue, Garrett Dillahunt and Rose Salazar, telling the story of a child who traveled from Michoacán, Mexico, to California in the 1960s so he and his family could work in the fields, and later became an engineer and mission specialist for the International Space Station. For quality family entertainment, you could do a lot worse. You can stream A Million Miles Away here .
Peterloo (2018)
The great Mike Leigh ( Secrets and Lies , Coup , Vera Drake ) wrote and directed this political historical drama about the Peterloo Massacre, a peaceful gathering in Manchester demanding voting rights that was met with overwhelming force by government troops, leaving 18 people killed and hundreds wounded. The film is no doubt talky, at least until violence breaks out, but Lee effectively dramatizes the issues at its heart, reminding us of the story’s contemporary relevance in both subtle and overt ways. You can stream Peterloo here .
The Big Sick (2017)
This was the moment when Kumail Nanjiani made it clear that he had other talents beyond comedy, even if his subsequent move to Marvel films wasn’t even remotely an improvement over something like The Big Sick , which he co-wrote with Emily V. Gordon. The film is based on their relationship and follows a Pakistani-American comedian and a white psychology student whose new relationship is complicated when Emily unexpectedly falls ill. It’s smart and funny, eschewing fuss in favor of a healthy cynicism and sense of humor, although the film is often heartbreaking. You can stream The Big Sick here .
Endless Night (2019)
Director Andrew Patterson makes a strong debut with this film, which takes us back to the 1950s to a small town in New Mexico on the night of a big basketball game. Young local disc jockey Everett (Jake Horowitz) and his best friend, local switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) are caught up in a series of strange events that begin when Everett’s show is interrupted by a strange signal. The plot relies on a lot of UFO movie clichés, but none of them really matter: the film has phenomenal visual flair and makes the typical stakes of an alien invasion deeply personal to this small town. You can stream “The Vast of Night” here .
Judy Blume Forever (2023)
The documentary covers the life of Judy Blume and her half-century career, which included such triumphs as Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret (1970), Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972) and Blubber (1974), to name a few. If that were all, it would be worth it, and it’s nice to hear thoughts from Bloom herself. The timing couldn’t have been better, however, given Blume’s hard-earned reputation for covering topics that were once (and often still are) not considered appropriate for young adult audiences: menstruation and puberty, divorce, molestation, and what we now call body dysmorphia. Given the current culture of hostility toward libraries, Blum’s trajectory isn’t just fascinating—it’s necessary. You can stream Judy Blume Forever here .
Lucy and Desi (2022)
Released on the heels of Aaron Sorkin’s drama Desilu (watch below), Amy Poehler’s documentary takes an intimate look at one of Hollywood’s most powerful couples, focusing particularly on their tumultuous personal lives. Although there seems to be nothing left to say about Lucy and Desi, Poehler makes extensive use of never-before-released recordings with the full cooperation of the heirs. That family seal of approval can be a mixed blessing, but there’s nothing safe or watered down here. This is an inside look at the events and emotions that went on behind the scenes as these two created the most popular TV show and ran the Desilu production house. You can stream Lucy and Desi here .
Being Ricardo (2021)
Returning to Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar-nominated docudrama, the focus here is on a critical period early in the run of I Love Lucy , circa 1953, when Ball was under investigation for possible communist ties. In many ways it’s like a play, but the two leads are great: Javier Bardem conveys Desi’s business acumen and undeniable charisma, clearly showing both the positive and negative impact that charm has had on his personal life. Nicole Kidman doesn’t do a direct impression of Lucy, and the film is all the better for it; while she doesn’t necessarily convey that distinctive comic style, she is flawless as the more serious, mature, behind-the-scenes Lucy. You can stream “Being Ricardos” here .
Get Duked! (2019)
Probably my personal favorite of the films on this list, this dark British comedy follows a group of slacker students marooned in the Scottish Highlands in pursuit of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (a real thing), requiring them to navigate the terrain with only a paper map. The teenagers are soon pursued by hunters (featuring Eddie Izzard) who appreciate the opportunity to cull the louder, more ungrateful children. Completely unprepared for nature, let alone escaping serial killers, the children are faced with complications that accumulate in increasingly truly fascinating ways. With its mixture of cool commentary and wild sense of humor, it’s like a stoned Triangle of Sadness , but at a much more reasonable length. You can stream Get Duked! Here .
Voyeurs (2021)
I’m not going to argue that Voyeurs is a great film or even that it’s some kind of misunderstood cult gem. No. It’s a pretty silly erotic thriller, but no less entertaining for that. Sydney Sweeney plays Pippa (just “Pippa”), who lives with her boyfriend Thomas (Justice Smith) in an apartment overlooking another building where a sexy couple with a wild sex life live. The voyeurism is a turn-on at first, but then, in the style of Rear Window , things get weird in a less steamy way. The twists that follow are as juicy as they are ridiculous, but if you can turn off your higher order thinking, it’s some very lusty fun. You can stream Voyeurs here .
Tomorrow’s War (2021)
Reliably entertaining, if somewhat forgettable, Tomorrow’s War is a smart choice if you’re looking for a sci-fi action movie that doesn’t require much intelligence. The film’s third or fourth favorite, Chris (Pratt), plays a biology teacher/former Green Beret who is drafted in 2022 to fight the aliens in 2048. Pratt is good, but Sam Richardson steals the film as the nerdy scientist and fellow conscript, combining comic relief with real emotion. With a budget of $200 million, it was one of the most expensive COVID-era films to debut on streaming, and a sequel (in development since the original’s release) is still on the way. You can stream Tomorrow’s War here .
Uncle Frank (2020)
Alan Ball ( Six Feet Under , True Blood ) directs this 1970s period piece with Paul Bettany as a closeted gay man on the road with his 18-year-old niece (Sophia Lillis) and surprised when his partner of the decade, Wally, joins them on the road (Peter Macdissi). The ensuing complications make for some poignant drama, but the film also lacks a sense of humor; it’s as much about broader family dynamics as it is about secrets and closets. All three main actors are pretty fantastic, and it’s nice to be reminded that Bettany is more than just Marvel’s Vision. You can stream Uncle Frank here .
Master (2022)
The phenomenal Regina Hall stars as Gayle Bishop, the first black faculty member at Ancaster, a fictional elite New England university, in this masterful psychological thriller. The school is haunted by the suicide of its first black student in 1965, and soon strange events occur involving Bishop and new freshman Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee), a black student struggling to fit in with the school’s clique of rich white girls. The narrative shifts in unpredictable ways, leaving us as unbalanced as the main characters. The script’s rich ideas don’t always get the development they deserve, but the finished product is nonetheless captivating. You can stream the Master here .
Sound of Metal (2019)
A film about a heavy metal drummer slowly losing his hearing could easily have felt too on-the-nose, but Sound of Thunder avoids the obvious pitfalls and finds heart and fury in lead character Ruben Stone, played by Riz Ahmed. He’s joined by Paul Racey as Joe, an alcoholic war veteran who runs a halfway house for deaf drug addicts; both actors received well-deserved Oscar nominations for their work, and the film was nominated for Best Picture. The film does enough to challenge assumptions about deafness, but the understated characters never feel like a lecture. You can listen to Sound of Metal here .
Time (2020)
This documentary examines the American prison industrial complex from a deeply personal perspective. This is the story of Sybil Fox Richardson, who fights to free her husband Rob, who is serving a sixty-year prison sentence in Louisiana for his role in armed robbery. Director Garrett Bradley initially planned to make a short film about the family’s story, but after gaining access to hours of home video of Rob’s life before prison, he realized she had something much deeper on her hands. I’m not sure there’s a more concise or compelling argument for the inhumane nature of our prison system, and it’s not easy to come away from the film still thinking of the prisoners as anything other than human beings worthy of your compassion. You can stream Time here .
You Were Never Really Here (2017)
It sounds like a John Wick reference: Joaquin Phoenix plays a mercenary named Joe, hired by a politician to retrieve his kidnapped daughter and take down the criminal ring that took her. Writer/director Lynne Ramsay ( Pied Piper , Morvern Callar , We Need to Talk About Kevin ) has something deeper and darker in mind, though, and the resulting film feels less like an action film and more like the incredibly tense plot of Taxi Driver , with Phoenix and Ekaterina Samsonova playing a young woman caught up in a story about surviving lifelong trauma rather than solving problems with bullets. You can stream You Were Never Really Here here .
Me: Celine Dion (2024)
For decades, Celine Dion has never been the least bit controversial, but it’s also been hard to feel like we know the real person behind the scenes. In that regard, this documentary feels like a revelation: largely focused on the singer’s recent medical issues, it cuts through the veneer to feel very raw and personal. One of our most polished modern superstars suddenly feels very much like a human being, and that’s an incredibly impressive and unexpected feat in a world of celebrity docs that barely scratch the surface. You can watch I Am: Celine Dion here .