Amazon Prime Video has produced everything from arthouse flicks to A-lister crowd pleasers.

Featuring sneakers and snickers: The 25 best Amazon original movies streaming on Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video has produced everything from arthouse flicks to A-lister crowd pleasers.

By Kevin Jacobsen

and Meg Walters

on November 4, 2025 10:37 a.m. ET

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X in 'One Night in Miami'; Bella Ramsey as Birdy in 'Catherine Called Birdy'; Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'. Credit:

Patti Perret/Amazon Studios; Alex Bailey/Prime Video; Amazon Studios

Since 2010, Amazon MGM Studios (formerly Amazon Studios) has crafted a wide range of original movies for the Prime Video streaming platform. From the artsy, poetic *Paterson* to Amy Poehler’s award-winning documentary *Lucy and Desi*, the streamer has a vast selection of original movies that will suit everyone's tastes. Among them are multiple Oscar-winning films produced by Amazon, such as *Manchester by the Sea* and *Sound of Metal*.

Looking for the next addition to your watch list? Here are **’s picks for the 25 best Amazon original movies to watch on Prime Video.

Air (2023)

Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in 'Air'. Courtesy of Prime Video

Ben Affleck’s *Air* is the kind of quality mid-budget drama for adults that rarely gets made anymore. Centering on the dealmaking process between Nike and Michael Jordan for what would become their mega-popular Air Jordan shoe line, the film follows the various players involved, from talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) to Nike CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to Jordan’s protective mother Deloris (Viola Davis). The result is a fleet-footed flick full of entertaining performances; even though you already know the ending, the journey makes for a breezy ride. —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *Air*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Ben Affleck

**Cast:** Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis

The Big Sick (2017)

Holly Hunter as Beth Gardner, Ray Romano as Terry Gardner, and Kumail Nanjiani as himself in 'The Big Sick'. Nicole Rivelli/Lionsgate

*The Big Sick* is a modern must-watch for fans of the golden age of rom-coms. Written by real-life couple Emily V. Gordon (played by Zoe Kazan) and Kumail Nanjiani (playing himself), the movie follows the early stages of their relationship amid a health crisis.

Both funny and deeply powerful, *The Big Sick *shows the reality of romance with a heartfelt love story that rings true. "The biggest challenge was just having to go back and think about a pretty traumatic point in our lives, and then try to make a comedy out of it," Nanjiani told EW in 2017. "We knew that we could make this funny, but we didn’t want to kill the reality of it.” —*Meg Walters*

Where to watch *The Big Sick*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Michael Showalter

**Cast:** Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev in 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm'.

Released in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic — on top of a turbulent presidential election — this sequel to 2006’s breakout hit *Borat* offered comic relief during hard times. Sacha Baron Cohen reprises his role as Borat Sagdiyev, a journalist from Kazakhstan tasked with delivering a monkey as a peace offering to Vice President Mike Pence. His plans are soon thwarted when he discovers his 15-year-old daughter (whom he just found out about), Tutar (Maria Bakalova), has stowed away with him on his journey, resolving to offer her up in the monkey’s place.

Using the same mockumentary format as the first film, Borat puts himself in increasingly precarious real-life situations, though Tutar proves no slouch, particularly in a revealing interview with Rudy Giuliani. *Borat* remains an acquired taste for some, but this sequel recaptures some of its predecessor's magic, with Bakalova’s daring performance even earning her an Oscar nomination. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Borat Subsequent Moviefilm*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Jason Woliner

**Cast:** Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova

Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019)

Jillian Bell as Brittany Forgler (right) in 'Brittany Runs a Marathon'. Anna Kooris/Amazon Studios

Jillian Bell leads this charming comedy about a woman who is motivated to run in the New York City marathon after her doctor deems her overweight and unhealthy. Faced with way-too-high gym rates and struggling to pay rent, Brittany presses onward in her training and hopes to get by with a little help from friends. What may sound like a generic inspirational tale is, in execution, an honest journey to self-acceptance, with Bell delivering a refreshingly honest performance as a character worth rooting for.

As EW’s critic writes, “She brings a real, messy humanity to Brittany that comedies hardly ever allow a lead character — let alone a non-impossibly-bodied female — to have.” —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Brittany Runs a Marathon*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Paul Downs Colaizzo

**Cast:** Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rel Howery, Micah Stock

Catherine Called Birdy (2022)

Bella Ramsey as Birdy in 'Catherine Called Birdy'.

Alex Bailey/Prime Video

Between their high-profile stints on the HBO series *Game of Thrones* and *The Last of Us*, Bella Ramsey starred in this bright historical comedy, adapted from the beloved 1994 YA novel *Catherine, Called Birdy*. Ramsey plays Lady Catherine, or, as she prefers, “Birdy,” a scrappy 14-year-old who must deal with unwanted suitors while striving to maintain her independence. Rejecting the traditional path of a noble young woman, Birdy is ahead of her time, plucky, rambunctious, and bursting with ideas.

EW’s critic calls *Catherine Called Birdy* “a sly fairytale about a medieval tween that manages to be both cheeky and modern without losing its heart.” —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Catherine Called Birdy*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Lena Dunham

**Cast:** Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott

Challengers (2024)

Mike Faist as Art Donaldson, Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, and Josh O'Connor as Patrick Zweig in 'Challengers'. Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

Luca Guadagnino is one of the best directors working today who knows how to communicate desire and yearning in films such as *A Bigger Splash* (2015) and *Call Me by Your Name* (2017). This romantic dramedy is no exception, following three professional tennis players and their ever-evolving relationships with one another. When doubles partners Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) meet star player Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a messy love triangle is formed that changes the trajectory of each of their lives.

"*Challengers *is fresh, exhilarating, and energetic," writes EW's critic. "It pushes the boundaries of its devilishly fun packaging, exploring the power dynamics of sex, desire, and competition with a winking reminder that sometimes love is a zero-sum game." —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Challengers*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Luca Guadagnino

**Cast:** Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike Faist

Hedda (2025)

Tessa Thompson as Hedda Gabler in 'Hedda'.

Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Writer-director Nia DaCosta makes one of 19th-century playwright Henrik Ibsen's most beloved plays, *Hedda Gabler*, fully urgent and relevant for a modern audience with this witty, sensual drama. Tessa Thompson stars as Hedda, an unsatisfied wife who sees an opportunity to advance her husband's career, and thus, secure their future. At a late-night party at their home, she uses her penchant for manipulation by toying with those around her, including a former flame (Nina Hoss), eventually realizing the cost of her actions. Thompson and Hoss sizzle onscreen together, and DaCosta gives them a sumptuous playground to play in. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Hedda*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Nia DaCosta

**Cast:** Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock

The Idea of You (2024)

Anne Hathaway as Solène Marchand and Nicholas Galitzine as Hayes Campbell in 'The Idea of You'.

Amazon Prime/Courtesy Everett Collection

*The Idea of You* isn't aspiring to be game-changing art, but it delivers well on its tried-and-true premise. The romantic dramedy, based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, stars Anne Hathaway as Solène, a divorced mother who stumbles into a meet-cute with Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of a boy band. Naturally, their first interaction blossoms into an unexpected, secret romance, which threatens to change Solène's life forever.

What separates *The Idea of You* from other films of its ilk is its earnest investment in its characters and their chemistry. As EW's critic writes, "It’s clear those behind *The Idea of You *hold a genuine affection and care for the story, rather than the ironic eye that a book like this could so easily invite from a lesser team." —*K.J.***

Where to watch *The Idea of You*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Michael Showalter

**Cast:** Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine

Late Night (2019)

Mindy Kaling as Molly Patel in 'Late Night'.

Emily Aragones/Amazon Studios/Courtesy Everett

In *Late Night*, Mindy Kaling plays a young writer who joins the ranks of legendary late-night host Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) as a token diversity hire who’s out to prove she belongs there by merit rather than to fill a quota. Sharp, witty, and women-led, this comedy has a refreshingly non-romantic take on the rom-com.

Of course, you can expect a little bit of love, but, for Kaling, bending the genre to focus on the two central women was always the goal. "The romance of the movie…is not the major part of the movie," she told EW in 2019. "It’s not like I’ve done before in my other things because I obviously love romance so much, but it is an element of it." —*M.W.*

Where to watch *Late Night*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Nisha Ganatra

**Cast:** Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella, Hugh Dancy, John Lithgow

Lucy and Desi (2022)

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Amy Poehler’s documentary explores the famous Hollywood comedy duo Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. This fascinating film features interviews and previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage of the two *I Love Lucy* stars, tracing the arc of their love story and coinciding careers. For Poehler, Ball is a personal inspiration. "Lucy and Desi are two outsiders who changed an entire industry," she told EW in 2022. "Their story represents the success that hard work and big swings can bring. But icons are people, and hopefully this film reminds us of that." —*M.W.*

Where to watch *Lucy and Desi*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Amy Poehler

**Cast:** Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Michelle Williams as Randi Chandler and Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in 'Manchester by the Sea'. Claire Folger

This devastating family drama follows a grief-stricken man’s journey to move on with his life. Casey Affleck stars as Lee Chandler, a handyman going through the motions of living until the death of his brother. He is surprised to learn that he’s now the legal guardian of Patrick (Lucas Hedges), his teenage nephew who has no desire to move away from home to stay with his uncle. As Lee helps Patrick through the grief process of losing his father, we come to understand how a traumatic event in Lee’s past led him to shut down emotionally.

Moving and shockingly funny, *Manchester by the Sea* rightfully won Oscars for writer-director Kenneth Lonergan’s screenplay and Affleck’s subtle masterclass performance. *—K.J.*

Where to watch *Manchester by the Sea*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director: **Kenneth Lonergan

**Cast:** Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

Master (2022)

Regina Hall as Gail Bishop in 'Master'.

Amazon Studios/Courtesy Everett

Mariama Diallo’s *Master *sets the scene at the elitist Ancaster College, where Jasmine (Zoe Renee) navigates life as a young Black student in a predominantly white environment. What begins as microaggressions and underhanded racism soon becomes much more sinister as things take a thrilling twist. “*Master*'s ear and eye for real-world snubs grounds it in a viciousness that feels keenly lived,” EW’s critic praises. “And when the scares do come, Diallo pulls them off with a panache that reveals her taste for the smart stuff.” —*M.W.*

Where to watch *Master*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Mariama Diallo

**Cast:** Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Amber Gray, Molly Bernard, Nike Kadri

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My Old Ass (2024)

Maisy Stella as Elliott LaBrant and Aubrey Plaza as older Elliott in 'My Old Ass'.

Marni Grossman/Amazon Content Services

If you could have a conversation with your older self — or your younger self — what would you say? The cheekily titled dramedy *My Old Ass* literalizes this concept, centering on a teenage girl named Elliott (Maisy Stella) who goes on a mushroom trip during which her older self (Aubrey Plaza) suddenly appears. What could've been a silly gimmick is, in writer-director Megan Park's capable hands, a lovely coming-of-age story. Writes EW's critic, "The pitch-perfect script and impressive acting made for a hilarious, charming, and surprisingly devastating cautionary tale about life, love, and loss." *—K.J.***

Where to watch *My Old Ass*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Megan Park

**Cast:** Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks

One Night in Miami (2020)

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X in 'One Night in Miami'.

Patti Perret/Amazon Studios

This Oscar-nominated drama, directed by Regina King, recreates a motel-room meeting that took place in Miami on Feb. 25, 1964, between four of the most influential Black public figures of the midcentury: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.). While the conversations in the film are fictionalized, screenwriter Kemp Powers (who adapted the script from his play of the same name) imagines the topics they would have discussed, particularly their respective roles as Black men navigating racial conflicts in 1960s America.

What may sound like a verbose exercise is made vibrant by King’s deft direction. As EW’s critic writes, “In extrapolating the mysteries of a night we'll never fully know, she finds something that may not be strictly true to lived history, but possibly even richer: a quintessentially American tale; profane, profound, and beautiful.” —*K.J.*

Where to watch *One Night in Miami*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Regina King

**Cast:** Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr.

Paterson (2016)

Adam Driver as Paterson in 'Paterson'. Mary Cybulsky

This quietly poetic slice-of-life film follows a week in the life of Paterson (Adam Driver), a bus driver who happens to work in the New Jersey city of the same name. After hearing the buzz of passengers and their daily observations, Paterson writes poems in a notebook, which his wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani), wants him to share with the world.

Driver delivers one of his most underrated performances as the curious, mild-mannered poet, proving to be a strong match for writer-director Jim Jarmusch’s minimalist style. As EW’s critic writes, “There’s a hushed beauty to *Paterson* and Paterson that celebrates the way in which even the most ordinary, prosaic lives can be full of poetry.” *—K.J.*

Where to watch *Paterson*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director: **Jim Jarmusch

**Cast: **Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Barry Shabaka Henley, Cliff Smith, Chasten Harmon

Saltburn (2023)

Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in 'Saltburn'. Courtesy of Prime Video

Emerald Fennell followed up her provocative feature directorial debut, 2020’s *Promising Young Woman* (for which she won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay), with this divisive psychological thriller. Barry Keoghan stars as Oliver, a misfit student studying at Oxford University who develops a fast obsession with his preppy classmate Felix (Jacob Elordi). The two become friends, and Felix invites Oliver to his family’s mega-estate, Saltburn, for the summer.

We won’t spoil just how Oliver’s relationship with Felix and his family devolves from there — and we also can’t guarantee you'll love it — but, as EW’s critic writes, “Its endless visual and literary layers will bring its ardent admirers back to it again and again, because it is a triumph of the cinema of excess, in all its orgiastic, unapologetic glory.” —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Saltburn*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Emerald Fennell

**Cast:** Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver

Small Axe (2020)

John Boyega as Leroy Logan in 'Red, White and Blue' from the 'Small Axe' series. Amazon Studios

Steve McQueen’s remarkable *Small Axe* isn't just one film, it's five. The anthology series looks at the history of life in Britain for the Black and West Indian communities, from protests to parties. Across the collection, you'll see actors like Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Micheal Ward, Kenyah Sandy, and Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn enliven “stories have shaped the environment that we live in now,” McQueen told EW. Beautifully shot and uniquely moving, these heartfelt films are as ambitious as they are rousing. —*M.W.*

Where to watch *Small Axe*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Steve McQueen

**Cast:** John Boyega, Letitia Wright, Shaun Parkes, Micheal Ward, Kenyah Sandy, Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn

Sound of Metal (2020)

Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'. Amazon Studios

*Sound of Metal* tells the heart-wrenching story of Ruben, a drummer who suddenly loses his hearing. “As Ruben's fear and rage begins to open itself to the unknown,” writes EW’s critic, “the movie reaches toward something profound — finding real, furious power in the spaces between the sound.” Thanks to the powerful Oscar-nominated performance of Riz Ahmed, this intimate journey to self-acceptance is both hard to watch and impossible to look away from. —*M.W.*

Where to watch *Sound of Metal*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Darius Marder

**Cast:** Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric

Suspiria (2018)

Dakota Johnson as Susie Bannion in 'Suspiria'. Amazon Studios

For a delightfully wacky and wild pick, try Luca Guadagnino’s *Suspiria*, a loose remake of Dario Argento’s 1977 Italian horror film of the same name. Dakota Johnson plays a young dancer who finds herself in a German company run by witches, including Tilda Swinton as the austere Madame Blanc. This movie isn't for the faint of heart, especially during the h artistic and trippy dance sequences that verge on body horror.

There’s even one scene in which a young dancer is "violently whipped around like a rag doll, her joints contorting like a possessed Swiss Army knife," EW’s critic says. "In moments like that one, the film jolts to life, rivaling Argento’s baroque Grand Guignol style." If you're up for a challenging, beautifully grotesque movie, look no further. —*M.W.*

Where to watch *Suspiria*: Amazon Prime Video**

**Director:** Luca Guadagnino

**Cast:** Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Chloë Grace Moretz

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Colin Farrell as John Volanthen and Viggo Mortensen as Richard Stanton in 'Thirteen Lives'. Prime Video

Ron Howard's dramatization of the headline-making 2018 Thailand cave rescue flew surprisingly under the radar upon its release despite being one of his best films in years. The story sees a soccer team of 12 boys and their assistant coach enter the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system, which floods after a downpour and traps them. Though various cavers attempted to save them, the high-stakes mission proved far more difficult than anyone ever expected.

While Hollywood has often been accused of sensationalizing real events, EW’s critic praises *Thirteen Lives* as "refreshingly stripped of the cloying or sentimental: a remarkable story torn from true life, and faithfully told." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Thirteen Lives*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Ron Howard

**Cast:** Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman

Uncle Frank (2020)

Paul Bettany as Frank Bledsoe, Sophia Lillis as Elizabeth Bledsoe, and Peter Macdissi as Wally Nadeem in 'Uncle Frank'.

Brownie Harris / Amazon / Courtesy Everett

Award-winning writer Alan Ball (*American Beauty*, *Six Feet Under*) helmed this character-driven road trip period piece about a gay man coming to terms with his bigoted father’s death. Set in the 1970s, the film follows Frank Bledsoe (Paul Bettany) as he drives back to his hometown for the funeral with his beloved niece (Sophia Lillis). Meanwhile, his secret boyfriend (Peter Macdissi) wants to tag along, too, despite Frank’s reservations. The film ruminates on guilt, familial strife, and trauma with Ball’s signature bittersweet touch, earning a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Uncle Frank*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Alan Ball

**Cast:** Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter Macdissi, Judy Greer, Steve Zahn

Val (2021)

Val Kilmer in 'Val'.

Val Kilmer made his mark on cinema with movies like *Top Gun* (1986), *The Doors* (1991), *Tombstone* (1993), and *Batman Forever* (1995), but he was so much more than his filmography. This intimate documentary not only delves into the highs and lows of Kilmer’s career but also the details of his personal life, particularly his then-ongoing treatment for throat cancer.

Having mostly lost his voice, Kilmer’s son Jack narrates the film in his father’s words. EW’s critic describes the sensitively assembled doc as “a lifetime of searching and self-regard distilled, somehow, into a state of grace.” —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Val*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade: **B+

**Directors:** Leo Scott, Ting Poo

**Cast:** Val Kilmer

The Vast of Night (2020)

Jake Horowitz as Everett Sloan (center) in 'The Vast of Night'. Amazon Studios

This underrated lo-fi mystery film transports us to 1950s New Mexico. In a sleepy town, a switchboard operator and a radio DJ investigate a strange audio signal that intercepts the latter’s broadcast. Their findings lead them to uncover a conspiracy, and, most intriguingly, reports of an unidentified flying object. “Just the setting and veneer of the film — it's framed as an episode of a *Twilight Zone-*esque anthology TV series — should be enough for you to guess more or less where it's headed,” EW’s critic writes, but that doesn’t make it any less of an enjoyable ride. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Vast of Night*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Andrew Patterson

**Cast:** Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz

Wildcat (2022)

Harry Turner with a baby ocelot in 'Wildcat'.

Trevor Frost/Prime Video

This touching documentary follows a British war veteran struggling with PTSD, an American scientist he meets in a Peruvian rainforest, and a baby ocelot they try to raise. The uniqueness of their situation is made universal as the unlikely trio relies on each other for emotional support. Part nature documentary, part poignant drama about mental health and found family, *Wildcat* is an emotional roller coaster for any animal lover. —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Wildcat*: Amazon Prime Video

**Directors:** Trevor Frost, Melissa Lesh

**Cast:** Harry Turner, Samantha Zwicker

You Were Never Really Here (2018)

Joaquin Phoenix as Joe in 'You Were Never Really Here'. Alison Cohen Rosa/Amazon Studios

The dark, hair-raising *You Were Never Really Here* is an arthouse hitman thriller that hits home. Directed by Lynne Ramsay, the movie follows Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), an introverted loner who rescues women who find themselves in precarious positions. It's a grisly, edge-of-your-seat film that is pulse-quickening, strangely quiet, and understated. "Phoenix only seems to have a few spoken lines in the film," notes EW’s critic. "But he manages to express an entire inner world through his mannerisms and thousand-yard war-vet’s stare." —*M.W.*

Where to watch *You Were Never Really Here*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Lynne Ramsay

**Cast:** Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov, John Doman, Alex Manette

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Movies”