Best movies on Amazon Prime Video (May 2021)

The best movies on Amazon Prime Video give you the grand cinematic experience right in the comfort fo your own home. Why deal with social distancing in a crowd when a subscription to Amazon Prime comes with access to one of the best streaming services?

Not only does an annual Prime subscription give you free two-day shipping, but you also get unlimited streaming of both licensed and original movies. That includes classic blockbusters and newer hits. 

With thousands of titles at your fingertips, though, finding the best movies on Amazon Prime Video doesn’t need to involve hours of scrolling. Our recommendations range from quirky comedies to chilling horror movies to quirky from serious dramas. There’s something for everyone on Amazon Prime Video.

We’ve also got tips for mastering Amazon’s most popular streaming device, so check out our guide for how to use the Fire Stick. And, if you’re heading abroad, you’ll need an Amazon Prime VPN to access everything you pay for.

Best movies on Amazon Prime Video in May 2021

Without Remorse

This feature-film spinoff from the Jack Ryan franchise tells the origin story of John Clark (Michael B. Jordan), a fan-favorite character in Tom Clancy’s books. Before he’s John Clark, he’s John Kelly in the movie, which starts with the Navy SEAL successfully leading a top-secret op against former Russian soldiers. In retaliation, the group murders his pregnant wife and Kelly vows to avenge her. Kelly teams up with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), but their mission ends up exposing a vast international conspiracy that threatens to trigger war between the U.S. and Russia. Kelly finds himself torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country as he and his allies try to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy. Watch now

Skyfall

The danger is inside the house! When MI6 is attacked and undercover agents around the world are exposed, M (Judi Dench) calls on the one person she can truly trust: Bond, James Bond. With the help of Miss Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw), 007 follows a trail to former agent Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem). He’s bitter and wants revenge against M, but Bond is ready to take him out. Skyfall features perhaps the best Bond theme song of all time, sung by Adele. And now that it’s streaming on Amazon Prime, it’s easy to watch all the Bond movies in order.  Watch now

Coming 2 America

Did we really need yet another sequel of a long-past movie? Probably not, but in these (still) pandemic times, I’m happy to see Eddie Murphy’s old gem unearthed and given a new shine. There’s some head-scratching retconning in Coming 2 America, but just wave it away. Murphy’s Prince Akeem, now king of Zamunda, returns to Queens to find his long-lost son Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler) because his country’s sexist policies won’t let any of his daughters inherit the throne. Lavelle and his mom (Leslie Jones) become the new fish out of water, as they travel to Zamunda for a very awkward family reunion. Watch now

This powerful, affecting drama follows the journey of Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a metal drummer who begins to lose his hearing. It’s a devastating development, because his entire identity is wrapped up in playing and listening to music. When he spirals into addiction, his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks him into a rehab center for the deaf, where he grapples with his new normal. Ahmed delivers a stunning performance in one of the best movies on Amazon Prime this year. Watch now

Love and Friendship

Kate Beckinsale is at her most charming in this fizzy, crackling adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel Lady Susan. The recently widowed lady uses those charms (and other, more wicked tactics) in a scheme to ensnare a rich new husband. Her plan is complicated by the fact that she’s having an affair with a married man. It’s a blast watching Beckinsale ratchet up her powers of flirtation as she pursues a clueless suitor. And Chloe Sevigny is perfect as Lady Susan’s droll American friend. Watch now

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Sacha Baron Cohen is back as his most (in)famous character — journalist Borat Sagdiyev of Kazakhstan. He’s returning to America, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, to get close to President Donald Trump. Chaos, of course, ensues. This time, he’s joined by daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova), who he’s offering as a bride to Vice President Mike Pence, then later to Rudy Giuliani. A scene involving the latter has sparked a ton of online chatter. Watch now

Inception

If you’ve somehow stayed un-spoiler’d about this massive epic sci-fi film, pop some popcorn and turn up the volume and prepare to have your mind blown. In Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio leads an all-star cast (including Ellen Page, Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as Dom Cobb, a thief with the power to enter dreams and steal ideas. But along the way, the imaginary cities come crashing down and Dom’s internal struggles hurt his mind, pushing him to go on one last con. Watch now

The Big Sick

This delightful and nuanced romantic comedy is based on the real-life courtship of comedian Kumail Nanjiani and wife Emily V. Gordon. Nanjiani plays a version of himself, while Zoe Kazan takes on Emily’s role. Their budding relationship is halted first by Kumail’s expectation of an arranged marriage with a Pakistani woman of his parents’ choice, then by Emily falling extremely ill. Kumail wants to win her back, but to do that, he first has to win over her parents (Ray Romano and Holly Hunter). We may know how it ends, but the journey to get there is worth watching. Watch now

Knives Out

The 2019 whodunnit mystery from writer-director Rian Johnson is both old school and modern, with an A-list cast that all look like they’re having a tremendously good time. The story starts with the death of wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) on the night of his 85th birthday. Famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called in to investigate it as a murder, with his family members as the prime suspects. Caught up in the action is Harlan’s nurse Marta (Ana de Armas). The case is full of twists, turns and red herrings. But as well plotted as the movie is, it’s really the distinctive characters that make it such a delightful experience. Watch now

The Farewell

This warm and touching family dramedy stars Awkwafina as Billi, a young New Yorker who is devastated by the news that her beloved grandmother is dying. The entire family decides to hide the truth from Grandmother herself, but plan an impromptu wedding for Billi’s cousin so that they can gather together without her realizing it may be for the last time. The exceptional performances, particularly from Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen as grandma Nai Nai, make this family portrait rich and nuanced. The gorgeous meditation on the weird and wonderful bonds of blood makes it one of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video. Watch now

The Handmaiden

One of 2016’s darkest, sexiest, most intense films, The Handmaiden tells the story of the devious Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) and the enterprising Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Fujiwara is a con artist who plans to milk a wealthy Japanese heiress for all that she’s worth, while Sook-hee is a pickpocket whom he contracts to pose as, you guessed it, the heiress’s handmaiden. But as Sook-hee grows closer and closer to the heiress, alliances shift and double-crosses become inevitable. The film doesn’t pull any punches on violence or eroticism, but it doesn’t shy away from a gripping story or complex characters, either. Watch now

The Lighthouse

One of the more deeply weird, highly unsettling films in recent memory, this psychological horror thriller comes from director/co-writer Robert Eggers, the mind behind The Witch. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson star as two lighthouse keepers who start to lose their sanity when a storm strands them on the remote island where they are stationed. Shot in black and white, The Lighthouse is gorgeously made, wonderfully acted … and it will totally f— with your head, which is why it’s one of the best movies on Amazon Prime Video. Watch now

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Peter (Jason Segel) is going through one of the worst breakups that cinema’s ever seen. Not only is his ex — the titular Sarah Marshall, played by Kristen Bell — a movie star that’s on every magazine cover and TV, but he’s also unable to avoid her in person because they booked the same Hawaiian resort to get away from it all. Fortunately for Peter, he winds up meeting some really good people who he might not be ready for yet: Rachel (Mila Kunis) a witty hotel staffer who understands his plight, and surfing instructor Chuck (Paul Rudd) whose positivity is unsinkable. Russell Brand co-stars as Sarah’s new squeeze, an insufferable version of himself. Watch now

Suspiria

A highly anticipated remake of a classic 1977 Italian horror film, Suspiria stars Dakota Johnson as a young woman who joins a German dance company, only to find out that the whole operation is run by witches. (Don’t you just hate it when that happens?) Seeing the supernatural drama unfold is one reason to watch this film; Tilda Swinton represents three others. In Suspiria, you get a triple-dose of Swinton: as a choreographer, a (male) therapist and one more role that might be a bit of a spoiler — but it’s worth the buildup. Suspiria is one of those films that people tend to either love or hate, depending on their tolerance for weird gore and an outlandish tone. But it’s better to get something unique than something that plays it safe. Watch now