If you’re having trouble picking something to watch this week on Prime Video, look no further than these three guaranteed crowd-pleasers that are streaming right now. With a humongous corporation like Amazon backing it, Prime Video has always been one of the leading names in streaming. Part streamer and part digital storefront, Prime literally has almost everything under the sun.
Though Prime Video’s original shows like Fallout get all the attention, the platform also produces its own movies. When looking at the full scope of Prime’s catalog, it can be daunting to pick a movie. Thankfully, the best flicks tend to float to the top. With a mix of new and old, this week’s movie trio has something for everyone.
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Rushmore (1998)
Wes Anderson is certainly an acquired taste, but Rushmore is one of the filmmaker’s most accessible movies. Jason Schwartzman plays Max, a headstrong teen at an exclusive prep school who falls for a teacher and competes with his friend’s father for her attention. The film mixes quirky charm and unique visuals, things Anderson would push further in the future.
Rushmore subverts teen movie tropes, and embraces the twee indie tone a decade before it became popular in mainstream cinema. There are a lot of great comedies on Prime Video, but few have as much heart as the 1998 gem. There’s a warmth to Rushmore that places it in the pantheon of comfort films that have unlimited rewatch value.
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Early Man (2018)
Though they don’t get the fanfare of Disney or DreamWorks, Aardman is perhaps the most consistent animation studio. Early Man is set during the Bronze Age, and follows Dug who must rally his people against becoming forced labor in a mine. Aardman’s signature claymation style is cranked to 11, and the film embraces several types of humor.
Kids will love the goofball slapstick while parents will get a chuckle from the cheeky adult humor that flies over the youngsters’ heads. It’s one of Aardman’s most impressive films in terms of visuals, and is a worthy addition to Prime Video’s animation catalog. If you’re tired of the same old kid’s movies, give Early Man a try.
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American Gangster (2007)
Usually ranked among Denzel Washington’s best movies, American Gangster helped bring the gangster genre into the modern day. The Ridley Scott film chronicles the rise of real-life Harlem crime boss, Frank Lucas, and the dedicated cop who tries to bring him down. Washington is at his best as the ruthless Lucas, and he has amazing chemistry with co-star Russell Crowe.
American Gangster isn’t afraid to inject a bit of style into its biographical story, so it is larger-than-life. It follows the usual rise and fall formula found in other gangster classics, but Scott’s direction and Washington’s performance elevates it beyond the typical. With 2000s nostalgia at an all-time high, American Gangster can’t be missed on Prime Video.