Is it just us or is this August even more abysmal than most in terms of exciting new movie releases? That makes us all the more thankful for Amazon Prime’s video streaming service, which continues to host a massive library of outright cinematic masterpieces. From Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” to the historical epic “Gladiator” and more, it’s all accessible from home and just a few clicks away.
To determine the best movies to stream on Amazon Prime this August, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of July 2022, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Documentaries were not considered. (Data on streaming availability, current as of this month, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood, and directorial credits are from IMDb.)
In addition to the aforementioned films, Prime Video also now offers the 1983 techno-thriller “WarGames,” in which an amateur hacker accidentally incites a catastrophe of potentially planet-ending proportions. The film’s visuals and computers might look dated, but its themes are more relevant now than ever before. Along similarly paranoid lines is the 1978 remake “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” which some might say is the best version to date. (Here are some movie sequels that were better than the original.)
In the mood for something a little lighter? Then check out 1999’s “Galaxy Quest,” a “Star Trek” send-up that’s gained a huge and loyal following over time. Speaking of send-ups, the 1985 horror comedy “The Return of the Living Dead” delivers gut-busting laughs along with literal gut busting. Don’t watch it on a full stomach, is what we’re trying to say. (These are the 50 best horror movies of all time.)
These are but a few examples of the many film classics lying in wait as you beat the summer heat. Get streaming.
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