Every month Amazon Prime adds movies to its lineup and takes other movies off. As usual with this high-profile streaming service, each month’s offerings include something for every taste and age bracket.
To determine the best things to watch on Amazon Prime this February, 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 January 2022, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies included with Prime that had at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes as of February, and ruled out documentaries. (Data on streaming availability, current as of this month, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood, and directorial and cast credits are from IMDb.)
One thing that became clear immediately was that Amazon Prime really shines for the classics. One film on the list dates from the 1920s and there are three from the ‘30s. Not one of the top ten was made in our century. Such cinematic landmarks as “Lilies of the Field,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Stagecoach,” “My Man Godfrey,” and that holiday essential “It’s a Wonderful Life” made the cut.
And the No. 1 movie is “12 Angry Men” from 1957. Directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda, it’s a courtroom drama about a jury considering the fate of an 18-year old defendant accused of stabbing his father to death. It has an IMDb user rating of 9 out of 10, a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 97%, and a Tomatometer score of 100%.
At No. 2 is Sergio Leone’s “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” a 1966 spaghetti western set during the Civil War and starring Clint Eastwood. (If you’re looking for more cowboy movies, here are the best classic westerns available to stream from home.)
The No. 3 movie is 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs.” Directed by Jonathan Demme, it stars Jodie Foster as a young FBI trainee who is hunting a serial killer. She enlists the aid of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins – who gives one of the most memorable performances in movie history. “The Silence of the Lambs” won Academy Awards in all five major categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Besides these celebrated films, you might also find some choices on the list that are new to you, or that you missed the first few times around. (Here’s where to stream 50 great movies you’ve probably never seen.)
50. The Fly (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (167,978 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (90,069 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (68 reviews)
> Directed by: David Cronenberg
49. The Bear (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (17,312 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (8,894 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (15 reviews)
> Directed by: Jean-Jacques Annaud
48. Manchester by the Sea (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (261,587 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (50,382 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (352 reviews)
> Directed by: Kenneth Lonergan
47. 127 Hours (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (360,403 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (95,966 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Danny Boyle
46. Lilies of the Field (1963)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (9,809 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (6,155 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (24 reviews)
> Directed by: Ralph Nelson
45. Dodsworth (1936)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (8,708 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (1,474 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (21 reviews)
> Directed by: William Wyler
44. Richard III (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (14,342 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (7,022 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Loncraine
43. The Wailing (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (59,362 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (7,116 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: Hong-jin Na
42. The Prestige (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,245,319 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (551,618 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (203 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan
41. Passion Fish (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (5,410 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (2,874 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (25 reviews)
> Directed by: John Sayles
40. The Defiant Ones (1958)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (14,424 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (5,165 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (53 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Kramer
39. On Golden Pond (1981)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (29,427 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (20,585 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (43 reviews)
> Directed by: Mark Rydell
38. Wuthering Heights (1939)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (16,674 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (8,793 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (23 reviews)
> Directed by: William Wyler
37. Forrest Gump (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,905,676 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,244,237 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (104 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
36. Fat City (1972)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (8,448 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (2,341 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (24 reviews)
> Directed by: John Huston
35. What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (19,816 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (52,290 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: Brian Gibson
34. The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (8,888 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (7,336 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (45 reviews)
> Directed by: John Sayles
33. Honey Boy (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (32,827 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (560 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (231 reviews)
> Directed by: Alma Har’el
32. The Band’s Visit (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (13,268 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (13,563 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (119 reviews)
> Directed by: Eran Kolirin
31. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (14,831 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (1,685 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (28 reviews)
> Directed by: Ang Lee
30. Little Big Man (1970)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (34,080 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (17,453 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (26 reviews)
> Directed by: Arthur Penn
29. Pride (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (54,294 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (16,261 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (153 reviews)
> Directed by: Matthew Warchus
28. The Farewell (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (57,395 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (2,490 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (343 reviews)
> Directed by: Lulu Wang
27. The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (10,492 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (6,847 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (32 reviews)
> Directed by: Sam Wood
26. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (454,829 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (427,295 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (218 reviews)
> Directed by: Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton
25. The Big Sick (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (127,850 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (32,924 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (303 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Showalter
24. Marty (1955)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (23,015 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (6,787 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: Delbert Mann
23. Platoon (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (395,356 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (240,012 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (69 reviews)
> Directed by: Oliver Stone
22. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (616,488 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (1,922,847 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (269 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul Greengrass
21. Inherit the Wind (1960)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (29,012 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (9,656 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (26 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Kramer
20. Stagecoach (1939)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (46,215 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (14,658 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (45 reviews)
> Directed by: John Ford
19. Charade (1963)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (72,875 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (42,943 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Donen
18. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (85,564 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,773 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (77 reviews)
> Directed by: Charles Laughton
17. The General (1926)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (86,816 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (11,542 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (59 reviews)
> Directed by: Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton
16. My Man Godfrey (1936)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (22,597 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (7,668 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (37 reviews)
> Directed by: Gregory La Cava
15. In a Lonely Place (1950)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (29,058 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (6,327 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (47 reviews)
> Directed by: Nicholas Ray
14. His Girl Friday (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (56,106 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,333 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (67 reviews)
> Directed by: Howard Hawks
13. Paper Moon (1973)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (44,587 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (11,421 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (41 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich
12. Fargo (1996)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (643,417 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (234,520 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (102 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen
11. The Terminator (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (820,969 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (776,923 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (65 reviews)
> Directed by: James Cameron
10. The Killing (1956)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (85,754 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (22,285 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
9. The Usual Suspects (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,028,997 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (435,145 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (77 reviews)
> Directed by: Bryan Singer
8. Die Hard (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (820,820 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (574,298 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (79 reviews)
> Directed by: John McTiernan
7. The Great Escape (1963)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (233,835 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (103,579 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (49 reviews)
> Directed by: John Sturges
6. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (60,985 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (10,855 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (91 reviews)
> Directed by: William Wyler
5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,292,307 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (993,591 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (143 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg
4. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (422,428 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (219,179 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (87 reviews)
> Directed by: Frank Capra
3. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,332,128 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (847,443 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (104 reviews)
> Directed by: Jonathan Demme
2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (718,036 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (239,989 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (77 reviews)
> Directed by: Sergio Leone
1. 12 Angry Men (1957)
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10 (702,293 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (105,515 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (55 reviews)
> Directed by: Sidney Lumet