Something new has just come to the popular streaming channel Amazon Prime Video – ads. As of late January, viewers have had to endure commercial breaks, unless they agree to pay an additional $2.99 a month for a commercial-free experience. The change affects international subscribers, too, at first just in the U.K., Canada, and Germany, but eventually everywhere else.
Whether or not this new policy will have an impact on the platform’s business remains to be seen – but Amazon has already announced the layoffs of hundreds of employees of the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios divisions, so would probably not be happy with the loss of even a small portion of their paying audience.
One group of Amazon Prime viewers who would presumably be reluctant to say goodbye to the platform are dedicated movie buffs. While Netflix and some other streamers offer rich catalogs of feature films, they generally tend to skew towards more recent (i.e., 21st- or late 20th-century releases). Amazon screens plenty of those, but is also known for its library of cinematic classics, dating back even to the silent movie era – a library considerably enhanced after the company’s 2022 purchase of MGM Studios. (Here’s a list of 25 movie flops that are now considered classics.)
To determine the best movies to stream 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 early February 2024, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, and ruled out documentaries. Data on streaming availability, also current as of early February, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood. Directorial credits are from IMDb.
Many legendary directors are represented on this list, among them Sidney Lumet, Billy Wilder, Frank Capra, Lewis Milestone, Stanley Donen, John Ford (appearing twice, for two iconic John Wayne Westerns), and Charles Chaplin. Also present are such modern-day cinematic luminaries as Christopher Nolan, Ava DuVernay, Jordan Peele, Danny Boyle, and Sam Mendes.
Whether you’re in the mood for an acclaimed movie from the past five years or a deep dive into motion picture history, you’ll find something to your liking on this list.
Here are the best movies to stream on Amazon Prime this month:
50. Guys and Dolls (1955)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (16,679 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (30,859 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (33 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
49. The Naked Kiss (1964)
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (7,465 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (3,156 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (14 reviews)
- Directed by: Samuel Fuller
48. Interstellar (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,615,901 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (176,938 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (367 reviews)
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
47. Heathers (1989)
Source: Courtesy of New World Pictures
Source: Courtesy of New World Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (95,825 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (75,561 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael Lehmann
46. Love and Mercy (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
Source: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (40,330 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (19,961 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (218 reviews)
- Directed by: Bill Pohlad
45. The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (9,152 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (1,768 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (10 reviews)
- Directed by: Lewis Milestone
44. The Big Combo (1955)
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (7,137 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (2,213 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (14 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph H. Lewis
43. Pariah (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (6,645 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (8,692 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (122 reviews)
- Directed by: Dee Rees
42. The Westerner (1940)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (5,548 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (744 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (6 reviews)
- Directed by: William Wyler
41. The Fortune Cookie (1966)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (13,691 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (4,687 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Billy Wilder
40. The Crow (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (173,146 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (377,367 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (59 reviews)
- Directed by: Alex Proyas
39. Ghost World (2001)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (117,647 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (73,554 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (162 reviews)
- Directed by: Terry Zwigoff
38. Detour (1945)
Source: Courtesy of Producers Releasing Corporation
Source: Courtesy of Producers Releasing Corporation
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (16,429 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (5,395 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (41 reviews)
- Directed by: Edgar G. Ulmer
37. The World’s Fastest Indian (2005)
Source: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (55,754 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (35,818 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (144 reviews)
- Directed by: Roger Donaldson
36. Meet John Doe (1941)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (12,873 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (4,584 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (22 reviews)
- Directed by: Frank Capra
35. Hair (1979)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (36,387 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (29,946 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (24 reviews)
- Directed by: Miloš Forman
34. Funny Girl (1968)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (21,324 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (19,909 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (45 reviews)
- Directed by: William Wyler
33. Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Source: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (261,587 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (50,382 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (352 reviews)
- Directed by: Kenneth Lonergan
32. The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (39,280 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (5,082 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (28 reviews)
- Directed by: Don Bluth
31. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (91,371 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (54,058 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (44 reviews)
- Directed by: John Sturges
30. Clerks (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (216,399 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (285,512 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (57 reviews)
- Directed by: Kevin Smith
29. Creed III (2023)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists Releasing
Source: Courtesy of United Artists Releasing
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (10,088 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (2,500 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (237 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael B. Jordan
28. Wuthering Heights (1939)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (16,674 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (8,793 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: William Wyler
27. Forrest Gump (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,905,676 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,244,237 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (104 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
26. Kapoor and Sons (2016)
Source: Courtesy of FIP
Source: Courtesy of FIP
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (27,570 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,214 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (11 reviews)
- Directed by: Shakun Batra
25. Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (24,850 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (9,521 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (29 reviews)
- Directed by: Woody Allen
24. Hot Fuzz (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Rogue Pictures
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Rogue Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (501,350 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (250,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (201 reviews)
- Directed by: Edgar Wright
23. Selma (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (92,432 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (61,564 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (313 reviews)
- Directed by: Ava DuVernay
22. The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (10,492 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (6,847 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (32 reviews)
- Directed by: Sam Wood
21. The Big Sick (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Amazon Studios
Source: Courtesy of Amazon Studios
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (137,232 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (32,924 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (303 reviews)
- Directed by: Michael Showalter
20. Get Out (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (530,461 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (76,158 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (397 reviews)
- Directed by: Jordan Peele
19. American Beauty (1999)
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (1,104,561 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (660,797 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (190 reviews)
- Directed by: Sam Mendes
18. Trainspotting (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Pinema
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Pinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (706,493 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (314,027 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (89 reviews)
- Directed by: Danny Boyle
17. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (28,840 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (9,478 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph Sargent
16. Charade (1963)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (72,875 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (42,943 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Donen
15. Stagecoach (1939)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (46,215 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (14,658 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (45 reviews)
- Directed by: John Ford
14. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Batrax Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Batrax Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (82,141 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (4,708 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (220 reviews)
- Directed by: Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
13. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (72,528 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (23,742 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (48 reviews)
- Directed by: John Ford
12. The Elephant Man (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (243,632 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (64,618 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (53 reviews)
- Directed by: David Lynch
11. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (78,648 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (8,681 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kramer
10. Raging Bull (1980)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (356,943 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (131,523 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (76 reviews)
- Directed by: Martin Scorsese
9. My Left Foot (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (75,444 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (25,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Jim Sheridan
8. The Killing (1956)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (85,754 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (22,285 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10 (1,710,236 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (34,679,773 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (275 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Jackson
6. Memento (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Newmarket Films
Source: Courtesy of Newmarket Films
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,169,429 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (381,352 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (181 reviews)
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
5. The Gold Rush (1925)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (106,473 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (20,591 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Charles Chaplin
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,731,527 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,355,751 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (235 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Jackson
3. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (422,428 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (219,179 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (87 reviews)
- Directed by: Frank Capra
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10 (1,546,188 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,341,428 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (255 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Jackson
1. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10 (702,293 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (105,515 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (55 reviews)
- Directed by: Sidney Lumet