As an entertainment analyst and streaming expert with over 5 years covering the latest releases across platforms, I‘m constantly asked for the very best movie recommendations worthy of limited viewing time. With thousands of options, it can be incredibly difficult to decide what films stand out as must-see. Thankfully, Amazon Prime offers an extensive library included with your membership. But quantity can also mean navigating lots mediocre titles mixed in with gems.
I‘m here to help as your personal streaming guide! I‘ve compiled this definitive ranking of the Top 10 highest-rated movies you can watch right now on Amazon Prime based on critical reception, audience reactions, cultural impact, and overall entertainment value. From thrilling sci-fi classics to penetrating documentaries, hilarious comedies to heartfelt dramas, these standout selections represent the pinnacle of cinematic storytelling.
While Amazon Prime adds new movies each month, these finest films showcase why your subscription provides such tremendous value. So grab your favorite movie-watching companion and dive in to the expert picks for the best films guaranteed to move you!
#10. Sound of Metal (2019)
- 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture
- 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating; 89 Metascore
- Indie Spirit Award for Best Film
In this 2019 breakout drama, heavy metal drummer Ruben begins losing his hearing and struggles to accept his new deaf reality. Sound of Metal gathered widespread critical acclaim for Riz Ahmed‘s transformative lead performance combined with Darius Marder’s thoughtful direction authentically exploring emotional turmoil. The film helps viewers empathize with the deaf community‘s challenges through an intimate character study about rediscovering meaning amid loss.
#9: Night Comes On
- Won 2018 Sundance Grand Jury Prize
- 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- “Piercing and poetic” – Associated Press
This urgent 2018 drama confronts generational violence as Angel is released from juvenile detention on 18th birthday, taking her young sister on a quest to avenge their mother’s murder. Indie legend John Sayles called it "a stick of dynamite with a long fuse” while critics praised the timely narrative. Night Comes On contemplates cycles of retaliation through commanding performances that meld rage with compassion.
#8: Invasion of the Body Snatchers
- Preserved by the National Film Registry
- One of AFI’s 100 greatest thrillers
- 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating
This speculative 1956 Sci-Fi classic has inspired dozens of horror films since thanks to its eerie premise and underlying social commentary. As residents across small-town California transform into emotionless body duplicates emerging from mysterious alien pods, Invasion of the Body Snatchers taps into universal fears of conformity and dehumanization through panic-inducing allegory. 64 years later, Invasion still delivers suspenseful entertainment exposing mass hysteria.
#7: One Child Nation
- 2019 Grand Jury Prize & Audience Award Winner at Sundance
- 99% Rotten Tomatoes Rating
- Over 18 major film festival wins
Filmmakers Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang investigate the devastating human impact of China’s harsh 35+ year “one-child policy” measure through Wang’s lens as an only child along with sobering present-day realities. Beyond abandoned infants and forced sterilizations, this piercing expose contemplates unanticipated cultural consequences when policy ignores human rights. One Child Nation prompts much-needed debate around social engineering.
#6: The Band‘s Visit
- Over 35 top international film awards
- Stellar 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Inspired an 11-time Tony winning Broadway musical
This quirky 2007 Israeli film charts an Egyptian police band accidentally finding connection in a remote Negev desert town after their bus breakdown leaves them stranded overnight. With no lodging options, the band members split up to stay with hospitable locals leading to amusing and heartwarming cross-cultural exchanges through universal languages like food and music. The Band‘s Visit reminds us shared humanity can overcome divides.
#5: Blow the Man Down
- Named top 10 independent film of 2019 by National Board of Review
- Certified Fresh 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Variety Critics Pick
This 2019 indie crime-drama thriller follows grieving sisters grappling with secrets in their sleepy Maine fishing village after a dangerous encounter leads them to hide a violent crime. The aftermath exposes unsettling town secrets causing the duo to realize not everything is as it seems behind closed doors. Anchored by strong lead performances — including June Squibb as an eccentric brothel owner — Blow the Man Down will keep you guessing with clever twists.
#4: Blackfish
- Shortlisted for 2014 Academy Award Best Documentary
- 98% Rotten Tomatoes critic score
- Led to SeaWorld ending killer whale performances
This stirring 2013 documentary condemns marine parks, specifically SeaWorld, for dangers of whale captivity through the story of performing orca Tilikum, who sadly killed three people while under SeaWorld‘s care over 30 years of confinement. Heart-wrenching footage and interviews build a compelling call to action against exploiting sensitive creatures that struck a chord with global audiences. Blackfish sparked protests pivotal to ending whale shows at SeaWorld.
#3: The Big Sick
- Nominated for 2018 Best Original Screenplay Oscar
- Certified Fresh 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Won American Film Institute Award
Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani’s brilliant autobiographical dramedy follows Pakistani-American comedian Kumail, who falls for grad student Emily despite his traditional Muslim family pressuring him toward an arranged marriage. When Emily later falls gravely ill, Kumail bonds with her concerned parents and examines what truly matters. The Big Sick relateably balances laugh-out-loud awkward moments against poignant emotion building to a satisfying, unconventional conclusion.
#2: Ash Is Purest White
- Best Foreign Film Award Nominee Independent Spirit Awards
- Certified Fresh 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating
- Selected one of the 10 best films of 2018 by over 100 international film critics
Epic 2018 Chinese drama Ash Is Purest White directed by internationally renowned auteur Jia Zhangke delivers a beautifully shot odyssey following gangster’s moll Qiao over seventeen years. After a five-year prison sentence for protecting mob boss boyfriend Bin during a gang fight, Qiao journeys to find Bin in hopes of restoring their relationship to its former glory only to confront difficult truths about the passage of time. Through gorgeous cinematography and nuanced performance from actress Zhao Tao, Ash Is Purest White weaves an enthralling experience exploring loyalty and redemption.
#1: The Terminator
- Inducted by Library of Congress into National Film Registry
- Some of most iconic one-liners in cinema history
- Launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s blockbuster career
- Selected as one of AFI’s Top 100 Films By Genre
In James Cameron‘s legendary 1984 sci-fi thriller launching a mega-successful franchise, lethal cyborg assassin Terminator T-800 is sent back through time to 1984 Los Angeles to eliminate waitress Sarah Connor before she can give birth to resistance leader John Connor. To protect Sarah, brave soldier Kyle Reese also travels back ready to confront the seemingly unstoppable killing machine. With revolutionary action sequences and remarkable VFX, The Terminator set new standards in the genre that still impress thanks to relentless suspense and visionary world-building transporting viewers to the not-so-distant apocalyptic future threatening all humanity.
Other Prime Movies You Might Enjoy By Genre
| Most Popular Action | Top Family Films | Best Horror Movie |
|---|---|---|
| The Tomorrow War | Dora and the Lost City of Gold | The Sixth Sense |
| Wrath of Man | Cinderella | |
| The Gentlemen | Think Like a Dog | |
| Ambulance | Mitchells vs. The Machines |
Whether you crave laugh-out-loud comedies, pulse-pounding action, or profound documentaries, these highest-rated hand-selected movies showcase the best cinematic storytelling guaranteed to entertain and move you. Pop some popcorn and queue up these expert recommendations for an elevated movie night with your favorite fellow film lover!
Frequently Asked Questions About Streaming Prime Movies
What does an 18+ rating mean?
Similar to an R or TV-MA, it signifies content exclusively appropriate for mature adult audiences.
How much does Amazon Prime cost?
An Amazon Prime subscription costs $15 monthly or $139 annually. Movies included free with membership are clearly designated.
How many movies can I stream on Amazon Prime?
Tens of thousands! Over 24,000 titles don‘t include additional movies available to rent or buy.
What are other award-winning movies on Amazon Prime?
Many Oscar, Golden Globe, and film festival award nominees/winners across major categories beyond these top 10 selections. Genres like LGBTQ movies, artsy independent films, Supernatural horror, Film Noir classics offer further acclaim.
I hope these streaming selections motivate you to make space for an elevated movie night! What film do you think you’ll watch first? Let me know how you enjoy plunging into the best of what Amazon Prime’s impressive film catalog has to offer. Happy viewing!
