Looking for the best movies on Prime Video Australia? Look no further.
Amazon Prime Video Australia has some of the best movies around (not to mention an incredible selection of TV shows). Whether you’re wanting a movie to watch by your lonesome or you’re planning your next movie night with either your partner or mates, the key is to pick an excellent film…and that’s where we come in.
With an abundance of films and streaming platforms available nowadays, it’s incredibly tough to actually sift through which movies are worth your precious time. Be honest; how many times have you spent half an hour (or more) looking for a movie to watch and then you end up putting on the same old reliable film you’ve seen twenty times? We bet a lot.
Don’t worry, we’re here to save you from this endless cycle. We’ve done the hard work for you and gone through Prime Video’s vast catalogue of movies, and picked out the best ones that deserve a place on your watch list.
RELATED: Find something great to watch via the DMARGE streaming guide.
About Time
Director: Richard Curtis
Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Margot Robbie
Genre: Comedy, Drama,Fantasy
Release: 2013
This delightful film follows Tim, whose dad informs him on his 21st birthday that every male in their family can time travel. Of course, Tim uses his newfound power to get a girlfriend. Fresh and original, this romantic comedy has a heartfelt message that’ll stay with you long after the credits roll.
About Time is a fantastic and charming film that anyone, no matter their film tastes, would highly enjoy.
All the Old Knives
Director: Janus Metz Pedersen
Starring: Chris Pine, Thandie Newton, Laurence Fishburne
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Released: 2022
An espionage thriller based on the novel by Olen Steinhauer, All the Old Knives follows a CIA officer (Chris Pine) who is asked to investigate whether a mole within the agency was involved in a 2012 terrorist hijacking that cost countless lives. This involves reuniting with his former colleague and lover (Thandie Newton) who may be harbouring a deadly secret.
Directed by Janus Metz Pedersen, All the Old Knives works as an engrossing, slow burn, globe-trotting spy movie thanks to Steinhauer’s adaption of his own source material, and the strong chemistry between Pine and Newton who steam up the screen.
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, John Hamm, Jamie Foxx
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Release: 2017
Baby Driver is about a young hearing-impaired man who is indebted to a crime boss and is forced to take part in an ill-fated heist as the getaway driver. Thrilling with a face-paced story and a phenomenal soundtrack, Baby Driver is hugely entertaining.
If you’re a fan of cars, music, or heist-films, you’ll definitely love Baby Driver.
Back To The Future
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction
Release: 1985
It’s the film that loosely inspired Rick & Morty and spawned a popular trilogy, Back To The Future. Teenager Marty McFly finds himself travelling back in time to the 1950s thanks to his friend’s, Doc Brown, experiment going wrong. Marty encounters his parents as teens and has to make sure they fall in love otherwise he’ll cease to exist.
Lighthearted and clever, you’ll get a few good laughs while watching this charming 80’s comedy.
Beautiful Boy
Director: Felix van Groeningen
Starring: Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: 2018
Beautiful Boy stars Timothee Chalamet in an Oscar nominated performance as Nic, a young man whose bright future is tarnished due to his rampant drug use. Nic’s father David (Steve Carrel) tries in vain to help Nic beat his addiction, only to find that there is no easy fix to ease his sons struggle.
A true story based on the memoirs by acclaimed journalist David Sheff and his son Nic (respectfully), Beautiful Boy portrays the ripple effect of drug addiction and how it pushed a once-loving father-son relationship to breaking point, Carell and Chalamet giving that relationship life with heartbreaking dramatic performances.
The Big Short
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Release: 2015
The Big Short isn’t a movie that you just put on to relax. Because it’s based on the true story of the housing market crash, following a group of investors that predicted it, this is a movie that you really need to pay attention to. Based on the book of the same name and featuring an ensemble cast including Bale, Gosling, Carell and Pitt, The Big Short is an eye-opening movie that helps to explain the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 in a smart and funny way.
If you don’t have an Amazon Prime Video Australia subscription, but you want to watch The Big Short, then you can check it out on Netflix Australia.
The Contractor
Director: Tarik Saleh
Starring: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Kiefer Sutherland
Genre: Action, Thriller
Released: 2022
Action spy thriller The Contractor stars Chris Pine as James Harper, a solider recently discharged from the Army and cut off from his pension. To make ends meet, James accepts an assignment with a private underground military force who have ulterior sinister motives.
Director Tarik Saleh delivers an intense and engaging action thriller led by an in-form Pine whose quiet-man action hero performance is one of his best yet. Solid support from the ever-dependable Ben Foster and Kiefer Sutherland elevates The Contractor above the usual run-of-the-mill one-man-army action heroes, with plenty of depth here to go along with the spectacle.
Deep Water
Director: Adrian Lyne
Starring: Ben Affleck
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: 2022
The psychological thriller Deep Water stars Ben Affleck as Vic Van Alllen, a retired wealthy husband whose open marriage with his wife Melinda (Ana de Armas) becomes a criminal affair when one of her lovers disappears and Vic becomes the main suspect.
Based upon the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, Deep Water marks director Adrian Lyne’s return to filmmaking 20-years after his Oscar nominated film Unfaithful, and much like his previous films Deep Water proves to be a sultry and provocative thriller that works thanks to the chemistry of its leads, with Affleck and de Amas melting the screen with their performances.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction
Release: 1982
Pure nostalgia. Who doesn’t want to phone home after watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? If you’re after a classic and wholesome film to watch after a tough and gruelling day, E.T. is the perfect option.
If you’re one of the few people on the planet who hasn’t seen E.T., it’s about a boy trying to help get a friendly alien back to his home planet.
Fight Club
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Release: 1999
Fight Club is the epitome of a cult classic movie. It follows Norton’s unnamed character, who is an insomniac, and his chance meeting with Pitt’s Tyler Durden. The duo start up an underground fight club that escalates, quickly. If you don’t know about the ending – and considering the first rule of Fight Club is to not talk about Fight Club, we hope you don’t – then you’re certainly in for a wild ride.
Bold and gritty, if you liked the films Shutter Island or Being John Malkovich, you’ll love Fight Club. If you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription, then you can still check out Fight Club on Disney Plus.
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Release: 2017
Get Out is seriously one of the best films ever made. It follows Chris Washington, a young African American who travels to meet his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time. At first, the family seems overly accommodating, presumably because of their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, Chris starts to notice disturbing things about his girlfriend’s family and then discovers a dark secret.
Provocative, thought-provoking and with exceptional writing, directing and acting, everyone should see Get Out at least once in their lifetime.
Gone Girl
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Release: 2014
When Nick Dunne’s wife, Amy goes missing, Nick himself becomes the prime suspect. When the media descend upon Nick, it certainly seems like they, and the police, have got their guy. But, with this being a thriller, not everything is as it seems.
Based on the best-selling book of the same name, Gone Girl is one of the best thriller movies on Prime Video. If you don’t have a Prime Video subscription, you can still enjoy watching Gone Girl on Netflix Australia.
The Green Knight
Director: David Lowery
Starring: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Released: 2021
A fantasy adventure based upon the Arthurian legend, The Green Knight stars Dev Patel as Gawain, the headstrong nephew of King Arthur who volunteers to confront a gigantic emerald skinned monster who dares challenge Arthur’s kingdom.
Director David Lowery brings his strong visual filmmaking and unique storytelling approach to a classic fantasy tale given a bold new update. Dev Patel delivers a commanding lead performance as Gawain, the questing warrior who undergoes a journey to attain honour while constantly plagued with doubt. Stunning imagery and a mesmerising, even spooky tone features throughout an adventure story unlike any other.
Greenland
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Starring: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin
Genre: Action, Thriller
Released: 2020
One of the best disaster movies in recent memory, Greenlandfocuses on the estranged Garrity family (Gerard Butler, Monica Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd) who are chosen for emergency sheltering when a colossal comet enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
As intense as it is heart-wrenching, Greenland that delivers plenty in the way of disaster movie spectacle without sacrificing its human element. Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin are terrific as an estranged couple who reforge their relationship through a journey of peril and destruction, while scenes of comet debris wiping out cities are matched by moments of terror as paranoia grips a species facing extinction.
Inglorious Basterds
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Daniel Brühl, Diane Kruger
Genre: Drama, Thriller, War
Release: 2009
Set during World War II in Nazi-occupied France, a young Jewish woman plans to kill the most important Nazi officers during a film premiere at the cinema she owns. However, a group of Jewish-American freedom fighters also plan to attack the Nazi officers during the premiere.
Clever dialogue, Tarantino’s signature violence and gore, and Waltz’s performance – which earned him an Academy Award – make Inglorious Basterds a must-watch.
Last Flag Flying
Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2017
A moving dramatic comedy, Last Flag Flying stars Steve Carell as a Vietnam veteran who asks his estranged Marine buddies (Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne) to help bury his only son who died during his tour of duty in Iraq.
Directed by Richard Linklater, this spiritual sequel to the 1973 classic The Last Detail proves to be an engrossing character driven story that is timeless in its themes, impressive in its filmmaking, and led by trio of lead performers who deliver some of the best work of their respective careers, with special mention to Carell as a meek yet idealistic widower whose pain both past and present marks the emotional centre upon which Last Flag Flying revolves.
Man On Fire
Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken, Dakota Fanning, Mickey Rourke
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Release: 2004
A burnt-out, ex-CIA operative is hired to protect a nine-year-old girl. When she is kidnapped, he is finally motivated and swears to rescue her and get revenge on the people who took her. Extremely violent in places and with a captivating performance from Washington, if you love thrillers, Man on Fire is for you.
If you liked Taken, you’ll enjoy Man on Fire.
The Mauritanian
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Starring: Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch
Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Release: 2021
The Mauritanian is based on the sad but very true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was detained and imprisoned for years – despite the fact he was never charged by the US Government. This incredible and powerful film highlights Slahi’s fight for freedom and is enthralling and informative.
If you’re after a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll, The Mauritanian is for you.
No Time To Die
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Starring: Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Ana de Armas Rami Malek
Genre: Action, Thriller
Release: 2021
It’s no secret that we here at DMARGE love James Bond. And the latest Bond flick is one of the best in the entire franchise. No Time To Die follows Craig’s Bond as he comes out of retirement to help an old friend from the CIA by recusing a kidnapped scientist.
With great performances, thrilling action sequences and a satisfying story, No Time To Die is a must-watch.
One Night in Miami
Director: Regina King
Starring: Leslie Odom Jr., Aldis Hodge, Kingsley Ben-Adir
Genre: Drama, History
Released: 2020
The 1963 set One Night in Miami tells the fictional account of a real night in which Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, and recently crowned world champion Muhammed Ali meet in a hotel room, where their plan to celebrate Ali’s world title win turns into a philosophical debate about power and responsibility in a changing America.
The feature film directorial debut from actress Regina King, One Night in Miami features excellent performances from an ensemble cast who portray their iconic characters with depth, intelligence, and not a shred of caricature. As entertaining as it is thought provoking, One Night in Miami is a must watch.
Palm Springs
Director: Max Barbakiw
Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons
Genre: Comedy, Mystery, Science Fiction
Release: 2020
Whilst at her sister’s wedding, Sarah, played by Milioti, meets Nyles, played by Samberg, and the two get stuck living the same day over and over again in an eternal time loop. Hilarious and extremely well-written, Palm Springs is a philosophical comedy that’s well worth a watch.
If you’re a fan of Samberg and his comedy trio, The Lonely Island, you’ll highly enjoy Palm Springs.
Samaritan
Director: Jules Avery
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, Pilou Asbæk
Genre: Action, Science Fiction
Released: 2022
Action movie titan Sylvester Stallone took on his first superhero role in Samaritan, a new take on the genre in which the Rambo star plays a legendary superhero who is coaxed out of hiding when a new supervillain brings his city to the brink of chaos.
Directed by Julius Avery, Samaritan works as an alternative to the usual superhero fare, with Stallone bringing that ‘80s action-man grit to a genre of film lacking old-school mettle. Avery brings a great sense of style while Game of Thrones star Pilou Asbæk makes a great villain.
Shane
Director: David Alrich, Jon Carey, Jackie Munro
Starring: Shane Warne, Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin
Genre: Docyumentary, Sport
Release: 2022
A wonderful documentary that provides viewers with an insight into the late (and great) Shane Warne’s life. Hailed the best bowler in cricketing history, the film explores Warne’s life on and off the pitch and features interviews with the Aussie legend himself (the film was released just before Warne’s death) as well as interviews with family and friends.
Any cricketing or Warnie fan will love Shane, but be prepared to get emotional.
Sound of Metal
Director: Darius Marder
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Genre: Drama
Released: 2020
Nominated for several Oscars including Best Picture, Sound of Metal tells the story of Ruben (Riz Ahmed) a punk-metal drummer whose life is upended when he begins to lose his hearing.
Praised for its portrayal of the deaf community and its sound design, Sound of Metal also features an especially strong performance from Riz Ahmed, who delivers the best performance of his career so far as a muscle-bound drummer whose confidence and passion are stripped away, and who must learn to live in a world of silence and re-examine his life.
Super Size Me
Director: Morgan Spurlock
Starring: Morgan Spurlock
Genre: Documentary
Release: 2004
Super Size Me is a documentary that follows the film’s director Morgan Spurlock as he eats nothing but McDonald’s for an entire month. Plus, he must eat every item on the menu at least once over the course of the month and anytime a McDonald’s employee asks if he wants his meal ‘super sized’, he must say yes.
An eye-opening and highly interesting look at the fast-food industry and the US’s attitude to obesity, Super Size Me is a film you’ll enjoy even if you’re not usually a fan of documentaries.
The Tender Bar
Director: George Clooney
Starring: Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2021
This coming-of-age story stars Tye Sheridan as JR, an aspiring writer who was raised by his uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck), the owner of a local bar in Long Island.
Directed by George Clooney and based on the bestselling memoir by J.R. Moehringer, The Tender Bar succeeds as a feelgood story both funny and tender, with Affleck delivering one of his best performances in his portrayal as a charming bar owner and uncle who dispenses wisdoms of family and manhood to his young nephew.
Thirteen Lives
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton
Genre: Biography, Thriller
Released: 2022
Depicting the true life Tham Luang cave rescue of 2018 in which a Thai junior soccer team and their coach were trapped in a flooded cave system, Thirteen Lives stars Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell as British divers who take part in a large rescue effort to save the boys as the world watches on.
A thrilling survival movie with high stakes and strong emotional power, Thirteen Lives is a gripping watch that never lets up, director Ron Howard’s commitment to realism and the heroics of all involved resulting in one of the best films of 2022.
The Vast of Night
Director: Andrew Patterson
Starring: Jake Horowitz, Sierra McCormick
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Released: 2020
Set in 1950s New Mexico, The Vast of Night tells the story of two teenagers who investigates a mysterious frequency that has descended upon their town, leading to an out of this world discovery.
An impressive directorial debut by Andrew Patterson, The Vast of Night is a chilling lo-fi sci-fi thriller that engrosses with its intelligent writing, technical filmmaking wizardry, and a mystery that will draw you in and never let go.
Without Remorse
Director: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce
Genre: Action, Thriller
Released: 2021
Based on the novel by Tom Clancy that was adapted to the screen by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, Without Remorse stars Michael B. Jordan as a Navy SEAL who uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife.
A gritty action thriller led by an intense Michael B. Jordan, Without Remorse blends twist filled espionage mystery with fierce fight scenes that results in a relentless entry in the Tom Clancy canon that includes the Jack Ryan franchise.
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