Prime Video added a ton of great movies in November.
Of course, Prime Video is constantly adding great movies. Its extensive movie library is a big reason why it is one of the best streaming services. But even I was impressed by the plethora of objectively great movies Prime Video added this month.
Don't take my word for it. When I sorted through the new Prime Video releases this month, there were 12 films that were rated “fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes critics more than 95% of the time. These are not obscure films either. They include “The Terminator,” “The Godfather,” and “The Lego Movie. Narrowing it down to a manageable list was not easy.
But I did it. Here are the seven new Prime Video movies with 95% or better on Rotten Tomatoes to watch this month. If you still want to see more, don't forget to check out all the new releases coming to Prime Video and Freevee this November.
James Cameron's “Terminator” is set in a world where an artificial intelligence called Skynet has driven humanity to the brink of extinction. However, there is still one hope for humanity: John Connor.
One problem for humanity. John may exist in 2029, but he has not yet been born in 1984. In that year, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) is just a waitress at a diner, unaware that her future son will one day save humanity. So Skynet sends an android T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to 1984 in an attempt to kill Sarah before her son is born. However, the resistance is aware of Skynet's plan and sends Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) back in time to stop the Terminator and save Sarah.
The film is undoubtedly flawless and arguably one of the best ever made. Definitely watching it on Prime Video this month.
Watch it now on Prime Video (free with ads) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
You won't have to make an offer you can't refuse to watch “The Godfather.” Like “The Terminator,” this is one of the best films ever made, and it's hard to find fault with it.
The film, the first in Francis Ford Coppola's “Godfather” trilogy, stars Marlon Brando as the head of the Corleone family of the New York Mafia. The film takes place from 1945, when the Corleone family is one of the five established families of the New York Mafia, to 1955, when Mafia warfare causes Vito's son Michael (Al Pacino) to rise, albeit somewhat reluctantly, as the new boss of the Corleone family
Brando and Pacino cemented their legacy forever with this film, but “The Godfather” also features Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, the family's heartthrob; James Caan as Vito's hotheaded son Sonny; and Peter Clemenza, one of Vito's top capos Richard Castellano also gives an excellent performance. There is some debate as to whether to see this film or its sequel, “The Godfather Part II,” but the good news is that you can see both on Prime Video this month.
Watch it now on Prime VideoRotten Tomatoes score: 97%
The film is often credited with launching the careers of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Indeed, both had appeared in a fair number of roles before, and both had already been cast in several major roles when this film was released. However, there is no denying that “Good Will Hunting” was a breakthrough for both of them, as they starred in the film and won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay.
“Good Will Hunting” stars Damon as Will Hunting, a 20-year-old from South Boston who works as a janitor at MIT while on parole. However, Professor Gerald Rambo (Stellan Skarsgård) discovers that Will can solve problems that even graduate students cannot solve. When Rambo learns that Will is having problems with physical altercations, he makes a deal to exempt Will from jail time in exchange for studying with Rambo and seeing a psychotherapist.
Even though Affelk co-stars with Damon as Will's best friend Chucky Sullivan, it is not his performance, nor is it Damon's. The film is undoubtedly driven by Robin Williams as Dr. Sean Maguire, Rambo's college roommate who becomes Will's therapist. Even if this were not a great movie, Williams' performance would be worth watching for that alone.
Watch it now on Prime VideoRotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Look, if “Airplane: Undoubtedly one of the best comedies of all time, and maybe even funnier than the best.
This disaster comedy stars Robert Hayes as Ted Stryker, a former fighter pilot turned cab driver. Ted's life is thrown into chaos when his girlfriend Elaine (Julie Haggerty) breaks up with him just as he is about to work as a flight attendant on a flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. In an attempt to win her back, Ted buys a plane ticket at the last minute and boards the flight.
Everything goes wrong from there, with hilarious results. With Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Lemak and many other talented actors (including basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), you won't be able to stop laughing as you watch Ted have to ground the plane after the crew gets food poisoning from bad fish! You will. You'll also have a hard time not using the iconic line “Don't call me Shirley” in public, but that's a small price to pay for seeing this movie.
Watch it now on Prime VideoRotten Tomatoes score: 97%
“Catch Me If You Can,” a biopic that follows the life of real-life con man Frank Abagnale Jr. is hardly 100% accurate. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the young con man and Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent tasked with his capture.
Again, it should not be noted that the film is faithful to historical fact. Also, despite being billed as a crime drama, do not expect a dark, gritty film. Rather, it is a period drama with light humor, interspersed with drama at appropriate moments.
“Catch Me If You Can” may be my favorite of DiCaprio and Hanks' performances. Hanks' performance as Hanratty is excellent and a fine example of him firing on all cylinders as an actor. Christopher Walken as Frank Abagnale Sr. is also excellent. Honestly, the strongest aspect of the film is that the cast is surprisingly strong, despite the fact that the film is about two human cat-and-mouse relationships.
Watch it now on Prime VideoRotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
“The Lego Movie” star Chris Pratt plays Emmet Brikovsky, a mediocre Lego minifig who is all great. But one day he falls into a pit at a construction site and finds a “piece of resistance” that changes his ordinary life forever.
It turns out that this “piece of resistance” was actually prophesied by the wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) to be the key to stopping the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and his mysterious superweapon known as the “Cragle. Vitruvius predicted that whoever finds this missing piece will become “The Special,” the only one who can stop Lord Business from taking over everything.
So when master builder Will Style (Elizabeth Banks) discovers a “piece of resistance” attached to Emmett's back, she concludes that he is “The Special. The film is undoubtedly bizarre, even maddening at times. However, its animation style is superb, and the screenplay by both Phil Lord and Christopher Miller still holds up.
Watch it now on Prime Video (free with ads) Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
“Pan's Labrinth” stars Ivana Baquero as Ofelia, a 10-year-old girl living in Francoist Spain in 1944. Her mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) has remarried and wants Ofelia to meet her new stepfather, the papist Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez). Vidal is tasked with hunting down the Maquis, a guerrilla group trying to overthrow Franco's oppressive regime.
However, while at Captain Vidal's house, Ofelia discovers the Labyrinth and meets Fawn (Doug Jones/Pablo Adan [voice only]). Her father (Federico Luppi) is the King of the Underworld, who created the Labyrinth as a portal to return her reborn soul to the Underworld.
As much as I love “Hellboy,” this is without a doubt the best film by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who has created many masterpieces. The combination of historical events and dark, original fantasy is brilliant, and it is no wonder the film was nominated for several Academy Awards.
Watch it now on Prime VideoRotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
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