26 Must-Watch Movies on Prime Video Right Now (August 2025)

We all need to escape from reality, and movies are a great way to do that. A new one in the escapist movie canon in August is The Map That Leads to You, a Prime Video original that stars two impossibly gorgeous people in equally stunning locations. Outer Banks actress Madelyn Cline plays Heather, who meets Jack (KJ Apa) while on a European vacation with some friends. They instantly connect and start a love affair, but their different outlooks on life threaten to tear them apart. Will their brief encounter grow into an affair to remember? Or will their romance evaporate before sunrise?

The Map That Leads to You deals with some serious themes, but it isn’t that deep. It’s a frothy fantasy that pretends its two attractive leads have serious problems, but there’s no question love will win at the end. Is the movie sufficiently pretty to look at? Yes. Does it make you forget your problems for most of its 98-minute runtime? Also yes. That’s all one can hope and ask for with The Map That Leads to You, a low-key charmer of a movie that will make you swoon.

We all need to escape from reality, and movies are a great way to do that. A new one in the escapist movie canon in August is The Map That Leads to You, a Prime Video original that stars two impossibly gorgeous people in equally stunning locations. Outer Banks actress Madelyn Cline plays Heather, who meets Jack (KJ Apa) while on a European vacation with some friends. They instantly connect and start a love affair, but their different outlooks on life threaten to tear them apart. Will their brief encounter grow into an affair to remember? Or will their romance evaporate before sunrise?

The Map That Leads to You deals with some serious themes, but it isn’t that deep. It’s a frothy fantasy that pretends its two attractive leads have serious problems, but there’s no question love will win at the end. Is the movie sufficiently pretty to look at? Yes. Does it make you forget your problems for most of its 98-minute runtime? Also yes. That’s all one can hope and ask for with The Map That Leads to You, a low-key charmer of a movie that will make you swoon.

Julia Garner can currently be seen in the summer hit Weapons, but that’s not her first horror movie of 2025. The Ozark actress starred in the recent remake of the Wolf Man, which came out in January. When Blake (Christopher Abbott) takes his wife, Charlotte (Garner), and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) to his family cabin in Oregon, he expects to rest and bond with his family. Instead, he gets into an accident and is bitten by a wolf. Soon after, Blake’s body begins to change, and he realizes he’s turning into a werewolf. Nothing stops the transformation, and he has to get away quickly from Charlotte and Ginger before he harms them.

Wolf Man doesn’t stray too much from the formula, but what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in atmosphere. This is a moody movie that’s heavy on conjuring up all sorts of shivers with several well-placed shots of dark woods obscured by shadow and fog. It’s an old-school horror flick that’s pleasantly retro and scary at the same time.

Julia Garner can currently be seen in the summer hit Weapons, but that’s not her first horror movie of 2025. The Ozark actress starred in the recent remake of the Wolf Man, which came out in January. When Blake (Christopher Abbott) takes his wife, Charlotte (Garner), and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) to his family cabin in Oregon, he expects to rest and bond with his family. Instead, he gets into an accident and is bitten by a wolf. Soon after, Blake’s body begins to change, and he realizes he’s turning into a werewolf. Nothing stops the transformation, and he has to get away quickly from Charlotte and Ginger before he harms them.

Wolf Man doesn’t stray too much from the formula, but what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in atmosphere. This is a moody movie that’s heavy on conjuring up all sorts of shivers with several well-placed shots of dark woods obscured by shadow and fog. It’s an old-school horror flick that’s pleasantly retro and scary at the same time.

Guy Ritchie is one of the busiest directors working today, having made seven movies in the last six years. One of his better ones is Wrath of Man, which has Jason Statham playing Patrick Hill, a man on a mission to find out who’s behind a series of truck robberies. He goes undercover to find out who is behind it, but a second-act plot twist totally changes the focus of the story and why Patrick is so motivated to capture the bad guy.

Wrath of Man stands out not only for Ritchie’s typically stylish direction, but how it plays around with narrative. It leaps back and forth in time to show how the robbery was planned and executed and Statham’s hunt for the people responsible for it. The result is an unusually engrossing action movie with a killer ending.

Guy Ritchie is one of the busiest directors working today, having made seven movies in the last six years. One of his better ones is Wrath of Man, which has Jason Statham playing Patrick Hill, a man on a mission to find out who’s behind a series of truck robberies. He goes undercover to find out who is behind it, but a second-act plot twist totally changes the focus of the story and why Patrick is so motivated to capture the bad guy.

Wrath of Man stands out not only for Ritchie’s typically stylish direction, but how it plays around with narrative. It leaps back and forth in time to show how the robbery was planned and executed and Statham’s hunt for the people responsible for it. The result is an unusually engrossing action movie with a killer ending.

Presidential biopics are usually a drag, but Nixon is an exception. Directed by noted provocateur Oliver Stone, Nixon tells the story of the 37th President’s gradual rise in the 1950s and ‘60s and rapid fall in the early ‘70s. It also flashes back to Nixon’s early childhood, focusing on his loving relationship with his beloved mother, Hannah (Mary Steenburgen). 

Anthony Hopkins plays Nixon, and even though he looks and acts nothing like the real thing, he somehow conveys the disgraced politician through a brilliant, multilayered performance that earned the Silence of the Lambs actor a well-deserved Oscar nomination. Equally brilliant is Joan Allen as Nixon’s wife Pat, whose famously frosty demeanor hides a woman devoted to — and frustrated by — her husband. 

Presidential biopics are usually a drag, but Nixon is an exception. Directed by noted provocateur Oliver Stone, Nixon tells the story of the 37th President’s gradual rise in the 1950s and ‘60s and rapid fall in the early ‘70s. It also flashes back to Nixon’s early childhood, focusing on his loving relationship with his beloved mother, Hannah (Mary Steenburgen). 

Anthony Hopkins plays Nixon, and even though he looks and acts nothing like the real thing, he somehow conveys the disgraced politician through a brilliant, multilayered performance that earned the Silence of the Lambs actor a well-deserved Oscar nomination. Equally brilliant is Joan Allen as Nixon’s wife Pat, whose famously frosty demeanor hides a woman devoted to — and frustrated by — her husband. 

The boxing movie genre reached its apex with Raging Bull, Martin Scorsese’s searing biography of middleweight champ Jake LaMotta. Robert De Niro won an Oscar for his unsympathetic portrayal of LaMotta, whose rise and fall take place in and out of the boxing ring over the years. The film focuses on LaMotta’s difficult, often abusive relationships with his brother Joey (Joe Pesci) and his wife, Vickie (a never-better Cathy Moriarty), and Jake’s struggle with life after his boxing career is over.

Raging Bull pulls no punches in its depiction of a small man with a big ego, and De Niro makes no attempt to soften Jake’s hard edges. If Jake is often hard to take, the film itself is great to look at, thanks to Michael Chapman’s beautiful black-and-white cinematography and Scorsese’s smooth direction. Often harrowing, Raging Bull is so well made, you can’t look away — even if sometimes you want to.

The boxing movie genre reached its apex with Raging Bull, Martin Scorsese’s searing biography of middleweight champ Jake LaMotta. Robert De Niro won an Oscar for his unsympathetic portrayal of LaMotta, whose rise and fall take place in and out of the boxing ring over the years. The film focuses on LaMotta’s difficult, often abusive relationships with his brother Joey (Joe Pesci) and his wife, Vickie (a never-better Cathy Moriarty), and Jake’s struggle with life after his boxing career is over.

Raging Bull pulls no punches in its depiction of a small man with a big ego, and De Niro makes no attempt to soften Jake’s hard edges. If Jake is often hard to take, the film itself is great to look at, thanks to Michael Chapman’s beautiful black-and-white cinematography and Scorsese’s smooth direction. Often harrowing, Raging Bull is so well made, you can’t look away — even if sometimes you want to.

Is there anything more depressing than everyone forgetting your 16th birthday? That’s what happens to Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald), who is dealing with one teenage crisis after another. She has a huge crush on senior hunk Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling), and he seems to like her, but he’s attached to popular girl Caroline Mulford (Havilland Morris). Can Sam get her guy, celebrate her birthday and maybe retain some of the dignity she has left?

Directed by John Hughes, Sixteen Candles is a classic ‘80s teen movie that hasn’t gone out of style. (The movie’s racism and sexism can’t be ignored, and it’s a blemish on an otherwise perfect classic.) Sure, the hairstyles and clothes are questionable, but the film’s universal truths about growing up still hit hard today. Ringwald is disarmingly charming as the perpetually embarrassed Sam, while Anthony Michael Hall steals every scene he’s in as Sam’s energetic admirer, The Geek.

Is there anything more depressing than everyone forgetting your 16th birthday? That’s what happens to Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald), who is dealing with one teenage crisis after another. She has a huge crush on senior hunk Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling), and he seems to like her, but he’s attached to popular girl Caroline Mulford (Havilland Morris). Can Sam get her guy, celebrate her birthday and maybe retain some of the dignity she has left?

Directed by John Hughes, Sixteen Candles is a classic ‘80s teen movie that hasn’t gone out of style. (The movie’s racism and sexism can’t be ignored, and it’s a blemish on an otherwise perfect classic.) Sure, the hairstyles and clothes are questionable, but the film’s universal truths about growing up still hit hard today. Ringwald is disarmingly charming as the perpetually embarrassed Sam, while Anthony Michael Hall steals every scene he’s in as Sam’s energetic admirer, The Geek.

The recent Indiana Jones movies haven’t been all that great, so if you’re looking for those classic Indy thrills, you should check out Uncharted. The 2022 action-adventure stars Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, a bartender and pickpocket who teams up with fortune hunter Sully (a miscast Mark Wahlberg) to search for treasure belonging to Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) wants it too, so it’s a race against time — and each other — as Drake and Sully leap from airplanes and explore underwater ships to find the loot first.

Like the popular PlayStation video game series it’s based on, Uncharted is derivative, but it’s so fun you won’t really care. Holland is always a welcome action hero — he’s self-deprecating when needed, but also satisfyingly heroic when it’s called for in the script. The action sequences, particularly Drake’s escape from an airplane without a parachute, are breathtaking and nerve-wracking, while Wahlberg just gets on your nerves.

The recent Indiana Jones movies haven’t been all that great, so if you’re looking for those classic Indy thrills, you should check out Uncharted. The 2022 action-adventure stars Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, a bartender and pickpocket who teams up with fortune hunter Sully (a miscast Mark Wahlberg) to search for treasure belonging to Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) wants it too, so it’s a race against time — and each other — as Drake and Sully leap from airplanes and explore underwater ships to find the loot first.

Like the popular PlayStation video game series it’s based on, Uncharted is derivative, but it’s so fun you won’t really care. Holland is always a welcome action hero — he’s self-deprecating when needed, but also satisfyingly heroic when it’s called for in the script. The action sequences, particularly Drake’s escape from an airplane without a parachute, are breathtaking and nerve-wracking, while Wahlberg just gets on your nerves.

When sound technician Jack Terri (John Travolta) witnesses a car crash involving a governor while recording ambient noises for a movie he’s working on, he initially assumes it’s an accident and moves on with his life. But as he listens closely to the recordings he made the night of the crash, he realizes someone fired a bullet that caused the driver’s death. After he finds the woman, Sally (Nancy Allen), who survived the crash, he realizes he’s deep in a political conspiracy that involves a sadistic hitman (John Lithgow) who has one last task to accomplish — kill Sally. Now, Jack must protect Sally while also proving the governor’s death was no accident but a deliberate assassination.

Blow Out wasn’t a big hit when it was first released in 1981, but it’s since gained a considerable cult following. There’s a reason for that — the film is intense and suspenseful, with great acting from Travolta, Allen and Lithgow. Director Brian De Palma made his mark with Carrie and Dressed to Kill and shows a flair for generating tension with this movie. Blow Out is a great thriller with an unforgettable — if depressing — ending you won’t soon forget. 

When sound technician Jack Terri (John Travolta) witnesses a car crash involving a governor while recording ambient noises for a movie he’s working on, he initially assumes it’s an accident and moves on with his life. But as he listens closely to the recordings he made the night of the crash, he realizes someone fired a bullet that caused the driver’s death. After he finds the woman, Sally (Nancy Allen), who survived the crash, he realizes he’s deep in a political conspiracy that involves a sadistic hitman (John Lithgow) who has one last task to accomplish — kill Sally. Now, Jack must protect Sally while also proving the governor’s death was no accident but a deliberate assassination.

Blow Out wasn’t a big hit when it was first released in 1981, but it’s since gained a considerable cult following. There’s a reason for that — the film is intense and suspenseful, with great acting from Travolta, Allen and Lithgow. Director Brian De Palma made his mark with Carrie and Dressed to Kill and shows a flair for generating tension with this movie. Blow Out is a great thriller with an unforgettable — if depressing — ending you won’t soon forget. 

You might have heard of Robbie Williams if you’re a major fan of the mid-90s to early 2000s Britpop or simply live in the United Kingdom. He’s a star there and in other parts of the world, but he never quite broke through in America. So why stream a biopic of the British singer if you don’t even know him? Because Better Man, the movie that’s based on Williams’ life, is a blast to watch and features a singing, dancing and drug-taking CGI monkey as Robbie. 

The film chronicles Robbie’s life as a teen pop idol in the boy band Take That in the ‘90s to his success as a solo artist, belting out hits like “Angels,” “Rock DJ” and “Let Me Entertain You.” As is typical with these tales of fame and fortune, there are lots of drugs, some sex and one or two near-death experiences. Better Man doesn’t deviate too much from the standard musical bio script, but it’s in the expectation of its well-choreographed musical sequences where it truly shines. You may not be a fan of Robbie Williams when you start this movie, but you will be when you finish it.

You might have heard of Robbie Williams if you’re a major fan of the mid-90s to early 2000s Britpop or simply live in the United Kingdom. He’s a star there and in other parts of the world, but he never quite broke through in America. So why stream a biopic of the British singer if you don’t even know him? Because Better Man, the movie that’s based on Williams’ life, is a blast to watch and features a singing, dancing and drug-taking CGI monkey as Robbie. 

The film chronicles Robbie’s life as a teen pop idol in the boy band Take That in the ‘90s to his success as a solo artist, belting out hits like “Angels,” “Rock DJ” and “Let Me Entertain You.” As is typical with these tales of fame and fortune, there are lots of drugs, some sex and one or two near-death experiences. Better Man doesn’t deviate too much from the standard musical bio script, but it’s in the expectation of its well-choreographed musical sequences where it truly shines. You may not be a fan of Robbie Williams when you start this movie, but you will be when you finish it.

“To life!” The classic 1964 Broadway musical lives on in this 1971 film adaptation, which was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture. It tells the story of family man Tevye (Topol), who must endure the hardships of living as a poor milkman in 20th-century Russia and the more formidable task of marrying off each of his five daughters. Love is never easy, but Tevye is determined to build a better life for each of his offspring as well as his long-suffering wife, Golde (Norma Crane).

Fiddler on the Roof is just as fresh and vital today as it was 50 years ago, and that’s due to the timeless songs, which include “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset” and the excellent direction by Norman Jewison. The film is surprisingly honest about how life was for the impoverished class during this period, and the sacrifices Jewish people like Tevye and Golde had to make to improve their lives. It’s one of the few musicals that is equal parts joyous and sobering, and if you watch it, you won’t forget it.

“To life!” The classic 1964 Broadway musical lives on in this 1971 film adaptation, which was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture. It tells the story of family man Tevye (Topol), who must endure the hardships of living as a poor milkman in 20th-century Russia and the more formidable task of marrying off each of his five daughters. Love is never easy, but Tevye is determined to build a better life for each of his offspring as well as his long-suffering wife, Golde (Norma Crane).

Fiddler on the Roof is just as fresh and vital today as it was 50 years ago, and that’s due to the timeless songs, which include “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset” and the excellent direction by Norman Jewison. The film is surprisingly honest about how life was for the impoverished class during this period, and the sacrifices Jewish people like Tevye and Golde had to make to improve their lives. It’s one of the few musicals that is equal parts joyous and sobering, and if you watch it, you won’t forget it.

Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) thinks he has just hit the jackpot when he discovers $2 million in a briefcase at the scene of a botched drug deal. It’s no surprise he takes the money, nor is it terribly shocking that the owners of that money want it back. When they hire Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a sociopath with a Dorothy Hamill hairdo, to retrieve the money at any cost, Llewelyn makes a run for it, but how can he — or anyone, really — outrun someone who is seemingly unstoppable? 

No Country for Old Men won four Oscars, including Best Picture in 2008, and it was deserved as the film is pretty much perfect in every way. From its tight narrative to its superb performances from Bardem, as the embodiment of the banality of evil, and Tommy Lee Jones, as a symbol of a good man brought down by all the violence he’s witnessed, it’s a modern movie that’s instantly timeless and infinitely disturbing. Based on a Cormac McCarthy novel, it’s unsurprisingly dark, violent and unrelentingly bleak — but it’s so great you want to watch it over and over. 

Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) thinks he has just hit the jackpot when he discovers $2 million in a briefcase at the scene of a botched drug deal. It’s no surprise he takes the money, nor is it terribly shocking that the owners of that money want it back. When they hire Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a sociopath with a Dorothy Hamill hairdo, to retrieve the money at any cost, Llewelyn makes a run for it, but how can he — or anyone, really — outrun someone who is seemingly unstoppable? 

No Country for Old Men won four Oscars, including Best Picture in 2008, and it was deserved as the film is pretty much perfect in every way. From its tight narrative to its superb performances from Bardem, as the embodiment of the banality of evil, and Tommy Lee Jones, as a symbol of a good man brought down by all the violence he’s witnessed, it’s a modern movie that’s instantly timeless and infinitely disturbing. Based on a Cormac McCarthy novel, it’s unsurprisingly dark, violent and unrelentingly bleak — but it’s so great you want to watch it over and over. 

The Sonic movies are better than they have any right to be, and the winning streak continues with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the latest entry in the video-game-turned-movie series. This time around, Team Sonic — Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) — encounter a new foe: Shadow (Keanu Reeves), who’s been imprisoned by the U.S. military for 50 years and is kinda upset about it. He’s not the only new threat they’ll have to face as Gerald Robotnik (Jim Carrey), granddad to Ivo (also Carrey), wants to take over the universe. 

It’s all very silly, but it works, and that’s due to the cast having fun with the thin material. Reeves is perfectly cast as a vengeful hedgehog who isn’t as bad as he looks, while Carrey chews even more scenery in a dual role as two mad scientists with father/son issues. The movie is funnier than you’d think, and the special effects accurately convey the madcap glory of the ‘90s Sega games it’s based on.

The Sonic movies are better than they have any right to be, and the winning streak continues with Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the latest entry in the video-game-turned-movie series. This time around, Team Sonic — Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) — encounter a new foe: Shadow (Keanu Reeves), who’s been imprisoned by the U.S. military for 50 years and is kinda upset about it. He’s not the only new threat they’ll have to face as Gerald Robotnik (Jim Carrey), granddad to Ivo (also Carrey), wants to take over the universe. 

It’s all very silly, but it works, and that’s due to the cast having fun with the thin material. Reeves is perfectly cast as a vengeful hedgehog who isn’t as bad as he looks, while Carrey chews even more scenery in a dual role as two mad scientists with father/son issues. The movie is funnier than you’d think, and the special effects accurately convey the madcap glory of the ‘90s Sega games it’s based on.

Who would’ve thought that Ben Affleck’s most enduring action role is as assassin/accountant Christian Wolff rather than the DCEU’s Batman? Christian is back in this follow-up to the 2016 sleeper hit, and he’s ready to file some tax returns — and kick some ass. This time, Wolff teams up with his estranged brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) to find a missing Salvadoran family. 

Like the original, The Accountant 2 works as a mid-budget action movie that has a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor. Affleck and Bernthal have great chemistry as bickering brothers who can take down a room full of bad guys and can still make some time for a line dance. The Accountant 2 is a goofy action movie, but it’s also an entertaining one that’s ideal for home viewing.

Who would’ve thought that Ben Affleck’s most enduring action role is as assassin/accountant Christian Wolff rather than the DCEU’s Batman? Christian is back in this follow-up to the 2016 sleeper hit, and he’s ready to file some tax returns — and kick some ass. This time, Wolff teams up with his estranged brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) to find a missing Salvadoran family. 

Like the original, The Accountant 2 works as a mid-budget action movie that has a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor. Affleck and Bernthal have great chemistry as bickering brothers who can take down a room full of bad guys and can still make some time for a line dance. The Accountant 2 is a goofy action movie, but it’s also an entertaining one that’s ideal for home viewing.

Jack Moore (Richard Gere) is a wealthy businessman in China to finalize a telecommunications deal with the Chinese government. Before the deal goes through, though, a major problem arises — the daughter of a powerful Chinese general is murdered, and Jack is the prime suspect. Despite his pleas of innocence, Jack is arrested and thrown in jail. Thousands of miles away from anyone who knows him, Jack will have to rely on his skeptical lawyer, Shen Yeulin (Bai Ling), to defend him in court and expose those who set him up.

Red Corner is a thriller that seems a little outdated, but its primary theme is still resonant. Jack is an innocent caught in a corrupt system that values profit over human life, and the fact that he’s a foreigner makes Jack all the more vulnerable. Gere is dependably solid and heroic here, and Ling is terrific as a counselor who realizes she can’t ignore the injustices that her peers turn a blind eye to.

Jack Moore (Richard Gere) is a wealthy businessman in China to finalize a telecommunications deal with the Chinese government. Before the deal goes through, though, a major problem arises — the daughter of a powerful Chinese general is murdered, and Jack is the prime suspect. Despite his pleas of innocence, Jack is arrested and thrown in jail. Thousands of miles away from anyone who knows him, Jack will have to rely on his skeptical lawyer, Shen Yeulin (Bai Ling), to defend him in court and expose those who set him up.

Red Corner is a thriller that seems a little outdated, but its primary theme is still resonant. Jack is an innocent caught in a corrupt system that values profit over human life, and the fact that he’s a foreigner makes Jack all the more vulnerable. Gere is dependably solid and heroic here, and Ling is terrific as a counselor who realizes she can’t ignore the injustices that her peers turn a blind eye to.

Barley Blair (Sean Connery) is the head of a British book publisher who travels to Moscow for work. He gets more than he bargained for when Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer) gives him a manuscript that turns out to be a top-secret document detailing Russia’s nuclear war plans. Barley is then pulled into an international conspiracy involving MI6, the CIA and the KGB, who all want the document for their own purposes. He also falls in love with Katya, who risked her life to give him a document that could land him in jail — or worse. Can Barley find a way out of this mess without losing his life?

The Russia House is a fascinating snapshot of Cold War culture when the Iron Curtain still existed and spies were seemingly everywhere. (Well, at least in the movies.) The film has a complicated plot, but it’s a pleasure to follow when you have Connery and Pfeiffer to look at. They make an odd yet pleasing romantic couple, and their love story gives the movie’s thrilling spy story its beating heart.

Barley Blair (Sean Connery) is the head of a British book publisher who travels to Moscow for work. He gets more than he bargained for when Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer) gives him a manuscript that turns out to be a top-secret document detailing Russia’s nuclear war plans. Barley is then pulled into an international conspiracy involving MI6, the CIA and the KGB, who all want the document for their own purposes. He also falls in love with Katya, who risked her life to give him a document that could land him in jail — or worse. Can Barley find a way out of this mess without losing his life?

The Russia House is a fascinating snapshot of Cold War culture when the Iron Curtain still existed and spies were seemingly everywhere. (Well, at least in the movies.) The film has a complicated plot, but it’s a pleasure to follow when you have Connery and Pfeiffer to look at. They make an odd yet pleasing romantic couple, and their love story gives the movie’s thrilling spy story its beating heart.

Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) hates Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). That’s a big problem, since Alex is the son of the U.S. president (Uma Thurman) and Henry is heir to the British throne. They need to get along so Alex’s mom can finish a trade deal with Britain that’s key to her re-election campaign, but what no one expected was for them to fall in love with each other. Now they have an even bigger problem to solve, and it’s not clear there’s any solution.

Based on a popular YA novel by Casey McQuiston, Red, White & Royal Blue is better than you might think. While it never strays too far from its opposites-attract rom-com formula, it executes it just about perfectly. Perez and Galitzine have genuine chemistry with one another, which helps sell the dramatic stakes toward the end. You actually want their ridiculously gorgeous and obscenely wealthy characters to get everything they want, and you can’t help but smile when they do.

Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) hates Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). That’s a big problem, since Alex is the son of the U.S. president (Uma Thurman) and Henry is heir to the British throne. They need to get along so Alex’s mom can finish a trade deal with Britain that’s key to her re-election campaign, but what no one expected was for them to fall in love with each other. Now they have an even bigger problem to solve, and it’s not clear there’s any solution.

Based on a popular YA novel by Casey McQuiston, Red, White & Royal Blue is better than you might think. While it never strays too far from its opposites-attract rom-com formula, it executes it just about perfectly. Perez and Galitzine have genuine chemistry with one another, which helps sell the dramatic stakes toward the end. You actually want their ridiculously gorgeous and obscenely wealthy characters to get everything they want, and you can’t help but smile when they do.

It’s been five years since Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) last saw her former BFF Emily (Blake Lively), who went to prison for her crimes. So it’s a bit of a shock for her to see Emily waltz into her book reading and ask her to be her maid of honor at her upcoming wedding in Capri. How can Stephanie resist a free vacation and more material for a future bestseller?  But is Emily truly reformed, or is she just plotting revenge on the woman who took everything away from her?

Another Simple Favor has just enough of the same off-kilter humor that made the original such a treat back in 2018. Lively and Kendrick are a good comedic duo, and the movie’s twisty story is entertaining enough to keep you glued to the screen. 

It’s been five years since Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) last saw her former BFF Emily (Blake Lively), who went to prison for her crimes. So it’s a bit of a shock for her to see Emily waltz into her book reading and ask her to be her maid of honor at her upcoming wedding in Capri. How can Stephanie resist a free vacation and more material for a future bestseller?  But is Emily truly reformed, or is she just plotting revenge on the woman who took everything away from her?

Another Simple Favor has just enough of the same off-kilter humor that made the original such a treat back in 2018. Lively and Kendrick are a good comedic duo, and the movie’s twisty story is entertaining enough to keep you glued to the screen. 

“Are you not entertained?” Russell Crowe memorably asked in the first Gladiator all those years ago. That question pops up again in the sequel, and the answer is a muted “kinda.” Gladiator II isn’t perfect, and it fails to match the raw muscular power of its predecessor, but it’s still mostly entertaining and has one of Denzel Washington’s most enjoyable performances ever.

Decades after Maximus Meridius’ death, his exiled son Lucius (Paul Mescal) follows in his father’s footsteps and seeks revenge on the powerful people who killed his wife. But his need for vengeance will bring him back to a home he has never known and a mother (Connie Nielsen) who abandoned him to protect him. Can Lucius fulfil his destiny while also satisfying his need to honor the family he lost?

“Are you not entertained?” Russell Crowe memorably asked in the first Gladiator all those years ago. That question pops up again in the sequel, and the answer is a muted “kinda.” Gladiator II isn’t perfect, and it fails to match the raw muscular power of its predecessor, but it’s still mostly entertaining and has one of Denzel Washington’s most enjoyable performances ever.

Decades after Maximus Meridius’ death, his exiled son Lucius (Paul Mescal) follows in his father’s footsteps and seeks revenge on the powerful people who killed his wife. But his need for vengeance will bring him back to a home he has never known and a mother (Connie Nielsen) who abandoned him to protect him. Can Lucius fulfil his destiny while also satisfying his need to honor the family he lost?

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday and the whole world is in mourning. But what happens after a pope passes and a new successor must be chosen? That’s the central theme behind Conclave, a critically acclaimed 2024 movie that won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.   

Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) oversees a conclave of the world’s best priests to determine who will be the next pope. But surprising revelations and intense political campaigning threaten to derail the process, and Thomas must decide who is telling the truth and who just wants to be chosen to fulfil their personal ambitions.

Conclave is an intense drama, an amusing black comedy and a surprise thriller, too. Selecting the next pope doesn’t sound particularly suspenseful, but director Edward Berger milks enough thrills from the material to make it an absorbing and fun movie to watch. The cast is superb, with Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini both terrific as quiet members of the church who hold more power and influence than most of their peers realize.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday and the whole world is in mourning. But what happens after a pope passes and a new successor must be chosen? That’s the central theme behind Conclave, a critically acclaimed 2024 movie that won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.   

Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) oversees a conclave of the world’s best priests to determine who will be the next pope. But surprising revelations and intense political campaigning threaten to derail the process, and Thomas must decide who is telling the truth and who just wants to be chosen to fulfil their personal ambitions.

Conclave is an intense drama, an amusing black comedy and a surprise thriller, too. Selecting the next pope doesn’t sound particularly suspenseful, but director Edward Berger milks enough thrills from the material to make it an absorbing and fun movie to watch. The cast is superb, with Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini both terrific as quiet members of the church who hold more power and influence than most of their peers realize.

Tashi (Zendaya) is a former tennis player who is the wife and coach of Art (Mike Faist), a Grand Slam champion who has one last shot at glory. He enters a minor league challenger tournament to regain his mojo, and the couple quickly realizes that Art’s former friend and rival and Tashi’s ex-lover, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), is competing as well. Will Art and Patrick renew their rivalry during the tournament? And does Tashi still have feelings for the man she once loved?

Challengers is impressive on many levels: it features a great trio of performances by its three lead stars, the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is a genuine banger, and it makes minor league tennis somehow interesting to watch. But its greatest achievement is being one of the horniest movies ever made while not having any explicit sex scenes at all. But what else would you expect from Luca Guadagnino, a director who is always concerned with how desire plays out in the body and the mind?

Tashi (Zendaya) is a former tennis player who is the wife and coach of Art (Mike Faist), a Grand Slam champion who has one last shot at glory. He enters a minor league challenger tournament to regain his mojo, and the couple quickly realizes that Art’s former friend and rival and Tashi’s ex-lover, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), is competing as well. Will Art and Patrick renew their rivalry during the tournament? And does Tashi still have feelings for the man she once loved?

Challengers is impressive on many levels: it features a great trio of performances by its three lead stars, the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is a genuine banger, and it makes minor league tennis somehow interesting to watch. But its greatest achievement is being one of the horniest movies ever made while not having any explicit sex scenes at all. But what else would you expect from Luca Guadagnino, a director who is always concerned with how desire plays out in the body and the mind?

In this superb prequel to the first two A Quiet Place movies, we finally find out how the initial invasion of Earth by those noise-sensitive aliens began. Lupita Nyong’o is Sam, a cynical woman with terminal cancer who travels to New York City with her pet cat, Frodo. Once there, aliens begin to destroy downtown Manhattan, forcing Sam to team up with others, including Joseph Quinn’s law student Eric, to survive the onslaught. Can they leave the island and seek sanctuary from their otherworldly invaders before it’s too late?

A Quiet Place: Day One is the rare prequel that’s actually better than its sister movies. There’s plenty of action, with a sequence set in the subway that ranks as an all-timer, but it’s the quieter moments that make the movie truly special. Director Michael Sarnoski previously helmed the character study Pig with Nicolas Cage, and his sensitive touch is evident even when his characters are fleeing from slimy CGI creatures.

In this superb prequel to the first two A Quiet Place movies, we finally find out how the initial invasion of Earth by those noise-sensitive aliens began. Lupita Nyong’o is Sam, a cynical woman with terminal cancer who travels to New York City with her pet cat, Frodo. Once there, aliens begin to destroy downtown Manhattan, forcing Sam to team up with others, including Joseph Quinn’s law student Eric, to survive the onslaught. Can they leave the island and seek sanctuary from their otherworldly invaders before it’s too late?

A Quiet Place: Day One is the rare prequel that’s actually better than its sister movies. There’s plenty of action, with a sequence set in the subway that ranks as an all-timer, but it’s the quieter moments that make the movie truly special. Director Michael Sarnoski previously helmed the character study Pig with Nicolas Cage, and his sensitive touch is evident even when his characters are fleeing from slimy CGI creatures.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is the best there is at what he does: getting beaten up. As one of Hollywood’s best stuntmen, he’s been crashing cars and falling off buildings for years. Yet lately, the jobs have dried up, and he’s desperate for work. When his ex-girlfriend, film director Gail Meyer (Emily Blunt), hires him for her new action movie, Colt thinks his fortunes have changed. But when the film’s lead star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), mysteriously disappears one day, it’s up to Colt to find out what happened to him.

Based on a long-forgotten 1980s TV series, The Fall Guy is a breezy, lightweight action-comedy that recalls Romancing the Stone and Bird on a Wire. Gosling and Blunt have indelible chemistry together, and the stunts are appropriately impressive. It’s the rare movie that will please both rom-com purists and action movie bros.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is the best there is at what he does: getting beaten up. As one of Hollywood’s best stuntmen, he’s been crashing cars and falling off buildings for years. Yet lately, the jobs have dried up, and he’s desperate for work. When his ex-girlfriend, film director Gail Meyer (Emily Blunt), hires him for her new action movie, Colt thinks his fortunes have changed. But when the film’s lead star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), mysteriously disappears one day, it’s up to Colt to find out what happened to him.

Based on a long-forgotten 1980s TV series, The Fall Guy is a breezy, lightweight action-comedy that recalls Romancing the Stone and Bird on a Wire. Gosling and Blunt have indelible chemistry together, and the stunts are appropriately impressive. It’s the rare movie that will please both rom-com purists and action movie bros.

There’s a moment early on in The Bikeriders when Kathy (Jodie Comer), the film’s lead female character, gazes at Austin Butler’s impossibly handsome, cool guy Benny across a pool hall and is rendered speechless. Cathy is all of us in that moment. The Bikeriders tells the story of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, a gang of men and women in too-tight T-shirts and shiny black leather who roam the American Midwest on their bikes.

Their leader is Johnny (Tom Hardy), but Kathy only has eyes for Benny (you can’t blame her), and soon the two engage in a love affair. Over the years, the gang grows in size but also becomes more violent, and Benny and Kathy’s relationship is tested by Benny’s loyalty to his chopper crew.

The Bikeriders doesn’t have much of a plot, but its chief pleasure lies in watching cool dudes ride around in sweet rides across a picturesque 1960s America. Hardy is right at home as a sweet tough guy, but it’s Butler who impresses the most. As the elusive Benny, he’s got charisma to burn, and you understand why Kathy is drawn to him even though he’s bad news. Rebellion never looked so good.

There’s a moment early on in The Bikeriders when Kathy (Jodie Comer), the film’s lead female character, gazes at Austin Butler’s impossibly handsome, cool guy Benny across a pool hall and is rendered speechless. Cathy is all of us in that moment. The Bikeriders tells the story of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, a gang of men and women in too-tight T-shirts and shiny black leather who roam the American Midwest on their bikes.

Their leader is Johnny (Tom Hardy), but Kathy only has eyes for Benny (you can’t blame her), and soon the two engage in a love affair. Over the years, the gang grows in size but also becomes more violent, and Benny and Kathy’s relationship is tested by Benny’s loyalty to his chopper crew.

The Bikeriders doesn’t have much of a plot, but its chief pleasure lies in watching cool dudes ride around in sweet rides across a picturesque 1960s America. Hardy is right at home as a sweet tough guy, but it’s Butler who impresses the most. As the elusive Benny, he’s got charisma to burn, and you understand why Kathy is drawn to him even though he’s bad news. Rebellion never looked so good.

Elliott (Maisy Stella) is at a crossroads. She’s about to leave for college and is in a casual relationship with another girl, Chelsea (Alexandria Rivera). One night, she takes some psychedelic mushrooms with her friends and hallucinates a future version of herself, Older Elliott (Aubrey Plaza). Proving she’s the real thing, Older Elliott cryptically tells her younger self three things: spend more time with your family, appreciate the farm that you grew up in and avoid a boy named Chad. She disappears, but leaves her number in younger Elliott’s phone.

That’s the far-out premise of My Old Ass, a comedy that isn’t ashamed to be sentimental. Elliott doesn’t exactly believe anything her future self says at first, but gradually, she finds herself growing closer to her family. Chad eventually appears, and it’s in this development that My Old Ass reveals itself as an effective tearjerker in disguise. Plaza is great as always; if everyone grew up to be like Older Elliott, we’d all be OK.

Elliott (Maisy Stella) is at a crossroads. She’s about to leave for college and is in a casual relationship with another girl, Chelsea (Alexandria Rivera). One night, she takes some psychedelic mushrooms with her friends and hallucinates a future version of herself, Older Elliott (Aubrey Plaza). Proving she’s the real thing, Older Elliott cryptically tells her younger self three things: spend more time with your family, appreciate the farm that you grew up in and avoid a boy named Chad. She disappears, but leaves her number in younger Elliott’s phone.

That’s the far-out premise of My Old Ass, a comedy that isn’t ashamed to be sentimental. Elliott doesn’t exactly believe anything her future self says at first, but gradually, she finds herself growing closer to her family. Chad eventually appears, and it’s in this development that My Old Ass reveals itself as an effective tearjerker in disguise. Plaza is great as always; if everyone grew up to be like Older Elliott, we’d all be OK.

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is a world-famous detective, but he may have found the one case that’s stumped even him. Famous mystery author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead one morning with his throat cleanly slit but no other signs of foul play. Ruled a suicide by the police, Harlan’s death is suspicious enough for Blanc to investigate.

As he interviews members of the Thrombey household, which includes ne’er-do-well grandson Hugh (Chris Evans), sleazy son-in-law Richard (Don Johnson), dotty daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and kind-hearted nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), Blanc soon realizes this mystery runs deeper than he thought. Can he catch Harlan’s killer in time to prevent another murder?

A big hit when it was released in 2019, Knives Out has already spawned a sequel, Glass Onion, in 2022, and a third one, Wake Up Dead Man, is due for release in 2025. Nothing can touch the original, though, with writer/director Rian Johnson clearly having a ball weaving a mystery yarn worthy of Agatha Christie. Everyone in the cast has their moment to shine, and the ending is just about perfect.

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is a world-famous detective, but he may have found the one case that’s stumped even him. Famous mystery author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead one morning with his throat cleanly slit but no other signs of foul play. Ruled a suicide by the police, Harlan’s death is suspicious enough for Blanc to investigate.

As he interviews members of the Thrombey household, which includes ne’er-do-well grandson Hugh (Chris Evans), sleazy son-in-law Richard (Don Johnson), dotty daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and kind-hearted nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), Blanc soon realizes this mystery runs deeper than he thought. Can he catch Harlan’s killer in time to prevent another murder?

A big hit when it was released in 2019, Knives Out has already spawned a sequel, Glass Onion, in 2022, and a third one, Wake Up Dead Man, is due for release in 2025. Nothing can touch the original, though, with writer/director Rian Johnson clearly having a ball weaving a mystery yarn worthy of Agatha Christie. Everyone in the cast has their moment to shine, and the ending is just about perfect.

Bridget Gregory (Linda Fiorentino) is a New Yorker you don’t want to cross. A con woman who makes her living selling fake coins to unsuspecting people over the phone, Bridget steals her crooked dentist husband’s drug money and hides away in a small town upstate. Bridget’s not one to rest on her laurels, and soon, she seduces local dumb hunk Mike (Peter Berg) in an elaborate insurance scam that will pad her pockets and allow Mike to leave his hometown forever. But Bridget’s past catches up with her fast, and Mike soon finds himself in over his head in a way he never imagined.

One of the greatest neo-noirs ever made, The Last Seduction hasn’t aged a bit, even though it’s three decades old and was initially released as a cable movie on HBO. The movie is tough and unsentimental, and it features one of the best female performances ever from Fiorentino. As the calculating Bridget, she’s always one step ahead of everyone, and that includes the audience. You keep expecting her to let up, to show some kind of humanity, and she never does. Bridget’s rotten to the core, and it’s fun watching her be so very bad.

Bridget Gregory (Linda Fiorentino) is a New Yorker you don’t want to cross. A con woman who makes her living selling fake coins to unsuspecting people over the phone, Bridget steals her crooked dentist husband’s drug money and hides away in a small town upstate. Bridget’s not one to rest on her laurels, and soon, she seduces local dumb hunk Mike (Peter Berg) in an elaborate insurance scam that will pad her pockets and allow Mike to leave his hometown forever. But Bridget’s past catches up with her fast, and Mike soon finds himself in over his head in a way he never imagined.

One of the greatest neo-noirs ever made, The Last Seduction hasn’t aged a bit, even though it’s three decades old and was initially released as a cable movie on HBO. The movie is tough and unsentimental, and it features one of the best female performances ever from Fiorentino. As the calculating Bridget, she’s always one step ahead of everyone, and that includes the audience. You keep expecting her to let up, to show some kind of humanity, and she never does. Bridget’s rotten to the core, and it’s fun watching her be so very bad.

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