Prime Video users looking for some great movies to watch this week are in luck with a wide variety of selections. While Prime Video’s Original movies include some great titles, like The Idea of You and Head of State, their acquired movies are where you will find the most options for what to add to your watchlist.
Indeed, there are options for fans of all tastes with some notable movies to highlight for the week. From the latest entry in a long-running sci-fi franchise to a family-friendly animated adventure to one of the most entertaining Best Picture winners, these movies on Prime Video will make for the ideal movie-watching for the week.
5
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (2024)
The Planet of the Apes movies started way back in 1968, and as evidenced by last summer’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, it is going as strong as ever. This latest entry in the sci-fi franchise takes place generations after the death of Caesar, following a new cast of characters while still staying tied to the established mythology.
The adventure follows a young, uncertain hero named Noa (Owen Teague) who sets out on a quest to save his tribe from a ruthless ape ruler. The impressive motion capture technology helps make these ape characters emotionally rich and stunning characters that you will forget are CGI creations.
However, it is the story that is so effective in this new adventure, bringing new complexities to this fascinating world that has been created. For example, the movie’s villain is Proximo Caesar (Kevin Durand), a descendant of Caesar who has warped his messages to establish himself as a benevolent ruler.
The movie also grows the dynamic between the apes and the lingering remains of the human species. It sets the stage for some bold and epic stories to come, should the Planet of the Apes movies continue, but Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes stands as its own layered and thoughtful story.
4
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Some parents will certainly be looking for a movie the whole family can enjoy together this weekend, and Prime Video has them covered as well. While the return of the Shrek franchise is exciting, it is also a reminder that the best of those movies was actually a spinoff with one of its most memorable supporting characters.
Antonio Banderas voices the swashbuckling hero Puss in Boots in his second solo adventure, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. However, the sequel not only surpasses the original but is also a more complex, vibrant, and exciting animated adventure than any of the Shrek movies. Of course, there is also plenty of room for family-friendly humor.
The movie finds Puss on a quest to find a magical relic that he hopes will save him from his impending doom. The movie is a rollicking adventure with some terrific action captured with the same stunning visual style of the Spider-Verse movies. However, the movie is also a surprising meditation on mortality and anxiety.
While it is certainly an all-ages movie, older audiences might be surprised by how much they also get out of the fun ride. Banderas continues to prove he was born to play this role, while he is backed by a strong supporting cast, including Salma Hayek, John Mulaney, and Florence Pugh.
3
Challengers (2024)
One of the best sports movies in recent years continues to be an exhilarating ride while adding new layers to the genre. Zendaya leads the cast of Challengers as a young tennis star on the rise who crosses paths with two friends and doubles partners (Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor). As the years go by, their relationships get more complicated.
Like the great baseball movie Bull Durham, Challengers perfectly fits the love triangle story into a sports story, using the love of the sport to intertwine with the romance. Director Luca Guadagnino perfectly balances the conflicting tones of Justin Kuritzkes’s ambitious and brilliant script, which is funny and entertaining, as well as intense and emotional.
The cast is also pitch-perfect, with Zendaya giving the best performance of her career. She is able to make her character, Tashi, appropriately imposing as a powerhouse athlete while also grounded and vulnerable. Faist and O’Connor share wonderful chemistry within this complicated friendship that goes through many different phases.
It is also a movie that is not afraid to allow its main characters to be very flawed people. We see all three of these characters do things that are selfish and hurtful, but come from a place that always makes sense.
2
Gladiator (2000)
While the long-awaited sequel Gladiator II was a success last year, there is still no topping Ridley Scott’s original Best Picture winner from 2000. 25 years after Gladiator‘s release, the historical epic remains a hugely entertaining ride, filled with thrilling battle sequences, an emotional revenge story, and a star-making performance from Russell Crowe.
Crowe stars as Maximus, a heroic Roman general who is betrayed by his new Emperor (Joaquin Phoenix) and is sold into slavery as a gladiator. However, with vengeance on his mind, Maximus begins to win over the people of Rome from within the fighting arena. It makes for a stirring journey with a terrific cinematic hero at its center.
Gladiator is a fairly simple story that is elevated thanks to the many great elements around it. Scott is a master filmmaker who seems particularly comfortable with these big historical epics. From the opening battle sequence, he sets the stage for thrills and violence, which the rest of the movie delivers.
Crowe’s performance also makes the most of the material, as Maximus is the kind of character the audience is more than ready to root for, making it all the more intense given the danger that surrounds him at every moment. It still packs a punch decades later and remains a perfect blend of ambitious filmmaking and blockbuster fun.
1
Pulp Fiction (1994)
While Reservoir Dogs was the movie that introduced Quentin Tarantino to the world, it was Pulp Fiction that established him as one of the most influential filmmaking voices of his generation. While it is a style that has been copied many times since, no one has ever been able to match the freshness of Pulp Fiction.
Told in a non-linear fashion, Pulp Fiction features a sprawling cast of colorful characters that populate the intertwining stories within the criminal underbelly of Los Angeles. These stories of hitmen, boxers, and small-time robbers might seem like typical crime movie creations, but they continuously subvert expectations.
From pop culture references to conversations about fast food, Tarantino’s dialogue changed the language of crime movies forever, infusing a sense of irony that made everything else feel outdated. There was also a rhythm to it that made it a joy to listen to, making Pulp Fiction feel like a fast-paced ride.
The cast of Pulp Fiction brings the movie to another level with some iconic performances from the star-studded ensemble. John Travolta made a crowd-pleasing Hollywood comeback, Uma Thurman had a star-making turn, and Samuel L. Jackson stole the show with a commanding performance.
The result is a movie that, without overstating things, changed Hollywood in the 1990s. As audiences wait for Quentin Tarantino’s final movie to arrive, it makes for a perfect time to revisit the movie that really put him on the map.
