There’s a movie for any mood on Prime Video, from retro classics to modern hidden gems. Prime Video’s movie list can be truly overwhelming without some kind of a game plan, and there’s nothing worse than getting hit with a bout of decision paralysis while trying to pick something.
From Prime Video originals to its seemingly endless library of films and TV shows, it’s easy to get lost in an endless scroll seeking that “perfect” choice. For this week at least, let’s remove the stress entirely by plucking three great movies from the pile.
3 Escape From New York (1981)
Prime has a bunch of John Carpenter movies in its back catalog, with Escape from New York arguably being the most influential of the bunch. It has one of the all-time great hooks of any sci-fi film, where Kurt Russell’s badass outlaw Snake has to break into the prison formerly known as New York to rescue the President.
Before Kurt Russell was cast as Snake Plissken, producers wanted to offer Escape from New York to Western icon Charles Bronson (Once Upon a Time in the West) instead.
Carpenter’s post-apocalyptic adventure is soaked in atmosphere, with Russell fronting a great cast that also includes Lee Van Cleef and Harry Dean Stanton. It has Carpenter’s signature synth score, and countless quotable lines and action beats. While its modest budget shows at times, Escape from New York is never less than a blast.
2 Alien: Romulus (2024)
Director Fede Álvarez had form with resurrecting a classic horror series already with Evil Dead 2013, but he had a tall order bringing back the Alien franchise. While Alien: Romulus may not break new ground, it both pays homage to the saga’s past while being a gruesome, stripped back sci-fi horror ride.
Its mix of practical and CGI effects is a great example of how modern blockbusters should do it, and it adds some intriguing new wrinkles to the Xenomorph lifecycle. Throw in some expert setpieces – like that zero gravity acid scene – and David Jonsson’s moving turn as the android Andy, Alien: Romulus has much to recommend it.
1 Novocaine (2025)
Novocaine is that rare movie that balances being wince-inducingly violent with also being genuinely sweet and funny too. The almost irritatingly likable Jack Quaid fronts this action/comedy as a man who can’t feel pain, and who is forced to use his unique ability to save his girlfriend (played by Amber Midthunder).
While the gore almost reaches body horror levels of nastiness, it somehow never overwhelms Novocaine. It moves fast, is fronted by a great ensemble (with Ray Nicholson scene-chewing villain deserving a shoutout), and the makeup effects never fail to elicit gasps.