While Prime Video is constantly adding new and old movies, there are a few that stand out above the crowd as must-watch classics. Prime Video is filled with hidden gems alongside the most popular modern hits. Away from the allure of the trending lists, there are plenty of great movies waiting to be discovered.
Prime Video has some fantastic original movies, but what makes it stand out from other streaming platforms is its varied back catalog of old hits, with new options regularly being added to the mix. It can be hard to sift through this long list of movies, but some classics are hard to ignore.
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Blow Out (1981)
Blow Out is one of Brian De Palma’s best movies, released after Carrie but before Scarface and The Untouchables. More so than his other movies, Blow Out makes it obvious why he’s often recognized as a disciple of Alfred Hitchcock. The 1981 crime classic is just as twisty, unpredictable, and stylish as any of Hitchcock’s classics.
John Travolta delivers one of his best performances of all time in Blow Out, although it was a departure from his musical roles of the late ’70s. He plays an audio engineer who inadvertently captures evidence of a huge political scandal while out recording ambient noise for a low-budget horror movie.
Blow Out hits its stride early on and maintains a mesmerizing pace. Travolta’s performance as a man in the wrong place at the wrong time is deeply relatable, which only draws the audience deeper into a disturbing game of cat-and-mouse featuring unseen forces. The paranoid thriller has aged beautifully.
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Wicked (2024)
With Wicked: For Good coming on November 21, it’s the perfect time to catch up on the first movie in the story. The long-awaited adaptation of the popular stage musical became one of 2024’s biggest hits, making $756.2 million at the box office and scoring 10 Oscar nominations. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for fans of movie musicals.
The first Wicked movie covers half of the musical, which has left fans speculating over what could be in store for the sequel. Whatever happens, it’s safe to ᴀssume that there will be just as many lavish sets, eye-catching costumes, and show-stopping musical numbers. Wicked has the glamorous sheen of Old Hollywood musicals with all the benefits of modern technology.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande both shine in Wicked, and they strike up a winning chemistry as Elphaba and Glinda. They sink their teeth into Wicked‘s iconic soundtrack whether they’re singing together or not. They are supported by a wonderful ensemble cast, which includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey.
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Cape Fear (1991)
Cape Fear is a brilliant ’90s crime thriller, although it’s a remake of a 1962 classic starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. The 1991 version stars Nick Nolte as a public defense attorney, with Robert De Niro in blistering form as his former client who terrorizes him and his family after being released from prison.
Cape Fear isn’t as popular as some of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, but his stylish direction makes it an unmissable thriller. He accentuates the twisted glee that characterizes De Niro’s villain performance, turning him into an otherworldly manifestation of evil.
A Cape Fear TV series has been in the works for a while now, with Javier Bardem and Amy Adams both attached. Scorsese will take an executive producer role alongside Steven Spielberg, so it’s worth watching the 1991 movie now to get a taste of what’s in store.
