With Labor Day weekend comes barbecues, family gatherings, and good times, but once it pᴀsses, there’s a lot of time to catch some great movies, especially the ones on Amazon Prime Video. The streaming service has a mᴀssive catalog with thousands of films spanning all genres.

While there are so many options to choose from, we’ve picked out a handful that would be ideal to watch this week. Among them are an Oscar-nominated mystery film, one of the best modern horror sequels, a musical that’s a ton of fun, a lovely romantic comedy, and a great animated movie based on beloved heroes.

Smile 2 (2024)

When the first Smile movie was released in 2022, it became a big hit thanks to an intriguing concept, creepy trailers, and some creative marketing ideas. A sequel was obvious, yet Smile 2 did the unusual thing for a lot of horror sequels by actually besting what came before it.

The premise of Smile involves someone witnessing a suicide and then being haunted by visions that include people creepily smiling at them, ultimately leading them to take their own lives and pᴀss the curse down. Smile 2 expanded on that by putting the curse on a pop star rather than an everyday person.

This setup allowed for a totally different experience as she deals with fame, paparazzi, and an upcoming tour. Naomi Scott is incredible in the lead role, delivering one of the best performances in any modern horror movie. She won a Saturn Award and many believed she should’ve been in Oscar conversation.

Smile 2 was met with positive reviews from critics, sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a lot of that praise going to Scott’s performance. A third film is set to begin filming at some point in late 2025, meaning it’s a great time to see this entry before we get a new one.

The Greatest Showman (2017)

The rousing success of Wicked at the tail end of 2024 marked a welcome boost for the musical genre. These films have always been around and there have been some major hits throughout time, with one of the biggest being 2017’s The Greatest Showman, which grossed an impressive $459 million.

If you’ve managed to never see The Greatest Showman, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you have watched it, then you can still rewatch it on Prime Video and sing along to the fantastic soundtrack. That includes the Best Original Song Golden Globe winner, “This is Me.”

The Greatest Showman tells the true, though rather inaccurate, story of P.T. Barnum and how he created the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Hugh Jackman is clearly having a great time in the lead role, getting to sing and dance like never before.

The supporting cast of The Greatest Showman is also one of its strongest aspects. Golden Globe nominee Jackman is joined by Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and several other notable stars. Add in the rousing soundtrack written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and this is an absolute joy to watch.

The Idea Of You (2024)

One of the best actresses of her generation, Anne Hathaway is spending 2025 filming several projects slated for 2026 releases, while her most recent film is from 2024. The Idea of You is an Amazon Prime Video original romantic comedy that puts Hathaway at the center and lets her shine.

The film focuses on Hathaway’s Solène Marchand, an art gallery owner and single mother to a teenage daughter. When she ends up taking her daughter to Coachella, she has a chance run-in with Hayes Campbell, a popular singer who is fairly younger than she is.

Unexpected sparks fly between Solén and Hayes (played by Nicholas Galitzine), which is the crux of the film. Their romance is electric as Hathaway and Galitzine have great chemistry but the age difference causes problems.

That combines to make The Idea of You one of the best romantic comedies released in recent years. Critics were pleased with the film, evidenced by its 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences watched it in droves upon release on the platform. Whether it’s your first viewing or a repeat experience, The Idea of You is a wonderful film.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

Over the years, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a franchise that has been adapted in so many different media, including various film adaptations. Millennials grew up with the animated series from the ’80s and the live-action films of the early ’90s but that was just the start.

There was also an animated take in 2007 and Michael Bay’s live-action versions. While the reception for all those projects varies, 2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is pretty widely regarded as the best iteration of the franchise.

Written by a team including Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, it’s clear that the people behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem love the characters. This film nails the personalities of the тιтular turtles while also ensuring they feel like authentic teenagers and authentic New Yorkers.

The art style of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is stunning, managing to both be beautiful and feel gritty. The voice cast is also stellar, from the young actors voicing the turtles to the likes of Jackie Chan as Splinter, Ice Cube as Superfly, and Ayo Edebiri as April O’Neil.

Knives Out (2019)

Following the lackluster audience reception for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson needed something that moviegoers would love. Johnson has always been a tremendous filmmaker and writer, but the Star Wars faithful didn’t appreciate his take on the franchise, souring his name for some.

Thankfully, Johnson’s talent shone through as he was able to rebound quickly. Just two years later, he put out Knives Out, which is in the conversation for the peak of his filmography. The movie focuses on detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he investigates the death of a wealthy author (Christopher Plummer).

Knives Out features the perfect amount of twists for a mystery movie, as you’re never quite sure who is being honest, who is lying, and who had anything to do with the death. The Oscar-nominated screenplay is sharp and the dialogue is delivered by some of the best actors around.

Craig and Plummer are joined by Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, LaKeith Stanfield, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Riki Lindhome, and more. The drama involving the author’s family, his nurse, and their inheritance adds so much to the story. Knives Out is a gripping watch with something for everyone.