Tons of new movies arrive on Prime Video every month, but January 2024 brings some of the best movies ever. We usually look for movies Rotten tomatoes rated 90% or higher when curating our lists, but this month there were 18 such films.
Instead, we raised the bar even higher. This month, we're recommending movies with a 95% or higher “fresh” rating from critics, meaning they all have near-universal acclaim. At the top of the list is the Joseph Sargent classic “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” but you'll see some other familiar names below.
While a high rating on the review aggregator site is no guarantee of quality, it is a useful indicator that the majority of reviewers consider a film worthy of a spot on your watch list. So without further ado, here are some of the best new Prime Video movies this month.
“The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (1974)
Not to be confused with Tony Scott's 2009 remake, this film based on Morton Freedgood's 1973 novel is widely considered one of the greatest heist films of all time. “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” stars Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Héctor Elizondo and Earl Hindman as Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, Mr. Gray and Mr. Brown. This group of criminals hijacks the downtown 6 train – Pelham 1-2-3 – and demands a $1 million ransom from NYPD Lt. Zachary “Z” Garber (Walter Matthau).
The catch; If Garber doesn't deliver the money within the hour, Mr. Blue will start killing a hostage every minute the ransom is delayed. Don't miss this classic while it's on Prime Video.
Kind: Crime drama
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Stream it Prime Video
'Airplane!' (1980)
If I told you I was leaving the “Plane!” off this list, you'd say “Surely you can't be serious?” And, of course, I would tell you “Don't call me Shirley.”
If you've ever seen this 1980 classic starring Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen and many, many more talented actors (including basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar!), you'll understand this reference. And if you haven't, you need to watch it as soon as you can. This comedy on a plane might be one of the funniest movies of all time. Even the premise—a plane crew gets sick and the only person who can land the plane is an ex-fighter pilot who's afraid to fly—is one of the greatest of all time.
Kind: Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Stream it Prime Video
“Good Will Hunting” (1997)
It's hard to understate how important “Good Will Hunting” is. It launched the careers of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who wrote and starred in the film. He gave us one of the best performances—if not the best performance—of the late Robin Williams' career. And maybe, just maybe, it gives us the now-favorite South Boston colloquialism “wicked smart.”
In “Good Will Hunting” Damon plays Will Hunting a “badass smart” math genius from South Boston who cleans the halls at MIT while on probation. One day he solves a problem on the chalkboard of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), who then takes Will out of prison and under his protection, but only if Will sees the therapist Dr. Sean Maquire (Williams). What follows is an incredible film and one to check off your bucket list while it's on Prime Video.
Kind: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Stream it Prime Video
'Muscle Shoals' (2013)
If you haven't heard of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, I wouldn't blame you. The relatively small town on the Tennessee River is known for only one thing – music. Most notably, it is known for producing one of the greatest recording studios you may have never heard of, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.
“Muscle Shoals” takes a deeper look at the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as “The Swampers”, who were the backing band for FAME Studios and later Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. These two studios recorded albums for some of the greatest musicians of all time and the cast of this documentary is filled with legends from Aretha Franklin to Gregg Allman and many, Many, more. If you want to learn about one of the basic building blocks of American music, this documentary is a must watch.
Kind: Music documentary
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Stream it Prime Video
“Return to Seoul” (2022)
'Return to Soul' was one of the best international films of 2022 and if you're like me, it might be the first you hear about it. It stars Ji-Min Park as Frédérique “Freddie” Benoît, a French woman of South Korean descent who has never tried to look into her Korean ancestry. That all changes when a canceled flight lands her in Seoul, setting off on an unexpected journey to find out where her biological parents are.
The film switches between French, Korean, and English and takes some interesting turns—at one point Freddy becomes an arms dealer—but between a selection at Cannes, a shortlist for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, and positive reviews from just about everyone who saw it have seen, it's clear that this movie is one of the best new Prime Video movies this month.
Kind: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Stream it Prime Video
