Mayday, mayday – so many new movies have arrived on Prime Video in May 2023 that the streaming service may burst. Just kidding — the cloud is infinite, right?
As usual, Amazon Prime membership comes with the perk of being able to watch dozens upon dozens of the best movies on Prime Video, one of the best streaming services. And more new titles join the books this month, so you can see talking animals, one of the most epic movie kisses of all time, and several Oscar-nominated performances.
But choosing one of these new to Prime Video movies to watch can be an arduous task. So much scrolling! That’s why we’ve narrowed down the list to the films with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 90% or higher, which is essentially an A grade. Here are the best new movies to stream on Prime Video right now.
True Grit (2010)
One of the truly ambitious remakes (John Wayne did it first in 1969), True Grit put Jeff Bridges and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld in roles that were anything but new. In Wild West-era Arkansas, Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) loses her father to the murderous hand of mercenary Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), so she pushes aging Deputy U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to help her get revenge.
Not only is True Grit a winner because Bridges plays the gruff archetype perfectly, but because Steinfeld was a true surprise in full command of her challenging role. Oh, and this True Grit truly sings because it's written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen — who play it straightforward and safe. – Henry T. Casey
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Western
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Watch on Prime Video
Babe (1995)
That’ll do, pig! This timeless family dramedy not only revolutionized talking animal effects, it was a commercial and critical smash hit. It earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Oh, and it sparked a rise in vegetarianism in children and teens.
The story follows a piglet named Babe (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) who is won at a county fair by gentle farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell). At his new home, Babe befriends the border collie Fly (Miriam Margolyes). After being spared the fate of being Christmas dinner, Babe tries to be helpful by herding sheep, but the other collie Rex (Hugo Weaving) grows jealous and seeks to jeopardize the pig’s place on the farm. - Kelly Woo
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Family comedy/drama
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Watch on Prime Video
Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
Most of us don't really engage with our neighbors. Kung Fu Hustle, though, puts the denizens of Pigsty Alley into a terrible situation: They need to work together to fight off a local gang. Fortunately, the local Landlady (Yuen Qiu), is something of a leader, and she has ability to belt out a sonic scream of a yell that can shatter anything. She's aided by Coolie (Xing Yu), Tailor (Chiu Chi-ling) and Donut (Dong Zhihua), a trio of martial artists who live in the area.
Beloved for its comedic chops and excellent kung fu action, Stephen Chow's film won praise everywhere. It's not just film critics, but the likes of Bill Murray and James Gunn, too. — HTC
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Martial arts action
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Watch on Prime Video
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
After moving away from rom-coms and towards grittier fare like The Lincoln Lawyer, Mud and True Detective, Matthew McConaughey experienced a career revival dubbed “the McConaissance.” It reached a peak when he won the Best Actor Oscar for his powerful, gripping portrayal of a man with AIDS in the 1980s.
After the diagnosis, Texas electrician Ron Woodroof is ostracized, fired and evicted from his home. A drug trial for AZT just makes him feel worse, so he looks for alternative treatments that haven’t been approved by the FDA. When they boost his health, he begins smuggling the medicine into the country from Mexico and selling them to HIV-positive patients across Dallas. - Kelly Woo
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Watch on Prime Video
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Moonrise Kingdom answers the unasked question: "What if Wes Anderson went to camp?" On the fictional island of New Penzance, we follow Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), a pair of precocious children who don't fit into their respective sides of the isle. Sam's an orphan at Camp Ivanhoe, while Suzy lives with her lawyer parents and younger brothers. And while Moonrise Kingdom is about their plans to escape their situations, it's more about the large cast of oddball characters who get in their way.
Most notably, you've got Bruce Willis and Edward Norton as, respectively, a police captain (naturally), and the latter (hilariously) a camp counselor. Oh, and Bill Murray and Frances McDormand play Suzy's parents.
Yes, Moonrise Kingdom may be Wes Anderson doing Wes Anderson things. It's got the standard whimsy, strong cast and even stronger soundtrack. But Anderson and Roman Coppola's screenplay makes it all work, with quick and punchy dialogue. – HTC
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Comedy/drama
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Watch on Prime Video
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
Part documentary, part social critique, part call to action, I Am Not Your Negro is a based on
James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript Remember This House. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, the mere 30 complete pages contain Baldwin’s recollections about the lives and deaths of civil rights leaders (and friends) Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers.
One of the greatest thinkers of his time — no, in all history — Baldwin is brilliant and incendiary as he meditates on the subject of race in America. The doc is a powerful, provocative portrait not just of the Civil Rights era but of our own. You’ll be sobered by how timely and current it remains. - KW
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Documentary
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Watch on Prime Video
The Quiet Man (1952)
The legendary filmmaker John Ford is well known for making Westerns like Stagecoach and dramas like The Grapes of Wrath, but he was also a dab hand at romances. In fact, his record fourth win for the Best Director Academy Award was for the rom-com The Quiet Man.
Boxer Sean Thornton (John Wayne) moves from America to his native Ireland, hoping to buy his family’s old “wee humble cottage.” When he encounters red-haired shepherdess Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O’Hara), it’s love at first. Unfortunately, her brother Will (Victor McLaglen) opposes their marriage. When he finally gives his consent, Sean is befuddled by local courtship traditions and his bride’s views on consummation. - KW
Arrived on Prime Video: May 1
Genre: Romantic comedy
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Watch on Prime Video
