Prime Video just added a ton of great movies in November.
Of course, Prime Video is always adding great movies. Its deep movie library is a big reason why it's one of the best streaming services available. But even I was impressed by how many objectively great movies Prime Video added this month.
Don't just take my word for it. When sifting through this month's new Prime Video movies I found 12 movies rated 95% "fresh" or higher by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. These aren't obscure movies either. We're talking about "The Terminator," The Godfather" and "The Lego Movie" among others. Whittling it down to a manageable list was not easy.
But whittle it down I did. Here are the seven new to Prime Video movies with 95% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes you need to be watching this month. If you’re still hungry for more, don’t forget to check out our full rundown of everything new to Prime Video and Freevee this November.
@tomsguide ♬ Drake style/HIPHOP beat(1491552) - Burning Man
'The Terminator' (1984)
James Cameron's "The Terminator" is set in a world where an artificial intelligence called Skynet has hunted humanity to near extinction. But there's still one hope for humanity — John Connor.
The one problem for humanity? John may exist in 2029, but he hasn't been born yet in 1984. In that year, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) is just living her life as a diner waitress, unaware that her future son will one day save humanity. So Skynet has sent a T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), an android assassion, back to 1984 to kill Sarah before her son can even be born. But the resistance is aware of Skynet's plan, and sends soldier Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) back in time to stop the Terminator and save Sarah.
This movie is arguably flawless and inarguably one of the best ever made. Watching it on Prime Video this month is a no-brainer.
Watch it now on Prime Video (free with ads)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
‘The Godfather' (1972)
I won't need to make you an offer you can't refuse to watch "The Godfather." Like with "The Terminator," this movie is among the best movies ever made and it's tough to find a flaw.
The first of three movies in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" trilogy, this movie stars Marlon Brando as the head of the New York mafia Corleone family. The movie follows the Corleones from 1945, where they are one of the established Five Families of the New York mafia, until 1955, where a mob war has led to the ascendency of Vito's son Michael (Al Pacino) as the Corleone crime families new, albiet somewhat reluctant, boss.
Aside from Brando and Pacino, whose legacies were forever cemented by this movie, "The Godfather" also features incredible performances from Robert Duvall as the family's consigliere Tom Hagen, James Caan as Vito's hot-headed son Sonny and Richard Castellano as Peter Clemenza, one of Vito's top capos. There's some debate as to whether this movie or its sequel, "The Godfather Part II," but the good news is you can watch both on Prime Video this month.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
‘Good Will Hunting’ (1998)
This movie is best known as the film that launched Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's careers. Yes, both had been in some decent roles before, and already had some major roles in the works when this movie came out. But between starring in the movie and winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, it's undeniable that "Good Will Hunting" was a breakout for the duo.
"Good Will Hunting" stars Damon as Will Hunting, a South Boston 20-year-old who is working as a janitor at MIT while on parole. But when Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) discovers that Will can solve problems that even his graduate students can't. When Lambeau discovers that Will is in trouble for a physical altercation, he strikes a deal that gets Will out of jail time in exchange for studying under Lambeau and seeing a psychotherapist.
Despite Affelck starring alongside Damon as Will's best friend Chuckie Sullivan, it's not his performance — nor Damon's — that steals the show. This movie is undoubtedly driven by Robin Williams as Dr. Sean Maguire, who is Lambeau's old college roommate and becomes Will's therapist. Even if this wasn't a great movie, Williams's performance would be worth watching on its own.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
‘Airplane’ (1980)
Look, if "Airplane!" is availabe to include in one of these roundups, I'm going to include it. It's undeniably one of the greatest comedies of all time, and it might even be more funny that it is great.
This disaster comedy stars Robert Hays as former fighter pilot turned taxi driver Ted Striker. Ted's life is thrown into chaos when his girlfriend Elaine (Julie Hagerty) breaks up with him right as she's about to work as a flight attendant on a flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. In a last attempt to win her back, Ted buys a last-minute ticket and boards the flight.
From there, everything goes wrong, to hilarious effect. Also starring Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack alongside many other talented actors (including basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), you'll struggle to stop laughing as you watch Ted thrust into the role of having to land the plane when the crew gets food poisoning from some bad fish. You'll also struggle to avoid using the iconic line "Don't call me Shirley" in public conversation, but that's a small price to pay for watching this movie.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
‘Catch Me If You Can’ (2002)
"Catch Me If You Can" is a biopic that follows the life of real-life con man Frank Abagnale Jr., though admittedly it's not close to 100% accurate. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the young con man and Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent tasked with bringing him in.
Again, don't focus on this movie's adherence to historical events. And don't go expecting a dark, gritty movie depsite this being billed as a crime drama. It's much more a period piece with some light-hearthed humor, with some drama sprinkled in at appropriate times.
"Catch Me If You Can" may be my favorite performance from both DiCaprio and Hanks. Hanks's portrayal of Hanratty is excellent and it’s a great example of him firing on all cylinders as an actor. Christopher Walken is also great as Frank Abagnale Sr. Honestly, one of the strongest aspects of this movie is its incredibly deep cast despite it being a movie about the cat-and-mouse relationship between two people.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
‘The Lego Movie’ (2014)
"The Lego Movie" stars Chris Pratt as Emmet Brickowski, an ordinary Lego minifigure for whom everything is awesome. But one day his ordinary life is forever changed when he falls into a pit at a construction site and find the "Piece of Resistance."
It turns out that this Piece of Resistance was actually prophecised by the wizard Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman to be the key to stopping the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrel) and his mysterious superweapon known as the "Kragle." Vitruvius prophecised that the one who found this missing Piece would be "The Special," and is the only one that can prevent Lord Business from ruling over all.
So when a Master Builder named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) discovers the Piece of Resistance is attached to Emmet's back, she concludes that he is The Special. This movie is definitely wacky, even perhaps zany at times. But its animation style is brilliant and still holds up, as does the screenplay of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Watch it now on Prime Video (free with ads)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
‘Pan's Labyrinth’ (2007)
"Pan's Labryinth" stars Ivana Baquero as Ofelia, a 10-year-old girl in 1944 Francoist Spain. Her mother Carmen (Ariadna Gil) has remarried, and is taking Ofelia to meet her new stepfather, the Falangist Captain Vidal (Sergi López). Vidal is tasked with hunting down the Maquis, a group of guerilla fighters looking to overthrow Franco's oppresive regime.
While at Captain Vidal's house though, Ofelia disvovers a labryinth and meets a faun (Doug Jones/Pablo Adán [voice only]). After meeting her, the faun is convinced Ofelia is really the reincarnated spirit of Princess Moanna, whose father (Federico Luppi) is the king of the underworld and built the labryinth as a portal to return her re-incarnated spirit to the underwold.
As much as I love "Hellboy," this is undoubtedly the best movie from Guillermo del Toro, the Mexican director known for producing more than a few great movies. The combination of historical events with dark original fantasy is brilliantly executed, and its no wonder this movie was nominated for several Academy Awards.
Watch it now on Prime Video
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
