Amazon Prime Video offers subscribers access to an extensive library of movies, but the downside is that shifting through thousands of flicks can be overwhelming. That’s why the streamer’s list of the top 10 most-watched movies is a useful tool when you're struggling to decide on what to watch next.
However, just because a movie makes the Prime Video top 10 is not a guarantee of its quality. Case in point, Prime Video's new original drama “Divorce in the Black” is currently the No. 2 movie on the list but its Rotten Tomatoes score is a rare 0%, and things aren’t much better for the movie ranked in the top spot either. “My Spy: The Eternal City” holds a similarly poor 21% score.
So, to ensure you spend your precious movie-watching time on movies worthy of your attention, I’m picking out the Prime Video top 10 entries that warrant a spot on your watch list. Just a quick final note, this article is based on the top 10 as of 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 23.
Best movies in the Prime Video top 10
“The Beekeeper” (2024)
If you’d told me at the start of the year I’d be this enthusiastic about a Jason Statham action flick, I’d never have believed you. The gruff British actor has made an entire brand out of macho movies but these testosterone-fueled flicks are not usually for me. However, “The Beekeeper” is a rare exception. That’s largely because rather than playing things unbearable straight, “The Beekeeper” instead revels in the absurdity of its premise and is better for it.
“The Beekeeper” sees Statham play a former member of a clandestine organization of super soldiers known as Beekeepers. Now retired, Adam Clay (Statham) lives a simple life as an actual beekeeper (as you can imagine, the bee puns flow like honey), but when his kind-hearted landlady falls victim to a phishing scam, Clay comes out of retirement on a one-man mission of vengeance. This brings him into contact with a former CIA director (Jeremy Irons) and an arrogant tech CEO (Josh Hutcherson).
Watch "The Beekeeper" on Prime Video now
“Oppenheimer” (2023)
Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” has been a mainstay of the Prime Video top 10 since its debut in June, and that’s not looking likely to change anytime soon. Frankly, it deserves to hold a spot in the Amazon-owned streaming service’s top 10 list permanently, as it’s not only my favorite movie of 2023, but also the director’s magnum opus. And that’s some praise considering this is the filmmaker behind “Interstellar”, “Inception” and “The Dark Knight”.
In this epic historical drama, Cillian Murphy plays the eponymous Robert J. Oppenheimer, an American theoretical physicist and the leader of the Manhattan Project, which resulted in the creation of the first atomic bomb. However, while creating a nuclear weapon was judged by many to be Oppenheimer’s greatest achievement, this biopic explores the traumatic fallout of bringing such a destructive force into the world. The movie also features Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh and Matt Damon, all giving awards-calibre performances.
Watch "Oppenheimer" on Prime Video now
“Top Gun: Maverick” (2022)
Glen Powell has been teasing “Top Gun 3” during the “Twisters” press tour so it’s no surprise to see “Top Gun: Maverick” enjoying a fresh wave of popularity in response. The high-flying blockbuster has been on Prime Video for some 15 months, but it remains one of the best movies on the service, and I can confirm that it’s just as thrilling on the second (and third) watch as it was the first time you saw it. Though, I do wish I could experience it in theaters again. While my home setup is reasonably solid, it cannot match the immersion of a proper cinema.
The rare “legacy sequel” that surpasses the original, this 2022 followup to the 1986 classic, sees Tom Cruise once again don the aviator shades to play Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a roguishly charming navy pilot. After pushing the rules a little too close to breaking point, he’s assigned to instruct a group of promising young pilots for a special mission that may prove impossible. While getting to grips with teaching, he’s forced to confront his tragic past when he meets Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the hotheaded son of his deceased best friend
Watch "Top Gun: Maverick" on Prime Video now
Prime Video top 10 movies right now
- "My Spy: The Eternal City" (2024)
- "Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black" (2024)
- "The Beekeeper" (2024)
- "Due Justice" (2023)
- "Space Cadet" (2024)
- "My Spy" (2020)
- "The Magnificent Seven" (2016)
- "Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
- "Oppenheimer" (2023)
- Top Gun: Maverick" (2022)
