In the streaming era, you’re unlikely to ever find yourself without something to watch. That can be a comfort, but it can also make the actual choice you have to make feel like more of a burden.
If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through Amazon Prime Video with a pit in your stomach as you slowly realize you might never actually pick something to watch, then we’ve got the perfect solution. We’ve grabbed three movies that are each worth your time, no matter what you might be looking for:
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, and the best shows on Disney+.
Starship Troopers (1997)
One of the greatest satires of military culture ever made, Starship Troopers is set in the 23rd century and follows a group of young recruits who become entrenched in a war against arachnids who they are told threaten humanity’s existence. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the movie is a remarkable examination of how soldiers are bred to believe what they are told and of the way military conflict sands all of the complexities of warfare.
The movie was not fully embraced upon its release because it was unclear whether Verhoven was in on the joke. As the years have gone on, though, it’s become abundantly clear that he is.
You can watch Starship Troopers on Amazon Prime Video.
Poor Things (2023)
Perhaps the greatest performance from a career littered with great performances, Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter is the main reason to watch Poor Things. The movie tells the story of an adult woman with the brain of a baby who slowly discovers the world and comes to understand both its joys and its horrors.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos has a truly singular vision, and Poor Things may be the movie that best exemplifies it. The movie is weird, hilarious, and, at times, deeply moving. These emotions are embodied in Stone’s utterly committed and frequently hilarious central performance.
You can watch Poor Things on Amazon Prime Video.
Escape From New York (1981)
Director John Carpenter’s late 1970s and early 1980s run is up there with the best ever from a director, and Escape From New York is one of its crowning achievements. Set in a dystopian future where the island of Manhattan has been converted into a prison, the movie follows Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, a former special forces operative recruited to rescue the president when he finds himself trapped on the island.
Made for a remarkably small budget, Escape From New York is a marvel of production design, a movie that makes you feel like you’re living in a fascinating, terrifying apocalypse.
You can watch Escape From New York on Amazon Prime Video.
