With more than 10,000 movies available to watch from the 2010s, Amazon Prime has more films from the era than any other streaming service. It makes sense given that they have more films than any other platform in general. As is often the case, it’s not really about how many movies are available though, it’s about the quality.
Thankfully, Amazon Prime has such a wide variety that some of the best from the decade are there. That includes indie darlings, award winners, some of their own original pictures, and it all comes together for a unique blend featuring some of Hollywood’s top stars.
The Love Witch (95%)
When mentioning the most unique films on Amazon Prime, it’s hard not to point to 2016’s The Love Witch. That’s because this movie is a comedy, horror, fantasy, and tragedy all wrapped up into one. Anna Biller is the mastermind behind it, acting as writer, director, composer, costume designer, and more.
The Love Witch tells the story of a modern day witch who uses various spells and her magical abilities to get men to fall for her, though it never seems to go right. It was praised for the take it delivers on the battle of the sexes and how it paid tribute to horror flicks from the 1960s.
Ida (96%)
There have been some tremendous foreign language films over the years that get overlooked by far too many people. For whatever the reason might be, 2013’s Ida is one of those movies but those who have given it a chance consider it to be a true gem.
Set in the early 1960s in Poland, it centers on a young woman preparing to become a nun. After being orphaned during World War II, she discovers that she’s actually Jewish, which sends her on a trip to find out more about her family’s history. It won the 2014 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Paterson (96%)
Although he first broke out on HBO’s Girls and then became a household name as Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Adam Driver shined in several indie flicks. The most well-received could arguably be Paterson, which won the Palm Dog Award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
The premise of Paterson is actually quite simple, focusing on the titular bus driver and the various things that he experiences throughout his daily commute. The performance of Driver was hailed, while director Jim Jarmusch also added another feather to his cap.
Manchester By The Sea (96%)
Premiering at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, Manchester by the Sea wowed pretty much every viewer who saw it. There’s a reason it scored a Best Picture nod at the Oscars, while also earning victories for Best Actor (Casey Affleck) and Best Original Screenplay, among other nominations.
Manchester by the Sea really tugs on the audience’s emotions. The story follows a man who lost his family in a fire he blames himself for and is then entrusted to take care of his teenage nephew after his brother dies. With a supporting cast including Michelle Williams and Kyle Chandler, nearly everyone delivered a great performance.
Knives Out (97%)
Some passionate fans may have been upset with Rian Johnson after he helmed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but he remains one of the best directors in Hollywood. A big bit of proof for that statement was how incredible 2019’s Knives Out was, which he both wrote and directed.
The film works as an ode to classic whodunit flicks of the past as it sees a charismatic detective investigate a wealthy family after the death of the patriarch. The twists and turns were praised, as was the fantastic cast that included Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and others. It scored a Best Original Screenplay nod at the Academy Awards.
Blow The Man Down (98%)
Like the previous entry, this was a film that didn’t arrive until the very tail end of the decade. Blow the Man Down immediately stood out because of the way that it expertly blended the thriller aspects of its story with some absurd comedy.
First shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019, it then premiered on Amazon Prime in 2020. The plot follows two young girls as they attempt to cover up the death of a man who tried to harm them, which sends them down an unexpected path of their town’s shocking criminal world.
Short Term 12 (98%)
2013’s Short Term 12 is a fantastic movie to look at regarding the future stars of Hollywood. The cast features eventual Oscar winners (Brie Larson and Rami Malek), breakout performers (Stephanie Beatriz, Kaitlyn Dever, and Lakeith Stanfield), and an MCU director (Destin Daniel Cretton).
Short Term 12 takes place in a group home for teenagers who have been neglected for various reasons. The entire story is gripping and emotionally charged while being filled with phenomenal performances. Many view it as one of the best films of the decade.
The Big Sick (98%)
It’s often a good idea to draw from true life experiences to tell a great story on the big screen. In the case of 2017’s The Big Sick, that’s certainly how it goes. The plot is pulled straight from actor Kumail Nanjiani’s romance with his wife Emily V. Gordon, who penned the script with him.
In it, a couple from different backgrounds fall in love only for the woman to mysteriously become ill. With her in the hospital, he must interact with her confused parents. This Amazon Prime original was lauded for being heartfelt, witty, well-written, and featuring great lead performances.
The Farewell (98%)
A24 is one of the hottest production companies in the world, putting out fantastically received films at almost every turn. One of their best, which is saying something, was 2019’s The Farewell. Based on the real experiences of writer/director Lulu Wang, it was both a critical and commercial success.
The Farewell tells the tale of a Chinese family that finds out the grandmother only has a short time left to live and decides not to tell her about it. At the center of it all is Billi, who wants to reveal the truth. Awkwafina’s performance earned her a Golden Globe and the film was met with widespread acclaim.
Leave No Trace (100%)
It’s difficult to get a 100% certified rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, 2018’s Leave No Trace managed to pull off that feat with over 200 reviews and not a single negative one. The film follows a father and his teen daughter who live in the wilderness only for a mistake to separate them.
The heartfelt tale was a huge hit with critics, as were the performances of Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie. In fact, this was the true breakout for McKenzie ahead of her shining role in Jojo Rabbit. The lowkey approach from director Debra Granik was just what this needed.
