Amazon Prime Is Loading Up With Great Movies And Shows
Amazon Prime Video tries to maintain a balance of genres to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, and the service adds new content all the time. June 2024 is no different. Not even including the great Prime Video-exclusive content the streamer is launching this summer, June is filled with dozens of excellent films and series coming to Prime, most of which can't be streamed anywhere else.
While there's a lot to choose from, some shows and films stand out as something that many people are looking forward to, so if you've been on the fence about streaming the latest Christopher Nolan movie or a new season of your favorite show, now may be the time to check out Amazon Prime. (This list only applies to U.S. Prime. The service offers different content in every country.)
While there are many great options to choose from, these films and TV shows stand out as some of the best offerings Amazon Prime made available or is making available in June 2024. Whether you love K-dramas, star-studded biopics, or military thrillers, there's something for everyone in Amazon Prime's latest offerings.
Zero Dark Thirty
Director Kathryn Bigelow blew audiences away in 2008 with best picture Oscar winner "The Hurt Locker," and in 2012, she followed suit with "Zero Dark Thirty." The film tells the story of the manhunt for the infamous terrorist Osama bin Laden, culminating with the mission that ultimately took him down. The film centers on Maya (Jessica Chastain), a CIA analyst tasked with finding al-Qaeda's leader.
The film details Maya's mission, which takes nearly a decade of following leads that go nowhere amidst interrogations with spies, surprise attacks, and much more. The film's final set piece details the raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, and it's filmed in such a way as to place the viewer right inside the action.
"Zero Dark Thirty" didn't receive as many accolades as "The Hurt Locker," but it's no slouch in that area either. The film received five Academy Award nominations, winning one for best achievement in sound editing. It tells an amazing story, though much of "Zero Dark Thirty" is fictionalized — including Maya, who isn't based on a real person involved in the manhunt.
The Last Castle
Out of the tons of films on Amazon Prime, there are a number that came and went without much fanfare. "The Last Castle" is one such film: it first hit theaters in 2001, but didn't gain a foothold in popular culture, so almost nobody saw it. "The Last Castle" features an all-star cast, led by Robert Redford as Lt. Gen. Eugene Irwin and James Gandolfini as prison commandant Col. Winter.
Irwin is court-martialed for disobeying presidential orders, resulting in the deaths of eight soldiers under his command. When he arrives at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, he meets the prison's commandant, Winter. Though Winter at first greets the lieutenant general with enthusiasm, the two men eventually butt heads, leading to a confrontation between the prison's staff and the prisoners led by Irwin.
There are excellent action sequences and intriguing characters, especially Irwin, who takes a stand in violation of authority in much the same way that landed him in prison in the first place. The all-star cast includes Mark Ruffalo and Delroy Lindo. If you missed this movie upon release, it's definitely worth your time — especially if you like non-combat military movies.
Hackers
Many 1980s and '90s movies centered around computers are very much products of their time. The narrative of "WarGames" wouldn't work using modern telecommunications, and hacking doesn't look anything like it does in "Hackers," which is available to watch on Amazon Prime. The film is definitely of its era technologically, while also being a quintessential '90s movie.
While it's not a realistic depiction of hacking, it is an entertaining portrayal of '90s youth counterculture. "Hackers" features an eclectic cast, including Jonny Lee Miller as "Zero Cool" and Angelina Jolie as "Acid Burn." They're joined by Matthew Lillard, Lorraine Bracco, Felicity Huffman, and a hilarious Penn Jillette as a corporate security anti-hacking expert.
Much of the film's story centers around hacking culture with a little conflict mixed in to keep it exciting. While not Jolie's greatest film by any margin, "Hackers" is a fun escape into the world of 1990s hacking. It's one of those movies that hasn't aged well for a variety of reasons, but every so often, a film like that almost demands that you watch it. Check "Hackers" out if you're a Jolie fan or just want to watch something fun and entertaining.
The K2
K-dramas — television series from South Korea — have taken over pop culture in their home country and beyond. As time passes, K-dramas are becoming more and more popular with Western audiences, which makes sense, as they're objectively well-made and compelling stories. While there are several places to stream K-dramas, many aren't available yet in the West, but the ones that are accessible are typically the best of the bunch.
"The K2" is one such K-drama, which first came out in 2016. While the series consists of only 16 episodes, it tells a complete story that centers around Kim Je-ha (Ji Chang-wook), a former mercenary for PMC Blackstone. While serving in Iraq, Je-ha is framed for killing his civilian lover and escapes to South Korea, where he becomes a bodyguard for Choi Yoo-jin (Song Yoon-ah).
The series introduces a slew of intriguing characters whose lives all interconnect, and there's plenty of drama throughout. All 16 episodes will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime on June 30, and not only is it an amazing series, but it's also a great gateway through which to break into K-dramas if you're unfamiliar with them — but be warned that once you get hooked, you'll likely fall down a K-drama rabbit hole.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
There are hundreds of entertaining road trip films, including one simply called "Road Trip." Many feature unusual characters in unique settings, but few compare to the likes of "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." The 1994 Australian comedy follows the story of two drag queens and a transgender woman trekking across the Australian Outback.
Their journey takes them from Sydney to Alice Springs as they ride their tour bus named "Priscilla." They encounter all kinds of people along the way and find themselves in unusual situations as they make their way to Lasseters Hotel Casino Resort on the other side of the country. The goal is to make it there so Mitzi Del Bra (Hugo Weaving) can perform at the casino, and his friends are there to help him along the way.
"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" features an interesting cast, including Weaving and Guy Pearce as drag queens and Terence Stamp as a recently transitioned woman. On top of the cast delivering excellent performances, the film's costumes are extraordinary, winning the Academy Award for best costume design.
The Godzilla franchise
Godzilla has been a mainstay of feature films coming out of Japan since the 1950s, and the franchise has never been stronger. While there are dozens of movies featuring everyone's favorite atomic fire-breathing kaiju, not all of them are easy to find in the States. Fortunately, Amazon Prime has you covered, with eight Toho-produced films from the '90s and 2000s.
Each of these eight "Godzilla" flicks now available on Prime Video has something fun and entertaining to offer, including "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla," "Godzilla Vs. Destroyah," "Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla II," "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus: The G Annihilation Strategy," "Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla," "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack," "Godzilla: Final Wars," and "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S."
Every "Godzilla" movie adds an intriguing new monster or element to the franchise, and these eight movies available on Prime are among the best in the big lizard's 70-year run. "All-Out Attack" is a reboot of the franchise, functioning as a direct sequel to the 1954 film that brought Godzilla to the silver screen. While several films landing on Prime premiered in 1999, this is a perfect film to start with if you want to catch up on what Godzilla was up to in the 2000s.
Untold Stories of the ER
Medical drama series have been a part of television for much of its long history. There have been any number of amazing shows centered around doctors, nurses, EMTs, and other healthcare professionals, with several of them based on real-life stories. While shows like "House, M.D.," "Grey's Anatomy," and "ER" focus on the medicine and go into detail about the characters' lives, there's another series that's a different take on the genre.
"Untold Stories of the ER" is a docudrama that tells true stories from emergency rooms — and it's amazing television. The series premiered in 2004, running for 15 seasons and 157 episodes before concluding in 2020. The first 10 seasons arrived on Amazon Prime via Freevee, and they're definitely worth your time.
The series features some of the craziest stories doctors could possibly tell, and many seem flat-out unbelievable. The actual doctors appear on the show, reenacting the stories that they narrate, but that's not all. The patients are often the actual patients from the stories as well, giving the show a ton of authenticity. That said, some elements are added for dramatization purposes, and the acting isn't always great. Despite this, it's a riveting watch and an excellent escape for fans of medical shows.
No Country for Old Men
Joel and Ethan Coen's work has entertained the masses for decades, and they have tons of incredible movies on their resumes. From "Raising Arizona" and "Fargo" to "The Big Lebowski" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", the Coen brothers have told intriguing and innovative stories for years. "No Country for Old Men" is no exception, and it's arguably the duo's greatest film to date. It won four Oscars in 2008, including best picture and best director for the Coens.
Based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, the film is set in Texas in 1980 and follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a man who stumbles across a bag filled with cash in the desert. Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is tasked with finding the money and killing whoever took it, taking Moss on a roundabout trip as he tries to avoid the hit man tailing him while protecting his wife and trying to survive with the $2 million intact.
Things don't go according to plan — at least, not for the protagonist. The movie ends with some ambiguity, leaving the audience to analyze what happened. Through it all, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) investigates and ponders on the nature of humankind, as he attempts to uncover the truth of what happened in this brilliant story featuring top-tier talent.
Oppenheimer
If you somehow slept through 2023's "Barbenheimer" cultural phenomenon and didn't see Christopher Nolan's brilliant biopic about the Father of the Atomic Bomb, Amazon Prime has you covered, with the film hitting the service on June 18. "Oppenheimer" is a brilliant thriller depicting how Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) worked tirelessly to establish a research agency and direct scientists in the Manhattan Project.
"Oppenheimer" had a long road to development, as the story hadn't been told in a feature film since 1989's "Fat Man and Little Boy." The film details Oppenheimer's life and the development of the bomb. After the war, the film continues telling Oppenheimer's story in a security clearance hearing that becomes a courtroom drama as, thanks to his Communist connections in the United States, Oppenheimer is vilified and investigated.
The film was nominated for a plethora of awards and won many, including best picture and six other Academy Awards. While the acting is impressive and both Murphy and co-star Robert Downey Jr. took home golden statues, the visual effects depicting a nuclear detonation practically without any CGI is a truly awesome spectacle to behold, hammering home the significance and awe-inspiring horror of the first atomic bomb.
Superbad
"Superbad" is one of those movies that made an immediate impact on popular culture when it came out. Even if you've never seen the film, odds are you've heard the name "McLovin" at some point since this memorable comedy hit cineplexes in 2007. "Superbad" tells the story of Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), two high school best friends determined to lose their virginity before they graduate. Seth Rogen co-wrote the script with friend and regulator collaborator Evan Goldberg, basing it loosely on their own high school experience. Rogen appears as a police officer in the film.
The cast of "Superbad" features plenty of stars, many of whom went on to have impressive careers: Bill Hader, Dave Franco, Emma Stone, Joe Lo Truglio, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are just a few of the actors who have roles here. The film is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video in 4K UHD, so you can enjoy all the gags in ultra high definition. This teen comedy is definitely worth watching for the first or fiftieth time, as "Superbad" is one of those movies that is timeless despite (or perhaps because of, depending on your taste) its crass, gross-out content.
Las Vegas
For decades, James Caan dominated the silver screen with memorable performances in the likes of "The Godfather," "A Bridge Too Far," and "Misery." One area of entertainment he hadn't really tackled was television, but that changed in 2003 with the NBC dramedy "Las Vegas," which ran for 106 episodes across five seasons.
Caan plays ex-CIA officer Ed Deline, who is now the head of security at the Montecito Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. He and his subordinate, Danny McCoy (Josh Duhamel), take center stage as they and the other employees at the casino get involved in a variety of situations, including romantic affairs, corporate buyouts, internal and external conflicts, and even murder.
"Las Vegas" is one of those shows that came and went with some fanfare, but if you missed it at the time, you've probably never seen it. Fortunately, Amazon Prime Video has got you covered, as all five seasons are available to stream. While the series is a great watch, be warned: The show was prematurely canceled due to low ratings, so some of the storylines went unresolved.
Bram Stoker's Dracula
If there's one thing Hollywood isn't short of, it's movies about Dracula. There have been plenty of feature films centered on everyone's favorite bloodsucker, and while many are excellent, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is arguably the best. The film features an impeccable cast consisting of Gary Oldman as the titular vampire, Winona Ryder as Mina Harker, Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker, and Anthony Hopkins as Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
"Bram Stoker's Dracula" isn't entirely faithful to the book, but it's still fantastically entertaining. Francis Ford Coppola directed the movie, relying on practical effects, brilliant costumes, and amazing makeup to bring Dracula and his minions to life on the silver screen. The film was nominated for several accolades, winning many of them, including three Academy Awards for best costume design, sound editing, and makeup.
Oldman is on fire as Dracula, and he's not alone in that department. Everyone brought their A-game to the production, making "Bram Stoker's Dracula" one of the greatest adaptations of the classic horror novel ever put to film. You can catch it on Amazon Prime Video, and it's definitely worth the two-hour runtime, even if you're not a huge fan of vampires — the performances are that good.
Melting Me Softly
The Korean show "Melting Me Softly" was added to Amazon's streaming library in June 2024, and it's a must-watch for K-drama fans. The series revolves around Ma Dong-chan (Ji Chang-wook) and Go Mi-ran (Won Jin-ah), who participate in a 24-hour cryogenics experiment, but things don't go according to plan. Instead of waking up the next day, they're revived after 20 years, and that's not the only problem.
It turns out that the freezing process is actually pretty dangerous, so to mitigate the side effects, they must keep their body temperatures at around 91 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain a steady heart rate. Of course, it's not that simple. Why? Because the only person who knows this is a scientist who's lost his memory after an accident.
Dong-chan and Mi-ran find themselves in a struggle to survive as they attempt to overcome the side effects of the experiment while also trying to find a way to live in a world that skipped them by. It's a fascinating story that unfolds across 16 gripping episodes. "Melting Me Softly" originally aired in 2019 and is now available for your viewing pleasure on Amazon Prime Video.
Dawn of the Dead
It was director George A. Romero who first unleashed zombie movies as we know them today onto unsuspecting moviegoers with 1968's "Night of the Living Dead," and the genre continues to thrive to this day. In 2004, director Zack Snyder helmed a remake of Romero's 1978 film "Dawn of the Dead," with updates to make it more palatable for modern audiences. The screenplay was written by fellow future DC director James Gunn.
"Dawn of the Dead" is Snyder's highest-rated directorial effort on Rotten Tomatoes, and for a good reason — it's excellent. The film features an ensemble cast that makes up a small group of survivors holed up in a shopping mall. While inside the mall, they deal with a variety of threats, both dead and alive. Internal conflicts quickly arise, leading to deadly results for the band of survivors.
The film differs from the original in that it features so-called "fast zombies" that run full-tilt as opposed to the shambling ones from earlier zombie flicks. This adds a level of complexity to surviving a zombie outbreak, and this version of "Dawn of the Dead" is extra scary as a result. It's an excellent watch if you're already familiar with zombie movies, but it also serves as a great introduction.