10 Best Movies to Watch on Prime Video Right Now (July 2026)

Cuckoo

That’s because, at the core of its conception, Cuckoo is a story of rebellion against the human compulsion to control nature, even while claiming to be its ally. The villains in the plot woven by Singer are men who, beneath all the talk of integrating with the natural world — even preserving it — hide a compulsive need to establish themselves as its masters: benevolent emperors who, despite all their good intentions, never give up their throne at the top of the food chain in a territory they see as limitless. Predators disguised as visionaries, cult leaders draped in performative humility… in short, wolves in sheep’s clothing, if you prefer the popular expression. Nothing could be more 1970s than that.

Shrek 2

Here I chose the second film because—although the first Shrek is a classic that broke barriers for Hollywood animation—there’s almost universal agreement that it’s the best in the franchise. Shrek 2 turns up both the tone and the frequency of the jokes, whether by poking fun at even more fairy-tale characters or leaning into all-time silliness (from the dinner table accusation scene to the Fairy Godmother’s musical number, there’s no shortage of unforgettable moments), while also giving surprising depth to the characters in a saga that began as pure satire. If Shrek 5 exists, it’s because of this chapter right here.

Wicked - Parts I and II

A box-office phenomenon and nominated for no fewer than 10 2025 Oscar statuettes, the musical directed by Jon M. Chu presents a thrilling alternate story to The Wizard of Oz, following the friendship between two witches (Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande) who would one day become bitter rivals. The production values are lavish—not for nothing did the first film win Best Production Design and Best Costume Design at the Oscars—the songs are excellent, and the leading duo handles both drama and comedy with effortless skill.

Heads of State

The cinematic truth of Heads of State is much simpler: Russian director Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry, Nobody) approaches this story with far more creative energy than Patricia Riggen brought to G20. Here, we follow the U.S. president (John Cena) and the British prime minister (Idris Elba), initially at odds, who must join forces to survive after Air Force One is brought down by a terrorist attack with unclear motives, right on the doorstep of an important NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) meeting. Despite the proximity of this international cooperation event, however, Heads of State is an expansive film, following its protagonists as they hop from country to country across Eastern Europe, trying to make it to the NATO meeting in Italy.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Winner of the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and one of the best superhero movies of all time—at least, on my list. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse features incredibly stylish animation, tells a genuinely touching story about growing up and finding where you belong, and uses the multiverse concept better than most other productions involving Marvel heroes. The excellent sequel, Across the Spider-Verse, is also well worth watching—but it all starts here.

Revenge

A great pick for hardcore fans of The Substance, another major title from the latest Oscars — because Revenge shares with the Demi Moore-starring film the name of French director Coralie Fargeat, who already introduced here much of the exaggerated stylization and body horror sensibility that would define her next movie. When the mistress of a rich man is abused by one of his partners in crime, she is left for dead by them in the desert… but manages to recover, of course, and sets out to exact the brutal revenge promised by the film’s title. Intense, pop, and cathartic.

Jupiter Ascending

A lesser work, but perhaps a bit underrated, from the Wachowskis (of The Matrix and Speed Racer). A space fantasy bursting with creativity about a young woman (Mila Kunis) who discovers she is the genetic heir to an intergalactic empire ruled with an iron fist by Balem (Eddie Redmayne, delightfully over-the-top in the most exaggerated performance of his career). Part fairy tale, part anti-capitalist critique, and entirely a Hollywood spectacle.

Dangerous Animals

Instead of offering a postmodern wink to the trash audience, it turns Dangerous Animals into a grimy, nasty B-horror movie that makes no apologies for it.

What’s more, the film is also striking in the unflinching way it approaches character portrayal. Playing the so-called “shark serial killer,” underrated Australian actor Jai Courtney—best known to Hollywood audiences as Captain Boomerang in Suicide Squad (2016)—follows the script’s lead and fully commits to an openly unpleasant character. His killer is a man without mystery, without sophistication, without some intricate trauma to make him appealing as a fictional creation.

Project Hail Mary

One of the most popular films of the season, Project Hail Mary follows Ryan Gosling's journey as science teacher Ryland Grance, a man who finds himself alone in a spaceship outside of Earth. He is, of course, tasked with the mission to figure out, completely alone, what is causing the sun to be a risk for humanity. 

Hedda

The role of Hedda Gabler, immortalized in the playwright Henrik Ibsen’s play of the same name, feels immediately at home in Tessa Thompson’s hands. Especially, it must be said, this version of Hedda Gabler. Something of a middle ground between the classic text and something like Bridgerton, Nia DaCosta’s adaptation exists in an almost impossible balance between the formal, ornate language of period dramas and the sharp, psychosexual energy of more contemporary stories about complicated relationships and interpersonal intrigue.