The 15 best films coming to Prime Video in March

After the Peacock streaming app scored Jordan Peel’s third feature, Nope, many people chose to use their free trial to see the film, which had done pretty well in theaters (estimated at $171 million), but not nearly as well as Us (estimated at $256 million in 2019) or Get Out (estimated at $255 million in 2017). Nope is a fine film and deserves a wider audience. Luckily Prime Video is there for just that. Nope, Peele’s most accessible film, centers on an African-American family of horse trainers for Hollywood films, a tradition which they note goes all the way back to the advent of moving pictures. When patriarch Otis Haywood Sr. (Keith David) dies in a mysterious way, it’s up to truculent son Otis Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya) and flaky daughter Emerald (Keke Palmer) to keep the lights on at the ranch. Otis Jr., or O.J., decides to start selling off a few of the family’s horses to Jupe Park (Steven Yuen), the owner of a nearby Old West theme park who is also a cult favorite child star for all the wrong reasons. From there, a mystery unfolds and the Haywoods team up with a Fry’s Electronics clerk (Brandon Perea) and a Herzogian cinematographer (Michael Wincott) as the movie morphs into Jaws with UFOs.

Let’s be honest. When the trailer for 2015’s Rocky Balboa universe film Creed dropped, you were thinking, “This couldn’t possibly go well.” Featuring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, the now adult son of legendary Balboa opponent turned bestie Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), he’s taking his severe case of daddy issues to the ring to follow in the footsteps of the father he never knew. Also starring an aged Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, who did fans right by sending his character out with 2006’s surprisingly great Rocky Balboa, Creed had all the earmarks of a bunch of people wringing the last few dollars out of a beat down franchise. What folks didn’t count on was the outstanding work by then-up-and-coming filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who directed and co-wrote the script, nor the breakout performances by both Jordan and Tessa Thompson as Bianca, young Creed’s love interest. Creed fired on all cylinders, creating a vibrant and emotional moviegoing experience that made believers out of the naysayers. How’s that for meta?

As noted, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) never got to know his world famous boxing champion father, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) because as we (spoiler alert!) saw in the events of 1985’s Rocky IV, Creed is killed by a cheap shot during an exhibition bout with Soviet boxing badass Ivan “The Siberian Express” Drago (Dolph Lundgren). What better way for 2018’s Creed II to stir up emotions than by having Adonis look to avenge his father by boxing Drago’s son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu)? As with 2015’s Creed, haters were again out to hate on the film as trying to ruin a good thing. Plus, co-writer/director Ryan Coogler had zero to do with the sequel, helmed instead by Steven Caple Jr., a relative unknown. Stallone took on co-writing tasks alongside Juel Taylor and the end results were … mixed. It was undoubtedly difficult to recapture the lighting-in-a-bottle that was Creed, but to think MGM and New Line wouldn’t at least try is just plain silly. Creed II is notable for allowing closure for both Adonis Creed and his mentor, Rocky Balboa. But therein lies the problem; we all know the best trilogies put the lead character at a crossroads and now the upcoming Creed III has its work cut out for itself. That being said, it was a wise move for Prime Video to roll both films out as Creed III hits theaters this March.

It’s always a fun debate to try and choose which adaptation of a Stephen King novel is the best one. Heck, it’s also fun to debate which one is the worst. Yet a real underdog in that conversation is David Cronenberg’s 1983 adaptation of one of King’s best early novels, The Dead Zone. Christopher Walken stars as Johnny Smith, an everyman who’s living an idyllic life in good ol’ Castle Rock, Maine, before a horrible car accident puts him into a coma for five years. In that time he learns his love interest Sarah (Brooke Adams) has moved on, married, and had a child. And, oh yeah, Johnny is now endowed with psychic powers that allow him to see people’s past, present, and future merely by touching them. At first, Johnny tries to use his powers for good by helping the local sheriff (Tom Skeritt) catch a local serial killer. But when word gets out about his powers, Johnny retreats to a reclusive lifestyle before happenstance reintroduces him to Sarah, who’s out stumping for an up-and-coming politician named Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen). The Dead Zone is a solid sci-fi thriller that, although a bit uneven, never fails to satisfy. Walken is at his best as the troubled Johnny and sadly, Martin Sheen’s Stillson became a terrifying avatar of modern day politicians who may not have the world’s best interests at heart.

Speaking of outstanding adaptations of early Stephen King works, Brian De Palma did right by the author with 1976’s faithful, sad, funny, and scary version of Carrie, King’s first published novel. The story revolves around Carrie White (an Oscar-nominated Sissy Spacek), a meek and strange teenage girl who lives with her religious zealot mother Margaret (Piper Laurie, also Oscar-nominated). Even though she tries to stay under the radar, escaping the wrath of the high school mean girls is impossible and Carrie soon finds herself at the heart of a horrible bullying incident, one that kicks off the film. P.E. teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley) tries to lend support, but it seems the more people try to help Carrie out of her shell, the worse things become for her. Like a train headed off a cliff, Carrie marches towards the school’s senior prom. If you don’t know what happens there, you should probably push away that rock you’ve been living under. De Palma does a superb job hitting all the right melodramatic notes of awkward adolescence, ending in the ultimate payoff. Carrie is the kind of film you can get something new from each time you watch it—and is a must-see if you haven’t.

Quentin Tarantino hit the nail on the head when, in discussing some of the influences for his 2019 film Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood, he name checked 1993’s amazing Dazed And Confused as a favorite “hang out movie.” That is to say, it’s the kind of movie where, you guessed it, a bunch of characters just kind of hang out over a short period of time. Indeed, Richard Linklater’s film, influenced by the memories of his teenage years, is so well steeped in that nostalgic feeling that even people who didn’t grow up in the ’70s feel like they did.

The film kicks off on the last day of school for a group of high schoolers in Austin, Texas, circa 1976. All attend (or, in the case of Matthew McConaughey’s character Wooderson, recently attended) Lee High School. The incoming seniors can’t wait to haze the incoming freshman, including Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins), who might just be cooler than the average freshman. It would take far too long to list every character in Dazed And Confused and even longer to call to mind each great scene, memorable line, or terrible haircut. It’s a flat-out masterpiece that captures the fear and energy of youth without denying the sadness inherent in having to grow up.

In 2011, filmmaker J.J. Abrams was riding high on a successful TV producing run—followed by a pretty great 2009 Star Trek reboot that many weren’t expecting to be any good at all. Whispers of Abrams being “the next Spielberg” became screams when Abrams ripped off his shirt to reveal an “I Love Steven Spielberg” chest tattoo in the form of Super 8, which Spielberg produced. While many consider the film to be too much of a ripoff to be taken seriously, others felt the homage was fair and had nice Abrams touches (aside from his signature light flares).

The film is set in the late 1970s in a small town where a group of friends, led by teenager Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney), are making a zombie movie on a Super 8 camera. One night, while filming at a train station in the sticks, they witness a catastrophic train crash. The group narrowly escapes the crash, but they soon discover that it was no accident. As strange(r) things begin to happen in their town, the military tries to cover up the crash and search for something that escaped from one of the train cars. A fun, family friendly thriller, Super 8 is one of those “Ohh yeah, I did like that ...” movies that’s always a nice way to spend a few hours. Elle Fanning is stellar as the cool girl everyone’s crushing on, while Kyle Chandler as the town deputy and Joe’s dad is always strong in these put-upon-leader type roles.

It’s hard to believe, but 1997’s Good Will Hunting just celebrated its 25th birthday. Yet it never seems to get old. The Oscar-winning writing pair of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star in this tale of rough-around-the-edges Boston guys Will (Damon) and Chuckie (Affleck), well on their way to dead-end jobs and alcoholic futures. Although Will is actually ridiculously intelligent, he hides it for the sake of his rough-and-tumble image and neighborhood.

One night while making his janitorial rounds at MIT, Will decides to solve a seemingly impossible math equation in the classroom of the school’s most difficult math teacher, Gerald Lambeau (played by Stellan Skarsgård). Lambeau tries to help him reach his potential by arranging for him attempt to reach heights never before dreamed. But before they can get there, Will gets in some trouble and his traumatic, violent past emerges, earning him therapy sessions with Sean Maguire (Robin Williams, who earned his Academy Award here, as did Minnie Driver). The emotional rollercoaster, directed by Gus Van Sant, was a massive success both critically and at the box office. Bring the tissues for this one—both for the story and for remembering the loss of the wonderful Williams.

Flesh And Bone is a sneaky little gem from 1993 that you might have missed. It’s written and directed by Steve Kloves, before he decided to stick to screenwriting and hit it big with a terrific run of Harry Potter films and 2012’s somewhat unfairly maligned The Amazing Spider-Man. The film follows Arliss Sweeney (Dennis Quaid), a troubled, traumatized drifter (aren’t they all?) who makes a living selling used cars in the Southwest. He soon meets the lovely Kay (Meg Ryan) and, after bailing her out of a bad relationship, the two hit the road for some grifts and petty thieving. That’s where they meet fellow ne’er-do-well Ginnie, played by Gwyneth Paltrow in pretty much her first big movie role—and possibly one of her best. Flesh And Bone is a solid meditation on the recurring cycle of trauma and abuse, with a dusty, noir feel to it.

Stanley Kubrick directed Kirk Douglas in 1957’s Paths Of Glory, not only one of the greatest war films ever made, but a top-tier Kubrick entry. Based on Humphrey Cobb’s novel of the same name, the World War I tale centers on a group of French soldiers carrying out an impossible mission against an embedded and heavily armed German troop. After the mission fails, three of the soldiers are scapegoated for the failure and deemed to die at the hands of a firing squad. Colonel Dax (Douglas), the man in charge of this death wish mission, is chosen to defend his soldiers at their trial. He soon discovers the outright tragedy and unfairness of war and hypocrisy and corruption of the military establishment. Douglas is outstanding here, and the work by Kubrick as he follows Dax through realistic trenches and foxholes is teeth-chatteringly intense. Not to be forgotten is Wayne Morris as Lieutenant Morris, a real creep whose self-serving nature mirrors that of the military and is at the root of the impending trial. Paths Of Glory is an all-timer.

Sophia Coppola’s romantic drama Lost In Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, is the kind of movie you either get or you don’t. And that’s fine. It’s a mainstream art film that took the cinematic world by storm in 2003 for numerous reasons: it sprang from the mind of a notable female writer-director, Bill Murray got to drill down on his “sad sack” chops, and the world at large got to meet Scarlett Johansson.

It follows the story of Bob (Murray), a formerly popular American movie star, who travels to Tokyo to film a commercial for a whiskey company. He is staying at a luxurious hotel, where he is unable to sleep. In the same hotel, Charlotte (Johansson), a young woman accompanying her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi), is also feeling lonely and disconnected from her surroundings. She also can’t sleep. Bob and Charlotte start to run into each other and form an unlikely friendship. They spend their days exploring Tokyo and experiencing the culture shock, and their nights talking and drinking together. Does anything happen in Lost In Translation? Yes and no. It’s all about what you take away from the experience—and an experience is exactly what this film is.

Back in 1999, one of the oddest mainstream miracle films happened upon the world with Being John Malkovich. Renowned music video and commercial director Spike Jonze made the leap to the big screen with the feature film debut of the weird and brilliant Charlie Kaufman. What makes Being John Malkovich so great is that’s it’s smart, funny, and absolutely shouldn’t work on any level. But it does. The plot revolves around Craig Schwartz (John Cusack), a puppeteer who discovers a portal that leads directly into the mind of the actor John Malkovich (playing himself!). With the help of his friend and co-puppeteer, Maxine (Catherine Keener), and his wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz), Craig figures this could be a money-making operation, allowing people to pay a fee to enter the mind of John Malkovich. Once inside Malkovich’s mind, the person can only stay for 15 minutes before being ejected onto the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. From there, things get even more surrealistic and hilarious as Malkovich is everywhere … literally. What a joyously trippy film.

You know who’s been sadly passed over as the internet and world at large hurdle forward, barely hesitating to look back in a never-ending search for what’s next? The Marx Brothers. 1933’s Duck Soup is a great example of an excellent comedy featuring the glorious original incarnation of the Brothers Marx with Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo. Much like any great team, as time went on, new members came and went, but this was the original group.

Duck Soup is the crown jewel of the Marx Brothers’ outrageous brand of fast-talking slapstick comedy that remains steadfastly funny and clever nearly 100 years later. What’s the plot, you ask? It’s rather beside the point, but it revolves around Groucho being appointed the leader of the fictional, bankrupt country of Freedonia, which is in a battle with neighboring country Sylvania. Sylvania has the good fortune of not being bankrupt due to a wealthy businesswoman who’s propping it up. Look, again, the plot doesn’t really matter; Duck Soup is a wild and wonderful 68-minute gem that will leave everyone laughing. Also, where is the much overdue Marx Brothers revival?

Now that all-time great Jamie Lee Curtis has a supporting Oscar nod for her zany turn in this year’s Everything Everywhere All At Once, there’s no better time to revisit A Fish Called Wanda, one of her earliest comedic breakout roles as the titular character (who, sadly, is not a fish). Written by star John Cleese, the film is an homage to classic grifter comedies like The Ladykillers (1956) and Ocean’s Eleven (1960): group of hustlers looking to swindle someone soon finds they’re all pitted against one another. In the case of A Fish Called Wanda, we meet a British gang consisting of George (Tom Georgeson), Ken (Michael Palin), and Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis), who hook up with an American conman named Otto (an Oscar-winning Kevin Kline) to pull off a diamond heist. The Charles Crichton-directed film is pure slapstick, allowing the audience to enjoy likable, bad people doing crazy things that ultimately hurt their bottom line. A Fish Called Wanda is a hoot.

The late, great John Cassavetes made an indelible mark on cinema with films featuring ordinary people in very normal, personal situations. While his films always have a shaggy, off-the-cuff feel, a key to his greatness was his group of pals who also happened to be outstanding actors. Case in point: 1971’s Minnie And Moskowitz, starring Cassavetes’ wife and muse Gena Rowlands as Minnie Moore and Seymour Cassel as Seymour Moskowitz. Minnie is a bit of a flaky free spirit who works at an art museum, where she meets parking attendant Seymour. Audiences experience two people trying to sift through the tricky miasma of adulthood and all of its existential promises, failures, and successes; it proves thrilling to watch two dissatisfied people attempt to find love and compassion in the wreckage of unfulfilled middle-aged life. Yet by the end, Minnie And Moskowitz leaves you with a feeling of hope and poignancy, which speaks to the greatness of Cassavetes and his directorial career.