It’s a big weekend for at-home viewing, with the pre-“Avatar” Friday sending more notable films (“F1,” “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”) to streamers than theaters. If you want to keep the at-home viewings rolling, here are the three best movies you can check out on Prime Video this weekend.
“Challengers”
Oscar nominations aren’t everything, and many great films will live on in history without receiving awards love. Still, it’s a mystery how one of the best films of the decade (from an Oscar-recognized director and buzzy cast, no less) managed to blank at the Academy Awards.
There is no shortage of ways in which “Challengers” deserves heaps of praise. Luca Guadagnino’s direction, mixed with Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s electric cinematography and Marco Costa’s kinetic editing, makes this movie about tennis, sex and the intersection in between a riveting ride from the first moment to the last. Justin Kuritzkes’ screenplay is wholly enthralling, serving as a perfect vehicle for the leading trio of buzzy young actors: Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist in three exceptional turns.
“Challengers” is fun, clever and ridiculously enjoyable. Whether first watch or rewatch, it’s well worth considering for a weekend stream.
“Die Hard”
Let’s get one thing out of the way: we’re not doing the “Die Hard” Christmas debate. At this point, everyone has firmly dug their heels into their positions, and no one is gonna change their mind. It’s time to retire the bit.
That being said, if you are looking for something to stream this weekend on Prime Video, “Die Hard” should be one of your top choices — not because it does or doesn’t fall into some arbitrary holiday genre, but because every weekend is a good weekend to watch “Die Hard.”
John McTiernan’s skyscraper action flick is a masterclass in staging, editing (credit to Frank J. Urioste and John F. Link) and spatial awareness. In every moment of Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, you know exactly where John McClane is in relation to every character he’s attempting to free or foil. It’s a densely layered, perfectly structured story that reveals new details on every watch.
“The Night of the Hunter”
Three-time Best Actor nominee and one-time winner Charles Laughton directed a single film throughout his decades-long career: 1955’s “The Night of the Hunter.” After a mix of critical and commercial failure, Laughton would never again direct another feature.
It’s a real shame. “The Night of the Hunter” is a breathtaking, probing thriller with a powerhouse performance at its center from Robert Mitchum. Stanley Cortez’s camerawork is, at times, some of the most stunning ever put to film. Laughton’s debut is a classic through and through, one that has grown in estimation over the decades following a frankly baffling initial reception. We may only have one film from director Charles Laughton, but what a film it is.
