Besides its slate of original shows like “Daisy Jones & the Six,” “Swarm,” and “The Power,” Prime Video’s March selection has plenty of films in the rotation, including Oscar contender “Top Gun: Maverick” and two films starring Keke Palmer — “Akeelah and the Bee” and Jordan Peele’s sci-fi thriller “Nope” — that show the actress at different points in her acting career.
If you’re looking for a thriller, “Nerve” starring Dave Franco and Emma Roberts promises an adrenaline-filled adventure. And those that miss the late Robin Williams can get a glimpse into one of his Oscar-winning roles alongside young Matt Damon.
Let us help narrow down your choices with our picks for the best new movies on Amazon Prime Video in March 2023.
“Good Will Hunting” (1997)
The trifecta of Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and the late Robin Williams makes this R-rated Oscar-winning drama a must watch. Damon plays Will Hunting, who has the IQ of an MIT student but works as a janitor at the school. Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) witnesses Damon’s intelligence after the young man solves a complicated math equation written on the chalkboard in a graduate-level class. Will gets arrested for attacking a police officer, and Lambeau helps him out once he agrees to see therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) who gets through to Hunting and helps him realize his deeper emotions. Damon and Affleck won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar and Williams won Best Supporting Actor for his stirring performance.
“Akeelah and the Bee” (2006)
Keke Palmer wins over hearts as young Akeelah Anderson, whose affinity for words and spelling gets her noticed by Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne). Larrabee takes on Akeelah and tutors her, training her to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Her best friend Javier (J.R. Villareal) encourages her to have some fun while her stiffest competitor Dylan (Sean Michael Afable) practices and studies nonstop. Check this one out if you want a look at Keke Palmer’s early career or to get lost in the wonderful world of words through spelling, scrabble and Akeelah’s iconic notebook where she keeps track of every new word she learns.
“Creed” and “Creed II”
With “Creed III” out in theaters, Prime Video has you covered if you need a refresher on the franchise’s plot. In the first film, former heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) mentors Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. The second film watches Adonis face down Ivan Drago, who killed his father Apollo, and fights his son Viktor Drago. If you’re left wanting more of Rocky’s (Sylvester Stallone) back story, all of the “Rocky” films are available on Prime Video this month as well.
“Nerve” (2016)
Emma Roberts and Dave Franco star as Vee and Ian in “Nerve” (2016), a film about an interactive video game in which anonymous viewers suggest dares for contestants to perform. Successful performance of a dare gets the player money, and the riskier the dare, the larger the sum. Vee and Ian find themselves competing for the grand prize, taking on dares more adrenaline-filled than the last. Plus, co-stars Miles Heizer and Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) appear as Tommy and Ty. Viewers looking for an escape will find an immersive experience in this movie.
“The Silent Twins”
“The Silent Twins” becomes available to stream March 7. Based on the true story and book by Marjorie Wallace, Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrence portray June and Jennifer Gibbons, respectively. The identical twin sisters hail from the only Black family in Wales, and they refuse to communicate to anyone but each other. What results is a hauntingly beautiful bond, accompanied by colorful imaginative scenes thought up by the girls. The pair become sentenced to psychiatric hospital Broadmoor after a few instances of vandalism. At the institution, they face the difficult decision of separating in order to live or remaining intertwined in a death sentence. Other cast members include Jodhi May, Michael Smiley, Jack Bandeira, Treva Etienne, Nadine Marshall and Tony Richardson.
“Nope” (2022)
Flash forward 16 years and you can watch grown-up Keke Palmer in Jordan Peele’s latest sci-fi horror “Nope” alongside Daniel Kaluuya, Brandon Perea and Barbie Ferreira. OJ Haywood (Kaluuya) and his sister Emerald (Palmer) and their horses are terrorized by a mysterious UFO that camouflages as a cloud to hide in plain sight. Ricky ‘Jupe’ Park (Steven Yeun) runs theme park Jupiter’s Claim nearby. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat as this suspenseful thriller sinks its teeth into your psyche. You’ll have adrenaline rushing until the very end. “Nope” becomes available to stream March 21.
“Top Gun: Maverick”
Talk about emotion and adrenaline wrapped up in one — the long-awaited “Top Gun: Maverick” is a feel-good film and must-watch. Steven Spielberg told Tom Cruise that “Maverick” saved movie theaters and Hollywood. Cruise returns as pivotal pilot Pete Mitchell, alongside Val Kilmer as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. Young pilots bring fresh blood and energy to the franchise, with Miles Teller carrying on Anthony Edwards’ legacy as Goose’s son Rooster. Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Danny Ramirez, Jay Ellis, Greg Tarzan Davis, Lewis Pullman and more flock to Fighter Town, USA to train under Maverick in a nearly impossible mission. “Top Gun: Maverick” lands on Prime Video March 24.
