Welcome to a new week, folks. What shall we watch on Prime Video for movie night? As always, we’ve got some options for you.
This week, our list includes two films you probably didn’t get to theaters to see, if you’ve even heard of them, and one that you definitely did. But with all three, you’ll definitely recognize a lot of now-famous faces in them. So, let’s get right into it, shall we?
Here are the three best movies to watch on Prime Video this week.
Damsels in Distress
Back before she was directing massive hits like “Barbie” and “Little Women,” Greta Gerwig was — and still technically is — an actress. But, there’s probably a decent chance that “Damsels in Distress” has never cracked your radar, which is a shame.
The 2011 film stars Gerwig as Violet, the leader of a trio of girls who set out to change the male-dominated environment of their college campus, and “to rescue their fellow students from depression, grunge and low standards of every kind.” These girls are definitely arrogant, and know they’re better than you, but they have legitimately good intentions (usually).
It’s kind of an odd duck of a film, and one that might either love or hate, no middle ground. For this writer, it was a fun time! It earnestly satirizes some of the worst people you meet in college, and somehow ends with a musical number featuring Adam Brody.
There’s also a stray Aubrey Plaza in there, at the peak of her weird girl roles, which always makes things more fun.
Best Sellers
Where Aubrey Plaza is only a small part in “Damsels in Distress,” she’s the main event here, starring alongside Michael Caine. Yes, that Michael Caine.
“Best Sellers” stars Plaza as Lucy Stanbridge, a young publisher whose publishing house desperately needs a hit. Caine plays Harris Shaw, a grumpy, mostly retired old author who hasn’t published a book in half a century. But, as it turns out, his contract stipulates that he owes the publisher a new book. So, Lucy sets out to get it from him.
Naturally, the two butt heads, but eventually develop a sweet relationship, based on blunt feedback. Is the movie a little paint-by-numbers? Yes. It’s literally produced by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, and you can feel it. But Caine and Plaza really lift with their legs on this one, and elevate it to something enjoyable.
The DUFF
Now, of the three movies on this list, you’ve almost certainly heard of and seen this one. “The DUFF” is a modern classic. But just because it’s familiar doesn’t mean it’s not worth revisiting. And if you’ve somehow avoided it this long, you’re in for a treat (unless said avoiding was intentional, in which case, continue doing you!).
Mae Whitman stars as Bianca Piper, a high school senior who has her world rocked when she’s made aware that she’s the “DUFF” of her friend group — “Designated Ugly Fat Friend.” She’s determined to be her own person outside of her gorgeous best friends — though to be clear, Bianca is neither ugly nor fat — and earn the affections of her longtime crush, so she teams up with the school playboy to achieve this. All in exchange for helping him pass science, of course.
The two have known each other since childhood, so you can probably see where this is headed, right? Even so, the movie is genuinely clever and fun, and worth a watch this week.
