If you’re looking to wind down from your first full week of work post-holidays, there’s plenty for you to watch on Prime Video this weekend. Right now, the streaming service’s vast library includes an iconic performance from the late Gene Hackman, a brilliant coming-of-age film from recent years and one of the strongest romantic comedies of the 2010s.
Here are the three best movies to watch on Prime Video this weekend.
“The Big Sick”
“The Big Sick” stars Kumail Nanjiani as… well, himself. Or, at least, a fictionalized version of himself. Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon co-wrote the film, a romantic comedy retelling of their own relationship and its trials.
Directed by Michael Showalter, “The Big Sick” follows Kumail as a struggling comedian who begins dating a cheery heckler, Emily (played by Zoe Kazan), from one of his sets. What Emily doesn’t know is that Kumail’s parents want to him to wed a Pakistani woman via an arranged marriage. Soon after Emily discovers this, the two break up — right before Emily falls ill and is put into an induced coma.
The bulk of “The Big Sick” follows the relationship Kumail forms with Emily’s parents, played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, during her coma. The three have incredible chemistry, as do Nanjiani and Kazan. The performances are great, the writing is largely sharp, and “The Big Sick” is, overall, a fantastic weekend watch.
“Hoosiers”
Written by Angelo Pizzo and directed by David Anspaugh, “Hoosiers” (inspired by a true story) follows Gene Hackman as a rural Indiana town’s new high school basketball coach. It’s a classic of the sports genre, with Hackman delivering an exceptional performance as Norman Dale, who belongs in the fictional coach hall of fame. Dennis Hopper gives a similarly wonderful turn as Shooter, an alcoholic and father to one of Norman’s players who’s brought on as assistant coach.
Really, every performance in “Hoosiers” is terrific, with Pizzo’s script bringing a number of layered and believable characters into the traditional Cinderella story. It’s a patient and thrilling movie, one that deserves its place as one of the all-timers of the sports genre. Nobody did it like Hackman.
“My Old Ass”
I went into Megan Park’s latest feature, “My Old Ass,” really knowing nothing about it aside from Aubrey Plaza’s starring appearance. If you’ve made it this far without learning the plot of this 2024 coming-of-age film, I encourage you to do the same.
I like to say that every year brings at least one high-quality coming-of-age that sticks with me, and that’s what “My Old Ass” was for 2024. Maisy Stella’s leading performance is wonderful, as she perfectly navigates the film’s humor and sentimentality. Percy Hynes White gives a similarly delightful performance, as does Plaza (who delivers a real knock-out moment in her final scene). I can’t wait to see what’s next for Park, who, in this film, left me utterly charmed.
