The best movies on Amazon Prime Video this month are laugh-out-loud comedies, but each falls under a different sub-genre.
There’s a fantastical coming-of-age story, an action mystery, a mockumentary and a horror film.
All four of them are underrated gems that manage to bring something new to their respective genre, thanks to performances from stellar actors.
Don’t miss these four hilarious movies, all of which are available on Amazon Prime Video.
‘My Old Ass’ (2024)
“If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?” My Old Ass isn’t the first movie to ask this question, but it might be the best.
In this coming-of-age story, Elliott (Maisy Stella, Nashville) takes mushrooms with some friends and winds up seeing and talking to an older version of herself (Aubrey Plaza), who she labels “My Old Ass” in her phone. But when “Old Elliott” doesn’t disappear after the mushroom trip is over, Young Elliott begins seeking advice from her future self. As she navigates the last summer before college, Elliott reevaluates her relationships with everyone in her life — from her family, to her crushes to herself.
In the mood for a little love and espionage? If yes, then chances are you’re probably watching Black Bag in theaters this weekend. The Steven Soderbergh thriller, which stars Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, has received rave reviews, and is the rare wide-release movie aimed at adult audiences. If you’re not in the mood to […]
Plaza and Stella are so tapped into each other’s performances that they are somehow believable as the same character, despite not looking much alike. That alone is an impressive feat, but add in a fantastic musical sequence in which Elliott portrays Justin Bieber, and you’ve got magic.
‘The Fall Guy’ (2024)
This Ryan Gosling movie has a bit of everything. It’s funny, romantic and has great action — but at its core, it’s a mystery about a missing movie star.
Gosling plays Colt Seavers, a stunt double forced into retirement after an on-set accident broke his back. He also pushed away Jody (Emily Blunt), the woman he loves, and vanished from Hollywood. But when Jody gets the chance to direct her first big movie, producer Gail (Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso) enlists Colt to find the film’s missing lead actor (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), for whom Colt once did stunts.
Colt soon finds himself tangled in a wild conspiracy involving drug deals, murder and alien costumes. He’s forced to rely on his stunt skills in real-life danger to uncover the truth and save Jody’s movie.
The Fall Guy is full of surprises, and every car flip, zipline stunt and explosion cranks up the fun. It’s a love letter to the unsung heroes of filmmaking — especially stunt performers. (Did you know they’re finally going to start getting Oscars?) You’ll be hooked for every second of this wild ride.
‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ (2016)
This underrated movie from Saturday Night Live’s The Lonely Island comedy troupe (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) was a box office bomb, but it’s since developed a well-deserved cult following. Samberg plays immature singer/rapper “Conner4Real,” a pop star who rose to stardom as part of a band called “The Style Boyz” with his two best friends (Schaffer and Taccone). When Conner’s newest solo album flops, he tries to reconnect with his old bandmates to regain his pop star mojo.
Popstar contains a full soundtrack of comedy songs masquerading as pop hits. A few standouts are “I’m So Humble” (featuring Adam Levine), “Equal Rights” (featuring P!nk) and an absolutely absurd number called “Finest Girl (Bin Laden Song).” You have to see it to understand.
Told in a mockumentary style and chock-full of cameos from the greats of both comedy and music (Maya Rudolph, Sarah Silverman, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Mariah Carey, to name a few), Popstar is a must-see for any pop culture obsessive.
‘Lisa Frankenstein’ (2024)
Written by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer’s Body) and directed by Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda Williams in her feature film debut, this horror rom-com is a tribute to ‘80s movies like Teen Wolf, Heathers and Beetlejuice. In 1989, Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) is grieving the death of her murdered mother and trying to adjust to her father’s new wife and her new step-sister, the sweet but clueless Taffy (Liza Soberano).
Lisa has a morbid obsession with the grave of a young man in a local cemetery, but she never expected a lightning strike to bring him to life (or at least, an approximation of life). Lisa’s attempts to conceal The Creature (Cole Sprouse) lead to a series of increasingly violent incidents.
Remember when your biggest problems were crushes and homework? When adulting feels like too much, there’s nothing wrong with putting aside work, bills and doomscrolling. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails […]
Lisa Frankenstein is a feast of late ’80s fashion, campy horror and hilarious performances. It’s twisted and absurd and disgustingly enjoyable. Newton and Sprouse sell their burgeoning romance well, even as Lisa is still lusting over a “bad boy” classmate (Henry Eikenberry). Sprouse is wonderfully expressive as the non-verbal creature, managing to convey his full emotional spectrum without any dialogue.
Lisa Frankenstein isn’t quite as brilliant as Cody’s other underrated horror comedy, Jennifer’s Body, but it’s an enjoyable follow-up you won’t want to miss.
