Best Movies to Stream this Weekend on Amazon Prime, Including ‘Frankenstein’

Weekend watchlist coming right up—here’s a lineup pulled from this week’s arrivals, starting with the most recent titles and rolling back to choice classics. Each pick includes straight-up details on what it’s about and who made it, so you can skim, decide, and press play without hunting elsewhere.

The order follows simple rules: newest releases first, then other notable additions, with historically important films closing things out. Browse the summaries for plot, cast, and crew, and build your queue for a no-stress movie night.

‘House of Gucci’ (2021)

This crime drama traces the turbulent marriage of Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci, following the internal power struggles at the luxury fashion house and the events leading to an infamous murder plot. Lady Gaga stars as Patrizia and Adam Driver plays Maurizio, with Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Salma Hayek, and Jeremy Irons rounding out the ensemble.

Directed by Ridley Scott and adapted from Sara Gay Forden’s nonfiction book, the film features a screenplay by Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna. The production brings together veteran department heads across costume, makeup, and production design to recreate key periods in the brand’s history and the family’s corporate maneuvering.

‘Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’ (2021)

This documentary chronicles the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, capturing concerts in Mount Morris Park that featured artists such as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, and B.B. King. The film assembles restored footage with interviews that contextualize the festival’s place in music and social history.

Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the documentary was produced by Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent, and David Dinerstein. The editorial team worked with long-archived reels to integrate performance material and contemporary commentary, with sound restoration and music clearance supporting the archival presentation.

‘The Commuter’ (2018)

This thriller follows Michael MacCauley, an insurance salesman and former cop who gets drawn into a criminal conspiracy during his daily train ride, tasked by a mysterious stranger to identify a passenger before the last stop. Liam Neeson leads the cast, joined by Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, and Sam Neill.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi, and Ryan Engle, the film uses confined-space setpieces and practical train interiors staged on soundstages and gimbals. The production continues the director–star collaboration seen in prior urban thrillers, with a score and sound mix built around rail-car dynamics and station environments.

‘End of Days’ (1999)

Set in the cusp of a millennial countdown, this supernatural action film centers on an ex-NYPD detective who protects a young woman targeted in a prophecy involving the Devil’s return. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Jericho Cane, with Gabriel Byrne as the antagonist, and Robin Tunney and Kevin Pollak in supporting roles.

Directed by Peter Hyams from a screenplay by Andrew W. Marlowe, the film combines location photography with large-scale set builds for catacomb and church interiors. Visual effects and pyrotechnics support the apocalyptic storyline, while Hyams—also known for his work as a cinematographer—oversees the film’s dark, late-autumn New York palette.

‘GoldenEye’ (1995)

This espionage adventure introduces a new era for the British secret agent as he faces a rogue former ally and a criminal organization wielding an electromagnetic satellite weapon. Pierce Brosnan debuts as James Bond, alongside Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, and Judi Dench in her first appearance as M.

Directed by Martin Campbell, the film features a screenplay by Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein from a story by Michael France. The production includes sequences staged in Russia, Monaco, and the Caribbean, with model work and early-CGI effects, and a title theme performed by Tina Turner with music contributions from Eric Serra.

‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977)

This entry in the long-running spy series pairs the British agent with a Soviet intelligence officer to investigate missing nuclear submarines and a scheme conceived by shipping magnate Karl Stromberg. Roger Moore stars as Bond with Barbara Bach as Anya Amasova, and the cast includes Curt Jürgens and Richard Kiel as the steel-toothed henchman Jaws.

Directed by Lewis Gilbert, the film features production design by Ken Adam, whose supertanker and submarine sets required large-scale stage construction. Marvin Hamlisch composed the score, and the stunt team executed notable ski-jump and underwater sequences, with international location work in the Alps, Egypt, and Sardinia.

‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ (1974)

The story follows the British agent as he is targeted by international assassin Francisco Scaramanga, whose signature weapon and private island form the backdrop to a duel of professionals. Roger Moore returns in the lead role, with Christopher Lee as Scaramanga, Britt Ekland as Mary Goodnight, and Hervé Villechaize as Nick Nack.

Directed by Guy Hamilton, the film adapts elements from Ian Fleming’s novel and showcases locations in Thailand, including Khao Phing Kan and Phang Nga Bay. John Barry composed the score, and the production features practical car and boat chases, including a corkscrew car jump executed as an in-camera stunt.

‘A Shot in the Dark’ (1964)

This comedy follows Inspector Jacques Clouseau as he investigates a murder at the home of a wealthy Parisian, fixating on a young maid while mishaps multiply around him. Peter Sellers leads as Clouseau, with Elke Sommer, George Sanders, and Herbert Lom in supporting roles.

Directed by Blake Edwards, the film is based on the stage play ‘L’Idiote’ by Marcel Achard and was adapted by Edwards and Harry Kurnitz. The production established key elements of the series—theme music by Henry Mancini, elaborate physical gags, and recurring characters—that would continue in subsequent entries.

‘West Side Story’ (1961)

A musical drama transposing ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to 1950s New York, the film centers on Tony and Maria, whose relationship unfolds amid tensions between rival street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. The principal cast includes Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris, with vocal dubbing used for several leads.

Co-directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, the film adapts the Broadway musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a screenplay by Ernest Lehman. Robbins’ choreography is translated to location and studio settings, with orchestration and editing designed to integrate dance, song, and narrative.

‘Frankenstein’ (1931)

This classic horror film follows Dr. Henry Frankenstein as he assembles a living being from body parts and struggles with the aftermath when the creation escapes and confronts the world. Colin Clive plays Henry Frankenstein, Boris Karloff portrays the Monster, and the cast includes Mae Clarke, John Boles, and Dwight Frye.

Directed by James Whale for Universal Pictures, the film draws from Mary Shelley’s novel and Peggy Webling’s stage adaptation. Makeup artist Jack Pierce designed the Monster’s enduring look, cinematographer Arthur Edeson shaped the film’s expressionistic lighting, and the laboratory sets incorporated electrical apparatus that became genre touchstones.

Share your own Prime picks for this week in the comments!