The 25 best movies streaming on Amazon Prime

A knockout sports movie. Rocky is the best option for those who need a pick-me-up. The story of Rocky's journey from nobody to somebody — a random kid from Philly to the world's heavyweight champion — is one heck of a journey. It'll likely win you over from minute one. 

An archeology professor takes on a bunch of Nazis? Just go with it. This movie benefits from a suspension of disbelief as Harrison Ford outruns a giant boulder, shoots a general, and finds the Ark of the Covenant. The movie will have you on your toes from minute one to the final frame. 

Martin Scorsese has been getting in our heads for years, and in 2010, he made us question whether we were going insane. In this mental hospital, he placed us in the shoes of Leonardo DiCaprio and made us question everything on screen. Are these events real? What are these people hiding? Are they hiding anything at all? The answers are too savory to spoil. 

A better rom-com streaming on Amazon Prime? As if! Amy Heckerling's Clueless remains the pinnacle of high-school romance. 

The Coen Brothers didn't seem like a logical fit to adapt a classic Western, but they made this Oscar nominee their own. Thanks to a dry tone and parched wit, True Grit makes the desert a place you might actually want to visit. 

A romance without cliches, this movie sees a Pakistani man and his girlfriend deal with her cancer diagnosis. It's a story that goes places you don't expect, thanks to Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon's real-life bout with cancer. A story this crazy could only come from real life. 

The greatest ad for stocks ever. The Wolf at Wall Street makes the life of stockbrokers seem like the coolest thing ever until it shows us where all that corruption leads. Leonardo DiCaprio should have won an Oscar for his role as Jordan Belfort, the financial criminal that rocked Wall Street until he finally hit the rocks. 

Almost Famous sounds like the most unbelievable story ever. A teenage boy writes for magazines and gets to hang out with rock stars. It might sound like a lark, except everything on screen happened to Cameron Crowe. The movie that came from his experience is a dreamy, drug-fueled ode to rock 'n' roll. 

Jennifer Lopez has made more movies about weddings than Andy Samberg has made Corona commercials, which is saying something. She's got a knack for making her brides believable, and her latest is the perfect example of that skill. 

A movie that gives new meaning to "ahead of its time," Heathers tackled high school fame, teenage depression, and school shooters almost 30 years before they became a thing. As the girls come to terms with their decisions, you aren't sure whether to laugh or choke on your popcorn. You might as well do both. 

Richard Linklater closes out one of the best trilogies of all time in this rom-com, which sees Jesse and Julie married after their chance encounter in Before Sunrise. Before Midnight is the most depressing of the three, as it tackles how relationships can rot over the years if not watered properly. It's a stunning showcase for two performers at the top of their games and a reminder to let your loved ones know how much you care. 

Tom Cruise is back! Not that he ever left. The actor has been giving us one jaw-dropping stunt after another in  Mission Impossible but decided to leave that franchise behind for one last joyride. In the actor's coolest performance to date, he reminds us that no one can out-movie star Cruise. 

Who can say "nope" to a new Jordan Peele movie? The director has given us some of the best horror movies this century, with Get Out and Us. And he delivers once again with his alien invasion thriller streaming on Amazon Prime. 

Speaking of great horror, you can never go wrong with a trip back to high school. It's the home of Carrie (Sissy Spacek), a bullied girl who decides she isn't going to be bullied anymore. It's bad news for the jocks on campus and great news for horror fans everywhere. Brian De Palma made the ultimate revenge horror flick in this bloody, breathtaking classic. 

Ben Stiller made us turn our heads (with laughter!) in this 2000s comedy about male models. It's one the funniest movies of all time, with great performances from Stiller, Will Ferrell, and Owen Wilson. 

The first rule of fight club? Don't talk about fight club. The second rule of fight club? Make sure it's on every list of movies known to man. The David Fincher classic is on just about every list out there, thanks to knockout performances from Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. 

Paul Thomas Anderson may have gotten some flack for Licorice Pizza, but there's plenty to enjoy in this story of a high school boy and a 20-something girl making it work. In '70s Los Angeles, they roam the streets like stray pups without a home. It might as well be their playground, and we're happy to watch them roam. 

Stream the entire series on Amazon Prime. Just make sure you don't watch The Hobbit after you're done. Peter Jackson's trilogy about the quest for a magic ring is perfect on its own, without any of the prequels that came after. 

A couple played by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet remove all memory of each other, resulting in a faulty procedure. Charlie Kaufman's script makes sure you don't forget these characters, either. They are about as memorable as any in rom-com history.

Arnold Schwarzenegger would be back for more terminating in future installments, but it's nice to see where it all started. It's the iPhone 1 of robot movies — a technological marvel that has lost some sheen. 

Spoiler alert! Kevin Spacey is capable of more than you might think. His villain is even more despicable, knowing the real-life allegations against him. Luckily, the final line ("And like that, poof, he's gone") applies to the actor's career. The rest of this whodunnit remains extremely tasteful, so you should still watch it today. 

Michael Bay may not be your first choice when it comes to action. He's probably not your 1,000th choice, either. But the director's riff on Heat has a lot of fun moments and a truly great performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. It may even resuscitate his career. 

John Carpenter's masterpiece imagines a world where Manhattan has become a maximum security prison. When Air Force One crash lands inside, it's up to Kurt Russell to save everyone on it. 

Looking for something to watch with the kids? If you haven't already seen How to Train Your Dragon, check this out with the youngsters. The story of a boy and his pet dragon will make your whole family gaze in wonder. 

A boy from Boston is way smarter than his friends and wants to make something of his life. Tired of being treated like dirt, he decides to pursue a better life with the help of his mentor, Robin Williams. It's basically the story of the film's star (Matt Damon) and fellow screenwriter (Ben Affleck), who both grew up in Boston and saw a future in film. Their Oscar-winning screenplay is infused with warmth, real-life scenarios, and quotable lines. Plus, one of the greatest endings in movie history.