Shocking: Unlikely Amazon Prime Video Gems on March 14-16

From Club Kids to Librarians

Party Girl (1995) is a stellar vehicle for Parker Posey’s talent, showcasing her journey from a club kid to a book-loving librarian. In Party Girl, Posey stars as Mary, a free spirit who prefers buying couture clothes to paying the rent. But when she’s arrested for throwing a rave and has to repay her godmother for bailing her out, she decides to work at the New York Public Library to make some quick cash. At first, she hates it, but gradually, she becomes enamored with the Dewey Decimal System and a lifestyle free of empty parties and bad voguing.

When her budding romance with street vendor Mustafa (Omar Townsend) threatens her new calling, Mary must make some hard choices about where her life is headed, and if she can truly commit to being a librarian. Party Girl sounds dry, and while it’s very ’90s, it’s also a stellar vehicle for Posey’s talent. Mary is difficult and needy, but she’s also a blast to hang around with, and Posey makes her journey from club kid to book nerd funny and interesting.

Party Girl is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. My Old Ass (2024) is another comedy that isn’t ashamed to be sentimental. Elliott, the main character, takes some psychedelic mushrooms with her friends and hallucinates a future version of herself, Older Elliott. Older Elliott cryptically tells her three things: spend more time with your family, appreciate the farm that you grew up in, and avoid a boy named Chad. Elliott doesn’t exactly believe anything her future self says at first, but gradually, she finds herself growing closer to her family.

Chad eventually appears, and it’s in this development that My Old Ass reveals itself as an effective tearjerker in disguise. Plaza is great as always; if everyone grew up to be like Older Elliott, we’d all be just fine. My Old Ass is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Epic Adventures in Hollywood’s Golden Age

Babylon (2022) is a decadent epic that takes you inside the excesses of Tinseltown in the 1920s, with a focus on the booze, orgies, and movie premieres. If you think Hollywood is morally bankrupt now, wait until you see what it was like in the 1920s. Damien Chazelle’s Babylon is a must-watch for anyone interested in the golden age of Hollywood.

Babylon is a sweeping epic that explores the lives of several characters in the city, all connected to the film industry. The film is visually stunning, with elaborate costumes and sets that transport you to another era. The performances are also top-notch, with a standout performance from Margot Robbie. Babylon is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Immersing Yourself in the Excesses of Tinseltown

My Old Ass (2024) – A Sentimental Comedy

My Old Ass is a comedy that isn’t ashamed to be sentimental. Elliott, the main character, takes some psychedelic mushrooms with her friends and hallucinates a future version of herself, Older Elliott. Older Elliott cryptically tells her three things: spend more time with your family, appreciate the farm that you grew up in, and avoid a boy named Chad.

Chad eventually appears, and it’s in this development that My Old Ass reveals itself as an effective tearjerker in disguise. Plaza is great as always; if everyone grew up to be like Older Elliott, we’d all be just fine.

My Old Ass is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Babylon (2022) – A Decadent Epic

Babylon is a decadent epic that takes you inside the excesses of Tinseltown in the 1920s, with a focus on the booze, orgies, and movie premieres. If you think Hollywood is morally bankrupt now, wait until you see what it was like in the 1920s. Damien Chazelle’s Babylon is a must-watch for anyone interested in the golden age of Hollywood.

Babylon is a sweeping epic that explores the lives of several characters in the city, all connected to the film industry. The film is visually stunning, with elaborate costumes and sets that transport you to another era. The performances are also top-notch, with a standout performance from Margot Robbie.

Babylon is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1967) – A Classic Western

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is widely regarded as one of the best Western movies ever made, but its reputation is so massive that it can feel almost intimidating. The good news is that this movie is actually very easy to watch.

Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name is an icon, and the film’s final shootout is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of movies. What’s just as important, though, are the three hours that lead us to it, where we come to appreciate why each of these men has arrived at this point.

The performances are also top-notch, with standout performances from Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach. The film’s direction is equally impressive, with a masterful use of tension and suspense. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1967) – A Classic Western

A Fun Romantic Drama

The film, which follows a trio of young tennis stars who are also in a love triangle as they age, is about love, competition, and what drives a person. It’s also, and this is really important, a great movie about tennis. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and especially Josh O’Connor are all excellent.

Director Luca Guadagnino totally commits to the kinetic aesthetic of the game. Challengers is a fun romantic dramedy, and it’s exactly the kind of movie we should get at least four of every year.

Challengers is a must-watch for anyone who loves tennis, romance, or drama. The film’s performances are outstanding, with standout performances from the cast. The film’s direction is equally impressive, with a masterful use of tension and suspense. Challengers is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.