Looking for what’s new (and good) onAmazon Prime Videothis month? Wonderful news, because we’ve got you covered with a rundown of the best new movies hitting Amazon’s streaming service in October 2020, from some old favorites to the newest releases everyone’s going to be talking about.
In the latter category, of course, the big-ticket item in Amazon’s October releases isBorat Subsequent Moviefilm,Sacha Baron Cohen’s return as Borat Sagdiyev in the surprise sequel to his 2006 comedy sensation. And is, in fact,very nice. The film is off to a strong start with critics and audiences alike, in addition to making headlines with some shocking scenes featuring high-power players in American politics.
Elsewhere, October is peak Spooky Season, meaning it’s a great time to check out some underrated gems likeDavid Slade’s slept-on vampire movie30 Days of Night, and Shudder’s horror history documentaryHorror Noire, which is available on Amazon Prime Video without a Shudder subscription this month.
Check out all of our picks for the best new movies on Amazon below, and if you’re looking foreverything new on Amazon in October, the full list is here.
The Departed
Available:October 1
Director:Martin Scorsese
Writer:William Monahan
Cast:Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, James Badge Dale,
The film that finally wonMartin Scorsesehis long-overdue Best Director Oscar,The Departedis one of the most gripping, crowd-pleasing crime thrillers of the 21st Century.Leonardo DiCapriostars as Billy Costigan, a deep cover cop infiltrating the inner circle of Frank Costello’s (Jack Nicholson) crime syndicate, andMatt DamonasColin Sullivan, Costello’s right-hand-man, who’s planted himself within the upper ranks of the police force investigating the crime syndicate. The two make for fascinating dark mirrors of each other, their paths overlapping and contrasting, sometimes in surprising, intimate ways, leading to some breathless cat-and-mouse as they try to root each other out. Nicholson is positively feasting on the scenery as the feckless but charismatic crime lord and it’s a delight to watch. And debate the rat all you want, I’ve never heard a film so reliably work over an audience as well as Scorsese does with the violent twists and turns of his final act — earning a visceral, vocal crowd response I used to listen to over and over again in awe when I was a kid working at my local movie theater. That Scorsese fella, I think he’s going places!
30 Days of Night
Director:David Slade
Writers:Steve Niles, Brian Nelson, Stuart Beattie
Cast:Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Ben Foster, Danny Huston, Mark Boone Junior
A lot of the early aughts horror movies have held up better than their initial critical reception would suggest, from the highly-stylized Dark Castle revamps to the slasher revivals at Platinum Dunes, but one of the most baffling dismissals of the era is30 Days ofNight. Because it rules. Part of the problem at the time might have been the backlash against starJosh Hartnett, with whom audiences were in no hurry to move past his teen heartthrob image. That is silly in its own right, because Hartnett does exactly what’s needed from his stoic Alaskan sheriff, who finds his town besieged by ancient, bloodthirsty vampires on the eve of their month-long night of winter. (Aka, all-day buffet for the nocturnal bloodsuckers.) But it’sDanny HustonandBen Fosterwho steal the show inDavid Slade’s adaptation of the comic. They are both terrifying in their own unique ways, as the leader of the vampire clan and the devoted human harbinger stuck in jail, respectively. But30 Days of Nightarrived just one year beforeTwilight(two years after the first book) when audiences were veering towards a more romantic, humanized portrayal of vampires a la Anne Rice andBuffyonce again.30 Days of Nightis not that. It’s brutal and relentless, with no sense of humanity in its growling monsters. But that’s what makes it hold up so well, and if you haven’t seen it since the initial release, it’s well worth a rewatch… especially in the heart of spooky season!
A Knight’s Tale
Writer/Director:Brian Helgeland
Cast:Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon, Laura Fraser, Alan Tudyk, Mark Addy, Berenice Bejo, James Purefoy
A Knight’s Taleis one of those purely joyful movies that goes down smooth no matter what mood you’re in.Heath Ledgeris at the height of his heartthrob phase, unleashing that megawatt charm with, frankly, reckless abandon and showcasing the commanding screen presence that would make him an awards favorite before his untimely death. And he’s surrounded by an ace ensemble, withPaul Bettany,Alan Tudyk,Laura Fraser, andMark Addykeeping up the comedy while Ledger smacks down the swoons. Writer/directorBrian Helgelandreimagines the classic underdog sports tale in the realm of lords, ladies, and jousting knights, positivelypumping upthe jam with an anachronistic soundtrack full of bops and bangers, from Queen to David Bowie to Heart. If you forgot how good this soundtrack is, do yourself a favor and add it to your playlist asap, but the music doesn’t just objectively own, it further brightens up the spirits of this jovial peak-summer feel-good film, and ramps up the energy of the action scenes. In short,A Knight’s Talewill, in fact, rock you.
Girl, Interrupted
Director:James Mangold
Writer:James Mangold, Anna Hamilton Phelan, Lisa Loomer
Cast:Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Brittany Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Moss, Clea DuVall, Jared Leto
An early directorial effort fromLoganandFord v. FerarrifilmmakerJames Mangold,Girl, InterruptedstarsWinona Ryderas Susanna Kaysen, a young woman who winds up in a mental institution after suffering a mental breakdown and bonds with her fellow patients through the highs and lows of their unconventional relationships. The film itself veers towards the blunt and melodramatic at times, but the performances are well worth the fraught emotional material.Angelina Jolieskyrocketed into the stratosphere of A-List utlra-fame after she took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her live-wire performance as the enthralling, volatile scene-stealer Lisa. But Ryder also does some of the best work of her career, with some unforgettable ensemble performances from folks likeWhoopi GoldbergandBrittany Murphy
Writer/Director:Jeff Nichols
Cast:Matthew McConaughey, Michael Shannon, Tye Sheridan, Reese Witherspoon, Jacob Lofland, Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson
Jeff Nicholsis a fascinating filmmaker because you never quite know what to expect from him. His 2011 breakout filmTake Sheltershowcased a knack for genre-bending character drama and atmospheric dread, and his 2013 follow-upMudtook a hard left turn toward an understated Southern Gothic coming-of-age backwoods fantasy. The film follows a pair of young friends, who run into the titular fugitive Mud, played byMatthew McConaugheyat the height of the career-redefining “McConaissance” and agree to help him evade capture on his island while he tries to reunite with his lost love Juniper. A bitStand by Me, a lot Mark Twain, and most of all, Nichols' distinct flavor,Mudis somehow both mature and magically innocent, a dichotomy that highlights Nichols' unusual skill for weaving together familiar genres to create something all his own.
Spaceballs
Director:Mel Brooks
Writers:Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan, Ronny Graham
Cast:Bill Pullman, Rick Moranis, Joan Rivers, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga
The parody game has been in dire straits over the last few years but it was once a booming business, thanks in large part to the master,Mel Brooks. The filmmaker’s lovingly biting sendup of the originalStar Warstrilogy,Spaceballs, is just about as good as it gets, and genuinely one of the most quotable movies of all time. (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked a coworker, “What’s the matter, Colonel Sandurz? Chicken?")Bill Pullmanstars as Winnebago-flying pilot Lone Starr, who, along with his Mog co-pilot Barf (John Candy) — that’s half man, half dog — becomes embroiled in a nefarious plot by Planet Spaceball to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) of Druidia. Just like they don’t really make straight-up space adventures likeStar Warsanymore, they don’t really make comedies likeSpaceballs, where jokes whiz by at ludicrous speed and 99 percent of the frame is a sight gag. Throw in quite possiblyRick Moranis' best role in Dark Helmet andJoan Riversplaying pretty much herself but a robot and you’ve got a galaxy’s worth of gold. -Vinnie Mancuso
Horror Noire
Director:Xavier Burgin
Writers:Ashlee Blackwell and Danielle Burrows
Shudder is the definitive horror streaming service, with the kind of instantly available collection that I dreamed of as a teenager busy hunting down obscure horror titles on eBay. And it’s not just their killer collection of classics, hidden gems, and cult favorite freakouts that’s made Shudder such an interesting voice in horror since it launched, they’ve also got some great original content to back it up. Without question, one of the best films they’ve made so far is the horror documentaryHorror Noire: A History of Black Horror, which offers a sharp primer on Black horror movies, featuring insight and testimonial from critics, film scholars, and the film legends who made the dang movies in the first place. It’s an insightful and essential look into a woefully underexplored side of the horror genre, and with voices likeTony Todd,Jordan Peele,Tanavarie Due,Keith David, and many many more,Horror Noireis a must-watch for any fan of the genre.
Terminator: Dark Fate
Available:October 9
Director:Tim Miller
Cast:Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Luna, Diego Boneta
Terminator: Dark Fatedidn’t do so hot at the box office and it sure seemed to make a lot of people unreasonably mad online (what doesn’t?), but for me, there’s no question —Tim Miller’s 2019 canon-bending reboot/sequel is the bestTerminatorinstallment sinceJames Cameronstopped directing them. The film features the return ofLinda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor, the introduction ofMackenzie Davis' next-gen human/Terminator tech-hybrid Grace, and of course, another appearance fromArnold Schwarzenegger, this time as a retired T-800 named, no joke, Carl. And it’s mostly a blast! Miller holds tight-as-can-be to Cameron’s original films narratively, but he brings his own style to the fold with the well-orchestrated set-pieces, especially in the leaner, meaner first half of the film. It’s not perfect, but goodness, theTerminatorfranchise hasn’t been anything close in decades, andDark Fate’s overstuffed finale and far-too-blunt politics aside, it’s the best time I’ve had at the robot apocalypse in ages.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Available:October 23
Director:Jason Woliner
Cast:Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova
Get ready for the return of Borat voice becauseSacha Baron Cohen’s outrageous character is coming back withBorat Subsequent Moviefilm. Cohen shot and screened the sequel in secret earlier this year, amid the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and, once again, the comedian has “pranked” his way to the truth of today’s American people. ButBorat 2is a different kind of moviefilm for a couple reasons. Most notably, the character is joined by his daughter on his journey this time, played by immediate breakoutMaria Bakalova, who fearlessly goes toe-to-toe with Cohen in his wild antics. But it’s also tonally different. In 2006, Cohen wanted to expose the crass cruelty and indecency hiding behind the grandstanding of Bush-era politics. But in 2020, the crass is on full display and the indecency towards political rivals isn’t just celebrated, it’s become part of the point. Which means Cohen’s best subversions arrive when he uncovers the capacity for kindness beneath the blustering and how otherwise generous people have been propagandized towards hateful rhetoric. And then, of course, there’s that immediately infamous Rudy Guiliani scene, which is a stomach-turning moment of truth worth the price of admission alone. Cohen’s follow-up doesn’t quite break any new boundaries, but it’s genuinely funny and surprisingly full of heart.
