3 Best Movies To Watch on Prime Video This Week

Last weekend, a selection of new arrivals graced the big screen, with James L. Brooks‘ Ella McCay, Bryan Fuller’s twisted fairytale Dust Bunnyand the killer Santa reboot, Silent Night, Deadly Nightall making their theatrical debuts. However, it was a re-release of How the Grinch Stole Christmas that perhaps impressed the most, earning $1.8 million in domestic revenue from 2,250 theaters nationwide. Clearly, the festive spirit is high with audiences just one week out from Christmas, and it is continuing on streaming right now. So, with that in mind, here’s a look at the three Prime Video movies you need to catch ​​​​​​this week.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Prime Video.

3

‘The Merchants of Joy’ (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 6.2/10

It’s 10 days until Christmas, and Prime Video recently debuted the perfect way to celebrate for documentary fans. Directed by Celia Aniskovich, The Merchants of Joy follows the Christmas tree-selling industry in New York City, focusing on the lives of five families as they use their street smarts and charisma to sell Christmas trees on the street.

Equally entertaining and enlightening and coated in the holiday spirit, The Merchants of Joy makes for a breath of fresh air among a busy slate of festive films. A beautifully hopeful film, The Merchants of Joy boasts a simple yet effective message, encouraging families to put a pause on their professional lives to spend time with those they love at Christmas.

2

‘Platoon’ (1986)

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 8.1/10

For a complete change of pace from the Christmas slate, Prime Video recently added one of the best war dramas of the 1980s, and you won’t want to miss it. Oliver Stone’s Platoonbased on the director’s own experience as a soldier serving in the Vietnam War, follows U.S. Army volunteer Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) as he battles the horrors of war on a personal journey of survival.

A gripping, emotionally detailed war drama that bleeds the truth of its author, Platoon is one of the best of its kind and won enormous critical acclaim upon arrival. At the 1987 Academy Awards, the movie was nominated for an impressive eight awards, winning four, including the coveted Best Picture prize and a directing trophy for Stone. Also starring the likes of Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Johnny Depp, Kevin Dillon, Keith David, Forest Whitaker, and John C. McGinley, Platoon is not to be missed.

1

‘The Birdcage’ (1996)

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% | IMDb: 7.2/10

As we come to the end of the year, it’s important to look back and pay tribute to the greats we lost in 2025. In memory of the late great Gene Hackmanwho passed in February, why not try his underrated 1996 comedy? Adapted from the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles and the 1973 play of the same name, The Birdcage follows two gay men as they pose as straight to meet their son’s fiancée’s conservative parents.

Not only does The Birdcage star Hackman, but it also features one of the most underrated performances in the career of another late Hollywood legend, Robin Williams. Directed by Mike Nicholsthis hilarious, farcical comedy seamlessly weaves between unforgettable comedic set pieces on the road to a beautifully heartwarming closing chapter.