The 7 Best New Movies on Amazon Prime Video in July 2024

Gladiator (2000) — Just in time to get caught up for “Gladiator 2,” Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” is streaming on Amazon this month. The epic historical drama catapulted Russell Crowe to superstardom and took home five Oscars, including Best Picture. Crowe delivers a Best Actor-winning performance as Maximus, a betrayed Roman general who slashes through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to exact revenge on the corrupt emperor who murdered his family. And it just really holds up. Hans Zimmer’s iconic score and the breathtaking fight scenes are unforgettable, while Joaquin Phoenix is decadently evil as the villainous Commodus — the perfectly craven counter to Crowe’s hero. Gladiator remains a timeless classic that’s definitely worth revisiting before you see the long-awaited sequel. (Available July 1)

Love & Mercy (2015) — An undersung 2010s gem that deserves more attention as a musical biopic done right, “Love & Mercy” offers a touching look into the life of Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson. Starring Paul Dano and John Cusack as young and middle-aged Wilson, in the ’60s and ’80s, respectively, the film embraces a non-linear approach to delve into Wilson’s mind, exploring the musical genius that made him a legend and the struggles with mental illness that threatened to unravel his life. It’s a tender, sensitive film with a real reverence for creativity and two fantastic lead performances. (Available July 1)

Evil Dead Rise (2023) — One of horror’s most flexible, yet consistently quality franchises got another reinvention with “Evil Dead Rise.” Director Lee Cronin stepped in and took the “Evil Dead” back to its hard horror roots with the latest installment, transplanting the demonic undead action from the classic cabin in the woods setting to a decrepit condemned city apartment that feels every bit as isolated and hopeless. One of the more blood-soaked and seriously twisted installment, “Evil Dead Rise” also boasts an all-timer Deadite performance from Alyssa Sutherland. (Available July 2)

The Beepkeeper (2023) — Jason Statham goes John Wick in “The Beekeeper,” a straightforward action-packed revenge movie about a former elite operative taking down scammers who target the elderly. Statham is right in the pocket of his performative strengths here, brooding and quipping in equal measure, doling out ass-whoopings with authoritative calm. There’s some fun world-building, with each new sequence revealing a little bit more about the clandestine “Beekeeper” organization — and equally, the full measure of corruption, connections and entitlement in Josh Hutcherson’s exquisitely vile villain Derek Danforth. “The Beekeeper” isn’t necessarily a Great Movie, but it’s one of those great movies that gives you exactly what you want. (Available July 2)

Bob Marley: One Love (2024) — This year’s hit musical biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” is available to stream on Amazon at the end of the month. The film was a much-needed box office balm in Q1 of 2024, but if you missed it in theaters, Kinglsey Ben-Adir stars as the Reggae icon, exloring a period in his creative, personal and political life not too long before his untimely death. Expect a more traditional musical biopic than the Beach Boys-centric “Love & Music” recommended above, but look forward to a lauded performance from “The OA” and “Barbie” actor Adir and a soundtrack full of Marley’s most beloved songs. (Available July 23)

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) — Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, delivering another adrenaline-pumping installment in his acclaimed 20+ year action franchise. Once again, Cruise gives his all to the jaw-dropping stunts that have come to define his long-running, unusually consistent spy franchise. “Fallout” and “Rogue Nation” director Christopher McQuarrie also returns, and once again demonstrates his knack for crafting intricate set-pieces with breathless stakes. As for newcomers, Hayley Atwell’s Grace makes a welcome, magnetic addition to Hunt’s impossible adventures while the reliably great Shea Whigham acts as a fantastic, endlessly exasperated obstacle to the mission at hand. The film isn’t quite as successful in its attempts to reckon with god-like AI, but “Mission: Impossible” continues to be among the most technically accomplished, character-fueled action franchises in film history. (Available July 25)

Lisa Frankenstein (2024) — Zelda Williams’ feature debut is a quired-out hyper-stylized love story for silly little weirdos, and it’s one of my favorite movies of the year so far. “Lisa Frankenstein” stars Kathryn Newton as Lisa, a grieving teenage outcast who falls for the Victorian corpse (Cole Sprouse) she accidentally revives. Heavy on aesthetic and unapologetically goofy, “Lisa Frankenstein” has all the heart, blood, and body parts you could want for a horror-tinged coming-of-age rom-com, with a unique and laugh-out-loud funny reinvention of the Frankenstein mythos from “Juno” and “Jennifer’s Body” writer Diablo Cody. (Available July 30)