Head to Prime Video right now to see this underrated cult movie that's been hiding in plain sight
It certainly looks the part, or at worst a B-movie action flick about the end of society as we know it as robots take over. But if you look closer, you'll find that it's much more than that, and this Prime Video flick is more than worth watching.
The plot is simple at a glance: a weary investigator (Antonio Banderas) chases a case about rogue machines. Sure, it can be rough in spots, even clunky at times, but there's an honesty in the way it's put together that makes me appreciate it. It's a fun mix of gritty sets, practical effects, and flashes of tech wonder that
If you like sci-fi with more mood than spectacle, "Automata" deserves your time. And it's streaming free on Prime Video right now.
"Automata" is a sci-fi drama set in a future where the planet is falling apart and robots are part of everyday life. Jacq Vaucan (Antonio Banderas) is an insurance investigator for a robotics company who looks into claims that machines are violating their core protocols.
What begins as a standard case turns strange when he uncovers signs that some robots might be repairing and even upgrading themselves. As he follows the trail, Jacq gets caught between powerful corporate interests, dangerous criminals, and his own growing questions about what separates humans from the technology they've built.
"Automata" slipped under the radar when it came out, but it's one of those movies that sticks with you. Banderas as Vaucan is a fun deviation from the norm when it comes to casting, and he gives this role his all. He's almost unrecognizable from his typical roles, in fact, and it's refreshing to see him doing something a bit different.
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Plus, Banderas, like the audience, has time to take in the cracked streets and dusty skies, and gives the story some room to breathe. The robots also feel real thanks to the practical effects, and the mystery keeps pulling you in.
It's not like some of the blockbuster sci-fi flicks you might be used to that pull the same tricks over and over, and that's why I stuck with it even as a relatively unknown film.
If you're into slower, more thoughtful sci-fi with a mix of tension and atmosphere, "Automata" is worth a watch. It's streaming now on Prime Video.
Watch "Automata" free on Prime Video
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Tom's Guide
2 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
5 best psychological thriller movies to stream on Prime Video now
Psychological thrillers have a way of getting under your skin, keeping you on edge long after the movie ends. From tense mind games to stories that blur the line between reality and delusion, this genre thrives on pure shock factor. Luckily for streaming enthusiasts, Prime Video has a rich library of titles that will satisfy anyone craving a chilling, cerebral ride. Whether you prefer slow-burning tension, shocking reveals, or morally complex characters, there's something here for every thriller fan. In this list, we've rounded up five of the best psychological thriller movies currently available on Prime Video. I went into 'Blink Twice' knowing virtually nothing. That meant no trailer, no plot summary, nothing. Walking in blind turned out to be the best decision, because the less I knew, the more unsettling and intense the psychological twists felt. Frida (Naomi Ackie), a nail-art-loving cocktail waitress, works a high-profile event alongside her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat). There, the charming and enigmatic tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) takes notice and invites the pair to join him and his eclectic circle on a private island getaway. The moment they arrive, their phones are confiscated and they're treated to luxurious accommodations, lavish gifts, and heady cocktails. Initially, Frida and Jess find themselves immersed in paradise, mingling with Slater's friends and basking in fine food and indulgent company. But subtle oddities begin to creep in: visitors with matching snake tattoos, memory fogs, and a domestic worker who strangely calls Frida 'Red Rabbit.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Stream it on Prime Video If there's a single reason to watch 'Speak No Evil,' it's James McAvoy. He delivers one of the most compelling performances of his career, and frankly, his presence alone can overshadow any small missteps, particularly if you've seen the original and feel the urge to compare. 'Speak No Evil' follows the Dalton family — Louise (Mackenzie Davis), Ben (Scoot McNairy), and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) — as they embark on a seemingly idyllic weekend getaway to a remote English farmhouse. The invitation comes from a British couple, Paddy (McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), whom they met during a vacation in Italy. Initially charmed by their hosts, the Daltons soon find themselves unsettled by increasingly odd and intrusive behavior. As the weekend progresses, the family's discomfort escalates, leading to a tense and harrowing situation. Stream it on Prime Video Christopher Nolan delivers another masterclass in psychological thrillers with 'Memento.' The movie intricately examines how far someone will go to seek justice, weaving a story that challenges perception and memory. Its densely layered narrative rewards repeated viewings, with each watch uncovering fresh details and deeper insights into its carefully constructed puzzle. Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is a man on a mission. After a traumatic incident, he suffers from short-term memory loss, leaving him unable to form new memories. To cope, he develops a meticulous system of notes, photographs, and tattoos to track information and people, determined to piece together the events that led to his wife's death. The story unfolds in a unique, disorienting structure: scenes are presented both forwards and backwards, mirroring Leonard's fractured memory. As he investigates, he encounters a mix of allies and potential threats, each interaction further blurring the line between truth and deception. Leonard's reliance on his own records and the people around him becomes a tense balancing act, as every decision carries weight he can't fully recall. Stream it on Prime Video 'The Handmaiden' is a compelling psychological thriller that intertwines deception, desire, and betrayal within a meticulously crafted narrative. The movie's intricate plot is divided into three parts, each offering a new perspective that recontextualizes the story's events. Set in 1930s Korea under Japanese colonial rule, 'The Handmaiden' follows Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a young Korean pickpocket, who is recruited by a conman posing as Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo). Their scheme involves Sook-hee becoming the handmaiden to Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee), a wealthy Japanese heiress living under the strict supervision of her uncle, Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong). The plan is for Sook-hee to help Fujiwara seduce Lady Hideko, marry her, and have her committed to an asylum to claim her fortune. However, as Sook-hee and Lady Hideko grow closer, unexpected emotions and complexities arise, leading to a series of twists and revelations. Stream it on Prime Video Horror fans, I have a solid pick for you. 'Saint Maud' is a dark psychological thriller that isn't afraid to be frightening, as it delves into the unraveling mind of a devout nurse whose obsession with saving her patient's soul takes a chilling and unpredictable turn. Maud (Morfydd Clark), a deeply devout and socially isolated young nurse, takes on the care of Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a glamorous but terminally ill dancer who lives alone in a modernist house. Maud is obsessed with salvation and sees her work as a calling, determined to guide Amanda toward spiritual redemption. As she tends to Amanda, Maud becomes increasingly consumed by her own beliefs, and the boundaries between her faith, reality, and obsession begin to blur. The movie follows Maud's descent into a world where her intense devotion and fragile mental state collide, creating a tense, unsettling atmosphere. As she interprets every action and word through the lens of her religious conviction, small incidents escalate into moments of profound dread. Stream it on Prime Video
Cosmopolitan
19 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa Cover Cosmopolitan for ‘The Map That Leads to You'
'Should I cut all my hair off?' Madelyn Cline asks, pulling her blond waves out of an updo. 'I was thinking of getting a pixie cut and—' KJ Apa cuts her off: 'No, no, no,' he says, incredulously. 'You're crazy right now—you've been working too long. When you work too long, you start thinking, Maybe I should dye my hair pink, or maybe just shave it all off! I love your hair. Don't chop it off.' It feels like I've crashed a private catch-up between friends versus what I'm actually doing, interviewing two costars on a press tour. The actors each rose to fame on the waves of teenage TV catnip; Madelyn on Netflix's hit Outer Banks,¹ KJ on the seven-season CW show Riverdale. And now their paths—and palpable chemistry—have converged in The Map That Leads to You, a Prime Video romantic drama by director Lasse Hallströn.² 1. Outer Banks season 4 debuted with a whopping 1.2 billion minutes watched, making it a huge success for Netflix. To no one's surprise, the show will return for season 5 in 2026. 2. The director behind What's Eating Gilbert Grape and nearly all of ABBA's music videos, fun fact. In the movie, Madelyn plays a straitlaced student named Heather who collides with KJ's spontaneous stranger Jack while on a Mamma Mia!–coded European sabbatical. 'It turns her girls' trip upside down in the best way possible,' explains Madelyn. 'They say opposites attract, and together Heather and Jack form one very complete Venn diagram.' In real life, Madelyn and KJ's bond is less 'opposites attract' and more 'two kids with race car brains hyped up on pixie sticks,' a pair of sprinting hares in a world of tortoises. In the beginning, they had only a passing familiarity with each other's work. KJ first caught an episode of Outer Banks while shooting The Map That Leads to You, and Madelyn watched season 1 of Riverdale while recovering from wisdom-tooth surgery (meaning, she remembers basically none of it). Yet the two have obviously now forged a deep, if chaotic, friendship full of playful fighting, flirting, and finishing each other's sentences. 'I always know that whenever KJ and I are going to be doing something together, it's going to be an absolute mess and a really good time,' Madelyn says. 'We're like Mr. and Mrs. Smith—if it was mixed with Dumb and Dumber.' Where does that leave our chances of staying on topic during this interview? Truthfully: doomed. KJ: I do now. So much crazy stuff happened while we were shooting. MC: Oh my god. KJ: We spoke to this dude who clued us in to how you have relationships with people in your current life that you potentially had relationships with in the past. MC: He told me that in a past life, we lived in Italy and I was your mom. KJ: Yeah! Wasn't it in the 1800s? MC: And then in another past life, we were brother and sister. KJ: Now we're just colleagues. MC: We got downgraded. KJ: I will say this: A good 60 percent of what he said has not happened. MC: True, but I think that's because we asked him for specifics. He did say that, for our mutual friend Alex Fine,³ this was his first lifetime on Earth and he's an alien. That I believe! KJ: We all believe that because, honestly, he doesn't have any logical sense. 3. A triple threat in his own right, having founded the wellness/fitness company Almost Home, acted in 1883 and American Primeval, and married singer Cassie, with whom he has three kids. KJ: With Madelyn, I felt like we'd known each other for a while. Everything was just easy. I wish it was like that working with most actresses. What can you say? Look at her, she's an absolute monkey beast. KJ: Basically, being a beast is all know what? I can't say it. It's just something you feel in someone. MC: If you know, you know. If a fellow beast is looking at you and says, 'I see you…you're one of us, you're a beast,' then you don't question it. KJ: I'd go to the dentist, honestly. I haven't been to the dentist in a long time. MC: Oh wait, I haven't either. We should make an appointment. KJ: I have a 3-year-old⁴ and any spare time I get, I'm doing my own shit. So honestly, I wouldn't go anywhere. I'd stay home and get all the things that I need to get done done. MC: That's some real dad shit. Daddy beast. If I had time off— KJ: I bet you would choose to work. MC: You're completely correct.⁵ If I had a month off and I could somehow make work happen, I would do that. Or I would stay home and sleep. I love sleep. I love being in my enclosure. I find it to be so much fun being nonverbal. 4. KJ shares his son with ex-girlfriend Clara Berry.5. Madelyn's filmography reflects her hustle: In addition to The Map That Leads to You, she was recently in I Know What You Did Last Summer and continues to lead Outer Banks. KJ: I want that to happen to me, honestly. It's lonely these days. MC: I think yes, but for me, it usually happens through work or mutuals. KJ: Honestly, cool things still happen to me in real life sometimes. I was flying back from Paris and the flight attendant gave me her number on a napkin. I loved that. MC: Did she really? KJ: Oh yeah, and I hung out with her. MC: You did? KJ: I did. I'm not going to tell you what we did. But also, I find that the grocery store is another great way to meet people.⁶ People aren't really on their phones much, so it's an easy way to have conversations. 6. Is KJ being 100 percent serious about all this? Maybe not. Did we still publish it verbatim just in case? 100 percent. KJ: Yeah. Honestly, for me too, I can just ask my son to go talk to a girl for me. I say, 'Go tell that girl I love her.' KJ: One time. My son is so unashamed. He'll just go do whatever I tell him to do. KJ: He's a beast. And he knows what he's doing, I'll say that. MC: He learned from the best. KJ: Not accurate. Because a lot of the time, he goes up to the wrong woman. MC: I don't have a son to do that with yet. KJ: I'm your son! MC: You have been. My son with an even tinier son. We're like a Russian doll set. KJ: I'm your freaky beast. MC: As soon as we get together, all of a sudden we start talking in code. MC: Yeah, it's funny. KJ operates solely on feeling. He leads with how something makes him feel, and if it doesn't make him feel a certain way, he's on to something else. KJ: I'd say that's accurate. By the way, that's why I'm sober now. MC: I know this because I'm your mom. MC: I can be spontaneous and instinctual, but I'm also a workaholic. KJ: I mean, you're on another planet most of the time, in a beautiful way. You're constantly teetering the line of somehow getting everything done at a very high standard, while making fun of everything at all times. Somehow everything becomes pink and fluffy and stupid.⁷ MC: Pink and fluffy and stupid…that is what my brain looks like. It's fluffy because there's a little bit of mold on it. It's a little rotted. There's a bit of brain rot going on. 7. For the record, KJ also describes Madelyn like this: 'She has such a lightness about her that makes coming to work so enjoyable, because you smile every time you look at her. I'm moody, but I can't not be in a good mood around her—it's infectious. It's really a blessing for me to be with people like her. It makes my job easier, it makes my life easier, and it makes my life more enjoyable.' MC: Let's say we're in a cartoon. And you know how in parts of a cartoon, they zoom into a person's brain and it's this physical space with little people inside? KJ has three of them, and they're all shooting BB guns at the walls. There's a thousand of these little BB guns just shooting around, pinging off the walls, and it's not stopping.⁸ KJ: Do I have ADHD? MC: Hmm, any more silly questions? KJ: Fuck off. Do you think I do? MC: KJ, we both do. KJ: I don't even know how we shot a movie together. And with Lasse! MC: I don't know how we finished any of our scenes. KJ: He was wandering around looking for seashells during filming. MC: One day, we did genuinely lose him. We couldn't find him for 30, 45 minutes. I think he was trying to get on the wrong train. He's wonderful. KJ: Really wonderful. I love him so much because although he's in his 70s, he still has all of his curiosity for life. I think that's why he cast us in the movie—he casts like-minded people.⁹ 8. Madelyn also has this to say about KJ: 'KJ is an open book. I really felt like we were a team on this one. He was my partner, and we were fully in it together.' 9. 'I think onscreen chemistry is really hard to replicate if it doesn't naturally exist,' Madelyn says about likeness and similarities. 'I mean, you can do what you can, but there's nothing quite like it.' KJ: I'm similar in that my relationship with my higher power is very strong,¹⁰ and I rely on it every day. I always turn back to, Okay, I'm not in control. Whatever's happening to me is happening to me for a reason bigger than I'll ever understand. In taking on this movie, I was coming out of a really, really dark point in my life, and the script was one of those scripts that kept following me around. I knew I had so much to learn from that character, especially where I was in my life in terms of control and acceptance at a time when I was like, 'I can't do this anymore. I have to put my hands up and ask God to help me.' I knew that this character could help me. That's just how God works in my life. I do think my character is more resilient than I am for sure. MC: I think you're a very resilient person. KJ: I appreciate it. I was nervous about this because I hadn't acted in a really long time and I hadn't worked since Riverdale. I was just coming out of a really difficult time, so I was like, Shit, do I still have it? But I did it. Something that I try to combat every day is this idea of self-worth. I think in our industry, as artists and as people who want to make a name for ourselves, a lot of self-worth is pulled from recognition of creation. You want to be recognized for what you've created, and you want people to see you. 10. KJ brought this part of his life to screen by playing a Christian singer/songwriter in 2020's I Still Believe, which recently hit Netflix. MC: That's actually something I was talking about the other day. Being an actor can be a bit of a mindfuck. People always say, 'Don't compare yourself to others' and 'Don't base your self-worth on things that you can't control.' But ultimately, we do base our self-worth on our work because that's our calling card, that's our paycheck. KJ: It's the currency of what we do. When I think about these things, it all comes down to the people you end up attracting in your life. Working on this movie and working with someone like Lasse, like Madelyn, it's a breath of fresh air to be like, Oh, I can put my ego away. There are certain people where your ego wants to jump out a little more and you feel like you have to be a little more defensive or protective, but there are certain people who make you feel at peace. I want to spend more time with people in my daily life who make me feel like that. KJ: You know what? That's why I love what I do, because I get to live it. I get to experience it through someone else and so it is my reality at some point. I'm not going to lie, I fell in love with Madelyn on this movie in many ways that, one, are part of my job, and two, happened because she's an amazing person. You lean into it because it's fucking fun, and it's life, and I like feeling great.¹¹ MC: Actually, this was a conversation KJ and I had pretty early on, about our own belief systems and how they tie into our characters. I want every project I do to be illuminating. It should feel like it's holding up a mirror to you, because then I get to learn and experience things outside of my life as Madelyn. Each filming experience is so wonderful and beautiful and holds its own memories. How lucky are we to be able to live these tiny little forevers? 11. Another reason KJ thrived in this role? His New Zealand accent: 'Playing Jack is the first time I'm using my natural accent, the first time in 10 years I've been able to live in the moment with another actor without feeling like I have a separation between me and the character with my voice, which is huge for me.' KJ: I know that no matter what happens, everything's going to be okay. If I believe that, then I'm not allowed to stress. I'm not allowed to worry. It actually takes such a load off me. That's what Jack taught me. MC: I have this thing where I love spontaneity, but sometimes I catch myself trying to control outcomes of a situation, outcomes of a feeling, or what I think I should be feeling. Heather taught me how to completely give permission. You know what I also learned on this project? MC: How to be a beast. MC: I highly recommend the friends-to-lovers pipeline. KJ: Don't be afraid to love somebody. If you love someone, fucking give it everything, just don't hold back. You live one time. You never know when that opportunity is going to happen again. MC: If you love someone, just say it. It shouldn't be this thing that is meant to be put into a case and opened up when you feel like it is the 'right' time. Love is something that just happens. It's nothing to be afraid of and you should express it. KJ: Life makes you practical and logical. Go back to your first instinct, man. It's to love. (Title Image) On Madelyn: Mugler blazer and pants, Tom Ford shirt, Hermès tie, Madelyn's own earring (worn throughout), Cartier ring. On KJ: Paul Smith blazer and pants, Carter Young shirt, Ray-Ban sunglasses, David Yurman jewelry. (Cover Image) On Madelyn: Khaite coat, t-shirt from The Society Archive, R13 shorts, Falke tights, Hermès boots, Bulgari necklace. On KJ: Loewe jacket and pants, t-shirt from The Society Archive, Frye boots, David Yurman jewelry. Styled by Brandon Tan. Hair by Ledora for R+Co. Makeup by Jennifer Tioseco for Revlon. Production by Deer Studio NYC. Shot on location at the TWA Hotel.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Taylor Lautner Reveals If He's Team Conrad or Jeremiah & 'Twilight' Is The Reason for His Answer
Taylor Lautner Reveals If He's Team Conrad or Jeremiah & 'Twilight' Is The Reason for His Answer originally appeared on Parade. Actor Taylor Lautner, who famously played one of Bella Swan's (Kristen Stewart) romantic interests, Jacob Black, in the Twilight film franchise, is sharing his thoughts about another famous love triangle. While speaking to People magazine in August 2025, Lautner shared that he and his wife, Taylor Dome, watch the Prime series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, which premiered in 2022. The series follows Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) who's had romances with two brothers, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno), at different times. In the show's current third season, Belly is engaged to Jeremiah. However, she seems to still have feelings for Conrad, whom she dated for a few months about five years prior. Lautner referenced that fans of the series are divided into two camps, Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah, which is similar to how Twilight fans reacted to Bella's relationship with Jacob and her eventual husband, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). Lautner said he wants Belly to end up with Jeremiah because he thinks the character is similar to Jacob. 'My wife watches that show religiously. I would be lying if I said I didn't ... I've been watching this current season with her, so it's been a fun thing. I don't think she's super excited about watching the show with me like she is with her friends, but I get it. I get it," said Lautner to People magazine. 'I feel like because of my roots, I have to be Team Jer. But that's just because I feel like I have to. I feel like [Jeremiah] resonates a lot with Jacob. I know that'll irritate a lot, a lot of fans.' Lautner then shared he thinks his wife wants Conrad and Belly to end up together. 'I think my wife may be on the other team, and that makes sense because she was Team Edward as well,' said Lautner. During a July 2025 interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, alongside Casalegno and Briney, Tong discussed the fans' response to Belly's love life. She said fans will often tell her if they are on Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah. She also clarified that she is "Team Belly, always." "I'm all for her following her heart and what she needs to do in the moment," said Tong during the interview. Taylor Lautner Reveals If He's Team Conrad or Jeremiah & 'Twilight' Is The Reason for His Answer first appeared on Parade on Aug 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 16, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
