As summer gives way to fall, Labor Day marks the point when kids are back in school, and adults are thinking more about the holidays than about summer vacations. Labor Day itself is an excellent time to reflect or plan, but it’s also a great time to relax and watch a movie.
Need more recommendations? We also have guides to thebest movies on Netflix, thebest movies on Hulu, thebest movies on Amazon Prime Video, and thebest movies on Max.
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning (2023)
Mission: Impossiblemay be the best action franchise operating today, andDead Reckoningis just the latest bit of proof that these movies remain great. Following Ethan Hunt and his team as they battle a hyper-intelligent AI,Dead Reckoningis much less about the actual plot and much more about the stunts that Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie think up.
This film has a genuinely delightful car chase through the streets of Venice as well as a motorcycle jump off a cliff that will make you giggle just thinking about how deranged Cruise is. It’s everything an acton movie should be, even if it is a little convoluted.
You can watchMission: Impossible — Dead Reckoningon Amazon Prime Video.
Death Becomes Her (1992)
Robert Zemeckis has made several masterpieces in the course of his long career, and depending on who you ask,Death Becomes Hermay be one of them. The movie tells the story of two women who take an elixir that grants them immortal life in their battles to woo a hilarious Bruce Willis. Hijinks ensure when the women keep on killing each other, leading to bizarre scenes with one woman walking around with a hole in her stomach while the other women’s neck is stretched out like an accordion.
Thanks to the performances of Willis, Meryl Streep, and Goldie Hawn, and their commitment to its gonzo premise,Death Becomes Herbecame a camp classic almost immediately, and it remains one of the funniest movies any of these actors has ever made.
You can watchDeath Becomes Heron Amazon Prime Video.
Drive-Away Dolls (2024)
Ethan Coen made some of the best movies in history with his brother Joel, but he’s aiming to clear a much lower bar withDrive-Away Dolls. The movie follows two friends who embark on a cross-country journey in a car with a highly sought-after briefcase.
From there, they encounter all kinds of people interested in getting that suitcase back, and discover just a little bit about how much they really care about each other.Drive-Away Dollsis so funny, charming, and light on its feet that it feels over almost before it’s even started.
You can watchDrive-Away Dollson Amazon Prime Video.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
One of the great horror movies ever made,Rosemary’s Babytells the story of a young couple who move into a New York City apartment as they strive for success. When Rosemary, the wife, becomes pregnant, she begins to suspect that the baby she’s having is not a normal baby at all.
Rosemary’s Babyis terrifying in large part because of what it implies, and it’s one of the darkest horror movies ever made, even though nothing all that scary actually happens on screen.Rosemary’s Babyis not a movie filled with jump scares, but it will leave you unsettled for days after you watch it.
You can watchRosemary’s Babyon Amazon Prime Video.
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
A great example of a movie that knows exactly how to execute on its central idea,Assault on Precinct 13tells the story of a police lieutenant who teams up with his prisoners to defend a soon-to-be-closed precinct from the gang members that have descended on it. In essence,Assault on Precinct 13is a prolonged siege movie, and it knows exactly how to wring the most out of every moment of its story.
Director John Carpenter rarely missed during this early stage of his career, andAssault on Precinct 13is a perfect showcase for the kind of thriller storytelling he was best known for.
