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What\u2019s a masterpiece? Different people have different definitions, but here at What With Us<\/a>, it\u2019s something that stands the test of time, regardless of its imperfections.<\/p>\n Amazon Prime Video<\/a> has its fair share of movie masterpieces, but we\u2018ve whittled down to three essential films you should stream this August.<\/p>\n From the Oscar-nominated 1974 thriller, The Conversation<\/em>, to the all-star crime epic Heat<\/em> with the late Val Kilmer<\/strong><\/a>, these three films may be wildly different, but are each unforgettable in their distinct way.<\/p>\n Some movies aren\u2019t recognized as masterpieces when they are first released, but gradually attain that status through a combination of time, availability and common sense. Heat<\/em>\u2019s one of those movies. Thirty years after its premiere, it\u2019s now recognized as one of the best modern cops and robbers movies ever made. And with good reason \u2014 it\u2019s a terrific action movie that also doubles as a fascinating portrait of two men obsessed with their work \u2014 and each other.<\/p>\n 5 Best Prime Video Movies to Watch in July 2025, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes Score<\/a><\/p>\n The men in question, Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro<\/strong><\/a>) and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino<\/strong><\/a>), would be friends in another life, but in this one, they\u2019re mutual enemies on opposite sides of the law. Neil is a bank robber intent on pulling one last job with his crew before fleeing Los Angeles, while Vincent devotes all of his time trying to prevent Neil from leaving. Their paths will inevitably cross at some point, but who\u2019s smart and lucky enough to emerge victorious?<\/p>\n It\u2019s not hard to argue that Heat<\/em> is a great movie. From its excellent use of L.A. as a playground for law and disorder to Dante Spinotti<\/strong>\u2019s moody, blue-tinged cinematography<\/a>, the film looks and feels like a \u201890s crime picture that\u2019s both classic and modern at the same time. The all-star cast, from Pacino and De Niro to Val Kilmer<\/strong><\/a>, Ashley Judd<\/strong>, Natalie Portman<\/strong><\/a> and Danny Trejo<\/strong>, is top-notch, and the direction by Michael Mann<\/strong> is so smooth and faultless, you forget you’re watching a movie instead of real life.<\/p>\n There\u2019s nothing creepier than staying in an isolated house in the woods at night. That\u2019s what The Strangers<\/em> uses as both a location and a foundation for one of the scariest modern horror movies ever made.<\/p>\n Kristen (Liv Tyler<\/strong><\/a>) and James (Scott Speedman<\/strong><\/a>) are in a long-term relationship that might be coming to an end after Kristen rejects James\u2019 marriage proposal. Already distant from each other, they spend the night at James\u2019 childhood home. But things go from awkward to horrific when three masked strangers begin terrorizing them for seemingly no reason or purpose. Can Kristen and James survive the worst night of their lives?<\/p>\n\u2018Heat\u2019 (1995)<\/h3>\n
\u2018The Strangers\u2019 (2008)<\/h3>\n