What to watch on Amazon Prime in January

Leave No Trace

A 2018 drama film directed by Debra Granik, Leave No Trace is based on the novel My Abandonment by Peter Rock. The movie follows a father and daughter who live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. However, when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own.

Leave No Trace received universal critical acclaim and is currently the second-most reviewed film to hold an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Everybody loves a bit of nostalgia, even streaming sites. The original 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was made available to watch on Prime at the start of January, kicking 2019 with a very sweet treat.

Starring Gene Wilder as the eponymous confectionary maker, the film is an adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by beloved author Roald Dahl. The story focuses on a young boy from a poor family who finds one of five golden tickets hidden inside chocolate bar wrappers, which will admit him to the eccentric and reclusive Willy Wonka's magical factory.

Eighth Grade

Another fairly new release, Eighth Grade was written and directed by American comedian Bo Burnham in his feature film directorial debut. The plot follows the life and struggles of an eighth-grader, played by young talent Elsie Fisher, during her last week of classes before graduating to high school.

The young girl struggles with social anxiety but finds solace in producing vlogs giving life advice. Thirteen-year-old Kayla manages to endure the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she comes to the end of her disastrous school year. Something that people of all ages can surely relate to in one way or another.

Informer

After recently airing on BBC One, thrilling six-part drama Informer is hitting Amazon this month. Starring Paddy Considine, Nabhaan Rizwan and Bel Powley in lead roles, the series follows Raza Shar, a second generation British-Pakistani man from East London, as he finds himself in an unexpected encounter with Gabe Waters and Holly Morten, who work as counter-terrorism officers.

The unlikely trio start to work together towards mutual benefits when Raza becomes an informer for the officers. The drama explores the complexities of the themes of identity, family and expectations.

The Debt

A 2010 remake of the 2007 Israeli Ha-Hov, The Debt tells the story of three Mossad agents, who crossed into East Berlin in 1965 to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.

Starring big names that include Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain and Sam Worthington, the film received generally positive reviews from most critics and viewers due to its shocking twists and impressive acting.