X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Amazon renting '21 Jump Street,' 'Dark Knight,' others for 99 cents

A mix of new releases and old favorites, each for less than a buck. Good time to stock up on some movies for the weekend!

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Big day for Amazon. First came news of the new Amazon Instant Video app for iPad. Now, the company is offering dirt-cheap rentals on a bunch of new-release movies.

For just 99 cents, you can rent any of the following titles:

  • "21 Jump Street"
  • "Act of Valor"
  • "American Reunion"
  • "Big Miracle"
  • "Friends with Kids"
  • "Lockout"
  • "Mirror Mirror"
  • "Safe House"
  • "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows"
  • "Wanderlust"
  • "Wrath of the Titans"

Not a bad list, eh? Amazon is offering about a dozen older movies as well, also for 99 cents, including "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight," "Empire of the Sun," and the family-friendly "Despicable Me" and "Wall-E."

Though a handful of these older titles fall under the Amazon Prime umbrella (meaning Prime members can watch them for free), most will set you back a buck. iTunes, by comparison, charges $3.99 for most of them.

The usual rental terms apply: you've got 30 days to start watching, and after you do, you've got 24-48 hours (depending on the movie) to finish.

Amazon Instant Video is compatible with a variety of streaming devices, including Roku boxes, TiVos, the Kindle Fire, and, now, the iPad. If you have one of those devices, this is a great time to score some new releases on the cheap.

Just one thing: I don't know how long Amazon plans to run this 99-cent deal. Could end today, could end in a week. My advice: rent now, before you miss out.