Amazon might not always know how to surface them, but there are plenty of solid movies available on Prime Video. The streaming service’s algorithm often recommends the same content each time you log in, but if you’re seeking something a bit more unique, we have suggestions for you.
We’ve pulled together three very different movies that are all worth your time and underrated in several ways.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, and the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.
The Way Way Back (2013)
A coming-of-age movie that deserved more attention than it got, The Way Way Back follows a teenage boy who is forced to spend the summer with his mother and her boyfriend at a beach house. When he finds a job at a local waterpark, he also finds a father figure in the park’s manager, even as he comes to appreciate that life is more complicated than he had assumed.
The Way Way Back is a little reliant on clichés, but those clichés exist for a reason. And, thanks to a remarkable performance from Sam Rockwell, The Way Way Back lands enough of its jokes to feel like a charming movie.
You can watch The Way Way Back on Amazon Prime Video.
Better Man (2024)
If you know what Better Man is about, you might be justified in thinking the movie is not for you. It’s a film about Robbie Williams, a major U.K. pop star who doesn’t have a big presence in the U.S. Robbie is played by a CGI ape for reasons that remain unclear.
In spite of all that, Better Man is a remarkably confident, assured musical, a film about the perils of fame and stardom and the vices that go along with it. More than anything, Better Man is worth watching because of Williams’ music, and director Michael Gracey brings it to life with a remarkable degree of vision.
You can watch Better Man on Amazon Prime Video.
Thief (1981)
Michael Mann’s debut feature is indicative of the style that he would bring to his entire career. The movie follows Frank (James Caan), a highly skilled professional thief who treats his work like a job. Frank wants to walk away after one big job, but when the person he works for won’t let him go, he’s forced to fight for his right to a quiet life.
It’s a familiar story brought to life by Mann, Tangerine Dream, and James Caan. Thief is a remarkably confident, tense first feature. It remains one of the best movies of the 1980s.
You can watch Thief on Amazon Prime Video.
