Although Prime Video is just one of the offerings that Amazon includes with any Prime subscription, it can be valuable if you know how to take advantage of it. Sometimes, though, opening the service and actually picking something to watch can feel incredibly challenging. That’s why we’ve pulled together three underrated movies that will hopefully make your decision easier about what to watch.
Whatever you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on HBO Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)
Clint Eastwood directed two movies about the Battle of Iwo Jima in 2006, and most agree that Letters From Iwo Jima, which tells the story of the battle from the Japanese perspective, is the better one.
It follows several Japanese soldiers who work to defend the island, and the commander tasked with fending off American forces for as long as possible, even as he understands the impossibility of his task. It’s a thoughtful examination of soldiers who were often demonized in Western depictions of the war.
You can watch Letters From Iwo Jima on Amazon Prime Video.
First Man (2018)
Damien Chazelle’s follow-up to La La Land wasn’t nearly as well-regarded or well-remembered as that film, but it’s no less worthy of praise. First Man follows Neil Armstrong’s journey to the moon. While it might seem like a conventional biopic, it turns out to be much stranger than that premise might suggest.
First Man is the study of a man who risks everything in his world to pursue something insanely dangerous. The flight sequences here are genuinely stunning. Ryan Gosling is truly excellent as Armstrong. It’s a subdued, understated central performance, which has to communicate a deep well of feeling with remarkable economy.
You can watch First Man on Amazon Prime Video.
Snack Shack (2024)
I’ve always been a sucker for coming-of-age movies, and Snack Shack’s unique charm stands out in a crowded field. Snack Shack depicts two friends who like to hatch moneymaking schemes together. The duo decides to reopen their pool’s abandoned snack shack.
As they start making money at the shack, they meet an effortlessly cool lifeguard who will upend their summer and their relationship. Snack Shack is a little shaggy, but it’s remarkably charming and anchored by a trio of compelling young lead performers who all seem to perfectly understand what they’ve been asked to do.
You can watch Snack Shack on Amazon Prime Video.
