Our round-up of the best Amazon Prime Video movies includes the latest blockbuster like Top Gun Maverick as well as all-time classics such as Pulp Fiction. But if you’re looking for something fresh, then you’re in the right spot as here we’re rounding up the best Amazon Prime Video movies that you (probably) haven’t seen.
While the 9 movies on this list might not have much in the way of name recognition they certainly aren’t lacking in the quality department. From a skin-crawling psychological thriller to a charming rom-com about a wash-up rockstar and his obsessive No.1 fan, there’s a film to suit just about every taste down below.
So, if you’re looking for something new to watch this evening, any of these Amazon Prime Video movies that you (most likely) haven’t watched yet deserves consideration. In fact, these 11 under-appreciated Prime Video flicks prove that sometimes you should look beyond a streaming service’s homepage to find the real gems.
7500 (2019)
In 7500, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays an American pilot in a nightmare situation when hijackers attempt to take control of a commercial plane that is traveling from Berlin to Paris. While trying to ensure no harm comes to the passengers and crew on board, the pilot begins to forge a surprise connection with one of the hijackers. This unexpected twist could be the key to surviving the ordeal.
7500 packs all the mounting tension you’d expect considering its central premise, but what really helps its take flight is the central performance of Joesph Gordon-Levitt. The actor is excellent as a soft-spoken pilot trying to keep his cool in a nearly impossible situation. 7500’s final act is also seriously gripping, as the tension is ratcheted up to an extremely high level.
Genre: Thriller
Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
Stars: Josph-Gordon-Levitt, Omid Memar, Aylin Tezel, Carlo Kitzlinger, Murathan Muslu
Director: Patrick Vollrath
Stream it on Prime Video
Cyrano (2021)
Based on the timeless 19th-century play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, this modern retelling sees Peter Dinklage play the eponymous role of a poet who agrees to help a young man win the heart of the beautiful Roxanne by passing off Cyrano’s writing as his own. But there is a twist to this tale, Cyrano himself is madly in love with Roxanne as well.
Directed by Joe Wright, this musical-drama is seriously romantic with a strong leading performance from Peter Dinklage at its core. Haley Bennett and Jelvin Harrison Jr are also excellent in supporting roles, and the direction is stunning. This movie was a box office flop but it deserves a second shot at finding an audience and hopefully, its inclusion in the Prime Video catalog will give it one.
Genre: Musical
Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ben Mendelsohn
Director: Joe Wright
Stream it on Prime Video
American Animals (2018)
Based on the remarkable true story of a heist that took place at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky in 2004, American Animals focuses on a group of outcast adolescents who devise a plan to steal a rare first-edition book and then sell it on the black market. Naturally, a foursome of overconfident college students are not best equipped to pull off such a scheme and things quickly unravel.
American Animals is so outlandish that it’s hard to believe that it’s inspired by real-life events, but the film also includes interview footage with the real-life people who inspired the characters in the movie. It’s a novel idea from director Bart Layton and makes American Animals feel unique compared to other heist movies.
Genre: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Stars: Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson, Udo Kier
Director: Bart Layton
Stream it on Prime Video
Saint Maud (2019)
The feature film debut of writer/director Rose Glass, Saint Maud is a prickly psychological horror that will chill you to the bone. It stars Morfydd Clark as a devoutly religious hospice nurse who becomes obsessed with one of her patients, a former dancer with a terminal illness. Maud believes it's her duty to save the souls of all in her care, but what happens when somebody doesn’t want to be saved?
Saint Maud is that rare movie that will stay with you long after watching, that’s in part due to its shocking final scene, but also become the film expertly blends horror and drama to create a film that is occasionally hard to watch but is gripping all the way through. The leading performance from Clark is especially noteworthy as she carries the weight of the entire movie on her back with apparent ease.
Genre: Horror
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Stars: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Knight, Turlough Convery, Lily Frazer
Director: Rose Glass
Stream it on Prime Video
Juliet, Naked (2018)
If you’ve been enjoying The Big Door Prize on Apple TV Plus and want more Chris O’Dowd, then Juliet, Naked is exactly what you’re after. In this rom-com based on the Nick Hornby novel of the same name, O’Dowd plays Duncan, a college teacher obsessed with a faded American musician, much to the chagrin of his dissatisfied girlfriend Annie (Rose Byrne). But when said rockstar comes to their small English town, Annie strikes up a spark that sends Duncan mad with jealousy.
If you’re in the mood for something light hearted then be sure to give Juliet, Naked a spin. But don’t mistakenly believe that Juliet, Naked is disposable. It may have a breezy nature but it’s still plenty relatable with some interesting things to say about growing older and finding something that makes you happy. Plus, Ethan Hawke is excellent as an arrogant American rockstar.
Genre: Romantic comedy
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Stars: Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O'Dowd, Denise Gough, Phil Davis
Director: Jesse Peretz
Stream it on Prime Video
Vengeance (2022)
Vengeance is a mystery film that follows a big-city journalist (B.J. Novak) living in New York who travels to Texas to investigate the mysterious death of a woman he’d previously had a casual romantic affair with in order to get material for a new episode of his podcast.
Written and directed by Novak (who you may recognize as Ryan from The Office), Vengeance is a dark comedy with some serious smarts. It probably won’t click with all tastes, but there are some interesting themes at play here and Novak weaves together a compelling mystery right up until the final moments.
Genre: Mystery
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Stars: B.J. Novak, Boyd Holbrook, Dove Cameron, Issa Rae, Aston Kutcher
Director: B.J. Novak
Stream it on Prime Video
Troll Hunter (2010)
Troll Hunter is a Norwegian fantasy film presented as a found-footage documentary. It follows a group of students as they investigate what they initially believe to be a series of bear killings. But they soon discover there are much more dangerous creatures at play and become embroiled with a mysterious figure who claims to be a troll hunter.
Taking clear inspiration from The Blair Witch Project (don't worry it's nowhere near as terrifying), Troll Hunter fully commits to its outlandish premise, and that’s its biggest strength. But it’s also not afraid to have a little fun with things, and that helps to make Troll Hunter a fun but also very thrilling watch.
Genre: Fantasy
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Stars: Otto Jespersen, Hans Morten Hansen, Tomas Alf Larsen, Johanna Mørck, Knut Nærum
Director: André Øvredal
Stream it on Prime Video
High Rise (2015)
This silver-screen adaptation of the 1975 novel of the same name by J.G. Ballard has only become more concerning and relevant in recent years. It focuses on a high-rise apartment block that functions essentially as its own society, insulated from the outside world. But when the block's carefully balanced infrastructure begins to crack, tensions between residents bubble to the surface and the building threatens to devolve into total chaos.
High Rise boasts a seriously sparkling cast that includes Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss, and, even better, they’re pretty much all on top form in this dystopian thriller. This was another box office disappointment at release, but its messages about class structure and our concerning dependency on convenience remain even more vital in 2023.
Genre: Thriller
Rotten Tomatoes: 60%
Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss
Director: Ben Wheatley
Stream it on Prime Video
The Neon Demon (2016)
There’s no denying that The Neon Demon will be the most polarizing movie on this list, what else would you expect from Nicolas Winding Refn? This surreal psychological horror film centers on an aspiring model (Elle Fanning) whose beauty and youth propel her into the limelight, but also inspire dangerous jealousy among her peers who will do anything to claim the spotlight back.
The film received a mixed reception at launch (Some critics loved it, some hated it), but if you like surreal movies that place the focus on style rather than substance, you might just find yourself enchanted by The Neon Demon. If you’re seeking a fairly conventional movie, then perhaps skip this one, but if you like your films to be a little odd, then you should allow Refn to invite you into his bizarre world.
Genre: Horror
Rotten Tomatoes: 58%
Stars: Elle Fanning, Karl Glusman, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Stream it on Prime Video
