Amazon Prime Video is rammed full of amazing movies and shows—but some of the best ones fly under the radar. That’s why I dig down past the suggested titles and find the best hidden gems for you to binge-watch this glorious weekend.
The Night Manager, featuring Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston, and Olivia Colman, is a British crime drama that is based on a novel of the same name. In the show, Hiddleston is a former British soldier who works as the night manager of a luxury hotel located in Cairo.
He is recruited by Colman, who serves as the Head of the Foreign Office’s International Enforcement Agency, to infiltrate the inner circle of an international arms dealer. What follows is a clever blend of high-stakes deception and tension, as Hiddleston navigates dangerous alliances while trying to stay undercover. The plot was gripping and the acting exceptional; it’s, however, one of those one-season wonders that leaves you wanting more. That said, it’s a rare gem that’s definitely worth watching.
The Big Sick is a feel-good movie that’s actually good, and it’s surprisingly based on the real-life cross-cultural romance between Kumail Nanjiani (who stars in the movie) and his wife, Emily. In the movie, Kumail (who was born in Pakistan) is trying hard to make a living as a stand-up comic in Chicago. He falls in love with Emily, a grad student who is at one of his shows.
Their relationship takes a dramatic turn when Emily falls ill and is placed in an induced coma. This forces Kumail to confront his feelings for her and navigate dynamics with both his traditional family and Emily’s parents, who are wary of him at first. Packed with plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments, it’s the perfect movie for a cozy night in.
There are two versions of the show Utopia—one is the UK original and the other a US remake. The British series, created by Dennis Kelly, is fantastic, to say the least. Everything from the story to the cast, music, location, and cinematography is superior and just creates a really addictive viewing experience.
The plot follows a group of near-strangers who are unexpectedly brought together by the discovery of a manuscript. Soon, they find themselves targeted by a secret organization called “The Network.” Their lives are thrown into chaos, and they’re basically forced to go into hiding. While evading capture, they try to piece together the hidden meaning of the manuscript. All in all, it’s a gripping story from start to finish, and the two seasons will keep you hooked. I can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking for a show to plow through the weekend.
This 2013 psychological sci-fi thriller follows a group of eight friends who gather for a dinner party. This is the same night that the Miller Comet is passing close to Earth. The night starts off with small talk and casual flirtation, but a power outage sparks a bizarre chain of events.
Without giving too much away, members of the group notice multiple strange occurrences, including unsettling sightings and inexplicable objects that challenge the laws of reality. As the night proceeds, they come to the startling conclusion that the passing of the comet has caused multiple split realities, where different versions of themselves exist, and not all of them are good.
If you’re looking for a thought-provoking, gripping storyline that will keep you guessing, you shouldn’t miss this movie.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, Memento is a brilliant movie centered on Leonard Shelby (played by Guy Pearce), who suffers from anterograde amnesia. He is unable to form new memories and has short-term memory loss. Despite his condition, he tries to hunt down the man who murdered his wife. To keep track of clues and events, Shelby uses photographs, tattoos on his body, and handwritten notes.
What’s especially interesting about this movie is that it alternates between two timelines—one in color, which plays in reverse to give viewers a feel of the protagonist’s mental state, and the other in black-and-white, which unfolds chronologically to fill in the gaps.
Beyond the Black Rainbow is not a typical horror movie, but the plot is absolutely nightmarish in a very surreal, psychological way. In the movie, Elena, a young woman with powerful telepathic abilities, is held captive by a pill-popping psychiatrist, Dr. Barry Nyle.
The pacing of the story is slow, but Elena’s journey toward her freedom and everything that happens in between will keep you hooked from the beginning. The movie has a cathartic end, where there’s a sense of justice for Elena.
From romcom to sci-fi thriller to gritty crime drama, this list has something for everyone. None are especially long, making these picks perfect for the weekend as long as you have a Prime Video subscription.
