As we head toward the end of June, it’s worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that’s going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.
If you fall into that second category, then we’ve pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
Few directors were on more of a heater than Steven Soderbergh in the late ’90s and early 2000s, and The Limey is one of his most under-appreciated efforts from that era. Telling the story of an Englishman who travels to Los Angeles to find justice for the death of his daughter, the movie plays a little bit like a precursor to something like John Wick, although the action on display is far less operatic.
Instead, The Limey is a movie that jostles you constantly with a combination of formal innovation and violence, and it’s all anchored by Terrence Stamp doing some of the best work of his career. It maybe violent, but The Limey is riveting from the word go.
You can watch The Limey on Prime Video.
Incendies (2010)
Before Denis Villeneuve had taken over Hollywood with Arrival, Dune, and Dune: Part Two, he was making blistering, devastating movies like Incendies. The movie tells the story of two siblings who investigate their mother’s life following her death, and discover all of the harrowing experiences that she went through.
While the movie’s various twists and reveals are best left unspoiled, Incendies leaves its audience feeling utterly devastated. It’s a testament to Villeneuve’s talent as a director, and to the excellent cast that he assembled, that Incendies is as riveting as it is.
You can watch Incendies on Prime Video.
Brick (2006)
Rian Johnson (Knives Out, The Last Jedi) is one of Hollywood’s more controversial directors, at least among Star Wars fans, but he got his start making the kinds of mystery stories that he’s now so well known for. Brick tells the story of high school student played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who goes into the belly of the teenage underworld after his ex-girlfriend goes missing.
Although it’s about a high school kid, Brick adopts the form of a noir, and in doing so, makes its story feel even more serious than it might otherwise. Johnson displayed plenty of style here, and also proved that Gordon-Levitt could be a star in his own right.
You can watch Brick on Prime Video.