I write about movies for a living; here are 5 hidden gems you should buy in the Prime Day movie sales (that aren't Wicked)

Cynthia Erivo in Wicked
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

One of the lesser-known deals of Prime Day (running until Friday, July 11) is that Amazon reduces the price of loads of movies on its Amazon Video platform.

I'm not talking about your standard fare available freely on Prime Video to anyone who subscribes to Amazon Prime, but its listing of third-party hits like older movies, blockbusters and lesser-seen indie films.

For example Wicked is discounted in the UK, and you can now buy it digitally for £6.99, down from its previous price of £13.99. Find it here if you've been waiting to find a way to watch 2024's smash hit... but don't, because I've got something much better for you.

A few hidden gems from the last few years are included in the Prime Day movie sales, some of which I've seen and would highly recommend, and some of which I haven't but have heard lots of buzz about. So if you've been looking for a new movie night watch, here are some discounted rentals or purchases on lesser-seen movies.

1. Black Bag

Michael Fassbender in Black Bag

(Image credit: Focus Features)

First up is Steve Soderbergh's new spy movie from earlier in the year, which was a gripping story yet sadly underperformed at the box office. Now it's your time to catch up though.

Black Bag stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as a married spy couple. When she becomes a suspect for treason, he's forced to work out whether she's actually a traitor to the country or if some fouler work is at play.

In our Black Bag review we commended the movie's focus on dramatic conversations and plot turns over its reliance on action and chases, with an engaging plot and svelte runtime.

US viewers can now rent Black Bag for $5.99, down from its previous price of $9.99, and you can find its Amazon Video listing here. In the UK you can rent it for £1.99, down from £15.99, or buy it for £6.99, down from £19.99, and you can find its Amazon Video listing here.

2. William Tell

A group of soldiers from the 2024 movie William Tell.

(Image credit: Altitude Film Distribution)

I was hoping to watch this 2024 movie but it barely came out in any cinemas in my country so I couldn't get to it. So I'm looking forward to watching it via this deal.

William Tell is based on the famous play and piece of music, and it's a medieval action movie about the 12th Century clash between peaceful Swiss villagers and invading Austrians, with the defenders led by a legendary bowman called William Tell.

Claes Bang stars as the titular hero with a cast that's rounded out by Connor Swindells, Rafe Spall, Emily Beecham, Jonathan Pryce and Ben Kingsley.

In the US you can rent William Tell for $9.99, down from $5.99, or buy it for $14.99, down from $19.99, and you can find its Amazon Video listing here. UK viewers can rent it for £3.49, slightly discounted by £1 from its original price, or buy it for £4.99 down from £9.99 and you can find its Amazon Video listing here.

3. 65

Mills (Adam Driver) and Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) in a cave at night in 65

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment)

I'm not going to pretend that 65 is a great film, but it had the kind of dumb dino fun that I felt Jurassic World Rebirth was missing and so I've been thinking about rewatching it recently.

The movie stars Adam Driver as a space traveller who finds himself stranded on Earth... 65 million years ago. Hence the name.

Cue an hour and a half of dinosaur scares, many-toothed dangers and some stupid but hilarious discoveries to kick off a ticking clock element.

If you live in the US, 65 can be rented for $3.99 down from $4.49, or bought for $7.99 down from $14.99, and here's the Amazon Video listing page. In the UK you can buy it for £3.99, down from £7.99 (there's no rental deal) and the Amazon Video listing page is here.

4. The Thicket

The main cast of movie The Thicket.

(Image credit: Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Here's another movie I wanted to watch, but it never even released outside the US.

The Thicket stars Peter Dinklage, Levon Hawke, Juliette Lewis and Esmé Creed-Miles, as well as Metallica frontman James Hetfield, and it's a Western thriller.

The story is about a bounty hunter (Dinklage) who creates a band of fighters to take down a killer, however his rag-tag group are all unlikely in different ways.

There's no US discount on The Thicket because it's on Prime Video anyway there. In the UK it's available to rent for £1.99, down from £4.49, or buy for £3.99, down from £9.99, and you can find it listed on Amazon Video here.

5. Caddo Lake

Dylan O’Brien in Caddo Lake

(Image credit: Max)

I watched Caddo Lake on a flight but it was good enough that I want to rewatch it at ground level so I can properly work out what was going on.

The movie is set at the titular lake, which straddles Texas and Louisiana, and it features Maze Runner star Dylan O'Brien in the main role.

Caddo Lake is about the investigation into a disappeared 8-year-old girl, which isn't the first such vanishing for her family. As people try to find her, it becomes clear that there's something very weird happening out in the woods and swamps.

You can't rent or buy Caddo Lake on Amazon Video in the US but it is on Max. In the UK you can't rent it but you can buy it: £3.99, down from £9.99, and you can find its Amazon Video listing here.

CATEGORIES
Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Editor

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce editor at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK.

As the site's streaming expert he covers new additions, hidden gems, round-ups and big news for the biggest VOD platforms like Netflix, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Prime Video and Tubi. He also handles the site's articles on how to watch various movies, TV shows, sports, live events and classic box sets, and coverage on hardware like TVs, soundbars and streaming sticks.

You can commonly find him at film festivals, seeing classic movies shown on the big screen, or going to Q&As from his favorite film-makers and stars.

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