Prime Video Gems: Three Underrated Movies Worth Your Weekend Watch

In the vast ocean of Prime Video’s movie catalog, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by choices. Who has time to sort through thousands of titles to find something genuinely worth watching? Thankfully, you don’t have to navigate these waters alone. We’ve curated three hidden gems from different genres that deserve your attention this weekend – a spine-tingling horror with a legendary actress, a heartwarming food-centric dramedy, and a delightfully bizarre sci-fi cult classic from the ’80s. Each offers something unique for different tastes, proving that sometimes the best viewing experiences come from stepping off the beaten path of blockbusters and algorithms.

First up is “Winchester” (2018), a horror film that might surprise you with its pedigree. Dame Helen Mirren, an actress typically associated with royal roles and sophisticated dramas, steps boldly into the horror genre as Sarah Winchester, the eccentric widow of the firearms magnate. Based on a true historical figure, the film explores Sarah’s bizarre real-life mansion – a sprawling, continuously constructed labyrinth supposedly built to contain the restless spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. When the Winchester company grows concerned about Sarah’s mental state and sends Dr. Eric Price (Jason Clarke) to evaluate her, he arrives skeptical but soon finds himself questioning everything he believes about the supernatural. What makes “Winchester” particularly intriguing is how it weaves historical truth with supernatural fiction. The Winchester Mystery House still stands today in San Jose, California, with its odd architectural choices like staircases leading nowhere and doors opening to blank walls. While the real Sarah Winchester likely wasn’t actually communicating with ghosts, the film uses this fascinating historical backdrop to create something akin to “The Conjuring” with a historical twist. Though it embraces B-movie sensibilities with its jump scares and ghostly apparitions, Mirren’s gravitas elevates the material considerably. She approaches the role with such conviction that even the most outlandish supernatural elements feel grounded in genuine emotional trauma and guilt.

If horror isn’t your preferred flavor, perhaps “Chef” (2014) will satisfy your weekend cravings. Written, directed by, and starring Jon Favreau, this feel-good culinary journey follows professional chef Carl Casper’s fall from grace and subsequent redemption. After a public meltdown following a negative review goes viral (in one of cinema’s most authentic portrayals of social media humiliation), Carl finds himself unemployable in the high-end restaurant scene. With nothing to lose, he reluctantly agrees to his ex-wife Inez’s (Sofia Vergara) suggestion to restore an old food truck. What begins as a last resort becomes a journey of rediscovery as Carl reconnects with his passion for cooking and rebuilds his relationship with his son Percy (Emjay Anthony) while driving cross-country and serving Cuban sandwiches to appreciative crowds. “Chef” stands out for its authenticity – Favreau trained with renowned chef Roy Choi to ensure the cooking scenes felt genuine, and it shows in every lovingly shot food preparation sequence. The film serves as a metaphor for creative fulfillment that resonates beyond the culinary world. Carl’s journey from creating safe, crowd-pleasing dishes in a prestigious restaurant to making food he truly believes in represents a universal struggle between commercial success and artistic integrity. It’s also a warm exploration of father-son relationships, showcasing how shared passion can bridge generational gaps. With its mouthwatering food photography, excellent supporting cast including John Leguizamo and Robert Downey Jr., and contagious joy in simple pleasures, “Chef” offers comfort food for the soul without resorting to saccharine sentimentality.

For those craving something completely different, “Lifeforce” (1985) delivers an experience that defies easy categorization. Directed by Tobe Hooper of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” fame and based on Colin Wilson’s novel “The Space Vampires,” this wild sci-fi horror hybrid begins with a British space mission discovering alien life forms inside Halley’s Comet. When the mission returns to Earth, it brings with it three humanoid aliens in suspended animation – including a mesmerizing, often nude female entity (Mathilda May) who escapes and begins draining humans of their life essence, turning London into ground zero for an apocalyptic invasion. Colonel Tom Carlsen (Steve Railsback), the only survivor from the space mission, shares an inexplicable psychic connection with the alien woman and becomes humanity’s best hope for survival. “Lifeforce” represents a fascinating moment in mid-80s filmmaking when boundaries between genres were gleefully ignored. It combines elements of cosmic horror, vampire mythology, disaster films, and alien invasion narratives into a strange brew that shouldn’t work but somehow does. The practical effects by Academy Award-winner John Dykstra create memorably grotesque transformations as victims become desiccated husks before reanimating as energy vampires. The film’s grand finale, set amidst a chaotic London overrun by energy-sucking zombies with a climactic showdown at St. Paul’s Cathedral, exemplifies the film’s go-for-broke attitude. Though critically dismissed upon release, “Lifeforce” has gained well-deserved cult status for its audacious blend of sexuality, horror, and sci-fi concepts that were ahead of their time.

These three films represent the wonderful diversity available on streaming platforms like Prime Video when you venture beyond the most obvious choices. “Winchester” offers thoughtful supernatural chills grounded in fascinating American history and elevated by Mirren’s commanding presence. For those seeking uplift and inspiration, “Chef” serves a heartwarming story about finding your authentic voice and reconnecting with what matters most, wrapped in a delicious road trip adventure. And for viewers willing to embrace the bizarre, “Lifeforce” delivers a uniquely unhinged sci-fi horror experience that could only exist in the creative freedom of 1980s filmmaking before focus groups and franchise considerations dominated production decisions.

What unites these seemingly disparate films is their authenticity and commitment to their respective visions. None try to be all things to all viewers – they know exactly what they are and execute their concepts with conviction. “Winchester” embraces haunted house tropes while adding historical context, “Chef” celebrates the joy of creative passion and human connection without cynicism, and “Lifeforce” throws conventional storytelling to the wind in favor of spectacular weirdness. In an era of algorithm-driven recommendations that often lead us to variations of what we’ve already seen, these films remind us of the joy of discovery and the pleasure of experiencing something that defies easy categorization.

So this weekend, consider stepping away from the familiar and giving one of these underappreciated gems a chance. Whether you’re in the mood for sophisticated scares with Helen Mirren, a heartwarming culinary journey, or a mind-bending sci-fi vampire apocalypse, Prime Video has something waiting to surprise you. The best streaming experiences often come not from watching what everyone else is watching, but from discovering something unexpected that resonates with your particular sensibilities. These three films, each excellent in their own unique way, await your discovery.