Secret treasures that fall between the cracks can occasionally be overshadowed by the cinematic landscape in an era dominated by box office records and blockbuster films. With the way streaming services like Amazon Prime are developing, they are providing access to a wealth of movies you missed in theaters. This post explores ten of these movies you missed in theaters, which are easily accessible on streaming services, and are worth seeing again.
It can be very satisfying for both casual viewers and movie enthusiasts to find a film that is not as popular as it seems. The vast collection of Amazon Prime offers something for every taste, from foreign masterpieces to genre-bending documentaries to independent dramas. Every movie on this carefully chosen list promises to be a distinctive cinematic experience, offering a welcome diversion from the well-known blockbusters with these movies you missed in theaters.
Cinematic creativity and diversity in storytelling are given top priority during the selection process. These films demonstrate the breadth and depth of modern filmmaking, whether it’s a quiet indie film that won praise from critics but had trouble finding an audience in theaters or a global phenomenon that broke records overseas but had little distribution in the US.
These movies you missed in theaters go beyond just watching; they take viewers into both familiar and unfamiliar places, altering their perspectives and broadening their horizons. Every film on this list is sure to make an impact, from visually breathtaking spectacles that push the limits of filmmaking technology to thought-provoking storylines that tackle difficult social topics.
Furthermore, because streaming is so convenient, audiences can interact with these movies you missed in theaters however they see fit—rewinding to pick up small details, pausing to consider a moving scene, or just enjoying the uninterrupted narrative flow. Because of its accessibility, Amazon Prime turns the living room into a personal theater that can be experienced in groups or alone.
In the digital age, where there is an abundance of content but short attention spans, finding these obscure cinematic gems becomes more than just a hobby—it becomes a conscious decision to investigate and value the brilliance that frequently escapes the spotlight. Take a journey through ten movies you missed in theaters that are currently waiting to be discovered on Amazon Prime. For more, check out the best book to movie adaptations, the best spy movies on Prime, underrated horror movies, and more!
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10. Oppenheimer
J. Robert Oppenheimer’s first test of an atomic bomb in 1945 is a historic accomplishment and a turning point in history. Oppenheimer and his scientific colleagues quickly lose influence over atomic policy, nevertheless, as a result of political decisions. Without informing Stalin, President Harry S. Truman orders the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, starting the nuclear weapons race.
Oppenheimer meets with Truman to apologize, but Truman holds himself responsible for the choice, haunted by the terrible results in one of the best movies you missed in theaters. Though Oppenheimer begs for caution in further nuclear research, Truman brushes him off.
Following the war, Oppenheimer joins the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) as an advisor, promoting worldwide nuclear restrictions and warning against the pursuit of the hydrogen bomb owing to technological difficulties. Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the AEC, is bitter because he believes Oppenheimer publicly embarrassed him during the war and that he worked with the Soviet Union during that period.
In order to revoke Oppenheimer’s security clearance, Strauss sets up a covert security hearing in 1954. He does this by undermining Oppenheimer with fabricated testimony and accusations of communist affiliation. Oppenheimer loses his clearance as a result of the closed-door processes, damaging his reputation and reducing his influence on nuclear policy, even if some, like General Groves, defend him.
During his 1959 Senate confirmation hearing as Secretary of Commerce, Strauss’s actions are scrutinized, and it is revealed why he was going for Oppenheimer. As a result, the Senate rejects his nomination.
President Lyndon B. Johnson bestowed the Enrico Fermi Award on Oppenheimer in 1963, signifying a kind of political redemption, making for a compelling twist in one of the best movies you missed in theaters. In contrast to Strauss’s subsequent manipulations, Oppenheimer’s foresighted fears about the nuclear arms race during a 1947 conversation with Einstein are revealed through flashbacks.
This turbulent story highlights Oppenheimer’s critical role in the atomic age, from his revolutionary discoveries to his tense interactions with the political forces influencing the Cold War era.
9. Top Gun: Maverick
Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky supports Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a seasoned Navy test pilot, but his rebellious temperament puts him at a career crossroads. Maverick’s grand hypersonic “Darkstar” project faces cancellation at the hands of Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain, who wants to replace it with unmanned drones. In an attempt to save the program, Maverick pushes the test beyond Mach 10, which destroys the prototype in the process, making for one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Maverick encounters doubt from his pupils when he is reassigned to instruct Top Gun grads at NAS North Island. These students include Lieutenants Jake “Hangman” Seresin and Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, who happens to be the son of Maverick’s deceased friend Goose. Unaware of Maverick’s pledge to shield him from the perils of flight, Rooster feels bitterness against Maverick for having a part in his father’s sad destiny.
Maverick, in the meantime, struggles with his heritage and turns to the sick Iceman for advice, who pushes him to welcome change. After a training incident, Cyclone decided to fire him as an instructor, but Maverick proves his worth by carrying out an unauthorized flight, validating his suggested mission plan.
The crucial task is taking down an illegal uranium enrichment facility that is fortified with fifth-generation Su-57 fighter planes and surface-to-air missiles, a compelling twist in one of the movies you missed in theaters. Maverick leads a group of Super Hornets in a valiant assault, dodging heavy fire from the opposition to destroy the target. Maverick gives up his plane during the attempt to save Rooster, who he initially thought was lost but was eventually discovered alive.
Back on Earth, Maverick serves as Rooster’s trainer while thinking back on his regrets with Penny Benjamin, a former partner. Maverick’s restoration of a beloved P-51 Mustang, signifying closure and a fresh sense of purpose, signifies their reunion.
Maverick’s journey story emphasizes themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and mentoring against the backdrop of changing military tactics and individual legacies. Maverick and Rooster come out stronger, emulating the spirit of bravery and perseverance in the face of difficulty, as they make peace between the past and their future goals, making for one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
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8. Saltburn
Likewise, proceed with the following: Oliver Quick, a scholarship student from Prescot, finds it difficult to blend in at the University of Oxford towards the end of 2006 due to his lack of formal education. Oliver makes friends with Felix Catton, a wealthy and well-liked student who understands Oliver’s accounts of his parents’ drug use and mental health problems. Oliver is upset over his father’s unexpected passing, but Felix consoles him and extends an invitation for him to spend the summer at Saltburn, his family’s country home.
Oliver first meets Felix’s eccentric parents, Sir James and Lady Elspeth, at Saltburn. He also meets Felix’s sister Venetia, Elspeth’s friend Pamela, and Felix’s American cousin Farleigh, with whom Oliver had a contentious relationship during their time as university students, making for one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Oliver becomes increasingly fixated on Felix after swiftly winning over Felix’s family—aside from Farleigh. Oliver’s birthday celebration is planned by Elspeth and James as the summer draws to a close. Oliver becomes alarmed when Felix shows up unexpectedly to see his divorced mother. When Felix gets to the Prescot home, he discovers that Oliver has been lying to him about his childhood.
Oliver lives in a nice middle-class suburb with his parents, who are not substance abusers. Oliver’s father is still alive. Horrified and hurt by Oliver’s deceit, Felix asks Oliver to leave Saltburn after the celebration but resolves not to tell anyone to save his own family the embarrassment, a compelling twist in one of the best movies you missed in theaters. Oliver tries to make amends with Felix by showing his affection during the festivities. Felix tells him to get help, but he refuses him.
Oliver discovers James’s passing in a newspaper in 2022. Then he meets Elspeth at a café in what seems to be a coincidental meeting. She is overjoyed to see him again and demands that they go back to Saltburn together. After a few months with Oliver, Elspeth develops a fatal illness.
Oliver tells Elspeth on her deathbed that he is to blame for the terrible events that transpired at Saltburn. He’d arranged to see Felix at Oxford, had even arranged to meet Elspeth in the café, whereupon she’d left him everything, including Saltburn. Oliver gives Elspeth consolation before turning off her life support. He now has the Saltburn family riches and dances around the estate, a shocking ending to one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
7. Bottoms
As lesbian virgins, PJ and Josie are the most popular yet least liked friends at Rockbridge Falls High School. Popular cheerleaders Isabel and Brittany are the objects of Josie and PJ’s jealousy.
Rumors surfaced when school started that Josie and PJ had spent the summer in juvenile jail after getting into a physical altercation with Jeff. Josie tells a false story about them being in preparation for a feminist “self-defense club” when Principal Meyers threatens to expel them. With Hazel’s assistance, PJ and Josie genuinely decide to start the self-defense club, but their true motivation is to utilize it as a means of luring attractive ladies into their group, a hilarious premise for one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
They think Mr. G, a negligent and indifferent instructor going through a divorce, won’t attend the club meetings, but he does, so they convince him to be their advisor. After seeing the violence at the club, he tries to close it down, but PJ and Josie are able to persuade him that it’s really about female empowerment, and as a result, he changes his mind and becomes more interested in feminism.
When the club gets dissolved, PJ and Hazel argue, with PJ making fun of Hazel for being a recluse. Tim asks Hazel to represent the club by engaging in battle with the school’s best boxer during the pep rally for the football game against the longstanding rival Huntington High School.
For a while, Hazel holds her own, but in the end, she is badly hurt and loses the battle, a twist in one of the best movies you missed in theaters. Tim tells the entire school the lies about PJ and Josie’s “fight club” and their stint in juvenile detention. Josie and PJ fight about who started the club and end up falling out, which causes them to be shunned more at school and even reprimanded by Mr. G, who abandons feminism and returns to his old chauvinistic ways.
When Isabel and Brittany return to the club following the arrival of Huntington High’s squad, all of the football players and the fight club engage in a vicious, gory brawl. After helping Jeff off the football field and into safety, Josie trips over him. Isabel and Josie share a kiss.
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6. Mean Girls (2024)
Homeschooled sixteen-year-old Cady Heron and her mother travel back to the United States, where she enrolls in North Shore High School. Outsiders Janis Imilike and Damian Hubbard, who she meets, warn her of the cliquey dynamics, especially the famed “Plastics”—the manipulative Regina George, the perky but stupid Karen Smith, and the insecure Gretchen Wieners. Intrigued by Cady’s newfound charm, Regina extends an invitation to join their group, unintentionally putting Cady in the path of Janis’ plot to break into and destroy the Plastics, a twist on a familiar story in one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Tension arises among the girls when Cady starts to have feelings for Regina’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron Samuels. Upon coming upon Regina’s Burn Book, an acerbic collection of rumors, Daisy, Janis, and Damian discover that Regina had previously betrayed Janis by outing her as a lesbian. In an attempt to spend more time with Aaron, Cady purposefully fails arithmetic, which leads to an invitation to his Halloween party. Sensing that Cady is interested in Aaron, Regina gives him a cruel kiss, which forces Cady to work with Janis to bring Regina down.
Using Gretchen’s concerns as cover, Cady plays a number of practical jokes on Regina, including ruining her diet and beauty regimens and causing strife within the Plastics. After a terrible talent show performance goes viral and propels Cady into the position of queen bee, Regina’s decline quickens.
Cady alienates Janis despite her sudden fame by posing as an attendee of her art exhibition and hosting a covert party in its place. Janis and Cady clash about Cady’s metamorphosis into a Plastic-like figure after Cady’s inebriated statement at the party about her cunning scheme to earn Aaron’s heart backfires, making for one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
In retaliation, Regina creates a false alibi in the Burn Book, which when found causes havoc and a commotion across the school. In the midst of the chaos, Ms. Norbury leads a therapy session where secrets come to light, such as Janis disclosing Cady’s spiteful scheme to harm Regina. As Regina runs from the scene, the altercation gets more intense and she gets hit by a bus by mistake.
When Cady is faced with the fallout from her actions, she owns up to the mayhem the Burn Book wrought, earning her a final chance at atonement and suspension. In an effort to get more credit, she joins the Mathletes, who go on to win the state championship, a heartfelt ending to one of the nicest movies you missed in theaters. Cady, the crowned queen, affirms everyone’s individuality by symbolically shattering the crown during the Spring Fling. She makes amends with Aaron and the Plastics, makes amends with Damian and Janis, and gains important insight on friendship and morality.
5. Bones and All
During a sleepover, Maren Yearly, a teenager from Virginia in the 1980s, bites through a girl’s finger, partially severing it, a compelling start to one of the best movies you missed in theaters. She moves quickly to Maryland with her single father, Frank. Frank leaves Maren alone shortly after her seventeenth birthday, leaving behind money, her birth certificate, and a cassette.
Frank describes on the tape Maren’s first cannibalistic incident, in which she murdered her babysitter when she was just three years old. Over the years, similar occurrences persisted, and although Frank assisted her in avoiding consequences, he was troubled by Maren’s lack of regret. He ends by expressing his optimism that she will resist her cravings.
Maren travels to Minnesota, the birthplace of her mother Janelle, of whom she has no recollections. After riding a bus to Columbus, Ohio, she meets Sully, a quirky fellow “eater” who followed her smell.
After he feeds on a man who harassed a customer inside the store, Maren encounters Lee, a fellow eater, while shoplifting supplies in Indiana. After robbing his victim of his truck, Lee offers to take Maren with him. Maren and Lee fall in love as they set off on a road trip across the country, adding a compelling romance to one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Janelle, who has self-cannibalized her hands, is introduced to Maren. Maren gets a letter from Janelle, and at the end of it, Janelle says she thinks Maren would be better off dead.
Following Maren’s reunion with Lee, they resume their journey westward. Maren learns from Lee that his father was also an eater, having bitten his son in their altercation, and that Lee eventually became food for him. After Maren confesses her love to Lee, the two decide to try leading regular lives together.
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4. Pearl
While her husband Howard is serving overseas, Pearl, a young woman, lives with her German immigrant parents on their homestead in 1918 Texas, at the height of the Spanish Flu pandemic and World War I, a strong start to one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Pearl’s controlling mother stresses how vital it is that Pearl take care of her father, who is ill and crippled, and assist in running their farm. Pearl, who is lonely, easily distracted, and yearns for a more interesting life, finds herself enthralled with movies at the neighborhood theater and dreams of becoming a chorus girl—a dream that her mother finds objectionable. Pearl takes pleasure in misusing the liquid morphine that is given to her father to ease his suffering.
Pearl befriends a young projectionist at the movie theater, and he grows fond of her. Pearl is riding her bicycle home when she pauses in a cornfield and climbs up on top of a scarecrow. She starts dancing with it and daydreams about the projectionist in one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Later, after breaking into the house covertly at night, she goes to see the projectionist, who shows her A Free Ride, an illegal stag movie he brought back from Europe. He advises Pearl to look for a job in Europe while she is still young and to follow her goals. Pearl remarks that she wishes her family had passed away but that she cannot leave them.
In the kitchen, Pearl opens up to Mitzy in great detail about how she feels about Howard, the farmhand who came to work at her family’s house. Pearl thought she would be able to leave her parents behind by getting married to the son of an upper-class family, so she was devastated when he insisted on staying on the farm. She goes on to disclose her emotions of uncertainty and alienation. She also acknowledges that, although she regrets it, she started killing farm animals before killing her parents and the projectionist.
Pearl resolves to atone for her transgressions by furnishing Howard with a cozy house upon his return from battle, after coming to the realization that her mother is right and that she should “make the best of what she has”. Next morning, Howard shows up out of the blue as one of the best movies you missed in theaters. He is appalled to discover Pearl’s parents’ lifeless bodies arranged around the decaying pig at the dining table in the kitchen. Pearl gives him a long, hurting smile of greeting.
3. Beautiful Boy
Journalist David Sheff (Steve Carell) is seeing Dr. Brown (Timothy Hutton), an authority on addiction. He clarifies that he’s not there for an article, but rather because he needs treatment because he doesn’t know his son anymore and is a drug addict who has lately started using crystal meth. Rewind to the previous year to start one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
Nic (Timothee Chalamet), David’s son from his first marriage, and his two small children, Jasper and Daisy, reside in San Francisco with David and his wife Karen (Maura Tierney). Nic leaves the house one night. David calls Vicki (Amy Ryan), the mother of Nic, his ex-wife. The two engage into a furious dispute over Nic’s actions. Nic gets home drunk two days later. His actions are becoming troubling. David visits a drug rehab counselor who informs him that their program has an 80% success rate, making for one of the best movies you missed in theaters.
After a while in treatment, Nic informs David and Karen that he wants to remain in the halfway house that is part of the rehab facility’s extension program rather than immediately enrolling in college. David finds out later by phone that Nic has not arrived back at the halfway house. David decides to go looking for Nic and finds him in a rain-soaked alleyway. After Nic throws up in David’s car, David gets him back into the recovery center. He wants to know the whole depth of Nic’s drug use and how many narcotics his son is taking when he and Karen bring him back.
Dr. Brown states in the opening of the movie that crystal meth is highly addictive and that the chance of someone beating an addiction is closer to 8%, regardless of the figure he was given. In an attempt to comprehend his son’s situation, David buys and uses cocaine while looking for Nic. He also meets and purchases food for a young addict girl in an attempt to gain some understanding.
In an attempt to cope, David and Karen start going to Al-Anon meetings. Nic almost dies after another overdose, a shocking twist to one of the nicest movies you missed in theaters. David pays him a visit at the hospital. He walks Nic—who is really frail—outside, where they sit on a bench. Nic falls into his father’s arms and gives him a strong hug. David gives him a back rub while they consider their uncertain future. The post-script informs us that Nic has been sober for eight years, despite the fact that it is an ongoing struggle.
2. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Steven (Colin Farrell) is shown doing open heart surgery at the start of one of the movies you missed in theaters. He chats with his anesthesiologist after surgery, and they discuss watches.
At a diner, Steven runs into Martin (Barry Keoghan). Martin looks up to Steven, who he bought the watch he was asking the anesthesiologist about. Steven seems to be Martin’s mentor. Just let Steven go, advises Anna (Nicole Kidman), his wife. Steven reveals that he has been hanging out with Martin, a classmate of Kim’s who aspires to become a cardiologist.
Martin gets a dinner invitation from Steven. At this point, Martin begins to give off an air of being genuinely eerie and strange, a compelling twist to one of the most intriguing movies you missed in theaters. Later, Martin is seen following Steven as he drives through the hospital’s parking garage. Martin invites Steven to supper at his residence.
Bob is running late for school the following day. When Steven enters to tell him to get out of bed, Bob responds that he is unable to. He can’t feel his legs, therefore he can’t get up. After bringing him to the hospital, they perform a thorough neurological check and find nothing is wrong with him.
Choosing to send the kids home rather than force them to stay in the hospital is decided. Anna visits Martin. When he informs her that he believes Steven killed his father, Anna queries why she and her kids must bear the consequences of Steven’s error, making for one of the best movies you missed in theaters. Without responding, he states that Steven has been making out with his mother ever since his father passed away and that he believes they would make a great match.
1. Asteroid City – Movies You Missed in Theaters
The documentary “Asteroid City” explores the process of creating Conrad Earp’s play of the same name, set in a retro-futuristic 1950s. Following a devastating family tragedy, war photojournalist Augie Steenbeck travels to a desert hamlet for a youth astronomy convention with his son Woodrow and daughters, one of the best Wes Anderson movies you missed in theaters. Among the varied participants of the convention, including General Grif Gibson, Dr. Hickenlooper, and a number of adolescent honorees and their families, Augie strikes up a romantic relationship with actress Midge Campbell and her daughter Dinah.
The incident takes an odd turn when Gibson orders a military quarantine after a UFO grabs a meteorite shard. Amidst the difficulties, singer Montana and teacher June begin dating because they think the extraterrestrial is harmless. While Ricky reveals the cover-up to the press and sparks national attention, the teen recipients, lead by Woodrow, utilize Dr. Hickenlooper’s equipment to communicate with the alien, making for one of the most fun movies you missed in theaters.
Gibson increases quarantine after learning that the meteorite has returned with enigmatic markings. With the help of the youths’ inventions, the town rebels, compelling Gibson to lift the quarantine. As Woodrow announces his fellowship award and Midge gives Augie her address, Augie’s family departs in silence.
The documentary delves into Earp’s personal life and creative process as well. Jones Hall is cast as Augie by him during an intimate audition in which their friendship grows. Notwithstanding skepticism, Hall’s portrayal of Augie strikes a chord, impacted by a meeting with the actress from a deleted scene to one of the best movies you missed in theaters. Conrad Earp deftly combines cosmic and personal drama in “Asteroid City,” capturing the hopes and fears of the time.