Netflix recommends the same twenty films. Prime Video's interface buries everything. Here are 15 brilliant films streaming in the UK that deserve way more attention — films you've probably scrolled past a hundred times.
No Marvel. No Nolan. No obvious choices.
Drama
1. The Florida Project (2017)
UK streaming: Netflix
A six-year-old lives in motels on the fringe of Disney World. Sean Baker's masterpiece finds joy in poverty without romanticising it.
Why it's overlooked: Looks like a kids' film. It's not. Willem Dafoe earned his Oscar nomination.
Watch if: You want to feel everything.
2. The Farewell (2019)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A family stages a fake wedding to see their dying grandmother — without telling her she's dying. Awkwafina's dramatic breakthrough.
Why it's overlooked: "Foreign-language adjacent" films don't get promoted. Shame.
Watch if: You want to laugh and cry simultaneously.
3. First Cow (2019)
UK streaming: MUBI, Prime Video
Two men in 1820s Oregon steal milk from a landowner's cow to make cakes. Kelly Reichardt's gentle masterpiece.
Why it's overlooked: Sounds boring. It's hypnotic. Slow cinema at its best.
Watch if: You appreciate films that breathe.
Thriller
4. The Handmaiden (2016)
UK streaming: Prime Video, MUBI
A pickpocket is hired to con a Japanese heiress in 1930s Korea. Park Chan-wook's most elegant thriller.
Why it's overlooked: Foreign-language, long runtime. Both are features, not bugs.
Watch if: You want twists upon twists, beautifully shot.
5. Burning (2018)
UK streaming: MUBI, Prime Video
A young writer reconnects with a childhood friend who's dating a wealthy man with disturbing hobbies. Lee Chang-dong's slow-burn.
Why it's overlooked: Korean, deliberate pace. The tension builds until you can't breathe.
Watch if: You want Parasite but more unsettling.
6. Blue Ruin (2013)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A homeless man learns his parents' killer is being released from prison. Jeremy Saulnier's breakout.
Why it's overlooked: Low-budget, no stars. Every scene is perfect.
Watch if: You want revenge thriller without the slickness.
Sci-Fi/Genre
7. Ex Machina (2014)
UK streaming: Netflix, Prime Video
A programmer tests whether an AI is conscious. Alex Garland's directorial debut.
Why it's overlooked: It's not overlooked, just underseen. People think they've seen it. They haven't.
Watch if: You want AI horror that's actually smart.
8. Coherence (2013)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A dinner party during a comet creates something impossible. The less you know, the better.
Why it's overlooked: $50,000 budget, no marketing. One of the best sci-fi films of the decade.
Watch if: You want to feel genuinely unsettled.
9. Upgrade (2018)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A paralysed man gets an AI chip that controls his body. Low-budget sci-fi with inventive action.
Why it's overlooked: Looked like generic action. It's not. The fight scenes are unlike anything else.
Watch if: You want Black Mirror energy with action.
Comedy
10. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A foster kid and his reluctant guardian become unlikely outlaws in the New Zealand bush. Taika Waititi before Thor.
Why it's overlooked: Got buried between his bigger films. It's his best.
Watch if: You want heart without schmaltz.
Watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople
11. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
UK streaming: Prime Video
Vampire flatmates in Wellington argue about chores. Waititi and Jemaine Clement's mockumentary.
Why it's overlooked: The TV series overshadowed it. The film is still perfect.
Watch if: You want to laugh at vampires being petty.
Watch What We Do in the Shadows
12. The Death of Stalin (2017)
UK streaming: Netflix
Soviet leaders scramble for power after Stalin dies. Armando Iannucci makes fascism funny.
Why it's overlooked: Historical political comedy sounds niche. It's hilarious.
Watch if: You want The Thick of It with more executions.
Horror
13. The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
UK streaming: Netflix
A father-and-son coroner team examines an unidentified body. Things get worse.
Why it's overlooked: Generic title and poster. The film is terrifying.
Watch if: You want single-location horror done perfectly.
14. His House (2020)
UK streaming: Netflix
Sudanese refugees in the UK are haunted by something that followed them. Netflix original that got lost.
Why it's overlooked: Released during pandemic. One of the best horror films in years.
Watch if: You want horror that's about something.
Documentary
15. The Act of Killing (2012)
UK streaming: Prime Video
Indonesian death squad leaders re-enact their massacres as movie scenes. Joshua Oppenheimer's confrontational masterpiece.
Why it's overlooked: "Documentary about genocide" is a hard sell. It's unforgettable.
Watch if: You want to question everything about good and evil.
UK Streaming Quick Reference
| Title | Netflix | Prime Video | MUBI |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Florida Project | ✓ | — | — |
| The Farewell | — | ✓ | — |
| First Cow | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| The Handmaiden | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Burning | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Blue Ruin | — | ✓ | — |
| Ex Machina | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Coherence | — | ✓ | — |
| Upgrade | — | ✓ | — |
| Hunt for the Wilderpeople | — | ✓ | — |
| What We Do in the Shadows | — | ✓ | — |
| The Death of Stalin | ✓ | — | — |
| The Autopsy of Jane Doe | ✓ | — | — |
| His House | ✓ | — | — |
| The Act of Killing | — | ✓ | — |
Availability checked March 2026
FAQ
What's the single best hidden gem? The Florida Project or Burning — both are masterpieces.
Which is most accessible? Hunt for the Wilderpeople or What We Do in the Shadows — both are crowd-pleasers.
Which will mess with me? Coherence. Go in blind.
Looking for something specific? Try our recommendation engine.