Big streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu update their movie slates monthly, and the film programming of premium cable channels like HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, and Epix rotate even more. But if you don’t have subscriptions to any of those sites or channels, there are still plenty of ways to watch high-quality full-length Hollywood movies in the comfort of your own home — for free.
If you’re limiting your streaming subscriptions or simply can’t afford all of the pay services, sites like Crackle, Vudu, and YouTube all have free movies available. The only catch: You have to watch ads.
On the plus side, while there are commercial interruptions, the movies are not edited for content like they are on broadcast channels. You can still watch uncut movies and with fewer total interruptions than television airings.
A number of the movies available for free are already TV movies or made-for-video fare, but there are plenty of well-known titles if you go deep enough. Rotten Tomatoes did some digging and sorted through the free catalogs of Vudu, YouTube, and Crackle to find the 100 best movies available to watch for free right now. These films, all Fresh on the Tomatometer, include Oscar winners, blockbusters, comedy classics, informative documentaries, and family favorites — all available to watch for free.
Check out our list to find something new to watch without paying rental or subscription fees. Updated for January 2019.
Critics Consensus: While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Beautiful, thoughtful, and engrossing, Jiro Dreams of Sushi should prove satisfying even for filmgoers who don’t care for the cuisine.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: This tense, paranoid thriller presents Francis Ford Coppola at his finest — and makes some remarkably advanced arguments about technology’s role in society that still resonate today.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Short Term 12 is an emphatic, revealing drama that pulls audiences into the perspective of neglected youths.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Part real-life thriller, part sobering examination of 21st century civil liberties, Citizenfour transcends ideology to offer riveting, must-see cinema.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: George A. Romero’s debut set the template for the zombie film, and features tight editing, realistic gore, and a sly political undercurrent.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Of Mice and Men honors its classic source material with a well-acted adaptation that stays powerfully focused on the story’s timeless themes.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Osama is bitterly honest, deeply disturbing, and utterly worth watching.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Featuring one of Tom Cruise’s best early performances, Risky Business is a sharp, funny examination of teen angst that doesn’t stop short of exploring dark themes.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: The Secret of NIMH is a dark, well-told tale that respects its young audience enough to not tone down its subject matter.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Ang Lee’s funny and ultimately poignant comedy of manners reveals the filmmaker’s skill across genres.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: With confident pacing, a smart script, and a top-notch cast, Animal Kingdom represents the best the Australian film industry has to offer.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Though it may not always convince, Bowling for Columbine asks important questions and provokes thought.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: This classic low budget horror film combines just the right amount of gore and black humor, giving The Evil Dead an equal amount of thrills and laughs.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A taut, solidly constructed action thriller with uncommon intelligence, Drug War delivers exhilarating set pieces without skimping on sophisticated filmmaking.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: This re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Crookback King relocates the story in 1930 and features an indelible star turn for Ian McKellen as the monstrous and magnetic King Richard.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is a bleak, violent descent into the Brazilian underbelly, ripping into the favelas with unstoppable and kinetic force.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Elliptical and deliberately paced yet steadily absorbing, I Wish presents a beguiling portrait of childhood that grounds its sweetly nostalgic glow with well-rounded characters and attention to detail..
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: More fun than a barrel of Jean-Paul Sartre, pic’s energy riffs on an engaging love story and really human performances while offering a series of what-ifs and a blood-stirring soundtrack.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Part delightfully tense techno-thriller, part refreshingly unpatronizing teen drama, WarGames is one of the more inventive — and genuinely suspenseful — Cold War movies of the 1980s.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: The brutality of Amores Perros may be difficult to watch at times, but this intense, gritty film packs a hard wallop.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me offers a persuasive argument for its subjects’ cult classic oeuvre — and presents a painfully passionate lament for their untapped potential.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: With its hyper-stylized blend of violence, music, and striking imagery, Drive represents a fully realized vision of arthouse action.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Faults explores the cult dynamic to fascinating effect, bolstered by an outstanding cast and sharp work from writer-director Riley Stearns.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Michael Shannon gives a powerhouse performance and the purposefully subtle filmmaking creates a perfect blend of drama, terror, and dread.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: A wonderfully entertaining thriller within an unusual setting, with Harrison Ford delivering a surprisingly emotive and sympathetic performance.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A suitably cynical neo-noir that echoes the disillusionment of its era, Cutter’s Way relies on character-driven drama further elevated by the work of an outstanding cast.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A richly layered look at the complex interactions between a widowed chef and his daughters, Ang Lee’s generational comedy Eat Drink Man Woman offers filmgoers a tasty cinematic treat.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A sobering and heartfelt tale about massacre that took place in Rwanda while most of the world looked away.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Mystery Road evokes classic Westerns while using its Australian outback setting to delve into a surprisingly layered — and powerfully impactful — array of social issues.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Roger Donaldson’s modern spin on the dense, stylish suspense films of the 1940s features fine work from Gene Hackman and Sean Young, as well as the career-making performance that made Kevin Costner a star.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Based on a powerful true story and led by note-perfect performances from Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, Philomena offers a profoundly affecting drama for adult filmgoers of all ages.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A punk take on the zombie genre, Return of the Living Dead injects a healthy dose of ’80s silliness to the flesh consuming.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Philip Seymour Hoffman’s riveting central performance guides a well-constructed retelling of the most sensational and significant period in author Truman Capote’s life.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Koyaanisqatsi combines striking visuals and a brilliant score to produce a viewing experience that manages to be formally daring as well as purely entertaining.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Hustle blends special effects, martial arts, and the Looney Toons to hilarious effect.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Loaded with atmosphere and drenched in the sizzling chemistry between Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin, The Big Easy remains one of the strongest — and steamiest — thrillers of the 1980s.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Blood Father meets every expectation a film fan could have for a latter-day Mel Gibson action thriller with its title —and even, in some respects, handily exceeds them.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: It’s sentimental, and some viewers may feel manipulated by the melodramatic final act, but The Man in the Moon offers a finely drawn coming-of-age story with an excellent cast — including Reese Witherspoon in her film debut.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A Place at the Table is a well-reported documentary that raises important questions about the state of hunger in America culture.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Kenneth Branagh’s love for the material is contagious in this exuberant adaptation.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Humor, interesting characters, and attention to details make the stylish Devil in a Blue Dress an above average noir.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: A stark, nuanced portrait of life in organized crime, bolstered by strong performances from Al Pacino and Johnny Depp.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: It may adhere to the sports underdog formula, but Hoosiers has been made with such loving craft, and features such excellent performances, that it’s hard to resist.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Hollywood Shuffle overcomes budgetary constraints with sharp humor and infectious energy, heralding the arrival of an exciting new filmmaking talent in the bargain.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: The visual splendor of the movie makes up for the weak story.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Dramatically gripping and frighteningly smart, this Lynchian thriller does wonders with its unlikely subject and shoestring budget.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Informed by director Oliver Stone’s personal experiences in Vietnam, Platoon forgoes easy sermonizing in favor of a harrowing, ground-level view of war, bolstered by no-holds-barred performances from Charlie Sheen and Willem Dafoe.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: The movie could have benefited from a more experienced director, but a great cast and script overcome any first time jitters the director may have had.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Battle Royale is a controversial and violent parable of adolescence, heightening teenage melodrama with life-or-death stakes.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A chilling true crime drama, Foxcatcher offers Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum a chance to shine — and all three of them rise to the challenge.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: With a perfect cast and a sly twist on the usual Hollywood gangster dynamic, Get Shorty delivers a sharp satire that doubles as an entertaining comedy-thriller in its own right.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Evangelical indoctrination is given an unflinching, even-handed look in this utterly worthwhile documentary.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Aided and abetted by a wonderful cast, director Phil Morrison transforms familiar material into an understated and resonant comedy.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Deftly balancing vulgarity and sincerity while placing its protagonists in excessive situations, Superbad is an authentic take on friendship and the overarching awkwardness of the high school experience.
Where to Stram: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Extraordinarily daring for a Hollywood film, Altered States attacks the viewer with its inventive, aggressive mix of muddled sound effects and visual pyrotechnics.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Ballet 422 offers a transfixing, intimate look at professional dance that should satisfy fans of the form as well as curious neophytes.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: A Brilliant Young Mind is tender and perceptive — and intelligent enough to find a wealth of dramatic riches buried under well-trod narrative ground.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Perhaps less than absorbing for non-baseball fans, but nevertheless underpinned by strong performances from the cast and John Sayles’ solid direction.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Led by a gripping performance from Peter Sarsgaard, Experimenter uses a fact-based story to pose thought-provoking questions about human nature.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Mississippi Burning draws on real-life tragedy to impart a worthy message with the measured control of an intelligent drama and the hard-hitting impact of a thriller.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: A harrowing tale of aimless youth, River’s Edge generates considerable tension and urgency thanks to strong performances from a stellar cast that includes Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, and Ione Skye.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Led by a brilliant performance from star Frank Langella, Robot & Frankworks as both a quirky indie drama and as a smart, thoughtful meditation on aging.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: The colorful, chaotic 24 Hour Party People nimbly captures the spirit of the Manchester music scene.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Slacker rests its shiftless thumb on the pulse of a generation with fresh filmmaking that captures the tenor of its time while establishing a benchmark for 1990s indie cinema.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Good Ol’ Freda proves that even after all these years, some corners of Beatles history remain unexplored — and just as fascinating as the chapters we all know by heart.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Dark, violent, and drenched in dread, Goodnight Mommy is perfect for extreme horror enthusiasts — or filmgoers who prefer to watch between splayed fingers
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Back to School gives Rodney Dangerfield plenty of room to riff — and supports the freewheeling funnyman with enough of a story to keep things interesting between punchlines.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Desperately Seeking Susan works with its fairy tale depiction of New York and the fun, frothy chemistry generated by its two leads.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Boasting a smart, poignant story, a classic soundtrack, and a starmaking performance from John Travolta, Saturday Night Fever ranks among the finest dramas of the 1970s.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Following its own brand of logic, Paprika is an eye-opening mind trip that is difficult to follow but never fails to dazzle.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Fun genre fare with uncommon intelligence, Predestination serves as a better-than-average sci-fi adventure — and offers a starmaking turn from Sarah Snook.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Shining a spotlight on activists as unorthodox as they are entertaining, The Yes Men proves advocating for social change can be seriously funny.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: This doc about the making of Vogue’s biggest issue and its frosty editor-in-chief is fascinating eye candy and light-on-its-feet fun.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: 1984 doesn’t fully emerge from the shadow of its source material, but still proves a solid, suitably discomfiting adaptation of a classic dystopian tale.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Typically stunning visuals and sharp dialogue from the Coen Brothers, brought to life with strong performances from Goodman and Bridges.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Thanks in large part to its cast, and Anthony Hopkins in particular, The Bounty‘s retelling of the mutiny on the HMS Bounty is an intelligent, engaging adventure saga.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: An old-fashioned courtroom drama with a contemporary edge, A Few Good Men succeeds on the strength of its stars, with Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and especially Jack Nicholson delivering powerful performances that more than compensate for the predictable plot.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Intelligent and scientifically provocative, Gattaca is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Though heavy with sentiment, The Natural is an irresistible classic, and a sincere testament to America’s national pastime.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Quick Change makes the most of its clever premise with a smartly skewed heist comedy that leaves plenty of room for its talented cast to shine.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Overcomes its formulaic storyline thanks to Anthony Hopkins’ warm and endearing portrayal of an age-defying thrill seeker.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Colors takes a hard-hitting yet nuanced look at urban gang violence, further elevated by strong performances from a pair of well-matched leads.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: Claustrophobic and stylish, Europa Report is a slow-burning thriller that puts the science back into science fiction. Where to Stream: YouTubeEuropa Report (2013) 81%
Critics Consensus: The Great World Of Sound is a charming and unassuming film, thanks to breakthrough performances from Pat Healy and Kene Holiday. Where to Stream: YouTubeGreat World of Sound (2007) 81%
Critics Consensus: Old-fashioned without sacrificing its characters to simplicity, An Officer and a Gentleman successfully walks the fine line between sweeping romance and melodrama.
Where to Stream: Vudu
Critics Consensus: The Assassin‘s thrilling visuals mark a fresh highlight for director Hsiao-hsien Hou, even if its glacial pace may keep some viewers at arm’s length.
Where to Stream: YouTube
Critics Consensus: Little Children takes a penetrating look at suburbia and its flawed individuals with an unflinching yet humane eye. Where to Stream: VuduLittle Children (2006) 80%
Critics Consensus: While not the classic its predecessor is, this update is well-acted and conjures a chilling resonance. Where to Stream: VuduThe Manchurian Candidate (2004) 80%
Critics Consensus: Grand Piano is so tense in its best moments — and appealingly strange overall — that it remains rewarding in spite of its flaws. Where to Stream: YouTubeGrand Piano (2014) 79%
