The Best Free Movies Online And Where To Watch Them

Russell Crowe holding sword and looking ready to roll in Gladiator (2000).
(Image credit: Universal Pictures, Dreamworks Picture)

What if I told you that there are multiple streaming platforms - such as Tubi, Pluto TV, and more - in which you can legally watch free movies online? Yes, you read that right – there are so many options out there to pick from.

You’d be shocked at how many options exist out on the internet, all with minimum ad interruption. From classics like Titanic to comedies like Clueless, here are some of the best free movies that you can check out right now as of July 2025.

Intense Dramas

For when you want to be on the edge of your seat:

Mark Ruffalo Zodiac trailer screenshot

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Zodiac (2007)

The Director: David Fincher

The Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr. Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox

What It's About: Based on the nonfiction book, Zodiac and Zodiac Unmasked, this movie follows a manhunt for the infamous Zodiac Killer, crimes that are still very much unsolved to this day.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: Directed by David Fincher, you know that Zodiac is going to have some twists and turns that you won’t even believe. It’s a great movie, and one I would recommend to anyone.

Guy Pearce, with spiked blonde locks, holding out a picture in Memento.

(Image credit: Newmarket Films)

Memento (2000)

The Director: Christopher Nolan

The Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Ann Moss, Joe Pantoliano

What It's About: Memento follows the story of a man who suffers from short-term memory loss and who is unable to form new memories, so he uses notes, photos and much more to constantly remind him of who he is and what he is doing, all while trying to track down the person who murdered his wife.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I mean, it’s Christopher Nolan. Any time he creates a story, he gives you a twist and more that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and this film is one of the best, with a captivating storyline that is unlike any other. Memento is a thrilling ride from beginning to end.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Edward “Teddy” Daniels/Andrew Laeddis)

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Shutter Island (2010)

The Director: Martin Scorsese

The Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingslet, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow

What It's About: Based on the novel of the same name, Shutter Island follows the story of a deputy U.S. Marshal who comes to investigate a psych ward when one of their patients mysteriously vanishes, but as time goes on, revelations about who he truly is begin to come to light.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: While I think Shutter Island isn’t one of Scorsese’s best films out there, I think it certainly stands out amongst everything else. The twist is one that had me shaking for hours and rewatching the movie to spot the signs ahead of time. It’s a great one.

Russell Crowe in Gladiator

(Image credit: DreamWorks Pictures)

Gladiator (2000)

The Director: Ridley Scott

The Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Richard Harris

What It's About: Maximus, a Roman general, is betrayed and then imprisoned as a slave and must become a gladiator to survive. He is determined to seek vengeance against the man that betrayed him after his entire family is killed.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: Gladiator is probably one of the best movies of the 2000s and a film that I think everyone needs to watch at least once. It was so good, a sequel came out twenty-four years later – but I prefer the original.

Powerful, Emotional Dramas

For when you want to cry or laugh or do both at the same time, these are the films for you:

Ralph Macchio in The Outsiders

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The Outsiders (1983)

The Director: Francis Ford Coppola

The Cast: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Leif Garrett.

What It's About: Based on the novel of the same name, The Outsiders is a coming of age crime drama that mainly follows the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his life with his two brothers and their gang, the Greasers, who constantly face off against an opposite gang, the Socs.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I genuinely think there is no greater eighties film than The Outsiders. There are plenty that are amazing and classics but to me, I will always recommend this movie because its heart is fantastic, the story is intriguing, and the cast is out of this world.

Truman holds his hand out and stops traffic.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

The Truman Show (1998)

The Director: Peter Weir

The Cast: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Ed Harris

What It's About: The Truman Show follows the tale of a man who doesn’t know that his entire life has essentially been one big TV production on a soundstage, and when he finds out, all hell breaks loose.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I think whenever Jim Carrey comes to mind, we always think of his iconic comedy roles, rightfully so. He’s a comedic genius. But The Truman Show really gives Carrey a lot to work with in regards to his dramatic chops, and offers his talent on a large scale where he questions the lines between reality and fantasy.

Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)

Jerry Maguire (1996)

The Director: Cameron Crowe

The Cast: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renee Zellweger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O’Connell, Jay Mohr, Bonnie Hunt

What It's About: When a sports agent is fired after sending out an impassioned memo to his entire company, he decides to start his own firm.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: While the premise itself is pretty simple, Jerry Maguire is one of those movies that really stands out in Cruise’s catalogue of films. It’s a great story to follow, and features some fantastic acting from its lead star.

Leonardo Dicaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

The Director: Martin Scorsese

The Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin

What It's About: Based on the novel of the same name, The Wolf of Wall Street details the rise and fall of famous Wall Street banker and crook, Jordan Belfort.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I will say that The Wolf of Wall Street is quite raunchy so obviously keep the kids away from this one. But Leonardo DiCaprio gives a great performance and the story is entertaining as heck.

Julia Roberts in August: Osage County trailer.

(Image credit: Weinstein Company)

August: Osage County (2013) 

The Director: John Wells

The Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper

What It's About: Based on the play of the same name, this Academy Award-nominated movie follows the story of a family reunion taking place, and then subsequently thrown into chaos when the patriarchal figure appears out of nowhere.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: The entire cast is truly talented as heck, but I will say that both Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep knock it out of the park for this emotional drama.

Gabourey Sidibe in Precious

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Precious (2009)

The Director: Lee Daniels

The Cast: Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz, Gabourey Sidibe

What It's About: Precious follows the life of a young Black teenager suffering from poverty and abuse from her family, and decides to enroll in an alternative school to help her get her life back on track for not only herself but also her daughter.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: The film was critically acclaimed for so many reasons, and features powerful performances from Gabourey Sidibe (in her acting debut) and Mo’Nique.

One of the main stars of A Night to Remember.

(Image credit: The Rank Organisation)

A Night To Remember (1958)

The Director: Roy Ward Baker

The Cast: Kenneth More, Michael Goodlife, Laurence Naismith, Kenneth Griffith

What It's About: The film is a disaster drama that follows the story of the sinking of the Titanic, mainly following the final night, when thousands of people lost their lives.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: While it’s certainly still a dramatic retelling of the events of Titanic, it takes it seriously and is utterly terrifying to think about, even with the 1950s effects.

Ellar Coltrane in Boyhood

(Image credit: IFC Films)

Boyhood (2014)

The Director: Richard Linklater

The Cast: Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater, Ethan Hawke

What It's About: Filmed from 2002 all the way until 2013, this film, directed by Richard Linklater, follows a young man from his childhood into adulthood, all the way until he turns eighteen and leaves for college.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: Boyhood is one of those movies that’s a once-in-a-lifetime film that truly captures the essence of growing up. Plus, it won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Fun And Romantic Comedies

Are you ready to laugh so hard your sides are going to hurt?

Mae Whitman and fellow cast members in The Duff.

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

The Duff (2015)

The Director: Ari Sandel

The Cast: Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca Santos

What It's About: Based on the novel of the same name, The Duff follows the story of a high schooler who tries to turn her life around when she finds out that she is the Duff of her friend group – I.e. the “designated ugly fat friend.”

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: As someone who watched this in her prime teen years, I will say it’s a great modern teen comedy, and certainly one that I really enjoy laughing at occasionally when I have the chance to see it again.

Cher and Dionne dressed in black. and white in Clueless

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Clueless (1995)

The Director: Amy Heckerling

The Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Dan Hedaya, Jeremy Sisto

What It's About: Considered a loose adaptation of Emma, by Jane Austen, Clueless is about a school student who wishes to start doing good deeds in order to be “better,” so she decides to makeover a new student who comes to town – but of course, things don’t go exactly to plan.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: After thirty years, this movie has remained a classic for many reasons, including its cast, story, and so much more. It was a huge role of Alicia Silverstone and the outfits are iconic.

Elle Fanning and Timothee Chalamet in A Rainy Day in New York.

(Image credit: MPI Media Group)

A Rainy Day In New York (2019)

The Director: Woody Allen

The Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez, Jude Law, Diego Luna

What It's About: A Rainy Day In New York follows a college couple as they travel to New York City for a weekend, and while at first it feels like a normal romantic getaway, things begin to change not that long after they step into the big city.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: There are so many great Woody Allen movies out there but I love this one for the great cast and fun rom-com atmosphere. It’s the perfect thing to watch when you want a film with some drama but mainly comedy.

Intense Horrors

Yup, already horrified by all of these:

David Howard Thornton in Terrifier

(Image credit: Dread Central)

Terrifier (2016)

The Director: Damien Leone

The Cast: David Howard Thornton

What It's About: Terrifier is just as terrifying as the title implies, following a young woman named Tara. While all she wanted to do was party, she ended up becoming the target of a serial killer – more specifically, a serial killing clown named Art, and it turned her world upside down.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: This film has basically redefined the horror genre over the last few years and I can openly say it is horrifying in the best ways possible but PLEASE go into this with an empty stomach.

Stars of The Wailing

(Image credit: Disney / Fox)

The Wailing (2016)

The Director: Na Hong-jin

The Cast: Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee, Jun Kunimura

What It's About: The Wailing is one of the best Korean horror movies out there. The film follows a policeman who, in order to save his daughter, looks into why people are suddenly getting sick and going on crazy killing rampages in a remote village in South Korea, but the real reason is darker than anyone ever expected.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: If you’re in need of horror that truly terrifies and is super creative in the way it delivers, then this is the film for you. It’s the perfect horror movie for a rainy day.

Cillian Murphy stands upset in a church in 28 Days Later.

(Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures)

28 Days Later (2002)

The Director: Danny Boyle

The Cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns

What It's About: A former bicycle courier suddenly wakes up from a coma only to find that the world has ended and everyone who is alive is trying to survive an infectious disease that turns people into aggressive-flesh craving monsters.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: If we’re talking about one of the best zombie movies of all time, this is one of those. I’m the kind of person who is pretty desensitized to a lot of zombie flicks at this point in my life and this one got me feeling some type of way by the end of it. And with the release of the sequel, now is the time to check it out.

Essie Davis in The Babadook

(Image credit: Umbrellla Entertainment)

The Babadook (2014)

The Director: Jennifer Kent

The Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney

What It's About: The Babadook is based on the short film, Monster, and follows the story of a single mother trying to take care of her child, who seems to be seeing things, but soon is haunted by a monster in their own home, and must figure out a way to stop it.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: The Babadook is so creative and will take you on a ride that you’ll never forget, all of it led by the game-changing female director Jennifer Kent. Seriously such a great yet terrifying horror film.

Not So Intense Horrors

For those who want a thrill – but don’t want to jump out of their seats:

Katee Sackhoff in Oculus

(Image credit: Relativity Media)

Oculus (2013)

The Director: Mike Flanagan

The Cast: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso

What It's About: When two siblings now as adults start to realize an old mirror might be the reason for the misfortune their family went through as children, they take it upon themselves to investigate, only for their lives to turn upside down in the most sinister way.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: The film isn’t intense in the sense that it’s gory or horrible, but Oculus is directed by Mike Flanagan, and Mike Flanagan is a king of suspense. You will be sitting on the edge of your couch, biting your nails, waiting for the shoe to drop and then jumping when it eventually does.

Michael Myers in a closet in 1978 Halloween

(Image credit: Universal)

Halloween (1978)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P.J. Soles

What It's About: The movie follows Laurie Strode, a babysitter who is hunted down by the evil Michael Myers on Halloween night, and her legendary battle to try and survive his attempts to kill her.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: While considered one of the best horror movies ever, Halloween is pretty tame in comparison to some of its later entries but is still scary enough to get you jumping in your seat.

Ethan Hawke in Sinister

(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Sinister (2012)

The Director: Scott Derrickson

The Cast: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransome, Clare Foley

What It's About: When a crime rider moves into a new house with his family for inspiration, strange things begin to happen that puts them all in danger.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I personally think Sinister is one of those modern horror movies that doesn’t rely too heavily on gore or jump scares – instead, it gets under your skin and makes you feel itchy and like something is about to burst from your chest until the scare actually arrives. It’s a great horror movie.

Zombies walking in Night of the Living Dead

(Image credit: Continental Distributing)

Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

The Director: George A. Romero

The Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Marilyn Eastman

What It's About: A group of strangers are forced to take refuge together in order to survive the sudden onslaught of flesh-eating, reanimated corpses, while also struggling to survive each other.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: Romero basically defined the zombie genre as a whole, so this is the zombie movie to check out, but trust me, it’s really not that scary – at least in comparison to today’s zombies.

Fun For The Whole Family

Everyone can have fun with these films:

Jon Favreau in Chef

(Image credit: Open Road Films)

Chef (2014)

The Director: Jon Favreau

The Cast: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt

What It's About: A celebrity chef loses his job when he snaps at a food critic in public and decides to open his own food truck.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: This movie changed a lot for me when I first watched it. Not only is it a great film to get into if you love food – as I do – but it’s one of those movies that is just a fun time to watch. It’s a feel-good film and one you won’t forget.

Jack about to kiss Rose's hand in Titanic

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Titanic (1997)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher

What It's About: An aristocrat and an impoverished man meet on the doomed sailing of the Titanic and fall in love.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I mean, it’s Titanic. There’s not a lot I have to say to try and convince you to watch it. It’s a classic with a love story for the ages, even if some of it feels just a little too unrealistic (to me).

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Mission: Impossible (1996)

The Director: Brian De Palma

The Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Beart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames

What It's About: When several members of his IMF team are killed and he is framed for the murders, Ethan Hunt teams up with a select group of individuals in order to clear his name.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I mean, the Mission: Impossible films have pretty much cemented themselves in movie history after all these years. Might as well check out the first that made it all possible.

Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in 2018's Tomb Raider

(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Tomb Raider (2018)

The Director: Roar Uthaug

The Cast: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas

What It's About: Based on the video game franchise of the same name, Tomb Raider tells the story of Lara Croft, who sets out on a quest to her father’s last known destination to try and figure out where he went.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: Is it one of the best video game adaptations ever? No, it’s not. But is it a heck of a fun time? You bet it is, and anyone who watched it will feel the same. Alicia Vikander is kick-butt.

Chris Pratt in Jurassic World

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Jurassic World (2015)

The Director: Colin Trevorrow

The Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, BD Wong

What It's About: The fourth film in the Jurassic Park franchise, this movie follows the story of park employees who must find a way to survive and save everyone when a transgenic dinosaur breaks free and wreaks havoc on everything.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: With the release of the latest movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, I think it’s fitting to return back to the first in the second trilogy, as it was hands down a fun time and one I would totally recommend.

It's A Wonderful Life cast

(Image credit: RKO Radio Pictures)

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

The Director: Frank Capra

The Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell

What It's About: A working man wishes that he had never been born, and an angel who is trying to get his wings comes to Earth to help him see what life would have been like if he never was.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: I mean, the film is an absolute classic and the perfect Christmas movie for the whole family to watch. What’s not to love about it?

Thrilling, Twisty, And Exciting Sci-Fi And Fantasy

Ready to dive into the world of space, fantasy and beyond?

From left to right: Jeff Goldblum waving with his left hand with a cigar in his mouth and Will Smith waving with his left hand.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Independence Day (1996)

The Director: Roland Emmerich

The Cast: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch

What It's About: When aliens invade Earth, it’s up to the humans to defend their home during one of the most patriotic times of the year for America, the 4th of July.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: If you want to talk about classic sci-fi, this is the blueprint. The picture in the dictionary next to the word. The example that other sci-fi films learn from. It’s everything and more and one of my favorite sci-fi films ever.

Chris Evans in Snowpiercer

(Image credit: The Weinstein Company)

Snowpiercer (2013)

The Director: Bong Joon-ho

The Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer

What It's About: A train that travels around Earth contains the last members of living society, and this follows the story of how the lower class passengers rebel against the elite.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: There was a TV series made based on this film, and Bong Joon-ho is an incredible director, so if you want good sci-fi, this is the place to start.

Bradley Cooper in Limitless

(Image credit: Relatvity Media)

Limitless (2011)

The Director: Neil Burger

The Cast: Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel

What It's About: When a struggling writer is introduced to a drug that changes the way he writes and uses his brain, his world changes for the better – and for the worse.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: As the title suggests, this film truly is limitless in the way it delivers its story, with an impeccable cast and some sci-fi aspects that truly boggle your brain. The film was successful enough that a TV show came out based on it a few years later.

Two of the characters in The Dark Crystal.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

The Dark Crystal (1982)

The Director: Jim Henson, Frank Oz

The Cast: Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw

What It's About: Taking place in a fantasy world and featuring amazing puppets, The Dark Crystal follows two Gelflings as they travel across a magical world to overthrow a dark ruler by trying to restore a crystal.

Why It's One Of The Best Free Movies Streaming: While the film wasn’t huge at the box office, it is considered one of the best dark fantasies of all time, and one that I can highly recommend if you want to see some really cool puppetry.

The fact that all of these are free to watch just makes this movie marathon even better. Be sure to come back next month to see what new movies have made the list.

Jason Wiese
Content Writer

Jason Wiese writes feature stories for CinemaBlend. His occupation results from years dreaming of a filmmaking career, settling on a "professional film fan" career, studying journalism at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO (where he served as Culture Editor for its student-run print and online publications), and a brief stint of reviewing movies for fun. He would later continue that side-hustle of film criticism on TikTok (@wiesewisdom), where he posts videos on a semi-weekly basis. Look for his name in almost any article about Batman.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.