Another week, another PSA for you to check out the best free streaming services. The likes of Tubi, Pluto TV, and Amazon Freevee have bolstered their movie libraries in recent years, meaning you don’t need to spend big on subscription-based platforms to enjoy some classic and recently released titles.
Last week’s roundup of the best free movies to stream included Arrival, Coraline, and Terrifier, and this week’s selection features a handful of Oscar winners. Below, I’ve highlighted five of the best free movies to stream on Tubi, Pluto TV, Amazon Freevee, and other free streaming services in October.
The Shawshank Redemption (Tubi – leaving soon)
Release date: September 1994
RT Score: 89%
Length: 142 minutes
Director: Frank Darabont
Main cast: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler
Sitting pretty at the top of IMDB’s 'Top 250 Movies' list is The Shawshank Redemption, which leaves free streaming service Tubi in less than two weeks. So, if you haven’t yet seen what many film fans consider to be not just one of the best Stephen King adaptations but one of the best movies of all time, now’s your chance.
This critically acclaimed prison drama – based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption – tells the fictional tale of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker sentenced to life imprisonment who, while serving his term at the infamous Shawshank State Penitentiary, becomes embroiled in a money laundering operation led by its corrupt prison warden (Bob Gunton). Look out for Roger Deakins’ cinematography in this one – it’s necessary viewing for all film fans.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tubi, Pluto TV, Amazon Freevee)
Release date: October 1974
RT Score: 84%
Length: 83 minutes
Director: Tobe Hooper
Main cast: Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow
Having recently been crowned the best horror movie of all time by Variety, Tobe Hooper’s iconic slasher The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is now streaming for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, and Amazon Freevee.
This independent horror film – which centers on a group of friends who fall victim to a family of cannibals while visiting a remote homestead – repulsed and enraptured audiences upon its initial release in 1974, and it remains the perfect addition to any Halloween watchlist. For obvious reasons, this isn’t one to watch with the kids.
The Truman Show (Hoopla)
Release date: June 1998
RT Score: 94%
Length: 103 minutes
Director: Peter Weir
Main cast: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone
Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? If you’ve watched The Truman Show – which is now streaming for free on Hoopla (it's also one five new Paramount Plus movies in October – you’ll be forgiven for the sudden bouts of paranoia.
Peter Weir’s 1998 classic follows (quite literally) Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey), a resident of the too-perfect-it-can’t-be-real Seahaven Island, who slowly discovers that his life is the subject of a world-famous reality television program called – you guessed it! – The Truman Show. Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, and Ed Harris also star in this must-see drama.
ParaNorman (Tubi, Pluto TV)
Release date: August 2012
RT Score: 89%
Length: 92 minutes
Director: Sam Fell and Chris Butler
Main cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck
Last week’s roundup of the best free movies to stream featured one of Laika’s most popular animated films, Coraline, and this week’s roundup features another: ParaNorman, which is now streaming for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.
Starring the voice talents of Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, John Goodman, and many more A-listers, this stop-motion adventure centers on Norman Babcock, a young boy who, after realizing he can communicate with ghosts, is given the task of ending a 300-year-old curse on his sleepy Massachusetts town. For fans of Coraline, Corpse Bride, and The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman is a must-watch.
The Babadook (Kanopy, Plex)
Release date: January 2014
RT Score: 98%
Length: 94 minutes
Director: Jennifer Kent
Main cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney, Daniel Henshall
Sticking with the horror theme (it is October, after all), one of the most well-reviewed horror movies of the last decade, The Babadook, is now streaming for free on Kanopy and Plex.
The feature-length debut of Australian director Jennifer Kent, this low-budget psychological horror follows a widowed single mother and her son as they grapple with the presence of a terrifying monster in their Adelaide home. Again, this isn’t one to watch with the kids, but The Babadook is a masterclass in suspense and a worthy watch for all horror fans.
For more free streaming coverage, read our roundups of three of my top sci-fi movies on Tubi, the five movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes on Plex, the five movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes on Pluto TV and the three movies on Amazon Freevee with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.
