I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you don’t need to pay for the best streaming services to access the best movies. While it’s certainly true that headline-grabbing new movies come to the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and Max first, the best free streaming services offer a surprisingly great selection of already-released titles for you to enjoy.
Last week’s roundup of the best free movies to stream included The Big Short, Sicario, and Speak No Evil, and this week’s edition is similarly varied. 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.
There Will Be Blood (Pluto TV)
Release date: September 2007
RT Score: 91%
Length: 158 minutes
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Main cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds
One of the most well-reviewed movies of the noughties, There Will Be Blood, is now streaming for free on Pluto TV. Set during the Southern Californian oil boom of the early 20th century, the film follows the moral descent of ruthless oil prospector Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), whose quest for wealth finds him upending a hardscrabble town.
Described by the New York Times as “a work of art” upon its release in 2007, There Will Be Blood is arguably Paul Thomas Anderson’s best movie and a must-watch for fans of actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano. Add it to your Pluto TV watchlist ASAP.
12 Angry Men (Tubi)
Release date: April 1957
RT Score: 10%
Length: 96 minutes
Director: Sidney Lumet
Main cast: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E. G. Marshall
We highlighted the greatness of Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men elsewhere on TechRadar earlier this year, and now the iconic courtroom drama is streaming for free on Tubi.
For those unfamiliar, the entirety of 12 Angry Men is set in a single location (a small courtroom) and follows 12 jurors as they weigh up the innocence of a teenager accused of murder. 11 of the 12 men are quick to pass their judgment, but Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) is determined to convince them otherwise. This is one of the best films of all time, so there’s no excuse not to tick it off your watchlist if you haven’t already.
The Death of Stalin (Pluto TV)
Release date: September 2017
RT Score: 95%
Length: 107 minutes
Director: Armando Iannucci
Main cast: Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend
The Thick of It and Veep creator Armando Iannucci takes satirical aim at the post-Stalin power struggle of 1953 in his underappreciated 2017 black comedy The Death of Stalin, which is now streaming for free on Pluto TV.
Set in the immediate aftermath of the titular dictator’s death in 1953, the film pokes fun at the panic, relief, and jostling of Russia’s political elite, with major players including Nikita Khrushchev, Lavrenti Beria, and Georgy Zhukov all vying for power. Iannucci is rightly regarded as a legend of British TV, but The Death of Stalin proves that his trademark satirical style can (and does) work in a feature-length format.
Past Lives (Hoopla)
Release date: January 2023
RT Score: 95%
Length: 106 minutes
Director: Celine Song
Main cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro, Ji-Hye Yoon
Celine Song’s Oscar-nominated drama Past Lives came to Paramount Plus back in February, and now the film is finally streaming for free on Hoopla (you’ll just need a public library membership to access it).
Set over 20 years, Past Lives follows two childhood friends, Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), who reconnect in adulthood following the former’s emigration from South Korea to New York. Now married, Nora is forced to reckon with her still-lingering feelings for Hae Sung, who continues to feel a connection towards her, too. A subtle and sentimental film, this is one to watch if you want to get in your feels.
Battle Royale (Amazon Freevee)
Release date: December 2000
RT Score: 90%
Length: 113 minutes
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Main cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Tarō Yamamoto, Chiaki Kuriyama
You’ve seen The Hunger Games movies, now watch the Japanese (and much bloodier) equivalent: Battle Royale. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku and based on the novel of the same name by Kōshun Takami, this once-controversial-but-now-iconic action flick follows 42 high school students who are forced to fight to the death on a dystopian island.
It’s best to think of Battle Royale as more of a riff on Lord of the Flies than a direct inspiration for Suzanne Collins’ similarly-premised novel series, but fans of The Hunger Games will certainly find plenty of familiar thrills to enjoy here. A word of warning, though: don’t watch this one with the kids.
For more free streaming coverage, read our recent roundups of 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.
