If you’re looking for the best free movies to stream this week, we’ve got you covered with some major crowd-pleasers. We’ve picked five of the very best films available right now, spanning a mix of genres, including a stylish spy classic, a twisty legal thriller and an emotional epic.
All of the titles in our list below are completely free to stream on some of the top ad-supported platforms out there, including Plex, Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi and more. Of course, you’ll need to sit through a few ads but it’s a small price to pay considering there’s no subscription fee or sign-up required. It’s easy to see why the best free streaming services are becoming increasingly popular. Read on for our pick of five great free movies to stream this week.
1. Mission: Impossible (Kanopy, Pluto TV, Prime Video)
Release date: 1996
Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%
Length: 110 minutes
Director: Brian de Palma
Main cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas
Age rating: PG-13
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning is currently playing in theaters, so there’s never been a better time to catch up on the franchise. And there’s no better place to start than with the original Mission: Impossible movie. Which, we’re happy to report, still holds up incredibly well today.
Before the series evolved into the globe-trotting stunt-fest we all now know so well, the first Mission: Impossible was a tighter, slicker and much more paranoid thriller. Directed by Brian De Palma, it’s packed with double crosses, disguises and that iconic, heart-pounding ceiling drop scene. The story follows Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise), a spy framed for a botched mission who must unravel a conspiracy from within. It’s shadowy, suspenseful and full of compelling ’90s espionage energy.
If you’re ready to dive into the rest, you’re in luck. Most of the franchise is available on free streaming services. You’ll find Mission: Impossible 2, 3, 4, and Rogue Nation on Kanopy and Pluto TV now too.
2. Moonlight (Tubi)
Release date: 2016
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Length: 111 minutes
Director: Barry Jenkins
Main cast: Mahershala Ali, Ashton Sanders, Travante Rhodes, Andrew Holland, Janelle Monae, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris
Age rating: R
Moonlight is a deeply moving film that follows the story of Chiron (played by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes) across three chapters, each set during a different period of his life, as he navigates his identity and upbringing in a tough Miami neighborhood.
Barry Jenkins directs Moonlight with extraordinary care, and the performances are incredibly powerful. Especially from Mahershala Ali, who won an Oscar for his role as Juan, a man who becomes a father figure to Chiron. Yes, Moonlight is a coming-of-age story, but calling it only that somehow feels like a disservice. It’s also a story about tenderness, sexuality, masculinity and the quiet moments that shape who we are.
Moonlight won Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards and remains one of the most critically acclaimed films of recent times. It’s not an easy watch at times, but it’s an intimate masterpiece that you’ll be thinking about long after the credits roll.
3. Interstellar (Hoopla, Kanopy)
Release date: 2014
Rotten Tomatoes score: 73%
Length: 165 minutes
Director: Christopher Nolan
Main cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Bill Irwin
Age rating: PG-13
If science fiction isn’t usually your thing, don’t be fooled. Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is as much about wormholes and time dilation as it is about love, memory and survival. But if you do enjoy sci-fi? Oh boy, you’re going to love this film and think about its impact for weeks (scratch that, months) afterwards.
Interstellar is set in a bleak near-future where Earth is on the brink of total collapse. The story follows a group of astronauts, led by Joseph 'Coop' Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), on a mission to find a new home for humanity and the emotional fallout that follows.
It’s big, bold, and full of heart. Yes, even with all of the science. You’ll probably end up reading about wormholes and time travel afterwards. Not to mention, Hans Zimmer’s score is skin-tingling and the visuals are jaw-dropping. If you’ve never seen it (or haven’t in a while), be warned, it’s an epic. Emotionally draining, extremely long but entirely worth it. This is a space saga you’ll want to get lost in, promise.
4. Michael Clayton (Samsung TV Plus)
Release date: 2007
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Length: 120 minutes
Director: Tony Gilroy
Main cast: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Ken Howard
Age rating: R
Michael Clayton is one of those rare thrillers that’s both cerebral and incredibly tense. Which makes sense, given it was directed by Tony Gilroy, the writer behind the Bourne film franchise. George Clooney stars as a fixer at a top law firm, paid to clean up other people’s legal messes. But when a colleague suffers a breakdown and he uncovers a cover up by one of the firm’s major clients, Clayton is pulled into a dangerous web of secrets and corruption.
It’s a sharp, slow-burning story about power and deceit with outstanding performances across the board. This might be one of our favourite roles from Clooney, though Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton are also excellent – Swinton even won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance. If you love legal thrillers with grit, intelligence, and moral complexity, this is a must-watch.
5. Winter’s Bone (Plex, Prime Video)
Release date: 2010
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Length: 99 minutes
Director: Debra Granik
Main cast: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Kevin Breznahan, Dale Dickey, Garrett Dillahunt
Age rating: R
Long before The Hunger Games made her stratospherically famous, Jennifer Lawrence stunned critics and audiences in Winter’s Bone. This haunting indie drama follows the story of a teenager named Ree (played by Lawrence), who sets out to find her missing father in the harsh Ozark wilderness. The film was adapted by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini from the 2006 novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell.
It’s a quiet, cold, and deeply human story about resilience and survival with standout performances and a strong sense of place. It’s also a stark reminder of how much power a small film can hold as it’s gritty, slow-burning, and beautifully acted. Winter’s Bone is another one of those films in this list that lingers long after the credits roll.
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