You don’t need to fork out a fortune to enjoy brilliant films. On Freely, you’ll discover everything from laugh-out-loud comedies and nail-biting thrillers to family favourites and deliciously dark horrors. And the best bit? They’re all completely free!
Not sure what to watch? No problem! We’ve rounded up some of the top picks streaming right now to make your choice easy.
In the Heights (2021)
Stream now on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅94%
Musicals are having a serious moment right now, and this one arrives in a blaze of colour and rhythm! From the mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights throws open the streets of Washington Heights, where dreams run high, the coffee is strong, and the summer heat turns everything up a notch. At the heart of the story is bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), torn between staying rooted and chasing a brighter future, surrounded by a community fuelled by love, hustle and hope. It’s a joyous, sun-soaked rush of song and dance, packed with romance, ambition and the irresistible pull of home.
If you enjoyed West Side Story this right up your street!
Skyfall (2012)
Stream now on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅92%
Shaken, not stirred, this is Bond at his boldest and bruised-est! Skyfall sees Daniel Craig back in the tux as 007, left wounded and written off after a mission goes wrong, just as MI6 comes under deadly threat. With Judi Dench on top form as M and Javier Bardem chewing the scenery as silky, sinister villain Silva, this is a face-off with real emotional bite as well as explosive action. Expect killer set pieces, dark secrets and plenty of licence to thrill.
With Naomie Harris adding sparkle and steel as a crucial new ally.
Bond fans can enjoy more 007 action with Quantum of Solace and The World is Not Enough also streaming for free on ITVX! Way to save some (Money)pennies!
How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022)
Stream on Channel 4
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅93%
Get ready for a tense, turbo-charged thriller with a very modern bite! How to Blow Up a Pipeline centres on a small group of young climate activists, led by Ariela Barer as the driven and determined Xochitl, who unite around one bold, dangerous plan to hit the fossil fuel industry where it hurts. Each of them has a personal reason for taking the risk, and as the clock ticks down, the pressure cranks up fast. The result is a tightly wound race against time, packed with nerve, near misses and a serious shot of righteous anger.
Watch this if you’re a fan of tense political action-thrillers like The Order and Zero Dark Thirty.
U-571 (2000)
Stream on Channel 5
Dive in, this one goes deep and then some! U-571 is a white-knuckle WWII thriller that drops Matthew McConaughey and Bill Paxton into enemy waters as US submariners on a daring mission to capture a Nazi U-boat and its all-important Enigma code machine. With depth charges falling and oxygen running low, every decision could be their last. Settle in for sweat, steel and seriously high-stakes tension from start to finish.
With screen legend Harvey Keitel bringing hardened authority as the battle-scarred commander.
Watch this if you enjoyed Crimson Tide.
Paddington (2014)
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅96%
Few characters are as stitched into British culture as this little bear in a duffle coat! Paddington brings Michael Bond’s much-loved creation to life as a polite but wide-eyed bear from Peru who lands in London in search of a new home. Taken in by the warm-hearted Brown family, led by Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins, Paddington quickly turns their ordered world upside down with his big heart and even bigger knack for chaos. Expect gentle laughs, marmalade mishaps and a huge dose of feel-good charm. Warning: this one’s cuuuute!
With Nicole Kidman on fine form as the film’s scene-stealing villain.
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Stream on Channel ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅94%
Hold on to your bananas, this is blockbuster sci-fi at its most powerful! War for the Planet of the Apes sees Caesar, once again brought to life with astonishing depth by Andy Serkis, pushed to the brink as his apes face their darkest battle yet against a ruthless human army. Driven by loss and the pull of revenge, Caesar leads his people into a brutal conflict that will decide the fate of both species. It’s a thunderous mix of action, heartbreak and big-screen spectacle with real emotional punch.
Watch this if you love intelligent, high-stakes sci-fi like Blade Runner 2049 and Children of Men.
Boiling Point (2021)
Stream now on Channel 4
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅99%
Feeling the heat yet? With Stephen Graham scooping up award nominations left, right and centre, now is the perfect time to go back to the film that proved just how unstoppable he is. Boiling Point drops you into one relentless night in a high-pressure London restaurant, where Graham’s chef Andy is juggling personal chaos, staff tensions and a dining room on the brink. Shot in one nerve-shredding take, the stress builds minute by minute until everything threatens to boil over. The result is gripping, exhausting and utterly unmissable viewing.
Watch this if you loved The Bear and Uncut Gems.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Stream now on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅90%
He’s done it again! From There Will Be Blood to Phantom Thread, Paul Thomas Anderson has built a career on films that feel loose, lived-in and quietly electric, and Licorice Pizza might be his most relaxed and loveable yet. Set in 1970s Los Angeles, it follows teenage hustler Gary (Cooper Hoffman) and drifting twenty-something Alana (Alana Haim) as they stumble through first love, bad ideas and big dreams. It is warm, funny and gently chaotic, capturing that strange moment when growing up feels thrilling and terrifying all at once!
Watch this if you love coming-of-age tales with heart, humour and killer soundtracks like Almost Famous and Lady Bird.
The Revenant (2016)
Stream on ITVX
This is the one that finally bagged that long-awaited Oscar for Leo, and he really went through the wilderness to earn it. The Revenant sees Leonardo DiCaprio pushed to absolute breaking point as frontiersman Hugh Glass, left for dead in the frozen American wilds after a brutal bear attack and a devastating betrayal. Battling the elements, his injuries and his own thirst for revenge, Glass drags himself across an unforgiving landscape fuelled by sheer willpower. It is raw, relentless and jaw-droppingly beautiful, with every freezing breath and snow-battered step felt right through the screen.
Watch this if you love survival epics like 127 Hours.
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Stream now on BBC iPlayer
Big pants on and diary at the ready! this is where a rom-com legend was born! Bridget Jones’s Diary is the film that kicked off the much-loved franchise and introduced the world to everyone’s favourite gloriously imperfect heroine. Renée Zellweger is pitch-perfect as Bridget, a thirty-something Londoner muddling through bad dates, questionable life choices and the ultimate dilemma between two very different men. Packed with relatable chaos, big laughs and plenty of heart, it remains a comfort-watch classic for a reason
With Colin Firth and Hugh Grant completing one of the most iconic love triangles in movie history!
Jonesing for more Bridget? Fans can continue the fun with the sequels Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones’s Baby for free on BBC iPlayer!
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