Top-tier films shouldn't cost the earth. Freely has you sorted whatever the mood, from proper giggles and nail-biting thrillers to family hits and reimagined classics. The best bit? Every single one is completely free!
Stuck for choice? We’ve done the heavy lifting by hand-picking the very best movies streaming right now. Sit back and enjoy.
Tár (2022)
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅91%
Ready to face the music? Tár strikes up as a razor-sharp psychological drama that keeps everything in perfect, unsettling time. Cate Blanchett is electrifying as Lydia Tár, a world-famous conductor whose composure and control begin to unravel the longer you stay in her orbit.
Written and directed by Todd Field, the film moves with symphonic precision, building quiet tension rather than going for obvious crescendos. Nina Hoss brings steely calm as Lydia’s partner Sharon, while Noémie Merlant and Sophie Kauer add dissonant notes that slowly throw the whole orchestra off balance. Cool and occasionally uncomfortable, Tár is as much about power and ego as it is about art.
Watch this if you like intense character movies or psychological dramas such as Black Swan or There Will Be Blood.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Stream on ITVX
This just in: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy delivers breaking news straight from the ridiculous front line of 1970s San Diego. Will Ferrell is in gloriously daft form as Ron Burgundy, a moustachioed news anchor whose world is rocked when a talented woman joins the newsroom and dares to challenge the boys’ club.
The laughs come thick and fast thanks to an iconic ensemble. Christina Applegate is perfectly poised as ambitious reporter Veronica Corningstone, while Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner turn the assembled news team into a parade of lovable idiots, each more unhinged than the last. From jazz flute solos to headline-grabbing absurdity, the film revels in its own nonsense and somehow makes it feel timeless. "Stay Classy, San Diego!"
Watch this if you enjoy anarchic studio comedies like Step Brothers or Talladega Nights, or if your sense of humour is finely tuned to silliness.
Ron Burgundy fans can also enjoy the sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues also on ITVX for freeee!
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Stream now on Channel 4
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅95%
History doesn’t whisper in 12 Years a Slave. It speaks with devastating clarity. Based on the true story of Solomon Northup, the film follows a free Black man abducted into slavery and forced to endure unimaginable cruelty in the American South, his dignity tested but never erased. Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a quietly shattering performance as Solomon, grounding the film in restraint, intelligence and resolve.
Director Steve McQueen refuses to soften the truth, allowing moments to sit and sting. Michael Fassbender is chilling as the volatile plantation owner Edwin Epps, while Lupita Nyong’o is unforgettable as Patsey, her pain and resilience etched into every scene. Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson and Brad Pitt round out a cast that brings painful humanity to every corner of the story.
This is essential viewing for anyone drawn to historical dramas that confront injustice head-on, or films in the vein of Schindler’s List and Amistad.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Stream now on 5
Revenge is a dish best served with a perfectly timed comeback, and The Count of Monte Cristo is nothing if not patient about it. This swashbuckling adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic follows Edmond Dantès, a young sailor betrayed by those he trusts and reborn with one goal in mind after years of wrongful imprisonment. Jim Caviezel carries the transformation with brooding intensity, charting Edmond’s journey from wide-eyed romantic to master of retribution.
The supporting cast adds plenty of intrigue and firepower. Guy Pearce is deliciously slippery as the former friend who helps seal Edmond’s fate, Richard Harris brings gravitas and warmth as the mentor who shapes his escape, and Dagmara Domińczyk gives emotional weight to the love left behind. Packed with duels, disguises and carefully laid plans, the film leans into the thrill of watching long-game revenge unfold.
Watch this if you enjoy classic adventure stories with a revenge twist, or films like Gladiator and The Mask of Zorro.
Eddie the Eagle (2016)
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅82%
Eddie may not have had the perfect landing, but Eddie the Eagle makes sure his story soars. This feel-good sports tale follows underdog ski jumper Eddie Edwards as he chases his unlikely dream of representing Britain at the Winter Olympics, defying everyone who says he can’t take flight. Taron Egerton brings boundless charm and awkward determination to the role, making you root for him from the first wobbling jump.
Hugh Jackman is brilliant as Bronson Peary, the gruff former ski star who reluctantly takes Eddie under his wing, while Christopher Walken adds quirky wisdom as Eddie’s supportive mentor. Packed with hilarious crashes, heartwarming triumphs, and the kind of stubborn optimism that refuses to quit, the film proves that spirit matters more than technique.
Watch this if you love inspiring sports comedies or films like Cool Runnings and The Greatest Showman.
Big (1988)
Stream on ITVX
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅98%
Sometimes growing up isn’t about age, it’s about learning to navigate a big world, and Big makes that hilariously clear. When 12-year-old Josh Baskin magically wakes up in the body of an adult, he’s thrust into a world of boardrooms, dates and adult-sized problems he isn’t quite ready for. Tom Hanks is effortlessly charming as Josh, balancing wide-eyed wonder with all the awkwardness of a kid in a grown-up’s shoes.
Elizabeth Perkins adds warmth as his bemused co-worker Susan, while Robert Loggia is scene-stealing fun as the eccentric toy company boss who sees Josh’s unique spark. Packed with iconic moments from giant piano duets to office antics, the film turns the fantasy of instant adulthood into laugh-out-loud chaos.
Watch this if you enjoy heart-warming comedies about kids in grown-up worlds, or films like 13 Going on 30 and Freaky Friday.
Pearl (2022)
Stream now on Channel 4
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅93%
Beneath the prim and proper farmhouse exterior, chaos is brewing in Pearl, a horror that proves even small towns can hide monstrous ambition. The story follows Pearl, a young woman trapped by expectation and isolation, whose desire for fame and escape spirals into shocking violence. Mia Goth is mesmerising as Pearl, blending fragile sweetness with chilling intensity that keeps you on edge.
Toby Hemingway and David Corenswet bring sharp contrast as the outsiders who glimpse Pearl’s world, heightening both tension and tragedy. Director Ti West shapes the film with a slow-burn unease, letting moments of dread and dark humour land with precision.
Watch this if you like tense, character-driven horror or films in the vein of The Witch and Hereditary.
28 Days Later (2002)
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅87%
When a virus spreads faster than anyone can react, London becomes a ghost town in 28 Days Later, the film that launched one of the most relentless horror franchises of the 21st century. Cillian Murphy is gripping as Jim, the survivor waking to a world emptied and overrun by rage, while Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson add heart and tension as fellow survivors trying to cling to humanity amid chaos.
Danny Boyle directs with a kinetic energy that turns empty streets into a nightmare playground, setting the stage for the franchise that continues to terrify and thrill. Fans of the series can gear up this week as the latest instalment, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, hits cinemas.
Watch this if you enjoy high-octane horror or films like Dawn of the Dead and The Crazies.
She's the Man (2006)
Stream now on ITVX
Shakespeare gets a sporty, teen twist in She's the Man, a modern take on Twelfth Night where disguises, mistaken identities and football rivalries collide. Amanda Bynes is brilliant as Viola, a determined teen who poses as her brother to join the boys’ soccer team, bringing chaos, charm and more than a few laughs along the way.
Channing Tatum scores as the oblivious Duke, while Laura Ramsey and Alex Breckenridge add romantic sparks and comic friction that keep the mix-ups hilarious. Director Andy Fickman keeps the pace breezy, letting pratfalls and witty banter land with perfect timing.
Watch this if you enjoy playful teen comedies or films like 10 Things I Hate About You and Mean Girls.
Heat (1995)
Stream now on Channel 4
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 🍅84%
The tension is searing in Heat, a crime epic where the stakes are high and the streets of Los Angeles burn hotter with every heist. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro face off in a masterclass of cat-and-mouse, Pacino as the relentless detective chasing De Niro’s meticulous career criminal.
Val Kilmer and Jon Voight round out a cast that makes every scene crackle with danger, loyalty and betrayal. Director Michael Mann orchestrates the chaos with precision, turning sprawling heists and quiet character moments into a perfectly balanced blaze of suspense.
Watch this if you like tense crime thrillers or films in the vein of The Town and Collateral.
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