Let’s be real; whether you’re sick or not, it’s likely you’ll be stuck at home for the next few weeks under quarantine from the nasty coronavirus. Thank goodness we’ve got people working hard to eradicate this horrible plague, and thank goodness for movies.
While we’ve already talked about some of the best games and movies to watch while quarantined on our podcast, I wanted to expand a little on the latter subject with a giant list of favorite (and some less than favorite) movies worth checking out since you’ve got the time. As if picking a movie to watch isn’t stressful enough under normal circumstances, choosing one when you have unlimited spare time may prove to be difficult in a much different way.
Anxiety, or dare I say, paralysis over too many options, will undoubtedly occur when facing what can seem like unlimited choices at your very fingertips. Being quarantined has its benefits, believe it or not. Maybe take this opportunity to explore and learn about genres and catalogs you wouldn’t normally explore, or maybe just learn about film in general if you’re into it.
Will this finally be the time I watch the epic 4-hour Gone With the Wind? Can I finally get through Kevin Smith’s entire filmography? Bucket list items will be fulfilled and IMDB lists will be checked off. There’s no real rhyme or reason to the actual picks, other than the fact I found many of them entertaining and think you’d all enjoy a nice distraction about now. I realize there’s a huge amount of horror… but what can I say? I love horror.
But with most, if not all, movie theaters closed and the fact you’ll probably be cloistered away at home (and possibly unpaid) I’ve compiled a handy list of some films available for “free” on select streaming services. Here, I’m including offerings from the big three streaming champs: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu, all of which offer free trials for new subscribers.
Regarding Disney+, which is also stuffed with major blockbusters and classics, that almost feels like cheating as Disney (the company) has decades on those relatively new others.
I’ve also included a variety of “free with ads” channels or services that offer plenty of quality cinema as well. As long as you’re willing to sit through a few annoying ads (some more annoying than others) you’ll find treasure troves of freely available classic movie goodness out there just waiting to be streamed.
I’ll also attempt to include some movies that aren’t necessarily burning up recent popular lists and include some deeper cuts that people may not realize are available to them, including some they may never even knew existed. For every Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Blade Runner there’s a Sylvio and Bad Taste (read the list).
Amazon Prime has the most movies by far (and what seems like more pre-’90s releases than anywhere else), with Netflix coming in second (with more recent releases) and Hulu at a much distant third as it’s more catered to television audiences who love binging.
The popular “free with ads” services include Tubi, Vudu, Sony Crackle, PopcornFlix, and IMDb TV, to name a few. Chances are good that whatever video streamer and/or smart TV you’ve got, there’s plenty to choose from already.
Without further adieu, here’s a giant list of solid picks worth watching to help during your quarantine as of March 18, 2020. Try to stay busy and stay safe – we’ll get through this.
Cinema Classics
And God Created Woman – Prime
The Apartment – Prime
The Blob (1958) – Crackle
Blood and Black Lace – Prime
Creature from the Black Lagoon – PopcornFlix
Detour – Prime
The Endless Summer – Prime
Fist of Fury – Prime
The Great Escape – Prime
House on Haunted Hill – Prime
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Prime
It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World – Prime
Lawrence of Arabia – Crackle
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – Prime
Night of the Living Dead – Prime
Nosferatu (1922) – Prime/Tubi
Plan 9 from Outer Space – Prime
Roman Holiday – Prime/Free services
Sunset Boulevard – Prime
Directorial Debuts
Bad Taste (Peter Jackson) – Prime
Dementia 13 (Francis Ford Coppola) – Prime
Fear and Desire (Stanley Kubrick) – Prime
Hard Eight (Paul Thomas Anderson) – Prime/Crackle
Hollywood Boulevard (Joe Dante) – Prime
Say Anything (Cameron Crowe) – Hulu
Campy Drive-In Features
Attack of the Puppet People – Prime
The Brain Eaters – Tubi
High School Hellcats – Prime
The Horror of Party Beach – Prime/Tubi
Hot Rod Gang – Prime
How to Make a Monster – Tubi
Killer from Space – Prime/Tubi
Phantom from Space – Prime/Tubi
The Phantom Planet – Prime/Tubi
Plan 9 from Outer Space – Prime
Teenage Cave Man – Tubi
The Tingler – PopcornFlix/Tubi
The Wasp Woman – Prime/Tubi
’80s Goodness
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension – Vudu
An American Werewolf in London – Prime
Bachelor Party – Hulu
Blade Runner – Netflix
Clue – Prime
Cocktail – Vudu
Escape from New York – IMDb
The Evil Dead – Netflix
Explorers – Prime
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Netflix
Fright Night – Crackle
Heathers – Prime/Hulu/Tubi
High Spirits – Prime
Indiana Jones (All 4) – Netflix
Killer Klowns from Outer Space – Tubi
Little Monsters (1989) – Netflix
The Monster Squad – Crackle/PopcornFlix
Night of the Comet – Tubi/IMDb
Over the Top – Prime
Pretty In Pink – Prime
Return of the Living Dead – Prime
Road House – Prime
Say Anything – Hulu
Stand By Me – Vudu
Teen Wolf – Prime/Tubi/Vudu
’90s Nostalgia
Back to the Future Part III – Netflix
Bad Boys (1 and 2) – Netflix
Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey – IMDb
Blankman – Crackle
Cliffhanger – Crackle
Good Burger – Prime/Netflix/Tubi
Goodfellas – Netflix
Groundhog Day – Netflix
Harriet the Spy – Tubi
Hook – Netflix/Vudu
Jerry Maguire – Netflix
Kill Bill (1 and 2) – Netflix
Point Break – Vudu
Rounders – Netflix
The Rugrats Movie – Netflix
Singles – Vudu
Swingers – Hulu
Thelma & Louise – Most free services
The Waterboy – Vudu
Old School Horror
An American Werewolf in London – Prime
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! – Prime/Tubi
Bad Taste – Peter Jackson – Prime
The Blob (1958) – Crackle
Blood and Black Lace – Prime
C.H.U.D. – Prime
Chopping Mall – Prime
Creature from the Black Lagoon – PopcornFlix
Dementia 13 – Prime
The Evil Dead – Netflix
Fright Night – Crackle
House on Haunted Hill – Prime
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Prime
Killer Klowns from Outer Space – Tubi
Night of the Living Dead – Prime
Nosferatu (1922) – Prime/Tubi
Return of the Living Dead – Prime
Sleepaway Camp – Prime
Slumber Party Massacre – Prime
The Stuff – Prime
Subspecies – Tubi
Family Stuff
Big Fat Liar – Netflix
The Croods – Netflix
Good Burger – Prime/Netflix/Tubi
Harriet the Spy – Tubi
Hugo – Netflix
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – Netflix
The Rugrats Movie – Netflix
Spy Kids – Netflix
The Stupids – Vudu
Turbo – Netflix
Documentaries
Elstree 1976 – Netflix
The Endless Summer – Prime
Too Funny to Fail – Hulu
Lesser-Known Indies
Dave Made a Maze – Tubi
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints – Most free services
Mid90s – Prime
Robot & Frank – Vudu
Short Term 12 – Prime
The Spectacular Now – Netflix
Sylvio – Prime
Under the Silver Lake – Prime
The Way Back (2010) – Hulu/Prime
Recent Classics
Blade Runner 2049 – Prime
Borg vs McEnroe – Hulu
Chef – IMDb
Dave Made a Maze – Tubi
The Disaster Artist – Prime
Ex Machina – Netflix
Fighting With My Family – Hulu/Prime
The Founder – Tubi/Vudu
Fury – Crackle
Good Time – Netflix
I, Tonya – Hulu
Ingrid Goes West – Hulu
The Interview – Netflix/Hulu
Life After Beth – Netflix
Lion – IMDb
Logan Lucky – Prime
Mid90s – Prime
Midsommar – Prime
Serenity – Prime
Seven Psychopaths – Prime
Step Brothers – Netflix
Sylvio – Prime
Under the Silver Lake – Prime
Other Stuff From This Millennium
Batman Begins/The Dark Knight – Netflix
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant – Netflix
Hellboy (2004) – Netflix
Hitch – Netflix/Hulu/IMDb
Inglorious Basterds – Netflix
Lawless – Netflix
Midnight in Paris – Crackle
Silver Linings Playbook – Netflix
Sin City – Netflix
Social Network – Crackle/IMDb
The Tourist – Netflix
War Horse – Netflix
Warrior – Prime/Hulu
