These free movies are a great way to spend an evening and avoid any subscription fees. (2024)

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Coraline (2009)

A brilliant stop-motion odyssey from one of the masters of the form,Coralinefollows a young girl who, after moving to a new town, discovers an alternate world that seems to be exactly what she wants her real life to be. This new world has alternate versions of her parents, but as she spends more time there, she discovers that everything is not as sweet as it seems, and she must eventually find her way out of the elaborate trap she finds herself in.Coralineis a stunning visual achievement, but it’s also a gripping story that’s also (mostly) pretty family-friendly.

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Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Stanley Kubrick[/internal-link] didn’t really make bad movies, but Full Metal Jacketis one of his more divisive. The film tells the story of a soldier in Vietnam who makes his way through boot camp and eventually finds himself on the front lines of the war. The film’s opening section is its most well-regarded, as it tells a self-contained short story about a recruit being driven insane by an overbearing drill sergeant. The rest of the movie is just as riveting, though, and is equal parts acerbic and serious about the brutal violence that defines any war.

Knives Out (2019)

A throwback murder mystery with plenty of modern flair, Knives Outtakes place in the aftermath of the death of a family patriarch. When a detective shows up to investigate the case, he digs into the motives each member of the family might have had to commit the crime, and finds an ally in the nurse who was with him when he died. Featuring a star-making performance from Ana de Armas, and transformative work from Daniel Craig,Knives Outwas so good that it launched an entire franchise.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Tom Cruise[/internal-link] has become the king of action movies in the second half of his career, and Edge of Tomorrowis one of the best movies in that run. The film is set in a future where humanity is battling for its own survival against an invasive alien species. When a cowardly military PR flack suddenly finds himself on the front lines, he discovers that he’s living the same day over and over again. After he teams up with a legendary warrior who went through the same thing, the two of them must figure out how to take down the aliens before all hope is lost. It’s a thrilling, inventive, funn y movie, and one that pairs Cruise with Emily Blunt operating at the peak of her powers.

Love & Basketball (2000)

One of the great love stories of the past 30 years,Love & Basketballtells the story of two aspiring professional basketball players who fall in and out of love over the course of years from high school and through college. As they both emerge as potential stars, though, a rift starts to form between them that could blow up everything they’ve built with one another.Love & Basketballis a love story, but it’s a love story about the love between two people and the love both of those people have for the game that defines their lives.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

An old-fashioned crime drama with lots of modern twists,The Silence of the Lambsis a terrifying movie in which most of the horror is only implied. Telling the story of Clarice Sterling, a young FBI agent who works with an imprisoned serial killer to hunt down another killer still on the loose,Silence of the Lambsis basically a perfect movie. Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster are both incredible, and director Jonathan Demme knows how to make the film both tense and distinctly human, as if everything that’s happening is happening to people with real thoughts and feelings.

The Fugitive (1993)

Adapted from the television series of the same name,The Fugitivetells the story of a doctor who finds himself on the run after he’s accused of murdering his wife. As he works to clear his own name, he must also dodge the dogged US Marshals that have been sent to track him down, and famously don’t really care whether he’s guilty or not.The Fugitiveis a perfect action movie anchored by outstanding central performances from Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. It’s the kind of thriller that we don’t get enough of anymore.

Malcolm X (1992)

One of the great biopics ever made,Malcolm Xtells the story of its titular character from birth to death, but thanks to director Spike Lee, it never feels like a rote exercise. Instead, we come to appreciate the complexities of who he was, and the humanity that coursed through every decision he made. Denzel Washington delivers a career best performance in the role, and although it wasn’t enough to win him an Oscar, it will undoubtedly be the role he’s most closely associated with for the rest of his storied career.

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