(Photo by Svetlana Larshina / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Did you know there’s an official channel for free movies on YouTube? Take one hop over and you’re immediately inside a gallery featuring hundreds ad-supported free movies! But which to watch? Using Rotten Tomatoes and our classic Tomatometer as a guide, we present the 100 best free movies on YouTube!
The list starts with Certified Fresh films: Y’know, the critics-approved selections, ranging from L.A. Confidential, Heat, Minority Report, and Arrival. After that are the Fresh choices, like You’ve Got Mail and Strange Brew. And finally there’s the Rotten movies with over 60% Audience Scores. Critics may not have been so hot on these but our users certainly were, personally highlighting Sherlock Holmes and Space Jam and more.
Check out the official YouTube page, and with our guide to the best free movies on YouTube, have a classic movie night without reaching for the credit card or answering account recovery questions like the the color of the street you got your fistfight in or your third dog’s maiden name.
Latest Certified Fresh films added: The World’s Fastest Indian, Searching For Bobby Fischer, Minari, The Last of the Mohicans, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Red Cliff, Galaxy Quest, The Naked Gun, Puss in Boots, Emma, Beverly Hills Cop, To the Stars, Michael Collins
#1
Adjusted Score: 102972%
Critics Consensus: As sensitive as the young man at its center, Searching for Bobby Fischer uses a prodigy’s struggle to find personal balance as the background for a powerfully moving drama.
#2
Adjusted Score: 108659%
Critics Consensus: Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.
#3
Adjusted Score: 113223%
Critics Consensus: Led by arresting performances from Steven Yeun and Yeri Han, Minari offers an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of family and assimilation in 1980s America.
#4
Adjusted Score: 108406%
Critics Consensus: An engrossing look at the triumphs and travails of war veterans, The Best Years of Our Lives is concerned specifically with the aftermath of World War II, but its messages speak to the overall American experience.
#5
Adjusted Score: 119382%
Critics Consensus: Arrival delivers a must-see experience for fans of thinking person’s sci-fi that anchors its heady themes with genuinely affecting emotion and a terrific performance from Amy Adams.
#6
Adjusted Score: 100495%
Critics Consensus: Train to Busan delivers a thrillingly unique — and purely entertaining — take on the zombie genre, with fully realized characters and plenty of social commentary to underscore the bursts of skillfully staged action.
#7
Adjusted Score: 97051%
Critics Consensus: The Last of the Mohicans is a breathless romantic adventure that plays loose with history — and comes out with a richer action movie for it.
#8
Adjusted Score: 100969%
Critics Consensus: More than straight monster-movie fare, Gojira offers potent, sobering postwar commentary.
#9
Adjusted Score: 103617%
Critics Consensus: An affecting story powerfully told, The Last Black Man in San Francisco immediately establishes director Joe Talbot as a filmmaker to watch.
#10
Adjusted Score: 94336%
Critics Consensus: Smart and absorbing, Lone Star represents a career high point for writer-director John Sayles — and ’90s independent cinema in general.
#11
Adjusted Score: 92898%
Critics Consensus: Beautiful and substantive, Tokyo Godfathers adds a moving — and somewhat unconventional — entry to the animated Christmas canon.
#12
Adjusted Score: 94828%
Critics Consensus: Featuring some impressively grand battlefield action, John Woo returns to Asia and returns to form in the process for this lavish and slick historical epic.
#13
Adjusted Score: 93662%
Critics Consensus: Ever After is a sweet, frothy twist on the ancient fable, led by a solid turn from star Barrymore.
#14
Adjusted Score: 94977%
Critics Consensus: Intelligent and humorous satire with an excellent cast — no previous Trekkie knowledge needed to enjoy this one.
#15
Adjusted Score: 92085%
Critics Consensus: Stocked with solid performances, Freaks is a clever sci-fi/horror hybrid that suggests a bright future for co-writers/co-directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein.
#16
Adjusted Score: 91174%
Critics Consensus: The deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei helps to elevate My Cousin Vinny‘s predictable script, and the result is a sharp, hilarious courtroom comedy.
#17
Adjusted Score: 90149%
Critics Consensus: Sergio Leone’s epic crime drama is visually stunning, stylistically bold, and emotionally haunting, and filled with great performances from the likes of Robert De Niro and James Woods.
#18
Adjusted Score: 89625%
Critics Consensus: The Naked Gun is loaded chock full of gags that are goofy, unapologetically crass, and ultimately hilarious.
#19
Adjusted Score: 91254%
Critics Consensus: It isn’t deep or groundbreaking, but what it lacks in profundity, Puss in Boots more than makes up for with an abundance of wit, visual sparkle, and effervescent charm.
#20
Adjusted Score: 92625%
Critics Consensus: My Friend Dahmer opens a window into the making of a serial killer whose conclusions are as empathetic as they are deeply troubling.
#21
Adjusted Score: 86592%
Critics Consensus: Emma marks an auspicious debut for writer-director Douglas McGrath, making the most of its Jane Austen source material — and a charming performance from Gwyneth Paltrow.
#22
Adjusted Score: 98298%
Critics Consensus: An up-close look at one family’s emotional ups and downs, Waves captures complicated dynamics with tenderness and grace.
#23
Adjusted Score: 95609%
Critics Consensus: An action-packed creature feature that’s fast, terrifying, and benefits greatly from a completely game Kaya Scodelario, Crawl is a fun throw-back with just enough self-awareness to work.
#24
Adjusted Score: 86076%
Critics Consensus: The buddy cop movie continues its evolution unabated with this Eddie Murphy vehicle that’s fast, furious, and funny.
#25
Adjusted Score: 85203%
Critics Consensus: Its reach may occasionally exceed its grasp, but To the Stars uses its period setting as an effective backdrop for an insightful look at female friendship.
#26
Adjusted Score: 86950%
Critics Consensus: Overcomes its formulaic storyline thanks to Anthony Hopkins’ warm and endearing portrayal of an age-defying thrill seeker.
#27
Adjusted Score: 87840%
Critics Consensus: Somber, stately, and beautifully mounted, Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition is a well-crafted mob movie that explores the ties between fathers and sons.
#28
Adjusted Score: 81810%
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by a pair of likable leads and suffused in a warmly nostalgic glow, Rob the Mob is an uneven crime caper that mostly works.
#29
Adjusted Score: 88284%
Critics Consensus: Early Man isn’t quite as evolved as Aardman’s best work, but still retains the unique visuals and sweet humor that have made the studio a favorite among animation enthusiasts.
#30
Adjusted Score: 80704%
Critics Consensus: Director David Schwimmer gets some gut-wrenching performances out of his actors but he still lacks the chops to fully ratchet up story tension.
#31
Adjusted Score: 82484%
Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and engagingly scruffy, Singles is a clear-eyed look at modern romance that doubles as a credible grunge-era time capsule.
#32
Adjusted Score: 80207%
Critics Consensus: As impressively ambitious as it is satisfyingly impactful, Michael Collins honors its subject’s remarkable achievements with a magnetic performance from Liam Neeson in the title role.
#33
Adjusted Score: 82862%
Critics Consensus: Though its storytelling is a tad muddled, Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster still exhibits the auteur’s stylistic flourishes in gorgeous cinematography and explosive action set pieces.
#34
Adjusted Score: 81056%
Critics Consensus: Though undeniably sentimental and predictable, Rudy succeeds with an uplifting spirit and determination.
#35
Adjusted Score: 89925%
Critics Consensus: Like the bestselling series of books that inspired it, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark opens a creepy gateway into horror for younger genre enthusiasts.
#36
Adjusted Score: 80309%
Critics Consensus: I Kill Giants‘ moody magical realism sometimes slips into the mundane, but impressive CGI and a powerhouse performance by Madison Wolfe pack an unexpected punch.
#37
Adjusted Score: 81050%
Critics Consensus: One of Steven Spielberg’s most ambitious efforts of the 1980s, Empire of the Sun remains an underrated gem in the director’s distinguished filmography.
#38
Adjusted Score: 79118%
Critics Consensus: Ip Man 3 isn’t the most tightly plotted biopic a kung fu fan could ask for, but the fight scenes are fun to watch — and at times, the drama is even genuinely poignant.
#39
Adjusted Score: 80271%
Critics Consensus: The Dark Crystal‘s narrative never quite lives up to the movie’s visual splendor, but it remains an admirably inventive and uniquely intense entry in the Jim Henson canon.
#40
Adjusted Score: 79900%
Critics Consensus: The Illusionist is an engrossing, well-crafted story of mystery, magic and intrigue that is certain to enchant, if not hypnotize, audiences.
#41
Adjusted Score: 100455%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#42
Adjusted Score: 41472%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#43
Adjusted Score: 103536%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#44
Adjusted Score: 97211%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#45
Adjusted Score: 97635%
Critics Consensus: Zulu patiently establishes a cast of colorful characters and insurmountable stakes before unleashing its white-knuckle spectacle, delivering an unforgettable war epic in the bargain.
#46
Adjusted Score: 94659%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#47
Adjusted Score: 78073%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#48
Adjusted Score: 52577%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#49
Adjusted Score: 66683%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#50
Adjusted Score: 86762%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#51
Adjusted Score: 47668%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#52
Adjusted Score: 87632%
Critics Consensus: What initially begins as sci-fi transforms into a surprisingly sweet, offbeat drama, courtesy of John Carpenter’s careful direction.
#53
Adjusted Score: 86218%
Critics Consensus: At once beholden to the established conventions of the genre and delightfully subversive of them, Ip Man is one of the most exciting — and refreshingly character-driven — martial arts films in years.
#54
Adjusted Score: 41804%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#55
Adjusted Score: 83168%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#56
Adjusted Score: 52473%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#57
Adjusted Score: 64620%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#58
Adjusted Score: 78871%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#59
Adjusted Score: 77288%
Critics Consensus: Though lowbrow in intent and outcome, Strange Brew effectively mines laughs from its unique premise and likeable stars.
#60
Adjusted Score: 55275%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#61
Adjusted Score: 24211%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#62
Adjusted Score: 77909%
Critics Consensus: A well-constructed B-movie thriller, Joy Ride keeps up the necessary level of tension and chills. Critics also liked Zahn’s performance as the goofball older brother.
#63
Adjusted Score: 76595%
Critics Consensus: Oh, God!‘s Biblical playfulness makes for more cute farce than divine comedy, but George Burns’ sly performance as the Almighty gives this high concept gravitas.
#64
Adjusted Score: 74495%
Critics Consensus: Cats Don’t Dance, but they should easily entertain all-ages audiences thanks to some colorful animation, sharp humor, and a catchy soundtrack.
#65
Adjusted Score: 77671%
Critics Consensus: It doesn’t fully deliver on the chilly promise of its Blair Witch-style premise, but The Last Exorcism offers a surprising number of clever thrills.
#66
Adjusted Score: 80913%
Critics Consensus: The Infiltrator‘s compelling fact-based story and tremendously talented cast are often just enough to balance out its derivative narrative and occasionally clunky execution.
#67
Adjusted Score: 74420%
Critics Consensus: Visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously.
#68
Adjusted Score: 71018%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#69
Adjusted Score: 71034%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#70
Adjusted Score: 25526%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#71
Adjusted Score: 66199%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#72
Adjusted Score: 67555%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#73
Adjusted Score: 68408%
Critics Consensus: Results may vary for newcomers, but fans of the series will enjoy its big-screen transition.
#74
Adjusted Score: 45997%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#75
Adjusted Score: 73076%
Critics Consensus: Filled with inspired silliness and quotable lines, Anchorman isn’t the most consistent comedy in the world, but Will Ferrell’s buffoonish central performance helps keep this portrait of a clueless newsman from going off the rails.
#76
Adjusted Score: 69992%
Critics Consensus: Despite arresting visuals and strong lead performances, The New World suffers from an unfocused narrative that will challenge viewers’ attention spans over its 2 1/2 hours.
#77
Adjusted Score: 65953%
Critics Consensus: Writer/director Adam Green has the beginnings of an inventive, frightening yarn in Frozen, but neither the script nor the cast are quite strong enough to truly do it justice.
#78
Adjusted Score: 66574%
Critics Consensus: The Patriot can be entertaining to watch, but it relies too much on formula and melodrama.
#79
Adjusted Score: 62601%
Critics Consensus: A Bridge Too Far is a war movie too long, although top-notch talent on both sides of the camera keeps the end result consistently watchable.
#80
Adjusted Score: 63537%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#81
Adjusted Score: 48344%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#82
Adjusted Score: 63238%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#83
Adjusted Score: 62425%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#84
Adjusted Score: 61955%
Critics Consensus: UHF is bizarre, freewheeling, and spotty, though its anarchic spirit cannot be denied.
#85
Adjusted Score: 27131%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#86
Adjusted Score: 63980%
Critics Consensus: While hard-hitting and violently inventive, Safe ultimately proves too formulaic to set itself apart from the action thriller pack — including some of its star’s better films.
#87
Adjusted Score: 33600%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#88
Adjusted Score: 60057%
Critics Consensus: If it fails to make the most of its intriguing premise, In the Mouth of Madness remains a decent enough diversion for horror fans and John Carpenter completists.
#89
Adjusted Score: 58860%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#90
Adjusted Score: 56067%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#91
Adjusted Score: 57138%
Critics Consensus: While not without its nostalgic charms, Rob Reiner’s sometimes awkward adaptation of Wendelin Van Draanen’s childhood novel doesn’t reach the heights of the director’s earlier work like Stand By Me.
#92
Adjusted Score: 57946%
Critics Consensus: Atmospheric and thrilling, Enemy at the Gates gets the look and feel of war right. However, the love story seems out of place.
#93
Adjusted Score: 47065%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#94
Adjusted Score: 57316%
Critics Consensus: Though Penelope has a charming cast and an appealing message, it ultimately suffers from faulty narrative and sloppy direction.
#95
Adjusted Score: 56521%
Critics Consensus: Despite striking a believable rapport among its principal actors, Four Brothers overwhelms with ultra-violent, vigilante-glorifying action and devolves into too many fractured, insubstantial thematic directions.
#96
Adjusted Score: 53416%
Critics Consensus: The Miracle Season has a worthy real-life story to tell, but one-dimensional characters and aggressively maudlin storytelling undercut any emotional uplift.
#97
Adjusted Score: 59282%
Critics Consensus: Get Smart rides Steve Carell’s considerable charm for a few laughs, but ultimately proves to be a rather ordinary action comedy.
#98
Adjusted Score: 30113%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#99
Adjusted Score: 50524%
Critics Consensus: Well-intentioned but formulaic, Just Wright has winning leads but can’t overcome its preponderance of cliches.
#100
Adjusted Score: 49456%
Critics Consensus: It’s dark humor sometimes hits, but mostly misses the target.