A surprising number of platforms will let you stream movies for free, as long as you’re willing to sit through some ads. You might not find the latest blockbuster on them, but you’ll find a lot of good options, including independent and arthouse movies that might expand your horizons – and that you might not watch if you had to pay for them. (These are the best movies you’ve never seen.)
To determine the best movies to stream for free this March, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of February 2022, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes and that are streaming on Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, IMDb TV, Peacock, Vudu, and Crackle. Documentaries were not considered. (Data on streaming availability, current as of this month, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood, and directorial credits are from IMDb.)
The resulting list shows impressive range and quality. Look for directors with names like Coppola, Scorsese, and Kubrick, and for Alfred Hitchcock classics including “Vertigo” (1958) and “Psycho” (1960). Then there are romantic favorites such as “Sabrina” (1954) and “The Princess Bride” (1955) and unromantic ones like “Se7en” (1995) and “Fight Club” (1999) – both directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt.
There are other cult classics, too, among them “Dazed and Confused” (1993) and “The Big Lebowski” (1998). (You may not be able to see them for free, but these are the 55 best movies ever made.)
The No. 1 movie is “12 Angry Men” from 1957. Directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda, it’s a courtroom drama about a jury considering the fate of an 18-year-old defendant accused of stabbing his father to death. It has an IMDb user rating of 9 out of 10, a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 97%, and a Tomatometer score of 100%, and regularly tops lists of the best movies on platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix. And what’s not to like about free?
50. Dazed and Confused (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (174,013 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (236,467 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (62 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Linklater
> Streaming on: Peacock
49. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (158,947 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (207,514 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (43 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Mann
> Streaming on: Tubi
48. Being John Malkovich (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (323,305 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (262,755 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (135 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Jonze
> Streaming on: Peacock
47. The Big Lebowski (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (766,228 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (356,600 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (109 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen
> Streaming on: Peacock
46. Sabrina (1954)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (62,060 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (55,338 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (44 reviews)
> Directed by: Billy Wilder
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
45. Scarface (1983)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (778,547 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (488,892 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: Brian De Palma
> Streaming on: Peacock
44. Rain Man (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (490,155 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (314,261 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (80 reviews)
> Directed by: Barry Levinson
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
43. The Thing (1982)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (391,164 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (132,442 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (69 reviews)
> Directed by: John Carpenter
> Streaming on: Tubi
42. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (454,829 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (427,295 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (218 reviews)
> Directed by: Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton
> Streaming on: Tubi
41. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (461,303 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (1,033,117 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (60 reviews)
> Directed by: Tim Burton
> Streaming on: Tubi
40. The Imitation Game (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (717,585 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (104,116 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (285 reviews)
> Directed by: Morten Tyldum
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV, Vudu, Plex, Crackle
39. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (260,773 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (427,499 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (158 reviews)
> Directed by: Ang Lee
> Streaming on: Tubi
38. The Artist (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (235,905 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (58,691 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (320 reviews)
> Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
37. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (208,989 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (71,242 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (53 reviews)
> Directed by: George Roy Hill
> Streaming on: Tubi
36. Scent of a Woman (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (278,614 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (119,382 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (45 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Brest
> Streaming on: Peacock
35. A Little Princess (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (33,377 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (240,459 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (35 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
> Streaming on: Tubi
34. The Remains of the Day (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (69,929 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (24,404 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (43 reviews)
> Directed by: James Ivory
> Streaming on: Tubi
33. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (121,700 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (130,710 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (74 reviews)
> Directed by: George A. Romero
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV, Vudu, Plex, Peacock
32. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (461,276 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (92,983 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (264 reviews)
> Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallée
> Streaming on: Peacock
31. Sense and Sensibility (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (109,172 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (130,924 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (64 reviews)
> Directed by: Ang Lee
> Streaming on: Tubi
30. Paddington 2 (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (67,820 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (8,755 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (246 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul King
> Streaming on: Tubi
29. The Conversation (1974)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (105,754 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (35,231 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (57 reviews)
> Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
28. Dial M for Murder (1954)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (166,706 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (38,208 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (47 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Tubi
27. The Man from Earth (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (180,871 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (19,142 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (5 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Schenkman
> Streaming on: Tubi, Vudu, Crackle
26. Rope (1948)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (136,102 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (39,058 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Peacock
25. Se7en (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,517,067 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (468,879 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (82 reviews)
> Directed by: David Fincher
> Streaming on: Peacock
24. True Romance (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (216,812 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (192,545 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (54 reviews)
> Directed by: Tony Scott
> Streaming on: Tubi
23. Charade (1963)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (72,875 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (42,943 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Donen
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV, Vudu
22. Fight Club (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,940,882 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (1,093,796 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (179 reviews)
> Directed by: David Fincher
> Streaming on: Tubi
21. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (85,564 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,773 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (77 reviews)
> Directed by: Charles Laughton
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
20. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (73,496 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (31,403 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (60 reviews)
> Directed by: John Frankenheimer
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
19. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (105,646 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (150,034 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (176 reviews)
> Directed by: Julian Schnabel
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
18. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (62,588 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (19,508 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (48 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Peacock
17. Notorious (1946)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (97,303 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (35,835 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (48 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Tubi
16. His Girl Friday (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (56,106 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,333 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (67 reviews)
> Directed by: Howard Hawks
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV, Vudu, Plex
15. Fargo (1996)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (643,417 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (234,520 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (102 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
14. Raging Bull (1980)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (335,751 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (131,523 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (76 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
13. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (948,653 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (571,910 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (250 reviews)
> Directed by: Michel Gondry
> Streaming on: Peacock
12. Stalag 17 (1953)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (54,031 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (13,214 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (37 reviews)
> Directed by: Billy Wilder
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
11. Short Term 12 (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (85,013 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (21,553 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (174 reviews)
> Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV, Vudu, Plex, Peacock
10. The Killing (1956)
> IMDb user rating: 8/10 (85,754 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (22,285 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
9. The Apartment (1960)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (172,183 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (38,259 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (72 reviews)
> Directed by: Billy Wilder
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
8. Vertigo (1958)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (382,223 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (102,724 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Peacock
7. The Princess Bride (1987)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (408,278 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (527,843 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (78 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Reiner
> Streaming on: Tubi
6. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (60,985 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (10,855 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (91 reviews)
> Directed by: William Wyler
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
5. Psycho (1960)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (630,728 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (240,418 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (104 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Peacock
4. The Kid (1921)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (120,168 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (15,470 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (48 reviews)
> Directed by: Charles Chaplin
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
3. Rear Window (1954)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (465,467 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (151,019 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (122 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Streaming on: Peacock
2. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (116,454 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (9,011 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (33 reviews)
> Directed by: Billy Wilder
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV
1. 12 Angry Men (1957)
> IMDb user rating: 9/10 (702,293 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (105,515 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (55 reviews)
> Directed by: Sidney Lumet
> Streaming on: Tubi, Pluto TV