By Joshanne Chiang
YouTube is not a platform that is associated with feature-length movies. However, YouTube houses a significant selection of movies available for purchase or rent. Additionally, there are quite a few movies that are free with ads, which is a very convenient free source of entertainment while we are all sheltering in place. The selection contains a fair share of subpar movies, as would be expected, such as The Prince & Me 4: The Elephant Adventure which, unlike the original, does not star Julia Stiles but instead opted to recast her character. Amidst the pool of Hallmark-quality movies, there are a few gems. Here are some of the best movies available for free on YouTube as of May 2020.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
In this 1988 comedy, Lawrence (Michael Caine) is an accomplished con artist who wants to remove the less experienced con artist Freddy (Steve Martin) from his area, the FrenchRiviera. So they place a bet that whoever can con the naive Janet (Glenne Headly) of $50,000wins the right to operate in the area. It is a lighter take on con artists than most movies and manages to create sympathetic, funny characters. It is a remake of the 1964 movie Bedtime Story and has since inspired the 2005 Broadway musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and been remade as the 2019 movie, The Hustle.
Hannah and Her Sisters
A Woody Allen classic, and just a well-written family drama, is especially interesting since it is built to be an ensemble film. It tells many stories about many characters that are all connected. This 1986 film directed by Woody Allen tells the story of Hannah (Mia Farrow) and her family over the course of two years. Hannah’s husband, Elliot (Michael Caine) is having an affair with her sister Lee (Barbara Hershey). Meanwhile, Hannah’s ex-husband Mickey (Woody Allen) believes he has medical problems. Hannah’s other sister Holly (Dianne Wiest), is a struggling actress who is attempting to write a script.
Super Size Me
This 2004 documentary follows its director, Morgan Spurlock, as he eats McDonald’s and McDonald’s only for 30 days in order to investigate the obesity allegedly caused by eating McDonald’s. The title comes from a rule where he must accept the offer to Super Size whenever it is given to him without him requesting it. This investigation is really interesting and is still pretty relevant over 15 years later.
The Last Five Years
Adapted from Jason Robert Brown’s Off-Broadway musical, The Last Five Years, this 2015 film tells the story of the five-year relationship between Jamie (Jeremy Jordan) and Cathy (Anna Kendrick), from their first meeting to their divorce. Jamie tells the story from beginning to end while Cathy tells it from end to beginning. The movie’s strongest point is its beautiful score and amazing performances from both main actors. It also excels at portraying a nuanced unraveling of a very real relationship, which is likely because the musical is very heavily based on Jason Robert Brown’s own life.
The Usual Suspects
Told through flashbacks from the interrogation Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey), who was involved in a massacre and fire on a ship, this 1995 neo-noir film unravels a story about many different criminals and their operations. The clever last scene in this movie is incredibly well-known. The movie also earned Kevin Spacey his Academy Award for Best supporting actor.
