YouTube is an amazing platform to watch endless hours of cooking tutorials, TikTok compilations, and famous gamers. But a lot of people don't know that it's actually a decent movie streaming service too. And this isn't talking about the movies that are illegally uploaded for a short time until they are found and are taken down.
There are movies available to rent on the website, but more specifically, there is a small number of films available to watch for free with ads. Located under the "YouTube Movies & Shows" channel, there is a "Free To Watch" section available in the U.S. It's by no means on the scale of Netflix or Prime Video, and there are dozens of lower-than-average films, but there are a few truly great finds here.
Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Though it's available to watch on YouTube for free, Life is Beautiful isn't the most rewatchable movie in the world, and even a second viewing isn't for everyone. For many, the 1997 war film is one of the movies that can only be watched once, as it's one of the most emotionally exhausting two hours a viewer can put themselves through.
The movie follows a Jewish father and son who are captured and put in a concentration camp, but the father pretends the whole war is a game so the son doesn't get scared. The film has one of the most bittersweet movie endings of the '90s, and it's an absolute tear-jerker.
Bernie (2011)
The Richard Linklater-directed Bernie isn't a typical Jack Black movie full of shouting and slapstick comedy. In fact, it's more of a Linklater movie than a Jack Black comedy. The movie is a biographical drama, as it follows the titular funeral director who is convicted for murdering a rich widow.
The movie isn't so much about the murder but the aftermath, as all of the townsfolk spring to Bernie's defense because he's such a lovable person, even though they know he's guilty. Even audiences will fall in love with him, and it'll make even the most grown-up of viewers weep.
Nacho Libre (2006)
Not only is Bernie available to watch on YouTube, but the Mexican wrestling sports movie Nacho Libre, again starring Jack Black, is also available for viewers to watch for free. The movie is a quirky comedy in the same vein as Napoleon Dynamite, and it's full of random occurrences and set pieces with a wonderfully light color palette.
Black plays Nacho, a monastery cook who moonlights as a Mexican wrestler with a dream of becoming the best. The premise is completely absurd, but it's an outlandish comedy that only Black could pull off, and it's so much fun too.
Soul Plane (2004)
Soul Plane has some of the most negative movie reviews of the 2000s. It stars Snoop Dogg, who arguably isn't even trying to act, and it features the most predictable stoner comedy jokes possible, but it's so much fun.
The movie wears its links to West Coast hip-hop like a badge of honor, as the airline is called Nashawn Wade Airlines, N.W.A. for short. Not only that, but there's even a dog called Dr. Dre, who is killed when he's sucked into a jet engine. There are also a ton of references to the urban culture of the time, as the plane is customized like a low-rider with hydraulics and spinners.
All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)
When it comes to animated movies on the platform, there isn't much available, as all the major properties belong to studios with their own streaming services. However, the 1989 movie All Dogs Go To Heaven is a forgotten gem that doesn't get the attention it deserves.
The movie is about a canine angel, Charlie, who lands back on Earth for a limited time. Charlie becomes friends with an orphan girl, and it makes for one of the most endearing human-dog relationships in a movie. And as it's from the mind of Don Bluth, who also directed An American Tail and The Land Before Time, the movie is typically full of great musical numbers. In fact, it's a Don Bluth movie that gives Disney a run for its money.
Meatballs (1979)
Meatballs is the first of many great collaborations between director Ivan Reitman and Bill Murry, which include Stripes and Ghostbusters too. The movie sees the two of them early in their careers and at the top of their games, eager to impress audiences.
The result is a youthful and fun comedy about counselors-in-training at a cut-rate summer camp. It's also an outlier in Murray's filmography, as he plays a nice guy instead of one of his typical cynical and nihilistic characters. And even though it's one of his earlier films, Meatballs remains one of the best Ivan Reitman movies.
Ronin (1998)
Ronin is, by far, the best action movie that can be found for free on YouTube, as it's full of intense chase scenes and the caliber of acting is on another level. Coming three years later, the movie is almost like the spiritual successor of Heat, as it's another Robert De Niro-starring heist movie.
The 1998 film follows a group of special operatives who are tasked with stealing a briefcase, the content of which is completely unknown. As Ronin takes place in France, it takes advantage of the picturesque locations, with some incredible action scenes taking place in Nice and Paris.
Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (1969)
Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid is a classic movie and one that every film buff has to watch at least once in their lives. The George Hill-directed movie follows the titular characters become outlaws as they hold up banks and trains, and despite their occupations, they are two of the most beloved characters in cinema.
Though watching with ads isn't the ideal viewing experience for this Western epic, users who haven't seen the movie shouldn't pass up the chance. Paul Newman and Robert Redford on screen together are one of the best A-lister movie team-ups, and they repeated their success together in The Sting too, which is another great Hill-directed movie.
The Ghost Writer (2010)
When discussing the great crime thrillers of the 2010s, The Ghost Writer doesn't get mentioned enough. It follows a ghostwriter who gets given the opportunity of a lifetime to help a former U.K. prime minister finish his memoirs.
However, things start to reveal themselves when the writer believes his predecessor was murdered for finding out one of the Prime Minister's darkest secrets. The film doesn't have the greatest pay-off, considering there's such a huge build-up, but the journey to get there is riveting.
Super Size Me (2004)
Every kid of the mid-to-late-2000s has seen Super Size Me, whether in school or otherwise. But the movie is fun to return to and the message about the consequences of eating fast food still holds up today.
Documentarian Morgan Spurlock set out to eat Mcdonald's for every meal for 30 days. What Spurlock is so good at is making nutritional information highly entertaining. But that's because he put himself through dire straights just to show audiences how much fast food can mess with their physical and mental health.