YouTube boasts a surprisingly strong library of feature-length movies, many of which are available to watch for free with ads on the platform. Currently, the streamer’s best offerings include a late ’90s blockbuster that is still just as beloved today as it was when it was released. Users can also catch an underrated 2013 crime drama starring Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper on YouTube right now, as well as a 1996 classic that single-handedly kicked off a popular horror franchise and redefined the entire slasher subgenre.
Here are the three best movies streaming free on YouTube this week.
“The Mummy” (1999)
A seminal blockbuster for many moviegoers born over the last 35 years, 1999’s “The Mummy” is one of Hollywood’s only truly successful attempts at recapturing the magic of the “Indiana Jones” franchise. Directed by Stephen Sommers, this late ’90s monster movie follows an adventurous treasure hunter (Brendan Fraser) who sets out to discover the City of the Dead with a curious librarian (Rachel Weisz) and her older brother (John Hannah) only to accidentally awaken a long-dead, cursed Egyptian high priest (Arnold Vosloo).
Punctuated by a handful of legitimately scary set pieces and enough playful energy to bring a smile to your face, “The Mummy” is a contemporary classic that continues to endure. Come for the monstrous thrills, stay for the early-movie star magic radiated throughout by both Weisz and Fraser.
“Scream” (1996)
Speaking of cornerstone genre films: “Scream.” Director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson’s 1996 classic is an outrageously violent send-up of the very slasher genre that Craven himself helped shape. Set in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, the film follows a high school student (Neve Campbell) as she and her friends find themselves the targets of a costumed killer who just so happens to be a devoted fan of the horror genre.
“Scream” is a near-perfect horror movie that manages to pull off the rare trick of poking fun at itself while still delivering all of the thrills and horrifying moments you go into it wanting to see. It is a brutal and clever piece of work, one that is just playful and just mean-spirited enough to stick the landing. There is a reason why it has spawned six sequels to date.
“The Place Beyond the Pines” (2013)
If you want something a bit more dramatic and reflective to watch this weekend, look no further than “The Place Beyond the Pines.” Director Derek Cianfrance’s underrated early 2010s drama follows a motorcycle stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) whose desire to provide for his ex (Eva Mendes) and their child leads him on a bank-robbing crime spree that creates ripples that spread across generations.
Featuring two of the best performances that both Gosling and co-star Bradley Cooper have ever given, “The Place Beyond the Pines” is a measured, unpredictable crime drama that hits you — and its characters — in ways you don’t see coming. It deserves to be discussed more fondly, more often and by more viewers.
