Copyright Screen Rant
With the cost of streaming rising every day, there are a ton of Oscar winners that can be watched for free. The Academy Awards are the standard of cinematic quality, and an Oscar is like a permanent seal of approval for a film's legacy. Though the major award shows sometimes get things wrong, they are often adept at crowning classics. Streaming has completely revolutionized the way that media is consumed, and it has allowed new audiences to discover films they may have missed in the past. Even Oscar-winning films can sometimes fade into the background, but many have been given a bump by streaming services. Unfortunately, these services are expensive and getting more costly. Thankfully, there are free streaming services that deliver the same quality at no cost. If one is willing to sit through some ads, there is a wealth of classic movies available at the touch of a button. Plenty of Academy Award-winning films have found their way onto free streaming, and their legacies grow with each new generation that discovers them. The Godfather (1972) - Pluto TV Arguably one of the best films of all time, The Godfather is required viewing for any film fan, regardless of their individual tastes. The Frances Ford Coppola masterpiece concerns the machinations of the Corleone crime family, specifically young Michael, who is drawn into the business. A masterclass in character, acting, and story structure, The Godfather is a nearly flawless film. Thankfully, the movie streams for free on Pluto TV, and is widely available for all to enjoy. The Godfather won Best Picture, and was nominated for seven other awards in 1973. Though it only took home three in total, they were all heavy-hitter awards. Its sequel fared even better, but the third film in the trilogy is best forgotten. In The Heat Of The Night (1967) - Tubi Released during one of the most contentious periods in American history, In the Heat of the Night is an important Hollywood classic. The plot concerns a Black police officer from Philadelphia who reluctantly assists a local sheriff in a small town in Mississippi. In between its commentary about race, the film is also a well-made mystery. Sidney Poitier commanded the screen as Tibbs, but he was not nominated for any Oscars. However, the film snagged five of its seven nominations, including Best Picture. The movie is currently hosted for free on Tubi, and is a great way to experience the box office smash. It was followed by several sequels, but they didn't match the original's cultural pull. Philadelphia (1993) - The Roku Channel After years of starring in comedies, Philadelphia is the movie that established Tom Hanks as a dramatic powerhouse. He stars as a gay man who is fired from his job for being HIV positive, and hires a prominent lawyer to help him sue his former employer. The movie tackles the AIDS crisis head-on, but has a compelling character drama underneath. Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor, and the movie itself was nominated four other times. It's available on The Roku Channel, and is a must-watch for fans of gripping drama and Tom Hanks. Despite being the first major film to address its issues, Philadelphia hasn't aged in 30 years. Timelessness of that caliber is extremely rare in any era. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) - Tubi Guillermo del Toro's visually entrancing film, Pan's Labyrinth, is still his greatest cinematic achievement and a perfect introduction to his filmography. In WWII-era Spain, a young girl escapes into a fantasy world that is just as dark as the real world she sees every day. A modern-day fairy tale, every frame of Pan's Labyrinth is imaginative and strange. The monsters of Pan's Labyrinth steal the show, and the movie's visual storytelling is its strong suit. It won three Oscars, including Best Cinematography, and is generally regarded as one of the best fantasy films of the 21st century. The unforgettable movie is available at no cost on Tubi, and no amount of ad breaks can distract from its brilliance. Ex Machina (2014) - Tubi As the movie's tenth anniversary came and went, Ex Machina has only become more prescient with each passing year. A programmer is invited to the home of a reclusive tech guru, who presents him with a robot that has a mind of its own. Alex Garland's challenging sci-fi film examines the notion of humanity and technology without abundant effects. Ex Machina took home Best Visual Effects at the Oscars. It started slow, but is now regarded as one of the true gems of the 2010s. Tubi carries the film for free, and it's worth a look for anyone interested in deeper sci-fi. As the movie continues to age, its ideas may prove to be even more prophetic. Moonstruck (1987) - The Roku Channel Cher is one of the most successful musician-turned-actors in history, and Moonstruck is the legendary performer at her very best. A widow is on the eve of accepting a proposal from her boyfriend, but she suddenly finds herself falling for his younger brother. Cher and Nicolas Cage are a romantic duo for the ages, and Moonstruck is a magical rom-com. The Norman Jewison-directed film scored six Oscar nods, winning three. Cher won Best Actress, and it cemented her status as a bona fide actor, and not just a movie star. The wonderful film streams on The Roku Channel, and is both a perfect lesson in great filmmaking, and a timeless classic that can be watched over and over again. Platoon (1986) - The Roku Channel The first in Oliver Stone's unofficial trilogy of movies about the Vietnam War, Platoon is the defining war movie of the 1980s. An idealistic young soldier clashes with his evil Sergeant during some of the fiercest fighting of the Vietnam conflict. Like Stone's other work, Platoon is both subtle and overt, juxtaposing small emotional moments with bombastic melodrama. Audiences were finally ready to face the recent past and Platoon was rewarded with four Oscar wins, namely Best Picture. The film features stunning performances from Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe, and is a war film with something for everyone. It can be streamed on The Roku Channel, and is still worth a revisit nearly 40 years later. Good Will Hunting (1997) - Pluto TV One of the crown jewels of '90s cinema, Good Will Hunting was sincere in a decade known for its apathy. A man with a genius-level IQ works as a janitor, but he is given a chance at success by an open-minded professor. Penned by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the movie launched them both into stardom right out the gate. The movie was nominated for nine Oscars and won two, nabbing Damon and Affleck a trophy for their brilliant screenplay. Good WIll Hunting is a heartwarming drama that hasn't faded over the years, and is constantly being rediscovered. Thankfully, Pluto TV carries the award-winner for free, so that it can easily be found by the next generation of aspiring filmmakers. Whiplash (2014) - Tubi The mid 2010s was a goldmine of great movies, and Whiplash still stands as one of the best from that period. It tells the story of a gifted jazz drummer who comes under the wing of a ruthless teacher that feeds into his obsession with greatness. While telling a passionate story about art, the movie is a compelling psychological thriller. Though Whiplash lost Best Picture, it still won three of its five awards. J.K. Simmons won for Best Supporting Actor, and he was the star attraction of the whole movie. While it has faded somewhat in the decade since its release, it's easy access on Tubi means that Whiplash will not become a forgotten Oscar winner. Apocalypse Now (1979) - The Roku Channel Francis Ford Coppola rounded out the 1970s with yet another gem, and Apocalypse Now remains an all-time classic of the anti-war genre. In a reimagining of Heart of Darkness, a soldier travels through Vietnam during the height of the war to find a Colonel who has gone rogue. Both real and psychedelic, Apocalypse Now captures the absurdity of war.
