It’s an almost undisputable fact that everything is more expensive these days which is why we’re even more glad than ever for free streaming platforms. Platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Plex offer up a wealth of entertainment that you can watch without a subscription and without breaking the bank. With the new month of July right around the corner, what makes things even better than simply free entertainment at your fingertips is that these platforms are also getting some fresh new additions to their catalogs. That, in turn, means plenty of new movies to check out for a fun movie night or just a fun afternoon where you’re trying to beat the heat or just don’t want to deal with the cost of things at the cineplex.
But with so many options, figuring out where to start can be a bit of a challenge. It’s a good problem to have, but we know it can be a little daunting, too. So, if you’re looking for a guide to what to check out in terms of the best movies streaming for free in the month of July, these 10 would be a very good place to start. We’ll be the first to admit there’s not real theme to this list unless you consider just good, entertaining movies a theme. Let’s get into it.
10) Everything Everywhere All At Once — Tubi
Sure, we can tell you how great of a movie Everything Everywhere All At Once is, but you don’t just have to take our word for it. The film has seven Academy Awards to its credit to back up its claim of being awesome, including not just Best Picture and Best Director, but Best Actress for Michelle Yeoh, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan, and Best Supporting Actress for Jamie Lee Curtis. It’s a case of a film that’s not only top tier entertainment from an audience perspective but a critical perspective as well with its hilarious, sci-fi action adventure. And let’s be honest: who doesn’t want to watch Michelle Yeoh kick some butt? If by some chance you haven’t yet seen this absolute masterpiece of a film, Tubi has you covered in July and you absolutely should put this one right on your list. You won’t regret it.
9) Miss Congeniality — Tubi
The 2000s were such a wild and great time for action films with some genuinely great if not a little out there stories and that includes Miss Congeniality. The 2000 film stars Sandra Bullock as an FBI agent who has to go undercover in a beauty pageant to stop a terrorist. It’s a movie that probably wouldn’t work now, Y2K was a simpler time. The movie is an actual delight with a surprisingly great cast that includes not only the always classy Michael Caine but none other than Star Trek legend William Shatner, too. Making this even better is that the movie has a sequel, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, which is also available to stream on Tubi for free in July.
8) American Psycho — Tubi
If you’re looking for something a little more serious when it comes to your free movie adventures in July, you can always check out American Psycho. Another movie from 2000, where Miss Congeniality is a fun good time, American Psycho is much, much darker. The psychological horror stars Christian Bale as a New York City investment banker leading a double life as a serial killer in the 1980s. The movie is a strange, darkly comedic take on consumerism and yuppie culture and while certain aspects of it might not hold up to too much scrutiny (or more specifically, you might find yourself questioning what actually happened in some of the scenes and falling down a rabbit hole about what it all means,) Bale’s performance in this movie is absolutely astounding. If you’re looking for something to do so you can avoid the Fourth of July fireworks or picnic, this one might just be the ticket.
7) The LEGO Batman Movie — Tubi
Summer is for superhero blockbusters but nothing says you can’t have superheroes made out of blocks—LEGO blocks, that is. While there may be a new report that claims the DCU has already found their Batman, the truth is it’s going to be a bit before the Dark Knight makes his way back to the big screen so hitting up Tubi in July for what is one of the most fun takes on the hero is our idea of a good time. 2017’s The LEGO Batman movie is an absolute delight and sees Will Arnett reprise his role as Batman from The LEGO Movie. Batman has to overcome his biggest fear while saving Gotham City from the Joker yet again and it’s got all the components of a great superhero movie, just hilariously done with LEGOS. It’s great family-friendly entertainment and, frankly, one of the best Batman movies ever. I said what I said.
6) Thelma & Louise — Tubi
In my opinion, one of the best things you can watch on free streaming when it comes to movies are classics and that brings this list to Thelma & Louise. One of the best buddy comedies ever made, it’s also the film that surprises people the most when it comes to who made it. Thelma & Louise was directed by the legendary Ridley Scott and he even was nominated for an Academy Award for the film. That’s right, the filmmaker that gave us such sci-fi greats as Alien, Blade Runner, and The Martian also gave us the absolute feminist gem that is Thelma & Louise. Thelma & Louise is one of those films that also isn’t just a great movie with its story of two friends on a road trip that goes very differently than perhaps they originally expected it to; it also has gone on to have major cultural impact. The film’s ending with the titular characters embracing before driving off a cliff has been homaged and parodied more times than one can count.
5) Civil War — Plex
Another great way to enjoy free streaming is to get caught up on newer movies you might have missed at the box office and Plex has you covered in July for what might be one of the best modern war movies, Alex Garland’s Civil War. The film follows a group of journalists on their way to Washington as they document a contemporary and brutal American Civil War. It’s an unsettling watch and that’s what makes it interesting. It’s very much a film that is less about the actual conflict that has America at war with itself and more about the perception of America and how the story of a conflict is told. It’s a movie that is political, but not necessarily in the way you’d expect it to be and will have you examining your own approach to information, news, and the world around you. It’s a difficult but necessary watch and one that is anchored by some great performances from its cast, particularly Kirsten Dunst.
4) The Cutting Edge — Plex
Unless you’ve just absolutely been avoiding popular trends in entertainment lately, then you already know that “hockey romance” is pretty much the next big thing. HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry has been huge and Netflix just found its own answer to that big series, picking up the rights to Hanna Grace’s viral novel Icebreaker. But the genre isn’t exactly new and if you want to indulge in a classic story in the same vein but with a ‘90s spin, then Plex is where you need to go in July for The Cutting Edge. The sports romantic comedy sees a temperamental figure skater (Moira Kelly) paired with a hockey player sidelined by injury as they end up as a pairs team for the 1992 Winter Olympics. Is it a slightly ridiculous premise? Absolutely. Is it completely iconic? You bet. There’s romance, there’s drama, there’s enemies-to-lovers, outlandish skating techniques, and the ever-iconic “toe pick” line. Don’t miss this one.
3) Forrest Gump — Pluto TV
There might not be any movie better more iconically American than Forrest Gump which makes the fact that you can stream the film for free on Pluto TV in July absolutely perfect. Forrest Gump is arguably one of the greatest American movies ever made as well as one of Tom Hanks’ best movies ever, tracing the life of Hanks’ titular character across his experiences in the 20th century United States. There is something about this movie that just feels beautifully nostalgic with Forrest’s life literally intersect with just about every major event in modern history. It’s in many ways an idealized look at the world and American history, but there is something genuinely uplifting about it. It’s also a film that, while many have looked back on and maybe reconsidered—some feel that The Shawshank Redemption should have gotten the Best Picture Oscar in 1994 instead of Forrest Gump—it still holds a very special place not only in audience hearts but in film history, too.
2) Top Gun — Pluto TV
Do you feel the need, the need for speed? Pluto TV has you covered with Tom Cruise’s best movie which is, of course Top Gun. The movie was a massive hit when it was released in 1986 and while it drew criticism at the time for being military propaganda (and, if we’re being honest, still kind of does) it hasn’t stopped the film from remaining popular 40 years later. The story of Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, as he trains at the Navy’s Top Gun school, the film is full of really cool flight sequences, has an incredible soundtrack, and features not just Cruise’s iconic performance as Maverick, but we’re blessed with Val Kilmer’s Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. The film is a high-octane thrill ride that will have you both on the edge of your seat and cheering the whole way through as well as wanting more and fortunately, that’s what the last item on this list is for.
1) Top Gun: Maverick — Pluto TV
If you saw Top Gun in theaters back in 1986, you had to wait almost 40 years to finally get a sequel which honestly makes the fact that Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick are both streaming for free on Pluto TV this July kind of great because you can stream them back-to-back, no long wait needed. Top Gun: Maverick is proof that a legacy sequel can not only be massively successful at the box office—the film grossed $1.5 billion making it the highest grossing film of Cruise’s career to date—and a good movie, too. The story picks up with Maverick 30 years after the first film and it really is a matter of the more things change the more things stay the same. There’s a new class of students at the Top Gun school, new threats, and for Maverick, a lot of old lessons to learn. The film is an actually very well done way of addressing the past while forging a path to the future—and the appearance by Kilmer as Iceman one final time still brings a tear to the eye.
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