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The best free movies on YouTube right now (March 2025)

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in the cinema in La La Land
Lionsgate

YouTube is the true streaming giant, with more than 2.70 billion users. From trailers and how-to videos to podcasts and sports highlights, YouTube has countless hours of content to keep you occupied for a long time. Many users don’t know that YouTube has an entire section dedicated to free movies.

Skeptics, have no fear. YouTube has notable movies that can be viewed with ads. Oscar winners, blockbusters, thrillers, comedies, etc. You’ll find a wide assortment of movies. Check out our recommendations for March.

Looking for more stuff you can watch for free? Check out our guides to the best free shows on YouTube and the best sites for watching free movies online. If you’re willing to pay, read these guides on the best new movies to stream and the best movies on Netflix.

Recently added to YouTube

La La Land (2016)

La La Land
94%
8.0/10
pg-13
129m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance, Music
Stars
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend
Directed by
Damien Chazelle
Watch on YouTube

Here’s to the ones who dream. Damien Chazelle’s love letter to Los Angeles is La La Land. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is an aspiring jazz musician who dreams of opening his own club. Mia (Emma Stone) pursues a career in acting. Sebastian plays piano at a restaurant, and Mia works as a barista to make ends meet.

The two dreams fall in love in the city of angels. As the two embark on a passionate affair, the real world tries to tear them apart. Sebastian and Mia can’t lose sight of their goals, even if that means their relationship must take a hit. Backed by dazzling choreography and beautiful songs, La La Land is a joyful celebration of cinema and a reminder that it’s never too late to dream.

Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator
67%
8.5/10
r
155m
Genre
Action, Drama, Adventure
Stars
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
Directed by
Ridley Scott
Watch on YouTube

In 2024, Ridley Scott returned to the arena in Gladiator II. The long-awaited sequel followed Lucius Verus Aurelius (Paul Mescal) and his return to Rome 16 years after the death of his father, Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). Revisit how Maximus became a Roman legend in the Oscar-winning Gladiator. Maximus is a beloved general in the Roman Army and a loyal servant to Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris).

After Marcus chooses Maximus to succeed him, his sadistic son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) kills his father and claims the throne for himself. Commodus also kills Maximus’ family and sells the Roman general into slavery. Trained as a gladiator, Maximus becomes a hero in the arena. However, Maximus never loses sight of his mission — exact his vengeance against Commodus.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

The Breakfast Club
66%
7.8/10
r
98m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald
Directed by
John Hughes
Watch on YouTube

This year marks the 40th anniversary of The Breakfast Club. John Hughes’ seminal coming-of-age movie follows a group of students serving Saturday detention. The students are from various rungs on the high school social ladder. The group includes Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the athlete; Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), the brain; Bender (Judd Nelson), the criminal; Claire (Molly Ringwald), the princess; and Allison (Ally Sheedy), the basket case.

Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), the school’s principal, watches the students in the school’s library. The students enter detention with nothing in common. As they spend more time together, the kids learn that despite their social differences, they deal with the same issues of anxiety and parental pressure.

The First Time (2012)

The First Time
55%
6.8/10
pg-13
95m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Dylan O'Brien, Britt Robertson, Craig Roberts
Directed by
Jonathan Kasdan
Watch on YouTube

Jon Kasdan tackles young love in The First Time. One night outside a party, high school senior Dave (Dylan O’Brien) strikes up a conversation with a junior named Aubrey (Britt Robertson). Dave loves his best friend Jane (Victoria Justice), while Aubrey dates meathead Ronny (James Frecheville)

After the cops crash the party, Dave and Aubrey escape and spend the rest of the night talking. The duo forms a genuine connection, but because of their existing relationships, they’re unsure whether to act on it. Eventually, Dave and Aubrey will realize that love isn’t perfect, so they don’t have to be.

Point Break (1991)

Point Break
59%
7.3/10
r
122m
Genre
Action, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, Lori Petty
Directed by
Kathryn Bigelow
Watch on YouTube

Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze square off in Kathryn Bigelow’s excellent action thriller, Point Break. Former college quarterback Johnny Utah (Reeves) is a hot-shot FBI agent who teams with veteran agent Angelo Pappas (Gary Busey) to catch a group of bank robbers known as the “Ex-Presidents.” The duo hypothesizes that the robbers are surfers, so Utah goes undercover within the beach community, searching for more information.

While posing as a surfer, Utah meets Bodhi (Swayze), the eccentric leader of a group of surfers. As Utah spends more time with the surfers, he develops a genuine bond with the free-spirited Bodhi. However, this complicates Utah’s mission, blurring the lines between his new friends and his job.

I Kill Giants (2018)

I Kill Giants
74%
6.1/10
pg-13
106m
Genre
Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Madison Wolfe, Imogen Poots, Sydney Wade
Directed by
Anders Walter
Watch on YouTube
This fantasy film follows Barbara Thorson (Madison Wolfe), a young girl who finds solace from the realities of her difficult family life by retreating into a magical world where she is the greatest giant fighter the world has ever seen. But as the giants’ threat to her world grows, Barbara finds help from her new friend Sophia (Sydney Wade) and her school counselor, Mrs. Mollé (Avatar: The Way of Water‘s Zoe Saldana).

My Friend Dahmer (2017)

My Friend Dahmer
68%
6.2/10
r
107m
Genre
Drama, History, Crime
Stars
Ross Lynch, Alex Wolff, Anne Heche
Directed by
Marc Meyers
Watch on YouTube

Someone at YouTube has very deftly picked up on the renewed interest in Jeffrey Dahmer by getting the rights to stream My Friend Dahmer. This serial killer movie is based upon the true story of John “Derf” Backderf (Alex Wolff), a cartoonist who was the closest friend that Jeffrey Dahmer (Ross Lynch) had in high school. In this adaptation of Backderf’s graphic novel, he and his fellow outcasts befriend Dahmer, but they aren’t blind to his bizarre behavior.

However, they couldn’t have predicted that the awkward young man that they knew would go on to become one of the most infamous serial killers of the last century. It’s also a tragic tale, as no one notices how monstrous Dahmer has become until it’s far too late to stop him.

The Illusionist (2006)

The Illusionist
68%
7.6/10
pg-13
110m
Genre
Fantasy, Drama, Thriller, Romance
Stars
Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel
Directed by
Neil Burger
Watch on YouTube

The Illusionist beat the similarly themed film, The Prestige, to theaters by about two months, but Christopher Nolan’s movie is the superior of the two. Regardless, The Illusionist has its charms, largely in the core trio of Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti. When they were young, Eduard Abramovich (Norton) and Duchess Sophie Von Teschen (Biel) had a passion for each other that her parents forbade.

Upon adulthood, Edward reinvented himself as Eisenheim The Illusionist and reunited with Sophie before she could be married to the malevolent Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). When Sophie is murdered, Chief Inspector Walter Uhl (Giamatti) is unnerved when Eisenheim appears to be able to summon Sophie’s spirit at will.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Night of the Living Dead
89%
7.9/10
96m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman
Directed by
George A. Romero
Watch on YouTube

A seminal entry for American horror cinema, George A. Romero’s classic horror movie follows seven people who find themselves trapped in Pennsylvania as the terrifying walking dead surround them. They have to try to survive without understanding the terror that lurks outside.

The movie has been noted as the first zombie film, and its influences can be seen in everything from 28 Days Later to Shaun of the Dead. Romero’s debut — he wrote, directed, edited, and acted in the film — made him into a superstar, quickly revolutionizing the genre on a budget of a mere $114,000.

Movie images and data from:
Nick Perry

Nick Perry is a freelance writer who bounced from Hollywood to Silicon Beach to pajama pants. His work has been featured on Digital Trends, Good Morning America, Entrepreneur, Mashable, and more media outlets.

Blair Marnell

Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek Monthly, SYFY Wire, Superhero Hype, Collider, DC Universe, and the official sites for Star Trek and Marvel. He also lends his pop culture expertise to Digital Trends on a variety of TV, movie, and streaming features.

Dan Girolamo

Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout his career, Dan has been a writer, broadcaster, podcaster, editor, and social media manager. At Digital Trends, Dan covers film and television, from reviewing upcoming projects to interviewing actors and directors. Outside of Digital Trends, he has been an Oscar prognosticator since 2016 as well as a sportswriter with a special concentration in New York professional sports. Dan is still waiting for the New York Knicks to win a championship, but unfortunately, he will have to wait a lot longer for this dream to become a reality.

The best British TV shows on Netflix
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Netflix is home to some of the best British shows on television right now, from older classics to brand-new shows. If you're looking for the best British TV shows on Netflix right now, we're here to help. Plenty of shows can tickle your fancy, from the multi-award-winning Baby Reindeer to new dramas like Black Doves.
You'll find everything from popular reality TV shows to mysteries, comedies, dramas, and everything in between. Let us help you find the next British show to put on your radar. We'll bet there are at least a few on this list you haven't heard of yet.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, best shows on Hulu, best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and best shows on Disney+.

Recently added to Netflix

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There's something about the true crime genre that fascinates viewers. We have developed a weird obsession with true crime and thankfully, streaming services like Netflix continue to fuel it with more and more content. These aren't always "murder shows," though. Some take a deep dive into other forms of crime, from financial crime to cults and more. They usually revolve around stories that made national headlines. This month, American Murder: Gabby Petito reexamines the case that rocked the nation of the young woman who went missing, the boyfriend who killed her, and the domestic dispute call that some feel could have saved her life if handled differently.
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Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, best shows on Hulu, best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and the best shows on Disney+.

American Murder: Gabby Petito (2025)

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The best horror movies on Amazon Prime right now
Mary Elizabeth Winstead's character trying to keep out John Goodman's villainous character in 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Amazon Prime Video has the benefit of having some of the best horror movies available to stream. The Amazon platform has a packed library of films running the gamut of the genre and its many subgenres, ranging from small-budget features to blockbuster productions. Prime Video has fans covered with the flavors of horror they might want, from cheesy creature features to character-driven psychological horror.
Fans might need to take some time sifting through Prime Video's offerings considering the streamer's depth in content. Thankfully, this guide does the work for you in that department. This monthly guide shines a light on widely praised and more niche horror movies that audiences can find on Amazon Prime Video right now.
Here are some of the best horror movies on Prime Video you can look forward to streaming.

Want more Prime Video content? Check out the best movies on Prime Video right now. If you don't see anything of note on Amazon Prime, we've also rounded up the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

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