Did you know that YouTube’s global users are expected to reach 2.85 billion by 2025? That number is staggering, considering nearly half of the world’s internet users access YouTube. When the media talk about the biggest rival to Netflix, the answer is YouTube. No other media company can compete with YouTube’s reach and advertising.
While pranks and trailers are prevalent on the service, YouTube’s dedicated section to free movies continues to increase in popularity. You’ll be surprised by how many quality movies you can watch free of charge. This month, one of those movies is Jaws,arguably the most influential blockbuster of the last 50 years. Check out the rest of the guide below.
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.
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Jaws
PG1975
Disturbia
PG-132007
Mean Girls
PG-132004
Fast Five
PG-132011
Jaws (1975)
87%
8.1/10
PG
124m
Genre
Horror, Thriller, Adventure
Stars
Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
You don’t need a bigger boat to watch Jaws,Steven Spielberg’s landmark thriller celebrating its 50th anniversary in June. The town of Amity Island is shaken after a great white shark kills a young woman. Amity’s economy runs on tourism, and with the Fourth of July rapidly approaching, Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) keeps the beaches open.
When the shark continues to wreak havoc, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) intervenes and heads to the deep sea to kill the creature with help from scientist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw). These three men will engage in an epic battle of man vs. shark.
Related:
Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more
Disturbia (2007)
62%
6.8/10
PG-13
105m
Genre
Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, Carrie-Anne Moss
Directed by
D.J. Caruso
Disturbiadepicts a common question in real time: If you see something, should you say something? This scenario is played out through the eyes (or binoculars) of Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf), a teenager under house arrest. To pass the time, Kale begins spying on his neighbors, attracting the attention of the attractive Ashley Carlson (Sarah Roemer).
When he’s not watching Ashley, Kale zeroes in on his mysterious neighbor Robert Turner (David Morse). Kale observes questionable activity from Robert, leading the high schooler to assume that his neighbor is a serial killer. However, the authorities don’t believe Kale due to his past behavior. To prove his point, Kale might have to break the law, but nothing could have prepared him for what he sees next door.
Mean Girls (2004)
66%
7.1/10
PG-13
97m
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lizzy Caplan
Directed by
Mark Waters
Whoever said war is hell never went to high school. After spending the last 12 years in Africa, teenager Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) enters the jungle that isNorth Shore High School. Cady quickly learns about the school’s various cliques, including the Plastics, the group of popular girls headlined by queen bee Regina George (Rachel McAdams).
Cady eventually finds friends with social outcasts Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian Leigh (Daniel Franzese). When Regina becomes interested in Cady, Janis views it as an opportunity to infiltrate the Plastics and sabotage them from within. At first, Cady goes along with the plan. Over time, she comes to like the newfound popularity. Is Cady willing to abandon her morals for some time in the spotlight?
Fast Five (2011)
66%
7.3/10
PG-13
130m
Genre
Action, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster
Directed by
Justin Lin
The first four Fast & Furious movies focused on illegal street racing and criminal activities on a small scale. Fast Fivechanged the direction of the franchise by transforming it into an action spectacle. Fast Fivepicks up in the aftermath ofFast & Furious, with Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Mia Torretto (Jordana Brewster) on the run after breaking Dom Torretto (Vin Diesel) out of police custody.
The trio head to Rio Janeiro to start a new life. However, they are immediately double-crossed by local drug lord Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida). That doesn’t sit well with Dom, who assembles a crew to pull off a $100 million heist of Reyes’ assets. Before he can pull off the heist, Dom must evade federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), a no-nonsense lawman after Torretto and his crew.
The First Time (2012)
55%
6.8/10
pg-13
95m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Dylan O'Brien, Britt Robertson, Craig Roberts
Directed by
Jonathan Kasdan
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)
59%
7.3/10
r
122m
Genre
Action, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, Lori Petty
Directed by
Kathryn Bigelow
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)
74%
6.1/10
pg-13
106m
Genre
Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Madison Wolfe, Imogen Poots, Sydney Wade
Directed by
Anders Walter
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).
The Illusionist (2006)
68%
7.6/10
pg-13
110m
Genre
Fantasy, Drama, Thriller, Romance
Stars
Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel
Directed by
Neil Burger
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)
89%
7.9/10
96m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman
Directed by
George A. Romero
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.
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 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 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.
