My Favorite Free Movies

Today I wanted to do more of a fun, lighthearted post talking about some of my favorite movies. The month of June has been largely dedicated to writing and finishing the first draft of my novel, but when I wasn’t doing that, I was watching free movies on YouTube (haha). I was on such a good roll with reading this whole year up until now when I guess I got a little bit burnt out. Don’t worry though, I’m back into reading now and next week’s post will be a review of a book that has changed my life!

But back to today’s post. Did you know that there are a bunch of movies on YouTube that you can watch for free with ads? Don’t ask me why this is, I just know that YouTube has a channel where you can buy or rent just about any movie, and a handful of them are listed for free. As you might expect with free movies, most of them aren’t great, but I have managed to find a few gems in the mix, and I thought I’d share them in today’s post. So if you like me, are super cheap and enjoy a good movie that you don’t have to pay for, look no further.

1. This Beautiful Fantastic– Funnily enough, I’ve actually mentioned this movie on my blog before. That’s how much I absolutely adore it. Directed by Simon Aboud in 2016, the film is about a young woman named Bella Brown who was orphaned at infancy and who has a strict obsession with tidiness, and a phobia of nature and the outdoors. Through an unlikely series of events, she ends up befriending her crotchety next door neighbor who teaches her about the wonders of creating a garden. This movie is simply adorable. If you are looking for an escape into a world of pure loveliness, this is it. It’s characters are funny and endearing, it’s visuals are gorgeous, and the whole vibe of the movie from the scenes in the library where she works to the parts where she is struggling away to create a garden is just perfect. I also always cry when watching this movie because Bella is an aspiring writer who throughout most of the movie is letting her fears get in the way of her writing which hits really close to home for me. Overall, it’s a cute, artsy, wholesome film perfect to watch with your kids or by yourself in bed with some ice cream 🙂

2. Miss Stevens– I was honestly shocked to find that this movie was free. Directed by Julia Hart and starring the amazing Timothee Chalamet, this movie was a total sob fest in the best way possible. Miss Stevens is about a young English teacher who has recently lost her mother, who goes on a road trip with three of her students to take them to a drama competition. Billy, one of the students (played by Chalamet) is a troubled boy who struggles with mental illness and is an incredibly talented actor. He develops a crush on his teacher and sets about trying to break down the barriers she has built up. This movie had such a wise, introspective feeling to it. The way that it is filmed perfectly reflects the panicked and scattered mental state of the main character. It’s sort of a self-discovery movie, highlighting the way that one experience in a person’s life can change their perspective completely, and I just really liked that. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Timothee Chalamet’s performance is hands down the best part of this movie. It just serves to reflect what a sensitive, wise, passionate actor he really is, and even though it’s probably one of his least known films I think he is absolutely outstanding in it.

3. Return to Me– I watched this movie for the third time last week and have officially come to the conclusion that it’s name is doubly appropriate because it’s one of those classics that needs to be returned to–over and over. (I know, I’m not funny.) Directed by Bonnie Hunt in 2000, this movie has gotten to the point where it’s almost-but-not-quite vintage and as a result it has this wholesome charm to it that I just adore. At the beginning of the movie, Bob (played by David Duchovny, the face of the wholesome 90’s/early 2000’s romance) loses his beloved wife in a car accident, and Grace (Minnie Driver), who is in desperate need of a new heart, receives his wife’s heart, and with it a new chance at living. Part of the charm of this movie comes from the eclectic cast of characters in Grace’s life, from her motherly Irish grandfather and his quirky friends, to her best friend Megan (played by the director!) and her rambunctious family and irreverent husband. The movie just does an amazing job of capturing real life, the messiness of family and relationships, and throughout it all has this adorable, pure romance that would make anyone believe in love. I could go on and on about this movie and how clever it is. There are so many great one liners like “Hairy legs are your only link to reality.” And so many brilliantly directed scenes that illustrate the chaos of a bunch of people who are close to each other all in a room together. In all, it’s one of my all-time favorite movies ever and one that I think everyone should see.

That concludes my list of movies you can watch for free! Let me know if you have seen any of these movies in the comments and I’ll see you next week.