March is going out with a bang thanks to the arrival of Godzilla x King Kong: The New Empire in theaters. It promises to be big, loud, and full of mass destruction, which should appeal to enough moviegoers to make it a springtime hit. But what about those who aren’t interested in watching a kaiju slugfest?
If you want to watch something different, then don’t worry, Digital Trends has compiled a short list of three movies you can stream this weekend. And the great thing about each of these movies is that they are free. That’s right, thanks to ad-supported streamers like Tubi and YouTube, you can watch quality movies without paying a dime. The occasional ad break is worth it, especially for the films below.
Wild Things (1998)
Some movies are so bad they’re trash, while other movies are so deliberately trashy that they’re a blast to watch. Wild Things falls into the latter category. This sleazy 1998 thriller chronicles the plight of poor high school teacher Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon), who has been accused of sexual misconduct by two of his students, the beautiful and rich Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) and the poor and gothy Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell). What follows is a trial, more than a few shocking revelations, a poolside threesome, some corrupt cops and lawyers, and a death or two.
To say that Wild Things has some plot twists would be like if Meryl Streep said she’s just OK at acting. It’s a massive understatement, and part of the pleasure is seeing all of the narrative developments unfold in a skillful, deliberate manner. Another highlight is Bill Murray, who gives one of his best performances ever as Sam’s sketchy, neck brace-wearing lawyer. His droll delivery gives Wild Things a nice little kick, and elevates the movie into the guilty pleasure canon alongside Showgirls.
Wild Things is streaming on Tubi.
Cry-Baby (1990)
While 1990 doesn’t seem that too long ago for Gen Xers like myself, if you do the math, it might as well be the Stone Age. This was a time when if you wanted to talk to another person, you’d pick up a landline or talk to them in person since social media apps like TikTok and games like Fortnite didn’t exist. This was also a period when Johnny Depp was the reigning teen idol and John Waters had just cemented his title as cinema’s “Sultan of Sleaze” with Polyester and Hairspray.
They both teamed up for Cry-Baby, a loving, trashy ode to Elvis Presley musicals like Jailhouse Rock and 1950s teen exploitation pictures like High School Hellcats and Reform School Girl. Depp plays the titular sad-eyed rebel, a baby boy who falls in love with good girl Allison (Amy Locane). Torn apart by their square society and warring families, they sing songs, and commit crimes — all in the name of love. It’s a characteristically bizarre picture from Waters, but like Hairspray, it’s oddly sweet and charming at the same time. Be warned: You will be humming the title tune once you finish the movie.
Cry-Baby is streaming on YouTube.
The Iron Giant (1999)
One of the best animated movies ever made started out as an underappreciated disappointment. The Iron Giant was released in the dog days of summer in 1999, and while audiences mostly stayed away, critics then and now praised the film. The Incredibles director Brad Bird made his directorial debut with this Cold War-era story about a young boy named Hogarth Hughes (Eli Marienthal) and his giant metal robot from another world (a pre-Fast and the Furious Vin Diesel).
Although the Iron Giant has a gentle personality and befriends lonely Hogarth, it’s soon revealed that he is really a weapon of destruction created by an alien race. The Iron Giant’s presence is soon detected by the government, and just like E.T. before him, he soon has to hide from untrusting adult humans while also protecting his adolescent friend. Those looking to tap into their inner child, or who just want to watch a sweet movie, should check out The Iron Giant.
The Iron Giant is streaming on YouTube.
