{"id":144905,"date":"2025-10-25T16:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T16:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/144905\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T16:39:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T16:39:20","slug":"50-of-the-best-movies-to-stream-right-now-with-no-extra-rental-fees-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/144905\/","title":{"rendered":"50 of the best movies to stream right now \u2013 with no extra rental fees \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The streaming world is still a whirlpool of confusion. Tempting titles pop up on one service and then, with a week or two\u2019s warning, migrate disloyally to one of its competitors. The information in our pick of 50 great movies is correct at time of publication, but there is no sign of that churn ceasing any time soon. There is good news for fans of films first released before 2000. Though Netflix<\/a> is still shamefully short of older titles, Prime Video<\/a> has greatly increased its stock of classics. Our selection even includes one silent film. All of the movies we list are available for the relevant subscription fee alone. No extra rental fee.<\/p>\n

[\u00a010 Halloween shockers: Great movies to stream for SamhainOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

AlienRidley Scott, 1979<\/p>\n

The entire extended Alien universe is now on Disney+. The best among all the features \u2013 and, now, TV series \u2013 remains Scott\u2019s unbearably tense opener. A masterclass in showing only what is required of your monster. Disney+<\/p>\n

The Awful TruthLeo McCarey, 1937<\/p>\n

A contender for the best screwball comedy ever. Cary Grant and Irene Dunne play a couple who irritate each other hilariously after filing for divorce. First-class turn by Asta the dog. Prime Video<\/p>\n

The Battle of AlgiersGillo Pontecorvo, 1966<\/p>\n

As watched by Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another. Extraordinary study of Algerian resistance against the French colonisers that feels eerily close to documentary. Prime Video <\/p>\n

Bicycle ThievesVittorio De Sica, 1948<\/p>\n

Often figuring high in polls of the greatest films ever made, De Sica\u2019s neorealist heartbreaker follows a bill poster, travelling postwar Rome with his young son, as he copes with losing his precious bicycle. Untouchable. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Blow OutBrian De Palma, 1981<\/p>\n

This conspiracy thriller, featuring John Travolta as a suspicious sound technician, has risen over the years to become one of De Palma\u2019s most celebrated films. Extraordinary ending. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Bridge on the River KwaiDavid Lean, 1957<\/p>\n

Alec Guinness is superb as the deluded officer who takes pride in work to absurd levels as his soldiers slave for Japanese captors. A thrilling war film that revels in ambiguity. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidGeorge Roy Hill, 1969\"ButchButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid <\/p>\n

Pay tribute to the late Robert Redford with (this is neither recommendation nor criticism) the western for people who don\u2019t like westerns. A hilarious buddy-buddy flick that happens to be set in 1899. Disney+<\/p>\n

ChinatownRoman Polanski, 1974<\/p>\n

Polanski\u2019s disturbing noir thriller casts Jack Nicholson as a flawed sleuth unearthing the grubby truth behind Los Angeles\u2019 interwar surge. Robert Towne\u2019s script is untouchable. Paramount+<\/p>\n

ConclaveEdward Berger (2024)<\/p>\n

Following up All Quiet on the Western Front, Berger makes a delicious thriller of the negotiations around the election of a new pope. Ralph Fiennes is first class as a conflicted cardinal. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Das Boot: Theatrical CutWolfgang Petersen, 1981<\/p>\n

This is not the longest version available, but, at 149 minutes, the viewer gets quite enough brilliantly orchestrated claustrophobia as a Nazi U-boat hunts its enemy in the Atlantic. One of the great German films. Netflix<\/p>\n

The Death of StalinArmando Iannucci, 2018\"JasonJason Isaacs as Field Marshal Zhukov in The Death of Stalin. Photograph: Entertainment One Films <\/p>\n

Iannucci wrings the blackest comedy from his study of the deadly circus that followed the Soviet leader\u2019s demise. MVP? Either Andrea Riseborough as Svetlana Stalina or Jason Isaacs as Field Marshal Zhukov. Prime Video<\/p>\n

The FavouriteYorgos Lanthimos, 2018\"TheThe Favourite <\/p>\n

The Greek king of weird shifted a few metres towards the mainstream with this profane, hilarious study of shenanigans at the court of Queen Anne. Olivia Colman won a shock Oscar as the spoiled monarch. Disney+<\/p>\n

The FlyDavid Cronenberg, 1986<\/p>\n

Jeff Goldblum is the scientist who gets his DNA mixed up with that of a fly in a Cronenberg classic that combines the blackest humour with genuine pathos. Disney+<\/p>\n

The French ConnectionWilliam Friedkin, 1971<\/p>\n

A decade after the nouvelle vague hit the US, Friedkin incorporates its rough-hewn style into a startlingly gritty and original New York thriller. Gene Hackman is inimitable as the unconventional cop Popeye Doyle. Disney+<\/p>\n

Get OutJordan Peele, 2017<\/p>\n

A social satire? A horror comedy? Peele\u2019s tale of poorly concealed racial division remains an absolute original. We would have voted for it a third time if we could. Ha ha! Netflix<\/p>\n

The Godfather trilogyFrancis Ford Coppola, 1972<\/p>\n

All three films in Coppola\u2019s original untouchable gangster triptych are currently available to stream. Now that\u2019s an offer you can\u2019t refuse. Part three appears as the recently refurbished The Godfather Coda. Netflix\/Paramount+<\/p>\n

Godzilla Minus OneTakashi Yamazaki, 2023<\/p>\n

The original Godzilla channelled the twin atomic disasters of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This prequel, similarly, yokes American imperialism, postwar malaise, survivor guilt and weaponised atomic power to produce the best action film in many years. Netflix<\/p>\n

The Great EscapeJohn Sturges, 1963<\/p>\n

One of the most entertaining films ever made. An all-star cast attempts to break out of the newly built Stalag Luft III. Steve McQueen\u2019s motorbike chase? James Garner\u2019s sweet friendship with blind Donald Pleasance? Just untouchable. Prime Video <\/p>\n

HeatMichael Mann, 1995\"Heat\"Heat <\/p>\n

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino face off in a heist thriller that develops into an epic tribute to the unknowability of Los Angeles. Features the noisiest urban gunfight ever staged. Netflix<\/p>\n

JawsSteven Spielberg, 1975<\/p>\n

The film that changed Hollywood. As good as Spielberg gets. As good as John Williams gets. What more could any person want? Duh dum! Duh dum! Netflix<\/p>\n

The Lodger: A Story of the London FogAlfred Hitchcock, 1927<\/p>\n

There is not much Hitchcock to stream, but, astonishingly, you can get the silent film that established him as a master of suspense. Ivor Novello plays a variation on Jack the Ripper in a film packed with memorable shots. (Prime Video)<\/p>\n

The Manchurian CandidateJohn Frankenheimer, 1962<\/p>\n

Laurence Harvey is the returning hero programmed to kill after being released from captivity in communist China. The urtext for a swathe of conspiracy thrillers that would follow the Kennedy assassination. Prime Video<\/p>\n

MariaPablo Larra\u00edn, 2024\"Maria\"Maria <\/p>\n

Underrated study of Maria Callas\u2019s final days featuring a regally miserable Angelina Jolie adrift in damp, autumnal Paris in the mid-1970s. Closes the informal trilogy Larra\u00edn began with Jackie and Spencer. Netflix<\/p>\n

Marriage StoryNoah Baumbach, 2019<\/p>\n

The laureate of Brooklyn angst hits peak form with an analysis of the poisons that bubble up when marriages go wrong. Funny in even its darkest corners. Netflix<\/p>\n

The MatrixWachowskis, 1999<\/p>\n

You know what this is. The sequels got increasingly pointless, but this millennial classic has not been beaten for its combination of visionary speculation and sly wit. Keanu rules. Netflix<\/p>\n

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!David Zucker, 1988<\/p>\n

The recent Liam Neeson disinterment was amusing, but nobody does deadpan like the great Leslie Nielsen. \u201cNice beaver.\u201d \u201cThank you. I just had it stuffed.\u201d Netflix<\/p>\n

Nickel BoysRaMell Ross, 2024<\/p>\n

Bravura adaptation of Colson Whitehead\u2019s novel about two boys fighting to stay sane in an oppressive Florida reform school. The point-of-view camerawork is dazzling and immersive. Prime Video<\/p>\n

The Night of the HunterCharles Laughton, 1955<\/p>\n

Robert Mitchum\u2019s terrifying killer poses as a preacher and pursues two children in the only feature directed by the legendary actor Charles Laughton. Beautifully horrible. Prime Video<\/p>\n

No Country for Old MenJoel and Ethan Coen, 2007\"NoNo Country for Old Men <\/p>\n

Is it a coincidence that the Coen brothers film with the least comedy is the one that finally won them the best-picture Oscar? Maybe. Anyway, their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy remains searing. Netflix<\/p>\n

OppenheimerChristopher Nolan, 2023<\/p>\n

It took Nolan 20 years to properly win over the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but his sweeping study of the father of the atomic bomb did the trick. Winner of best picture and, for Cillian Murphy\u2019s lead turn, best actor. Netflix<\/p>\n

ParasiteBong Joon-ho, 2019<\/p>\n

World-conquering South Korean social satire in which a low-income family scheme furiously to \u201creplace\u201d their well-heeled employers. Netflix<\/p>\n

Pather PanchaliSatyajit Ray, 1955<\/p>\n

The opening episode in Ray\u2019s legendary Apu trilogy follows the young hero\u2019s struggles as he grows up amid grinding poverty in early-20th-century India. Topped the British Film Institute\u2019s 2002 poll of greatest ever Indian films. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Phantom ThreadPaul Thomas Anderson, 2017\"PhantomPhantom Thread <\/p>\n

Anderson\u2019s only film set outside the United States finds Daniel Day-Lewis\u2019s suave clothes designer carrying on a sinisterly motivated affair with Vicky Krieps\u2019s eager assistant. Lesley Manville is next level as the protagonist\u2019s suspicious sister. Prime Video<\/p>\n

PinocchioBen Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske, 1940<\/p>\n

A squadron from Disney\u2019s emerging animation studio toiled on this magical adaptation of Carlo Collodi\u2019s classic story of a wooden puppet brought to life by a blue fairy. Disney+<\/p>\n

Raging BullMartin Scorsese, 1980<\/p>\n

Probably the most celebrated of Scorsese\u2019s films, this ruthless monochrome masterpiece invites Robert De Niro to tear himself apart as the masochistic fighter Jake LaMotta. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Red RiverHoward Hawks, 1948<\/p>\n

Hawks, a master, casts John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in the tale of a 19th-century cattle drive from Texas to Kansas. The two great actors \u2013 as different in style as in manner \u2013 anticipate a generational divide that would rattle the US over the succeeding two decades. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Reservoir DogsQuentin Tarantino, 1992<\/p>\n

Tarantino\u2019s brilliant debut is still his most complete and perfectly formed film. Telling the story of the aftermath of a heist, it proved immeasurably influential \u2013 not always in welcome fashion. Netflix<\/p>\n

RomaAlfonso Cuar\u00f3n, 2018<\/p>\n

Netflix\u2019s production department stepped up with this stunningly ambitious monochrome study of 1970s family life in Mexico City. Netflix<\/p>\n

Rosemary\u2019s BabyRoman Polanski, 1968<\/p>\n

It took a Polish director to make the definitive New York horror film. John Cassavetes makes a deal with the devil that causes his wife, Mia Farrow, the most appalling supernatural inconvenience. \u201cHe has his father\u2019s eyes!\u201d Paramount+<\/p>\n

RRRSS Rajamouli, 2022<\/p>\n

This rare international breakthrough for a Tollywood film turns the Indian fight against British imperialism into a huge, tuneful romp. Good villain work from the Irish talent Alison Doody and the late Ray Stevenson. Netflix<\/p>\n

Roman HolidayWilliam Wyler, 1953<\/p>\n

Perfectly judged romantic comedy that sends Audrey Hepburn\u2019s Ruritanian princess into Gregory Peck\u2019s cynical arms during a night adrift in a gorgeously rendered Rome. Sheer heaven. Paramount+<\/p>\n

Rye LaneRaine Allen-Miller, 2023<\/p>\n

Near-perfect romantic comedy featuring David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as two young people bouncing cheekily about the vibrant streets of Peckham. A celebration of love and of contemporary London. Disney+<\/p>\n

Saturday Night FeverJohn Badham, 1977<\/p>\n

John Travolta was propelled to stardom in a study of the New York disco scene that incorporated an impressively gritty take on the city\u2019s working-class energies. Paramount+<\/p>\n

SevenDavid Fincher, 1995<\/p>\n

Fincher bounced back from Alien 3, his fitful debut, with a unique horror thriller that sent Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in pursuit of a messianic serial killer. The defining film of a gruesome noir that was soon everywhere. Netflix<\/p>\n

Spirited AwayHayao Miyazaki, 2001<\/p>\n

Oscar-winning fantasy. Chihiro is travelling to her new home when a detour leaves her stranded in an otherworldly bath-house. After her parents are transformed into pigs, she encounters many magical beings. One of many Miyazaki films to savour on Netflix. Netflix<\/p>\n

TangerineSean Baker, 2015\"Tangarine\"Tangarine <\/p>\n

A decade before winning the best-picture Oscar, for Anora, Baker took iPhone cameras among the transgender sex workers of West Hollywood to film this touching, edgy Christmas comedy-drama. Prime Video<\/p>\n

Uncut GemsBenny Safdie, Josh Safdie, 2019<\/p>\n

Adam Sandler plays Howard, a pawnbroker and gambling addict, in a film so stressful that anybody with a heart condition should approach with caution. Netflix<\/p>\n

UpPete Docter, 2009<\/p>\n

Or Wall-E or Toy Story or Finding Nemo. All the Pixar movies are on Disney+. Watch the early classics and ponder what has gone wrong more recently. Disney+<\/p>\n

WolfwalkersTomm Moore, Ross Stewart, 2020<\/p>\n

The final and, perhaps, liveliest of Cartoon Saloon\u2019s Irish folklore trilogy that began with The Secret of Kells and continued with Song of the Sea. Apple TV+<\/p>\n

The Zone of InterestJonathan Glazer, 2023\"TheThe Zone of Interest <\/p>\n

The commandant of Auschwitz lives out a complacent family life metres from barely acknowledged industrial slaughter. A uniquely chilling film. Prime Video<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The streaming world is still a whirlpool of confusion. Tempting titles pop up on one service and then,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":144906,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[593,38848,18,117,19,17,127,12911,62134],"class_list":{"0":"post-144905","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-apple-tv","9":"tag-disney-plus","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-ie","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-netflix","15":"tag-paramount-plus","16":"tag-prime-tv"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115435796447798504","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144905\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}