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Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime and Foxtel Now offer an ever-growing selection of movies which can be streamed to TV, computer or other compatible devices at a
moment’s notice — so long as you’ve got an active subscription and coughing up money for the privilege.
Of course, if you’re happy to pay for the latest streaming films, there are dozens of great movie night options on Netflix and Stan, which you can find below.
[ul]
[li]The best movies on Netflix Australia[/li][li]The best movies on Stan[/li][/ul]
Bearing in mind that multiple monthly subscriptions can cost you quite a bit of money in the long run, we’ve put together a list of great movies that you can watch online without paying a cent, meaning you won’t have to enter your credit card details to receive hours and hours worth of entertainment. Best of all, you won’t have to do anything shady or illegal to stream then!
Hosted on a number of quality catch-up and streaming services, these entertaining films have been sorted into genres so you can more easily find a film for whichever mood you happen to be in. Below is a list of our chosen Australian-viewable sources for free movies.
[ul]
[li]Kanopy – Intended as an online video platform for public libraries and universities, Kanopy only requires the user to hold an accepted library card in order to access hundreds of indie films and documentaries.[/li]
[li]SBS On Demand – Like the channel that spawned it, SBS On Demand offers a huge selection of world movies, cult films and cinematic classics without having to pay a cent. That said, you will have to sit through some ads.[/li]
[li]Sony Crackle – As the name might suggest, Sony Crackle is a free streaming service owned by, you guessed it, Sony. At present, the film selection is a little barebones, but there a few choice flicks on there for free. Not a bad way to spend an evening.[/li]
[li]OpenCulture – Self-described as hosting “the best free cultural and educational media on the web”, OpenCulture is just as a much film history site as it is a service for video content. [/li]
[li]YouTube – While there are plenty of dodgy YouTube accounts posting stolen movie content on YouTube, there are also loads of legitimate accounts run by film distributors who are more than happy to offer free access to a wide selection of movies.[/li][/ul]
Top free movies for May 2019
Due to licensing issues, there’s likely to be a fairly quick turnaround regarding films that are offered online for the price of completely free. With that in mind, this page will be devoted to our top free movie picks for the month – here are our top free movie picks for May 2019!
1. Cannibal: The Musical
[IMG alt="gmRLwJTu5bfamdYjSo49Fo" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gmRLwJTu5bfamdYjSo49Fo.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Troma Entertainment
Before they hit it big with South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone made this hilariously filthy no-budget musical comedy about a group of prospectors who turn to cannibalism after being trapped in the harsh Colorado winter. Loosely based on the life of Alfred Packer, the first American ever charged with cannibalism, Cannibal: The Musical is a little rough around the edges, but it’s clear that the genius wit behind The Book of Mormon was already there from the get-go – it even features a song about building a snowman, beating Frozen to the punch by a good 20 years!
Available on Youtube
2. Plan 9 From Outer Space
[IMG alt="46HHSDMHmBWybqgT9bwVSM" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/46HHSDMHmBWybqgT9bwVSM.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Inter-Pathé
Once considered the greatest bad movie of all time (that title has since been taken by Tommy Wiseau’s The Room), Plan 9 From Outer Space is terrible to the point of being amazing. The plot, which is total nonsense, centres around an alien plan to destroy Earth by raising the dead and preventing mankind from developing a universe-killing bomb (we’re not even joking). The film, directed by the incomparable Edward Wood Jr., sparks the debate of whether a movie can be so bad that it actually becomes good again from the perspective of sheer entertainment value – surely a film that’s this (accidentally) hilarious can’t be all bad, right? You’ll have to judge for yourselves.
Watch on YouTube
3. Heavy Metal
[IMG alt="qxfN65vXNtPdj8Yq7BAb9V" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qxfN65vXNtPdj8Yq7BAb9V.jpg[/IMG]
If you like your animated films packed with ***, violence and rock ‘n’ roll, chances are that Heavy Metal will be right up your alley. A clear inspiration for Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots, Heavy Metal is an animated anthology film that’s based on the classic adults-only science fiction and fantasy magazine from Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It may look like a kids flick, but it’s far from it – we recommend tucking the children into bed before setting off on this incredibly wild ride!
Watch now on Sony Crackle
4. Wheels on Meals
[IMG alt="Q5YkPqhec7srJpsTuYAb3h" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q5YkPqhec7srJpsTuYAb3h.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Golden Harvest
We’re going to come right out and say it: Wheels on Meals features the best Jackie Chan fight scene of all time. Don’t agree? Let’s take it outside! Okay, now that our jets have cooled a little bit, we can say that the film-ending confrontation between Jackie and the legendary Benny the Jet Urquidez is an absolute all-timer, and is easily on par with the former’s classic fight at the end of Drunken Master II. Two cousins (Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao) who run a successful fast food delivery business in Barcelona find themselves protecting a beautiful heiress (Lola Forner) from people who want to steal her fortune. The pair teams up with a bumbling private detective (Sammo Hung, who also directs) and eventually find themselves in deeper trouble than they could have imagined.
Watch on SBS On Demand
5. The Fifth Element
[IMG alt="fBnfBSdEA45uQUigDtPXWb" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fBnfBSdEA45uQUigDtPXWb.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Madman Entertainment / EuropaCorp
Once described as “Star Wars on acid” by star Gary Oldman, The Fifth Element is one of director Luc Besson’s craziest and most visually-inventive films, which is really saying something when you consider the rest of his zany filmography. Futuristic cabbie Corbin Dallas (Bruce Willis) finds himself with a surprise fare when Leelu (Milla Jovovich) crashes through the roof of his taxi. Turns out she’s a supreme being regenerated from the remains of an ancient alien race who was sent to protect Earth from an apocalyptic event. Still with us? Good. So now Corbin must help Leelu fulfil her destiny before a planet-sized evil reaches Earth and destroys it once and for all. A fantastic film that never ceases to entertain, The Fifth Element features a number of energetic performances, including a scene-stealing turn from Chris Tucker as the animalistic intergalactic radio host Ruby Rhod. A stone-cold science fiction classic.
Watch on SBS On Demand
We’ll be adding more titles over time, so remember to check back often for more free movies to stream in Australia!
Mad Max: Fury Road
[IMG alt="aXAhQutuJUeLyBpWkViUNL" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aXAhQutuJUeLyBpWkViUNL.jpg[/IMG]
The world has gone to hell following a cataclysmic event, plunging headfirst into madness and chaos. All that remains is a wasteland governed by tyrannical men, populated by downtrodden hordes, and hopefully, rescued by mythical heroes. Immortan Joe (Keays-Byrne) rules with an iron fist, doling out meagre amounts of water to the masses, while keeping a stable of wives for himself to breed future warlords. His most trusted Imperator Furiosa (Theron) has betrayed him and freed these women from their lives of ****** slavery. Now, the chase is on, as Immortan Joe and his party of warboys set out to retrieve their “property”. If Furiosa and co. are to succeed, they’ll need the help of Max Rockatansky (Hardy), a wandering road warrior in search of a cause.
Director George Miller has crafted the most dynamic, vibrant and sensational action blockbuster of the decade with Fury Road. it’s an inventive, high-octane kick in the guts to a film industry that has played it safe for far too long. The chases and stunts in this film are unparalleled. Best of all, the film works as a powerful rebuttal to patriarchy.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Inglourious Basterds
[IMG alt="qpXZGDqdJL3KvwdoPCd25E" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qpXZGDqdJL3KvwdoPCd25E.jpg[/IMG]
Quentin Tarantino’s WWII-set masterpiece, Inglourious Basterds, is a revisionist take on historical events that inserts an elite (and rather bloodthirsty) military group known as the Basterds, led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), into Nazi-occupied France with one very specific goal: to kill and scalp as many Nazis as humanly possible. By chance, an opportunity arises that would place all of Germany’s top brass (including Adolf Hitler himself) at the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film, leading the Basterds and a vengeance-minded theatre owner (Mélanie Laurent) to enact plan that could potentially end the war entirely.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Leon: The Professional
[IMG alt="RCDSCDXdvwM7B9oP4cUFta" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RCDSCDXdvwM7B9oP4cUFta.jpg[/IMG]
A star-making turn from a young Natalie Portman anchors the best film to date from French visionary director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element). Portman plays Mathilda, a young girl who takes refuge with a quiet, lonely hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) after her entire family is slaughtered by a group of crooked cops (led by an unhinged Gary Oldman). Though Mathilda is an adolescent, she hopes that Leon will teach her to be a hitman like him, so that she can exact vengeance on the men who killed her little brother. While it’s occasionally violent, Leon: The Professional is nevertheless a moving story of two people who become a family despite being from completely difference worlds.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Two Hands
[IMG alt="BvLwR2eYaQiTguwAeQr5rU" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BvLwR2eYaQiTguwAeQr5rU.jpg[/IMG]
The Aussie crime film that made stars of Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne, Two Hands follows a young guy named Jimmy (Ledger) who finds himself neck-deep in trouble after losing $10,000 belonging to a local gangster named Pando (Bryan Brown). Now, Jimmy must pay Pando back by the end of the week, or disappear forever like his older brother. Meanwhile, a young country girl named Alex (Byrne) finds herself caught up in Jimmy’s troubles. A smash hit at the time of its release, Two Hands is Australia’s answer to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Animal Kingdom
[IMG alt="JVNkrA7rCXYhJH3qAukwAg" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JVNkrA7rCXYhJH3qAukwAg.jpg[/IMG]
Feeling like a Greek tragedy set in Melbourne’s criminal underworld, Animal Kingdom is a masterful film about a crime family (led by the astonishing Jacki Weaver) that begins to fall apart during an increasingly violent war with the police. Orphaned 17-year-old Joshua (James Frecheville) joins the family right around this tumultuous time, and must find a way to navigate both the family and a nosy detective (Guy Pearce) while steering clear of his dangerous uncle, Andrew (Ben Mendelsohn).
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Lion
[IMG alt="6khSB3BmdeUNVBuC5wSrPW" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6khSB3BmdeUNVBuC5wSrPW.jpg[/IMG]
A tear-jerker of the highest order, this Australian-made instant classic tells the true story of a young Indian man named Saroo (Dev Patel) who fell asleep on a train as a very young child and was unable to find his way back home. Living on the streets of Calcutta for years, thousands of kilometres from home, the boy is eventually adopted by an Australian couple (played by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) who raise the child in their home country. Unable to shake the mother and brother he was separated from, a college-aged Saroo is determined to find his family once again, despite having only a vague memory of his former home. Incredibly powerful, Lion’s ending is absolutely guaranteed to turn you into a blubbering mess.
Available on SBS On Demand
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Following the death of his father, Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is left to look after his mentally-challenged brother (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his morbidly-obese mother (Darlene Cates). Though his future looks pretty grim, Gilbert’s outlook on life begins to change when he meets and falls for a young woman (Juliette Lewis) who’s new in town. Though he’s been incredible in countless films, Leonardo DiCaprio has never been better than in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – it’s the kind of astounding performance that will be studied in acting schools for decades to come. Depp also does a terrific job in a subtle and understated performance. A must-see.
Available on SBS On Demand
Assault on Precinct 13
[IMG alt="9Z88mN6rMNiNMpW7tQ2MBM" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9Z88mN6rMNiNMpW7tQ2MBM.jpg[/IMG]
John Carpenter’s loose remake of Rio Bravo is a masterclass in intensity and edge-of-your-seat thrills. This 1970s thriller sees an under-staffed police station fend off a siege from a huge gang that’s trying to break in and kill one of its enemies. Carpenter fans will notice early signs of the dark, relentless action and style that would come in later films like Escape From New York, The Fog and The Thing. A true classic that’s infinitely superior to its own remake, which would come decades later.
Available on SBS On Demand
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
[IMG alt="r7tnbrzv4oVx3sBMXW6mqF" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/r7tnbrzv4oVx3sBMXW6mqF.jpg[/IMG]
One of the most notorious horror movies of all time, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has garnered a well-deserved reputation as one of the best examples of pure horror ever committed to celluloid. It’s been named one of the 250 best films of all time by the British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound magazine, and a print of the film is even part of New York City’s Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. This drive-in classic sees a group of youngsters terrorised by a family of redneck cannibals, in particular, by a heavyset, chainsaw-wielding madman known as Leatherface. The fact that this film was shot on a shoestring budget with (mostly) first-time actors just makes the whole thing feel more terrifyingly real.
Available on SBS On Demand
Halloween
[IMG alt="RxFTZzJkaogU83DJpMR9F5" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RxFTZzJkaogU83DJpMR9F5.jpg[/IMG]
Of course we have to start by picking the definitive movie to watch this time of year, John Carpenter’s Halloween. Though it didn’t create the American slasher sub-genre (that honour goes to Bob Clark’s holiday horror, Black Christmas), Halloween was the first hugely successful movie of its kind, spawning several sequels and countless imitators. The film sees escaped mental patient Michael Myers stalk and kill a number of babysitting teens on Halloween night. Will fresh-faced teen Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) be able to survive this night of terror?
Watch Halloween on SBS On Demand
Lost Highway
[IMG alt="NFQAaEihEiCXP5J8cYSkJW" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NFQAaEihEiCXP5J8cYSkJW.jpg[/IMG]
One of David Lynch’s most mind-bending thrillers, Lost Highway sees a saxophonist (Bill Pullman) framed for the murder of his wife (Patricia Arquette) and sent to prison. In true Lynchian style, things get incredibly weird, with the man inexplicably turning into a different person (Balthazar Getty) after a violent encounter, eventually leading to a new life as a mechanic. Though he may be a new man (literally), it’s not long before his old life catches up to him. With a killer industrial soundtrack produced by Trent Reznor that features Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, The Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie and, of course, Nine Inch Nails, Lost Highway is dark, twisted thriller that you won’t soon forget.
Available on SBS On Demand
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
[IMG alt="kPCcYg6oET3wBEah6FBVSg" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kPCcYg6oET3wBEah6FBVSg.jpg[/IMG]
An absolutely delightful comedy from New Zealand, Hunt for the Wilderpeople sees young city kid Ricky (Julian Dennison) find a reasonably good life with Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her grumpy husband, Hec (Sam Neill) on a farm after years of being rejected from various foster homes. When Bella suddenly dies, Child Services announces its intention to move Ricky yet again, causing him to run away from home, prompting Hec to go after him. Things get carried away, and soon a nation-wide manhunt is under way to retrieve the pair. Though the pair don’t get along initially, the experience causes them to bond, forcing them to hide out in the bush while the authorities search for them. Directed by the hilarious Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a warm and funny film that’s sure to work its way into your heart.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
The Castle
[IMG alt="XuLtFV4rM4xTZe3ShJ6pvG" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XuLtFV4rM4xTZe3ShJ6pvG.jpg[/IMG]
A true Australian classic, The Castle is a hilarious and heartwarming comedy for the whole family. Upon learning that his family must give up their home so that the local airport can build an extension, Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) takes the fight to court in an effort to stay put. Why? Because a man’s home is his castle, of course! Funny and quotable in a way that will ring true for practically every Aussie household, The Castle is impossible to dislike. Chances are that you’ll laugh, cry and laugh again.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Continue reading…
moment’s notice — so long as you’ve got an active subscription and coughing up money for the privilege.
Of course, if you’re happy to pay for the latest streaming films, there are dozens of great movie night options on Netflix and Stan, which you can find below.
[ul]
[li]The best movies on Netflix Australia[/li][li]The best movies on Stan[/li][/ul]
Bearing in mind that multiple monthly subscriptions can cost you quite a bit of money in the long run, we’ve put together a list of great movies that you can watch online without paying a cent, meaning you won’t have to enter your credit card details to receive hours and hours worth of entertainment. Best of all, you won’t have to do anything shady or illegal to stream then!
Hosted on a number of quality catch-up and streaming services, these entertaining films have been sorted into genres so you can more easily find a film for whichever mood you happen to be in. Below is a list of our chosen Australian-viewable sources for free movies.
[ul]
[li]Kanopy – Intended as an online video platform for public libraries and universities, Kanopy only requires the user to hold an accepted library card in order to access hundreds of indie films and documentaries.[/li]
[li]SBS On Demand – Like the channel that spawned it, SBS On Demand offers a huge selection of world movies, cult films and cinematic classics without having to pay a cent. That said, you will have to sit through some ads.[/li]
[li]Sony Crackle – As the name might suggest, Sony Crackle is a free streaming service owned by, you guessed it, Sony. At present, the film selection is a little barebones, but there a few choice flicks on there for free. Not a bad way to spend an evening.[/li]
[li]OpenCulture – Self-described as hosting “the best free cultural and educational media on the web”, OpenCulture is just as a much film history site as it is a service for video content. [/li]
[li]YouTube – While there are plenty of dodgy YouTube accounts posting stolen movie content on YouTube, there are also loads of legitimate accounts run by film distributors who are more than happy to offer free access to a wide selection of movies.[/li][/ul]
Top free movies for May 2019
Due to licensing issues, there’s likely to be a fairly quick turnaround regarding films that are offered online for the price of completely free. With that in mind, this page will be devoted to our top free movie picks for the month – here are our top free movie picks for May 2019!
1. Cannibal: The Musical
[IMG alt="gmRLwJTu5bfamdYjSo49Fo" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gmRLwJTu5bfamdYjSo49Fo.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Troma Entertainment
Before they hit it big with South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone made this hilariously filthy no-budget musical comedy about a group of prospectors who turn to cannibalism after being trapped in the harsh Colorado winter. Loosely based on the life of Alfred Packer, the first American ever charged with cannibalism, Cannibal: The Musical is a little rough around the edges, but it’s clear that the genius wit behind The Book of Mormon was already there from the get-go – it even features a song about building a snowman, beating Frozen to the punch by a good 20 years!
Available on Youtube
2. Plan 9 From Outer Space
[IMG alt="46HHSDMHmBWybqgT9bwVSM" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/46HHSDMHmBWybqgT9bwVSM.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Inter-Pathé
Once considered the greatest bad movie of all time (that title has since been taken by Tommy Wiseau’s The Room), Plan 9 From Outer Space is terrible to the point of being amazing. The plot, which is total nonsense, centres around an alien plan to destroy Earth by raising the dead and preventing mankind from developing a universe-killing bomb (we’re not even joking). The film, directed by the incomparable Edward Wood Jr., sparks the debate of whether a movie can be so bad that it actually becomes good again from the perspective of sheer entertainment value – surely a film that’s this (accidentally) hilarious can’t be all bad, right? You’ll have to judge for yourselves.
Watch on YouTube
3. Heavy Metal
[IMG alt="qxfN65vXNtPdj8Yq7BAb9V" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qxfN65vXNtPdj8Yq7BAb9V.jpg[/IMG]
If you like your animated films packed with ***, violence and rock ‘n’ roll, chances are that Heavy Metal will be right up your alley. A clear inspiration for Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots, Heavy Metal is an animated anthology film that’s based on the classic adults-only science fiction and fantasy magazine from Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It may look like a kids flick, but it’s far from it – we recommend tucking the children into bed before setting off on this incredibly wild ride!
Watch now on Sony Crackle
4. Wheels on Meals
[IMG alt="Q5YkPqhec7srJpsTuYAb3h" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q5YkPqhec7srJpsTuYAb3h.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Golden Harvest
We’re going to come right out and say it: Wheels on Meals features the best Jackie Chan fight scene of all time. Don’t agree? Let’s take it outside! Okay, now that our jets have cooled a little bit, we can say that the film-ending confrontation between Jackie and the legendary Benny the Jet Urquidez is an absolute all-timer, and is easily on par with the former’s classic fight at the end of Drunken Master II. Two cousins (Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao) who run a successful fast food delivery business in Barcelona find themselves protecting a beautiful heiress (Lola Forner) from people who want to steal her fortune. The pair teams up with a bumbling private detective (Sammo Hung, who also directs) and eventually find themselves in deeper trouble than they could have imagined.
Watch on SBS On Demand
5. The Fifth Element
[IMG alt="fBnfBSdEA45uQUigDtPXWb" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fBnfBSdEA45uQUigDtPXWb.jpg[/IMG]
Image credit: Madman Entertainment / EuropaCorp
Once described as “Star Wars on acid” by star Gary Oldman, The Fifth Element is one of director Luc Besson’s craziest and most visually-inventive films, which is really saying something when you consider the rest of his zany filmography. Futuristic cabbie Corbin Dallas (Bruce Willis) finds himself with a surprise fare when Leelu (Milla Jovovich) crashes through the roof of his taxi. Turns out she’s a supreme being regenerated from the remains of an ancient alien race who was sent to protect Earth from an apocalyptic event. Still with us? Good. So now Corbin must help Leelu fulfil her destiny before a planet-sized evil reaches Earth and destroys it once and for all. A fantastic film that never ceases to entertain, The Fifth Element features a number of energetic performances, including a scene-stealing turn from Chris Tucker as the animalistic intergalactic radio host Ruby Rhod. A stone-cold science fiction classic.
Watch on SBS On Demand
We’ll be adding more titles over time, so remember to check back often for more free movies to stream in Australia!
Mad Max: Fury Road
[IMG alt="aXAhQutuJUeLyBpWkViUNL" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aXAhQutuJUeLyBpWkViUNL.jpg[/IMG]
The world has gone to hell following a cataclysmic event, plunging headfirst into madness and chaos. All that remains is a wasteland governed by tyrannical men, populated by downtrodden hordes, and hopefully, rescued by mythical heroes. Immortan Joe (Keays-Byrne) rules with an iron fist, doling out meagre amounts of water to the masses, while keeping a stable of wives for himself to breed future warlords. His most trusted Imperator Furiosa (Theron) has betrayed him and freed these women from their lives of ****** slavery. Now, the chase is on, as Immortan Joe and his party of warboys set out to retrieve their “property”. If Furiosa and co. are to succeed, they’ll need the help of Max Rockatansky (Hardy), a wandering road warrior in search of a cause.
Director George Miller has crafted the most dynamic, vibrant and sensational action blockbuster of the decade with Fury Road. it’s an inventive, high-octane kick in the guts to a film industry that has played it safe for far too long. The chases and stunts in this film are unparalleled. Best of all, the film works as a powerful rebuttal to patriarchy.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Inglourious Basterds
[IMG alt="qpXZGDqdJL3KvwdoPCd25E" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qpXZGDqdJL3KvwdoPCd25E.jpg[/IMG]
Quentin Tarantino’s WWII-set masterpiece, Inglourious Basterds, is a revisionist take on historical events that inserts an elite (and rather bloodthirsty) military group known as the Basterds, led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), into Nazi-occupied France with one very specific goal: to kill and scalp as many Nazis as humanly possible. By chance, an opportunity arises that would place all of Germany’s top brass (including Adolf Hitler himself) at the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film, leading the Basterds and a vengeance-minded theatre owner (Mélanie Laurent) to enact plan that could potentially end the war entirely.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Leon: The Professional
[IMG alt="RCDSCDXdvwM7B9oP4cUFta" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RCDSCDXdvwM7B9oP4cUFta.jpg[/IMG]
A star-making turn from a young Natalie Portman anchors the best film to date from French visionary director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element). Portman plays Mathilda, a young girl who takes refuge with a quiet, lonely hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) after her entire family is slaughtered by a group of crooked cops (led by an unhinged Gary Oldman). Though Mathilda is an adolescent, she hopes that Leon will teach her to be a hitman like him, so that she can exact vengeance on the men who killed her little brother. While it’s occasionally violent, Leon: The Professional is nevertheless a moving story of two people who become a family despite being from completely difference worlds.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Two Hands
[IMG alt="BvLwR2eYaQiTguwAeQr5rU" width="690px" height="388px"]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BvLwR2eYaQiTguwAeQr5rU.jpg[/IMG]
The Aussie crime film that made stars of Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne, Two Hands follows a young guy named Jimmy (Ledger) who finds himself neck-deep in trouble after losing $10,000 belonging to a local gangster named Pando (Bryan Brown). Now, Jimmy must pay Pando back by the end of the week, or disappear forever like his older brother. Meanwhile, a young country girl named Alex (Byrne) finds herself caught up in Jimmy’s troubles. A smash hit at the time of its release, Two Hands is Australia’s answer to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Animal Kingdom
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Feeling like a Greek tragedy set in Melbourne’s criminal underworld, Animal Kingdom is a masterful film about a crime family (led by the astonishing Jacki Weaver) that begins to fall apart during an increasingly violent war with the police. Orphaned 17-year-old Joshua (James Frecheville) joins the family right around this tumultuous time, and must find a way to navigate both the family and a nosy detective (Guy Pearce) while steering clear of his dangerous uncle, Andrew (Ben Mendelsohn).
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
Lion
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A tear-jerker of the highest order, this Australian-made instant classic tells the true story of a young Indian man named Saroo (Dev Patel) who fell asleep on a train as a very young child and was unable to find his way back home. Living on the streets of Calcutta for years, thousands of kilometres from home, the boy is eventually adopted by an Australian couple (played by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) who raise the child in their home country. Unable to shake the mother and brother he was separated from, a college-aged Saroo is determined to find his family once again, despite having only a vague memory of his former home. Incredibly powerful, Lion’s ending is absolutely guaranteed to turn you into a blubbering mess.
Available on SBS On Demand
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Following the death of his father, Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is left to look after his mentally-challenged brother (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his morbidly-obese mother (Darlene Cates). Though his future looks pretty grim, Gilbert’s outlook on life begins to change when he meets and falls for a young woman (Juliette Lewis) who’s new in town. Though he’s been incredible in countless films, Leonardo DiCaprio has never been better than in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape – it’s the kind of astounding performance that will be studied in acting schools for decades to come. Depp also does a terrific job in a subtle and understated performance. A must-see.
Available on SBS On Demand
Assault on Precinct 13
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John Carpenter’s loose remake of Rio Bravo is a masterclass in intensity and edge-of-your-seat thrills. This 1970s thriller sees an under-staffed police station fend off a siege from a huge gang that’s trying to break in and kill one of its enemies. Carpenter fans will notice early signs of the dark, relentless action and style that would come in later films like Escape From New York, The Fog and The Thing. A true classic that’s infinitely superior to its own remake, which would come decades later.
Available on SBS On Demand
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
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One of the most notorious horror movies of all time, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has garnered a well-deserved reputation as one of the best examples of pure horror ever committed to celluloid. It’s been named one of the 250 best films of all time by the British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound magazine, and a print of the film is even part of New York City’s Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. This drive-in classic sees a group of youngsters terrorised by a family of redneck cannibals, in particular, by a heavyset, chainsaw-wielding madman known as Leatherface. The fact that this film was shot on a shoestring budget with (mostly) first-time actors just makes the whole thing feel more terrifyingly real.
Available on SBS On Demand
Halloween
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Of course we have to start by picking the definitive movie to watch this time of year, John Carpenter’s Halloween. Though it didn’t create the American slasher sub-genre (that honour goes to Bob Clark’s holiday horror, Black Christmas), Halloween was the first hugely successful movie of its kind, spawning several sequels and countless imitators. The film sees escaped mental patient Michael Myers stalk and kill a number of babysitting teens on Halloween night. Will fresh-faced teen Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) be able to survive this night of terror?
Watch Halloween on SBS On Demand
Lost Highway
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One of David Lynch’s most mind-bending thrillers, Lost Highway sees a saxophonist (Bill Pullman) framed for the murder of his wife (Patricia Arquette) and sent to prison. In true Lynchian style, things get incredibly weird, with the man inexplicably turning into a different person (Balthazar Getty) after a violent encounter, eventually leading to a new life as a mechanic. Though he may be a new man (literally), it’s not long before his old life catches up to him. With a killer industrial soundtrack produced by Trent Reznor that features Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, The Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie and, of course, Nine Inch Nails, Lost Highway is dark, twisted thriller that you won’t soon forget.
Available on SBS On Demand
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
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An absolutely delightful comedy from New Zealand, Hunt for the Wilderpeople sees young city kid Ricky (Julian Dennison) find a reasonably good life with Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her grumpy husband, Hec (Sam Neill) on a farm after years of being rejected from various foster homes. When Bella suddenly dies, Child Services announces its intention to move Ricky yet again, causing him to run away from home, prompting Hec to go after him. Things get carried away, and soon a nation-wide manhunt is under way to retrieve the pair. Though the pair don’t get along initially, the experience causes them to bond, forcing them to hide out in the bush while the authorities search for them. Directed by the hilarious Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a warm and funny film that’s sure to work its way into your heart.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
The Castle
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A true Australian classic, The Castle is a hilarious and heartwarming comedy for the whole family. Upon learning that his family must give up their home so that the local airport can build an extension, Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) takes the fight to court in an effort to stay put. Why? Because a man’s home is his castle, of course! Funny and quotable in a way that will ring true for practically every Aussie household, The Castle is impossible to dislike. Chances are that you’ll laugh, cry and laugh again.
Available on Kanopy (requires an eligible library membership)
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