Unfortunately for Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis transformed into “Megaflopolis.” Coppola’s $120 million passion project made only $4 million on its opening weekend, ending its chances of turning a profit. An animated film, The Wild Robot, fared much better, taking first place at the box office with a $35 million domestic opening.
Not every movie you watch this weekend has to cost money. If you decide to stay home, sign up for a FAST service and stream movies for free. Ads play during the films, but the services remain completely free. If you need a recommendation, try one of these three movies: a prison drama, a charming rom-com, and a suspenseful thriller.
We also have guides to the best movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on Max.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Thirty years ago, audiences met Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) as he attempted to crawl to freedom through five hundred yards of foulness in The Shawshank Redemption. Before his epic crawl, Andy was serving two life sentences at Shawshank State Prison after being wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover.
Andy struggles to adjust to the prison hierarchal system and becomes subject to sexual abuse from a gang. However, Andy eventually forms a friendship with Red (Morgan Freeman) and uses his accounting skills to work for the ruthless warden (Bob Gunton), Still, Andy dreams of a day when his conviction is overturned and he can walk freely again. To Red, hope is a dangerous thing. To Andy, hope keeps him alive.
Stream The Shawshank Redemption for free on Tubi.
That Awkward Moment (2014)
The Awkward Moment boasts a cast of rising stars who turned out to become household names. Among them are Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, and Mackenzie Davis. Imogen Poots, Jessica Lucas, and Addison Timlin have also had solid careers. Don’t let the critics’ score fool you., and just enjoy this likable cast of young people who are attractive, funny, and charming.
Jason (Efron), Daniel (Teller), and Mikey (Jordan) are the three best friends. Jason and Daniel love to hit the bars and pick up women, while Mikey has been married since college. When Mikey’s marriage dissolves, Jason and Daniel welcome their boy back with open arms and hit the town. Unfortunately for this particular trio, they all find love. Are the boys willing to leave hookup culture and enter a relationship?
Stream That Awkward Moment for free on Pluto TV.
Manhunter (1986)
Before Anthony Hopkins won the Oscar for playing Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, Brian Cox played the cannibalistic doctor in Michael Mann’s Manhunter. Former FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (William Petersen) is approached by Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina) to come out of retirement and work on a new case. Crawford is investigating a series of murders by a killer known as the “Tooth Fairy.”
The Tooth Fairy admires the incarcerated Lecter and sends him a personal note. Since it’s his only lead, Graham enlists the help of Lecter to find the Tooth Fairy. The problem is that Lecter previously attacked Graham, forcing him to leave the job. Like all of Mann’s films, Manhunter is extremely stylish, suspenseful, and worthy of our admiration.
Stream Manhunter for free on Amazon Freevee.