A simple Google search with the keywords ‘legal movies website’ reveals many, many results, nine out of ten of them being nothing less than illegal movie streaming websites. The legal websites are much fewer, and that’s not too surprising, at least for me, considering how few free video content websites offer recent full-length movies and TV shows. What’s more, those few that do usually add in a few commercials here and there to compensate for being free. But things are not that bad with video streaming sites, and there are a handful of them which are awesome and definitely worth checking up.
Hulu.com
Featuring an impressive selection of video content for a free website, Hulu is arguably the most popular video streaming website at the moment, YouTube excluded. Some of the things I like the most about Hulu, besides the excellent quality of all its videos, are the dim lights option which allows you to watch movie even in daytime, and the varied selection of great TV shows. You don’t even have to register to watch movies, but it’s preferable that you do.
Crackle.com
An alternative to Hulu, Crackle offers an assortment of excellent indie movies, some of which have garnered excellent reviews at the time of their launch. While it’s true that the video content provided by Crackle is not necessarily recent, many of the titles available are timeless. To get access to all movies, and a bunch of other helpful features, you have to create a new account. Note that Crackle videos usually contain short commercials – don’t worry, it’s not as bad as on TV.
Fear.net
For horror fans solely. Fear.net has a large collection of horror movies, which you can stream for free. If you’re a horror fan, you will love the variety of the video content, as well as the intriguing shows available. However, Fear.net features both outstanding and mediocre horror movies, so it’s a bit of a gamble. Horror fans are not going to be easily discouraged, but if you’re not that much into the genre then you may be better off looking for movies elsewhere.
Legal Movies Online
While not a movie streaming website in itself, Legal Movies Online (LGO) features an up-to-date list of great movies available for free online. LGO’s links can send you to streaming websites such as Crackle or Hulu, to MGM movies, as well as to a selection of interesting public domain movies. LGO is really accessible, and while you may not want to use it as your primary online movie streaming website, is an excellent complement to Hulu or to Crackle.
Uncle Earl’s Classic TV Channel
You will love Uncle Earl’s Classic TV Channel if you’re into movies and TV shows made around the 1950s. All the movies here are in the public domain, many of them being available on other websites such as Internet Database. Yet this website is easy enough to explore that you may want to stick with it as your only classic TV website.