3 great free movies to stream this weekend (January 3-5)

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025. Hopefully, the new month will allow you to watch more movies. At the theater, the Christmas lineup of A Complete Unknown, Babygirl, and Nosferatu has done solid business. Nosferatu, in particular, is already Robert Eggers’ highest-grossing film at the domestic box office with $53 million.

If you can’t get to the theater this weekend, streaming is the next best option. While many streamers continue to raise prices, FAST services remain free of charge. On a FAST service, users can watch movies for free, though they have to view ads during the broadcast. Below are three recommendations for free movies to stream: a prison break thriller, an action prequel, and a sci-fi classic.

We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

Paramount

Clint Eastwood has been in the news lately for Juror #2, a solid courtroom drama that might be his last film as a director. While Eastwood is best known for directorial efforts over the past 30 years, the four-time Oscar winner made his bones as an actor, becoming one of the biggest stars in the 1970s and 1980s. One of Eastwood’s notable starring projects was Escape from Alcatraz, Don Siegel’s prison break thriller.

Based on true events, Escape from Alcatraz stars Eastwood as Frank Morris, a criminal who finds himself at Alcatraz’s maximum security prison after numerous prison escapes. Alcatraz is believed to be inescapable due to its seclusion on an island. With the help of fellow inmates John (Fred Ward) and Clarence Anglin (Jack Thibeau), Frank plans his next escape, though this one will be his most difficult attempt yet.

Stream Escape from Alcatraz for free on Pluto TV.

20th Century Studios

Instead of going into the future, director Dan Trachtenberg went back into the past with the Predator franchise for the excellent prequel Prey. In 1719, Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a young Comanche woman living with her tribe on the Great Plains. While Naru has been trained as a healer, she aspires to become a hunter like her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers).

Naru gets a chance to prove her worth when an alien predator touches down near her village. This predator possesses advanced weaponry and elite combat skills, but what’s even more concerning is its propensity for hunting humans. While the predator proves to be a ferocious adversary, Naru and her village also have to contend with ruthless colonists infringing on their home.

Stream Prey for free on Tubi.

Total Recall (1990)

Tri-Star Pictures

With the new year comes a crop of movies celebrating key anniversaries. Total Recall will celebrate its 35th anniversary in June. Now that the film is on Pluto TV, don’t miss out on a chance to watch Paul Verhoeven’s influential sci-fi blockbuster, especially now that it’s on a free streaming service.

In 2084, Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has recurring dreams of living on the colonized Mars with a mystery woman. Unable to travel to Mars, Quaid does the next best thing and visits “Rekall,” where false memories will be implanted into his head. Things go haywire during the procedure when Quaid learns his memories have been suppressed. Realizing his life is a lie, Quaid searches for the truth as a sinister organization tries to kill him.

Stream Total Recall for free on Pluto TV.