Good Movies on YouTube

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 9:00 am

When it comes to videos of people making fools of themselves, there’s no better resource than YouTube. But did you know that you can also enjoy good movies on YouTube? I’m talking full-length movies without any pesky commercial interruptions. The selection is somewhat limited, of course, but I’ve went ahead and detailed the best available options for your convenience. Hey, it’s something to do while waiting for the next Tron Guy or Chocolate Rain.

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Animal Farm (1954) – Based on the book by George Orwell, this animated film follows the barnyard rebellion of an assortment of farm animals. Led by the pigs, the resulting reign ends up being just as corrupt as the last one. Decidedly anti-Communist, the film was later learned to have been funded by the Central Intelligence Agency. Orwell fans take note: the ending differs from the novel.

Bangkok Dangerous (1998) – A Thai crime film about a deaf-mute hitman, his romance with a pretty pharmacist, and the increasing tensions between his mentor and the mob. The debut of the Pang Brothers, they would later direct the awful American remake with Nicolas Cage.

The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996) – Barbra Streisand produces, directs and stars in this dramedy about a plain-looking professor who finds platonic love with an intellectual (Jeff Bridges). As she becomes dissatisfied with his notion of passionless love, an amazing transformation takes place – one which sees her blossom into the vivacious Babs we’ve all come to know and love. Co-strarring Lauren Bacall, Pierce Brosnan and George Segal.

St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) – A major work in the Brat Pack series, it stars Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, and Mare Winningham as a group of friends who’ve just graduated from college. Now, they must adjust to life in the real world and prepare for true adulthood. One of the finest example of coming-of-age films from the 1980s.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Director George A. Romero would set the horror world on its ear with this independent tale about the walking dead and frantic survivors. The film’s impact has been a major one, almost single-handedly creating the modern zombie genre. Too bad Romero’s recent work has been so disappointing. If you like this one, you should also check out the 1990 remake directed by Tom Savini.

Casino Royale (1967) – A spoof of the James Bond franchise, David Niven stars as 007, and the film boasts five different directors. It also features Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Jaqueline Bisset, William Holden and John Huston among the cast. Roger Ebert called it “possibly the most indulgent film ever made.” Go see why.

Open Your Eyes (1999) – In this Spanish film, a man in a strange prosthetic mask tells his life story to a psychiatrist. This includes his obsessive ex-lover, the new love of his life, a disfiguring car accident, murder, and madness. Sound familiar? It was remade in 2001 as Vanilla Sky. Penelope Cruz stars in both films (yes!).

Returner (2002) – What do you get when you combine the plotlines of E.T. and The Terminator? Answer: this film. A young woman travels from a future in which the human race is on the verge of annihilation at the hands of an alien race. Arriving in modern day, she must stop the events that led to the attack from the stars. Luckily, she gets some help from a noble hitman, and an action-packed quest ensues. Mixing aliens with mecha and bullet time, Returner is just the kind of crazy fun I’ve come to expect from Japanese cinema.

An American Haunting (2006) – In both the 19th and 21st centuries, young girls are experiencing bizarre hauntings, and the ultimate cause may be something far more sinister than the supernatural. Based on the legend of the Bell Witch, the film stars Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, James D’Arcy, and Rachel Hurd-Wood.

Death of a President (2006) – What would’ve happened if President George W. Bush had been assassinated while in office? That’s the subject of this subversive British documentary that mixes legitimate political speculation with plenty of dark humor. See it with your friends or family and discuss it afterwards.

After you head over and watch some of the good movies on YouTube, why not check out the selection of films at Netflix? You can’t watch them for free, but they’ll ship them right to your door, or you can stream them to your PC, TV or mobile device.

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