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Internet radio: Everything you need to know to stream a world's worth of fantastic music for free
Whisper a few call letters into a smart speaker, summon a smartphone app, or tap a few computer keys to be whisked far, far away from your locked-down existence, transported across the country or half-way round the world, with nary a ticket to buy or passport to show. You won’t even need to put on a mask.
Wanna hang on a hot Brazilian beach with a nouveau Girl from Ipanema? The internet radio station Paul in Rio can take you there. California Dreaming of a ride up Laurel Canyon with local legends singing in your ears? Dial into SomaFM’s Left Coast 70s. For those who had planned a London entertainment getaway before all hell broke loose, BBC 4 radio dramas can still shine a light on West End acting talents. And BBC Radio 6 is great for pulling out punchy rock club concerts from its archives. More into the Paris café scene? An atmospheric soundtrack of cool-school and Django-ing gypsy jazz is just a tap (and snifter of cognac) away on the city’s sublime TSF Jazz and FIPS autour du Jazz outlets.
Jonathan Takiff / IDG
Internet radio lets you hear musical styles from where they were born. PaulInRio.com streams from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Even the most esoteric of musical (and informational) tastes—from Bollywood to Schlager—are served by the dozens on internet radio: Digital audio services you call up on any web-connected speaker, computer, or smartphone. Better still, most of these stations are free of commercials, thanks to government and listener funding, college backing, or private endowment by the creator.
The Great American Songbook station, based in the Netherlands, is a perfect example. Station fan Peter Skiera, general manager of internet radio maker Como Audio, touts this station as “a labor of love by a retired broadcaster [Rene Dussen] with a basement full of records and a small recording studio. To these ears, the station’s content rivals that of pay-radio SiriusXM’s Siriusly Sinatra channel, but as with all internet radio streams, both live and on-demand, the price of admission to The Great American Songbook is free.
How to tune in to internet radio
If you know a station’s call letters or name, it’s a snap to haul in a specific internet radio station on a computer or smart device—just type it in or speak to a smart speaker like an Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomePod.
For deep-sea fishing in the great unknown, though, it pays to go through a radio station aggregator: An online database of curated links to radio stations searchable by location, genre, popularity, and—sometimes—stream quality.
Michael Brown / IDG
TuneIn Radio is the 800-pound gorilla of internet radio aggregators. You can use its service on the web or with an Android or iOS app, but an ad-free experience costs $9.99 per month.
First among many, and first in my heart, is TuneIn Radio, the 800-pound gorilla of internet radio station aggregators. TuneIn Radio comes pre-installed or is loadable on more than 200 connected devices, including smart speakers from the likes of Sonos and Bose, smart TVs, streaming media players (e.g., Roku and Amazon Fire TV), smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles (Xbox and PlayStation), and personal computers.
With a global database of more than 100,000 stations in 197 countries and 22 languages, plus 5.7 million podcasts and on-demand show offerings, TuneIn comes closest to world radio completeness (and domination). Senior director of marketing Ana Guillen tells me it is now attracting 75 million listeners a month and has witnessed an especially strong 53-percent uptick in news content listenership as the COVID-19 pandemic has escalated.
The most notable gap in TuneIn’s channel library are the 853 commercial stations in 153 U.S. markets owned by iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel Communications). To access those, you need to tap into the iHeartRadio app and portal, likewise accessible for free on internet radios, smartphones, tablets, computers, and similar connected devices. Aiming to become a one-stop destination (and sell more advertising), iHeartRadio also serves up mass appeal playlists and personalized music stations (a la Pandora); has distribution deals with commercial radio chains in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; and also links listeners to some non-aligned stations. But the service doesn’t have nearly the global reach or stylistic diversity of TuneIn or other hard-striving
streaming radio promoters.
Jonathan Takiff / iDG
VTuner’s stripped-down but content rich app lets you dig for gold by genre, location, language, fastest speed, lowest speed and popularity.
Veteran internet radio aggregator VTuner does have a database that rivals TuneIn. About 30 staffers toil in the Philippines to keep its inventory of station formats, URLs, and streaming codecs up to date. Literally hundreds of world stations presenting in a particular category are accessible with a single tap on VTuner’s barebones, but functional website. I also appreciate that this app lets a user search through its inventory by the sonic quality of signal (more on that momentarily). The VTuner platform powers several lines of smart speakers and A/V receivers, though in recent years it has lost significant market share to Airable, a rival based in Germany.
Want to be led by the hand to “the most popular” local stations in a music, information or sports radio category? The on-screen guide for MediaU (also based in Germany) offers user-friendly graphics and a sophisticated batch of Euro-centric picks. What’s #1 on their Country station roundup? Prague-based Country Radio, featuring Czech-language singing cowboys. Hearing is believing.
Jonathan Takiff / IDG
The station rankings on MediaU.net show that country music isn’t just an American phenomenon.
I’ve also had good luck fishing in the waters of Radio.net. And I found some interesting, net-only stations on Internet-radio.com, although the entries on its “Featured” list suggest paid-for positioning. The top picks there are Classic Rock Florida HD, Smooth Jazz Florida, and Modern Jukebox Radio.
Radio.Garden is the most playful and eccentric aggregator of all. This highly engaging, super-fast search tool can be easily planted on a smartphone or tablet via an iOS or Android app. (But the site was characterized as “not secure” and needing third-party software intercession before I could load it on my iMac.) Open this thing up on a screen and you’re presented an animated map of the world. Tap a location dot and up pops selected picks from the immediate area and nation.
Jonathan Takiff / IDG
Radio.Garden lets you choose from internet radio stations based on their geographic location by clicking dots on a global satellite-photo map.
Now tap Search and the gardener provides immediate access to radio outlets by country, city or call letters, plus bouquets of “Our Favorite Stations,” playfully categorized as Independent Stations, Energetic Rhythms (electronic, dance), Time Travel (content from decades gone by), Weird Frequencies (like Theatre Organ Radio and Birdsong Radio), and Ends of the Earth (self-explanatory). As I write, I’m listening to a very trippy electronica outlet from Bristol, UK: Noods Radio. The eerie, otherworldly strains make me feel like I’m living in a very strange movie.
To my mind, true internet radio stations are independent, curated, and free; they’re not corporate, computerized, and costly. You might not hear a DJ’s voice or even see a meta-data screen tag identifying the artists and tracks on a station like KCRW-Eclectic24. (That’s where song-identifying services like Shazam come in handy.) And hours or even days of programming might be scheduled in advance on the studio’s servers.
Como Audio
Como Audio’s elegant Musica offers an excellent means of accessing the rich content available on internet radio.
But the quirkiness of the selections, the themes laid out in the segues indicate the presence of a human being, not an algorithm, making the aesthetic calls and structuring the playlist. And when necessary, the shows can be turned on a dime. A recent, hour-long afternoon “sweep” of rustic folk classics like Sam Stone and Illegal Smile playing on Eclectic24 was all the announcement I needed to know that John Prine had just died, and that someone at the station was mourning and paying tribute.
Internet radio sound quality
Internet radio used to get a deserved rap for sound quality “approaching AM quality.” No longer. The lossy digital compression schemes deployed in mid-1990s streaming audio players like RealAudio and Nullsoft were crude and extreme, with low bit rates chopping off each song’s head, tail, and feet to squeeze it through the modest data pipe available to private internet users at the time.
Even into the early 2000s, it was common to find “perceptual coded” MP3 streams running at rates as low as 16Kbps—buying into the psycho-acoustic theory that louder sounds obscure quieter ones, so why bother to shove all that “extra” data down the pipe? MP3 freaked the hell out of discerning musicians like Neil Young, who knew what was being lost in translation.
Thinkstock
If this is what you picture when you hear “internet radio,” it’s been much too long since you listened to an internet radio station.
The story is different today, judging from VTuner’s posted transmission rates (information users can also call up on Como Audio radio displays). Even technically and financially strapped stations in third-world countries are serving up MP3 content encoded at 48-, 56-, and 64Kbps, or else working with the more efficient AAC codec at bit rates of 32- or 48Kbps, typically with a sampling rate of 44.1kHz. In more sophisticated web-radio operations, bit rates from 128- to 192-, and even 320Kbps are becoming increasingly common, with the latter characterized as “high resolution.”
“The only downside to streaming at 320Kbps,” Skiera says, “is that you might run out of network capacity on the home network when you have five connected speakers all playing at the high-resolution rate.”
Como Audio speakers (and some rival brands) also support the rarely used MPEG-DASH, ASF and podcast-securitizing HTTPS formats. Skiera says Como has no intention of integrating lossless codecs like FLAC and MQA into its radios. The latter is expensive to license and integrate, and I would argue that you won’t notice the higher quality on a compact speaker. Skiera tells me he “has not heard of any streaming radio stations migrating to those formats.”
Jonathan Takiff / IDG
A Como Audio internet radio screen display shows streaming at its best (Linn Radio).
A brief history of internet radio
Internet radio started out in the early 1990s as a hobbyist’s plaything, first cousin to “ham” shortwave radio. Then the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 imposed a burdensome royalty payment structure on any web-station with more than a couple hundred listeners. That buried a bunch of those basement startups. Today, only the stronger survive.
While late to the party, almost every local broadcast station on earth (commercial and non) now has a simulcasting online stream. A great equalizer, internet radio turns a low-power community station loose on the world with almost the same weight as a 50,000-watt big-city blaster. (While it has broadcast with as little as 580 watts—and is now up to 13K directional—the Martha’s Vineyard adult alternative station WMVY has consistently placed among the Top 20 most listened-to internet stations, worldwide. Not too shabby.)
Internet radio simulcasts are also a lifeline to listeners in dense urban locations, where broadcast FM signals are fraught with multipath distortion. In my hood, the online versions of favorite locals like non-commercial alternative WXPN and jazz/classical WRTI sound as pristine as a CD, while the FM broadcasts sputter on my speakers like a worn vinyl record.
Ryan Stefan (CC0)
The ability to import distant signals has also proven a welcome development for displaced citizens—especially relocated sports fans who still want to follow their favorite teams with a distant web tune-in. Ditto with displaced foreigners who crave to hear their native tongue.
I happily connect with government-supported, ad-free stations in locations like Britain, Germany, and Denmark, because those outlets’ format choices are often far more liberated than you’d typically find on public stations in the U.S.. Yeah, Afro-pop, Reggae, Prog-rock, R&B, and Hip-Hop are in the public interest, too!
Pandora, Spotify et al are not internet radio
Some folks lump on-demand music services like Pandora and Spotify in their “best of internet radio” roundups. Yes, those services stream on the internet and are accessible on the same computers, phones, set-top boxes, and smart speakers. But to ex-radio broadcasters like Como Audio’s Skiera and myself (being a former programmer/presenter of FM free-form shows on WMMR and WYSP in Philadelphia), it’s anathema to slot a “music genome”-powered Pandora or an on-demand library like Spotify in the internet radio category. While those services do offer New Music Playlists and radio-format-like caches of music labeled “Alternative,” “Dance/Electronic,” “R&B,” “Soul/Funk,” and so on, services like those are can be more accurately described as online jukeboxes.
Satellite radio broadcaster SiriusXM’s channel lineup is likewise available in the U.S. (and expanded) on many streaming home devices, computers, and smartphones through an internet radio-styled portal. But even without the core car play, they aren’t giving it away. Depending on lineup size and bonus features, the 200-to-300 channel “at home” package will set you back $8 to $13 a month.
I hope I’ve piqued your interest in internet radio. In next week’s installment, I’ll show you how to find the kinds of music you like most, and I’ll share more of my personal picks—the stations I keep going back to.
Source: https://www.techhive.com/article/3539830/internet-radio-everything-you-need-to-know-to-stream-fantastic-music-for-free.html#tk.rss_howto
Honorable Mention: https://www.internet-radio.com/
Wanna hang on a hot Brazilian beach with a nouveau Girl from Ipanema? The internet radio station Paul in Rio can take you there. California Dreaming of a ride up Laurel Canyon with local legends singing in your ears? Dial into SomaFM’s Left Coast 70s. For those who had planned a London entertainment getaway before all hell broke loose, BBC 4 radio dramas can still shine a light on West End acting talents. And BBC Radio 6 is great for pulling out punchy rock club concerts from its archives. More into the Paris café scene? An atmospheric soundtrack of cool-school and Django-ing gypsy jazz is just a tap (and snifter of cognac) away on the city’s sublime TSF Jazz and FIPS autour du Jazz outlets.
Jonathan Takiff / IDG
Internet radio lets you hear musical styles from where they were born. PaulInRio.com streams from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Even the most esoteric of musical (and informational) tastes—from Bollywood to Schlager—are served by the dozens on internet radio: Digital audio services you call up on any web-connected speaker, computer, or smartphone. Better still, most of these stations are free of commercials, thanks to government and listener funding, college backing, or private endowment by the creator.
The Great American Songbook station, based in the Netherlands, is a perfect example. Station fan Peter Skiera, general manager of internet radio maker Como Audio, touts this station as “a labor of love by a retired broadcaster [Rene Dussen] with a basement full of records and a small recording studio. To these ears, the station’s content rivals that of pay-radio SiriusXM’s Siriusly Sinatra channel, but as with all internet radio streams, both live and on-demand, the price of admission to The Great American Songbook is free.
How to tune in to internet radio
If you know a station’s call letters or name, it’s a snap to haul in a specific internet radio station on a computer or smart device—just type it in or speak to a smart speaker like an Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomePod.
For deep-sea fishing in the great unknown, though, it pays to go through a radio station aggregator: An online database of curated links to radio stations searchable by location, genre, popularity, and—sometimes—stream quality.
Michael Brown / IDGTuneIn Radio is the 800-pound gorilla of internet radio aggregators. You can use its service on the web or with an Android or iOS app, but an ad-free experience costs $9.99 per month.
First among many, and first in my heart, is TuneIn Radio, the 800-pound gorilla of internet radio station aggregators. TuneIn Radio comes pre-installed or is loadable on more than 200 connected devices, including smart speakers from the likes of Sonos and Bose, smart TVs, streaming media players (e.g., Roku and Amazon Fire TV), smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles (Xbox and PlayStation), and personal computers.
With a global database of more than 100,000 stations in 197 countries and 22 languages, plus 5.7 million podcasts and on-demand show offerings, TuneIn comes closest to world radio completeness (and domination). Senior director of marketing Ana Guillen tells me it is now attracting 75 million listeners a month and has witnessed an especially strong 53-percent uptick in news content listenership as the COVID-19 pandemic has escalated.
The most notable gap in TuneIn’s channel library are the 853 commercial stations in 153 U.S. markets owned by iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel Communications). To access those, you need to tap into the iHeartRadio app and portal, likewise accessible for free on internet radios, smartphones, tablets, computers, and similar connected devices. Aiming to become a one-stop destination (and sell more advertising), iHeartRadio also serves up mass appeal playlists and personalized music stations (a la Pandora); has distribution deals with commercial radio chains in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; and also links listeners to some non-aligned stations. But the service doesn’t have nearly the global reach or stylistic diversity of TuneIn or other hard-striving
streaming radio promoters.
Jonathan Takiff / iDGVTuner’s stripped-down but content rich app lets you dig for gold by genre, location, language, fastest speed, lowest speed and popularity.
Veteran internet radio aggregator VTuner does have a database that rivals TuneIn. About 30 staffers toil in the Philippines to keep its inventory of station formats, URLs, and streaming codecs up to date. Literally hundreds of world stations presenting in a particular category are accessible with a single tap on VTuner’s barebones, but functional website. I also appreciate that this app lets a user search through its inventory by the sonic quality of signal (more on that momentarily). The VTuner platform powers several lines of smart speakers and A/V receivers, though in recent years it has lost significant market share to Airable, a rival based in Germany.
Want to be led by the hand to “the most popular” local stations in a music, information or sports radio category? The on-screen guide for MediaU (also based in Germany) offers user-friendly graphics and a sophisticated batch of Euro-centric picks. What’s #1 on their Country station roundup? Prague-based Country Radio, featuring Czech-language singing cowboys. Hearing is believing.
Jonathan Takiff / IDGThe station rankings on MediaU.net show that country music isn’t just an American phenomenon.
I’ve also had good luck fishing in the waters of Radio.net. And I found some interesting, net-only stations on Internet-radio.com, although the entries on its “Featured” list suggest paid-for positioning. The top picks there are Classic Rock Florida HD, Smooth Jazz Florida, and Modern Jukebox Radio.
Radio.Garden is the most playful and eccentric aggregator of all. This highly engaging, super-fast search tool can be easily planted on a smartphone or tablet via an iOS or Android app. (But the site was characterized as “not secure” and needing third-party software intercession before I could load it on my iMac.) Open this thing up on a screen and you’re presented an animated map of the world. Tap a location dot and up pops selected picks from the immediate area and nation.
Jonathan Takiff / IDGRadio.Garden lets you choose from internet radio stations based on their geographic location by clicking dots on a global satellite-photo map.
Now tap Search and the gardener provides immediate access to radio outlets by country, city or call letters, plus bouquets of “Our Favorite Stations,” playfully categorized as Independent Stations, Energetic Rhythms (electronic, dance), Time Travel (content from decades gone by), Weird Frequencies (like Theatre Organ Radio and Birdsong Radio), and Ends of the Earth (self-explanatory). As I write, I’m listening to a very trippy electronica outlet from Bristol, UK: Noods Radio. The eerie, otherworldly strains make me feel like I’m living in a very strange movie.
To my mind, true internet radio stations are independent, curated, and free; they’re not corporate, computerized, and costly. You might not hear a DJ’s voice or even see a meta-data screen tag identifying the artists and tracks on a station like KCRW-Eclectic24. (That’s where song-identifying services like Shazam come in handy.) And hours or even days of programming might be scheduled in advance on the studio’s servers.
Como AudioComo Audio’s elegant Musica offers an excellent means of accessing the rich content available on internet radio.
But the quirkiness of the selections, the themes laid out in the segues indicate the presence of a human being, not an algorithm, making the aesthetic calls and structuring the playlist. And when necessary, the shows can be turned on a dime. A recent, hour-long afternoon “sweep” of rustic folk classics like Sam Stone and Illegal Smile playing on Eclectic24 was all the announcement I needed to know that John Prine had just died, and that someone at the station was mourning and paying tribute.
Internet radio sound quality
Internet radio used to get a deserved rap for sound quality “approaching AM quality.” No longer. The lossy digital compression schemes deployed in mid-1990s streaming audio players like RealAudio and Nullsoft were crude and extreme, with low bit rates chopping off each song’s head, tail, and feet to squeeze it through the modest data pipe available to private internet users at the time.
Even into the early 2000s, it was common to find “perceptual coded” MP3 streams running at rates as low as 16Kbps—buying into the psycho-acoustic theory that louder sounds obscure quieter ones, so why bother to shove all that “extra” data down the pipe? MP3 freaked the hell out of discerning musicians like Neil Young, who knew what was being lost in translation.
ThinkstockIf this is what you picture when you hear “internet radio,” it’s been much too long since you listened to an internet radio station.
The story is different today, judging from VTuner’s posted transmission rates (information users can also call up on Como Audio radio displays). Even technically and financially strapped stations in third-world countries are serving up MP3 content encoded at 48-, 56-, and 64Kbps, or else working with the more efficient AAC codec at bit rates of 32- or 48Kbps, typically with a sampling rate of 44.1kHz. In more sophisticated web-radio operations, bit rates from 128- to 192-, and even 320Kbps are becoming increasingly common, with the latter characterized as “high resolution.”
“The only downside to streaming at 320Kbps,” Skiera says, “is that you might run out of network capacity on the home network when you have five connected speakers all playing at the high-resolution rate.”
Como Audio speakers (and some rival brands) also support the rarely used MPEG-DASH, ASF and podcast-securitizing HTTPS formats. Skiera says Como has no intention of integrating lossless codecs like FLAC and MQA into its radios. The latter is expensive to license and integrate, and I would argue that you won’t notice the higher quality on a compact speaker. Skiera tells me he “has not heard of any streaming radio stations migrating to those formats.”
Jonathan Takiff / IDGA Como Audio internet radio screen display shows streaming at its best (Linn Radio).
A brief history of internet radio
Internet radio started out in the early 1990s as a hobbyist’s plaything, first cousin to “ham” shortwave radio. Then the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 imposed a burdensome royalty payment structure on any web-station with more than a couple hundred listeners. That buried a bunch of those basement startups. Today, only the stronger survive.
While late to the party, almost every local broadcast station on earth (commercial and non) now has a simulcasting online stream. A great equalizer, internet radio turns a low-power community station loose on the world with almost the same weight as a 50,000-watt big-city blaster. (While it has broadcast with as little as 580 watts—and is now up to 13K directional—the Martha’s Vineyard adult alternative station WMVY has consistently placed among the Top 20 most listened-to internet stations, worldwide. Not too shabby.)
Internet radio simulcasts are also a lifeline to listeners in dense urban locations, where broadcast FM signals are fraught with multipath distortion. In my hood, the online versions of favorite locals like non-commercial alternative WXPN and jazz/classical WRTI sound as pristine as a CD, while the FM broadcasts sputter on my speakers like a worn vinyl record.
Ryan Stefan (CC0)The ability to import distant signals has also proven a welcome development for displaced citizens—especially relocated sports fans who still want to follow their favorite teams with a distant web tune-in. Ditto with displaced foreigners who crave to hear their native tongue.
I happily connect with government-supported, ad-free stations in locations like Britain, Germany, and Denmark, because those outlets’ format choices are often far more liberated than you’d typically find on public stations in the U.S.. Yeah, Afro-pop, Reggae, Prog-rock, R&B, and Hip-Hop are in the public interest, too!
Pandora, Spotify et al are not internet radio
Some folks lump on-demand music services like Pandora and Spotify in their “best of internet radio” roundups. Yes, those services stream on the internet and are accessible on the same computers, phones, set-top boxes, and smart speakers. But to ex-radio broadcasters like Como Audio’s Skiera and myself (being a former programmer/presenter of FM free-form shows on WMMR and WYSP in Philadelphia), it’s anathema to slot a “music genome”-powered Pandora or an on-demand library like Spotify in the internet radio category. While those services do offer New Music Playlists and radio-format-like caches of music labeled “Alternative,” “Dance/Electronic,” “R&B,” “Soul/Funk,” and so on, services like those are can be more accurately described as online jukeboxes.
Satellite radio broadcaster SiriusXM’s channel lineup is likewise available in the U.S. (and expanded) on many streaming home devices, computers, and smartphones through an internet radio-styled portal. But even without the core car play, they aren’t giving it away. Depending on lineup size and bonus features, the 200-to-300 channel “at home” package will set you back $8 to $13 a month.
I hope I’ve piqued your interest in internet radio. In next week’s installment, I’ll show you how to find the kinds of music you like most, and I’ll share more of my personal picks—the stations I keep going back to.
Honorable Mention: https://www.internet-radio.com/
April 3, 2020
Bored at home? Here are some free games, movies, audiobooks, and more to keep you entertained
We've rounded up the best games, audiobooks, ebooks, movies, and sports content that's free right now.
With everything that has been going around the world in recent weeks, we all need an outlet. Thankfully, there are dozens of free resources that provide a distraction from the chaos.
We've rounded up all the games, movies, audiobooks, e-books, and learning resources that are free right now. Whether you're looking to unwind with an audiobook or shoot some zombies in an online first-person shooter, you'll find something of interest in the list below.
All the games that are free right now
- Monument Valley 2: One of the best mobile games is free right now. Monument Valley 2 features gorgeous visuals, intricate puzzles, and a soothing soundtrack. The puzzle game usually costs $5, so grab it for free right now. Monument Valley 2 on the Play Store.
- Mini Metro: What's it like to build a subway system from scratch? That's what you're tasked with in Mini Metro. There are 20 real-world cities to choose from, and plenty of game modes to test your skills. I've wasted hundreds of hours on this game, and it was worth it. Mini Metro on the Play Store, Mini Metro on the App Store
- Totally Reliable Delivery Service: Totally Reliable Delivery Service is a fun multiplayer title that lets you and your friends run a delivery truck. The game's ragdoll physics makes it fun to play, and overall it is just a fun way to pass the time when you're locked indoors. The game is free until April 8. Totally Reliable Delivery Service on Epic Games Store.
- GOAT OF DUTY: GOAT OF DUTY is a first-person shooter like Call of Duty, but with goats armed to the teeth (err, horns) instead. It has online multiplayer — ideal to play with your friends — and is just the perfect game to take your mind off things. The game usually costs $10, but add it on Steam before March 31 and it is yours to keep. GOAT OF DUTY on Steam.
- Drawful 2: Drawful 2 is a great party game. You draw something, and everyone guesses what that is. It is good for a lot of laughs, and if you add it to your Steam account before April 11, it is yours forever. Drawful 2 on Steam.
- Between Two Castles: This is a fun recreation of a board game that sees two players working together to build castles. It's free on Steam until March 30. Between Two Castles on Steam.
- World War Z: World War Z is a four-player co-op third-person shooter where you have to battle hordes of zombies. There are lots of guns, a lot of gore, and a PvP mode as well. The game is free until April 2. World War Z on Epic Games Store.
- Figment: Figment takes you into your surreal universe filled with music, humor, and gorgeous artwork. The action-adventure puzzler has plenty to offer, and is a great way to pass the time for a few hours. It is also free until April 2. Figment on Epic Games Store.
- Tormentor x Punisher: Need a fast-paced game with endless hordes of enemies? This game is ideal for you. Add it to your account before April 2. Tormentor x Punisher on Epic Games Store
- Treasure Adventure Game: Treasure Adventure Game is a 2D platformer that evokes memories of 8-bit games. There is a decent learning curve, but once you get the hang of things it is a wonderful game. GOG has a decent list of games on sale, so be sure to take a look at the full list. Treasure Adventure Game on GOG, GOG's list of free games.
- Itch.io: Itch.io has a host of games on sale right now, and there are a few standouts like Elliot Quest. If you're in the mood to try out a few indie games, take a look at the full list here: Itch.io game giveaway.
Unwind with these free audiobooks and albums
- The Lord of the Rings: The only LOTR audiobook that you should listen to is the one narrated by Phil Dragash. It is the unabridged version that also includes sound effects and original score from the movies, and is a fantastic listen. As it is technically a fan-made creation, you can download the audiobook for free. The Lord of the Rings audiobook.
- Audible Stories: Audible is offering over 300 audiobooks for free during the coronavirus crisis, with a great selection of titles aimed at children. If you're working from home and need to entertain your kids, this is an invaluable resource. Free audiobooks on Audible Stories.
- LibriVox: LibriVox has a huge catalog of over 24,000 audiobooks sourced from the public domain. The public domain texts are read by volunteers from around the globe, and you can access them for free on your phone, tablet, or the web. There are a few gems, including classic sci-fi, classic literature from Charles Dickens to Herman Melville, and much more. Free audiobooks on LibriVox.
- Nine Inch Nails Ghosts V - VI: Nine Inch Nails has released two albums and made them free to download. The albums are a continuation of the 2008 Ghosts instrumental series, and feature a lot of atmospheric and haunting sounds. Perfect for the times, then. Nine Inch Nails Ghosts V and Ghosts VI.
Explore your interest with these free books
- International Children's Digital Library: ICDL has a wealth of resources for kids, and the best part is that you can sort books based on your kid's age. With a vast catalog of titles from all over the world, it is a great way to entertain your children. Children's books at International Children's Digital Library.
- Project Gutenberg: Looking for some classic literature to pass the time? There isn't a better resource than Project Gutenberg. The site has over 60,000 ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats, and there's a search feature to sort books by genre, author, language, and more. Classic literature at Project Gutenberg.
- JSTOR: If you're looking for academic journals, then JSTOR is a great resource. The site's open access content includes a vast selection of journals and books from leading universities. Academic journals at JSTOR.
- ComiXology Unlimited 90-day trial: Amazon-owned ComiXology is offering a 90-day trial to its Unlimited subscription, giving you access to thousands of comics from DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, and others for free. You can download the comics on any device, including your phone, tablet, or the web. ComiXology Unlimited 90-day trial.
- Scribd 30-day trial: Scribd is the world's largest digital library, featuring millions of ebooks, best-selling audiobooks, and much more. The 30-day trial is ideal to see what the service is all about. Scribd 30-day trial.
- Adrian Tchaikovsky's short stories: Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite authors, and if you haven't read Children of Time, you should fix that right now. The author is making a collection of short stories freely available, and they're well worth a read. Adrian Tchaikovsky's short stories collection in PDF, MOBI, and EPUB.
If you need additional reading material, take a look at this list by Aditya Bidikar to find novellas by noted authors and dozens of free comics.
Pass the time with free movies and documentaries
- HBO Now: HBO is making some of its best TV shows freely accessible on HBO Now and HBO Go. Thes einclude shows like The Wire, The Sopranos, Silicon Valley, Ballers, Barry, and more. All seasons of a given show are available to stream, making this an incredible offer. Free access to HBO Now.
- Sling TV Blue: Sling is making its Blue service free until April 5, offering 45 live channels, 50,000 on-demand movies and TV shows, and free cloud DVR. Sling Blue gives you access to CNN, FOX News, HLN, MSNBC, Bloomberg TV, Cheddar News, Newsy and Local Now. Get Sling Blue free until April 5.
- Shudder: Shudder is a streaming service dedicated to horror, thriller, and suspense movies and TV shows. The service is rolling out free access for 30 days with code SHUTIN. Get Shudder free for 30 days with SHUTIN.
- Pluto: Pluto is one of the best ways to access free TV channels on all of your devices. It has over 250 free channels and thousands of movies, and the best part is that it is free. Free TV at Pluto.
- Documentary Heaven: Documentary Heaven is a wonderful resource for documentaries of a wide variety of subjects. With hundreds of free documentaries to choose from, there's enough content here to keep you busy for several days. Free documentaries at Documentary Heaven.
Your favorite sports content is now free
- NFL Game Pass: With the NFL season shut down, the league is making NFL Game Pass freely available, giving fans the ability to relive the best moments from past seasons. Game Pass includes access to all games and NFL Films. Game Pass is free until May 31. Get NFL Game Pass for free.
- NBA League Pass: NBA is also making its League Pass free, with fans able to stream games from the 2019-20 season as well as classic games on-demand. League Pass is free until April 22. Get NBA League Pass for free.
- WWE Network 30-day free trial: WrestleMania 36 kicks off on April 4, and you'll want to tune in to all the action. WWE has a 30-day trial for its streaming service, and now is the ideal time to get in on the action. You'll not only get access to WrestleMania 36, but can also stream all old wrestling events. WWE Network 30-day trial.
Build your skills with these free learning resources
- Pluralsight: Pluralsight is making its entire catalog freely available for the month of April. That includes over 7,000 courses on everything from machine learning, cyber security, cloud computing, game design, and so much more. There's something for everyone here, so make sure you sign up and start learning. Free access to Pluralsight.
- **Logic Pro X (90-day trial): Logic Pro X is one of the best DAWs in the market, and it is a great tool if you want to level up your music production skills. You now get a 90-day free trial to see what the DAW has to offer. Logic Pro X 90-day free trial.
- Fender Play guitar lessons: Fender is giving away three months' worth of free guitar lessons in Fender Play. If you've ever wanted to learn a guitar but never got around to it, now is the time to start. Three months of Fender Play for free.
- Unity Learn Premium: Got an idea for a great game? Get started with free access to Unity Learn Premium, the best way to get started with the Unity game engine. You get three months of free access. Free access to Unity Learn Premium.
That's a short list of all the free resources currently available. I'll continue to update the post with more content daily, but if I missed anything, let me know in the comments below.
Source: https://www.androidcentral.com/free-games-books-comics-audiobooks-work-from-home
Source: https://www.androidcentral.com/free-games-books-comics-audiobooks-work-from-home
March 27, 2020
Stuck Inside: What to watch tonight - from Lifehacker.com
What to Stream Tonight, March 26, 2020
Ready to settle in for another night at home?
Yesterday we told you about some live concerts to watch, fitness and cooking classes, and how you can watch Star Trek: Picard for free through April 23rd.
Today we found an online culinary school offering 30 days of free classes, two new albums you can download for free or stream, and a Spotify playlist to help you throw a dance party for one at home.
At the bottom of the list, you’ll find a rundown of the ongoing options out there that we’ve highlighted before. Have you found something great that we haven’t shared? Tell us about it in the comments and we may feature it in a future post.
Watch the Rotterdam Philharmonic perform Beethoven’s 9th from their homes
The Rotterdam Philharmonic created a viral video where it performs Beethoven’s 9th symphony over video, with each member of the symphony in their respective homes. After seeing the video, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra created a similar video of their own, and remotely performed Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Both videos are less than 5 minutes and are worth a watch.
Go to culinary school
A lot of us are cooking a little more now than we do normally. If you’d like to learn how to cook something new, online culinary school Rouxbe is offering a free 30-day membership right now. The deal includes access to 75 lessons, hundreds of chef-created recipes, cooking tips and techniques, live events with chef instructors and culinary experts, and 13 courses ranging from pasta to knife skills.
Throw a private dance party
DJ D-Nice has been hosting dance parties from his home, “Club Quarantine,” on Instagram live for about a week now. Party guests have included a ton of celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Michelle Obama, Oprah, Joe Biden, and Spike Lee, and some weekend DJ sets have topped over 100k viewers. While it’s ideal to watch them live, DJ D-nice also launched an exclusive Homeschool playlist on Spotify today, so you can throw your own party whenever you want.
Listen to two new Nine Inch Nails Albums
Nine Inch Nails released two new albums Wednesday night, Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts, and made them free to listen to. Both albums are available on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music now. You can also download them both for free from Nine Inch Nails’ website and stream them both ad-free on YouTube.
Check out these ongoing streaming shows and events, as well
Watch a free opera at the Met
Virtually tour the Winchester Mystery House
Watch free Sling TV shows and movies
Take a free yoga class
Workout with the Fitness Marshall
Stream a simulated Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game
You can virtually tour these 500+ museums from your couch
Watch Broadway shows Like Cats and Sweeney Todd for free
Listen to Audible Audiobooks for free
Download coloring pages from over 100 museums
These kids shows are free to stream on Amazon right now
Take free cooking classes with Michelin Star Chef Massimo Bottura
Stream these new-release movies at home instead of the theater
Take these 600 online courses for free
Source: https://lifehacker.com/what-to-stream-tonight-march-26-2020-1842511375
Ready to settle in for another night at home?
Yesterday we told you about some live concerts to watch, fitness and cooking classes, and how you can watch Star Trek: Picard for free through April 23rd.
Today we found an online culinary school offering 30 days of free classes, two new albums you can download for free or stream, and a Spotify playlist to help you throw a dance party for one at home.
At the bottom of the list, you’ll find a rundown of the ongoing options out there that we’ve highlighted before. Have you found something great that we haven’t shared? Tell us about it in the comments and we may feature it in a future post.
Watch the Rotterdam Philharmonic perform Beethoven’s 9th from their homes
The Rotterdam Philharmonic created a viral video where it performs Beethoven’s 9th symphony over video, with each member of the symphony in their respective homes. After seeing the video, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra created a similar video of their own, and remotely performed Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Both videos are less than 5 minutes and are worth a watch.
Go to culinary school
A lot of us are cooking a little more now than we do normally. If you’d like to learn how to cook something new, online culinary school Rouxbe is offering a free 30-day membership right now. The deal includes access to 75 lessons, hundreds of chef-created recipes, cooking tips and techniques, live events with chef instructors and culinary experts, and 13 courses ranging from pasta to knife skills.
Throw a private dance party
DJ D-Nice has been hosting dance parties from his home, “Club Quarantine,” on Instagram live for about a week now. Party guests have included a ton of celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Michelle Obama, Oprah, Joe Biden, and Spike Lee, and some weekend DJ sets have topped over 100k viewers. While it’s ideal to watch them live, DJ D-nice also launched an exclusive Homeschool playlist on Spotify today, so you can throw your own party whenever you want.
Listen to two new Nine Inch Nails Albums
Nine Inch Nails released two new albums Wednesday night, Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts, and made them free to listen to. Both albums are available on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music now. You can also download them both for free from Nine Inch Nails’ website and stream them both ad-free on YouTube.
Check out these ongoing streaming shows and events, as well
Watch a free opera at the Met
Virtually tour the Winchester Mystery House
Watch free Sling TV shows and movies
Take a free yoga class
Workout with the Fitness Marshall
Stream a simulated Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game
You can virtually tour these 500+ museums from your couch
Watch Broadway shows Like Cats and Sweeney Todd for free
Listen to Audible Audiobooks for free
Download coloring pages from over 100 museums
These kids shows are free to stream on Amazon right now
Take free cooking classes with Michelin Star Chef Massimo Bottura
Stream these new-release movies at home instead of the theater
Take these 600 online courses for free
Source: https://lifehacker.com/what-to-stream-tonight-march-26-2020-1842511375
March 20, 2020
100 FRESH MOVIES TO WATCH ONLINE FOR FREE from Rotten Tomatoes site
Updated March 9, 2020- Looking to watch free movies online right now? We’ve got you covered with our comprehensive guide to the 100 best movies available to watch free and the free movie streaming services where you can find them.
Sites like Crackle, IMDB, Tubi, Vudu, and YouTube all have free movies online for you to stream. The only catch: You have to watch ads. On the plus side, while there are commercial interruptions, the movies are not edited for content like they are on broadcast channels. Which means you can still watch uncut movies and with fewer total interruptions than television airings.
And did we mention the movies were free?
Which movies should you watch, though, now that you know where to find them? Rotten Tomatoes did some digging and sorted through the free movie catalogs of Vudu, Tubi, IMDB, YouTube, and Crackle to find the 100 best movies available to watch for free right now. These films, all Fresh on the Tomatometer, include Oscar winners, blockbusters, comedy classics, informative documentaries, and family favorites — all available to watch for free.
Check out our list of the Freshest movies to watch free online to find something new without paying rental or subscription fees.
Just added: The Last Picture Show, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Once Upon a Time in the West, Sunset Boulevard, Bull Durham, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, La Bamba, Big Night, Bridge on the River Kwai, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Dead Man Walking, Good Hair, Sing Street, Carol, The Guard, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, An Inconvenient Truth, Midnight in Paris, Places in the Heart, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Train to Busan, Wargames, Little Women (1992), Sabrina, and The Squid and the Whale
Sites like Crackle, IMDB, Tubi, Vudu, and YouTube all have free movies online for you to stream. The only catch: You have to watch ads. On the plus side, while there are commercial interruptions, the movies are not edited for content like they are on broadcast channels. Which means you can still watch uncut movies and with fewer total interruptions than television airings.
And did we mention the movies were free?
Which movies should you watch, though, now that you know where to find them? Rotten Tomatoes did some digging and sorted through the free movie catalogs of Vudu, Tubi, IMDB, YouTube, and Crackle to find the 100 best movies available to watch for free right now. These films, all Fresh on the Tomatometer, include Oscar winners, blockbusters, comedy classics, informative documentaries, and family favorites — all available to watch for free.
Check out our list of the Freshest movies to watch free online to find something new without paying rental or subscription fees.
Just added: The Last Picture Show, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Once Upon a Time in the West, Sunset Boulevard, Bull Durham, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, La Bamba, Big Night, Bridge on the River Kwai, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Dead Man Walking, Good Hair, Sing Street, Carol, The Guard, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, An Inconvenient Truth, Midnight in Paris, Places in the Heart, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Train to Busan, Wargames, Little Women (1992), Sabrina, and The Squid and the Whale
100 FRESH FREE MOVIES TO WATCH ONLINE
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971) 100%
Critics Consensus: Making excellent use of its period and setting, Peter Bogdanovich’s small town coming-of-age story is a sad but moving classic filled with impressive performances.
Where to Stream: Crackle
NAS: TIME IS ILLMATIC (2014) 100%
SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE (2015) 99%
Critics Consensus: Warm, funny, and brilliantly animated, Shaun the Sheep is yet another stop-motion jewel in Aardman’s family-friendly crown.
Where to Stream: Tubi
THE CONVERSATION (2020) 98%
Critics Consensus: This tense, paranoid thriller presents Francis Ford Coppola at his finest — and makes some remarkably advanced arguments about technology’s role in society that still resonate today.
Where to Stream: Crackle
Critics Consensus: Stanley Kubrick’s brilliant Cold War satire remains as funny and razor-sharp today as it was in 1964.
Where to Stream: Crackle
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) 98%
Critics Consensus: One of the best political allegories of the 1950s, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an efficient, chilling blend of sci-fi and horror.
Where to Stream: Crackle
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) 98%
Critics Consensus: Capturing its stars and director at their finest, It Happened One Night remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired.
Where to Stream: Crackle
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) 98%
Critics Consensus: The epic of all epics, Lawrence of Arabia cements director David Lean’s status in the filmmaking pantheon with nearly four hours of grand scope, brilliant performances, and beautiful cinematography.
Where to Stream: Crackle
ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) 98%
Critics Consensus: With his electrifying performance in Elia Kazan’s thought-provoking, expertly constructed melodrama, Marlon Brando redefined the possibilities of acting for film and helped permanently alter the cinematic landscape.
Where to Stream: Crackle
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) 98%
Critics Consensus: A landmark Sergio Leone spaghetti western masterpiece featuring a classic Morricone score.
Where to Stream: Crackle
ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) 98%
Critics Consensus: With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, Roman Holiday is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy.
Where to Stream: Tubi
SHORT TERM 12 (2013) 98%
SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) 98%
Critics Consensus: Arguably the greatest movie about Hollywood, Billy Wilder’s masterpiece Sunset Boulevard is a tremendously entertaining combination of noir, black comedy, and character study.
Where to Stream: Crackle
BEING EVEL (2015) 97%
BULL DURHAM (1988) 97%
Critics Consensus: Kevin Costner at his funniest and most charismatic in Bull Durham, a film that’s as wise about relationships as it is about minor league baseball.
Where to Stream: Vudu
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2001) 97%
Critics Consensus: The movie that catapulted Ang Lee into the ranks of upper echelon Hollywood filmmakers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features a deft mix of amazing martial arts battles, beautiful scenery, and tasteful drama.
Where to Stream: Crackle
LA BAMBA (1987) 97%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by a perceptive performance by a perfectly cast Lou Diamond Phillips, La Bamba distills its subject’s creative energy — and reflects his music’s enduring appeal.
Where to Stream: Crackle
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) 97%
TAXI DRIVER (1976) 97%
Critics Consensus: A must-see film for movie lovers, this Martin Scorsese masterpiece is as hard-hitting as it is compelling, with Robert De Niro at his best.
Where to Stream: Crackle
'71 (2015) 96%
Critics Consensus: Powerfully directed and acted, ’71 stays true to its fact-based origins while remaining as gripping as any solidly crafted action thriller.
Where to Stream: Tubi
BIG NIGHT (1996) 96%
Critics Consensus: The performances in Big Night are wonderful, and the food looks delicious.
Where to Stream: Crackle
CITIZENFOUR (2014) 96%
GHOST IN THE SHELL (1996) 96%
ONE FALSE MOVE (1992) 96%
Critics Consensus: One False Move makes nary a misstep as it unfurls a seedy caper with hard-hitting action and sly humor, marking an arresting debut for director Carl Franklin.
Where to Stream: Crackle
THE SECRET OF NIMH (1982) 96%
Critics Consensus: The Secret of NIMH is a dark, well-told tale that respects its young audience enough to not tone down its subject matter.
Where to Stream: Tubi
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) 95%
Critics Consensus: This complex war epic asks hard questions, resists easy answers, and boasts career-defining work from star Alec Guinness and director David Lean.
Where to Stream: Crackle
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) 95%
Critics Consensus: Close Encounters of the Third Kind is deeply humane sci-fi exploring male obsession, cosmic mysticism, and music.
Where to Stream: Crackle
DEAD MAN WALKING (1995) 95%
Critics Consensus: A powerful, thought-provoking film that covers different angles of its topic without resorting to preaching, Dead Man Walking will cause the viewer to reflect regardless of their political viewpoint.
Where to Stream: Crackle
GODS AND MONSTERS (1998) 95%
GOOD HAIR (2009) 95%
Critics Consensus: Funny, informative, and occasionally sad, Good Hair is a provocative look at the complex relationship between African Americans and their hair.
Where to Stream: YouTube
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939) 95%
Critics Conensus: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington — and returns with an uplifting ode to idealism that distills the strengths of its director and leading man.
Where to Stream: Crackle
SING STREET (2016) 95%
Critics Consensus: Sing Street is a feel-good musical with huge heart and irresistible optimism, and its charmimg cast and hummable tunes help to elevate its familiar plotting.
Where to Stream: Vudu
THE REMAINS OF THE DAY (1993) 95%
Critics Consensus: Smart, elegant, and blessed with impeccable performances from Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, The Remains of the Day is a Merchant-Ivory classic.
Where to Stream: Crackle
CAROL (2015) 94%
THE GUARD (2011) 94%
Critics Consensus: A violent, crackerjack comedy with a strong Irish flavor and an eminently likable Brendan Gleeson in the main role.
Where to Stream: Crackle
JOURNEY TO THE WEST (2014) 94%
Critics Consensus: As sweet, silly, action-packed and ridiculous as director Steven Chow’s best work, Journey to the West serves up dazzling action sequences while playing its disparate elements against each other with thrilling abandon.
Where to Stream: YouTube
LONE STAR (1996) 94%
Critics Consensus: Smart and absorbing, Lone Star represents a career high point for writer-director John Sayles — and ’90s independent cinema in general.
Where to Stream: Vudu
BLUE VELVET (1986) 93%
Critics Consensus: If audiences walk away from this subversive, surreal shocker not fully understanding the story, they might also walk away with a deeper perception of the potential of film storytelling.
Where to Stream Vudu
ELITE SQUAD: THE ENEMY WITHIN (2011) 93%
FUNNY GIRL (1968) 93%
GLORY (1989) 93%
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling, and an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, Glory remains one of the finest Civil War movies ever made.
Where to Stream: Crackle
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (2006) 93%
Critics Consensus: This candid, powerful and informative documentary illuminates some of the myths surrounding its dual subjects: global warming and Al Gore.
Where to Stream: Crackle
THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE (1994) 93%
Critics Consensus: Thanks largely to stellar all-around performances from a talented cast, The Madness of King George is a funny, entertaining, and immensely likable adaptation of the eponymous stage production.
Where to Stream: Vudu
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011) 93%
Critics Consensus: It may not boast the depth of his classic films, but the sweetly sentimental Midnight in Paris is funny and charming enough to satisfy Woody Allen fans.
Where to Stream: Crackle
PLACES IN THE HEART (1984) 93%
Critics Consensus: Places in the Heart is a quiet character piece with grand ambitions that it more than fulfills, thanks to absorbing work from writer-director Robert Benton and a tremendous cast.
Where to Stream: Crackle
PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987) 93%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to the impeccable chemistry between Steve Martin and John Candy, as well as a deft mix of humor and heart, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a hilarious, heartfelt holiday classic.
Where to Stream: Crackle
STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT (1996) 93%
Critics Consensus: While fans of the series will surely appreciate it, First Contact is exciting, engaging, and visually appealing enough to entertain Star Trek novices.
Where to Stream: Crackle
TRAIN TO BUSAN (BUSANHAENG) (2016) 93%
Critics Consensus: Train to Busan delivers a thrillingly unique – and purely entertaining – take on the zombie genre, with fully realized characters and plenty of social commentary to underscore the bursts of skillfully staged action.
Where to Stream: Vudu
WARGAMES (WAR GAMES) (1983) 93%
Critics Consensus: Part delightfully tense techno-thriller, part refreshingly unpatronizing teen drama, WarGames is one of the more inventive — and genuinely suspenseful — Cold War movies of the 1980s.
Where to Stream: YouTube
AMORES PERROS (2001) 92%
GRIZZLY MAN (2005) 92%
Critics Consensus: Whatever opinion you come to have of the obsessive Treadwell, Herzog has once again found a fascinating subject.
Where to Stream: Vudu
LITTLE WOMEN (1994) 92%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a powerhouse lineup of talented actresses, Gillian Armstrong’s take on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women proves that a timeless story can succeed no matter how many times it’s told.
Where to Stream: Crackle
MYSTERY ROAD (2013) 92%
Critics Consensus: Mystery Road evokes classic Westerns while using its Australian outback setting to delve into a surprisingly layered — and powerfully impactful — array of social issues.
Where to Stream: YouTube
SABRINA (1954) 92%
Critics Consensus: With its humorous script and its stars’ immense charm, Sabrina remains a resonant romantic gem.
Where to Stream: Crackle
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE (2005) 92%
Critics Consensus: This is a piercingly honest, acidly witty look at divorce and its impact on a family.
Where to Stream: Crackle
SUPER SIZE ME (2004) 92%
Critics Consensus: Entertaining doc about the adverse effects of eating fast food.
Where to Stream: YouTube
ADAPTATION (2002) 91%
Critics Consensus: Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking.
Where to Stream: Crackle
FAULTS (2015) 91%
PANIC (2000) 91%
THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985) 91%
Critics Consensus: A punk take on the zombie genre, Return of the Living Dead injects a healthy dose of ’80s silliness to the flesh consuming.
Where to Stream: Tubi
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN (1996) 91%
Critics Consensus: This riotously deadpan mockumentary about aspiring community theater performers never stoops to ridicule oft-ridiculous characters.
Where to Stream: Vudu
WHALE RIDER (2003) 91%
Critics Consensus: An empowering and uplifting movie, with a wonderful performance by Castle-Hughes.
Where to Stream: Tubi
LEAVING LAS VEGAS (1995) 90%
Critics Consensus: Oscar-awarded Nicolas Cage finds humanity in his character as it bleeds away in this no frills, exhilaratingly dark portrait of destruction.
Where to Stream: Vudu
PHILOMENA (2013) 90%
RAIN MAN (1988) 90%
SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED (2012) 90%
Critics Consensus: Safety Not Guaranteed‘s ostensibly modest ambitions are outmatched by the movie’s strong performances, beguiling charm, and heartfelt story.
Where to Stream: Crackle
WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE (1993) 90%
Critics Consensus: It’s sentimental and somewhat predictable, but those are small complaints, given the tender atmosphere and moving performances at the heart of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
Where to Stream: Crackle
THE BIG EASY (1987) 89%
BYE BYE BIRDIE (1963) 89%
Critics Consensus: A poppy satire on pop music, Bye Bye Birdie is silly, light, and very, very pink.
Where to Stream: Crackle
GINGER SNAPS (2001) 89%
ZODIAC (2007) 89%
Critics Consensus: A quiet, dialogue-driven thriller that delivers with scene after scene of gut-wrenching anxiety. David Fincher also spends more time illustrating nuances of his characters and recreating the mood of the 70s than he does on gory details of murder.
Where to Stream: Crackle
KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979) 88%
Critics Consensus: The divorce subject isn’t as shocking, but the film is still a thoughtful, well-acted drama that resists the urge to take sides or give easy answers.
Where to Stream: Crackle
BERNIE (2012) 88%
COHERENCE (2014) 88%
FROZEN RIVER (2008) 88%
Critics Consensus: Veteran character actress Melissa Leo delivers a stunning performance in this powerful — if grim — indie film.
Where to Stream: Crackle
F/X (1986) 88%
Critics Consensus: Smart, twisty, and perfectly cast, the effects-assisted neo-noir F/X reminds viewers that a well-told story is the most special effect of all.
Where to Stream: Vudu
THE KARATE KID (1984) 88%
Critics Consensus: Utterly predictable and wholly of its time, but warm, sincere, and difficult to resist, due in large part to Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio’s relaxed chemistry.
Where to Stream: Vudu
THE MIGHTY QUINN (1989) 88%
Critics Consensus: A deft hybrid of laughs, espionage, and music, The Mighty Quinn is a smart, pleasant entertainment that offers an early example of Denzel Washington’s onscreen magnetism.
Where to Stream: Vudu
ROGER DODGER (2002) 88%
TO DIE FOR (1995) 88%
Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and thoroughly well-cast, To Die For takes a sharp – and sadly prescient – stab at dissecting America’s obsession with celebrity.
Where to Stream: Crackle
ARIZONA DREAM (1993) 87%
Critics Consensus: Inscrutably strange, yet undeniably compelling, Arizona Dream is anchored by magnetic performances from Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway.
Where to Stream: Vudu
BATTLE ROYALE (2000) 87%
GET SHORTY (1995) 87%
Critics Consensus: With a perfect cast and a sly twist on the usual Hollywood gangster dynamic, Get Shorty delivers a sharp satire that doubles as an entertaining comedy-thriller in its own right.
Where to Stream: YouTube
PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (1985) 87%
Critics Consensus: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure brings Paul Reubens’ famous character to the big screen intact, along with enough inspired silliness to dazzle children of all ages.
Where to Stream: IMDB
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (2009) 86%
Critics Consensus: Quirky humor, plucky characters and solid slapstick make this family comedy a frenetically tasty time at the movies.
Where to Stream: IMDB
MEEK'S CUTOFF (2011) 86%
Critics Consensus: Moving at a contemplative speed unseen in most westerns, Meek’s Cutoff is an effective, intense journey of terror and survival in the untamed frontier.
Where to Stream: Vudu
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2013) 86%
Critics Consensus: Lighthearted to a fault, Much Ado About Nothing‘s giddy energy and intimate charm make for an entertaining romantic comedy — and a Shakespearean adaptation that’s hard to resist.
Where to Stream: Vudu
ROBOT & FRANK (2012) 86%
Critics Consensus: Led by a brilliant performance from star Frank Langella, Robot & Frank works as both a quirky indie drama and as a smart, thoughtful meditation on aging.
Where to Stream: Vudu
SLACKER (1991) 86%
Critics Consensus: Slacker rests its shiftless thumb on the pulse of a generation with fresh filmmaking that captures the tenor of its time while establishing a benchmark for 1990s indie cinema.
Where to Stream: YouTube
GOODNIGHT MOMMY (ICH SEH, ICH SEH) (2015) 86%
FEARLESS (1993) 85%
Critics Consensus: This underrated gem from director Peter Weir features an outstanding performance from Jeff Bridges as a man dealing with profound grief.
Where to Stream: Vudu
JOE (2014) 85%
Critics Consensus: Rich in atmosphere and anchored by a powerful performance from Nicolas Cage, Joe is a satisfying return to form for its star — as well as director David Gordon Green.
Where to Stream: Vudu
LIBERTY HEIGHTS (1999) 85%
Critics Consensus: A moving film with moments of humor, Liberty Heights succeeds in capturing the feel of the ’50s with great performances and sensitive direction.
Where to Stream: Vudu
STAR TREK IV - THE VOYAGE HOME (1986) 85%
Critics Consensus: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is perhaps the lightest and most purely enjoyable entry of the long-running series, emphasizing the eccentricities of the Enterprise’s crew.
Where to Stream: Crackle
STILL ALICE (2015) 85%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by a gripping performance from Julianne Moore, Still Alice is a heartfelt drama that honors its delicate themes with bravery and sensitivity.
Where to Stream: Crackle
GANDHI (1982) 85%
Critics Consensus: Director Richard Attenborough is typically sympathetic and sure-handed, but it’s Ben Kingsley’s magnetic performance that acts as the linchpin for this sprawling, lengthy biopic.
Where to Stream: Crackle
HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS (2016) 85%
Critics Consensus: Hello, My Name Is Doris is immeasurably elevated by Sally Field’s remarkable performance in the title role, which overpowers a surfeit of stereotypical indie quirk.
Where to Stream: IMDB
ALTERED STATES (1980) 84%
Critics Consensus: Extraordinarily daring for a Hollywood film, Altered States attacks the viewer with its inventive, aggressive mix of muddled sound effects and visual pyrotechnics.
Where to Stream: Vudu
POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE (1990) 84%
Critics Consensus: Uniting a pair of powerhouse talents with a smart, sharply written script, Postcards from the Edge makes compelling drama out of reality-inspired trauma.