Rewind Zone Picks: 15 Best Free Films on Plex (October 2025)

Looking for quality cinema without spending a penny? Plex has become a treasure trove of free streaming options for film lovers. We've combed through their extensive library to bring you our top picks currently available at zero cost. From cult classics to underrated gems, these films offer genuine quality without requiring your credit card details.

The Boondock Saints

Year: 1999
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Director: Troy Duffy

The Boondock Saints

Tired of the crime overrunning the streets of Boston, Irish Catholic twin brothers Conner and Murphy are inspired by their faith to cleanse their hometown of evil with their own brand of zealous vigilante justice. As they hunt down and kill one notorious gangster after another, they become controversial folk heroes in the community. But Paul Smecker, an eccentric FBI agent, is fast closing in on their blood-soaked trail.

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Fraternal twins Connor and Murphy McManus (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) become vigilantes after killing two members of the Russian mafia in self-defense. Following what they believe is divine inspiration, the brothers, along with their friend Rocco, set out to rid Boston of evil men while being pursued by FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe). Despite its troubled production and initial commercial failure, Troy Duffy's directorial debut found its audience on DVD, becoming one of the most notable cult classics of the late '90s.

Editor's Underrated Pick: The Wind

Year: 2018
Genre: Horror, Western
Director: Emma Tammi

The Wind

A supernatural thriller set in the Western frontier of the late 1800s, The Wind stars Caitlin Gerard (INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY) as a plains-woman driven mad by the harshness and isolation of the untamed land. The film is directed by Emma Tammi, written by Teresa Sutherland and stars Gerard, Ashley Zukerman, and Julia Goldani Telles. It was produced by Soapbox Films and Divide/Conquer.

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This supernatural western-horror follows Lizzy Macklin (Caitlin Gerard), a plains-woman facing isolation and harsh conditions on the American frontier in the late 1800s. When another couple arrives to settle nearby, strange occurrences begin to plague Lizzy, who becomes convinced a malevolent presence haunts the wind-swept prairie. Told through non-linear storytelling, this atmospheric film explores psychological terror, isolation, and frontier hardship through a distinctly female perspective.

The Way Back

Year: 2010
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Director: Peter Weir

The Way Back

Siberian gulag escapees travel four thousand miles by foot to freedom in India.

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In this epic survival tale, a small group of prisoners escape from a Siberian gulag during World War II and embark on an extraordinary 4,000-mile journey to freedom. Led by Polish officer Janusz (Jim Sturgess), the group—including an American (Ed Harris) and a hardened Russian criminal (Colin Farrell)—must traverse the harshest landscapes on Earth, from frozen Siberian forests through the Gobi Desert to the Himalayas. Loosely based on Sławomir Rawicz's memoir "The Long Walk," Peter Weir's film is a testament to human endurance and the will to survive.

Half Nelson

Year: 2006
Genre: Drama
Director: Ryan Fleck

Half Nelson

Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne leads a secret life of addiction that the majority of his students will never know. But things change when a troubled student Drey makes a startling discovery of his secret life, causing a tenuous bond between the two that could either end disastrously or provide a catalyst of hope.

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Ryan Gosling delivers an Oscar-nominated performance as Dan Dunne, a dedicated inner-city junior high school teacher with a secret crack cocaine addiction. When one of his students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), discovers him getting high in the school locker room, they form an unlikely bond as each struggles with their own challenges. Their tentative friendship becomes increasingly complex as Dan attempts to keep Drey away from the local drug dealer (Anthony Mackie) who employs her imprisoned brother, all while battling his own demons.

Stir of Echoes

Year: 1999
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Director: David Koepp

Stir of Echoes

A man is hypnotized at a party by his sister-in law. He soon has visions and dreams of a ghost of a girl. Trying to avoid this, nearly pushes him to brink of insanity as the ghost wants something from him - to find out how she died. The only way he can get his life back is finding out the truth behind her death. The more he digs, the more he lets her in, the shocking truth behind her death puts his whole family in danger.

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After being hypnotized at a neighborhood party, working-class Chicago dad Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon) begins experiencing terrifying visions and becomes obsessed with a young girl's disappearance. Released in the shadow of "The Sixth Sense," this underappreciated supernatural thriller features one of Kevin Bacon's most intense performances and a genuinely unsettling atmosphere that lingers long after viewing. Based on Richard Matheson's novel, the film explores how ordinary people react when confronted with the extraordinary.

Hours

Year: 2013
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Eric Heisserer

Hours

A father struggles to keep his infant daughter alive in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

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In one of his final roles, Paul Walker stars as a father struggling to keep his premature newborn daughter alive in a New Orleans hospital during Hurricane Katrina. When the hospital is evacuated and power fails, he must manually operate a ventilator to keep his daughter breathing while seeking help that may never arrive. This tense, emotional thriller showcases Walker's dramatic abilities and serves as a poignant reminder of his talent cut short by his untimely death in 2013.

Hamburger Hill

Year: 1987
Genre: Action, Drama, War
Director: John Irvin

Hamburger Hill

A very realistic interpretation of one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War.

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This visceral Vietnam War film depicts the brutal ten-day battle for Hill 937 in May 1969, focusing on the experiences of a U.S. Army infantry unit. Unlike more philosophical Vietnam films of its era, "Hamburger Hill" emphasizes the soldiers' day-to-day experiences, camaraderie, and the futility of their sacrifice for terrain that would be abandoned shortly after capture. With unflinching combat sequences and authentic dialogue based on veterans' accounts, the film stands as one of the most realistic portrayals of the Vietnam combat experience.

Crash

Year: 2004
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Paul Haggis

Crash

In post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, tensions erupt when the lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge during a 36-hour period.

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This ensemble drama explores racial and social tensions in Los Angeles through intersecting stories involving diverse characters over a 36-hour period. Controversial even when it won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, "Crash" remains a conversation-starter with its exploration of prejudice, redemption, and human connection. The all-star cast includes Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Thandiwe Newton, and Terrence Howard in career-defining performances.

The Ref

Year: 1994
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Director: Ted Demme

Hostile Hostages

A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.

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When cat burglar Gus (Denis Leary) takes bickering married couple Lloyd and Caroline (Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis) hostage on Christmas Eve, he gets more than he bargained for as their toxic relationship proves more challenging than evading the police. This darkly comic holiday film features sharp dialogue, pitch-perfect performances, and a refreshingly cynical take on family dynamics and marriage. Originally a box office disappointment, it has since gained appreciation as an anti-Christmas classic.

One-Eyed Jacks

Year: 1961
Genre: Western, Drama
Director: Marlon Brando

One-Eyed Jacks

After they rob a bank in Mexico, Dad Longworth absconds with the loot leaving his partner, Rio, to be captured by the Rurales. 5 years later, Rio escapes from prison and seeks revenge on Longworth, but falls in love with his step-daughter.

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Marlon Brando's only directorial effort follows bank robber Rio (Brando) who seeks revenge against his former partner Dad Longworth (Karl Malden) after being betrayed and left to rot in a Mexican prison. Five years later, Rio tracks Longworth to Monterey, California, where he's now a respected sheriff. This revisionist Western subverts genre expectations with complex characterizations, psychological depth, and stunning coastal cinematography. Recently restored by the Criterion Collection, this overlooked classic showcases Brando's artistic vision both in front of and behind the camera.

Bad Lieutenant

Year: 1992
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Abel Ferrara

Bad Lieutenant

While investigating a young nun’s rape, a corrupt New York City police detective, with a serious drug and gambling addiction, tries to change his ways and find forgiveness and redemption.

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Harvey Keitel delivers one of cinema's most fearless performances as a corrupt, drug-addicted New York police lieutenant investigating the rape of a nun while spiraling into his own personal hell of addiction and moral decay. This uncompromising exploration of sin, redemption, and Catholic guilt remains a landmark of independent cinema and one of the most powerful character studies ever filmed. Not for the faint of heart, Ferrara's unflinching direction creates a harrowing portrait of a man beyond salvation yet desperately seeking it.

Freeway

Year: 1996
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Matthew Bright

Freeway

A twisted take on “Little Red Riding Hood”, with a teenage juvenile delinquent on the run from a social worker travelling to her grandmother’s house and being hounded by a charming, but sadistic, serial killer and pedophile.

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This twisted modern take on "Little Red Riding Hood" stars Reese Witherspoon as Vanessa, a troubled teenager who encounters serial killer Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland) while traveling to her grandmother's house. Turning conventions on their head, this cult classic features Witherspoon in her breakout dramatic role, delivering a ferocious performance years before her mainstream success. Dark, violent, and wickedly funny, "Freeway" pushes boundaries while offering sharp commentary on class divides and the juvenile justice system.

Incendies

Year: 2010
Genre: Drama, Mystery, War
Director: Denis Villeneuve

Incendies

A mother’s last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to the Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad’s acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults’ voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.

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Before directing blockbusters like "Dune," Denis Villeneuve crafted this devastating drama about twins who travel to the Middle East to uncover their mother's mysterious past following her death. As they piece together her story of survival during a civil war, shocking revelations about their own origins emerge. This Academy Award-nominated film showcases Villeneuve's masterful storytelling and visual artistry while exploring the cyclical nature of violence and the lasting trauma of war across generations.

Take Shelter

Year: 2011
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director: Jeff Nichols

Take Shelter

Curtis, a father and husband, is starting to experience bad dreams and hallucinations. Assuming mental illness, he seeks medical help and counseling. However, fearing the worst, he starts building an elaborate and expensive storm shelter in their backyard. This storm shelter threatens to tear apart his family, threatens his sanity and his standing in the community, but he builds it to save his family’s life.

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Michael Shannon gives a tour-de-force performance as Curtis, a construction worker plagued by apocalyptic visions who becomes obsessed with building a storm shelter in his backyard. As Curtis struggles to determine whether he's experiencing the onset of schizophrenia like his mother or genuinely prophetic visions, his behavior strains his marriage and standing in the community. With its perfect blend of psychological drama and supernatural ambiguity, this modern masterpiece explores anxiety, mental illness, and the lengths we'll go to protect those we love.

House of Sand and Fog

Year: 2003
Genre: Drama
Director: Vadim Perelman

House of Sand and Fog

An abandoned wife is evicted from her house and starts a tragic conflict with her house’s new owners.

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When recovering addict Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is wrongfully evicted from her house due to a clerical error, it's purchased at auction by former Iranian colonel Behrani (Ben Kingsley), creating a devastating conflict where both parties feel morally entitled to the property. This haunting exploration of the American Dream gone wrong features extraordinary performances from its leads and avoids easy answers as it tracks the escalating tragedy born from cultural misunderstanding and bureaucratic indifference.

Thirteen Days

Year: 2000
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Director: Roger Donaldson

Thirteen Days

In October 1962, President John F. Kennedy (Greenwood) learns about the Soviet Union’s plan of placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. These weapons could wipe out most of the eastern and southern United States in minutes if they become operational. Kennedy and his advisors must come up with a plan of action against the Soviets.

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This tense political thriller chronicles the Cuban Missile Crisis from the perspective of the Kennedy White House, with Kevin Costner as presidential advisor Kenny O'Donnell and Bruce Greenwood as JFK. As the world teeters on the brink of nuclear war, the film meticulously recreates the tense deliberations and political maneuvering that ultimately prevented catastrophe. With its attention to historical detail and claustrophobic atmosphere of impending doom, "Thirteen Days" stands as one of the most gripping portrayals of Cold War brinkmanship ever filmed.

Plex continues to demonstrate why it's become an essential platform for film enthusiasts on a budget, offering quality cinema spanning multiple decades without subscription fees. From '60s classics like "One-Eyed Jacks" to modern masterpieces like "Take Shelter," these films represent the platform's impressive range.

What makes these selections special isn't just their free availability but their genuine artistic merit—films that challenge, entertain, and resonate long after viewing. Whether you're rediscovering forgotten favorites or experiencing acclaimed works for the first time, these fifteen films represent some of the finest offerings currently available on Plex's free tier.

All films mentioned are available to stream at watch.plex.tv as of October 2025, no subscription required.