Best Classic Movies That Are Now Available for Streaming

“Top Gun,” about cocky Navy fighter pilots trying to outdo one another, stars eye candy Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, with Kelly McGillis as the love interest. The film was the biggest summer blockbuster in 1986. “Top Gun” won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song (“Take My Breath Away”). Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a Freshness rating of just 54%. Audiences, however, gave it a thumbs up with a score of 83%.

This drive-in classic tells the story of famed sheriff Buford Pusser, who dedicated himself to restoring law and order to his Tennessee town. The 1973 film would spawn a poorly received remake starring wrestler-turned-actor The Rock in 2004. The original can currently be streamed on both Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.

This gritty and violent 70s flick follows two crooked New York City cops as they pursue a trio of small-time Harlem crooks looking to rip off the Mafia. The movie has not received resounding approvals from critics (81%) and audience (79%) on Rotten Tomatoes, but it may at least be worth watching for its soundtrack, which is peppered with memorable tracks by singer Bobby Womack.

“Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” follows the adventure of a bulldog, a golden retriever, and a cat who travel across the wilderness to find their owners, who had temporarily left them with a friend. Both critics and viewers gave the classic animal tearjerker high marks on Rotten Tomatoes.

The uneven sequel to the runaway success of the first film reunites Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson. According to Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel was filled with “madcap highs” that outweighed its “overstuffed plot.” “Back to the Future Part II” holds a Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 65%. However, 85% of the more than 750,000 audience members were entertained by the sequel.

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” directed by Stanley Kramer and written by William Rose, is about a family whose liberal bona fides are tested when their daughter tells them she is engaged to an African American man (Sidney Poitier). Released during the civil rights era, the movie was a hit even in the South, where several states still banned interracial marriage. The movie was the ninth pairing of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Heburn, who play the parents, and it was Tracy’s final film. He died shortly after it was finished. The movie was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and Hepburn won for Best Actress. The film holds a 73% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 85% rating among audiences.

Filmmaker John Carpenter (“Halloween,” “Big Trouble in Little China”) directed this dystopian action flick about a renegade criminal tasked with rescuing the U.S. president after the president crashes in Manhattan, which has been reduced to a rundown, open-air prison. The movie currently has a Rotten Tomatoes Freshness rating of 86%, and in addition to Amazon Video, it can be streamed on horror movie-based service Shudder.

The 1971 horror film “10 Rillington Place” is a good option for fans of true crime. The film dramatizes the murders of notorious British serial killer John Christie and their impact on his neighbours. Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a positive rating of 85%.

In between stints as no-nonsense San Francisco cop “Dirty Harry” Callahan, Clint Eastwood starred in one of cinema’s best films about prison life. In the movie, Eastwood plays inmate Frank Morris, a lifer who tries to break out of Alcatraz. Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes applauded director Don Siegel’s “brilliant use of the tense claustrophobia of its infamous setting.” Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “Escape from Alcatraz” a 96% Freshness rating, and 85% of audiences liked the movie.

Director Blake Edwards and comedian Peter Sellers, who collaborated on the critically and commercially successful Pink Panther movie series in the 1960s, worked together again in this madcap comedy about an accident-prone actor who gets invited to a Hollywood party. Critic Sean Axmaker of Stream on Demand called the romp an “elaborately choreographed dance of physical comedy.” “The Party,” now on Amazon Prime, has a Rotten Tomatoes Freshness score of 82% and an audience score of 88%.

Nicolas Roeg directed this imaginative story told in a nonlinear style about an alien (David Bowie) who comes to Earth seeking water for his dying planet but he becomes corrupted by materialism. David Gritten of the Daily Telegraph said, “Roeg’s work may have its faults – but its ambition is beyond reproach.” “The Man Who Fell to Earth” holds an 83% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

The British film, directed by Oscar-winning director John Schlesinger (“Midnight Cowboy”), probes the complexities of human relationships. The movie was groundbreaking for showing a nonstereotypical depiction of homosexual relationships. The three leads — Peter Finch, Glenda Jackson, and Murray Head — are lauded by Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. The film holds an 85% rating among critics on the site.

This offbeat drama from Oscar-nominated director Alan Parker tells the story of two friends (played by Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage) who return from the Vietnam war, at which point Modine begins to believe he’s a bird. The movie received positive ratings from 85% of critics and 84% of users on Rotten Tomatoes and was described by critic Roger Ebert as a “strange and beautiful movie.”

Robert Altman directed this comedy-drama tale of two men (George Segal and Elliott Gould) and their addiction to gambling, told in succinct periods during their lives. Vincent Canby of The New York Times called it a “fascinating, vivid movie, not quite comparable to any other movie that I can immediately think of. Nor is it easily categorized.” Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “California Split” a Freshness rating of 88%, and 83% of audiences liked it.

Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins lead the cast in this Oscar-nominated film about love and minor league baseball. The harmonious blend of comedy, romance, and sports earned “Bull Durham” a 97% Freshness rating from critics and a slightly less enthusiastic 82% from audience members on Rotten Tomatoes.

This tautly told crime drama directed by Peter Weir stars Harrison Ford as a police officer who goes undercover in an Amish community to watch over a boy who witnessed a murder. The film won two Oscars — one of which for Best Writing — and has a Freshness rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Critics Consensus on the site, Ford delivers “a surprisingly emotive and sympathetic performance.”

This Ridley Scott-directed road movie about two female friends on the lam in the American West won an Oscar for Best Writing in 1992. A cast including Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Christopher McDonald, and Brad Pitt helped bring that writing to life. The film received positive reviews from 84% of critics and 82% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

Milos Forman’s exuberant Age of Aquarius musical is about a young man from Oklahoma who has been drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. On his way to join the Army, he befriends a community of hippies in New York City. The film is fondly remembered for its dance scenes that were choreographed by Twyla Tharp and for its songs sung by Ellen Foley, Ronnie Dyson, and Melba Moore, among other artists. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 86% rating, and audiences gave it an 88% rating.

The 1991 coming of age story “The Man in the Moon” is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. It follows the true story of two sisters in love with the same man in Louisiana in the 1950s. The film, which features Reese Witherspoon in her film debut, is certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 90% of critics and 85% of viewers recommending the movie.

“The Bad and the Beautiful” stars the late Kirk Douglas as the ruthlessly ambitious Hollywood producer Jonathan Shields who will do anything for success. The strong cast includes Lana Turner and Walter Pidgeon. The movie was directed by Vincente Minnelli and won five Oscars. It currently has a 96% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and 86% of audiences liked the movie. The site’s Critics Consensus describes the film as “melodrama at its most confident.”

The fairy tale adventure film “The Princess Bride,” done with a contemporary twist by director Rob Reiner, is a time-tested classic and one of the most beloved movies of the 1980s. It is certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with well over 90% of both critics and audiences recommending the film.

Mike Nichols won his lone Best Director Academy Award for this counterculture classic that stars Dustin Hoffman as a disillusioned college graduate. The film features a collection of now-classic Simon & Garfunkel songs. The movie enjoys an 86% rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and 90% of audiences liked the film.

1980s sci-fi comedy classic “Back to the Future” is now available to stream on Netflix. The movie, which follows the misadventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown as they tinker with time travel, spawned two sequels that are both beloved by audiences and available on Netflix as well.

Released in 1975, “Jaws” is often considered to be the first summer blockbuster. The film, about a great white shark terrorizing a New England beach town, offers a master class in suspense — over the years, it scared countless viewers away from the ocean. The movie currently has a 98% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, with audience members giving it a rating of 90% as it continues to terrify viewers to this day. In addition to being available on HBO Now, “Jaws” can be rented from Amazon Video.

Martin Scorsese’s sprawling mob epic “Goodfellas” has become a classic of the genre and one of the most well-reviewed movies of all time. The film is based on the true story of Henry Hill and his rise through the ranks of the New York Mafia. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, earning Joe Pesci the Oscar for best supporting actor.