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The free movies to catch online in July 2015

A Spielberg classic and a smattering of Sandler silliness make their way online this month. Also, lots of news in the streaming world, including Showtime's new service.

Iyaz Akhtar Principal Video Producer
Iyaz Akhtar works tenaciously to make technology work for him so he can live a life of leisure. He's been in the tech sector as a writer, an editor, a producer, and a presenter since 2006.
Iyaz Akhtar
2 min read

Watch this: Showtime enters the streaming game

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Crackle's free movie library just landed "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The Steven Spielberg classic has a 96 percent freshness rating over at Rotten Tomatoes. To balance out this brilliance, Crackle also added "Joe Dirt." If you're curious, that film has an 11 percent freshness rating. Several movies are leaving Crackle by August, so catch "The Fifth Element" while you still can. See the full list below for more details.

Showtime's online-only offering is now live on a number of platforms. If you are wondering what Showtime's online service is called, it's just called Showtime, no modifiers. The pay channel is actually available at a discount if you pair it with Hulu. (Showtime is owned by CBS, parent company of CNET.)

Hulu also just landed a deal to keep "South Park" on its streaming service for three more years. The Hollywood Reporter says Hulu paid $192 million for the privilege of keeping Stan, Kenny, Cartman and Kyle.

There's also a new player in the online streaming world called the "Lifetime Movie Club." The Lifetime Network is charging $4 per month for access to at least 30 movies without commercials. The Lifetime Movie Club is available on iOS only right now.

On Crackle in July 2015

  • 50 First Dates (2004)
  • Ali G Indahouse (2002)
  • American Pie: The Book of Love (2009)
  • Big Daddy (1999)
  • Blue Crush (2002)
  • Brüno (2009)
  • Click (2006)
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • Flight of Fury (2007)
  • Formula 51 (2001)
  • House of Flying Daggers (2004)
  • Joe Dirt (2001)
  • Layer Cake (2004)
  • Saving Silverman (2001)
  • Ultraviolet (2006)
  • Underworld (2003)

Leaving Crackle August 1, 2015

  • 50 First Dates (2004)
  • Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach (2009)
  • Big Daddy (1999)
  • Boyz N the Hood (1991)
  • Click (2006)
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • Fan, The (1996)
  • Fifth Element (1997)
  • Fragments (2008)
  • Game of Death (2010)
  • Hancock (2008)
  • Hitch (2005)
  • National Security (2003)
  • Reality Bites (1994)
  • Saving Silverman (2001)
  • The Contractor (2007)
  • Vacancy (2007)
  • Vacancy 2 (2008)
  • W. (2009)

If these online services aren't for you, check out CNET.com/Netpicks for information on Amazon, Netflix, iTunes and others.