(Image credit: Universal Pictures)
Christopher Nolan's almost surefire blockbuster "The Odyssey" is about to hit theaters this Thursday, and if you're looking for some movies with the same vibes to watch beforehand, you're in the right place.Each of my top three picks are streaming for free on Pluto, Tubi, or one of the other best free streaming platforms, which I always love to find an excuse to give a shoutout because streaming's getting too expensive these days. Granted, the caveat with all these "free" movies is that you'll have to sit through a few commercial breaks. Which honestly, with the runtime some of these movies are clocking, is quickly becoming something I'd never thought I'd miss. Let's bring the theatrical intermission back.So without further ado, let's set sails for some epic tales of history in these three free movies to watch before "The Odyssey."'Beowulf' (2007)
Beowulf (2007) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers - YouTube
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Audiences were too harsh on this one. The early aughts CGI looks about as rough and tiptoeing the line toward the uncanny valley, but no more so than you'll find in "The Polar Express," I'd argue. Plus, 2007's "Beowulf" is such a product of its time, it's fun to revisit for that reason alone. Robert Zemeckis’ animated adaptation of the Old English epic was one of the earliest films to lean heavily on then-cutting-edge motion-capture CGI, which he saw as the future of filmmaking after finding success with Tom Hanks in "The Polar Express" (2004)."Beowulf" fell short of such lofty aspirations, struggling to elevate this well-worn tale into a modern action epic, but it's still touted among the most underrated fantasy movies of the decade. Written by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary, it stars Ray Winstone as the titular warrior who sets out on a dangerous mission to slay the monster Grendel (Crispin Glover). Its star-studded cast includes mo-cap versions of Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright, Alison Lohman, and, bizarrely, Angelina Jolie as a sexy-fied version of Grendel's mother.Watch "Beowulf" on Pluto now'The Green Knight' (2021)
