The best movies on SBS on Demand that you can stream for free.

Do you need something to watch tonight? Well, you're in luck-

I'm here to tell you about Australia's best kept streaming service secret for millennial women like myself: SBS on Demand.Obviously, the streaming platform itself is not a secret — it's been around for yonks, actually.

But did you know it's the only place in Australia where you can stream not one, but THREE of Kirsten Dunst's best movies? Like, the ones from her iconic reign as THE Teen Queen of cinema at the turn of the millennium?

SBS is really out here doing the Lord's work, in my humble opinion.

But look. If Bring It On isn't your thing (??? Questionable behaviour on your part but I'm not here to judge, I guess?), SBS on Demand also has dramas, thrillers, and range so wide there's BOUND to be something on there that tickles your fancy.

Oh, and did I mention it's free? Because it's literally free.

Enough chit chat, let me show you what I mean. Here are 12 of the best movies streaming now on SBS on Demand.

Bran Nue Dae.

Image: Roadshow Entertainment.

With plenty of laughs and a soundtrack full of catchy songs that are bound to get stuck in your head, you'll be drawn in by Willie's (Rocky McKenzie) charming and quirky journey to self-discovery. With an all-star cast that features Jessica Mauboy and Ernie Dingo, Bran Nue Dae is a lighthearted, feel-good film that's just a good time, and what's better than that, truly?

The Bling Ring.

Image: A24.

Based on the real-life Bling Ring robberies that took place in Los Angeles through 2008 and 2009, Sofia Coppola's 2013 take feels a bit like a time capsule of tabloid culture's nastiest era. This is a film that features: scenes filmed in the home of actual Bling Ring victim Paris Hilton, a soundtrack so cool it features Azealia Banks' '212' and Sleigh Bells' 'Crown on the Ground', a cameo from Coppola's friend and muse, Kirsten Dunst, and Emma Watson doing a Valley Girl accent that is, at times, so bad it's quite camp. So, look. The Bling Ring is perhaps not the most accurate retelling of events, but it's diabolically watchable.

Bring It On.

If you're a millennial of a certain age, you're most likely already reciting the opening cheer in your head just from reading the words Bring It On. Come on, you know you know it! "I'm sexy, I'm cute, I'm popular to boot..."

Watch the trailer for Bring It On. Post continues below.

And look, if you don't remember all the words, there's never been a better time to brush up than right now. Bring It On has been shamefully absent from Australian streaming services until recently, when SBS on Demand did us all a favour and brought it back into our lives.

Bring It On is one of the most iconic millennial films of all time. Not only did it spawn about 900 straight-to-DVD sequels — one of which stars the actual Rihanna — it also made the "underdog team rises to the challenge" trope one of the most popular trends in teen cinema over the next 15 years. Would we have Step Up without Bring It On? Would we have Pitch Perfect without Bring It On? I don't know, and I'm glad I don't have to find out.

But I'm a Cheerleader.

Image: Lionsgate.

Originally met with overwhelmingly negative reviews, But I'm a Cheerleader has evolved into a queer, camp cult classic. With strong performances from Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall and Melanie Lynskey, as well as its striking and memorable pastel colour palette, But I'm a Cheerleader patiently stood the test of time, waiting for society to catch up.

These days, this quirky little satire is widely accepted as a touchstone of queer cinema, and is still screened regularly at arthouse cinemas all over the world.

Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Image: New Line Cinema.

Another cult classic from millennial teen queen Kirsten Dunst! Drop Dead Gorgeous isn't just wickedly funny, its cast is basically a who's who of young '90s Hollywood — Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Amy Adams, Brittany Murphy — as well as Ellen Barkin, Kirstie Alley and Allison Janney. Legends, icons, stars!

The fact that Drop Dead Gorgeous didn't get its due when it was released should honestly be considered an international crime, and even Dunst herself knows it. In a 2019 W magazine interview discussing her impeccable filmography, Dunst pointed out that her films have often been overlooked and undervalued upon release.

"The things that people like… remember when Marie Antoinette [came out] — y'all panned it? And now you all love it. Remember Drop Dead Gorgeous? Panned. Now you all love it. It's interesting for me. I feel like a lot of things I do, people like later," she said.

Justice for Drop Dead Gorgeous and justice for Kirsten Dunst, TBH.

The Hairy Bird.

Image: Miramax.

A pro-tip for this film: it's streaming on SBS on Demand under its Canadian title, Strike! rather than its original title, The Hairy Bird. Oh, and if you're familiar with the lore behind this film and its many titles, you might also know it as All I Wanna Do.

The Hairy Bird was the film's original and intended title, but it was only released under this name in Australia. Why, you ask? Harvey Weinstein, of all people, thought the title was too vulgar. Furthermore, when writer and director Sarah Kernochan refused to re-edit the film to be more appealing to a male audience, Weinstein basically buried it.

Thankfully, The Hairy Bird is the kind of smart, funny and feminist film that eventually made a name (or three) for itself as a cult classic, due in great part to word of mouth and video store sleepover nights between friends. If you haven't seen it before, I would highly recommend it.

Heathers.

Image: New World Pictures.

The ORIGINAL Mean Girls, Heathers is the acerbic teen queen comedy that paved the way for films like Jawbreaker, Mean Girls and Do Revenge. Starring Winona Ryder as Veronica Sawyer and the late, great Shannen Doherty as one of the titular Heathers, this film is sharp, cutting and quite frankly, iconic.

Fun fact: The Veronicas (aka Jessica and Lisa Origliasso) got their band name from Heathers, and sampled Ryder saying "I'm a Veronica" in the film for their 2014 track 'Did You Miss Me (I'm a Veronica)'.

Mass.

Image: Bleecker Street.

Mass should have been nominated for several Academy Awards, because the performances from all four leads — but especially Ann Dowd — are nothing short of spectacular. If you're in the mood for something lighthearted, this is NOT the one you want. But if you're looking for something powerful and gut-wrenching that will make you ugly sob? Hit play on this today! Am I selling it? It's really good, I promise!!!

Parasite.

Image: CJ ENM.

One of my favourite Best Picture winners of all-time, Parasite was a landmark win, and a deeply deserving one, at that. It's thrilling, it's funny, it's sharp, it's an absolute must-see.

Showgirls.

Image: MGM.

Is Showgirls one of the worst films ever made? Is it "so bad it's good" cinema? Or is it actually a woefully misunderstood secret masterpiece that was wrongfully panned by critics and cinema-goers alike? This is one debate that's been raging on for decades, and where you land on the spectrum of "it's terrible" to "it's perfect, actually" is a decision everyone must make for themselves.

Shiva Baby.

Image: Utopia.

Rachel Sennott proves she's a force to be reckoned with in Shiva Baby. This is billed as a comedy, and it is, but it's also kind of like watching the visceral sensations of claustrophobia and anxiety be brought to life onscreen for 77 minutes (we love a short runtime!!!). It's a testament to Sennott and the cast that the film is still able to get laughs while being one of the most stressful films I've ever seen.

The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Image: Paramount Pictures.

Tom Ripley's brat summer! If you're a Letterboxd rat like me, you may have seen The Talented Mr. Ripley get name checked all over Saltburn's reviews. Saltburn's detractors were all up in the reviews writing things like, "We have The Talented Mr. Ripley at home."

Personally I loved Saltburn, but if you didn't, maybe The Talented Mr. Ripley is the charming sociopath for you! With a stellar cast that features Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Australia's own Cate Blanchett, The Talented Mr. Ripley has all the twists and turns you need to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Feature image: New World Pictures, Universal Pictures, CJ ENM.