By now, you probably have heard of (or have a subscription to) popular movie and TV streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. While we are big fans of these services, we know that their selection of streaming entertainment doesn’t always match up with what we really want to watch.
Luckily, there are many other services that allow you to stream digital entertainment – including movies, television shows and even concerts – from home. These services are less expensive than visiting a movie theater or concert hall, convenient and (most importantly) fun!
Free streaming service from the library
One of the many, many reasons to love the Chicago Public Library is their Hoopla streaming service, which allows Chicago Public Library cardholders to borrow up to six audiobook, movie, music and television titles each month. The service is completely free of charge.
To signup for Hoopla, visit HooplaDigital.com/login. Be sure to have your valid Chicago Public Library card handy – you’ll need to enter your library card number and associated PIN number (usually your zip code).
Ready to start watching on Hoopla but don’t know where to start? Here are our top recommendations:
- Yours, Mine and Ours (Starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda)
- Lonely are the Brave (Starring Kirk Douglass and Gena Rowlands)
- Dracula (Starring Bela Lugosi and Helen Chandler)
- Silver Linings Playbook (Starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence)
- Philomena (Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan)
Watch concerts from your couch
Interested in watching a concert without dealing with the cost, crowds and noise of going to a live show? Then you’ll love Qello Concerts. Qello boasts 30 channels of continuous concert moments and rock documentaries, with full-length concert footage of Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Eric Clapton (to name just a few).
To sign up for Qello Concerts, visit Qello.com. They’ll start you off with a free one-week trial membership. If you’ve enjoyed your free trial, you can purchase membership for either $4.99 a month or $44.99 for a year.
With so many concerts to choose from, you may be unsure about what to watch first. Here are our picks for best concerts to watch on Qello:
- Legends in Concert: Frank Sinatra
- Live at Montreux: Johnny Cash
- Live at the Royal Albert Hall: B.B. King
- Live in Concert: 2006 Barbra Streisand
- Good Vibrations Tour: The Beach Boys
Looking for more film recommendations and websites that offer streaming services? Be sure to read our posts on Five Resources for Finding Classic Movies and 30 Newer Movies that Older Adults Can Enjoy!
It’s your turn to sound off. What’s your favorite movie? Let us know in our comment box below!