7 Streaming Apps for Viewers Who Crave Foreign Content
Many entertainment lovers realize that a large chunk of the best shows and movies are made somewhere other than the US. If you love foreign content, you probably understand the joys of Bollywood, anime, and European arthouse films. In the age of streaming, however, knowing where to locate quality foreign-made entertainment can be tricky (without the right know-how, that is). To steer you in the right direction, here are the seven streaming apps that will best serve viewers who crave foreign entertainment:
1. Amazon Prime
Amazon has quickly established itself as one of the biggest brands in the world. When it comes to their entertainment division, Amazon has gained a reputation for producing, funding, and distributing some of the most important global films of the last decade (such as the much applauded The Handmaiden). Viewers who want to enjoy quality foreign television shows will find themselves pleased by Amazon Prime, as it has one of the largest selections of foreign-made shows around. The addition of the already-impressive slate of films and shows available on Amazon Prime makes it a streaming service that is sure to satisfy any entertainment lover’s needs.
2. Tubi
For free foreign content, and a huge amount of it at that, Tubi is one of the most appealing options on the marketplace. Not only can you get all of this content for free (as long as you don’t mind an occasional ad break), but the focus on global selections within Tubi’s library makes it a favorite among many American viewers who crave foreign content. When it comes to tv shows, in particular, Tubi has many European classics that other streaming services have not grabbed up. If you’ve been looking for a quality place to start experiencing British sitcoms, Tubi has you covered.
3. The Criterion Channel
If you want entertainment that’s classy, sophisticated, and filled with global variety, few apps will satisfy your needs as effectively as The Criterion Channel platform. Criterion has been supporting the preservation, distribution, and championing of foreign, classic, and arthouse films for many decades. The streaming service allows you to watch tastemakers and auteurs from around the globe. Additionally, the service has tons of extras, special features, interviews, and behind-the-scenes featurettes that will keep you satisfied. For cinephiles and history buffs, a subscription to The Criterion Channel is an absolute must.
4. Netflix
Netflix remains a champion of producing, disturbing, and guiding foreign film and television production. When you look through Netflix’s catalog, you’ll see many amazing shows that were produced somewhere other than the US (with the phenomenal Squid Game being the most recent example). Once you’ve jailbroken your firestick or other streaming devices, you’ll even remove the pesky region locks that keep other countries’ massive Netflix libraries from entering your living room.
5. Mubi
Before the age of streaming, movie theaters used to be the go-to place to enjoy foreign-made entertainment. Now that theaters are often little more than glorified Disney theme parks, Mubi is continuing the tradition of global arthouse cinemas for an online, modern audience. The innovative platform quickly cycles through daily thirty-film selections from around the globe, allowing subscribers to enjoy the thrill of seeing entertainment that most of the American public is fully unaware of. The small subscription price is less than a single ticket at a movie theater, and allows you to enjoy the theater experience online whenever you want!
6. Kanopy
Along with theaters, libraries used to be a go-to spot to discover and enjoy foreign-made entertainment. Access to DVDs and other media formats that held classics from around the globe was a staple of a quality public library’s selection. With Kanopy, you can still enjoy this experience, but from the comfort of your one home. And you can do so for free by simply having a public library card! Kanopy will give you access to a seemingly endless catalog of films, tv shows, and documentaries from around the globe, so get to it and enjoy the wonders Kanopy has to offer you now (you can even support your local public library by doing so)!
7. Crunchyroll
If you love foreign TV and enjoy fantastical visions, you’re probably a huge fan of anime. For anime fans that want to enjoy each new show as it airs in Japan, no other streaming service is as useful as Crunchyroll. They have simulcasts of every popular show, and a huge library of classic hits for subscribers to enjoy. Just make sure to pace yourself when you start that multi-hundred Shonen!
Globalize Your Entertainment Now!
With these seven services, you will globalize your entertainment selection. Embracing the many tastes, viewpoints, and artistic expressions of artists around the globe will supercharge your entertainment budget, and give you a massive new library of potential future-favorite films and tv shows to enjoy.