"There may be no more immersive movie-watching experience this year than Flow," writes Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards. The dialogue-free film has already scooped up the Golden Globe for Best Animated Picture, beating out frontrunners The Wild Robot and Inside Out 2, and it's on its way to potential Oscar glory. Whether it takes home the gold or not, there's no denying it has captured the hearts of audiences all over.
All completed in open-source 3D software Blender, the animation of Flow looks and feels different than anything you've ever seen. Like a watercolor painting, co-writer/director Gints Zilbalodis leans into the abstract. While every distinct feather or scale of the animal characters may not be photorealistic a la Disney's "live-action" remake of The Lion King, its truly something to behold.
Want to see for yourself? Flow is set to make its streaming debut on Feb. 14 as a Valentine's Day treat. Here's everything you need to know.
What is Flow about?
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis and written by Zilbalodis and Matīss Kaža, Flow is an animated movie from Latvia that follows the adventures of a black cat after his home is swept away by a great flood. Stranded on a sailboat with an unlikely group of animal mates — a yellow lab, a capybara, a lemur, and a secretary bird — the cat must learn to trust its crewmates to survive and adapt to the strange new planet.
There are no people in Flow, nor speaking. Instead, it relies on realistic animal sounds and movements to drill home its message.
Here's a glimpse at the striking film in its official trailer:
Is Flow worth watching?
"Flow is an animated adventure that is poignant, unique, absolutely gorgeous, and a must-see," Mashable's Kristy Puchko writes in her review of the film. She's not alone in the sentiment, either. The Latvian feature currently holds a near-perfect 97 percent critic rating and 98 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It's also one of the most critically acclaimed animated features of the year, earning the Golden Globe for Best Animated Picture and nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature at this year's Oscars. Mashable even gave it spot number 11 on our list of the best movies of 2024 — beating out fellow animated film The Wild Robot, which we also loved.
"There's no way you can look away from this sweet, layered tale of teamwork, or the precious feline at its heart," Puchko adds.
How to watch Flow at home
After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival and launching in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2024, Flow is officially available to purchase or rent at digital on-demand retailers as of Jan. 7. You can purchase it for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. Just note that with rentals, you'll only have 48 hours to finish the film once you begin.
Here are some quick links to buy or rent the international flick:
Prime Video — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy
Apple TV — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy
Fandango at Home (Vudu) — $5.99 to rent, $14.99+ to buy
Is Flow streaming?
The Oscar-nominated animated film is set to make its streaming debut on Max on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are a few different ways to save some money on your plan. We've rounded up the best Max streaming deals for you below.
The best Max streaming deals
Best for most people: Save 16% on Max with ads annual subscription
The simplest way to watch Flow on Max would be to sign up for a single month of the service with ads, then cancel before you're charged for a second month. However, you can save 16% if you choose an annual subscription instead. By signing up for a whole year upfront, it'll cost you $99.99, which breaks down to only $8.33 per month rather than $9.99.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 16% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription
Similarly, you can also save 16% by committing to a yearly plan of the Max ad-free tiers. If ads are truly a deal breaker for you, there are two different tiers to choose from: Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate Ad-Free. The basic ad-free tier costs either $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year (about $14.17 per month), while the Ultimate tier costs either $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month). While both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, the Ultimate tier also comes with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan
Currently, the only way to get Max for free is to switch to Cricket's $60 per month unlimited plan. Cricket customers on that plan get a free Max with ads subscription, no questions asked. That's a $99.99 per year value. Already on the plan? Head over to the Max app, choose Cricket as your provider, then enter your Cricket credentials to log in. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.
Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max with ads
If you're a college student, you can sign up for an entire year of Max with ads for only $4.99 per month instead of $9.99. That's 50% in savings. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS and you'll receive a unique discount code to drop the price.
Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off
It won't be the cheapest way to get Max, but you can get more bang for your buck if you choose a streaming bundle deal instead of a single service. Bundles are the best way to save on streaming services in 2025. For instance, you can get Max, Hulu, and Disney+ with ads for just $16.99 per month (reg. $25.97) or without ads for $29.99 per month (reg. $48.97). That's up to 38% in savings.
