Tubihas seen its user base grow significantly over the last few years thanks to offering an incredible array of movies completely free of charge thanks to ads. Initially launching in 2014,Tubiis the Fox Corporation’s free-to-access streaming platform, and as of 2024 has over 80 million users.
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With so many streaming platforms rising in prices, viewers still have the option to watch their favorite films and tv shows legally, free of charge.
Pan’s Labyrinth
Cast
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth follows Ofelia, a ten-year-old girl living in 1940s Spain who learns she is actually a long-lost fairy princess. With the help of a faun, she is set a series of tasks to complete in order to return to her true home in the fairy underworld. Ivana Baquero stars as Ofelia, with Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, and Doug Jones making up the rest of the main cast.
The 2006dark fantasyPan’s Labyrinthisn’t only one of the best movies on Tubi right now, it’s also a career highlight for esteemed director Guillermo del Toro. Set during the start of the reign of dictator Francisco Franco after the Spanish Civil War,Pan’s Labyrinthmanages to be both a war movie and fantasy film at the same time, dissecting the perception of the turmoil through the perspective of 10-year-old girl Ofelia.However, it’s not the war commentary that’s ensured the 2006 movie shot to prominence as much as it’s the chilling visuals, such as the blind monster with eyes on the palms of its hands.
Over the course of the movie, Ofelia takes frequent visits to the dark and mysterious realm of the underworld, and meets a variety of strange, fantastical, and often frightening creatures while there. The story is a clear metaphor for a child’s perception of the death and misery inherent to war and political turmoil, though the film commits itself to portraying Ofelia’s adventures as real and not imagined. It’s a truly spellbinding movie that is inarguably among the must-watch films currently in Tubi.
The Mist
Stephen King’s terrifying novel is brought to the screen with The Mist - a horror-thriller film directed by Frank Darabont. When a small town suddenly sees a giant rolling fog arrive, they show mere curiosity. But when people begin to die mysteriously within, several survivors hold up in a grocery store as they attempt to find a way out and survive - unfortunately, the dangers don’t just come from outside- they also come from within.
2007’sThe Mistmay not be the most well-known movie adapting a story by legendary horror author Stephen King, but it’s inarguably one of the best (and even the writer himself thinks so). Directed by Frank Darabont,The Mistfocuses on the Maine town of Bridgton, specifically on the shoppers of a single supermarket. While going about their daily lives, the townsfolk become trapped by an impossibly thick fog that rolls across every street.
When the first of the shoppers try to leave, it quickly becomes apparent that the titular weather inThe Mistcontains no shortage of nightmarish creatures that want nothing more than to feast on human flesh.By the time thechilling ending ofThe Mistarrives, the panicked populace has descended into anarchy, with the former friends and neighbors of central character David (Thomas Jane) and his infant son being just as much of a threat as the eldritch monstrosities lurking in the fog.
V/H/S
Shot as a found footage experience, V/H/S explores several horror tales in this anthology series from Radio Silence. A group of amateur criminals films themselves heading into a mysterious house after an anonymous tipster hires them to break in and steal a specific videotape. Upon infiltrating the home, they discover the decaying body of an older man in front of a TV, prompting them to explore the last video he watched. However, what waits for them is a series of supernatural and horrific events captured on film that may endanger them as much as the victims they’re watching.
There are plenty of great horror movies on Tubi, and one of the latest that’s available for users to watch for free is the 2012 anthology filmV/H/S,the first entry in thelongstandingV/H/Sfranchise. The premise of theV/H/Sfilms has ensured each entry is a hit with horror fans, with every movie in the series containing several smaller stories by different directors linked by an overarching narrative.
In the 2012 original, this sees a team of home invaders discovering a collection of cursed videotapes, with the footage on each being one of the short movies that make up the anthology.V/H/Smakes for perfect Halloween viewing on Tubi in October, and horror fans who are uninitiated with the franchise will find it a delightful love-letter to the genre.Several of the sequels, such asV/H/S/2,are also on Tubi, and are perfect for a back-to-back movie binge.
Dredd
Based on the comic character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, Dredd is a sci-fi action movie that stars Karl Urban as Judge Dredd, a law enforcement officer who can commute sentences as quickly as he issues them. Set in a dystopian New York-like city called Mega-City One, Dredd is tasked with hunting down a drug lord who controls a massive 200-story apartment complex named Ma-Ma, pushing a new addictive drug called “Slo-Mo” that has become widely used in the slums.
2012’sDreddmay have been considered a box-office flop during its initial theatrical run, but the adaptation of the2000AD Judge Dreddcomics found a much more receptive audience when it began to arrive on various streaming platforms, the latest of which being Tubi. Directed by Pete Travis from a screenplay by Alex Garland (known forAnnihilation, Civil War,and the upcoming28 Years Later),Dreddis a gritty dystopian action sci-fi that paints a chilling picture of America in the aftermath of a nuclear war.
The remaining inhabitants of the U.S. reside in Mega-City One, a crime-ridden metropolis with a population of 800 million.Dreddfocuses on the titular Judge Dredd, a law enforcement officer for whom lethality is the go-to solution.WhileDreddisn’t the most cerebral sci-fi movie out there, few films on Tubi offer the same level of blockbuster action and carnage throughout, andThe Boysstar Karl Urban gives a fantasticly gruff performance as Dredd himself.
American History X
Derek Vinyard, a former neo-Nazi leader, is released from prison after serving three years for voluntary manslaughter. His violent past deeply influenced his younger brother, Danny, who idolizes him and follows in his footsteps. Upon his release, Derek is determined to prevent Danny from continuing down the same path of hatred and violence. As he tries to sever ties with his former gang and mentor, Cameron Alexander, Derek’s transformation and efforts to guide Danny lead to intense confrontations.
Tony Kaye’sAmerican History Xis perhaps the most historically significant movie on Tubi, especially since the social issues it examined when it released in the 1990s sadly still remain prevalent. The 1998 film is a jarring watch, but a worthwhile one, especially given the performance of Edward Norton as the repentant and reformed Neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard. However, Norton plays Derek both before and after he walks away from his hateful beliefs, and it’s the scenes when the character was at the height of his life as a White Supremacist that make for truly harrowing viewing.
Edward Norton was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance asDerek inAmerican History X,but that’s not the only reason it’s considered by many to be essential viewing.The movie is an unrelenting examination on the mentality of American Neo-Nazi’s in the present-day U.S., with many of the factors leading real-life equivalents of Derek to walk their dark path being just as relevant in the 2020s as they were in 1998.
Threads
Threads is a British television film directed by Mick Jackson, depicting the impact of a nuclear war on the city of Sheffield and its residents. Released in 1984, the film follows the lives of two families as they grapple with the immediate and long-term effects of the catastrophic event. The narrative offers a stark and realistic portrayal of the societal breakdown and human suffering caused by nuclear conflict.
The 1984 nuclear war movieThreadscan be watched on Tubi, and is a reason that several users have made their way to the service.While it aired in the UK on the BBC in the 1980s when it was released,Threadshas since gained no shortage of infamy thanks to its unflinching exploration of what life during and following a nuclear war would look like. The age of social media and sites like YouTube has reinvigorated interest inThreads,as it’s been dissected and discussed hundreds of times thanks to its many borderline-disturbing scenes.
Threadsis often cited as one of thebest nuclear war moviesever made, though due to its age and the fact it was a direct-to-TV movie in the UK, it’s been difficult for viewers in the U.S. to track down. Now thatThreadsis available on Tubi, viewers in the U.S. now have an accessible way to find out why the indie film from the BBC has a reputation that far exceeds that of other movies with a similar budget and initial viewership.
Train to Busan
Train to Busan is a South Korean action-horror film released in 2016. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, it centers on passengers aboard an express train from Seoul to Busan during a sudden zombie outbreak. As the virus spreads, the survivors must navigate the chaotic and dangerous environment to reach safety.
2016’sTrain To Busanreleased almost a decade ago, and it is still considered by many to be the quintessential zombie movies. Few horror films, whether they’re available to stream on Tubi or anywhere else, can claim to be just as claustrophobic, pulse-pounding, or filled with iconic moments from start to finish. Coming from director Yeon Sang-ho,Train To Busanhas a simple premise. Workaholic father Seok-woo is taking his daughter Su-an to Busan to visit her mother via train. However, while on the journey a zombie outbreak occurs, and soon Seok-woo is fighting not only for his own life, but for his daughter’s too.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what makesTrain To Busansuch a solid entry into the zombie horror subgenre.It’s got many endearing qualities, with everything from Gong Yoo’s performance as Seok-woo to Yeon Sang-hos incredible eye for a well-shot scene being among the reasons it continues to be so highly regarded.However, one standout aspect of the 2016 movie is, of course, its zombies, which are absolutely terrifying and acted to perfection by an ensemble horde of extras.
Point Break
In Southern California, bandits wearing masks of former US presidents commit a series of bizarre bank robberies. Federal agent Johnny Utah infiltrates the gang suspected of carrying out the crimes. Led by the charismatic Bodhi, the group of surfers is addicted to the adrenaline rush of robbery. The problem is that Utah ends up getting romantically involved with Tyler, one of the gang members, and forging strong friendships with Bodhi.
1991’sPoint Break,from director Kathryn Bigelow, remains one of the most easy-watch action movies ever made. It’s gained a cult following in the decades since it released, and Tubi users can now revisit it to find out why. Starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze,Point Breakis a film that’s greater than the sum of its parts. The plot doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel, and it ticks all the action movie boxes steadily and effectively.However, despite there being little that’s particularly innovative across its 122-minute runtime,Point Breakis still considered by many to be essential viewing when it comes to cop movies.
Keanu Reeves starts as rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah. Johnny is tasked with going undercover to investigate a group of bank robbers who call themselves the Ex-Presidents, a name they coined due to wearing rubber masks of former heads of state like Reagan, Nixon, and Carter. It’s on this mission that Johnny meets Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) a laid-back surfer who is secretly the mastermind behind the robberies. Johnny and Bodhi for a bond that makes Reeves' FBI agent question everything he values, and as bombastic asPoint Breakis, the story manages to be a surprisingly emotional one.
Donnie Darko
After troubled teen Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes on a local golf course after a night of sleepwalking, he has a vision of a man in a rabbit suit telling him that the world will end in 28 days. Returning home, Donnie sees that a jet engine has fallen on his bedroom in the night, and begins to feel increasingly detached from reality. Scrambling to make sense of the bizarre and unexplainable events that have altered his life, Donnie finds himself unravelling a tangled web of disaster and fate.
Few movies are as misunderstood or as hotly debated as director Richard Kelly’s 2001 sci-fi thrillerDonnie Darko.So ambiguous is the plot that there are even disagreements onwhatDonnie Darkois even about, though this only serves to make the movie even more endearing (and one that definitely counts among the “must watch” titles on Tubi).The story focuses on titular troubled teen Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a young man who finds himself consistently at odds with the 1988 suburban community he and his family reside in.
Donnie’s psychological problems cause him to have visions of a man in a grotesque bunny costume who he knows of Frank, who constantly forewarns him about the end of the world. However, when Donnie escapes death by following a vision of Frank to a golf course on the night a jet engine crashes through the ceiling of their family home, Donnie realizes his “visions” may be more prophetic than first appears. Notably, Jake Gyllenhaal’s real-life sibling Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Donnie’s sister Elizabeth, and the pair manage to bring plenty of their shared dynamic to the arguments between the two characters.
Terrifier
Terrifier is a horror-slasher movie that follows two sisters that hop between parties on Halloween night, hunted relentlessly by a sadistic serial killer known as Art the Clown. Art, who has been slowly building his body count and terrorizing the town, finds a girl he becomes infatuated with, beginning a long string of victims for anyone who either stands in his way or is at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Director Damien Leone reinvigorated the slasher horror subgenre in 2022 with the sleeper-hitTerrifier 2,which gained notoriety thanks to some of its incredibly brutal scenes. WithTerrifier 3on the way in 2024 and already creating no shortage of conversation, many uninitiated with the villainous antagonist Art the Clown are wondering where the franchise began — andTubi is one of the best places to catch up thanks to 2016’sTerrifiercurrently being available to stream on the platform.
It’s a slasher movie that pulls no punches, and Leone’s career history as a practical effects wizard prior to taking the director’s chair is evident throughout.
The plot ofTerrifiersees various characters stalked and murdered by the trulydiabolical silent killer Art the Clown(David Howard Thornton), a character Leone first debuted in his 2008 short movieThe 9th Circle.2016’sTerrifieris a far grittier and lower-budget movie thanTerrifier 2,though it’s quickly gaining its own fanbase thanks to the prominence of the sequel.
It’s a slasher movie onTubithat pulls no punches, and Leone’s career history as a practical effects wizard prior to taking the director’s chair is evident throughout. While not hugely critically acclaimed upon its release,Terrifieris quickly defining its own legacy years later thanks both to the success of its sequel and its many brutal kills appearing in horror-fandom circles on social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
