While other streaming services thrive on carefully selected and endlessly curated (meaning: limited) selections of movies, Tubi's a bit different: It feels like the Wild West, with everything from originals to popular hits, to critically acclaimed favorites, to the lowest of low-brow, low-budget movies you'll find this side of an abandoned Blockbuster.
In that spirit, here's a sampling of some of the best stuff currently streaming on Tubi. It's a wide variety—the streamer refuses to be pinned down. (If you're unfamiliar, Tubi is a free, ad-based streaming service—possibly the best streaming service of them all.)
Eyes Wide Shut(1999)
The controversial last film from Stanley Kubrick sends Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman on a long, dark night of the soul. After Alice Hartford confesses to vivid sexual fantasies involving another man, husband Bill goes on a psychosexual odyssey that takes him deep into his own neuroses (and to a masked orgy). Kubrick resurrects the dreamlike tone ofThe Shiningbut adds a life-threatening kinky sex cult, just for fun.StreamEyes Wide Shut.
Feeling Randy(2024)
The title promises a bit of raunchy irreverence—and thereisa fair bit of boner talk—but this one is also pretty charming for a movie about four friends in the '70s who set out to lose their virginities at the fun-sounding Kitty Ranch Brothel. It's as much a coming-of-age story as it is a sex comedy, especially as the title's Randy (Reid Miller) begins to question his commitment to the adventure, as well as his own sexuality.StreamFeeling Randy.
Women Talking(2022)
Sarah Polley wrote and directed this Best Picture Oscar nominee, loosely based on (horrific) real events. The women and girls of an isolated Mennonite colony discover that they've been drugged and raped on a regular basis by several of the men—when the perpetrators are arrested, and most of the rest of the colony's men leave to bail them out, the victims and other women are left to decide what to do next. Torn between the conflicting demands of their faith, their loyalty to home and family, and the terrible revelations, they must choose whether to stay, to fight, or to flee. Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand make up the impressive ensemble cast.StreamWomen Talking.
Titanic II(2010)
You like James Cameron'sTitanic, right? Then you're gonna love (maybe?) this non-sequel fromThe Asylum, purveyors of fine cinematic schlock such as the immortal classicSharknado. Here, a perfect replica of the Titanic sets sail exactly 100 years after the original disaster, this time beset by the man-made disaster that is global climate change. Goofier, a million times cheaper, but with 100% more Bruce Davison, this gives you some sense of Tubi's sublime-to-ridiculous range.StreamTitanic II, and toss in supernatural shocker and Tubi originalTitanic 666for onewildmovie marathon.
Slay(2024)
This Tubi original (It's a foreign film! From Canada!) stars Drag Race alumni Trinity the Tuck, Heidi N Closet, Crystal Methyd, and Cara Melle as—you guessed it—drag queens who stop off in a middle-of-nowhere biker bar while on tour. Things are dodgy, and only get dodgier when the bar is overrun by vampires, forcing the queens and the bikers to team up and fight for survival. It's good, campy fun with a heartfelt message, and a marvel of high-energy, low-budget filmmaking.StreamSlay.
Daniel Isn't Real(2019)
After witnessing a mass shooting as a child, Luke (Miles Robbins) develops an imaginary friend, Daniel (played byWhite Lotus' Patrick Schwarzenegger). Years later, Luke's a shy college student struggling with his mental health, and Daniel returns. Before long, though, he's asserting his will and taking over fully to engage in behavior that's increasingly erratic and sometimes violent. Or maybe this is all just Luke's subconscious acting out and...Daniel isn't real?StreamDaniel Isn't Real.
Bones and All(2022)
Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name,Challengers) directs this delightful romance—well, OK, maybe delightful isn't the word, given that we're talking about a couple of cannibals in love. Taylor Russell is Maren, a young "eater" who, after being abandoned by her father, sets off on a cross-country quest to find her mother. She meets up with Timothée Chalamet's Lee, who has imilar urges, and is similarly lonely.StreamBones and All.
Beauty Shop(2005)
ThisBarbershopspin-off follows widowed hairstylist Gina Norris as she starts her life over in Atlanta with her daughter. When a job offer doesn't pan out, she decides to open her own shop. Queen Latifah is as delightful as ever, and is joined by a great cast, including Alfre Woodard, Della Reese, Alicia Silverstone, Andie MacDowell, Kevin Bacon, and Djimon Hounsou.StreamBeauty Shop.
The Producers(1967)
The movie that put Mel brooks on the map and made Gene Wilder a star finds con artist Max Bialystock scheming to strike it rich by overselling a musical designed to fail so he can cash in on the insurance settlement. The resulting show, "Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden," is as hilariously offensive as anything in the Mel Brooks oeuvre.StreamThe Producers.
Anaconda(1997)
Anacondaknows just how ridiculous it is, employing over-the-top acting and dodgy special effects to sell the sweaty, silly horror of it all. Jennifer Lopez is definitely having a lot of fun in the lead and, sorry for the spoiler, but watching Jon Voight get eaten by a giant CGI snake is a pleasure all its own.StreamAnaconda.
Snowpiercer(2013)
Not shy about breaking genre rules, Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) followed up the smart monster movie/family dramaThe Hostwith this dystopian sci-fi thriller, which offers lots of action and plenty of commentary about the state of modern, class-based capitalism. In a frozen near-future, the remnants of humanity survive on a tremendously long, never-stopping train. The rich elite of the old world live in relative luxury toward the front, while the poor survive on scraps to the rear. Chris Evans leads the inevitable uprising.StreamSnowpiercer.
Jason X(2001)
It's certainly not for everyone, not even for every slasher fan—but, inJason X, we have a movie that does exactly what it says on the tin and sends Jason into space. Having been captured, Jason is being contained and studied at the Crystal Lake Research Facility. He's placed into cryogenic suspension where he remains until 2455, when a group of mostly horny young scientists accidentally release him onto their spaceship following a field trip to the dead planet Earth. As if plain old Jason wasn't bad enough, he gets some badass cyborg upgrades that really do not bode well for our hapless crew.StreamJason X.
The Thin Man(1934)
The boozy chemistry between all-time greats Myrna Loy and William Powell givesThe Thin Manthe kind of loose energy that makes it not only easy to watch, but a real joy, whether or not you’re paying any attention to the central murder mystery. Nick and Nora are always a good hang.StreamThe Thin Man.
Stargate(1994)
A fun, high-concept sci-fi adventure that kicked-off an impressive TV franchise. An archaeologist discovers a portal (a.k.a. stargate) in the Egyptian desert that connects to a distant point in space—one which happens to be the home of ancient Egyptian Gods. James Spader is the linguist called in to help figure things out, while Kurt Russell is the military guy ready to blow things up. On the other side, they meet Jaye Davidson's memorably sexy, though hardly benevolent, Ra.StreamStargate.
The Raid(2022)
A fictionalized reaction to the 2007 police raids against the Ngāi Tūhoe community in the small town of Rūātoki, this Tubi original is saddled with a generic title that makes it sound disposable (internationally, the title isMuru). A two-day raid costing millions led to few arrests and only a couple of convictions on minor gun charges, all because New Zealand authorities were convinced that Māori were preparing some kind of uprising. Here, Cliff Curtis (Whale Rider) plays local cop Taffy Tāwharau, who becomes caught between following the law and the dictates of his conscience as the danger and violence escalates.StreamThe Raid.
Color Out of Space(2019)
Nicolas Cage is at his Nic Cage-iest in this H. P. Lovecraft adaptation about a family's descent into madness. A beautiful, horrifying, utterly unique sensory experience.StreamColor Out of Space.
Some Like It Hot(1959)
Tubi offers up a better assortment of classics than many of the other streamers, most of which have shifted to a newer-is-better focus. Hot stars Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis as a couple of jazz-age musicians who run afoul of a mob boss, deciding to escape by posing as members of an all-female band (one that, memorably, includes Marilyn Monroe). Director Billy Wilder pitches the farce just right, at the intersection between smart and silly.StreamSome Like It Hot.
Donnie Darko(2001)
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this memorable emo mind-bender about a troubled teenager who dodges disaster thanks to a bit of sleepwalking. An instant cult classic, it's the movie all the cool kids were talking about back in the day.StreamDonnie Darko(director's cut), or the theatrical version.
God's Own Country(2017)
Josh O’Connor (The Crown’sPrince Charles) and Alec Secăreanu play Yorkshire farmer Johnny and Romanian migrant worker Gheorghe. The initially tempestuous relationship that develops really does feel like it’s headed for tragedy (à laBrokeback Mountain), which makes the film’s unexpected turn in the direction of a happier ending particularly thrilling.StreamGod's Own Country.
Hollywood Shuffle(1987)
Robert Townsend directs himself as Bobby Taylor, in a satire about the perils of navigating the Hollywood system for an actor simultaneously too Black and not Black enough for the tastes of studio bosses. Through elaborate fantasy sequences and parodies of popular movies, Townsend creates a sharp and often extremely funny sendup that’s (sadly) still relevant.StreamHollywood Shuffle.
The Apartment(1960)
Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine star in this searing, bittersweet, but ultimately humane comedy. MacLaine's Fran Kubelik is an elevator operator having an affair with the big boss at an insurance company, while Lemmon's Bud Baxter gets ahead by loaning out his apartment to upper management for various extramarital assignations. The budding friendship between the two threatens both of their careers.StreamThe Apartment.
Whale Rider(2002)
Pai is a 12-year-old Māori girl and the direct descendant of their tribe’s traditional notable ancestor, the Whale Rider—except that, traditionally, women can’t lead. Star Keisha Castle-Hughes became the youngest nominee for a Best Actress Oscar for her open, genuine performance.StreamWhale Rider.
Return of the Living Dead(1985)
This horror comedy with punk style is both a knowing parody of zombie movies while also managing to be an impressively gory thriller in its own right that moves the whole genre forward. Plus, it’s got a great death-rock soundtrack.StreamReturn of the Living Dead.
Ghost in the Shell(1995)
One of the best anime films of all time, at least when it comes to sci-fi and cyberpunk,Ghost in the Shellboasts impeccable style in addition to the thoughtfulness and complexity of its story. Major Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg security agent hunting an enigmatic hacker known only as "the Puppet Master" in the rapidly approaching year 2029, a time when the rise of AI threatens even the idea of individual existence.StreamGhost in the Shell.
It Happened One Night(1934)
The template for a million romantic comedies to come,It Happened One Night, despite appearing during the awkward early years of sound, remains unsurpassed in its charm and sexiness. Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable have terrific chemistry, and their relationship is one of near-equals—something that would grow increasingly rare in the succeeding decades. It’s one of only three films to have won an Academy Award in every major category, and deservedly so.StreamIt Happened One Night.
