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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-brow, lowest-budget movies you’ll find this side of an old 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 will not be pinned down. (If you’re unfamiliar, Tubi is a free, ad-based service, but generally I find the ads to be less obnoxious and less frequent than on other, similar streamers.)
Friday (1995)
Craig and Smokey (Ice Cube and Chris Tucker) are just a couple of guys hanging out hoping for something to do. They shoulda been careful what they wished for, as this one impossible Friday will see them involved with burglaries, shoot-outs, and excessively horny pastors. As in all the best buddy/stoner comedies, it’s all in goofy fun. Stream Friday.
Titanic (1997)
In a modern world of blockbusters designed to be as comforting and non-threatening as possible, be the movie that made an entire generation of moviegoers sob. James Cameron somehow crafted an all-time crowd-pleaser out of one of the 20th centuries greatest tragedies. Stream Titanic.
Titanic II (2010)
And then there’s this non-sequel from The Asylum, purveyors of fine cinematic schlock such as the immortal classic Sharknado. 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. Stream Titanic II, and toss in supernatural shocker and Tubi original Titanic 666 for one wild movie 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. Stream Slay.
Misery (1990)
Before she was Matlock, Kathy Bates was winning Oscars and smashing shins as Stephen King’s iconic fangirl gone wild, Annie Wilkes. When James Caan’s Paul Sheldon, author of the popular Misery series of romance novels, ends up stuck in Annie’s remote house—well, suffice it to say that things are gonna get cockadoodie pretty darn quick. Stream Misery.
The Godfather (1972)
Francis Ford Coppola’s triumph (at least until Part II) introduces the all-American Corleone family, lead by an Oscar-winning (and declining) Marlon Brando as Vito alongside his youngest, most reluctant son, Michael (Al Pacino). The Godfather was always a distinctly American story, but, now that our political leaders are explicitly mobsters, it feels more timely than ever. Stream The Godfather.
Trap (2024)
Cooper (Josh Hartnett) is a pretty cool dad in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest, taking his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see a very cool Taylor Swift-ish pop star in concert. We quickly learn, though, that Cooper is a hunted serial killer, and that the FBI knows that “The Butcher” will be at the concert, even if they don’t know exactly who it is. Of such premises are fun thrillers made, as Cooper has to try to escape the pop concert while somehow making sure his daughter gets to enjoy the show. Stream Trap.
New Jack City (1991)
New Jack City is a serious, thoughtful crime drama that’s also an impressively thrilling action movie, and (just as importantly) a time capsule of ‘90s cool, as epitomized by Wesley Snipes. Mario Van Peebles comes swinging right out of the gate with his directorial debut. Stream New Jack City.
Wrapped Up in Christmas (2017)
This was a Lifetime original holiday movie, so you already know the vibe, and not to expect too many surprises. Still, this is a fun one: To advance in her hard-driving management career at the mall, Heather (Tatyana Ali) has to impress her boss, played by the always-hilarious Jackée Harry in full Scrooge mode. Complications arise when her niece sets her up with hottie Brendan Fehr, who helps run an unprofitable toy store with his mom. Heather is tasked with getting these good-natured toy merchants out in favor of renters with deeper pockets, and she’ll have to decide whether she’s willing to risk her career and teach Jackée the true meaning of Christmas. At the mall. Stream Wrapped Up in Christmas.
Jason X (2001)
It’s certainly not for everyone, not even for every slasher fan—but, in Jason 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. Stream Jason X.
Gladiator (2000)
Ridley Scott’s historical epic cleaned up at the box office and at the Academy Awards. Russell Crowe stars as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a general in the Roman army forced, in unjust disgrace, to fight in the arena for the pleasure of Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), a man on whom he swears revenge. Stream Gladiator.
The Thin Man (1934)
The boozy chemistry between all-time greats Myrna Loy and William Powell gives The Thin Man the 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. Stream The Thin Man.
Threads (1984)
This nuclear-war drama terrorized British television audiences back in 1984, depicting daily life in a small English city before and after an armed conflict between the U.S. and the USSR. A seemingly realistic depiction of the impacts of nuclear winter, it’s unrelentingly grim (which: fair) but masterfully crafted. It’s also a great example of the kind if cinematic archaeology that Tubi allows for. Stream Threads.
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. Stream Stargate.
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 is Muru). 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. Stream The 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. Stream Color 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. Stream Some Like It Hot.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
It’s one of Hollywood’s all-time team-ups, with director George Cukor at the helm of a Katherine Hepburn vehicle in which she’s pursued by both Cary Grant and James Stewart (and, of course, her fiancé played by John Howard—but he never really has a chance). It’s hard to know who to root for. Even when she’s back-footed by the men in her life, Hepburn’s still the whole show, bandying brilliant dialogue in a movie that veers effortlessly from sophisticated to screwball. Stream The Philadelphia Story.
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. Stream Donnie Darko (director’s cut), or the theatrical version.
God’s Own Country (2017)
Josh O’Connor (The Crown’s Prince 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 la Brokeback Mountain), which makes the film’s unexpected turn in the direction of a happier ending particularly thrilling. Stream God’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. Stream Hollywood 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. Stream The Apartment.
Ray (2004)
It’s not just Jamie Foxx’s Oscar-winning performance that sells this take on the troubled rise of Ray Charles; he’s flawless, but every main performance here is great—Regina King, Kerry Washington, and Clifton Powell, in particular. Some of the beats here are pretty recognizable, but the performances create the feeling that we’ve gained some essential insight into these characters and the real-life individuals they represent. Stream Ray.
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. Stream Whale Rider.
Terrifier (2016)
Damien Leone’s low-budget slasher series quietly builds into a queasy empire, with the most recent film being a legit box office smash. Here, literal clown-from-hell Art stalks partygoer Tara Heyes and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi) on Halloween night. Stream Terrifier.
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. Stream Return 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 Shell boasts 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. Stream Ghost in the Shell.
The Leather Boys (1964)
A classic of British kitchen sink realism, a movement in the 1960s that saw hyperrealistic portraits of, often, angry teens and young people, The Leather Boys sees young couple Reggie and Dot becoming increasingly estranged when Reggie mostly wants to just hang out with his biker friends. Among those friends is Pete, who seems to be developing an attraction to Reggie that goes a bit beyond that of a typical biker bro. Stream The Leather Boys.
Cabaret (1972)
Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey star in this essential musical about the good times and extravagant style of Weimar Germany giving way to the rising tide of fascism. Stream Cabaret.
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. Stream It Happened One Night.