Since the dawn of time, the broke(n) have cried out for a savior. The cheap have searched for another way. The penny-pinchers have pinched their pennies and clutched them tightly with well wishes of having to spend nary a cent on the horror movies they're so desperate to see. Who will be the hero they're holding out for? Who will be the almighty entity who answers their prayers?
The answer is Tubi.
Tubi is a streaming service that you can download right now - like, right this very second - and have access to thousands of movies that you can watch for no cost whatsoever. None. You can save those pennies for the important things in life. You can shove 'em in a piggy bank and save them for your babies or you can say to hell with those babies and munch on a Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell while you scroll the infinite selection of film at your fingertips. Tubi gives you the freedom to make that decision, however difficult it may be (It's not that difficult, you know you're hungry).
In honor of Tubi being such an underrated and undervalued streaming service, I'm throwing a few horror titles your way that find themselves in the same boat. Like Tubi, these films totally rule but haven't quite received the respect and/or widespread recognition they deserve. Each of them, of course, can be streamed for free right now on the Tubi app, so grab yourself a Crunchwrap (They're good to go) and let the streaming begin!
The Loved Ones (2009)
Not exactly underrated (The Loved Ones boasts an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes), Sean Byrne's near-perfect directorial debut has somehow fallen by the wayside in its ten years of existence. Featuring solid performances all around and an especially remarkable villain turn by Robin McLeavy as the bat-shit bubblegum princess of sadistic torture, The Loved Ones makes for a twisted, violent, and surprisingly emotional watch.
Ticks (1993)
Ticks suck... literally. Tony Randel's campy creature feature about massive mutated ticks attacking a group of troubled teens and social workers in the forests of California, though, does not. The performances here aren't great, admittedly, but the creature effects hold up (mostly) and are plenty effective for those of you looking for the cheese-topped heebie jeebies.
(I'm morally obligated to issue a severe trigger warning for fans of dogs, because yikes)
Frozen (2010)
Sticking with themes of animals and wilderness, Frozen is the type of film that makes you want to stay in your house forever. Directed by Hatchet's Adam Green, Frozen follows a group of friends who find themselves at the mercy of nature and a pack of hungry wolves when they become trapped in a ski lift. This is a tension-filled showcase for Green, who uses the setting and premise to toy with our anxiety and deliver a tight, gut-churning and sometimes heartbreaking 90 minutes of horror.
Darling (2016)
Darling plays like a cross between Rosemary's Baby and The Shining, with director Mickey Keating doing his best impressions of Roman Polanski and Stanley Kubrick behind the camera. That's not to say that Darling is a pale imitation, however. There is an undeniable influence behind Keating's work, but the film shines with its classic signature. Keating finds beauty within the cracks of his lead character's sanity, and Lauren Ashley Carter elevates that beauty with a god-tier performance. As her titular character escalates into madness, you'll find that she deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the Mia Farrows and Jack Nicholsons that came before her.
Splinter (2008)
As far as monster movies go, Splinter checks all the boxes: The creature design is solid and utilized in ways that mask the film's modest budget, the performances are above average for a trapped-in-the-gas-station sort of B-movie (Shea Whigham ALWAYS kicks ass), and it sustains tension and adrenaline for most of its run-time. It may not be the most groundbreaking monster movie you'll ever see, but it successfully adheres to a tried and true formula.
Digging Up the Marrow (2015)
Adam Green has forged a career out of his passionate love for all things horror, so it comes as no surprise that he'd rear his head more than once on this list. Digging Up the Marrow is, at its core, a showcase for that love. It's a meta documentary-style film that stars Green as a fictionalized version of himself who just so happens to be making a documentary about monsters. There's a deep affection and appreciation for the genre on display throughout the film, but Digging Up the Marrow is equally fueled by a juicy performance from Ray Wise as a man with proof that monsters actually exist. Green's film is hilarious and endearing without sacrificing tension, and you can watch it for free (!!!) right now. What a treat.
They Look Like People (2016)
They Look Like People is a shining example of how effective psychological horror can be on a modest budget. The film follows a pair of friends who reunite in New York City after some time apart. Though their friendship blossoms, one of the friends (Played magnificently by MacLeod Andrews) struggles to gain a grip on reality due to his belief that the human race is being taken over by evil creatures. The bond between the friends and the chemistry between the actors are the driving force behind They Look Like People's success, and first-time director Perry Blackshear slowly twists the tension that is built between them in a film that keeps you guessing until the very end. It's a borderline masterpiece that deserves a bigger audience.
Borderland (2007)
Loosely based on a terrifying true story, Borderland is a gritty and raw horror film reminiscent of Tobe Hooper's Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It's a disturbing tale of college students on vacation in Mexico who become involved with a sadistic religious cult that practices human sacrifice. Though hardly an easy watch as mostly-likable characters are given a horrifically haunting demise, it's a cut above the films with a similar premise that demands to be seen for its confident brutality and willingness to push boundaries.
Triangle (2009)
Triangle is the sort of film that benefits from knowing as little as possible before viewing, but I can offer you this without ruining your experience: The film takes a science fiction premise and twists it to thrilling and often horrifying effect. Melissa George is phenomenal in the lead role, grounding the film's heady sci-fi and genre thrills with a performance that is emotionally compelling and unexpectedly moving. It's the best kind of mind-fuck and it demands to be experienced.
The Sacrament (2014)
Ti West is largely known throughout the horror community as the filmmaker behind The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, both of which are extraordinary. For whatever reason, The Sacrament hasn't earned that same recognition, but I'm here to tell you that this is West's most intense and unnerving film to date. Inspired by the disturbing real-life Jonestown Massacre, The Sacrament relentlessly builds tension and anxiety until its climax, where the events of the film mirror those that really took place. It's a sick, bleak and panic inducing look into the evil of power-hungry men and their manipulation of wayward souls.
If you ever decide to go to 13, please check out my films on Tubi - Basement Jack, SleepStalker and Cemetery Gates.
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