In an era where streaming services dominate the entertainment landscape, Tubi stands out by offering a diverse and expansive library of films at no cost to its users. With its eclectic mix of genres and eras, Tubi presents a unique opportunity for movie enthusiasts to explore hidden gems and revisit classics. Clearly curated by true cinephiles, their catalogue promises not just entertainment, but a broadened cinematic horizon. Whether you’re a fan of indie flicks, blockbuster hits, or cult classics, Tubi’s extensive library ensures that there’s always something new and exciting to watch. Join us as we delve into the adventure of watching a movie a week on Tubi, where hopefully you find your new favorite movie or at least an interesting gem worth recommending.
King Kong (2005)
Even if you knew nothing about Peter Jackson and his cinematic influences, you can tell within seconds of this that he’s absolutely head over heels in love with Kong. This is a world he very much wants to live in and he relishes every second he gets to play in this sandbox. Detractors write this off as an over produced, self indulgent mess that’s way too long (it’s almost exactly double the length of the original) and has weird casting but I couldn’t disagree with any of those points more. It’s weird that I have to defend any film from Peter Jackson, one of our greatest living auteurs, but for some reason, this didn’t connect with a lot of moviegoers and I don’t understand why. Just look at the latest Monsterverse movies and there’s literally no comparison. The CGI is better than anything in those movies, the action is more thrilling, it’s better directed (that goes without saying) and the characters are fleshed out in a way those films have repeatedly tried and failed to do. It’s an epic that was accused of being bloated but in a post MCU world, I would give to get back to this.
The Artifice Girl (2023)
This film flew under far too many people’s radar and that’s a shame because it’s one of the best-written sci-fi films in decades. It’s a two-location, three-act play that only has five or so actors in it and it’s more engaging than the vast majority of films I saw this year. The first act involves an organization (I believe it’s the FBI) interrogating a man over his use of a child as bait in his successful project to catch child molesters in an online video chat sting operation. They want to know who the child is and for him to shut it down. It is revealed that the child isn’t actually real and is an artificial construct created by the man who is now gaining sentience. To reveal what the second two acts are would be revealing too much of the story, but they deal with autonomy, the rights of artificial people, and the moral and ethical dilemmas that would arise from such a creation. Just because I’m avoiding spoilers, don’t go in expecting huge mind-blowing twists. It’s not that kind of movie. It’s an engrossing little character drama with rich dialogue and hard questions that aren’t easily answered.
Never Too Young to Die (1986)
Living somewhere between parody and pastiche, Never Too Young to Die is a bonkers attempt at making a junior James Bond franchise that, depending on how high your threshold for camp is, either fails completely or nails the over-the-top quality of older Bond films. A gymnast and Vanity must team up to defeat a psychotic transvestite from taking over the world. If that’s not crazy enough for you, the gymnast is played by a baby-faced John Stamos, and the transvestite is played by a gloriously unhinged Gene Simmons. An underrated commodity of cheesy 80s action films, Simmons is almost always the best thing about anything he’s in.
That horrible Blade Runner rip-off starring Magnum P.I.? Simmons was the sole stand-out. That weird pseudo-sequel/reboot of a forgotten Western TV show with Rutger Hauer? Simmons once again saves the movie. That uneven workplace comedy from the creator of Beavis and Butthead? Simmons’ cameo is one of the only memorable things about it. He’s a solid actor that didn’t get enough work and based on his performance in this, he definitely should’ve gotten the chance to play a legit Bond villain. He’s swinging for the fences in every scene, and because of his willingness to go all the way, the film will live on forever. Stamos might as well be sleepwalking, Vanity couldn’t act in pain if you lit her on fire and the plot and action are both derivative. So it was up to Simmons to save the day and goddamn does he ever. His performance alone is enough to recommend this film.
Affliction (1997)
A small-town policeman (Nick Nolte) must investigate a suspicious hunting accident but due to the investigation being stonewalled at every corner and the sudden arrival of his father (James Coburn) back into his life, the policeman’s mental state slowly starts to disintegrate. While I’ve never heard them mention this movie directly, I can’t imagine this wasn’t a huge influence on the work of The Safdie Brothers. It has the same anxiety-inducing tension as Uncut Gems and Good Time but without the ticking clock of dread. You know from frame one that those films are building to an explosive climax because the tension starts immediately, whereas this is a slow build-up to everything falling apart.
Once Nolte’s character starts to unwind around the halfway point, you start to suspect that shit isn’t going to end well. And it’s from that point that it reminds me of a Safdie Brothers movie. Much like Sandler and Pattinson in those films, he’s slowly drowning and if they’d just hold on to the life preserver, they’d survive but they just can’t. They have to see their terrible plans to the bitter end and it becomes their undoing. It’s a fascinating character brought to life by a career-best Nolte. He, along with a solid cast of amazing actors such as Sissy Spacek, Willem Dafoe, and the aforementioned Coburn (who also gives his best performance in this) make this one of Schrader’s best.
Switchblade Sisters (1975)
Quentin Tarantino, a notable fan of the film, played a significant role in this film’s resurgence by re-releasing it under his Rolling Thunder Pictures label in the 1990s. This re-release introduced Switchblade Sisters to a new audience and cemented its status as a cult classic which is probably why you’ve seen it or at least heard of it. If it wasn’t for him, this film might’ve slipped into obscurity, which is a crime considering it’s directed by Jack Hill, one of the most entertaining B movie directors of all time. The film follows a female gang known as the Dagger Debs, led by the tough and charismatic Lace (played by Robbie Lee). The gang operates in a rough urban environment and frequently clashes with rival gangs, including male counterparts like the Silver Daggers.
The plot thickens with the arrival of a new girl, Maggie (played by Joanne Nail), who quickly rises in the gang’s ranks due to her street smarts and fighting skills. As tensions escalate, internal power struggles and betrayals ensue within the gang. Lace’s leadership is challenged by both internal dissent and external pressures from rival gangs and law enforcement. The film culminates in a series of violent confrontations that test the loyalty and resolve of the gang members. Switchblade Sisters is a seminal work in the exploitation film genre, distinguished by its strong female characters, gritty storytelling, and lasting cultural impact. Its legacy endures as a testament to the power of unconventional narratives and the enduring appeal of rebellious, boundary-pushing cinema.
These are our Tubi Movies of the Week. Have you seen any of them? Did you watch them on Tubi? Sound off in the comments!
