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.
Cthulhu Mansion (1990)
I’m a fan of the films Juan Piquer Simón. I love Slugs, Pieces and appreciate The Rift for what it is, so imagine my excitement when Vinegar Syndrome announced they were releasing his film Cthulhu Mansion on Blu-ray. That excitement quickly faded however once I started it. After a drug deal gone bad (which took place at a haunted house ride at a carnival for some reason), a group of thugs take a magician, his daughter and his mute assistant hostage and decide to hold up at his house till the heat dies down. But while there, they find out that the magician actually gets his powers from an ancient entity locked in his basement and since this is a horror movie filled with stupid characters, of course one of them accidentally let’s him free. That set up has all the potential for another Simón hit but unfortunately, it’s far too boring to have fun with. It eventually picks up towards the end but by then, it’s too little, too late. I do recommend however, the documentary about Simón that comes with the Blu-ray. I’m not saying it’s good enough to justify the purchase but it is at least something of quality on the disc.
*Sailor lied, this isn’t on Tubi, so I linked to it on YouTube – K. Alvarez
Synchronic (2019)
I’m a huge fan of the directing duo Benson and Moorhead. While I wouldn’t call any of their films great, they’ve gotten close enough to the ring that I’ll always check out whatever they make. They specialize in high concept films with Synchronic being their best one yet. Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan play two EMTs who are witnessing firsthand the effects of a new drug that sends its users back in time. When Dornan’s daughter takes it and gets trapped in time, they have to come up with a plan to bring her back. It’s a novel approach to time travel that feels condensed for feature length. Like it was adapted from a comic book or something along those lines. The film still works, it just feels like there’s a lot of material they had to leave on the cutting room floor. What I hope wasn’t edited out however, is any scene involving Mackie and Dornan together. They have a great rapport and their friendship is the best thing about the film. I’m glad Marvel picked these two to be the showrunners on Moon Knight because they’re the kind of cats that would actually get me interested in it.
10 Rillington Place (1971)
Before he was the lovable elderly eccentric in Jurassic Park, Richard Attenborough was famous for portraying stone cold killers. His first big role was the unstable Pinkie in Brighton Rock and twenty two years later, he’d follow that up with an even more duplicitous character. Based on the true story of British serial killer John Christie who would pretend to be a doctor who specialized in abortions to lure unsuspecting women to his flat (which he shared with his wife) in order to strangle them to death. Pinkie might be an iconic British baddie but Christie blows him out of the water in terms of pure evil. Attenborough might actually top his performance in the former in this film. The way he tricks people into believing his lies — which not only resulted in the aforementioned murders but the miscarriage of justice involving Timothy Evans — is as chilling as it is unsettling. Even though he’s soft spoken, his words somehow find a way to get under your skin. It’s a tremendous performance in an equally great film.
Communion (1989)
Based on the alleged real life abduction of Whitley Strieber, Communion is an alien film that benefits greatly from the presence of Christopher Walken. I can see the film Strieber wanted to make (I’ve never read the book this film is based on but I highly doubt it was this strange) but Walken changes the tone so dramatically, the film is fixed to accommodate his performance. There are some genuinely creepy moments involving aliens slowly peering around armoires and the first abduction is rather effective but the longer the film goes on, the more Walken starts to channel Walken until it’s a straight up impression of an impression. Walken is an amazing actor but like Nic Cage and Jeff Goldblum, he’s a walking meme. Everything he does can be imitated, so to see him do an impression of himself, is fucking wild. But it works. His performance sets the tone and somehow, it actually lives up to his insane acting choice. The last abduction scene might be the craziest thing he’s ever been a part of. It has to be seen to be believed.
Overnight (2003)
Or alternatively: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People and Burn your Hollywood Career to Cinders in Five Easy Steps. A documentary that tracks the rise and glorious fall of bartender-cum-filmmaker-cum-asshole Troy Duffy as he fights with literally everyone before, during and after the making and release of his film The Boondock Saints. It’s not a comprehensive doc (the film is missing crucial bits of information and footage like what Duffy’s band sounds like, how it finally got released after Weinstein tried to bury it and most importantly of all: the making of the movie itself) but as a portrait of a raging asshole who completely and utterly kills his career as effectively as humanly possible? It’s delightful.
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!
