Need something new to stream this month but don’t want to shell out for a subscription. Not a problem.
While traditional streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video keep hiking prices and adding ads to their paid platforms, FAST services like Tubi and Pluto TV are gaining ground by providing viewers with free options full of watch-worthy films and series. And in October, the roster is full up with Halloween-friendly movies, from spooky to downright scary.
Here’s your special spooky season edition of the best new movies to watch free on Tubi.
“The Evil Dead” (1981)
The shoestring-budget horror classic that spawned one of the most enduring and consistent horror franchises, Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” holds up nearly 45 years later. (Well, mostly, the infamous tree scene aside.) Starring Bruce Campbell as enduring horror icon Ash Williams, “Evil Dead” doesn’t have the snark or silliness that would come with the sequels, but it’s got every bit of the signature zeal and by-the-bootstraps gonzo filmmaking.
“Take Shelter” (2011)
What if Noah didn’t care about saving the world, and instead of building an arc, he just built his family a shelter? If someone came to us with warnings of apocalypse would we even listen or turn them into a pariah? And if a prophetic man did everything he could to save his family, could his family withstand the fallout of everything he did?
Those are the kinds of questions fired up by Jeff Nichols’ (“The Bikeriders”) excellent “Take Shelter,” which stars Michael Shannon as a loving family man plagued by visions of apocalyptic storms. It’s spooky and touching, anchored not only by the always exceptional Shannon, but an equally stellar early career Jessica Chastain performance.
“The Addams Family” (2019)
Need something spooky but not scary for the whole family? The 2019 animated “Addams Family” movie isn’t the best film adaptation (that title, of course, goes to Barry Levinson’s flawless 1991 live-action adaptation), but it is the best one you can watch on Tubi this Halloween. And it’s a pretty good time, too, with a good message about self-acceptance and laugh-out-loud visual gags sprinkled throughout. Not to mention the knockout voice cast, which includes Charlize Theron as Morticia Addams and Oscar Isaac as Gomez Addams.
“Tales From the Hood” (1995)
One of the most underrated horror anthologies, studios didn’t really know what to do with Rusty Cundieff’s “Tales From the Hood,” marketing it as a horror-comedy, when it’s really a truly horrific film with a touch of cheekiness. The film was ahead of its time in blending social commentary with horror storytelling, told across four short horror stories rooted in the Black American experience. Though the first tale is the best and, despairingly, as relevant today as it was 30 years ago, they are all worthwhile in their own right, with knockout practical effects and gripping horror tales. “Tales From the Hood”isn’t just an important film in horror history, it remains a fantastic watch.
“The Age of Adaline” (2015)
If you want Autumnal vibes but you’re not looking for anything spooky in the slightest, “The Age of Adaline” offers a supernatural romance bedecked in rich velvets, knit sweaters and pervasive fall palette. Blake Lively stars as Adaline, a not-so-young young woman who has remained in her late 20s for decades after an accident, staying to herself to prevent anyone from finding out her secret — until she meets Ellis (Michiel Huisman), falls in love and gets tangled up in some peak tear-jerker drama, the likes of which you can only get with timey-wimey antics.
Charming and emotional, from “Celeste & Jesse Forever” and prolific TV producer Lee Toland Krieger (“You,” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”), the film also stars Harrison Ford, Kathy Baker and Ellen Burstyn.
“30 Days of Night” (2007)
If brat “Trap” summer has you in the mood for more Josh Hartnett horror, he’s got a handful of early 2000s gems worth checking out, but “30 Days of Night” is one of the best. Adapted by “Hard Candy” and “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” director (man contains multitudes) David Slade from Steve Niles’ comic of the same name, the film stars Hartnett as Alaskan Sheriff Eben Oleson, who tries to defend his remote town from monsters during a polar winter — aka, a month-long night where vampires are free to hunt and feed without the interruption of sunlight.
Aside from the obviously inspired concept, “30 Days of Night” is one of the most outright scary vampire movies there is, with a truly terrifying performance from Danny Huston as an ancient blood-sucking menace. These vampires are fast, they’re cruel and they’re endlessly hungry, and if there’s one thing David Slade is going to do, it’s shoot the hell out of something, which means “30 Days of Night” is as spectacular to look at as it is horrific.
“Resident Evil” (2002)
Forget the rest of the franchise and forget the video games (sorry), because the original “Resident Evil” movie is a hoot in its own right as long as you can leave behind everything that came before and after it. Written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, who was coming off “Soldier” and “Event Horizon,” the 2002 “Resident Evil” is underrated as a smart, tightly constructed horror-thriller mystery box built around a string of thrilling set pieces, including the unforgettable laser grid sequence. Fair enough, since not much in the film franchise is known for being smart, but don’t write off the original, it remains a very fun hybrid between sci-fi thrills and good old-fashioned zombie horror.
Leave a Reply