People joke about Tubi adding paid plans, which would be a nightmare because the free streaming service always comes in clutch when I can’t find anything to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, or Peacock.
The streamer, owned by Fox Corporation, consistently denies any plans to require subscriptions and instead relies on advertising to generate revenue. It’s become one of my favorites, especially since they refresh their library every month with box-office hits, underrated gems, and cult classics.
Now that it’s officially July, I checked out what’s available — and at this rate, every weekend might turn into a “Tubi Movie Night” for me. There’s The Stepfather, The Wood, Titanic, Paid In Full, Precious, Roll Bounce, Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Stephen King’s Children of the Corn, Seventeen Again, and more. Here’s what’s on my must-watch list:
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
“Jeepers Creepers, where’d you get those peepers?”
I watched this on Thursday night, and it still gave me that chill I had when I first watched it. Every 23 years, the Creeper awakes from hibernation and hunts humans for 23 days before returning to hibernation. In the first film of the series, siblings Trish and Darry (Gina Philips and Justin Long) become the Creeper’s chosen prey after a road encounter leads to a horrific discovery in a church basement. The second film is also on Tubi, where the Creeper returns and targets a bus full of stranded high school students.
Set It Off (1996)
“I need that money!” – T.T.
This cult classic is one I revisit every year. It stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Kimberly Elise, and Vivica A. Fox, and I know the script by heart. Four friends (Cleo, Stony, T.T., and Frankie) decide to become bank robbers after Frankie loses her job and Stony’s brother is murdered. After tasting success with their first robbery, things take a turn when the money from their second robbery is stolen. They hope the third time will be the last, but with the police watching closely, things go differently.
The Nutty Professor (1996)
“Hercules! Hercules!” – Buddy Love
The Nutty Professor is one of the first films where Eddie Murphy fans saw him play various characters. It’s a remake of the 1963 film of the same name, which starred comedian and actor Jerry Lewis. Murphy plays the lovable professor, Sherman Klump, who created a formula that makes people lose weight really fast but only temporarily. After going on a date with Carla (Jada Pinkett Smith) and being mocked for his weight, he tests the formula himself and adopts the alter ego, Buddy Love.
Carrie (1976)
“They’re all gonna laugh at you!” – Margaret White, Carrie’s mom
From the twisted imagination of Stephen King, Carrie will always be a frightening horror movie. Not just because there’s a lot of supernatural stuff going on, but because Sissy Spacek played the title character perfectly. Carrie is a shy high schooler who, when upset, can control objects with her mind. She gets picked on by her popular classmates, and after a locker-room incident, some of their prom privileges are revoked, with a few choosing to take revenge on Carrie.
Norbit (2007)
“I’ll show you how a b—ch go down a slide!” – Rasputia
I watched this movie so much as a kid that it’s forever tied to my childhood memories. Eddie Murphy plays multiple characters, most notably Norbit, Rasputia, and Mr. Wong. As a teen, Rasputia rescues Norbit from bullies, forcing him to become her boyfriend. As an adult, Norbit is trapped in a controlling relationship with Rasputia while living with her three brothers. That is, until his childhood friend Kate returns, changing everything.
This Christmas (2007)
“Come on, let me see you get up!” – Lisa Whitfield-Moore
It’s not the holiday season yet, but plenty of people celebrate Christmas in July. This movie delivers all the family drama you’d expect from a holiday gathering. The star-studded cast includes Loretta Devine as Ma’Dere, Delroy Lindo as Joe Black, Idris Elba as Quentin, Regina King as Lisa, Sharon Leal as Kelli, Columbus Short as Claude, Lauren London as Melanie, and Chris Brown as “Baby.”
Header image credit: Tubi/Canva
