The Best Psychological Horror Movies On Tubi Right Now

Tubi didn’t just have the best Super Bowl ad ever made. They also have the best library of absolutely free horror movies. Not only do they have arguably the most extensive collection of films, but they have all of the weirdest and most underrated flicks around. With the glut of paid streaming services out there right now, it’s nice to know there is still one place that is 100% free. Usually, when streamers are free, they lack depth, but that isn’t the case with Tubi. Everyone loves a good slasher, but psychological scares stick with you sometimes for weeks or even years. Dread can’t be forgotten. It’s always the perfect time to scare yourself silly with the best psychological horror films on Tubi.

The Belko Experiment

In a twisted social experiment, eighty Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered by an unknown voice from the company’s intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed.

What a sick ride this is. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the film’s final moments put everything you thought you knew in question. The ending begs for a sequel that so far hasn’t happened, but a girl can dream. It is the best workplace horror movie out there. It also leaves some really cool breadcrumbs that lead you to some dark places.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes

In an abandoned house in Poughkeepsie, New York, murder investigators uncover hundreds of tapes showing decades of a serial killer’s work.

This disturbing found footage film is a bizarre montage of gruesome kills perpetrated by a serial killer in Poughkeepsie, New York. There is very little narrative, but what this film lacks in plot, it makes up in psychological torture. Mental warfare is the best word to describe this difficult-to-watch movie. There is one particular scene you can’t unsee. If you spend any time on TikTok, you know what I mean.

The Babadook

A single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children’s book titled “Mister Babadook” manifests in their home.

This slow burn requires some patience, but it is worth the extra effort. It is a gorgeously conceived and shot film that is the very definition of haunting. It has been compared to a ton of movies like The Shining and We Need To Talk About Kevin unfairly. The Babadook isn’t a rip-off of those movies and stands alone as a chilling portrait of the monstrous power of grief.

The Void

Shortly after delivering a patient to an understaffed hospital, a police officer experiences strange and violent occurrences seemingly linked to a group of mysterious hooded figures.

This unassuming cosmic horror example defies expectations. It is a visually arresting film heavy in both atmosphere and gore, which is a rare combination. I’ve seen it described as a hybrid of Prince of Darkness and In The Mouth Of Madness, which is high praise in my book. John Carpenter was clearly an influence, but I feel a little Clive Barker’s The Great And Secret Show as well. If any of those references are your jam, you will love The Void.

YellowBrickRoad

1940: the entire population of Friar, New Hampshire, walked up a winding mountain trail, leaving everything behind. 2008: the first official expedition into the wilderness attempts to solve the mystery of the lost citizens of Friar.

One of my favorite films of all time is a trippy mix of Lynchian weirdness, folklore, and nasty violence. It is an underseen and underappreciated gem that sticks with you and requires several watches to catch even a fraction of the weirdness in the ninety-minute runtime. It is the kind of movie that requires a Reddit profile for discussions after watching.

Lake Mungo

After 16-year-old Alice Palmer drowns at the local dam, her family experiences a series of strange events leading them to discover that Alice led a secret, double life.

This movie really sneaks up on you. It subverts the expected and is haunting until the very last moment. This is the kind of movie that relies on atmosphere and psychology to scare and is enjoyed best by knowing as little as possible. It’s a paranormal movie about so much more than ghosts. Click here for all the information you need after watching.

Possum

After returning to his childhood home, a disgraced children’s puppeteer is forced to confront his wicked stepfather and the secrets that have tortured his entire life.

There is not a more grim movie than this one. This is a dark, dark hole that is hard to climb out of, so watch your emotional bandwidth before diving headlong into this black hole. You will never look at puppets in the same way again—pure nightmare fuel. You can read our full explainer here.

Martyrs

A young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.

The original french version is far superior to the remake. This gruesome movie is a great example of the New French Extremism that Gaspar Noe is known for. Although not as vicious as Noe’s extended rape scene in either Irreversible: The Tsraight Cut or the chronologically reversed original, it is still not for the faint of heart. It’s an ugly ride for people who like rough movies, but many smart commentaries feel from the same universe as Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool. Depraved, bored people doing terrible things because they are desperate to feel something should be a subgenre all of its own.

Dumplings

Aunt Mei’s famous homemade dumplings provide amazing age-defying qualities popular with middle-aged women. But her latest customer – a fading actress – is determined to find out what the secret ingredient is.

Be warned. This movie should come with a huge trigger warning. Obsession with beauty and youth is deadly in this depraved foreign film. While the basic theme and concept have been done before, you have never seen anything quite like this. It will definitely ruin dumplings for you forever, so make sure you eat plenty before watching.

The Invitation

A man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, an unsettling affair that reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.

This 2015 film by Karun Kusama shouldn’t be confused with the new movie coming out on August 26th, 2020. They are very different movies. Kusama’s film is a perfect example of psychological horror, and it is unsettling in a way that few movies are. It weaves elements of the best cult movies and another dinner party from hell Coherence.

Sator

Secluded in a desolate forest, a broken family is observed by Sator, a supernatural entity who is attempting to claim them.

This rural horror family drama is steeped in tension and destroyed people. It is an underseen film that deserves more love than it gets. Jordan Graham’s nearly one man show is an impressive feat and proof that you don’t need a big budget or lots of support to produce something profoundly affecting.

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane

A former child star torments her paraplegic sister in their decaying Hollywood mansion.

I consider this the best psychological horror film of all time. Joan Crawford and Bette Davis are amazing, and there is no better example of psychological torture out there now. It depicts it all without use of gore or violence and manages to still scare audiences sixty years later. What does happen to Baby Jane? Click here to find out.

They Look Like People

Suspecting that people around him are turning into evil creatures, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war or from himself.

I am a fan of writer/director Perry Blackshear’s work. His latest, When I Consume You, just premiered and is a perfect example of the kinds of films he makes. Horror as a metaphor for mental illness is popular, but when done right, it is chilling. Blackshear firmly has a handle on this subgenre.

The Girl Next Door

Follows the unspeakable torture and abuses committed on a teenage girl in the care of her aunt and the boys who witness and fail to report the crime.

Don’t get this confused with the rom-com from 2004, or you will be in for a rude awakening. Based on the book by Jack Ketcham, this is what true horror looks like. It is a painful, impactful watch that you will never completely be able to shake. The idea that people and situations like this really do exist is sickening. There is no way to prepare yourself for having to watch innocence being cruelly snuffed out. You have been warned.

Goodnight Mommy

Twin boys move to a new house with their mother after she has face-changing cosmetic surgery, but under the bandages is someone the boys don’t recognize.

This creepy psychological thriller takes family drama to a whole new level. Everyone loves potentially evil kids, and the twins in question here are definitely strange. But so is their fully bandaged mother. It’s a gorgeously shot foreign film that holds your attention, and the kid actors are excellent.

Await Further Instructions

A family’s Christmas takes a strange turn when they awake to find themselves trapped inside and begin receiving mysterious instructions through the television.

The film is compelling and claustrophobic until the end, which admittedly makes a pretty serious blunder. However, the premise and intense tension this movie creates are enough to make it worth a watch. It’s especially a fun watch right before heading home for the holidays.