Tubi Treasures: 16 Late Night Horror Flicks (October 2021)

There is no shortage of fantastic horror films of Tubi, but the ever-expanding selection can be overwhelming. Luckily, Tracy keeps everyone up to date with Tubi’s best horror and sci-fi, but what of those who are looking for something of a late-night vibe? Is there late night horror on Tubi? You bet there is. Maybe almost too much.

That is where I come in. I wade through the sludge in search of hidden treasures for those who love campy, funny, silly, and ridiculous flicks. Most of the time I come up empty, but every once in a while, I stumble upon a gem worth sharing. 

Tubi Treasures: October 2021

Dead Ant (2018)

Dead Ant follows a former 80’s metal band on their way to a music festival with the hopes of reviving their careers. Along the way, they violate sacred land while high on peyote and suddenly find themselves fighting for survival against a colony of giant ants. The band’s manager, Danny (Tom Arnold) is fantastic. While the entire cast (Sean Astin, Leisha Hailey, Jake Busey, Micheal Horse, Rhys Coiro, and Sydney Sweeney) was great, Arnold was truly at his best in this one. His spastic desperation and nagging frustration with the band’s antics and flakiness are hilarious enough to be worth a watch. 

Ten Minutes to Midnight (2020)

Ten Minutes to Midnight is a pleasant surprise. It starts out as a basic vampire tale on the night of a long-time radio host’s final broadcast, but about halfway through morphs into something entirely different. The third act was an absolute trip that gripped my attention all the way through to the credits. This one was weird, gory, campy, and psychologically thrilling. Finally, the film’s protagonist  Amy Marlowe (Caroline Williams) is exceptional and pours her heart and soul into this bizarre tale. 

Followed (2020)

Followed is a found-footage flick worthy of a watch. In addition to being well-acted and produced, it is also the first found footage to be viewed through the p.o.v. of an unidentified person who uploaded the edited footage online. This little twist adds an element of mystery that enhances the storyline. From there, Followed is the story of an influencer who is willing to do anything to grow his brand. Including staying a few nights in a haunted hotel, that is based on L.A.’s infamous Cecil Hotel. As things start to unravel, nothing will stand in the way of Mike, ‘Drop The Mike’ (Matthew Solomon) from increasing his followers. 

Untitled Horror Movie (2021)

Untitled Horror Movie is one of those rare films shot during the pandemic that stands out. Much like Host (2020), this film is almost exclusively shot over Zoom. While Host played it straight with traditional scares, Untitled is much lighter and more self-aware but equally well done. Untitled is the story of actors waiting to find out if their over-the-top tv show will be renewed or not. In the meantime, they decide to write, shoot, edit, and star in their own little found-footage film. The cast is fantastic starring, Claire Holt, Darren Barnett, Katherine McNamara, Timothy Granaderos, Emmy Raver-Lampman, and Luke Baines. Once things get rolling, as is often the case, it’s all fun and games until someone accidentally summons a demon. 

Turbo Kid (2015) 

In 2020, the world soon found itself scrambling for toilet paper, but imagine if things got so bad that everything, including water was being hoarded and controlled. Once the rich and powerful control the water supply they control everything. Turbo Kid is set in an 80’s style post-apocalyptic wasteland complete with BMX bikes, walkman cassette players, epic fight sequences, and campy gore. Turbo Kid went retro, and nailed it, a few years before everything went retro. 

Attack of the Killer Donuts (2016)

It’s just a typical day at Dandy Donuts until Howard’s mad scientist uncle gets into a fight with the owner of Dandy Donuts. During the scuffle, some radioactive waste spills into the deep-fryers turning mediocre pastries into ruthless killers. If you are not already sold, then you will not like this one. That said, don’t let the name fool you, this one deserves a watch. This film is a love letter to the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes series, complete with bouncing, giggly-fang-filled-pastries that are deliciously terrifying. While the premise is absurd, the film’s execution is not. So, sit back, relax and get ready to have one hell-of-a good time. 

The Horrific Evil Monsters (2021)

Fresh off its win for Best Feature at the 2021 Chicago Horror Film Festival, The Horrific Evil Monsters (T.H.E.M) is a wild and wacky low-budget film that is well done without taking itself too seriously. T.H.E.M. feels like what you’d get if Micheal Scarn (Threat Level Midnight) wrote a movie paying homage to Suicide Squad that was produced by Troma Films. T.H.E.M. does a great job of making up for its lack of budget with creativity that also adds to the tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that bleeds throughout this film. The acting is solid, but it is Bishop Stevens (best actor at the Chicago Horror Film Festival) who plays a washed-up movie star that really brings the whole thing together. 

The Editor (2014) 

From the hilarious minds of Adam Brooks and Matthew Kennedy comes a giallo parody that is far more of a loving tribute than a mocking jab at the classic Italian-style horror genre. The Editor follows the legendary one-handed editor Rey Ciso (Brooks) as he is the prime suspect in a string of murders occurring on the set of the film he is currently working on. As the bodies pile up, there is no shortage of absurdity, gratuitous love-making, face slapping, ridiculous one-liners, and of course, gore. That said, the final product is a beautifully shot and sincere tribute to the pulp films of the past.  

The Night of Something Strange (2016)

PSA- As a Chicago Public Schools Certified Sexual Health Instructor, I can assure you that sexually transmitted infections do not cause those infected to develop a hunger for human flesh. That said, infections and diseases are always evolving, which is why it is always best to exercise precautions when engaging in any form of sexual activity. The Night of Something Strange is a classic tale of necrophilia gone wrong when a custodian at the morgue bangs the wrong corpse and becomes infected with a wicked infection. Once infected, the host then becomes a sex-crazed zombie with black widow tendencies of devouring its conquest post-climax. Unfortunately, this does mean the infected, both male and female, often rape their victims. Certainly, sexual assault is never an easy topic to include in an otherwise slapstick comedy, and to the credit of co-writer and director Jonathan Straiton, the sexual violence is so over-the-top that they feel more like something out of the Hatchet series than Straw Dogs. In the end, this one is a laugh-out-loud and gore-filled romp for survival that never takes itself seriously enough to offend. 

The Demon’s Rook (2013) 

The Demon’s Rook is about a boy who follows a demon into another realm. He eventually returns as an adult and inadvertently unleashes demons on earth. Being raised by the demons, he is humanity’s only hope, but he may not be strong enough to defeat them on his own. This film deserves to be watched simply for the makeup and practical effects alone. The film’s co-writer, director, and star, James Sizemore, does a wonderful job willing this film to work from start to finish. Despite having limited resources and crew, The Demon’s Rook is one man’s labor of love that morphed into something more: a worthy tribute to 80’s horror.

Velocipastor (2017)

When Father Doug (Greg Cohan) witnesses his parents killed in a car explosion, he questions his faith. Following the advice of his mentor, Doug decides to drive to China to rediscover his faith. Once he arrives, a young woman stumbles upon him with an arrow through the heart. Her dying wish is for him to take an ancient claw. The claw possesses incredible power that not only teleports him back to the U.S. but also turns him into a flesh-eating dinosaur. One night he saves a young pre-med-law student who works nights as a prostitute, Carol (Alyssa Kempinski), and the two of them decide to use Doug’s newfound power to rid the world of evil people. Little do they know there is a clan of drug dealing ninjas who will do anything to obtain the power of the Dragon Warrior. I cannot recommend this movie enough. If you like outrageous, absurd, and hopelessly lovable low-budget flicks, then this one is a must-watch! 

Lake Michigan Monster (2018) 

This is the most unique film on the list. Lake Michigan Monster pays homage to old-school deep-sea monster features, but along the way becomes something truly original. With the budget that would barely cover the cost of a 15-year-old Toyota Camry, writer, director, and star, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews rounded up some friends and family members, grabbed a handheld camera, and produced one of the best ultra-microbudget films of all time. 

Death Ranch (2020)

Set in the ‘70s, Death Ranch is a hard-hitting, action-packed grindhouse film that centers around three siblings on the run from the law. When they decide to lay low in a secluded Tennessee ranch, they accidentally stumble into Klan territory. As if fighting for survival against the KKK wasn’t bad enough, this particular Klan chapter happens to be cannibals. Once it became clear that the Klan was looking for trouble, the Cobbs siblings were more than willing to give those backwoods racists more trouble than they could handle. Now, I may be biased, but, when it comes to Klansman and Nazis no amount of pain and suffering is ever out of bounds. So, whether it is Sgt. Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) bashing in Nazi skulls with a baseball bat in Inglorious Basterds or Angela Cobbs (Faith Monique) using an axe to castrate a Klansman in Death Ranch, there is simply no such thing as going too far. Luckily, Death Ranch’s writer and director Charlie Steeds seemed to agree with my sentiment and unleashed a barrage of splatter-filled kills that make this one the goriest feel-good movies of the year. 

Hawk & Rev: Vampire Slayers 

I was lucky enough to catch Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers at the 2020 Phoenix FearCon and loved it. Hawk and Rev, is the classic tale of two screw-ups trying to save the world from being overrun by blood-sucking vampires. Sure, Hawk may be delusional and possibly unstable. And, yes, his best friend, Rev, is a pacifist who wants to rid the world of vampires without actually hurting any vampires. Finally, I’ll admit that maybe, just maybe, everyone is right and vampires don’t really exist. That said, if they do really exist, then it is also fair to say that vampires using humans for food would be less than desirable. Thankfully, Hawk and Rev, despite being woefully unqualified and all but certain to fail, are willing to risk everything to defend the future of humanity. 

Wolfcop (2014) 

I am closing things out with the 2014 shapeshifting-lawman classic Wolfcop starring Leo Lafard, a small-town sheriff’s deputy with a penchant for binge drinking and coasting through life. However, all that changed one night when he was at the bar and possibly on his way to getting a little nooky to close out the night, but instead of heading home with the sexy, yet cryptic bartender, Lou stumbles to the restroom to relieve his bladder where he randomly turned into a werewolf. Having never turned into a werewolf before, Lou is perplexed. His unease is exacerbated when the next day he discovers several dead bodies at the bar that have been ripped to shreds by a large beast. Lou uses his previously underutilized deductive reasoning skills to make the connection that he, himself, had just recently shifted into a massive beast capable of this type of carnage. It doesn’t take long for Lou to discover there is something much more sinister afoot and the fate of his sleepy town rests on his shoulders. This realization kicks this slacker into high gear leading to a satisfyingly action-packed and gore-filled climax.