Welcome to Tubi Tidbits where we discuss horror movies that I have watched but are either not big enough nor bad enough for a full-length review. As you read these micro-reviews, please keep in mind that everything said comes from my own personal preference. There are movies on this list that you may find more enjoyable than I did or ones you disliked more than I did.
That is the beauty of Horror. It is all subjective.
The goal of Tubi Tidbits is not to put a score on these movies per se, but to introduce you to new movies found on the Tubi Streaming App. There are literally hundreds of movies on Tubi and it can be quite difficult finding one you may like. Especially considering that a of of these were indie or direct-to-video releases.
So, while there is a scoring system in place, please do not take my word as law. I try to keep summaries and reviews for this segment tight and concise; enough to give you an idea of what you’d be expecting if you choose to watch these films.
With that said, please enjoy Tubi Tidbits!
BEN (1972)
What is it?
A lonely child named Danny befriends the hyper-intelligent, and very dangerous, rat Ben. Danny, who has been suffering from a debilitating disease, begins taking care of Ben and Ben’s ever-growing colony of sewer rats. When food becomes scarce, however, the colony grows violent. As the body count increases, the local police must rally together to hunt down and exterminate Ben and his colony of vicious rats.
Ben is a direct sequel to the 1971 Willard.
Review:
Ben has a surprising amount of heart for a movie about a killer rat. Child actor Lee Harcourt Montgomery plays Danny wonderfully; giving us a sympathetic character for whom we can root for. However, I daresay that the real star of the movie is none other than Ben himself. There is something about using real, trained animals that adds a sense of character to these rats. We believe that Ben is Danny’s friend, that Ben has Danny’s best intentions in mind, and we end up rooting for the rat just as much as the human cast. I cannot recommend this movie enough – especially for the ending’s climatic battle between and rodent!
I give BEN a 4/5
SLUGS (1988)
What is it?
A small rural town comes under attack when a species of black slugs are mutated by toxic waste. Now local health inspector Mike Brady needs to convince the local authorities that a swarm of man-eating slugs is on their way to infest the town.
Review:
Slugs is just another example of what made 80s horror movies so great. The idea is sill on paper but wonderful in execution. The slugs are surprisingly creepy especially when you see just how many of them are on screen at once. But what really sells the movie is its makeup and practical effects. Flesh gets peeled off from people’s bodies. Limbs are hacked off in grisly fashion. Eyes are gouged out, skulls are blown apart; the movie is just a wonderful gore-fest.
And sure, thee story is nothing special. We’ve seen the same idea in other creature-features. It is very similar to such films as Jaws, Ticks, and Grizzly but you know what? That’s okay. All that matters is if the movie succeeds in entertaining us. And thankfully it does!
I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys 80’s creature features.
I give SLUGS a 4/5
That is it for this episode of Tubi Tidbits! Please remember that the streaming service Tubi rotates their library regularly so if you don’t see these movies be patient. They will return to circulation soon enough.