Pineapple Express. Don't have Hulu yet? Sign up hereThis post is updated regularly as movies leave and enter Hulu. *New additions are indicated with an asterisk.
Still considered largely a streaming service for television fans, Hulu has struggled to carve out its own reputation as a home for movie lovers too. To that end, they have become one of the most prominent supporters of recent arthouse cinema, particularly critical darlings like The Banshees of Inisherin, Flee, Pig, and more. They also have an interesting revolving door of beloved recent films of all genres, mostly from 2010 and beyond. Take the time you were going to use to catch up on your latest sitcom and check out one of the films below in this list that will be updated as titles come and go, starting with our pick of the week.
This Week’s Critic’s Pick
*Pineapple Express
Year: 2008
Runtime: 1h 52m
Director: David Gordon Green
Seth Rogen gives one of his best performances as Dale Denton, an average guy who just wants to get high. He visits his dealer (played perfectly by James Franco) on the wrong night as the pair cross paths with hitmen and a police officer on the wrong side of the law. This is an incredibly funny movie, and you don’t need to be high to love it.
Pineapple Express watch on huluHow We Pick Our Films
Critic Brian Tallerico watches and writes about movies and TV every day. To curate this list, he dives into Hulu’s catalogue to surface acclaimed, surprising, or otherwise noteworthy titles — using his taste and a lifetime of cinema study as his guide, instead of whatever the algorithm happens to be pushing. After triple-checking to make sure they’re still available, he watches each, organizes them by category, then writes his recommendation. We highlight more than just Oscar winners or popcorn flicks: These films present interesting ideas, made an impact on cinema, and changed our culture. Read on to find something to watch.
Drama
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Year: 2007
Runtime: 1h 57m
Director: Sidney Lumet
The masterful director of 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, and so many more American classics ended his career with a banger in this intense thriller featuring performances from Ethan Hawke, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, and Albert Finney that stand among their best. A chronological puzzle of a film that would impress Chris Nolan with its structure, this is one of the best films of the 2000s.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead watch on huluBroker
Year: 2022
Runtime: 2h 9m
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
The masterful Japanese director travels to Korea for this moving drama starring Song Kang-ho of Parasite fame. He plays half of a team that retrieves babies dropped off at churches and sells them to orphanages. Their scheme falls apart when a mother returns, looking for her child. Kore-eda makes films that challenge the definition of the word family, and Broker is one of his best.
Broker watch on huluContagion
Year: 2011
Runtime: 1h 47m
Director: Steven Soderbergh
It’s impossible to watch Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 drama in the same way after the COVID-19 pandemic changed the entire world. In fact, it’s startling how prophetic the film turned out to be in its presentation of how quickly an international virus could derail just about everything. It’s still a razor-sharp piece of entertainment, but it just feels different now.
Contagion watch on huluMaster Gardener
Year: 2023
Runtime: 1h 47m
Director: Paul Schrader
Oscar nominee and living legend Paul Schrader closes out a trilogy about lost men (with First Reformed and The Card Counter) in this underrated drama starring Joel Edgerton and Sigourney Weaver. Edgerton plays Narvel Roth, a horticulturist for a wealthy woman played by Weaver. He falls for her grandniece, who struggles with Narvel’s former identity as a White supremacist. Of course, it ends in violence, but Schrader is more interested in recovery than vengeance this time.
Master Gardener watch on huluNomadland
Year: 2020
Runtime: 1h 48m
Director: Chloe Zhao
The Oscar winner for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress, this 2020 drama is one of the most moving films of the young decade so far, and it’s exclusively on Hulu thanks to the company’s relationship with Fox Searchlight (they’re both owned by Disney). Frances McDormand stars as Fern, a woman displaced by the loss of her husband and job, sending her out on the road. Blending non-fiction filmmaking choices like the use of non-actors telling their own stories with a deep sense of character-building, this is a phenomenal film.
Nomadland Watch on Hulu*Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Year: 2019
Runtime: 2h 42m
Director: Quentin Tarantino
It’s hard to believe it’s already been almost a half-decade since Quentin Tarantino’s last movie, one of the last greats of the 2010s. Wildly misunderstood during production (and even a bit after release), it’s way more than just a reclamation of the Sharon Tate murders, it’s a funny, scary, smart alternate version of Hollywood history with some of the career-best performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, and Oscar winner Brad Pitt.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood watch on huluPig
Year: 2021
Runtime: 1h 32m
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Nicolas Cage gives one of the best performances of his career in this 2021 drama about a chef who has become a reclusive hermit, leaving off the grid with his pet pig. When the pig is kidnapped, Cage will go to whatever lengths necessary to get her back. A moving study of what we value in life, Pig was one of the best films of 2021, and it’s exclusively on Hulu.
Pig Watch on HuluSophie’s Choice
Year: 1982
Runtime: 2h 30m
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Meryl Streep won her second Oscar for this heartbreaking adaptation of William Styron’s novel. Everyone remembers the unforgettable scene to which the title of this film refers, but there’s more to this movie than just that impossible decision. It’s as much about the impact of war and trauma as it is the events themselves, and Streep’s landmark work is ably supported by Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol.
Sophie's Choice watch on huluDocumentaries
Bad Axe
Year: 2022
Runtime: 1h 42m
Director: David Siev
This charming documentary about a family living in Michigan during the pandemic and all the things that came after it is one of the most empathetic and moving pieces of filmmaking about the 2020s to date. The Siev family own a family restaurant in Michigan, but it threatens to go under after the restrictions put in place by the pandemic. That is followed by divisions within the community that arise during the Black Lives Matter movement that same summer. Bad Axe is a phenomenal piece of work that you probably haven’t seen.
Bad Axe watch on huluFlee
Year: 2021
Runtime: 1h 29m
Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
Rasmussen’s film pulled off a historic trifecta early in 2022 when it was the first film nominated for the Oscars for Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary, and Best International Feature Film. Refugee Amin Nawabi shares his story with a close friend, and the film then recreates it with beautiful animation. Sadly, it lost all three categories, but it’s still one of the best films of 2021, and easily one of the best films on Hulu.
Flee Watch on HuluSummer of Soul
Year: 2021
Runtime: 1h 58m
Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
It’s unfair how talented Questlove is. The drummer for The Roots proved to have an incredible touch with documentaries, too, when this future Oscar winner premiered at Sundance 2022, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It’s the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, an unforgettable display of creativity and passion that was almost forgotten, the footage buried in a basement for generations. Watch this one loud.
Summer of Soul Watch on HuluComedy
The Banshees of Inisherin
Year: 2022
Runtime: 1h 54m
Director: Martin McDonagh
One of the best films of 2022 and a multiple Oscar nominee last year, this dark comedy is already on streaming services, less than a year after its release. Colin Farrell does career-best work as a hapless Irishman who discovers that his best friend, played by Brendan Gleeson, doesn’t want to talk to him anymore. A film about how neighbors become enemies feels particularly timely in the currently fractured world, and this one is brilliant, funny, and moving.
The Banshees of Inisherin watch on HuluThe Death of Stalin
Year: 2017
Runtime: 1h 47m
Director: Armando Iannucci
Armando Iannucci, the creator of Veep and The Thick of It, co-wrote and directed this viciously dark satire about the power struggle that emerged in the wake of the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. More nervously unsettling than laugh-out-loud funny, Iannucci’s style works well for his incredible cast, including Steve Buscemi, Paddy Considine, Jason Isaacs, Rupert Friend, Michael Palin, and Andrea Riseborough.
The Death of Stalin watch on huluRye Lane
Year: 2023
Runtime: 1h 22m
Director: Raine Allen Miller
The best romantic comedy in years premiered at Sundance in January 2023 and is now on Hulu. David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah star in a film that’s reminiscent of Before Sunrise in the way it captures two people meeting and walking through a city as they slowly fall in love. Heartbroken, creative people, these characters are so incredibly likable in this film that has a sharp, brilliant screenplay, and stunning use of setting. The world around these people comes so vibrantly to life that it almost feels like a character.
Rye Lane watch on huluTriangle of Sadness
Year: 2022
Runtime: 2h 29m
Director: Ruben Ostlund
A Best Picture nominee and Palme d’Or winner, Triangle of Sadness is the one of the biggest international critical darlings of 2022. From the writer/director of Force Majeure, this is the story of a model couple on a boat trip from Hell, a journey that goes so disastrously wrong that social lines are blurred forever. It’s a sharp commentary on the haves and have-nots with fun performances from Harris Dickinson, Dolly de Leon, Woody Harrelson, and more.
Triangle of Sadness watch on huluHorror
Alien
Year: 1979
Runtime: 1h 57m
Director: Ridley Scott
The one that changed everything. Alien didn’t just launch a mega-franchise or create an iconic character in Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley. It shifted the entire sci-fi/horror landscape forever. And what’s even more stunning about Alien over four decades later is how much it still rips. From beginning to end, this is one of the rare movies that could be called perfect.
Alien watch on huluThe Babadook
Year: 2014
Runtime: 1h 34m
Director: Jennifer Kent
One of the best horror films of the 2010s has not been widely available for streaming subscribers so take the chance to watch it again while it’s on Hulu. Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut centers on a mother (Essie Davis) who struggles to raise her problem child alone after the death of her husband. Oh, and there’s also a real monster in the boy’s room.
The Babadook watch on hulu*Black Swan
Year: 2010
Runtime: 1h 48m
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Natalie Portman won her only Oscar for her fearless performance in Aronofsky’s study of commitment and madness. She plays a ballerina who will go to whatever lengths necessary to nail a new production of Swan Lake, even as she fends off the competition of a new dancer, played by Mila Kunis. Unforgettable and terrifying, it’s a true horror film that captures how dedication can be pushed far enough to tear apart reality.
Black Swan watch on huluCrimes of the Future
Year: 2022
Runtime: 1h 47m
Director: David Cronenberg
The master of body horror returned to the form for the first time in a generation and delivered one of the most mesmerizing films of 2022. Viggo Mortensen plays a man in a future where evolution has gone awry, creating new organs in human bodies. His is particularly active, and it draws the attention of characters played by Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux. It’s a fascinating film. You won’t be able to turn away.
Crimes of the Future watch on huluNightmare Alley
Year: 2021
Runtime: 2h 30m
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro adapted the acclaimed Tyrone Power noir and gave it his unique, daring style, and he ended up with another modern masterpiece! Take the chance to watch one of 2021’s Best Picture nominees while you can! Step right up! Bradley Cooper stars as a carny who turns into a different level of grifter in Del Toro’s stylish and mesmerizing descent into madness.
Nightmare Alley watch on huluPersonal Shopper
Year: 2016
Runtime: 1h 45m
Director: Olivier Assayas
Olivier Assayas’s ghost story is not your typical tale of the supernatural. The French filmmaker, working in perfect conjunction with star Kristen Stewart, who has never been better, crafts a film about loss, fear, and longing. It’s not an easy film to dissect or understand, but you won’t forget it.
Personal Shopper watch on huluAction
13 Assassins
Year: 2011
Runtime: 2h 5m
Director: Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike has directed over 100 movies, and this is one of the best, a stylish throwback to samurai cinema of old anchored by the modern filmmaking prowess of one of the best filmmakers alive. A remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 film, this is loosely based on actual events from 1844 when 12 samurai and a hunter worked together to assassinate the leader of the Akashi clan. It’s a perfect balance of storytelling and sprays of samurai blood.
13 Assassins watch on huluAkira
Year: 1988
Runtime: 2h 4m
Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Animated action! Anyone who thinks a Japanese anime film from the ‘80s doesn’t deserve a spot on this list simply hasn’t seen Akira, a movie that feels more influential with each film that copies its template. Based on the 1982 manga of the same name and set in the oh-so-distant future of 2019, this story of a biker with telekinetic abilities has influenced dozens of action and sci-fi project. It gets better every time you watch it. (Note: Both the dubbed and subtitled versions are on Hulu.)
Akira watch on huluBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
Year: 2009
Runtime: 2h 1m
Director: Werner Herzog
Director Werner Herzog was an unexpected choice for an unexpected sequel to Abel Ferrara’s 1992 film Bad Lieutenant, but this isn’t your normal sequel. In fact, it has nothing really to do with that first film other than it also centering a corrupt cop. Nicolas Cage gives one of his most unhinged and impressive performances here, and that’s really saying something.
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans watch on huluEdge of Tomorrow
Year: 2014
Runtime: 1h 48m
Director: Doug Liman
Also known as Live Die Repeat, this is one of the best video game movies even if it’s not technically a video game movie. But think about it. It’s about a guy (Tom Cruise) who respawns every time he dies, taking what he learned from the previous attempt to try and defeat an alien race. That’s kind of how video games work. This movie rules, partially because it also includes a fantastic Emily Blunt supporting performance.
Edge of Tomorrow watch on hulu*Heat
Year: 1995
Runtime: 2h 51m
Director: Michael Mann
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino star in one of the best movies of the ‘90s, a stunning cat-and-mouse game between a career criminal and a workaholic cop. The book release of Heat 2 in 2022 brought a lot of people back to this movie, one that has held up remarkably well over the nearly three decades since it was released. It’s a masterpiece.
Heat watch on huluPacific Rim
Year: 2013
Runtime: 2h 11m
Director: Guillermo del Toro
One of the most underrated action movies of its era, Guillermo del Toro’s ode to giant monster movies is an unpretentious delight, a movie that understands its B-movie origins and what people need from a flick about massive robots fighting enormous monsters. Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, and Charlie Day star in a movie that kinda underperformed initially but has built a loyal following over the last decade.
Pacific Rim watch on huluFor Kids
Paddington
Year: 2014
Runtime: 1h 26m
Director: Paul King
What a charming movie this is for the whole family. Paul King (who also helmed this month’s Wonka) returned to direct the sequel to the 2014 original, a film that actually outpaces its predecessor in both humor and heart (and is also on Hulu). Do the double feature of these wonderful fables that truly work for all ages.
Paddington watch on huluThe Sandlot
Year: 1993
Runtime: 1h 41m
Director: David Mickey Evans
This family flick made almost no impact when it was released but has become a sports movie favorite every time such a list is released. What is it about the story of a L.A. kids playing ball in the summer of ’62 that has made it so timeless? We can all see ourselves in one of the kids in The Sandlot, and there’s a sense of revisiting our own childhood in this sweet, funny modern classic.
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