Over the past few years, Hulu has made its mark in film. Although it was launched primarily as a platform for network television, it has evolved and built an impressive film library that’s on par with any streamer — it even has a host of high-quality originals you won’t find anywhere else. But as Hulu’s extensive library grows, it becomes more difficult to sort the best films from the duds.
Fortunately, we’ve done the work for you. This curated list is a one-stop shop for the best movies on Hulu right now. So, turn on your favorite streaming device, kick back, and start movie night the right way.
Subscribe to a different platform? Not only do we have a guide to the best shows on Hulu, but we’ve rounded up the best movies on Amazon Prime, the best movies on Netflix, and the best movies on Disney+.
Run (2020)
Teenager Chloe (Kiera Allen) has spent her entire life under the thumb of her mother, Diane (Sarah Paulson). She doesn’t know that, however. Chloe is afflicted with a variety of maladies that restrict her to a wheelchair and make every day a painful routine of pills and treatments, much of which her mother facilities. But when she stumbles across a strange secret, her world begins to unravel and Chloe is forced to wonder if her mother is really helping or hurting.
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Stars: Kiera Allen, Sarah Paulson
Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 90 minutes
The Nice Guys (2016)
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe star in this off-beat buddy comedy about a couple of unlikely detectives in 1977 Los Angeles. Holland March (Gosling) is a down-on-his-luck private eye who stumbles into a potentially huge case. Jackson Healy (Crowe) is a hired enforcer who brings pain for a living. After a young woman disappears, the two are brought together by fate, only to discover there’s far more going on than meets the eye. As their investigation takes them to some extremely dark places, the bodies start piling up as their odd friendship blossoms.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Genre: Comedy, Action, Mystery, Thriller
Stars: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Margaret Qualley
Director: Shane Black
Rating: R
Runtime: 116 minutes
I Am Greta (2020)
All one has to do is look at the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes to know how much teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg terrifies people. Thunberg, 15, has become the unlikely face of the fight against climate change, speaking before the United Nations and governments the world over. While I Am Greta doesn’t tell us a whole lot we don’t already know (the planet is in dire, dire condition), it’s an inspiring call to action by witnessing the steadfast commitment and extraordinary passion of Thunberg. We still have a chance to get climate change under control; will Greta’s message prevail?
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Genre: Documentary
Stars: Greta Thunberg
Director: Nathan Grossman
Rating: NR
Runtime: 98 minutes
Ingrid Goes West (2017)
A Thelma and Louise for the social media generation, Ingrid Goes West is a funny, twisted tale of internet obsession and the endless search for genuine connection. After the death of her mother, Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza) decides to escape her podunk town and move to Los Angeles to befriend her Instagram obsession, Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). They quickly (almost unnaturally quickly) forge a bond, but soon the facade begins to crack.
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Elizabeth Olsen, Aubrey Plaza, O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Director: Matt Spicer
Rating: R
Runtime: 98 minutes
The Prestige (2006)
The Prestige is not Christopher Nolan’s most well-known film, but it contains arguably one of the greatest twists in Nolan’s filmography. In the 19th century, magicians are some of the most popular entertainers around, pushing the scientific boundaries of the age to perform incredible illusions. But when one such illusion goes horribly wrong, magicians Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) are pitted against one another in a bitter rivalry. As they each escalate their feud, terrible consequences come about as a game of wits devolves into one of life and death.
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, David Bowie
Director: Christopher Nolan
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 130 minutes
Working Girl (1988)
Working Girl hasn’t exactly aged gracefully, but that’s almost the point. A film that pits two businesswomen against each other occasionally dips into crass stereotypes, but the enduring theme is clear: Women in business have to work twice as hard and be twice as savvy to get ahead. The film follows New York City receptionist Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith) and her opportunistic boss, Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver). When Katharine steals an idea from Tess and refuses to give her credit, Tess decides to exact revenge. As her boss recovers from an injury, Tess initiates a major deal with an investment broker while Katharine’s away. But when Katharine returns, things get ugly.
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Genre: Romance
Stars: Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford
Director: Mike Nichols
Rating: R
Runtime: 113 minutes
Platoon (1986)
In war, it’s hard to see who the true enemy is. That’s one of the prevailing themes of Platoon, Oliver Stone’s classic Vietnam War movie. Charlie Sheen stars as Chris Taylor, a university student who drops out to pursue his patriotic duty in Vietnam in 1967. But once he’s in the jungle as a member of an ideologically polarized platoon, his idealism rapidly dissipates. As they march through the jungle, Taylor becomes a psychological fulcrum between Staff Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), who sees Viet Cong soldiers in every civilian, and Sgt. Elias (Willem Dafoe), who has a more sympathetic view of the local people.
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Genre: War, Drama
Stars: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe
Director: Oliver Stone
Rating: R
Runtime: 120 minutes
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
2008’s Best Picture winner is available on Hulu on November 1. Eighteen-year-old Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” and he plans on making the best of it. As he answers the questions, flashbacks show how he knows the answers and illuminates exactly how a troubled life as an orphan on the streets of Mumbai has afforded him a surprisingly complete education.
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto
Director: Danny Boyle
Rating: R
Runtime: 116 minutes
Bad Hair (2020)
1980s hair takes on a whole new meaning in this horror satire set in 1989. The latest in Hollywood’s current favorite genre — horror-comedy — may have a silly premise, but it’s sharper than you might expect. Bad Hair follows an ambitious young woman who gets a weave in order to climb the ladder in the image-obsessed world of music television. (It’s the Golden Age of MTV!) But as her career begins to flourish, she begins to feel something is amiss. The weave may just have a mind of its own…
Rotten Tomatoes: 65%
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Stars: Lena Waithe, Jay Pharoah, Kelly Rowland
Director: Justin Simien
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 103 minutes
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Through a modern lens, Interview with the Vampire may draw some head tilts and eye rolls, but the film’s immutable charisma persists because Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt play the original sexy, withholding vampires longing for human affection. The adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel isn’t quite as subtle as the source material, but it is quietly intense and brooding. Pitt plays Louis, an 18th-century Lord who recounts his 200-year life story to an eager, modern-day biographer (Christian Slater). After his family dies, Louis is prepared to end it all until an impulsive vampire Lestat (Cruise) persuades him to choose immortality. Their journey together spans centuries as gentle Louis grows apart from his violent maker, only to be drawn back in by another of Lestat’s evil ploys.
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
Genre: Horror, Drama, Romance
Stars: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt
Director: Neil Jordan
Rating: R
Runtime: 122 minutes
Superbad (2007)
Based on Seth Rogen’s and Evan Goldberg’s real high school co-dependency, Superbad is a coming-of-age high school movie that actually feels accurate to high school life. That’s why it became something of a must-see classic for the millennial generation. Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) know they’re heading separate ways after graduation, so they’re finally looking to party with their classmates just once. When their friend Fogle (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) says he’s about to score a fake ID, Seth volunteers the trio as the beer providers in order to score admission to a party and gain the affection of a girl (Emma Stone). But when Fogle’s ID turns out to be the worst fake ID of all-time and two bored police officers make it their mission to mess with the boys, things get complicated in a hurry.
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Genre: Comedy
Stars: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen
Director: Greg Mottola
Rating: R
Runtime: 113 minutes
Mud (2013)
Two boys from Arkansas (Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland) explore an island on the Mississippi River, where they unexpectedly encounter a fugitive on the run. The fugitive, Mud (Matthew McConaughey), killed a man in Texas and is being hunted by bounty hunters. But all he really cares about is reuniting with the love of his life, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). The boys agree to do all they can to protect Mud and help him find Juniper so at least he can face the end of his life a happy man.
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland
Director: Jeff Nichols
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 130 minutes
Palm Springs (2020)
Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti find themselves stuck in a time loop while attending a wedding in Palm Springs, only to have the novelty of their never-ending day together turn sour when they discover they can’t seem to escape the day or each other. The Hulu Original comedy earned praise for its clever spin on the well-worn plot device that keeps the characters living through the same day over and over again.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Genre: Comedy
Stars: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti
Director: Max Barbakow
Rating: R
Runtime: 90 minutes
Minding the Gap (2018)
Across 12 years, director Bing Liu searches for correlations between his skateboarder friends’ rocky upbringings and modern-day masculinity in his hometown of Rockford, Illinois. Bing follows 23-year-old Zack’s tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend as it deteriorates after the birth of their son, as well as with 17-year-old Keire struggling with his racial identity after the death of his father. Navigating an uncomfortable relationship between his camera, his friends, and his own past, Bing explores the gap between childhood and adulthood with alacrity.
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Genre: Documentary
Stars: N/A
Director: Bing Liu
Rating: NR
Runtime: 93 minutes
Shirley (2020)
Acclaimed horror author Shirley Jackson was famously reclusive and odd. In Shirley, we see just how much so. After moving to a small Vermont college town where her husband, Stanley, will be a professor, Stanley and Shirley offer room and board to Fred and Rose, so long as they help look after Shirley. Jackson soon finds her creative process disrupted by the new tenants and her husband’s philandering, although Rose may serve as some curious inspiration.
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg, Logan Lerman, Odessa Young
Director: Josephine Decker
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 minutes
RBG (2018)
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed an enormous legal legacy and has become a pop culture icon. In this documentary, the filmmakers explore the unique personal journey of the 84-year-old quiet warrior’s rise to the nation’s court. RBG takes a deep dive into Ginsburg’s exceptional life through personal interviews and extensive backstory.
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Genre: Documentary
Stars: Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Director: Betsy West, Julie Cohen
Rating: PG
Runtime: 96 minutes
Shoplifters (2018)
A film about a Korean family in abject poverty and their overwhelming compassion and urge to do what’s right, Shoplifters is a gut-wrenching watch. Osamu’s family must shoplift to make ends meet. After one of their typical sprees, they come across a little girl abandoned in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter her, Osamu’s wife agrees to care for her after learning her hardships are even greater than their own. She becomes one of the family, living happily together until a surprise incident reveals secrets that will test their bonds.
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Genre: Drama
Stars: Lily Franky, Sakura Andô, Maya Matsuoka
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Rating: R
Runtime: 121 minutes
Bumblebee (2018)
The Transformers franchise hasn’t exactly been known for the heart of its movies, but Bumblebee is the rare spinoff that vastly exceeds its primary source material. Autobot Bumblebee finds himself on the run from enemies in 1987, seeking refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian town. There, he’s discovered battle-scarred and broken by Charlie, a young woman looking for her place in the world. As Charlie fixes him up, believing him to be a junky old VW bug, she soon discovers that he’s no ordinary Volkswagen. Unfortunately, a number of competing interests also discover his existence, as well.
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Genre: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena
Director: Travis Knight
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 119 minutes
Diane (2018)
Diane (Mary Kay Place) puts everyone else first. She’s extremely generous, spending her days checking in on sick friends, volunteering at her local soup kitchen, and working effortlessly to save her drug-addicted adult son (Jake Lacy) from himself. But despite her relentless self-sacrifice, Diane is haunted by a past she can’t forget, which threatens to tear her world apart. Mary Kay Place is extraordinary as a woman rifling through the wreckage of her life in search of redemption.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Genre: Drama
Stars: Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Andrea Martin
Director: Kent Jones
Rating: NR
Runtime: 96 minutes
Tangerine (2015)
Shot on an iPhone, Tangerine follows working girl Sin-Dee (Kitana KiKi Rodriguez) as she gets back out on the street on Christmas Eve in Tinseltown. Hearing that her pimp boyfriend (James Ransone) wasn’t faithful during the 28 days she was in lockup, she and her best friend Alexandra embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their odyssey leads them through the various subcultures and neighborhoods of Los Angeles in the kind of rich, intimate detail you don’t often see on film. It’s just about the wackiest Christmas movie you’ll ever see.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, James Ransone, Mya Taylor
Director: Sean Baker
Rating: R
Runtime: 88 minutes
Amazing Grace (2018)
Experience Aretha Franklin in all her considerable glory in Amazing Grace. This concert film compiles footage from a 1972 performance at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Performing songs from the bestselling gospel album Amazing Grace, Franklin tears down the house in this rip-roaring film.
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Genre: Documentary, Musical
Stars: Aretha Franklin
Director: Sydney Pollack
Rating: G
Runtime: 87 minutes
The Bourne Identity (2002)
If you’re looking for a real marathon, the first three (of five) Jason Bourne movies are available on Hulu. Of course, you should start with The Bourne Identity or you might wind up feeling a little like the Jason Bourne yourself. Matt Damon plays Bourne, a man near-death who is saved by an Italian fishing boat, only to recover with complete amnesia. He has no idea who he is or where he comes from, but he intuitively has the physical and linguistic skills of an extraordinary international secret agent. Realizing somebody very clearly wanted him dead, Bourne sets out to discover who he really is and why he is still being pursued across the world by assassins.
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Genre: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Thriller
Stars: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
Director: Doug Liman
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 113 minutes
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
James Baldwin was one of the most influential writers of the late 20th century, penning numerous essays and acclaimed novels addressing issues of race at a time when racial friction seemed to be boiling over in America. Working from an unfinished Baldwin manuscript, director Raoul Peck has created I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary examining Baldwin’s views and how they apply not only to the tumults of the ’60s but to modern America as well. Samuel L. Jackson narrates, infusing the material with a husky weariness. I Am Not Your Negro leaves one with the impression that Baldwin’s work has never been finished, and never been more important.
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Genre: Documentary
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Raoul Peck
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 93 minutes
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Before he directed Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, filmmaker Taika Waititi wrote and directed this 2016 film about a teenage troublemaker and his reluctant father figure who become the subject of a massive manhunt when they disappear into the forests of New Zealand. Julian Dennison and Sam Neill co-star in the film, which received widespread praise for its clever story and lead actors’ chemistry.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Genre: Comedy
Stars: Julian Dennison, Sam Neill
Director: Taika Waititi
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 101 minutes
Parasite (2019)
Filmmaker Bong Joon Ho’s Best Picture winner at the 92nd Academy Awards is a brutal, thought-provoking, masterfully shot thriller that explores the class divide through the experiences of a South Korean family who cons their way into working for a wealthy family whose lives couldn’t be more unlike their own. While the first act of the film is peppered with humor, the overall tone of the film is anything but — particularly after a shocking discovery turns the family’s grift into something far more sinister.
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Genre: Thriller
Stars: Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-Shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Rating: R
Runtime: 132 minutes
Booksmart (2019)
So, you worked really hard in school, avoided drugs and alcohol, didn’t go to any parties, and were rewarded by getting into the Ivy League college of your choice. Nice! You’ve got a lot in common with Booksmart‘s protagonists, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein). If you’re anything like them, however, you may be unhappy to learn that everyone else in your school also got into the Ivy League college of their choice but they partied constantly and had a great time in high school. That realization leads Amy and Molly to go out for one wild night of partying before graduation day. It may sound like a tired concept for a high-school comedy but Booksmart is anything but a run-of-the-mill teen movie. By investing in the friendship of its brilliant female leads and focusing more on questions of growing up and discovering yourself rather than sex and dating, Booksmart is a refreshing take on the teen comedy. Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut is funny, refreshingly creative, and heartwarming.
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Genre: Comedy
Stars: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams
Director: Olivia Wilde
Rating: R
Runtime: 102 minutes
The Sisters Brothers (2018)
Since the failure of big-budget westerns like 2013’s The Lone Ranger and 2011’s Cowboys & Aliens, Hollywood’s seemed apprehensive about putting much money into westerns. As a result, the westerns we do get are usually outside the proverbial box. The Sisters Brothers is a great example, starring Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly as two unlikely guns-for-hire during the gold rush era. Everything you expect in a western happens in The Sisters Brothers, just not quite the way you expect them. Director Jacques Audiard, for example, sometimes chooses to stage gunfights in almost complete darkness, with only the sounds and flashes letting us know they’re happening. This unpredictable and sullen comedy plays with western tropes and delivers an experience unique to the genre.
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Genre: Drama, Western
Stars: John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal
Director: Jacques Audiard
Rating: R
Runtime: 122 minutes
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Winner of the Palme d’Or, the Cannes Film Festival’s highest honor, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is considered a modern masterpiece of period cinema. In 1760 France, young Marianne is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the convent and become reluctantly betrothed. A methodical portraitist, Marianne arrives under the guise of companionship, observing Héloïse by day and secretly painting her by night. But as the two women spend more time together, an attraction grows as they revel in Héloïse’s first — and last — moments of freedom as she transfers from the convent to an unwilling marriage. As Marianne works, the portrait takes on greater meaning, symbolizing the two women’s collaboration and forbidden love for one another.
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Stars: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luana Bajrami
Director: Céline Sciamma
Rating: R
Runtime: 119 minutes
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years (2016)
Music documentaries, especially ones discussing The Beatles, are a dime a dozen. Yet few documentaries ever have the acclaimed Ron Howard at the helm, especially one that does away with the conventional through-the-years filmography. Instead, Howard decided to focus more on the early days of the infamous rock band, gazing more so at their rise into fame and the ingredients to their immediate success. The Beatles: Eight Days a Week is a music lover’s go-to, offering the best sound and live performance experiences while also delivering interesting tidbits on the nature of The Beatles’ rise to stardom.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Genre: Documentary, Music
Stars: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Ed Sullivan
Director: Ron Howard
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 306 minutes
If Beale Street Could Talk (2019)
If Beale Street Could Talk takes you to early-1970s Harlem and introduces you to 19-year-old Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne). Tish is a daughter and soon-to-be wife to her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by Fonny (Stephan James). Friends since childhood, their unbreakable bond has flourished together, and they dream of a bright, beautiful future. But when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit, their love is tested by an unforgiving and racially biased world.
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Stars: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King
Director: Barry Jenkins
Rating: R
Runtime: 117 minutes
Big Time Adolescence (2019)
This Hulu original follows a bright, mostly innocent 16-year old named Mo (Griffin Gluck) as he attempts to navigate high school. Fortunately, he has the guidance of his best friend, charismatic college dropout Zeke (Pete Davidson). Zeke genuinely cares about Mo, but as he shares the untraditional life lessons he’s learned in drug dealing, partying, and dating, things go a little off the rails in Mo’s life. Meanwhile, Mo’s dad (Jon Cryer) tries to take back the reins.
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Pete Davidson, Griffin Gluck
Director: Jason Orley
Rating: R
Runtime: 90 minutes
Fighting with My Family (2018)
Based on the true story of WWE Superstar Paige, Fighting with My Family is one of the more unusual heartwarming comedies of recent years. Directed by comedy legend Stephen Merchant, this film centers on a tight-knit wrestling family. Paige and her brother Zak are over the moon when they get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she has to leave her family and face this cutthroat world on her own. Her journey pushes her to fight for her family and ultimately prove that devotion is precisely what can make her a star.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Dwayne Johnson
Director: Stephen Merchant
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 107 minutes
I, Tonya (2017)
Tonya Harding is one of the most notorious figures in sports history. Once a shining star in the world of figure skating, she transformed into a villain after her ex-husband and bodyguard conspired to injure her rival, Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), a conspiracy many believed Harding had a hand in. I, Tonya follows Harding (Margot Robbie) from her sad childhood to her rise as a figure skater, to her eventual fall.
What elevates the film above most biopics, however, is its willingness to play with reality; I, Tonya filters events through the perspectives of its characters, leaving the audience questioning whether Harding is simply a misunderstood person with some flaws or a devious villain. Robbie’s standout performance — and that of Allison Janney, who plays Harding’s mother — is the foundation that supports the entire endeavor.
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, Sport
Stars: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janey
Director: Craig Gillespie
Rating: R
Runtime: 119 minutes
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
The How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is truly rare in that all three movies are certified hits. The final entry in the series, Hidden World finds Hiccup as the chief and ruler of dragon utopia Berk, alongside Astrid. But the sudden appearance of a female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, forcing Hiccup and Toothless to journey to a hidden world that was thought only to exist in myth. Fighting together to the ends of the Earth, Hiccup and Toothless discover where their true destinies lie and must go further than they ever have to protect everything they love.
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Genre: Animation, Family, Action & Adventure
Stars: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett
Director: Dean DeBlois
Rating: PG
Runtime: 110 minutes
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
The directorial debut of Boots Riley (perhaps better known as the frontman of the hip-hop band The Coup), Sorry to Bother You is a madcap satire of 21st-century capitalism, a film that tosses realism out the window within the first 10 minutes or so. The movie follows Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield), a sad-sack guy who, desperate for money, gets a job as a telemarketer at a grimy office (he lies about his previous work experience, which his interviewer considers a positive). Cassius struggles to make sales, so an older coworker (Danny Glover) gives him some advice, telling him to use a “white voice.” After using a white voice (David Cross), Cassius suddenly starts racking up sales and soon gets a promotion to the esteemed position of Power Caller. As he climbs the corporate ladder, however, Cassius risks losing his soul to the relentless machine of marketing. Sorry to Bother You makes uses of some bonkers visuals to accompany its eccentric premise, such as an early sequence in which Cassius, as he calls customers, literally drops into their houses, snapping back to the office when they hang up.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Stars: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler
Director: Boots Riley
Rating: R
Runtime: 112 minutes
Knocked Up (2007)
One of Judd Apatow’s finest works, Knocked Up carries almost as much emotional weight as it does comedic weight. Career-oriented entertainment journalist Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is a little too dedicated to her work, so her sister convinces her to let loose for one night. Unfortunately, that one night gets a little out of hand and Alison sleeps with slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogen). Not only is she embarrassingly out of his league, but the tryst also results in an unplanned pregnancy. Rather than raise the baby on her own, Alison gives Ben a chance to prove he’s father material and give this relationship a real shot.
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Stars: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd
Director: Judd Apatow
Rating: R
Runtime: 129 minutes
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Beloved more so for its humor than its fear, The Cabin in the Woods is unlike any horror film ever conceived. Drew Goddard does away with convention, instead lightening up the mood with an array of comic relief, delivered best by Curt Vaughn (Chris Hemsworth) and Marty Mikalski (Fran Kranz). It’s like the live-action version of Until Dawn, with an added layer of thrilling intrigue, as not everything is as it may seem. Join five college students in a night of unrelenting terror, as each one falls to the deathly secrets of this mysterious cabin in the woods.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Stars: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams
Director: Drew Goddard
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 minutes
Rocketman (2019)
Retelling the wild and music-filled life of Sir Elton John, Rocketman captures in great detail the journey of a British artist’s slow but sure claim to fame. Taron Egerton, known best for his role in Kingsman: The Secret Service, plays the titular musician on a road of discovery filled with its fair share of young love and substance abuse. It’s one of the best musician movies, examining the singer’s life with immense accuracy and heartbreaking detail. Joining Hulu in late May, Rocketman is the perfect companion piece for all fans of Elton John to experience his ascension not only into stardom but into his truest self.
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Genre: Biopic, Drama
Stars: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Rating: R
Runtime: 121 minutes
Raging Bull (1980)
Some may say Raging Bull is the crown jewel in the shared crown of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. Some may say it’s just too dang hard to watch. This biopic follows Jake LaMotta (De Niro), a middleweight boxer from the Bronx rising through the ranks to earn his first shot at the title belt. But as he obsessively pursues his boxing dreams, his inability to connect with the woman he loves and express the physical and mental toll the sport takes on him begins to take over his life and spawn something brutal in the ring. Raging Bull is Rocky in reverse. While Balboa rises through sacrifice and tragedy, LaMotta is completely overcome by the violence that rules his life, crashing and burning in glorious spectacle.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Genre: Drama, Biography
Stars: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci
Director: Martin Scorsese
Rating: R
Runtime: 128 minutes
Apollo 11 (2019)
Take one giant leap into the past, wherein humankind barrelled through the nighttime sky and raced to walk on surfaces not our own. Apollo 11 tracks the star-bound adventure of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin in a moment now frozen in time. Provided via never-before-seen footage and audio recordings, Apollo 11 is the next-best equivalent of time traveling back to that very life-altering event. Experience the groundbreaking NASA exploration like never before, all within the comfort of the living room.
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Genre: Documentary, History
Stars: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins
Director: Todd Douglas Miller
Rating: G
Runtime: 93 minutes
Mission: Impossible — Fallout (2018)
Fallout has a good case for being the best entry to the Mission: Impossible franchise. Rogue Nation writer-director Christopher McQuarrie returns and continues to push the envelope in this traditionally envelope-pushing series. M:I is at its best when the world of espionage in which it exists is living just along the edge of believability, which McQuarrie has fully grasped. Thanks to Tom Cruise’s insane penchant for thrill-seeking and ability to perform death-defying stunts sans double, the most recent iterations of Mission: Impossible do just that: Expand our mind beyond what we thought possible, while grounding the story of international conspiracies and world-destroying syndicates just enough to feel plausible. While James Bond’s MI6 enjoys a level of tongue-in-cheek, Ethan Hunt’s IMF captures the imagination of an interconnected, deeply perilous world and gleefully operates in the fringes. Fallout continues to explore the villainy and influence of The Syndicate and its leader, Solomon Lane, as the IMF joins forces with the CIA to prevent a global catastrophe. It’s as good as spy movies get.
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Stars: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 147 minutes
Akira (1988)
The seminal anime film Akira has had a huge impact on sci-fi since its release, but despite how many films and video games have drawn on Akira for inspiration, the movie itself still feels fresh. The film begins in Neo-Tokyo circa 2019, decades after the start of World War III. Far below the towering skyscrapers, gangs of motorcycle-riding youths fight in the streets. A leather-clad hotshot named Kaneda leads a gang called the Capsules. While evading the police, Kaneda’s comrade Tetsuo runs across a mysterious being with psychic powers, and after crashing his bike, ends up in the government’s custody. After enduring strange experiments, Tetsuo develops psychic powers, and a mighty ego to match. As Tetsuo’s powers grow, Kaneda must try to stop him before he destroys Tokyo. Akira is a slick action film full of striking imagery and stylish violence.
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Genre: Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Stars: Mitsuo Itawa, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama
Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo
Rating: R
Runtime: 124 minutes
The Assistant (2019)
Jane (Julia Garner) is a recent college graduate and an aspiring film producer who, to her delight, lands her dream job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment mogul. But spending one day in her life is enough to understand the abuse that comes with the job. The Assistant follows one ordinary day as Jane makes coffee, makes copies, orders lunch, takes phone messages, and more, but the insidious accumulation of degradations and abuse she encounters becomes more and more prevalent as the film continues, illuminating the depth of mistreatment inherent in the system she’s just entered.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense
Stars: Julia Garner, Matthew MacFayden, McKenzie Leigh
Director: Kitty Green
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 87 minutes
Blackfish (2013)
Though it may be heartbreaking above all else, Blackfish is a tale as necessary as it is painful to bear witness to. It tells the real-life and grueling story of Tilikum, a SeaWorld-owned orca, whose experiences speak volumes of the true nature inherent in the aquarium. Proving its immense acclaim, Blackfish was even nominated for a BAFTA for best documentary. Upon its release in 2013, it gained immediate traction, provoking SeaWorld to issue multiple responses. Despite the rebuttals, the detestable experiences of these performance whales shown in the documentary will outrage many viewers.
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Genre: Documentary
Stars: Tilikum, Samantha Berg, Dawn Brancheau
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 90 minutes
Free Solo (2018)
What can we say about Free Solo that hasn’t been said already? Filmmaker Jimmy Chin’s award-winning biopic chronicles professional climber Alex Honnold’s free solo ascent of one the most iconic slabs of granite in the world, El Capitan, as well his upbringing and van-fueled life outside the wall. It’s a harrowing portrait, one lined with vertigo-inducing shots and candid conversations about life and death, told through the lens of a 33-year-old who wants nothing more than to summit a 3,000-foot cliff with no ropes or safety harness. The footage of the climb itself — from the route planning to the actual execution — is mesmerizing, but it’s the film’s blunt examination of Honnold’s mind and motives that takes it to new heights.
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Genre: Documentary, Adventure, Sport
Stars: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Jimmy Chin
Director: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 100 minutes
Fast Color (2018)
Superhero movies aren’t particularly rare these days, but what you can’t find in every multiplex is a superhero story that is more about the person than the spectacle their powers make possible. Fast Color is a brilliant exception. The film’s hero is Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) — a young woman whose emerging powers have her on the run in a not-too-distant future of climate change and resource scarcity. Ruth is desperately trying to figure out how to control her new abilities, as well as escape the government agents pursuing her, while at the same time trying to reconnect with her estranged family. Rather than fighting off alien invasions or saving the world from cackling terrorists, Fast Color gives us a superhero who is ultimately fighting the same difficult battle we’re all locked in — being a person in the world.
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Stars: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Strathairn, Lorraine Toussaint
Director: Julia Hart
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 100 minutes
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Plenty of Star Trek fans will still tell you none of the 11 Trek films that followed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan has surpassed the first follow-up to 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Ricardo Montalban reprises the role he played in an episode of the TV series — Khan, a genetically enhanced tyrant from the late 20th century. Obsessed with getting revenge on James Kirk (William Shatner), Khan ambushes the Enterprise and ultimately forces one of the original series crew to sacrifice himself for the good of the ship. Perhaps the best reason to watch The Wrath of Khan is the starship battles that at times — despite the futuristic setting — feel as tense and suspenseful as the naval warfare of Wolfgang Petersen’s Das Boot.
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Rating: PG
Runtime: 113 minutes
Creed II (2018)
Fans were not happy when they learned Ryan Coogler — director of 2015’s Creed — would not be returning for the sequel, but Steven Caple Jr. directs a worthy follow-up with Creed II. The sequel fuses elements of earlier Rocky films, pitting Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) as the new heavyweight champ against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), the son of the man who beat his father to death in 1985’s Rocky IV. Jordan is once again stellar as the boxer wrestling with his inner demons as hard as he trades blows in the ring. With all the ups and downs of any good Rockyflick, Creed II delivers an old story in fresh, new clothing.
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Genre: Drama, Sport
Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 130 minutes
Prisoners (2013)
Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners asks: How far would you go to protect your child? For Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), it’s pretty darn far. When his six-year-old daughter, Anna, and her friend vanish without a trace, Keller is wracked with fear of the worst. The only lead the police have is an old RV that was parked on the street near where the girls were playing. The head of the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), arrests the driver (Paul Dano), but lacks the evidence needed to hold him at the station. Although Loki strongly suspects the driver, he has no choice but to let his only suspect go. With the clock ticking, Keller realizes that the system may not be able to save his daughter, so he takes matters into his own hands.
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Viola Davis
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Rating: R
Runtime: 153 minutes
Coherence (2013)
In Coherence, a dinner party turns bizarre after a passing comet messes with reality. Concerned more with dialogue than special effects, Coherence is the directorial debut of James Ward Byrkit. The plot works best if you don’t know much about what happens going in, but suffice to say the turn of events caused by the comet forces the characters to take hard looks at their choices and how they’ve been defined by them. It can get heavy with the quantum physics talk, but Coherence is nonetheless a sci-fi thriller that uses the genre to explore character rather than for the sake of spectacle.
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Stars: Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon
Director: James Ward Byrkit
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 89 minutes
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