Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

3 underrated Hulu movies that are perfect to watch for the winter

Hulu continues to strike the perfect balance between prestige projects and commercial appeal. Thanks to its partnership with Neon and Searchlight Pictures, Hulu will eventually be the home to Anatomy of a Fall and Poor Things, two critically acclaimed 2023 films that received a combined 16 Oscar nominations. Hulu is also owned by Disney, meaning subscribers can watch superhero shows, like Echo, or enjoy blockbusters from 20th Century Studios like A Haunting in Venice.

But when perusing the homepage, you’ll find there are many underrated films available on Hulu. Check out these three movies on Hulu that are perfect to watch this winter. Our selections include an uncomfortable satire, a heartfelt romantic comedy, and a terrific coming-of-age film.

Recommended Videos

Force Majeure (2014)

A group of people stare at an avalanche.
TriArt Film

Over the past decade, Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund is arguably the leading voice in satires and black comedies. Östlund’s The Square and Triangle of Sadness won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, catapulting both to Oscar nominations. However, the film where Östlund gained recognition for his satirical work was 2014’s Force Majeure. Married couple Tomas (Johannes Bah Kuhnke) and Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) head to the French Alps for a skiing vacation with their young daughter, Vera (Clara Wettergren), and son Harry, (Vincent Wettergren).

While eating lunch on the outdoor deck of a restaurant, the family witnesses a controlled avalanche. Harry flees the table while Ebba stays seated to protect her kids. Luckily, the snow was just a dense fog, so no one got injured. However, a marriage might have been destroyed. Force Majeure is like witnessing a car crash. It’s painful and uncomfortable to watch, but you can’t look away.

Stream Force Majeure on Hulu.

Fire Island (2022)

Howie and Noah gather with their friends at Erin's dinner table in Fire Island.
Jeong Park/Searchlight Pictures / Hulu/Searchlight

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t relive past summers vicariously through movies. A group of queer friends head to Fire Island Pines for a weeklong vacation in Andrew Ahn’s rom-com Fire Island. Inspired by Pride and Prejudice, Fire Island follows Noah (Joel Kim Booster) and Howie (Bowen Yang), best friends who visit Fire Island looking for adventure.

Soon after their arrival, the guys meet Charlie (James Scully) and his wealthy friends, including Will (Conrad Ricamora). Noah is instantly smitten with Charlie, while Noah and Will are like oil and water. Yet, Noah and Will eventually learn they may not be so different. While romance takes center stage, Fire Island is ultimately an endearing film about friendship.

Stream Fire Island on Hulu.

Garden State (2004)

Peter Sarsgaard, Natalie Portman, and Zach Braff stand in the pouring rain in Garden State.
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) is a depressed twentysomething actor who returns to his hometown in New Jersey for his mother’s funeral. Since he was a child, Andrew has been heavily medicated on lithium and antidepressants by his psychiatrist father, Gideon (Ian Holm). While at the doctor’s office, Andrew meets Sam (Natalie Portman), a quirky girl who is also a charming pathological liar.

They form an instant connection as Andrew starts to see the world more clearly while off his medication. Backed by an excellent soundtrack, Garden State is a heartfelt directorial debut from Braff, who expertly captures the lonely and confused feelings many young professionals face while staring at adulthood.

Stream Garden State on Hulu.

Dan Girolamo
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
5 underrated movies on Netflix you need to watch in February 2025
Ryan Reynolds cuddles up next to his young daughter.

This February, television dominates the upcoming Netflix slate. After Back in Action found a home in the Netflix top 10 last month, the streamer turns its attention toward TV in the next few weeks. Before she plays Abby in The Last of Us season 2, Kaitlyn Dever headlines the brand-new series Apple Cider Vinegar. Elsewhere, the final season of Cobra Kai arrives on February 13, while Robert De Niro's Zero Day streams on February 20.
While TV might be the focus this month, Netflix continues to have one of the best vaults on the streaming market. With the addition of Warner Bros. and Paramount movies, the Netflix library is packed with underrated gems that need attention. Our movie picks for February include an emotional music documentary, a delightful rom-com, and a charming kids' adventure.

We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Avicii – I'm Tim (2024)
Avicii – I'm Tim | Official Trailer | Netflix
Tim Bergling was a shy kid from Sweden who eventually became one of the world's biggest DJs. You probably know him better by his stage name, Avicii. After entering the music space as a teenager, Avicii strapped himself on a rocket to superstardom with 2011's Levels. After that song, Avicii's life changed, for better or for worse.
Avicii — I'm Tim goes behind the scenes into the life of Tim first and foremost. From his humble beginnings to his tragic death, Avicii became one of the defining artists of his generation. The emotional documentary features interviews with friends, family, and colleagues, as they try to answer one question: Who was Tim Bergling?

Read more
3 underrated movies on Hulu you need to watch in February 2025
Kristin Stewart in the 2020 film Underwater

Hulu's movie selection for February combines prestige plays with blockbuster success. The Oscar-nominated A Real Pain is heavily featured on the streamer. Jesse Eisenberg's road-trip dramedy received two Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Kieran Culkin. Elsewhere, the biggest blockbuster on Hulu's homepage is Alien: Romulus, the latest terrifying chapter in the Alien franchise.
A Real Pain and Alien: Romulus will certainly be seen by many subscribers. However, there are numerous movies to watch that can be found on the genre pages. If you scroll carefully, you'll find a few diamonds in the rough. To save you time, here are three underrated movies to watch right now. Our picks include a quick thriller, an alien-in-the-ocean horror, and a raunchy comedy.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Underwater (2020)
Underwater | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX
Underwater channels Ridley Scott's Alien, posing the question: What if the creature were beneath the surface? Directed by William Eubank, Underwater follows a group of employees at a research and drilling facility at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Part of the facility is destroyed during an underwater earthquake.
With no escape pods left, the group — including Norah Price (Kristen Stewart), Captain Lucien (Vincent Cassel), and Paul Abel (T.J. Miller) — decides that their only chance of survival is to walk to another research base one mile across the ocean floor. Big mistake because unknown creatures terrorize the crew upon their every movement. Like Alien, the team must get creative to survive or risk a painful death.
Watch Underwater on Hulu.
Phone Booth (2002)

Colin Farrell is in the midst of a career-defining run thanks to his Oscar-nominated role in The Banshees of Inisherin and his Golden Globe-winning turn as Oz Cobb in The Penguin. Farrell's always done good work throughout his three-decade run. Phone Booth is a case in point for Farrell's early work. Farrell stars as Stu Shepard, a sleazy New York City publicist who has been unfaithful to his wife Kelly (Radha Mitchell).
While in Times Square, Stu enters a phone booth to call his mistress. A mysterious man (Kiefer Sutherland) calls the booth and forces Stu to remain inside the phone booth. Stu doesn't take this threat seriously. However, this is no laughing matter. The man holds Stu at gunpoint and tells him to obey the rules or face the consequences. Phone Booth is a brisk 81-minute nail-biter with a good cat-and-mouse dynamic between Farrell and Sutherland.
Watch Phone Booth on Hulu.
Dirty Grandpa (2016)
Dirty Grandpa (2016 Movie - Zac Efron, Robert De Niro) Official Trailer – “Get Dirty”
It's OK to laugh at stupid humor. There is a lot of lewdness, raunchiness, and stupidity in Dirty Grandpa. Not everything has to be Citizen Kane. Sometimes, watching Zac Efron and Robert De Niro embark on a hijinks-fueled road trip will suffice. Jason Kelly (Efron) is a high-strung Alabama lawyer who will soon marry his boss's Type A daughter (Julianne Hough) in one week.
Before Jason walks down the aisle, he must drive his grandfather, Richard "Dick" Kelly (De Niro), to Boca Raton, Florida. While on the road trip, Dick tricks Jason into driving them to spring break in Daytona Beach, Florida. While Dick wants to party with booze and women, Jason cannot stop thinking about his future and refuses to relax. That's where Grandpa comes in, who shows his grandson how to let loose and have a good time.
Watch Dirty Grandpa on Hulu.

Read more
3 great Hulu movies you need to stream this weekend (February 7-9)
Denzel Washington in He Got Game.

When picking selections for the weekend ahead, we don't tend to do so by year. But by a fluke of the February release schedule, all of our selections for the three great Hulu movies that you need to stream this weekend were released in theaters in 1998. And they couldn't be more different from each other.
Our first selection is a powerful father-and-son drama from director Spike Lee, while the second features one of Oprah Winfrey's performances. The final selection is a classic comedy that caused quite a stir when it was originally released, but it may seem relatively tame nearly three decades later.
Need more recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
He Got Game (1998)

Spike Lee's He Got Game is a basketball fable that allowed NBA player Ray Allen to give the performance of a lifetime as Jesus Shuttlesworth, one of the top high school basketball prospects in the country. Colleges are so eager to sign Jesus that the governor of New York briefly releases his estranged father, Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), from prison just to convince Jesus to attend the governor's alma mater.

Read more