TheHulustreaming service is known largely for its wide selection of television programs, but it also boasts a healthy film library as well. The film selection is one of the best available on streaming, although Hulu only has about a third of the number of films that Netflix offers. What Hulu lacks in quantity, however, it makes up in quality. Hulu offers a strong selection of modern blockbusters and Oscar nominees, including severalBest Picture winners.
Hulu is owned by Disney, so in addition to a wide selection of television programming from ABC and FX, they offer several film classics from the Fox library as well. Most of those films are hits from 1980 to the present and represent the best of the modern Fox era. Hulu has also scored streaming deals with both Warner Bros. and Universal, allowing some of their better films to stream on the service as well. We’ve collected a few of the best films that are currently available to stream on Hulu, ranked in no particular order.
Updated on March 31st, 2024 by Soniya Hinduja:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
20Poor Things (2023)
Poor Things
Poor Things is a sci-fi romance film from The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos. The story focuses on the bizarre and fantastical world of Bella Baxter after a scientist named Dr. Godwin Baxter brings her back to life. The film is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray.
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Set in Victorian London,Poor Thingscenters around Bella Baxter, a young woman with the brain of a child living in the care of an eccentric surgeon named Godwin Baxter. Godwin found a pregnant Bella under a bridge and performed an unconventional brain transplant upon her. After Max McCandles becomes Godwin’s assistant, Bella and Max plan to get married. But before that, Bella runs off with a lawyer on an odyssey of self-discovery, where she discovers identity, prejudice, liberation, sadness, and equality.
A Bold and Subversive Comedy
Director Yorgos Lanthimos pairs lavish elements of a period drama with a fantastical sci-fi lens. An Oscar winning turn from Emma Stone as thecomplex, defiant, and charming Bellaleads the entire narrative in bold and stunning directions. The supporting cast, which comprises Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, and Mark Ruffalo prove themselves vital to making the movie more astonishing. With visuals so grand and complex at the same time, costumes so gorgeous, and a conclusion so satisfying, the movie’s subtly unnerving and thought-provoking world unwinds itself at a genuinely remarkable pace.
19Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
Anatomy of a Fall
A French legal drama from director Justine Triet,Anatomy of a Fallbegins with an unassuming plot. Against the backdrop of an isolated mountain chalet near Grenoble, we witness an acclaimed novelist, Sandra Voyter, having to reschedule her interview with a university student after her husband, Samuel Maleski, starts playing loud music in the attic. Their visually impaired son, Daniel, who returns from a walk shortly after, discovers Samuel’s body fallen out from the attic window. With Sandra a suspect in mother, a long and excruciating trial begins.
A Deeply Unnerving Procedural Drama
Anatomy of a Fallis as much a courtroom drama as a measured psychological deconstruction of a marriage and a person’s subconscious. The film stars Sandra Hüller as the main character. Her calm, emotional, expressive, but calculated performance adds texture to the narrative. Equally brilliant stars like Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Antoine Reinartz, and Messi, who plays the dog Snoop, anchor the intimate setting and build the kind of tension that puts subtle cracks in every scene. Although delicate in execution, the movie has an impact that lingers so long that it has the audiences questioning their own perception of the truth.
18Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters
InGhostbusters, Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz and Egon Spengler are three paranormal researchers who lose their respective university jobs in New York City and are forced to reorder their lives. Still devoted to parapsychology, they decide to start a ghost-catching business of their own and call themselves Ghostbusters. During one of their investigations, they stumble upon a gateway to another dimension and learn of an impending storm of supernatural activity that could potentially consume all of New York City.
An Iconic Comedy
Ghostbustersis acomedy classic that boasts a hilarious premiseas well as moments of genuine paranormal chills. With a screenplay written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and under the direction of Ivan Reitman, the movie fleshes out incredible monster designs, ahead-of-their-time gadgets, and a brilliant NYC setting that gives it endurance and high rewatch value. The vibrant performances from Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis are key to the movie’s humor and thrills. Overall,Ghostbustersis a perfect, quotable, and comedic comfort watch.
17Dune (2021)
Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name gets a two-partadaptation at the hands of Denis Villeneuve. The sci-fi epic is set in a distant future, where Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a destiny that’s far beyond his understanding, arrives on the most dangerous planet in the universe – Arrakis. However, war soon breaks out and his Duke Leto Atreides, falls. As more malevolent forces engage in conflict over the isolated planet’s exclusive and coveted supply of a resource, “spice,” only the fearless will survive.
Visually Stunning Sci-Fi Epic
Villeneuve, who is known for directing large-scale sci-fi masterpieces likeArrivalandBlade Runner 2049, brings his trademark skill and paints vistas that are equal parts fascinating and terrifying.Dunehas superb casting too. While Timothée Chalamet embodies Paul’s journey of becoming with ease, it is Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, and Zendaya who lend phenomenal support. While only part one, the movie established an epic scope and thrilled fans of intricate sci-fi world building. The spectacular entry was followed by a sequel, which is a must-watch as well.
16Predator (1987)
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, and the late, great Carl Weathers,Predatoris an action classic loaded with literal heavy hitters. And, thankfully, the quote-laden script never lets them down. The narrative follows a squad of commandos as they enter the jungle of Central America in pursuit of a gun-running team. Too bad they’ll find someone else, too. Or, rather, he’ll find them.
A Top-Five Actioner
Even just standing on its own, John McTiernan’s sci-fi actioner is one of the best entries in either genre. But, the film’s expertly-crafted assembly is even more impressive when one considers that just one year prior the director was helmingDie Hard. In other words, one individual was responsible for what could easily be called the two best action films of all time in just as many years.
15Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Featuring a star-studded cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie,Once Upon a Time… in Hollywoodtakes you to 1969, Los Angeles, where fading actor Rick Dalton and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth navigate an industry they hardly recognize anymore. While Booth struggles to find work, Dalton tries to remain relevant by befriending the spellbinding enigma that is his new neighbor – actress Sharon Tate.
Tarantino’s Love Letter to His Industry
The movie is writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature, and its essence lies in bidding adieu to a bygone Hollywood golden era. The multi-layered storyline moves at an intoxicating pace, and we see glimpses of nostalgia and celebration of friendship through the eyes of DiCaprio and Pitt, who are pure excellence alongside Margot Robbie’s Tate. The film received massive praise forbeing deeply personaland thoroughly entertaining.
14Self Reliance (2023)
Self Reliance
A wildly impressive directorial debut for Jake Johnson,Self Relianceis a wonderfully entertaining and consistently thought-provoking work. It’s also impeccably cast, with Johnson ably supported by the likes of Mary Holland, Natalie Morales, Anna Kendrick, and a pair of bonkers cameos from Andy Samberg. The narrative follows a man who will receive a million dollars should he be able to avoid getting murdered by a group of hunters before the clock runs out.
A Great Calling Card for Johnson as a Director
The inventiveness of the plot is an asset all its own. But, it has a twist that allows the narrative to reach emotional poignancy. Johnson’s Tommy cannot be killed if he is within arm’s length of another individual. So, perhaps, fate will make it so that he not only cleans up financially but gets over his ex, as well.
13Quiz Lady (2023)
Written by Jen D’Angelo and produced by Will Ferrell,Quiz Ladyis a light-hearted comedy that follows two sisters Anne and Jenny, who are stuck together, striving hard to pay off a debt of $80,000 that their mother owes to a loan shark. Meanwhile, using Anne’s wit and trivia knowledge and Jenny’s disastrous charm, they embark on a road trip to retrieve their kidnapped dog, Mr. Linguini.
Sandra Oh and Awkwafina’s Chemistry Is Wonderful
At its core,Quiz Ladyis the story of two ordinary women and their extraordinary moment in the spotlight. Awkwafina and Sandra Oh are a hilarious duo who bring out the high tension and heart of Jessica Yu’s premise with their signature style.The rapport they shareand the gags they deliver are a hit. That said, the movie feels fresh and timely, charming and resilient, endearing and funny.
12Rye Lane (2023)
Directed by Raine Allen-Miller in her feature directorial debut,Rye Laneis a littleLondon-set romantic comedythat proves that the genre still has a lot of stories to explore. When Yas finds Dom crying in the bathroom over his breakup with his long-term girlfriend, she accompanies him on the walk back home. The two immediately hit it off, sharing experiences and humor, with Yas opening up about her own failed relationship. From singing karaoke to breaking and entering, they do it all in one day of adventure.
Reviving the Rom-Com Genre
There are a lot of factors working in this beautiful rom-com. David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are perfectly cast as two strangers who are as complicated as they are communicative. Set in the actual Rye Lane Market, the film pops in the frame with its vivid colors and wide-angle cinematography. The script, too, is incredibly funny and delightful, with the little anecdotes and connections to films in the genre feeling as refreshing and familiar as ever. Overall, this is a modern-day movie that’s here to stay.
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11No One Will Save You (2023)
No One Will Save You
No One Will Save Youfeatures Kaitlyn Dever as Brynn Adams, a young girl who is incredibly talented but also an anxiety-ridden homebody. After experiencing several shocking instances in life, Brynn has finally found peace within the four walls of her home. But when Brynn begins hearing strange sounds at night, she realizes that her very haven is intruded by an alien and that she must fight it.
Experimental and Chilling
Shot incredibly well by writer-director Brian Duffield, the movie is the latest addition to Hulu’s wide library of science-fiction horror films. Dever is known to be stunning in every role she plays, and paired with the sparse script and fragmented editing, the movie is ariveting experience for fans of horror. With only a few words spoken in the entire runtime, this is a masterclass in the idea of show don’t tell.
