Since launching in 2007 as a television streaming app, Hulu has expanded its catalog to include documentaries, miniseries, and movies. With the content boom of the last decade, it can be easy to miss some of the best movies on Hulu. Let’s dive into some of the lesser-known titles and underrated gems available to stream. There are a plethora of good movies on Hulu — let’s examine the truly great ones hidden amongst them.
For more recommendations, check out our lists of the best movies and shows on Hulu as well as the best hidden gems on Netflix.
Summer of Soul (2021)
- Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Genre: Documentary | Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
- Cast: Dorinda Drake, Barbara Bland-Acosta, Darryl Lewis
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, best known for his hip-hop band The Roots, makes his directorial debut diving into the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. This Oscar-winning documentary presents never-before-seen footage from the huge festival that showcased Black excellence in music during the height of the Civil Rights movement. Featuring interviews with music legends like Gladys Knight and activists including Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, Summer of Soul bathes the film in a rich historical context that paints a colorful soundscape for audiences to get lost in from start to finish. Despite its accolades, this amazing documentary remains a hidden gem that more people should experience.
No One Will Save You (2023)
- Run Time: 1 hr 33 min | Genre: Horror | Director: Brian Duffield
- Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Elizabeth Kaluev, Zack Duhame
A terrifying mixture of Signs and Home Alone, No One Will Save You follows Kaitlyn Dever’s Brynn, whose home is under siege from a mysterious extra-terrestrial threat, leading to a fight for both her life and sanity. Cinematographer Aaron Morton masterfully teases the viewer as the tension builds methodically into a wild ride of a third act, with its thrilling finale beautifully juxtaposed by the rest of the movie’s tactile atmosphere. A prime example of show-don’t-tell filmmaking, No One Will Save You only has five words of dialogue throughout its entire run time, with Kaitlyn Dever excelling in the silence with a captivating lead performance. Oozing tension, No One Will Save You is certainly an underrated film from 2023. - Jake Hodges
Chevalier (2022)
- Run Time: 1 hr 47 min | Genre: History, Drama | Director: Stephen Williams
- Cast: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, Ronke Adekoluejo
Based on the true life story of French-Caribbean composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the film is as underappreciated as the subject of the story. Chevalier is an underdog story starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves) about a brilliant violinist who breaks through the barriers created to confine people of color in France by being the best at what he does. The story has similar notes as the hit musical Hamilton, which also follows a biracial prodigy who gets overlooked until he helps change the trajectory of a nation. This movie is a sleeper hit that delivers a riveting and still relevant message for all audiences.
Bad Hair (2020)
- Run Time: 1 hr 42 min | Genre: Horror, Comedy | Director: Justin Simien
- Cast: Zaria Kelley, Corinne Massiah, Elle Lorraine
Black Horror is having a renaissance with bangers like Get Out, Nope, and Candyman breaking through to wide audiences with deep messages about the human experience from a fresh perspective. Bad Hair, though lesser known, falls into the canon of films made to embody a distinctly Black issue and present it in a surreal yet prescient format that everyone can enjoy. Writer/director Justin Simien (Dear White People) mixes comedy, horror, and social commentary into a cinematic blender creating a riveting story about fighting against a society that wants to change who you are down to the roots. This underrated film also has a star-studded cast, including Lena Waithe (Master of None), Jay Pharoah (SNL), Vanessa Williams (Desperate Housewives), and James Van Der Beek (Dawson's Creek).
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Run Time: 1 hr 45 min | Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama | Director: Rupert Wyatt
- Cast: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto
This reboot prequel to the classic Planet of the Apes franchise is a refreshing new look into the origins of the ape world that Charlton Heston falls upon in the original film. A marvel of motion capture and visual effects, the film is a prime vehicle for Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings), who gives an emotional and heartfelt performance as Caesar, a chimpanzee who is the main subject of a new Alzheimer's treatment. Serkis plays opposite James Franco (The Disaster Artist) and John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun), who are given a chance to be grounded and vulnerable in ways we had yet to see. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an especially interesting watch now that audiences have gone through a worldwide pandemic and truly understand how devastating a virus can be to the human race.
Iron Mask (2019)
- Run Time: 2 hr | Genre: Action, Adventure | Director: Oleg Stepchenko
- Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Jason Flemyng
Two of action’s biggest stars, Jackie Chan (Drunken Master) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator) come together for the first time in this fantasy period piece set in the early 1700s. The story follows a Russian cartographer (Jason Flemyng) tasked with mapping the Far East, which leads him to China, where he has to contend with witches, creatures, and the Dragon King. Iron Mask has all the great martial arts and whimsical wirework you would expect in an action-adventure story set in China steeped in magic and myth while delivering a fun plot that moves quickly from one big set piece to the next.
Rye Lane (2023)
- Run Time: 1 hr 22 min | Genre: Comedy, Romance | Director: Raine Allen-Miller
- Cast: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Poppy Allen-Quarmby
The feature directorial debut from Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane is a fantastically fresh take on the romantic comedy genre following two young Black South Londoners who bond over their recent break-ups. Allen-Miller’s cinematography is wonderful and kinetic while allowing for longer contemplative shots when needed to capture the internal emotions of the characters as they bubble to the surface. David Jonsson (Industry) and Vivian Oparah (Class) are endlessly watchable and light up the screen together — their chemistry and banter are utterly delightful while feeling so naturally light. Seeing Black-led romance that allows the characters to be messy and flawed is rare and is something that should be celebrated — especially when it’s done this well.
The Valet (2022)
- Run Time: 2 hr 4 min | Genre: Comedy Romance | Director: Richard Wong
- Cast: Eugenio Derbez, Samara Weaving, Max Greenfield
The Valet elevates the well-known “Fake Relationship” trope in rom-coms that you’ve seen in movies like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Proposal, and Can't Buy Me Love by introducing a clash of cultures to the mix. The story’s focus is broader than just the romantic arc of the main characters, tackling themes of naturalization, immigration, and gentrification. But make no mistake — the two leads bring the romance! Eugenio Derbez (How to Be a Latin Lover) plays the perfect humble sweetheart to bounce off of Samara Weaving (Ready or Not), who’s giving a delightful performance as a self-involved celebrity forced to drag this loveable idiot through the crucible of Hollywood stardom.
John Dies at the End (2012)
- Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Genre: Comedy, Horror | Director: Don Coscarelli
- Cast: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti
Listen, we would never advocate for the use of drugs, but you should know that John Dies at the End is probably the closest thing we can recommend. Based on the web serial-turned-novel series by Jason Pargin, this film is a fever dream from top to bottom that features bonkers scenarios, gore, and mind-bending visuals that you have to take in with your own senses to truly appreciate. Plus, the cast is riddled with amazing character actors like Paul Giamatti (Sideways), Glynn Turman (House of Lies), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), and Clancy Brown (Starship Troopers), who go all out in every scene they're in.
Elysium (2013)
- Run Time: 1 hr 49 min | Genre: Action, Sci-Fi | Director: Neill Blomkamp
- Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley
Written and directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9), Elysium is a commentary on the division between the rich and everyone else. Like Blomkamp’s first film which was an allegory for apartheid in South Africa, this story is steeped in dystopian satire that overtly lays out the ways that capitalists rig the system in their favor and exploit the working class in inhumane ways. Though not a perfect movie, there is a lot to enjoy throughout. The action and sci-fi concepts are well executed and heavy on practical effects, and Matt Damon is charming as always as he takes you through this broken world. Overall, it’s an ambitious story with a lot to say about class structure and the way our society operates.