Yes, Hulu offers a ton of TV shows, but don’t overlook Hulu Movies. For everyone who wants to make the most of their monthly membership, we’ve got seven new movies on Hulu that you should watch (or rewatch) before Hulu announces they’re on their way out.
Consider this an addition to our huge list of the best movies on Hulu, as this pulls in some of the best new movies on Hulu from the past month.
And as always, we back our choices here with the critical consensus it provides Rotten tomatoes (Opens in a new tab) aggregation site. Each of these films has a score of 90% and above (essentially all A films). With these movies, Hulu helps keep up with the rest of the best streaming services.
So, scroll down to check out what makes it so great, and then watch it with your Hulu subscription. (Opens in a new tab)
All of the movies below hit Hulu on March 1, 2023.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Guillermo Del Toro’s fantastic The Shape of Water surprised many, and although it led to some awkward jokes about interbreeding, it’s a genuinely honest movie. In it, we meet Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute woman, who lives a quiet and mostly reclusive life, working as a custodian at a top-secret facility. There, she finally finds someone she sympathizes with, a captive being (Doug Jones) who appears to be part fish and part human.
Realizing that she must save him in order to keep their relationship going, Elisa investigates how he can save her and not get caught. Visually stunning, as if a tale is brought to life, and just as emotionally powerful, The Shape of Life is a gem you may have missed in cinema that you shouldn’t sleep on.
Type: Drama / Fantasy / Romance
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
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The City (2010)
The first of three excellent crime films on this list, The Town put Ben Affleck back in the director’s chair in a big way. Life becomes very complicated for Doug (Affleck), the leader of a gang of Boston bank robbers who survives because of his lack of attachments — except for the love of his brother James (Jeremy Renner). Of course, things go wrong when Doug falls in love with Claire (Rebecca Hall), a former hostage James once took.
Doug must now decide if he wants to get out of the underworld he has built for himself, and if he is willing to put her in danger to do so. Critics praised Affleck and Hall’s chemistry to make the film – which could have flopped in different hands -.
Type: crime drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
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The Departed (2006)
Casting Jack Nicholson as crime lord and Alec Baldwin as chief of police doesn’t exactly break new ground, but The Departed isn’t so much about reinventing the wheel as it is about polishing it.
Here, we follow cops and criminals, like sharks and modern planes, as each plants a mole inside the other’s squads. Next officer Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), for example, is undercover and trying to make friends with mob boss Frank Costello (Nicholson). The big question is can he get the details he needs before a con man named Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) burrows deep into the system to learn Costigan is a rat?
Tight and tense until the last minute, The Departed is filled with unforgettable quotes and perfect shots.
Type: crime drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
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LA Confidential (1997)
Yeah, we’ll get it out of the way: some won’t want to watch a noir where Kevin Spacey plays gum. We don’t blame these people. But who can? Curtis Hanson’s LA Confidential remains the same perfectly paced drama as it was on the big screen.
Detective Lt. Exley (Guy Pearce) is intent on bringing justice to his dead father (also a cop), and he’s willing to alienate the rest of the force in the process. As he pulls on strings of lies in Los Angeles, Exley uncovers strings linked to another officer (Russell Crowe), and we learn that Sergeant Vincennes (Spacey) has been erroneously distributing information to the press.
A compelling mystery flick that lets audiences feel smart over popcorn, LA Confidential has been heralded as an instant classic.
Type: drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
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This is something you do! (1996)
The ’90s revival of Beatlemania hit the silver screen in Tom Hanks’ directorial debut. That Thing You Do! , also the first film he wrote, features a Beatles-like band called The Wonders, and follows their success. And it all starts when band members Jimmy (Jonathon Shayk) and Lenny (Steve Zahn) need a new drummer, and they pull on Jay (Tom Everett Scott), whose original song helps propel the band up the industry ladder. They soon meet Mr. White (Hanks), who manages them, and they even add Jimmy’s girlfriend Faye (Liv Tyler) to the traveling circus to help with the wardrobe.
While this thing you do! Not particularly breaking any new ground, it won over critics with its sheer amount of charm and warmth. A fun watch on a night when you don’t want to get too deep.
Type: Comedy drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
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Groundhog Day (1993)
If you’ve seen Palm Springs (one of the best movies on Hulu), but haven’t seen the movie that laid the foundation for it and every other time-loop comedy, it’s time to get that right. Groundhog Day (which we’ll rewatch again and again), gets points for its inventive plot, as weatherman Phil (Bill Murray) becomes even more miserable as forces outside his control cause him to relive the day he covers of the annual events. The moment Punxsutawney Phil groundhog pokes (or doesn’t poke) his head out of the ground.
One of director Harold Ramis’ finest films, the dark premise of Groundhog Day is grounded in charm and humor. While this movie can veer into cliches and draw on classic cinema history, Murray’s version of the Scrooge character is all his own.
Type: comedy
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
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Glory (1989)
Recently spotted on HBO Max, Glory makes this list of the best new movies to Hulu, winning high praise for offering a fresh angle on the American Civil War. Here, we meet the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first black combat units in the Union Army.
As Kevin Jarre’s script introduces the group via the unit’s white commander, Col. Robert Goldshaw (Matthew Broderick), Denzel Washington shines a strong spotlight. He deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Private Silas Trip, a runaway slave recruit.
Type: War drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Stream it Hulu (Opens in a new tab)
