What’s New to Stream on Hulu for August 2022

Crossing the Streams is our look at all the offerings hitting the big streaming services each month, and this time we’re checking out what’s new on Hulu for August 2022, including the new Predator film Prey, new Hulu Originals, and more!

Hulu Pick of the Month for August 2022

The seven-film Predator franchise has more stinkers than winners, but there’s some joy at least in all of them, thanks to the title character. Predators are just cool, period. And now, finally, one of the sequels is cool too. Prey (premieres August 5th) is a prequel of sorts with its 18th-century setting and Predator vs Comanche action, and while it stumbles at times (my full review here), there’s more than enough to love starting with a great lead performance by Amber Midthunder. She captivates as a young woman hoping to prove her hunting skills, only to find herself targeted by a powerful alien being. Like protagonists before her, she quickly realizes it’s not brute strength that defeats the hunter. It’s brains and courage. Beautiful cinematography and creative action beats make for a good time. Just be sure to watch it with the Comanche language option turned on!

And… Action!

Looking to keep the action high of Prey going? Here are three options delivering a variety of action beats. First up is American Assassin (2017), a better-than-expected adaptation of a Vince Flynn bestseller starring Dylan O’Brien as a man seeking revenge against the terrorists who killed his girlfriend. O’Brien is great at capturing the physicality of action scenes, and the film manages some solid set-pieces and shootouts. Also, Michael Keaton is along for the ride, and that’s never a bad thing. (Unless it’s in a Batgirl movie that’s been shelved away, never to be seen by anyone.)

The late, great Tony Scott gifted us with several bangers before his death, and for many people, the top of the list belongs to Man on Fire (2004). I’m more of a Crimson Tide man myself, but there’s no denying the solid thrills and character beats that can be found here. Denzel Washington plays a man hired to protect a young girl (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City, and things soon turn the area into a dramatic bloodbath. There are some great beats here alongside a strong supporting cast including Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Mickey Rourke, Giancarlo Giannini, and more. Fans should seek out the 1987 version starring Scott Glenn in the Washington role as it’s a solid little film as well.

I’m not exactly a fan of James McTeigue’s Ninja Assassin (2009) as it’s a messy, CG, blood-filled ride, but it has its charms in some of the action scenes. It’s a modern-day tale about a young man who goes head to shuriken against an army of ninjas, and at under 100 minutes, it’s a fairly fast watch. Pop sensation (at the time) Rain stars in the lead role, and what he lacks in acting ability he makes up for in, well, he doesn’t come across as physically incompetent, so that’s something.

Funny People at Their Funniest

It should still impress the hell out of you that 1974 saw the release of not one but two undeniable comedy classics, and both came from the minds of Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. Young Frankenstein is its own mad genius, but it’s Blazing Saddles (1974) we’re here to celebrate today. It’s an all-timer across the board, with more laughs per minute than most comedies manage in their entirety. Wilder co-stars alongside Cleavon Little as a pair of cowboys who reluctantly join forces to clean up their town. Slim Pickens, Harvey Korman, and the great Madeline Kahn star alongside many other familiar faces, and all of them are on a mission to make you laugh. It’s a glorious, carefree, and hilarious movie.

Bill Murray’s filmography is filled with gems meaning everyone you know could have a different favorite, but for my money, it’s Groundhog Day (1993) that takes the crown. The late, great Harold Ramis directs/co-writes a film that manages to be far more than you’re expecting. It’s very funny, surprisingly emotional, and a highly entertaining take on a fantastical sci-fi premise (that’s been copied relentlessly in the years since). It also features Murray’s best performance as he balances his dry humor with a slowly warming heart that’s far more convincing than the slightly similar path he takes in 1988’s Scrooged.

Mike Myers is destined to always be remembered for two franchises, the animated Shrek films and the spy spoof trilogy of Austin Powers movies. I’m an admitted sucker for the latter, but nestled in the shadows is a tremendously funny film that sees Myers playing a “normal” guy. So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) is a delightful romantic comedy that sees Myers as an offbeat poet who begins to suspect his new wife might be a serial killer. The poems are great fun, as is the film itself, as it manages laughs and suspense along the way.

I’m probably in the minority here, but The Wedding Singer (1998) is still Adam Sandler’s best and funniest comedy. To be fair, I’m not the biggest fan of his usual movies, but this one bucks the trend by being both very funny and legitimately sweet — the ideal combination for a romantic comedy! Drew Barrymore co-stars alongside him, and the two show great chemistry to the point they would later team up again for 50 First Dates (2004) and Blended (2014). This remains their peak, though, and as a movie that holds up on rewatches, it’s one you should add to your Hulu queue this month for some night where you just want to relax with something nice.

They’re Big Now, But Where Were They When?

Keke Palmer is currently tearing up screens and finding new fans in Jordan Peele’s Nope, and it’s a much-deserved rise. It’s far from her debut, though, so new fans owe it to themselves and her to look backward at the great work she’s been putting in for years. Akeelah and the Bee (2006) sees a young, thirteen-year-old Palmer in the title role as a kid from Los Angeles hoping to land a spot in the National Spelling Bee. She finds the right blend of youthful precociousness, dramatic chops, and charm to deliver a character you can’t help but pump your fists for despite the deceptively low stakes of it all.

Brendan Fraser is also making it big these days — both for co-starring in Batgirl only to see Warner’s can it and for playing a very large man in the upcoming Darren Aronofsky film, The Whale. He has a few films in post-production, meaning this could be the biggest year for him since he reigned in the 90s with comedies and Mummy movies. Blast from the Past (1999) is just that, and while it’s not among his best of the decade, it does showcase his charms as a leading man. He plays a young man who exits a fallout shelter only to realize the world never ended in his thirty-five-year absence. Alicia Silverstone is the woman who nabs his heart, and they’re joined by Stephen King alums Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek. It’s a sweet little film.

The Complete Hulu List for August 2022

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