Hulu has been stuck in the third-place position when it comes to movie streaming behind Netflix and Amazon Prime because most people still see them strictly as a home for next-day television. They have movies too, though, and more than a few of them are gems that make Hulu a destination beyond last night’s TV shows.
The complete list of new movies and shows hitting Hulu this month — May 2020 — is below, but I wanted to highlight the best of the bunch along with several others worth seeking out.
Hulu Pick of the Month
Solar Opposites (all episodes arrive May 8th) is a new animated series, and while the punny title earns enough points for a watch it’s the presence of co-creator Justin Roiland that seals the deal. He’s half of what makes Rick and Morty (2013-2020) so damn memorable, and judging by the trailer for his latest effort some of that same sharp, rude, intergalactic comedy is present here. Here’s hoping it’s closer to that series than to something like American Dad (2005-2020) which, while I know some of you like it, is still obnoxious as hell. (And here’s also hoping we some kind of crossover between this new endeavor and Rick and Morty…)
3, 2, 1, Action!
Action movies are always a solid distraction from real world woes, and three great ones are hitting Hulu this month. The Dark Knight (2008) is the middle entry in Christopher Nolan’s epic trilogy, but even as a standalone it remains an all-timer. Roland Emmerich’s The Patriot (2000) doesn’t get the same kind of love, but it still kicks all kinds of ass with a pissed off Mel Gibson single-handedly defeating the British army after they kill his kid, burn down a church, and continue to wear bright red on the battlefield. Emmerich also delivers the action goods with Universal Soldier (1992) which pits Jean-Claude Van Damme against Dolph Lundgren as super soldiers gone rogue.
Hulu Gets Historical
I don’t know squat about Russian history, but The Great (series premiere May 15th) promises to change that with its 100% give or take an accurate look at the rise of Catherine the Great. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult appear to be having an absolute blast, and we’re all probably in good hands with writer Tony McNamara (The Favourite, 2018) pulling the strings.
Great Movies!
Look, sometimes you just want to watch a great movie. I get it. Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas (1990) certainly qualifies as it remains one of the man’s best, and even if you’ve seen it a dozen times it’s always worth watching once more. Rocketman (2019) arrives on May 22nd, and I really can’t recommend it enough. As biopics go it’s fantastic. As musicals go it’s fantastic. As movies go, well, it’s fantastic. It’s a Disaster (2012) hits Hulu starting May 15th and is a perfect flick for these crazy days we’re in as it’s about a group of friends who are stuck in their house after the city is targeted with dirty bombs. It’s the blackest of comedies and is a pure delight. And finally, after becoming my favorite horror film of 2019 way back at last year’s Sundance Film Fest, The Lodge (arrives My 5th) is finally coming home. It’s a masterclass in slow burn tension and narrative expectations, and fans of gut punch horror should seek it out immediately.
The Complete List
May 1st
Aeon Flux (2005)
Assassination Tango (2003)
Batman Begins (2005)
Billy the Kid (2013)
Bloom: Complete Season 2 (Stan)
Brick Mansions (2014)
The Conjuring (2013)
Crooked Hearts (1991)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Demolition Man (1993)
Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)
Gloria (2014)
GoodFellas (1990)
The Graduate (1967)
The Green Mile (1999)
Harry Benson: Shoot First (2016)
House of D (2005)
A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
Megamind (2010)
Men With Brooms (2002)
Molly (1999)
Monster House (2006)
Mutant Species (1995)
Pathology (2008)
The Patriot (2000)
Planet 51 (2009)
Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977)
Sands of Iwo Jima (1950)
Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)
Some Kind of Hero (1982)
Soul Food (1997)
Sprung (1997)
Strategic Air Command (1955)
Tamara (2006)
Tank Girl (1995)
Treasure Hounds (2017)
Universal Soldier (1992)
Walking Tall (1973)
The Whistle Blower (1987)
May 5th
The Lodge
Vikings: Season 6A
May 8th
Into the Dark: Delivered
Solar Opposites
Spaceship Earth (2020)
May 15th
73 Questions: Complete Season 2
Andy Explores: Complete Season 1
Beat Bobby Flay: Complete Seasons 8 and 9
Caribbean Life: Complete Season 15
Chopped: Complete Seasons 37-39
Community en Español: Complete Series
Drag Me: Complete Season 1
Epic Conversations: Complete Season 1
Fast N’ Loud: Complete Season 15
From the Test Kitchen: Complete Season 1
Gold Rush: Complete Season 8
The Great: Series Premiere
The Great Food Truck Race: Complete Seasons 8 and 9
Handcrafted: Complete Season 1
Iconic Characters: Complete Season 2
It’s a Disaster (2012)
It’s Alive with Brad: Complete Season 2
The Little Couple: Complete Seasons 13 and 14
Molly Tries: Complete Season 1
Murder in the Heartland: Complete Season 2
On the Market: Complete Season 1
Open Door: Complete Season 2
Property Brothers: Complete Seasons 12 and 13
Reverse Engineering: Complete Season 1
Street Outlaws: Complete Seasons 8 and 9
Worst Cooks in America: Complete Season 14
May 19th
Like Crazy (2011)
Trial by Fire (2019)
May 20th
Ultimate Tag: Series Premiere
May 22nd
Painter and the Thief (2020)
Premature (2020)
Rocketman (2019)
Top End Wedding (2019)
May 25th
The Tracker (2019)
May 26th
I Still Believe (2020)
May 29th
Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2020)
Ramy: Complete Season 2