Hulu always has a ton of great TV shows and movies, consistently putting it in the running for the title of best streaming service. This month is no different, with tons of new TV shows and movies on Hulu being added throughout December.
But among all those new movies are a few that stand out above the rest. These movies all score 90% “fresh” or higher on Rotten Tomatoes, including the 2018 hit Crazy Rich Asians and 2017’s Paddington 2, which is considered by many to be one of the greatest sequels ever made. You also get an Oscar-nominated film in the form of 2009's District 9, which uses an alien invasion to tell a story about apartheid in South Africa.
Ready to start watching? Here are the seven best movies new to Hulu this month.
Blue Jean
Blue Jean was a big hit at the Venice Film Festival in 2022. It won the festival’s People’s Choice Award and has since gone through its theatrical release window. Now, you can watch the critically acclaimed movie on Hulu as part of your subscription.
Blue Jean stars Rosy McEwen as Jean, a closeted gym teacher at a Newcastle secondary school. As it’s the 1980s, being out is not necessarily an option if you don’t want your entire life upended, and the film focuses not only on the struggle of Jean trying not to be outed but to also have a life within the LGBTQ+ community while trying to keep her life separate from outsiders. It’s an emotional drama well worth your time.
Streaming now on Hulu
Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians is an adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s novel of the same name, starring Constance Wu as Rachel Chu, an NYU professor and Henry Goulding as Nick, her boyfriend who turns out to be (you guessed it) crazy rich. The movie was notable when it came out because it had an all-Asian cast, which was largely praised though not without controversy, as some felt that the right Asian cultures were not appropriately represented in the movie’s casting decisions.
While that is a worthy achievement to celebrate and an important conversation to have, what sometimes gets lost is that the movie is also really good. It just works. The ensemble cast produces some incredible performances, especially from Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Sung-Young, the matriarch of Nick’s family and Rachel’s nemesis. Definitely don’t miss this movie while it’s on Hulu.
Streaming now on Hulu
District 9
District 9 is a surprisingly grounded film for a science fiction movie about aliens landing on Earth. While the sci-fi elements aren’t unimportant, the film excels as a deep examination of xenophobia and social segregation. The movie, directed by South African director Neill Blomkamp, was inspired by real events that occurred in Cape Town's District Six during apartheid.
Much like with apartheid, the humans in charge are not the good guys in District 9. Even Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), who has seemingly good intentions, is not immune from treating the aliens of District 9 poorly. District 9 is tough to watch at times, but this Best Picture nominee is a must-watch nonetheless.
Streaming now on Hulu
Juno
Starring Elliot (then Ellen) Page as Juno MacGuff, a high-schooler who unexpectedly gets pregnant after hooking up with her friend Paulie (Michael Cera). Ultimately, she decides to put the incoming baby up for adoption, landing on the couple Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman). What follows is a journey of discovery that (spoiler alert) does ultimately come to a happy end. Not to say it’s without drama, but Juno is largely a feel-good movie that will have you laughing for most of it.
Weirdly, almost all of the main cast was already known to some degree, despite the film feeling like a launching point for several of the cast members. It did undoubtedly launch Elliot Page into a whole other tier of actor though, and his performance as the titular Juno is worth the price of admission.
Streaming now on Hulu
Paddington 2
Paddington 2 was a smash success as the follow-up to 2014’s Paddington. It’s widely considered one of the best sequels ever and an incredible movie, even getting a shout-out in the Nicolas Cage film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent when Pedro Pascal’s character declares it his third favorite movie of all time. Aside from Ben Whishaw as the marmalade-loving bear, Paddington 2 stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Hugh Grant amongst many other talented actors.
There’s really nothing negative I can say about the movie. Between a talented cast, an excellent performance from Wishaw and a heartwarming story, there’s simply nothing there to dislike.
Streaming now on Hulu
Splash
One of two fairy tale movies rounding out this list, Splash is the story of a boy who is saved from drowning by a young mermaid. Years later, that same boy is now 28-year-old Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks), who owns a wholesale business in New York City. Suddenly a young woman named Madison (Daryl Hannah) appears in his life...after Allen has to pick her up from the police station for indecent exposure.
How are these two tales connected? Well, you'll have to watch Splash to find out. But don't worry, with a cast that also includes John Candy as Allen's brother Freddie and Eugene Levy as the villainous Dr. Walter Kornbluth, you'll have a great time.
Streaming now on Hulu
Ever After
I'll be honest, I have never seen Ever After. And I'd be lying if I said it's the most enticing trailer ever made. But rest assured, this adaptation of the Cinderella story is beloved by both critics and audiences.
And in a twist, Ever After isn't just a retelling of the famous fairy tale. It's also a historical fiction drama about 1500s France. Starring Drew Barrymore as Danielle de Barbarac (our "Cinderella"), the movie also features Anjelica Huston as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent (the wicked stepmother) and Dougray Scott as Prince Henry of France. But, fittingly, it's Barrymore's performance that steals the show.
Streaming now on Hulu
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