The 60 Best Movies On Hulu Right Now (August 2022)

by admin August 23, 2022

The content available on most streaming services changes regularly, and Hulu is no exception. As such, having a handy guide for what to watch each month can be an invaluable resource. And so, without further ado, we present to you the 60 best movies on Hulu right now.

What can you expect from the Hulu catalog specifically? Well, for one, plenty of 20th Century productions, as well as films made under its specialty label, Searchlight Pictures. Ever since Disney bought Fox (which also gave the Mouse House a controlling share of Hulu), the streaming service has been the exclusive streaming destination for all 20th Century films. Hulu also has a pretty strong, albeit constantly revolving, selection of films from other studios, so there's plenty of good stuff to choose from. Given that HBO Max seems to be going through some turbulent times, Hulu currently seems to be the go-to place for the discerning viewer searching for quality movies to watch at home.

Akira

The landmark sci-fi anime "Akira" helped introduce western audiences to Japanese animation and has had a significant influence on numerous film and television series in the years since its release. Set 31 years after Tokyo was destroyed during World War III, this dystopian story revolves around teenage bike gang leader Shotaro Kaneda, whose childhood friend, Tetsuo, is taken to a government facility after a motorcycle accident. When Tetsuo develops telekinetic powers, Kaneda must try to stop him from destroying the city.

Starring: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama
Director: Katsuhiro Ohtomo
Year: 1988
Runtime: 124 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

The Act Of Killing

Joshua Oppenheimer's critically acclaimed documentary "The Act of Killing" is a unique and chillingly powerful work that reflects on the horrors of the Indonesian genocide of 1965-1966 and the way that the perpetrators of those killings have been subsequently celebrated as heroes. The film follows several former death squad leaders as they're interviewed about their role in the mass murders and willingly participate in bizarre Hollywood-style recreations of the atrocities they committed. Werner Herzog, who joined as an executive producer on the film after seeing it, said, "I have not seen a film as powerful, surreal, and frightening in at least a decade."

Starring: Anwar Congo, Jusuf Kalla
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer
Year: 2012
Runtime: 122 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Amazing Grace

Aretha Franklin is showcased in all her glory in this music documentary, which features long-lost footage of the Queen of Soul singing gospel songs at a Baptist church in Watts, Los Angeles. The live concert footage, which was shot by Warner Brothers and orchestrated by Sydney Pollack, offers viewers a front row seat to a performance by one of the greatest musical artists of our time, who's at the top of her game here. The live record recorded during this event, also called "Amazing Grace," went on to become the best-selling gospel album ever.

Starring: Aretha Franklin
Directors: Alan Elliott, Sydney Pollack (uncredited)
Year: 2018
Runtime: 87 minutes
Rating: NA
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

Another Round

When it comes to "Another Round," three words immediately come to mind: Mads Mikkelsen dancing. While there's certainly more to the movie than that, the Danish dramedy's notable final scene is an exhilarating and life affirming moment that also shows off Mikkelsen's (a former gymnast and dancer) impressive physical prowess and agility. Mikkelsen stars in the film as Martin, a middle-aged high school teacher who, along with a few colleagues, decide to spice up his stale life by maintaining a constant .05 blood alcohol level in the hopes this will help him become happier and more creative. At first, the plan seems to work, but the party can't last forever. "Another Round" won the Academy Award for best international feature in 2021.

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Lars Ranthe
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Year: 2020
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

The Assistant

Harvey Weinstein's downfall started an overdue reckoning in Hollywood, leading to a reexamination of the toxic workplace culture that allowed his predatory behavior to go unchecked. Kitty Green's quietly powerful "The Assistant" focuses on one particular part of that culture: the Hollywood assistant.

Julia Garner stars as Jane, a new assistant at an unnamed production company where the boss, an implied Weinstein-type figure, creates a culture of harassment, sleeping with aspiring young actresses and being an all-around bully. We follow Jane during a typical workday, watching as she spends her time performing menial tasks while suffering small indignities and, ultimately, being drawn into a culture of cover-ups and silence.

Starring: Julia Garner, Matthew Macfayden, Mackenzie Leigh
Director: Kitty Green
Year: 2019
Runtime: 87 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Big Trouble In Little China

John Carpenter's unabashedly fun cult classic "Big Trouble in Little China" is an in-your-face, genre-blending martial arts action-fantasy-comedy delight. Kurt Russell stars as the cocky but clueless Jack Burton, who gets drawn into Chinatown's underground and must battle an evil sorcerer named Lo Pan (James Hong) in order to save the girl and the day. Full of quotable lines, creative set pieces, '80s-riffic special effects, and plenty of action, "Big Trouble in Little China" is one of Carpenter's best.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun
Director: John Carpenter
Year: 1986
Runtime: 98 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky's films often explore intense obsessions that turn into ruin, and "Black Swan" is no exception. The psychological thriller stars Natalie Portman as Nina, a New York City ballet dancer desperate to land the coveted dual roles of the White and Black swans in Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." However, Nina becomes insecure when the director feels that another dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), better embodies the seductive Black Swan. As Nina works to perfect her routine, her desperation turns to obsession, and her grip on reality is threatened. Critics swooned over the darkly compelling "Black Swan," which was nominated for five Oscars, with Portman winning best actress.

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Year: 2010
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

The Blair Witch Project

Folk horror sensation "The Blair Witch Project" leveraged the power of viral marketing and urban legend-style folklore to eerily successful effect, becoming a touchstone within the horror genre and sparking a found-footage craze that paved the way for films such as "Paranormal Activity." Its plot revolves around a group of film students who travel to the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland in search of the fabled Blair Witch, only to get lost, disappear, and become part of the legend themselves after their footage is recovered. Among the innovative marketing strategies employed for the film were "missing" posters featuring the characters, complete with a number to call if you had information regarding their whereabouts.

Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
Year: 1999
Runtime: 87 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

Blazing Saddles

Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles'' is often cited as both one of the funniest films ever made, and a film that could never be made today. The brazen "satire of racism" parodies old Hollywood westerns and their whitewashed version of history while providing a litany of laugh out loud, if decidedly provocative, moments. Cleavon Little stars as Bart, a Black railroad worker who's appointed sheriff of the old west town of Rock Ridge by the corrupt politician Headley Lamarr (Harvey Korman). Headley's intention is to ruin the town for his own gain, but his plans are thwarted when Bart becomes popular and teams up with an alcoholic gunslinger known as "The Waco Kid" (Gene Wilder) to save the day.

Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn
Director: Mel Brooks
Year: 1974
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

Booksmart

Olivia Wilde's directorial debut, "Booksmart," is a refreshing and funny coming-of-age comedy centered around two scholarly high school girls (Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever) who decide to let loose for one night before graduating. Bolstered by stylish direction and a fun supporting cast that includes Lisa Kudrow and Jason Sudeikis, "Booksmart" puts a modern spin on a well-worn genre and proves that it's fun to watch good girls be bad.

Starring: Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, Jessica Williams
Director: Olivia Wilde
Year: 2019
Runtime: 102 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Border

Ali Abbasi's dark Swedish fantasy "Border" is a thrillingly weird ode to embracing our oddities. Eva Melander plays Tina, a unique-looking customs agent with an unusually keen sense of smell. Though she's self-conscious about her appearance, she nevertheless leads a relatively normal, if rather unfulfilling, life. However, when she meets Vore, with whom she shares a strange affinity, the two begin a friendship that will awaken in Tina the surprising truth about her own identity.

Starring: Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Viktor Åkerblom-Nilsson
Director: Ali Abbasi
Year: 2018
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Cast Away

Of all of Tom Hank's various co-stars throughout the years, one of the most memorable has to be his "Cast Away" colleague: a volleyball named Wilson. In "Cast Away," Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a FedEx employee whose cargo plane crashes in the ocean, after which he ends up stranded alone on a desert island with only a piece of sporting equipment to keep him company. Hanks was nominated for a best actor Oscar for his role, while Wilson won "best inanimate object" at the 2001 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Year: 2000
Runtime: 143 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

Dead Poets Society

Oh Captain, My Captain! Fans of Robin Williams will no doubt be familiar with his sensitive and endearing performance in "Dead Poets Society," where he plays a new English teacher at a fancy boys' prep school who helps inspire a class of tightly-wound youth to break free of their parents' expectations by encouraging them to "seize the day." The poignantly effective drama won an Oscar for best original screenplay for good reason, and helped establish the famously comedic Williams as a serious dramatic actor.

Starring: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard
Director: Peter Weir
Year: 1989
Runtime: 128 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

The Devil Wears Prada

Those who appreciate fashion, campiness, and Meryl Streep shooting off an endless string of ruthless one-liners can't go wrong with "The Devil Wears Prada." The catty comedy revolves around New York's fashion scene, starring Streep as Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, and Anne Hathaway as her new assistant Andy, a recent college graduate who may or may not survive Miranda's excessive demands and searing cut-downs. Gird your loins, because you'll never look at the color cerulean the same way again.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt
Director: David Frankel
Year: 2006
Runtime: 109 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Wes Anderson brings his signature sense of style and whimsy to this quirkily charming stop-motion animation adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic children's novel. George Clooney stars as the titular Mr. Fox, a reformed criminal who commits to a life of domesticity at the behest of his wife (Meryl Streep). But foxes will be foxes, and when Mr. Fox slips back into his thieving ways, it puts his family and friends in danger.

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Wes Anderson
Year: 2009
Runtime: 88 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Fire Island

An inventive modern-day spin on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," "Fire Island" stars Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang as Noah and Howie, two best friends who head to the titular gay vacation destination on a quest for some summer fun. Once there, they meet a group of rich friends, including Charlie, a doctor, and Will, a lawyer. While Noah had been focused on helping Howie get laid, he ends up attracted to Will. Featuring a diverse, eclectic cast of characters, "Fire Island" touches on various forms of prejudice, including classism and racism, with both humor and heart.

Starring: Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho.
Director: Andrew Ahn
Year: 2022
Runtime: 105 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Flee

Director Jonas Poher Rasmussen's groundbreaking animated documentary, "Flee," made Oscar history by becoming the first feature film to be nominated for Academy Awards for best animated feature, best international film, and best documentary feature. The film is mainly told via an animated recreation of a first-person account from Amin Nawabi (a pseudonym), who talks about his incredible experience fleeing Afghanistan as a child. Now that he's an adult, Amin's story, which had remained a secret, could threaten the life he has built together with his boyfriend, Kasper. Full of joy, pain, and self-discovery, "Flee" is a poignant, timely tale that powerfully humanizes the refugee experience.

Starring: Daniel Karimyar, Milad Eskandari, Elaha Faiz
Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
Year: 2021
Runtime: 83 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

Good Luck To You, Leo Grande

Women deserve good sex no matter what age they happen to be, and thus should appreciate the many charms of "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande," in which Emma Thompson plays a repressed, widowed, middle-aged woman, Nancy Stokes, who decides to hire a sex worker for precisely that. Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack) is the charismatic and attractive young man who shows up at her hotel, ready to please. But, as the two learn more about each other, they may forge an unexpected emotional connection in addition to a physical one.

Starring: Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack, Isabella Laughland
Director: Sophie Hyde
Year: 2022
Runtime: 97 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Ghostbusters

They ain't afraid of no ghosts! The classic supernatural comedy "Ghostbusters" spawned an enduring and beloved franchise, delighting kids and adults alike with its tale about a group of paranormal exterminators who must rid New York City of spirits and demons using their self-styled proton packs and, of course, their charm. Led by Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), the so-called "Ghostbusters" are ridiculed at first, but soon become indispensable when Venkman's girlfriend, Dana (Sigourney Weaver), becomes possessed by a demigod named Zuul. And then there's the giant Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, but that would take too long to explain.

Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Harold Ramis
Director: Ivan Reitman
Year: 1984
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Groundhog Day

Everybody's favorite trapped-in-a-time-loop comedy, "Groundhog Day" is so good that you'll want to watch it again and again. Bill Murray stars as Phil Connors, a TV weatherman who becomes stuck reliving the same day repeatedly while covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. As he figures out how to live in this new reality, Phil eventually realizes that he's in love with his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell). By the time he escapes, he may even learn to evolve as a person, too.

Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliot
Director: Harold Ramis
Year: 1993
Runtime: 96 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Honeyland

"Honeyland" is a beautifully-rendered, intimate, and moving documentary that offers a glimpse into a fading way of life through the eyes of Europe's last female beekeeper. Hatidzhe lives with her ailing mother in rural Macedonia, eking out a basic existence by carefully collecting honey that she cultivates via ancient techniques. However, when a nomadic family encroaches on her livelihood, Hatidzhe must work to save the local bee ecosystem from their careless actions. It's a story that you won't soon forget.

Starring: Hatidzhe Muratova, Nazife Muratova, Hussein Sam
Directors: Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska
Year: 2019
Runtime: 85 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

Hot Fuzz

In 2007, British actor, writer, and comedian Simon Pegg re-teamed with his "Shaun of the Dead" compatriots, director and co-writer Edgar Wright and co-star Nick Frost, for another hilarious send-up, "Hot Fuzz." Where "Shaun of the Dead" brilliantly spoofed zombie movies, "Hot Fuzz" does the same for action flicks and buddy cop films. Pegg plays a hot-shot London constable named Nicholas Angel, who's transferred to a small, quiet village after making his co-workers look bad by comparison. There, he's paired up with oafy local cop Danny Butterman (Frost), with whom he must work to solve a series of grisly murders.

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent
Director: Edgar Wright
Year: 2007
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

I, Tonya

It was the whack-to-the-leg heard around the world. Back in 1994, Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, tried to take her rival, Nancy Kerrigan, out of the competition by hiring someone to attack Kerrigan with a baton. "I, Tonya" takes a satirical approach to the scandal and its central figures, portraying Ms. Harding (Margot Robbie) as a product of America's obsession with celebrity and sensationalism and the dark side of the American dream. Buoyed by its excellent central performances, "I, Tonya" ultimately creates a boldly thought-provoking portrait of a controversial figure.

Starring: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney.
Director: Craig Gillespie
Year: 2017
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Independence Day

When it comes to large-scale disaster movies, it doesn't get any bigger or more American than Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day." The summer sci-fi blockbuster pits a group of brave Americans, including a marine captain (Will Smith), a satellite technician (Jeff Goldblum), and the president of the United States (Bill Pullman), against invading space aliens in a race to save the world — all during the Fourth of July weekend, of course. This entertainingly patriotic moneymaker helped spark a resurgence of similar blockbusters, like "Armageddon," and became the highest-grossing film of 1996.

Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum
Director: Roland Emmerich
Year: 1996
Runtime: 145 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

Jumanji

It certainly feels like we've been playing a game of Jumanji these past few years, so why not watch the original 1995 movie? The visually stimulating family adventure stars Robin Williams as Alan Parrish, who has been trapped inside the titular board game since childhood. His only way out for good lies in the hands of the young Parrish siblings, Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce), who must level up within the game, braving rhinos, giant mosquitos and more to undo the wild chaos.

Starring: Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst
Director: Joe Johnston
Year: 1995
Runtime: 104 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52%

Juno

Coming-of-age dramedy "Juno" put writer Diablo Cody on the map, thanks to the film's smart and heartfelt script about a teen girl navigating an unexpected pregnancy. Elliot Page plays the titular role of Juno, who decides to give her baby up for adoption to a married couple, only for the husband (Jason Bateman) to catch romantic feelings for her. Meanwhile, Juno might be in love with the baby's father, fellow high school student Paulie (Michael Cera).

Starring: Elliott Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
Director: Jason Reitman
Year: 2007
Runtime: 96 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

La La Land

"La La Land" made Oscars history when it infamously "won," then lost, the best picture award to "Moonlight." It was a fittingly bittersweet turn of events for Damien Chazelle's equally bittersweet ode to Los Angeles' starry-eyed dreamers. Following the trajectory of two star-crossed lovers (Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling) who navigate romance while pursuing their artistic dreams, this musical throwback managed to tap-dance its way into audiences' hearts as well as Hollywood lore. As the tagline for the film goes, "Here's to the fools who dream."

Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend
Director: Damien Chazelle
Year: 2016
Runtime: 128 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Let The Right One In

It's tough being a 12-year-old vampire, as Swedish coming-of-age horror film "Let the Right One In" aptly demonstrates. Young Eli, a vampire, finds a kindred spirit in a bullied boy named Oskar, and helps him learn to stand up for himself. But Eli's need to consume blood in order to survive remains an ever-present problem, even though a mysterious, older, male companion helps her do the dirty work.

Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Year: 2008
Runtime: 114 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

Logan Lucky

"Magic Mike" director Steven Soderbergh once cast a group of unknown West Virginians in one of his films ("Bubble," 2005). Not so with "Logan Lucky," in which A-listers Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Daniel Craig play the ringleaders of a so-called "hillbilly heist." This redneck "Ocean's Eleven," if you will, features Tatum as a laid-off construction worker who hatches a plot to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina with his one-armed brother (Driver), and breaks notorious safe-cracker Joe Bang (Craig) out of prison to help. Good-hearted, down-home fun ensues.

Starring: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Year: 2017
Runtime: 119 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Lucky

The world lost a good one when Harry Dean Stanton passed. Luckily, we have his performance in "Lucky," one of his very last, to help us honor his immense talents. The directorial debut of actor John Carroll Lynch ("Zodiac," "American Horror Story"), "Lucky" follows the journey of the titular 90-year-old atheist as he seeks enlightenment and comes to terms with his own mortality with help from a revolving carousel of quirky characters. It's hard to walk away from this one with a dry eye.

Starring: Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ron Livingston
Director: John Carroll Lynch
Year: 2017
Runtime: 88 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Mass

Fran Kranz's directorial debut, "Mass," is both a stripped-down chamber piece and an emotionally wrought exploration of grief, guilt, anger, and empathy. Two couples meet in the back room of a church and talk about a tragedy that ripped their lives apart: a school shooting in which one couples' son was a victim, and the other couples' son was the perpetrator. With a strong script bolstered by incredible performances from the cast, "Mass" is mighty powerful stuff.

Starring: Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Ann Dowd
Director: Fran Kranz
Year: 2021
Runtime: 110 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Memories Of Murder

Years before he was winning Oscars for "Parasite," South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho made another cinematic masterpiece, the true-crime-inspired "Memories of Murder." Loosely based on South Korea's first confirmed serial murders, this meticulously crafted crime drama follows a bumbling local cop (Song Kang-ho) and a slick big city detective who team up to try and solve a string of killings in a rural province. Drawing thematically on the concept of that which remains elusive, the film's haunting final shot lingers long after the credits roll.

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Kim Roi-ha
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Year: 2003
Runtime: 129 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Minding The Gap

Bing Liu's must-see documentary, "Minding the Gap," is a personal, painful, and revelatory journal of his and his skateboard-loving friends' experiences coming of age in Rockford, Illinois. Featuring intimate cinema verité-style footage shot over a 10-year period, the film chronicles the boys' turbulent home lives, as well as their hopes, fears, dreams, and friendships as they learn what it means to be young men in the Rust Belt, creating a compelling and thought-provoking portrait of American life along the way.

Starring: Bing Liu, Keire Johnson, Zack Mulligan
Director: Bing Liu
Year: 2018
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

Moneyball

Based on the nonfiction book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game," the movie "Moneyball" centers on the Oakland A's and their manager, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), who, when faced with the lowest budget in baseball, figures out how to craft a winning team by using statistical analysis to find talented players that are undervalued by other teams. The inspirational, underdog story of sorts was nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture.

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Director: Bennett Miller
Year: 2011
Runtime: 133 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

The Muppets Take Manhattan

It's hard not to have a good time watching a Muppets movie. "The Muppets Take Manhattan" is charmingly fun entertainment for the whole family, following Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest of the gang as they take their act to the Big Apple in hopes of making it on Broadway. But the path to the big time isn't as easy as they hoped, especially when they run into shady producers like Murray Plotsky (Dabney Coleman).

Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz

Director: Frank Oz

Year: 1984

Runtime: 94 minutes

Rating: G

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

The Nightingale

"The Babadook" director Jennifer Kent followed up her hit horror film with an unflinchingly brutal movie about the horrors of colonialism. Set in Tasmania in the 1800s, "The Nightingale" follows Clare, an Irish convict, as she traverses the country seeking revenge on a British officer who committed unspeakable acts of violence upon her and her family. She enlists the help of an Aboriginal tracker named Billy, who has his own traumatic past and an even more questionable future in store than Clare does.

Starring: Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, Baykali Ganambarr
Director: Jennifer Kent
Year: 2018
Runtime: 136 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

Night Of The Kings

Movie fans who appreciate masterful storytelling and want more exposure to the Ivory Coast would do well to tune in to Philippe Lacôte's gritty fable, "Night of the Kings." Set at La Maca, a notorious prison, "Night of the Kings" follows a young prisoner who arrives just in time for the red moon, a special event during which someone must be named "The Roman," or storyteller. The Roman's function? He must entertain the rest of the prisoners by telling a story until the sun rises — or be killed.

Starring: Steve Tientcheu, Bakary Koné, Jean Cyrille Digbeu
Director: Philippe Lacôte
Year: 2020
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Nomadland

Chloe Zhao made Oscars history in 2020 when she became the second woman ever to win an Academy Award for best director. She did so for her deeply empathetic look at America's "Nomadland," a space where dried up industries and Amazon warehouses have led to a faded vision of the American dream. Frances McDormand stars as a widow who packs up and leaves a dying town in Nevada, traveling around looking for work and meeting other "nomads" along the way. During her journey, she finds both the beauty and the pitfalls of so-called American individualism.

Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May
Director: Chloe Zhao
Year: 2020
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Palm Springs

Time loops have been done many times before, but the charmingly fun "Palm Springs" breathes fresh life into the genre with a story about two wedding guests (Andy Samberg and Cristin Millioti) who end up falling in love while they're stuck reliving the same day over and over. A smart, funny script and strong performances give this sci-fi-tinged rom-com an edge, making it one of the better comedies of the last few years. More of this kind of thing, Hollywood. Thank you.

Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Millioti, J.K. Simmons
Director: Max Barbakow
Year: 2020
Runtime: 90 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Parasite

Perhaps no film highlights the absurdity of late-stage capitalism better than Bong Joon-ho's masterfully crafted dark comedy thriller, "Parasite." The Oscar-winning film revolves around a low-class family that cons its way into working for the wealthy Park clan. But there's more to the story than first meets the eye, as a hidden secret turns up in the basement of the Park home.

"Parasite" hit at just the right time: in the middle of a worldwide pandemic that further emphasized the chasm between the rich and the poor. Academy voters thought so as well, rewarding the film with statuettes in four major categories.

Starring: Song Kang-Ho, Jo Yeo-Jong, Park So-Dam
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Year: 2019
Runtime: 132 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

Pig

Based on the premise, viewers might at first expect "Pig" to be a John Wick-style vengeance tale about a man whose beloved truffle pig is kidnapped, but this film is deeper and more complex than that, offering instead a pared-down but emotionally-wrought study of grief. In the film, Nicolas Cage plays a reclusive former chef who must confront the ghosts of his past as he searches for his missing pig. It's a fantastic performance that proves that Cage is very much still a heavy hitter in the acting department, and that rightfully earned him much awards buzz.

Starring: Nicholas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Year: 2021
Runtime: 92 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Plan B

The extremely timely "Plan B" follows two high school friends, the strait-laced Sunny (Kuhoo Verma) and the more outgoing Lupe (Victoria Moroles), as they take a road trip around South Dakota in search of a Plan B pill after one of them has a sexual encounter she regrets. In light of the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, this progressive, female-forward comedy touches on the topic of women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy in a sharp and honest way.

Starring: Kuhoo Verma, Victoria Moroles
Director: Natalie Morales
Year: 2021
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire

Céline Sciamma's period lesbian romance, "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," is a gorgeous and smoldering depiction of forbidden love and feminist power. Set in the late 1700s, the film follows an artist named Marianne who is commissioned to paint a portrait of a well-heeled young woman, Heloise. During their sessions, the women develop a romantic attraction to one another, which eventually ignites into a passionate affair. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that Heloise is betrothed to a man whom she doesn't want to marry.

Starring: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami
Director: Céline Sciamma
Year: 2019
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Predator

The original "Predator" is widely regarded as an action classic, with a simple premise (it's essentially "Rambo" meets "Alien") delivered in a well-crafted and entertaining package. In addition, two of its stars (Arnold Swarzenegger and Jesse Ventura) would later become United States governors — talk about a powerful film!

Here, Schwarzenegger plays Dutch, a commando sent with some compatriots to rescue a group of politicians in the Central American jungle. Things get wild when they encounter an advanced and powerful alien with a penchant for skinning people alive.

Starring: Arnold Swarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura
Director: John McTiernan
Year: 1987
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

Prey

Hulu's new "Predator" prequel, "Prey," is a thrilling film that breathes fresh life into the sci-fi action-horror franchise even as it takes the story back 300 years. The movie follows a young Comanche warrior, Naru (Amber Midthunder), who goes up against one of the first alien Predators to land on Earth. The thoroughly engaging, back-to-basics revisionist western of sorts was shot in both Comanche and English, with an all-Comanche dub available on Hulu as well.

Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Year: 2022
Runtime: 99 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Prisoners

Before "Dune" director Denis Villeneuve carved out a niche for himself as one of Hollywood's go-to directors for blockbuster science fiction, he was directing pulse-pounding, emotionally-wrought crime thrillers like "Prisoners." Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a detective called to investigate the disappearance of two young friends, one the daughter of Kelly Dover (Hugh Jackman) and his wife (Maria Bello), the other the daughter of Franklin and Nancy Birch (Terrence Howard and Viola Davis). When the trail goes cold on the number one suspect (Paul Dano), Dover decides to take matters into his own hands.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Year: 2013
Runtime: 153 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

The Professional

Long before John Wick and Barry, there was another hitman with a heart of gold. Leon, aka "The Professional," is a self-professed "cleaner" who reluctantly takes in 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman, in her film debut) after her family is killed by a corrupt, drug-addicted DEA agent (Gary Oldman). Soon, Mathilda is picking up the tricks of the trade from the gruff and reserved, though endearingly gentle, Leon. Their touching odd-couple friendship and strong performances by the cast make this an action-thriller classic.

Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman
Director: Luc Besson
Year: 1994
Runtime: 106 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%

Real Genius

When it comes to female directors, the great Martha Coolidge, who gave us classic '80s teen comedies like the Nicholas Cage-led "Valley Girl" and the Val Kilmer starrer "Real Genius," deserves more credit. In "Real Genius," Kilmer plays Pacific Tech student and slacker genius Chris Knight, who's paired with a geeky new freshman, Mitch Taylor (Gabe Jarret), on a project to build a chemical laser. What they don't know is that their professor is using them to build a deadly weapon on behalf of the government.

Starring: Val Kilmer, Gabriel Jarret, William Atherton

Director: Martha Coolidge

Year: 1985

Runtime: 106 minutes

Rating: PG

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

The Shape Of Water

In a sort of modern day twist on "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," Guillermo del Toro's "The Shape of Water" sees a lonely, mute cleaning lady (Sally Hawkins) fall in love with a sort of fish-man (Doug Jones) while working for a government laboratory in the 1960s. But governmental forces, including a colonel (Michael Shannon) with less than kind ambitions, threaten their bond. The captivating, gorgeously rendered fantasy romance was nominated for thirteen Oscars and won five, including best picture.

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Year: 2017
Runtime: 123 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Slumdog Millionaire

Long before he was heroically breaking up real-life knife fights, Dev Patel was delighting audiences as the 18-year-old lead in Danny Boyle's energetically crowd-pleasing Oscar-winner, "Slumdog Millionaire." As he's about to answer the final, million-dollar question on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," the enterprising Jamal explains how he landed in this situation, starting with his humble beginnings in the slums of Mumbai.

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan
Director: Danny Boyle
Year: 2009
Runtime: 116 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Sorry To Bother You

Boots Riley's provocative, surrealist Black comedy fantasy "Sorry to Bother You" wears its anti-capitalist message on its sleeve, while also making a statement about racism in white-collar America. LaKeith Stanfield stars as telemarketer Cassius Green, who figures out the keys to success, starting with adopting a "white voice" on his calls. As he climbs the corporate ladder, however, he discovers that his company's fortunes are tied to a mysterious gene-altering powder. Believe me when I say that it gets much weirder from there.

Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler
Director: Boots Riley
Year: 2018
Runtime: 105 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Spencer

Kristen Stewart was nominated for an Oscar for her career-defining portrayal of Princess Diana in Pablo Larrain's "Spencer." That she ultimately didn't win doesn't change the fact that her stunning performance anchors this imaginative fable, hauntingly imbuing it with Diana's spirit every moment that the actress is on the screen. Playing out more like a ghost story than a traditional biopic, "Spencer" takes place over Christmas weekend in 1991 at the Queen's Sandringham Estate, and sees Diana mulling over the idea of leaving Prince Charles. She also touches on topics such as his infidelity, her eating disorder, and her devotion to her children.

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall
Director: Pablo Larrain
Year: 2021
Runtime: 111 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

The Square

The art world is rife for criticism, and yet no one's ever skewered it quite like Swedish director Ruben Östlund in his scathingly satirical, Palme d'Or-winning black comedy, "The Square." Claes Bang stars as a museum curator struggling with an existential crisis. He hires a PR firm to help drum up buzz around the museum and its latest exhibit, a literal square that is meant to be a "sanctuary of trust and caring," but the situation soon spirals out of control. His affair with an American journalist (Elizabeth Moss) isn't helping, either.

Starring: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West
Director: Ruben Östlund
Year: 2017
Runtime: 144 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

Summer Of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Questlove's Oscar-winning music documentary "Summer of Soul" shines a light on long lost footage from the Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place in 1969 in Mount Morris Park. Overshadowed by Woodstock, which occurred at the same time, the Harlem Cultural Festival featured incredible performances by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, and Gladys Knight and the Pips. Weaving live concert footage with interviews, this film places the events of the summer in the correct political and historical context, and ties it into our current cultural climate, resulting in a comprehensive, powerful, and rousing film.

Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King,
Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Year: 2021
Runtime: 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

Swan Song

Veteran character actor Udo Kier's talents shine brightly in this life-affirming indie dramedy about an aging hairdresser who goes on a quest across the small town of Sandusky, Ohio. Kier plays the fabulous Pat Pitsenbarger, a real-life local legend known as the "Liberace of Sandusky," who once owned his own salon but is now confined to a nursing home. When he gets word that his former client (played by Linda Evans) has passed away, and that her will states that she wanted Pat to do her hair for her funeral, he busts out of the home and travels across town, reconnecting with and reconciling his past along the way.

Starring: Udo Kier, Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans
Director: Todd Stephens
Year: 2021
Runtime: 105 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Three Identical Strangers

"Three Identical Strangers" is a jaw-dropping documentary full of incredible twists and turns. The true story of a set of identical triplets who were separated at birth and later reunited, the documentary explores the concept of nature versus nurture while shedding light on a shocking story regarding the adoption system. Fascinating and infuriating in the same measure, "Three Identical Strangers" won a special jury award at the Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered.

Starring: Robert Shafran, David Kellman, Lawrence Wright
Director: Tim Wardle
Year: 2018
Runtime: 96 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Titane

Julia Ducournau became the first female director to win the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival with her bold, gender-bending body horror drama, "Titane." It's a movie with a surprising story that's best left for viewers to discover on their own, but generally the story revolves around a woman named Alexia who receives a titanium plate implant in her head after being in a car accident as a child. As an adult, she works as a showgirl at a car show. Meanwhile, a firefighter looks for his missing son. How these two stories intersect will be revealed to those bold enough to subject themselves to the film's metallic charms.

Starring: Agathe Rouselle, Vincent Lindon, Garance Marillier
Director: Julia Ducournau
Year: 2021
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne deliver powerhouse performances in "What's Love Got to Do With It?," a biopic about singer Tina Turner and her turbulent marriage to the abusive Ike Turner. Charting the early days of their relationship through Tina's rise to stardom and, ultimately, her decision to leave the marriage, "What's Love Got to Do With It?" is as riveting a musical biopic as they come.

Starring: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Vanessa Bell Calloway
Director: Brian Gilroy
Year: 1993
Runtime: 118 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Working Girl

If you've never seen the classic '80s comedy "Working Girl," you're missing out on a damn fine rom-com, a touchstone workplace comedy, and an excellent star vehicle for Melanie Griffith. Griffith stars in the film as Tess McGill, the secretary to cutthroat businesswoman Katherine Parker (Sigourney Weaver). When Katherine passes off one of Tess' great ideas as her own, then breaks a leg during a skiing holiday, Tess decides to shoot her shot. She poses as her boss and negotiates a big deal with investment broker Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford). Will savvy working girl Tess get a leg up in the business world, or will her ambitious plans come tumbling down?

Starring: Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver
Director: Mike Nichols
Year: 1988
Runtime: 113 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

The Worst Person In The World

An insightful, honest, and heartfelt look at the complexities of life and love in your 20s, "The Worst Person in the World" is both a rom-com and an adult coming-of-age story at the same time. The film centers on Julie, a medical student turned photography student turned bookstore employee who starts dating Aksel, a comic artist 15 years her senior. One night, she wanders into a party and meets and flirts with Eivind, a barista, leading her to have doubts about Aksel. Tinged with moments of fantasy, pathos, and humor, "The Worst Person in the World" is one of the best movies of 2021.

Starring: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum

Director: Joachim Trier

Year: 2021

Runtime: 128 minutes

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

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