Hulu has always been more daring than its competitors when it comes to its film collection, with a diverse selection of worldwide hits and independent classics. Hollywood blockbusters and heartfelt documentaries that will last a lifetime have been added to Hulu this year.
Here are the best 8 movies released on Hulu in 2023.
Miranda’s Victim
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Run Time: 2h 7m
Abigail Breslin’s dedication to prosecuting her rapist may have inspired this film, which revisits a real-life sexual attack case that led to the Miranda warning becoming part of American law. Michelle Danner provides an engaging drama, and its cast excels throughout.
At its heart, this film’s strength lies in Breslin’s superb portrayal of a rape victim navigating the court system. Notable actors like Andy Garcia, Dan Lauria, and Luke Wilson are with her. The supporting cast, which includes Donald Sutherland and Josh Bowman, delivers outstanding work. Films like this are necessary to raise awareness about sexual assault since they end with the tragic statistic that only five people are convicted for every thousand attacks.
Infinity Pool
Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Run Time: 1h 57m
An unnerving science fiction horror film, Infinity Pool explores the ugliness that vacationers face. At its center lies James Foster, an author in his second year who finds themselves having difficulty writing new material for publication. While Brandon Cronenberg’s hallucinatory sequences in Infinity Pool don’t advance the plot much, they do contribute to the film’s signature mood rather than its plot.
What sets Infinity Pool apart from similar fare is its unflinching look at how privileged foreigners treat a country as their playground for hedonistic debauchery. Thanks to Skarsgard’s mesmerizing acting and horrific but striking scenery, Infinity Pool remains an engaging viewing experience, even though its potential to delve into existential topics is never entirely fulfilled.
Boston Strangler
Genre: Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Run Time: 1h 52m
Our fascination with true crime, serial killers, and murder mysteries has given rise to countless movies over the years, and the latest offering in this vein is Matt Ruskin’s Hulu original Boston Strangler. Ruskin wrote and directed this picture about two female journalists who fought against the sexism of their period to find out who killed a series of unidentified women in Boston in the 1960s.
By collaborating closely with cinematographer Ben Kutchins, Ruskin avoids padding his story with superfluous drama. Instead, he tells tales in a Fincher-esque style with restrained pacing and Paul Leonard-Morgan’s ominous score. The strategy involves keeping violent killings under wraps. Thanks to this method and Leonard-Morgan’s ominous score, his film manages to keep a gloomy vibe.
Rye Lane
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Run Time: 1h 22m
Raine Allen Miller’s debut feature film as an up-and-coming British director looks like it will be an intriguing twist on familiar themes. The story follows Dom and Yas, two twentysomethings who have recently ended toxic relationships. They meet in the gender-neutral restroom of an art museum and spend the first day of their acquaintance helping each other cope with the emotional fallout of their previous relationships.
In addition to its much-needed punch, the film has an eccentric and dark sense of humor, which is on full display throughout. This includes references to a future costume designer who used to play dress up as the Purple Rain Prince when she was little and Dom’s refusal to wave at tourists.
The Retirement Plan
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Run Time: 1h 43m
In The Retirement Plan, Nicolas Cage transitions into grandpa mode as an ex-government hitman; director Tim Brown does his best to keep him amusing through various ludicrous and violent set pieces. Despite its fascinating premise and star-studded cast, it’s just a crime thriller with a few funny moments.
The Retirement Plan succeeds because of the magnetic performances of its actors, especially Cage’s troubled shaggy dog and Perlman’s ruthless criminal with an extensive vocabulary. Thalia Campbell makes for an attractive foil, and there’s some good character comedy as Cage and Perlman discuss Dickens and Shakespeare while being kidnapped.
No One Will Save You
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Run Time: 1h 33m
Brynn faces combat against a swarm of bespectacled creatures in No One Will Save You, a creative mashup of the house invasion and alien invasion genres. It lets the action talk instead of relying on the usual formula for this type of film.
Throughout the first act of No One Will Save You, a suspenseful sequence takes place during Brynn’s first meeting with aliens. In a masterful use of Brynn’s multi-level home, Duffield and Ramsey Avery introduce Brynn’s visitors as enigmatic figures framed by marble kitchen dividers or stooping staircase steps. Their entrance is accompanied by a sonic palette of piercing violins, foreboding synths, and unintelligible guttural roars, creating an immersive and captivating first encounter!
Theater Camp
Genre: Comedy
Run Time: 1h 32m
The movie does a fantastic job of capturing the theatrical energy of summer camp, and its characters are hilarious, if slightly flawed. Amos and Rebecca-Diane’s dysfunctional relationship provides excellent comic relief; similarly, it takedowns stereotypical characters such as rich kids who snob around, camp counselors who fall flat on their faces, rogue techies, etc. But with too many sexual jokes, drug references, and problematic spirituality, this film wears thin quickly.
This film does have some funny moments, but it is evident this is best enjoyed by current and former theatre kids rather than the general audience. The plot is predictable, and its portrayal of acting sessions and stage production scenes is not always credible; nonetheless, it possesses charm and will make you laugh out loud multiple times.
A Haunting in Venice
Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Run Time: 1h 43m
In this delightfully spooky tale set amidst the misty canals and crumbling palazzi of Venice, screenwriter Michael Green and director Kenneth Branagh transform an Agatha Christie murder mystery into a Halloween classic. For those who have forgotten how master storytellers could captivate audiences with nuanced performances, clever language, and the slow buildup of suspense, A Haunting in Venice is a delectable reminder.
Branagh brings a warm and genuine charm to his portrayal of Hercule Poirot in this film, making it a pleasant return to the world of Poirot. In this third trip with this moustachioed investigator, we see him at his most terrifying, yet the film’s old-school elegance and gothic charm will make it memorable even if the shocks are a little over the top at times.
