It’s a new month, which means a bunch of new movies just got added to Hulu. It can be daunting to try and decide which of these newly added titles you should watch – or to find exactly what’s new to Hulu in the first place – but below we’ve assembled a list of the best of the best. We’ve curated seven of the most exciting new movies on Hulu this month, ranging from Tim Burton fairy tales to rewatchable comedies to underrated sci-fi gems. You quite literally cannot go wrong watching any of these movies, so get to it!
Edward Scissorhands
Available on September 1st
Director: Tim Burton
Writer: Caroline Thompson
Cast: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Alan Arkin, Anthony Michael Hall, Kathy Baker, and Vincent Price
One of Tim Burton’s best and most emotional films, Edward Scissorhands holds up tremendously well. This is essentially a fairy tale set in suburbia, as it tells the story of a nearly-complete humanoid with scissors for hands whose inventor died before he could finish building him. Edward, as he’s called, now lives alone in a decrepit Gothic mansion atop a hill, only to be discovered by a young woman who introduces him to the suburban world down below. The outsider struggles to fit in, and faces prejudice at every turn. The film covers themes that are present in nearly all of Burton’s films, but in a tremendously impactful and artful way. The whole movie feels like a dream, and Danny Elfman’s score is an all-timer.
Gattaca
Available on September 1st
Director/Writer: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law
If you love sci-fi but have never seen Gattaca, prioritize this movie ASAP. One of the best films of the 1990s, this original story takes place in a not-too-distant future where eugenics is commonplace – when procreating, parents edit their child’s genome to not only choose its gender and specific attributes, but also edit out any and all potential defects or disposition for illnesses. Those who were conceived the “traditional” way still exist, but are called “in-valids.” Ethan Hawke plays one of these so-called in-valids who is posing as a “valid” by using donated hair, skin, and DNA from a valid named Jerome (Jude Law). But when an administrator at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation – where Hawke’s character works – is murdered, he’s at risk of having his identity uncovered. This is a murder mystery, dystopian sci-fi, and emotional drama all wrapped into one.
Grosse Pointe Blank
Available on September 1st
Director: George Armitage
Writers: Tom Jankiewicz, D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, and John Cusack
Cast: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin, and Dan Akyroyd
If you’re into dry humor and/or smart romantic comedies, 1997’s Grosse Pointe Blank is a gem. John Cusack plays a hitman who, reluctantly, ends up going back to his hometown for his ten-year high school reunion in order to finish a job, only to cross paths with his high school sweetheart. The whole movie is a mix between a romantic comedy as Cusack and Minnie Driver reconnect and a hitman comedy, as Cusack is also fighting for his life. If you like Cusack’s other smart 90s comedy High Fidelity, you’ll enjoy this one too.
Office Space
Available on September 1st
Director/Writer: Mike Judge
Cast: Ron Livingston, Jennier Aniston, Gary Cole, and Stephen Root
Whether it’s your first or 50th time, Office Space has a way of never getting old. The 1999 comedy stars Ron Livingston as an ordinary IT worker droning through an office job who gets hypnotized into not caring about, well, anything at all. His “screw it” spirit ends up turning his whole life around, and inspiring his co-workers to take a stand against their corporate bosses. The film really nails office life in a slightly exaggerated fashion, and there’s a reason it became a cult hit shortly after its release.
The Ring
Available on September 1st
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Ehren Kruger
Cast: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Jane Alexander, Brian Cox, and Daveigh Chase
Spooky Season is just around the corner, and if you want to watch an absolutely terrifying scary movie, check out The Ring. The 2002 film is based on the 1998 Japanese horror film Ringu and stars Naomi Watts as a woman who begins investigating her niece’s strange death, only to discover a VHS tape being passed around that promises if you watch it, you will die in seven days. Watts’ character races against the clock to uncover the truth behind the tape before it’s too late for her and her son. The film hails from Gore Verbinski, who directed the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies and has a knack for crafting incredibly effective set pieces.
La La Land
Available on September 8th
Director/Writer: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend, and Rosemarie DeWitt
Forget the fervor surrounding the film’s release, the backlash, and the Oscar mixup – La La Land is a great film and one of the best movies of the 21st century full stop. This original musical is set in Los Angeles and follows the story of two dreamers – a young woman who aspires to become a famous actress, and a young man who hopes to own and operate his own jazz club someday. The two fall in love, and the movie chronicles their relationship in its entirety through jaw-dropping musical numbers and heart-wrenching songs. This is a deeply felt love story about the twists and turns that life takes us on, and how one small choice can have an enormous impact. Bring tissues, this one’s a heartbreaker.
Love, Simon
Available on September 15th
Director: Greg Berlanti
Writers: Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger
Cast: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Alexandra Shipp, Katherine Langford, Keiyan Lonsdale, Miles Heizer, and Logan Miller
In a bit of a synergy, the 2018 romantic comedy Love, Simon is coming to Hulu this month a few months after the second season of the TV series spinoff Love, Victor premiered exclusively on Hulu. The film is based on the book by Becky Albertalli and revolves around a closeted high schooler who is blackmailed by someone threatening to out his sexuality to the whole school. He navigates his friendships and this development with a potential romantic relationship, all on top of the everyday struggles of being a teenager. The film is really charming, and offers a smart twist on your traditional teen high school movie.