Hulu carries tons of excellent movies to watch in the final week of August, and they have something for every type of film fan. One of the few streamers who can compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu sets itself apart by offering primetime TV shows almost immediately after they air. However, the streamer has an excellent movie catalog too.

Besides producing original content, Hulu hosts new and classic movies on their platform. Some of the best recent releases find their way to the streamer, and popular films further grow their reputation as streaming hits on Hulu. Variety is key to having a great movie catalog, and Hulu offers diverse selections, even if their overall roster is smaller than others.

Hulu is also one of the few streamers that carries no stinkers, and every film on the platform either has significant starpower or is critically acclaimed. It’s much easier to pick movies on Hulu because their catalog isn’t clogged up with a lot of disposable junk. However, they do still offer a plethora of choices in every genre.

Late summer is the perfect time to watch some new movies, and Hulu’s August lineup is one of the best the platform has had all year. Whether viewers are looking for a laugh, a cry, or even a terrified scream, Hulu is something of a go-to for excellent streaming cinema.

Sideways (2004)

Sideways was one of the biggest indie darling hits of the early 2000s, and it has stood the test of time as a true classic in the dramedy genre. Directed by Alexander Payne, the film concerns two middle-aged friends, Jack and Miles, who take a trip through California’s wine country to celebrate Jack’s impending marriage.

What follows is an emotional romp all about failure and coming to terms with changes in life. Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church give performances of a lifetime, and Sideways excels at finding the right number of laughs in the most poignant scenes. It’s incredibly funny, but it doesn’t shy away from digging into the real meat of the characters.

The supporting cast, mainly Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen, are also strong, and it’s the sort of understated blockbuster comedy that almost never gets made anymore. In the decades since its release, Sideways hasn’t faded in popularity, and it is continuously discovered by each generation of viewers who are able to find new meaning in each humorous moment.

Sideways is also the perfect movie for wine aficionados, and it had a real impact on the wine industry after its release. The movie’s focus on Pinot noir actually caused an increase in demand for that type of red wine, and a subsequent decline in demand for Merlot (via Wines & Vines).

John Wick (2014)

In the decade or so since the release of the first movie, the John Wick franchise has become one of the most popular action series of all time. Keanu Reeves stars as the тιтular former ᴀssᴀssin who is dragged out of retirement when vile criminals kill his beloved puppy, and then try to wipe him out.

Keanu Reeves’ movies have been hit or miss over the years, and the actor was largely out of the spotlight by the time 2014 rolled around. However, his turn as John Wick opened a new chapter, and he proved to be a bona fide action star even in his 50s.

On the surface, there’s nothing particularly special about John Wick‘s plot, and the vengeful former ᴀssᴀssin is a tired trope. However, director Chad Stahelski’s keen eye elevates the film above the typical action fare. John Wick doesn’t abandon the art of filmmaking when crafting action sequences that are absolutely stunning to behold.

The movie’s abundant action is stylish, and the use of long, continuous takes gives each scene a lyrical quality as things flow together. This is in stark contrast to the overly edited action of most Hollywood films, showing Stahelski’s commitment to craft above all else. John Wick is just the first in a series, but it’s a modern-day classic.

When Evil Lurks (2023)

Hailing from Argentina, When Evil Lurks is one of the most fiercely original horror films of the 2020s, and also one of the scariest. Putting a new spin on movie demons, the story concerns an unsuspecting man who crosses paths with a possessed person, and must go on a wild journey to prevent the evil enтιтy from consuming his family.

Demons in film are as common as horror itself, but When Evil Lurks reimagines possession as some sort of infection, leading to some truly disgusting moments. The Spanish-language thrill ride deftly blends a slow and methodical pace with sudden moments of fast-paced terror, and it keeps the audience off balance for the entire running time.

Nothing is off limits, so the movie pushes boundaries that are generally considered taboo, even in the much less puritanical era of modern horror. Director Demián Rugna had previously proved he understood horror with 2017’s Terrified, but When Evil Lurks contains mulтιтudes not usually seen in the genre. Underneath the chills are poignant themes, and it demands multiple viewings.

It explores the idea of violence as a never-ending cycle, and the overt chills are offset by an unsettling apocalyptic tone as the world of the film begins to feel empty and uninhabited. Unlike casual horror movie experiences, When Evil Lurks is more than just mindless fun, and is the kind of movie that sticks with the viewer forever.

The Rocketeer (1991)

The Rocketeer was a rare miss for Disney in the 1990s, but it has gone on to grow into a cult classic in the decades since. The retrofuturistic action/adventure story is set in the 1930s, and follows a stunt pilot who becomes the тιтular hero when he dons a jetpack to fight an international conspiracy.

Made with a playful and exaggerated tone, The Rocketeer is a comic book movie that embraces the silliness of its genre. The production design brings the 1930s to life with some over-the-top flair, and The Rocketeer is a tribute to the spectacles of Old Hollywood. It got middling reviews, but it was the box office numbers that tanked the film.

Box Office Mojo reports that The Rocketeer barely grossed enough to cover its production budget, meaning it likely lost a considerable amount of money all-told. However, the reviews don’t do the movie justice, and the box office numbers can be chalked up to a crowded summer and Disney’s marketing choices. Essentially, The Rocketeer didn’t get a fair shake.

More than 30 years later, it deserves its status as a cult classic, and is the perfect movie to rediscover on Hulu. It has a nostalgic yearning for the Golden Age of Hollywood, but it also has added nostalgia as an early ’90s hidden gem. It also hearkens back to a time when Disney took risks with its film productions.

A Real Pain (2024)

Understated indie dramedies are a dying breed, but A Real Pain carries a torch for thoughtful filmmaking in the 2020s. Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, the film follows two cousins who travel to Poland to honor their late grandmother. It mimics the buddy comedy formula, but has so much more going on beneath the surface.

Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are a dream duo as estranged cousins, and the movie never ignores the darker undercurrents of its story. The characters are united through a common struggle, and that theme has several meanings in a film about the Jewish experience. The laughs come not from ridiculous situations, but from relatable foibles.

A Real Pain is an honest tearjerker in that it earns the emotional response from the audience without having to resort to cheap tricks. There’s nothing overly sentimental about the story, and it unfolds in a way that could happen in real life. One of the best films of 2024 deserves a place in any Hulu binge-watch.