For the middle of January, Hulu has added a handful of movies from last year that didn’t make waves in theaters when they were released. Not every film was made to be a blockbuster, and this trio certainly wasn’t. But they are our picks for the three great Hulu movies that you need to stream this weekend.
Our first two choices are both crime thrillers, but in different ways. The second pick kind of reminds of Lost in Translation, if Bill Murray’s character was a hit man. Finally, our remaining pick is so family-friendly that’s practically a Disney movie.
Need more recommendations? We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Silent Hour (2024)
Silence isn’t golden for Joel Kinnaman’s character in The Silent Hour. After an accident left him barely able to hear, Detective Frank Shaw (Kinnaman) is having trouble finding reasons to keep going. His proficiency in sign language leads the police to bring him back as an interpreter for Ava Fremont (Sandra Mae Frank), a deaf woman who is a former junkie.
Ava witnessed a murder outside of her apartment building, and the killer, Mason Lynch (Mekhi Phifer), wants to silence her for good. Frank’s arrival saves Ava’s life, but now they’re both trapped in her building as Mason’s men close in on them. And Frank’s hearing is getting even worse by the second.
Watch The Silent Hour on Hulu.
American Star (2024)
After letting Keanu Reeves get most of the action in the John Wick films, Ian McShane steps into the role of a hit man in American Star. Wilson (McShane) is an aging assassin who doesn’t have the same inner fire that he used to have. After venturing out to the Canary Islands to take out a target, Wilson is surprised when the person he’s been sent to kill isn’t there.
That leads Wilson to take an impromptu vacation on the island while he awaits his target’s return. As a surprise even to himself, Wilson befriends a bartender, Gloria (Nora Arnezeder), as well as a young orphan boy named Max (Oscar Coleman). Wilson is practically a new man around the people on the island, but it’s a transformation that can’t last forever. He’s got a job to do, and human connections just get in the way.
Watch American Star on Hulu.
My Penguin Friend (2024)
Leon: The Professional star Jean Reno really plays against type in My Penguin Friend. João Pereira de Souza (Reno) is Brazilian fisherman who has been emotionally closed off since the death of his son. By chance, João stumbles upon a penguin who has been trapped by an oil spill after losing his way during migration.
João takes the bird — whom he names DinDim — into his home and into his heart as he dotes on his new companion. Even releasing DinDim back in the wild can’t end their friendship, as he returns year-after-year. DinDim helps João feel alive again, now he just needs to rebuild his emotional connections with the people around him.
Watch My Penguin Friend on Hulu.