Category: Hulu

“The Stranger”

6.8

Maika Monroe just can’t catch a break… first she was stalked by the invisible, unstoppable force in “It Follows” (one of my all-time favorite thrillers), and now she’s stalked by the ever-nefarious Dane DeHaan in this “Uber gone awry” horror thriller.

Hulu really has this market cornered after Netflix lost its way.

I was sad to see things come unwound as we made the turn into the third act. The person who recommended this one and I were equally perplexed by some of the creative decisions the creative team made along the way that subtracted from what could have been an amazing film, taking it down a notch to good.

“Self Reliance”

7.8

Anna Kendrick was in it, so you know I had to watch it.

Once I dove in, I was pleasantly surprised by this one! A mix of “Squid Game,” romantic comedy, “It Follows,” and the “Purge” series… in a blender of head-scratchers. The sweet moments and genuine chemistry between Jake Johnson and pretty much every member of the cast caught me off-guard, and really added to the movie itself. Hulu’s known for sleeper hits, and this is no exception! Definitely not your typical action or romance movie, but a fun hour and a half ride!

“On the Count of Three”

7.2

Nothing like the threat of impending death to motivate one to live their best life, I guess… But instead of the usual terminal illness, this is a suicide pact. Not going to sugarcoat it and want to warn you upfront. It’s one of the strangest movies of the year by a long shot, but also a fascinating character study.

* PSA: If the trigger warnings missed the boat, always good to be aware that the National Suicide Prevention hotline can now be reached by dialing 988 in the United States.

“Pam & Tommy”

7.8

Much better than I was expecting!

I don’t think we learn a lot more about any of the characters involved. Tommy Lee is pretty much who you assume him to be. However, it was in the depth and perspective this miniseries paid to Pamela Anderson where it really shined. The perspective of the differences in the effect on their careers, personal lives, and outlook on life. The differences between being a man or a woman included in a sex tape gone public were deftly handled, which surprised me. It’s perfectly cast and surprisingly well-done. Bravo to the Hulu Originals team.

“Only Murders in the Building”

8.9

How was this so good?!?!

Nothing about this should have felt as fresh and exciting as it did… but here we are.

The cast has terrific chemistry. The ridiculousness factor is at an 11, but I still binged the entire thing in one day and can’t wait for season 2! A classic whodunit, set in the quirkiest apartment building in New York City, with three of the most unlikely friends on the face of the earth and more dead bodies than a season of “Game of Thrones.” It was like Wes Anderson meets Quentin Tarantino, and it was a thing of beauty to behold. The three main characters rounded each other out as an ensemble much better than expected. I have been known to have a soft spot for Selena Gomez and watch pretty much anything she’s in (including the fantastic HBO Max cooking show). Still, she rises to the occasion and brings a sense of dry humor to the group that ever so naturally balances the goofier 2 of the tripod and makes it all work like a well-oiled machine. I was taken aback by how much I loved this one, as I haven’t laughed this hard since I stumbled upon “Letterkenny.” Hulu truly outdid themselves!