Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

3 underrated movies on Hulu you need to watch in May 2024

Three cops walks in front of an ambulance.
Vertical Entertainment

What movies have arrived on Hulu this month? All five Die Hard movies, including Die Hard With a Vengeance, are now streaming on Hulu. Other noteworthy movies arriving in May include Where the Crawdads Sing13 Going on 30Big Daddy, and a new Hulu original, Prom Dates.

Hulu’s library is always expanding by the month, which could be daunting if you’re unsure what to watch. Besides the homepage titles, you can find several under-the-radar movies worth your time. Watch these three underrated movies on Hulu, including the first film in the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy, a delightful dramedy from a two-time Oscar winner, and an ominous thriller.

Recommended Videos

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

A battle from Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
20th Century Studios

The Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy from the 2010s has aged like a fine wone. During their run, the films received critical acclaim but were never seriously considered in the top 10 trilogies of the 21st century. In 2024, the rebooted Apes trilogy is hands-down one of the best of the last 25 years. Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes garner the most attention in the trilogy, and rightfully so. However, if Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes failed, there may have never been a trilogy.

Scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) is tirelessly working to find a cure for his father’s (John Lithgow) Alzheimer’s disease by testing experimental drugs on chimpanzees. When one of the tests goes haywire, Will must shut his program down. However, Will saves one of the chimps, Caesar (Andy Serkis), and raises him like a son. While the drug fails to work for humans, it’s a success for chimpanzees as Caesar becomes highly intelligent. When forced into captivity, the brilliant Caesar starts a revolution that will lead to the downfall of humanity.

Watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes on Hulu.

That Thing You Do! (1996)

The cast of That Thing You Do!
20th Century Studios

When actors win Academy Awards, many capitalize on their critical acclaim by cashing in and taking lucrative roles. After winning two consecutive Oscars back-to-back in 1994 and 1995, Tom Hanks did not collect a paycheck for wearing a cape or leading a live-action franchise. Instead, he wrote and directed his first film, That Thing You Do! In the 1960s, a small-town band from Pennsylvania known as the Wonders are searching for their big break. When Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) joins the band, he increases the tempo of one of their songs, That Thing You Do!

With help from their manager, Mr. White (Hanks), the Wonders catapult into stardom because of their one song. However, the music industry is cut-throat, causing tension among the band members. That Thing You Do! is like a nice blanket: warm and delightful. Yet, the secret of the movie is the titular song. If the song didn’t work, neither would the film. Luckily, the late Adam Schlesinger crafted a believable hit pop song that would have fit perfectly in the 1960s music scene.

Watch That Thing You Do! on Hulu.

To Catch a Killer (2019)

A cope stands with her arms folded in front of people.
Vertical Entertainment

To Catch a Killer is a diamond in the rough. It stems from Vertical Entertainment, a film distributor specializing in smaller independent films. These movies play very well on streaming because of their favorable runtimes, thrilling storylines, and notable actors. To Catch a Killer hits all three checkmarks.

It’s New Year’s Eve in Baltimore when a sniper opens fire on innocent civilians. Local cop Eleanor Falco (Shailene Woodley) arrives on the scene and takes a video of the residents leaving the building to record potential suspects. This resourcefulness attracts the attention of Special Agent Lammark (Ben Mendelsohn), who recruits Falco to help track down the sniper. With a riveting premise and overqualified actors, To Catch a Killer is a deeply satisfying thriller that feels like a throwback to the serial killer movies of the 1990s and 2000s.

Watch To Catch a Killer on Hulu.

Dan Girolamo
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
3 action movies on Hulu you need to watch in December 2024
Bruce Willis in Die Hard 2.

Sometimes, the Christmas season means Christmas action movies on Hulu. Especially if the streamer has Die Hard for the holidays, as it does this year. But since everyone talks about Die Hard as a Christmas film, we decided to go with Die Hard 2 -- which is also set at Christmas -- as one of the three action movies on Hulu that you need to watch in December.

Our other picks include the film that made Keanu Reeves an action star five years before The Matrix, as well as the movie that gave Russell Crowe his first -- and to date, only -- Oscar win for Best Actor.

Read more
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (December 6-8)
A group of men sit at a table in Conspiracy.

Have you defied gravity yet? If not, you're one of the few who haven't. Wicked is a genuine phenomenon right now, and one of the leading contenders for next year's Oscars. But I haven't taken a trip to Oz yet simply because there's too much good stuff on streaming right now.

That's especially true for Max, which has great films from the present to the distant past. (Yes, they even have 1939's The Wizard of Oz.) If you have a craving for movies that don't contain evil witches, pink-colored princesses, or flying monkeys, well, this list is for you. These movies may have Nazis, porn stars, and real-life artists, but they are all united by their ability to entertain and even enlighten.

Read more
5 movies leaving Hulu in November 2024 you have to watch
Two women stand in a club in Hustlers.

For the last couple of months, there have been so few movies leaving Hulu that we've had to borrow departing films from the next month to fill out this list. And since only three movies are leaving Hulu on November 30, we had to do it again this month.

Hustlers and Three Identical Strangers are both exiting Hulu at the end of November. Our remaining picks for the five movies leaving Hulu will be sticking around for the early days of December. But if the list of titles leaving Hulu in December is any indication, then we won't have to borrow any titles from January's departures.

Read more