The streaming giant Hulu is constantly building up its diverse and exciting catalog of films and TV shows, treating viewers to a slew of content. With the month of June upon us, such platforms add many unique and captivating titles to its library that are sure to satisfy all your entertainment needs. While June doesn’t see the most new original movies across different streaming platforms, both beloved classic flicks and a few intriguing new releases are making their way to Hulu regardless, covering everything from treacherous tales of survival to feel-good ‘80s staples, and even uplifting sex dramedies. Regardless of what you’re looking for to pass the time or find an escape, the streaming platform has you covered.
Travel along with comeback king Mickey Rourke as he and a group of brave soldiers journey into Germany’s Black Forest during World War II and are plagued by a chilling supernatural force in Warhunt. If you’re in a fun and playful mood, live vicariously through the sidesplitting adventures of two best friends as they set off on a tantalizing vacation in Fire Island, starring Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang and comedian Joel Kim Booster. These are some of the best movies coming to Hulu in June 2022.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Fire Island
Searchlight Pictures
Drawing inspiration from Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice, the 2022 Hulu original romantic comedy Fire Island follows the misadventures of best friends Noah and Howie as they set off for an exciting vacation at a famous gay escape destination known as Fire Island. Starring comedian Joel Kim Booster and Saturday Night Live breakout Bowen Yang as the two fun-loving pals looking for a good time, the exciting rom-com is a refreshing queer adaptation of the Austen classic that highlights the funnymen’s real life chemistry and experiences at the resort. Fire Island has already been garnering rave reviews from critics and fans alike, with The Hollywood Reporter writing that it, “Straddles the divide between an early 19th century comedy of manners and a frothy modern-day rom-com with disarming sweetness.”
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Dirty Dancing
Vestron Pictures
With the exciting news that a direct sequel is in the works with lead Jennifer Grey reprising her memorable role as Baby Houseman, what better way to prepare than to have the time of your life by watching the iconic 1987 romantic drama Dirty Dancing. Featuring the late and great Patrick Swayze as dance instructor Johnny Castle, the ‘80s staple follows Baby as she falls in love with Johnny despite their vastly different backgrounds, resulting in the duo’s epic show stopping number at the end of the picture.
Grey and Swayze notoriously did not get along during production, squaring off before every scene until Emile Ardolino forced them to re-watch their brilliant screen test that displayed their “breaktaking” chemistry. The actors were able to set aside their differences and returned to filming with renewed zest and enthusiasm, helping make Dirty Dancing an adored romantic drama.
6 I Am Legend
Warner Bros. Pictures
Loosely based on the Richard Matheson novel of the same name, the 2007 post-apocalyptic action thriller I Am Legend features the dynamic Will Smith as lone survivor U.S. Army virologist Robert Neville in a desolate and wiped out New York City that was ravaged by a virus he is immune to; the doctor must combat terrifyingly violent mutants as he desperately attempts to discover a cure. To prepare for his emotionally heavy role, the actor met with a former prisoner of war who had lived in solitary confinement and visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Georgia to effectively get into the headspace of Neville.
Smith was influenced by Tom Hanks’ performance in Cast Away, expressing to the Los Angeles Times, “Can he find a reason to continue? Can he find the hope or desire to excel and advance in life? Or does the death of everything around him create imminent death for himself?” A sequel was announced in March 2022 that Smith would be reprising his role and appear alongside Michael B. Jordan.
5 Warhunt
Saban Films
Mauro Borrelli’s 2022 horror thriller with Mickey Rourke, Warhunt tells the frightening tale of a US Army plane that is flying over Germany’s Black Forest in 1945 during World War II when it plunges behind enemy lines, causing the fierce Major Johnson (Rourke) to send in a group of his most courageous soldiers to retrieve the plane’s top secret cargo. The squad’s seemingly straightforward mission gets complicated when the men are attacked by a violent supernatural force that makes them question reality, as they battle to stay alive in the daunting forest while being on the lookout for their Nazi enemies.
With the additional talent of Jackson Rathbone and Robert Knepper, the war horror flick is a fun B-movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is sure to offer up plenty of action and scares. In a positive review, Variety wrote: “Blood-drained Nazis! Predatory witches! Mind-twisted soldiers! And Mickey Rourke in an eyepatch! Cowabunga!”
4 Natural Born Killers
Warner Bros.
The esteemed Oliver Stone directed the controversial 1994 crime drama Natural Born Killers, which follows two psychopathic serial killers as they go on a violent murderous spree, becoming disturbingly sensationalized via the tabloids and media. The screenplay for the shocking picture was written by Quentin Tarantino, who sold the script for $10,000 after trying and failing to get the project funded to direct it himself.
Natural Born Killers aims to shine a light on the way the mass media covers everyday violence, addressing the theme directly with its theatrical poster advertising the crime flick as a “bold new film that takes a look at a country seduced by fame, obsessed by crime, and consumed by the media.” The film garnered polarizing responses from both critics and audiences, with some commending the premise and efforts and others critiquing it for being overly graphic and violent.
3 Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Lionsgate
The delightful Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack teamed up to star in the 2022 British sex dramedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. The actress (in a role which makes good on her statements against ageist Hollywood movie romances) portrays retired widow Nancy Stokes who hires the titular handsome, young sex worker in hopes of finding romance, pleasure, and some deeply needed thrills.
The endearing picture had its worldwide premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, earning widespread praise and being lauded for its top-notch performances, heartfelt humor and thoughtful overall message. Both Thompson and McCormack earned acclaim for their refreshing and touching chemistry, with The Atlantic raving in their review, “Thompson is extraordinary as she navigates the various insecurities that come with inexperience, age, and general repression, and McCormack is a charming and understanding match for her.”
2 Meet the Parents
Universal Pictures
With a dynamite cast including Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro and Teri Polo, the adored 2000 comedy Meet the Parents tells the hilarious story of the woeful but kind-hearted nurse Greg Focker who sets out to impress his girlfriend’s parents with the intention of gaining their approval to marry her. Greg realizes he’s in over his head when he discovers that his potential bride-to-be’s father is a retired CIA agent who is overprotective of his daughter and harbors an instant dislike for him.
Director Jay Roach specifically wanted to cast De Niro in the film after showing off his funny side in the mafia comedy Analyze This, and Stiller was chosen for the role of Greg because according to Roach: “I saw Meet the Parents as an anxiety dream, and in my view nobody plays that kind of material better than Ben.” The film was a commercial and critical success and went on to spawn two popular sequels.
1 The Ledge
The 2022 mystery thriller The Ledge chronicles the harrowing experience of two adventure-seeking friends on a rock climbing trip that turns deadly when one of the women is brutally murdered and the other captures the chilling crime on camera. The terror-stricken Kelly finds herself the next target of the depraved killers, and decides to embark on a treacherous climb up a mountain cliff in an effort to evade the violent group.
The spine-tingling survival thriller is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats with its adrenaline-pumping premise, with Starburst Magazine commenting, “Despite being set in the great outdoors, there’s a claustrophobic atmosphere that overpowers any of the shortcomings of the script, resulting in an impressive, if flawed, nightmare.”
