What’s On Hulu In 2017? Must See TV Shows And Movies
“There’s just nothing good on TV” is such a 2005 thing to say. Still, while most of us have swapped our expensive, bloated 1000+ channel cable deals for instant services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, things can get a little stale with streaming, too.
Find out What To Put on Your 2017 Watchlist
You know what we’re talking about. There are things that have been on your list for months, but you pass them up to watch How I Met Your Mother for the gazillionth time (and no, no matter how much you watch it, the ending is still the same). Good thing Hulu has some interesting new releases to help you spice things up. Click through to see the best titles coming in 2017; you won’t leave these to collect dust in your list!
King Kong (1976)
Big ape goes bananas over beauty who visits his home, but she’s in love with another guy. What’s a lovesick ape to do when he’s captured and longs for the woman of his dreams? Grab a big bowl of popcorn, and enjoy this 1970s remake of a classic tale of passion, greed, and New York City destruction.
While there are many versions of King Kong, this is the film that put Jeff Bridges on the map as a movie star. This was only exacerbated when the tabloids chased a story about Jeff Bridges and actress Jessica Lange having an on-set affair. The story turned out to be false, but the two were able to get over the rumor and stayed friends
The Powerpuff Girls
They’re cute, they’re sisters, and they whip butt whenever a menace threatens their town. It’s a lot of fun watching Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup rough up the riffraff using brain and physical power. After an exasperating day at school or work, The Powerpuff Girls are a great way to vicariously vanquish your foes.
If The Powerpuff Girls seemed like it was calling back to the golden era of cartoons, it was in its own subtle way. George Jetson of the ’60s series The Jetsons is caught in the background in some scenes, while their “real-life” names, Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather, were based on the 1959 animated movie Sleeping Beauty.
The Path Season 2
Eddie and Sarah Lane’s idyllic family life is crumbling because of Eddie’s nagging doubts about Meyerism. Eddie’s visions are leading him on a journey that conflicts with Sarah and Cal’s spiritual views, and now he’s about to discover the shocking truth in Peru. Personal and spiritual betrayal and deception are going to be epic in season 2.
The coolest part of The Path is the way light is captured in most scenes. Director Mike Cahill made a habit of capturing natural light. To get the “spiritual” vibe, the light was filmed with three different cameras, something that the director called “epic verite.” See if you can catch this in season 2.
Leaving Las Vegas
Most people go to Las Vegas to have a good time, blow lots of cash, and return home poorer, but satisfied. Ben is in Vegas to drink until there’s nothing left. He meets Sera, a prostitute, and both of their lives change for the better after they develop a strange relationship. Everything is cool until Sera starts caring too much.
If it seems like Ben’s drunkenness is the real deal, it’s because actor Nicolas Cage went crazy method in his acting approach. The actor would get drunk right before they were ready to shoot so his speech patterns mimicked that of a drunk person. Cage also researched by binge drinking and even visited “career alcoholics” in hospitals.
The Brady Bunch Movie
Generations of fans grew up watching a 1970s TV show about a blended family with a gaggle of kids. Mike and Carol Brady are the cool parents every kid wishes they had. In the movie, the Bradys are weirdly stuck in the past, and it’s now the 1990s. Watching this movie is like going on a fun nostalgia trip. For a while, life returns to simpler times.
This film is filled with insider jokes about the TV series and past pop culture jokes from the ’70s. For instance, in the film, Jan runs away and is seen walking down a dark street. This is in reference to actress Eve Plumb (the original Jan) who appeared in a runaway film as a prostitute in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 11
This addictive season begins with the Electric Boogaloo, a cynically fun board game created by the gang. Now they’ve got to play nice with each other in order to woo big bucks from an investor. As usual, one of the gang throws a monkey wrench into the mix, and Charlie gets the worst of it.
The running joke on the show is that Charlie has the worst luck. Throughout the series’ run he’s had a cancer scare, has been molested, and even gives himself a shoddy tattoo. It’s not a huge shock that a lot of the episodes are Charlie-centric. In fact, their highest rated episode is season 10’s “Charlie Work.”
Where to Invade Next
He’s done it again. That’s right. Michael Moore has made another one of his documentaries featuring his brand of off-the-wall humor. This time he’s invading European countries to scope out stuff they do better than the good ole US of A. What he finds is surprising and thought-provoking.
Moore, who usually shoots more than what he uses in the final cut of his films, had shot scenes in Estonia for the doc, but they never made the final version of the film. The country, which is said to have the lowest mortality rate for women during childbirth, shows up in his next documentary Michael Moore in TrumpLand.
Trading Places
This hilarious Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd movie shows what happens when two opposite lives get switched. In the blink of an eye, Murphy’s urban hustler finds himself living in the lap of luxury, while Aykroyd’s pompous trader bottoms out in the worst way. Pour yourself a glass of wine or a mug of beer and enjoy this timeless classic.
While the pairing of Murphy and Akroyd seems like a no brainer, it almost didn’t happen. Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder were originally supposed to be in the roles, but after Pryor dropped out, Murphy replaced him. Back then, the comedian was getting inevitable comparisons to Richard Pryor, so he insisted on Wilder’s replacement so he wouldn’t be accused of being “just another Pryor.”
Beyond Season 1
A young guy goes for a walk in the forest and next thing he knows, he’s waking up in a hospital after 12 years in a coma. What happened to him, and how he ended up with strange abilities are questions at the heart of this cool sci-fi drama. His connection to a mysterious female provides intriguing clues.
If actor Burkely Duffield (Holden Matthews) looks convincing in his portrayal of someone with special abilities, that might be because he’s had experience in playing someone with special abilities in the past. In the television series House of Anubis, Duffield played Eddie Miller, who was involved in an Egyptian conspiracy.
The Amazing World of Gumball Season 4
Being a dedicated Gumball Watterson fan certainly pays off, because you’ve been rewarded with another great season of wild and wacky adventures. There are 20 episodes to binge on, starting with the first episode, which centers around figuring out why Gumball, Anais, and Darwin are missing on the first of day school. Thus begins another quest for Richard.
Aside from the binge-able episodes of this fun animated series, The Amazing World of Gumball creators were quite clever from the start. The character of Darwin is based on Charles Darwin, the famous evolutionist. This is why the character is a fish with legs. As for their demographic, the show always had the word “gumball” in it to represent the “childlike” tone of the show. Pretty neat, right?
Mission Impossible
Government agent Ethan Hunt is on a special mission in Prague, but something goes wrong. IMF accuses him of being a turncoat and selling highly classified government secrets to enemies. Hunt is now on the run. The action is hot and heavy as he evades capture while attempting to figure out who framed him. This is a great flick for weekends.
While Tom Cruise seems like he was born to play the role of Ethan Hunt (after all, he has played him for over two decades now) he wasn’t the original choice to play the character. In fact, George Clooney was offered the role but turned it down to film rom-com One Fine Day. Other actors like Bruce Willis, John Travolta, and Nicolas Cage were all approached before producers landed on Cruise.
Across the Universe
Inspired by popular Beatles songs, this story takes you on a musical journey back to the hopeful, yet turbulent days of 1960s youth and romance. English guy Jude meets an American girl Lucy and they fall in love. War, protests, psychedelic art, and free love are visually stunning backdrops to a romance that gives way to powerful forces. Burn some incense and enjoy singing along.
The tunes are so catchy, and the visuals that go along are so splendid, that the film immediately had its own cult following. That said, if one person’s opinion counts, it’s The Beatles’ very own Paul McCartney. Before the fantastical film hit the theaters, Paul had a private screening with director Julie Taymor, and when the film was over, he expressed just how much he liked the film, which reimagined The Beatles’ cataloged music.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
The lovable boys of South Park hit the big screen with a bang in this fun animated romp. Kenny, Stan, Kyle, and Eric are enamored with two Canadian actors and copy their foul-mouthed ways. Soon, South Park parents are in an uproar over the corruption of their children, and they’re ready to start a war with Canada. Can the boys restore peace?
Peace is unlikely if going by these foul mouthed kids. These fourth graders use so much coarse language that the film went down in history as being the most profane animated film ever. It’s said it had 399 curse words, including 149 uses of the F-word. In 2016, the animated film Sausage Party beat the record.
The Piano
Ada, a mute woman, travels to a frontier town with her daughter, Flora, after being sold into marriage by her father. Her only means of expression is through her piano playing. After her beloved piano is sold, she wants nothing to do with her new husband. She must get her piano back so she can communicate again.
With all the Oscar buzz the 1993 film earned, audiences went out in droves to see the film. However, there was one person who didn’t get to see it, actress Anna Paquin (Flora). Back then, Paquin was only 11-years-old and wasn’t allowed to see the film, despite being nominated for it, because she was too young to see the more intimate scenes.
Witness
Take a break from watching Harrison Ford traipse across the galaxy with his Wookie friend and follow him deep into Pennsylvania Amish country. Ford is excellent as Detective John Book in this story about an Amish boy who witnesses a murder in Philadelphia. The story has a surprising police corruption twist, and the culture clash adds to the tension.
Funny enough, even though Harrison Ford is known for playing a great American hero with a freewheelin’ gun, he wasn’t the first choice to take on the role of John Book. It’s said that Sylvester Stallone was initially approached, but he ultimately passed on the role. Later on, he said it was one of the worst decisions he’s ever made about his career.
Wasted Season 1
Sometimes life just doesn’t work out as planned, and that’s what happens to failed DJ Kent. This English comedy revolves around Kent, a college drop-out, and his slacker friends who mainly hang out at a shop they’ve dubbed Stoned Henge, accomplishing nothing of note. Type A personalities may hate this one, but slackers can relate.
And if you’re a true A-type personality and can’t relate to the slacker life, you may want to check it out for actor Sean Bean. The Lord of The Rings star sort of parodies his character Eddard Stark from the hit show Game of Thrones. In this television series, he plays a spirit guide.
Rosanne for President
No one will ever accuse actress and comedian Rosanne Barr of holding her tongue. The outspoken Barr has made a career out of telling the world just how she feels about things. Now she’s taking on the world of politics, and the result is this documentary about her 2012 presidential run. Jokes aside, Barr makes some good points regardless of one’s political views.
It’s said that Barr decided to make this documentary because she was done with scripted entertainment. Of her decision, she said, “I just gave up” when she was asked to hand in samples of her work when pitching scripted shows. In the end, she said she was fed up with the new gatekeepers of the networks. “They’re like 14 years old, running the agency because their dad did. That was the last time I took a meeting. It was just unbelievable to me.”
WarGames
This is the movie that started the whole computer geek sitting at home causing mayhem meme. The technology may be dated, but the hacking theme remains just as relevant now as it was back when the movie was made. Get a kick out of a young, boyish-looking Matthew Broderick, and chuckle at those digital screen characters that everyone used to think were so modern.
Matthew Broderick wanted to capture geek culture right, so to prepare for the role of David, the studio that was producing the film at the time, sent him arcade versions of “Galaxian” and “Galaga” so he could practice at home for two months to prepare for the epic arcade scene.
Stephen King’s Silver Bullet
Back in the ’80s, werewolves were all the rage, and the master of horror, Stephen King, decided to put his own spin on the genre. The result is a pretty decent scary flick that takes place in a small town. When people start turning up dead, the townsfolk think a serial killer is on the loose. They’re right, of course, but this killer has one heck of a bite.
That said, for a film about werewolves, one would think that the production on the movie would be prepared to give the best, most authentic looking werewolves for the film. And as it just so turns out, when the shooting started for the film, the crew didn’t have a proper werewolf suit ready to go!
Cruel Intentions
Privileged step-siblings Kathryn and Sebastian make a wickedly forbidden wager with each other, and if Sebastian wins, he gets to live out his fantasy of bedding his stepsister. First, Sebastian must use his charm to manipulate the chaste Annette to freely give up her virginity to him. If he loses, Kathryn gets his treasured 1956 Jaguar convertible. Settle in for a fun date night movie.
Everyone knows that during the shooting of this film, stars Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon were a real-life couple off-screen as well as on-screen. Their relationship was tumultuous on-screen, so much so that during their big confrontation scene, Phillippe had to run off the set to throw up because he felt sickened by the heated exchange.
