Wondering what movies to watch during your coronavirus quarantine? No worries. We have some great suggestions for you whether you like dramas, thrillers, horrors, international, and even animated. Here’s our picks for 15 great films to watch on Hulu.

A QUIET PLACE

This suspense thriller from the multitalented John. Krasinski, raises the stakes to an extraordinary height. Even the acts of survival feel dangerous. There is little we can say that won’t spoil the film so just go watch it. Don’t take any breaks and keep silent!

28 DAYS LATER

The zombie genre needed a hero and 28Days Later wears the mantle. Echoing back to the potent social commentary of the origins Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days Later is relentless in its terror and loss, while cementing the value of family. Like A Quiet Place, the satakes are high for our characters and they struggle to know who to trust. The Zombies are terrifying and the humans are worse. The “Rage” virus feels like something that has infected us today and the films answer could save us. The film is beautifully shot with grit and grain.

TRUE GRIT

Relentless masters of cinema, the Coen brothers remade one of John Wayne’s most potent films, retelling the tale with honor to the original through their own quirky and expansive lens. Genre, and especially “The Western” are a sweet spot for the Coens. They understand these simple, down to earth and yet deeply complex characters. The violence is earned. Jeff Bridges explodes onto the screen. A revisionist western with a heart is an outlier these days and True Grit gives us all of it.

GOOD WILL HUNTING

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck build crafted a script and take the lead roles under the watchful directorial eye of Gus Van Sant in this exploration of trauma, brilliance and brotherly love. Damon (Will) and Affleck shine in this film. They both are connected and committed to the roles, but the real standout is Robin Williams as a psychologist who treats, cares for Damons character. Add a little love interest from Minnie Driver and you have a charming dramatically powerful movie. The culture of Boston thumbs in the background of each well-staged and shot scenes. The dialogue capivates as both the arrogant and awful Will and the compassionate and honest Maguire as we experience healing and hope.

THE FUGITIVE

Dr Richard Kimble is part of the American pop culture pantheon before this film premiere because of the successful genre establishing television program. The movie takes the simple and almost overused structure and places actors of such charisma in the role that the movie feels fresh and inventive. Tommy Lee Jones is mesmerizing. I treasure every moment he and his team are on screen. They are funny, intense and honorable. The film moved through magnificent blocking and framing from Andrew Davis and editing by a team of six throttles up the action creating a new film genre. The movie is fun while retaining action and pathos.

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE

Taika Waititi takes us to the bush in New Zealand for this unconventional buggy, coming of age adventure. The cinematography deserves an immediate shout out, the beauty of the New Zealnd bush gloriously fills the screen. These shots are not about creating geography, we are all lost in the bush as our protagonist. It is about the scale and sublime spirit of the natural world. The story is episodic, and it takes some very bizarre turns, but that is what Waititi is good at. The cover the top, quirkiness of his characters are veils that cover deeply felt emotions. Spoilers avoided, there is little I can write about the plot. Julian Dennison, who you may know from Deadpool II, has an awkwardness and rich self misunderstanding that underpins the film and an almost unrecognizable Sam Neill is fantastic with an extraordinary range of emotions outwardly when needed and under the surface throughout. The supporting cast is hilarious. Rhys Darby and Rachel House in particular steal their scenes. Watiti never takes the standard route, like his characters, he wanders the Bush creating a film. This Indi delight should be first on the list if you have not seen it.

SHOPLIFTERS

We reviewed this film on our podcast. It is a great compliment to Parasite. A touching Japanese family crime drama, Shoplifters world remains in the lower class world without any grift. These people are petty criminals and the morality of their actions from the first scenes of the film are questionable, yet the film treats them with care. Their lawbreaking is for their survival and the emotional power of the story overwhelms their violations of the law. This is beautifully photographed, capturing the claustrophobic squalor of this well meaning misguided family.

APOLLO 11

I don’t have much to say about this one. It is a magnificent tribute to the men of the Apollo 11 mission and a spectacularly well-crafted documentary using ONLY footage from the actual mission to tell the tale. A masterwork of editing and research, Apollo 11 reminds us of what America was capable of when we looked outward at possibility instead of inward at success and self actualization. The scope is large, the characters real and the message clear. This is a great movie to watch in tandem with First Man (2018), a narrative teal of the same events.

BOOKSMART

Ignored by most award ceremonies, this charming, inventive, buddy, coming of age film flawlessly tells the story of two privledge schoolaholics who hope to get all of their party life on the night before graduation. The pace is manic; the episodic exploration of high school life is sincere; and the character are true. I love this little film. There are no villains here, unlike most high school dramas, these are just young people discovering who they are as they prepare to enter then”real” world. The soundtrack is fantastic. The visuals are beautiful, but the real master here is Wilde whose direction of the hilarious and poignant script, dances on screen. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Dever and Feldstein in the lead roles whose chemistry is delightful.

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Friedkin’s action packed crime drama helped make Gene Hackman a star, and he deserves it for this performance. Popeye Doyle’s effort to stop drug trafficking oozes the 1970s from the cinematic look to the pacing to the acting style. There is a lightness in the intensity, a trope of the period. If for nothing else, the street chase through NYC under the elevated train, shot with real traffic, is masterful in design and editing. The sound design of this movie rocks. Take a throwback evening and visit with this 1970’s Oscar winning classic.

SORRY TO BOTHER YOU

Powerfully anti capitalist, Sorry to Bother You is a straight forward social commentary full of humor and alternative wariness. The commentary is cutting and insightful and takes no prisoners even as it drags our protagonist through moral peaks and valleys. Well directed, independent and raw, the film takes the piss out of our social consumer construct. Tessa Thompson creates a devastatingly nuanced performance even as she is spattered with blood. Be ready for the turn in the third act… just a warning and watch it.

FREE SOLO

Breathtaking cinematography and rock solid documentary journalism drops Free Solo on this list. The real story of Alex Honnold’s attempt to climb El Capitan would be an amazing enough adventure but add the insightful interviews with his girlfriend and his friends and the story climbs to new heights. Experiencing the events through the eyes of the camera crew creates a meta culpability for the viewer accented by the clips of the camera man unable to watch the climb. The editing is monumental! This is an exemplary documentary and a powerful narrative that will inspire and prod you into reflection about your own goals and efforts to attain them.

THE SISTERS BROTHERS

The Sisters Brothers is based on a funny absurdist western novel by the same name. It may be an acquired taste but the performances by John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix and Eli and Charles Sisters are top notch. The story asks questions about self determination, brotherly love, self sacrifice and personal freedom set in the wildest of wests and these two bounty hunters have to make moral and personal choices in the face of love , murder and revenge.

AKIRA

Based on the epic manga, Akira condenses dozens of slow burn comic books into a morally enigmatic action packed event. It is best even subtitled but there is a dub version on Hulu as well. The story is big broad science fiction in a technologically explosive cosmos where one special boy is the savior or killer of the world. Friendship, sacrifice and love litter the broad cyberpunk universe. The manga is much more successful in its conclusion but although there are some issues with the films ending, the journey is worth it.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT

Tom Cruise is the king of action films. The guy knows no chill. That is really him jumping out of the airplane. He really flew the helicopter in this film. In Rogue Nation, he really held onto the outside of an airliner’s door as it took off. We wouldn’t be surprised if Tom learned how to fly a jet for his recurring performance in Top Gun’s sequel. The man is completely dedicated to the craft and brings the best performance and experience to his audience as possible. Watching him become Ethan Hunt is a pleasure every. single. time. We can’t recommend the most recent three Mission Impossible films enough, so before you even watch Fallout, you might as well catch Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation. You won’t be bored, we can promise you that.

15 Great Movies on Hulu You Can Watch While Quarantined