11 Good Movies to Watch on Hulu for April 2016

That’s right. Hulu.

I’m here to tell you that there’s a cinematic streaming goldmine available on Hulu that includes recent hits, older classics, domestic releases, and foreign imports. It’s even home to hundreds of Criterion titles. Sure there’s plenty of filler and seemingly thousands of titles I’ve never heard of before, but I’m not here to talk about possible gems like Nocturnal Agony… I’m here to recommend some good movies to watch this month on Hulu.

Pick of the Month: ’71 (2014)

A young British soldier (Jack O’Connell) enters the street of 1971 Belfast in an attempt to keep the peace, but when a riot breaks out and he’s accidentally left behind what he finds is anything but peaceful. This is a crackerjack thriller that brings tension and suspense to what’s in some ways a modern(-ish) update of The Naked Prey. O’Connell is terrific as he puts a face to the intensity of the situation.

Death Wish (1974)

A man (Charles Bronson) is helpless to stop attacks on his wife and daughter and turns that impotency into rage by becoming a vigilante. There are better Bronson films — Mr. Majestyk anyone? — but none made as much of a mark on pop culture (let alone spawned four sequels). It’s a gritty, violent, occasionally sleazy flick — thanks Michael Winner! — that created a template for vigilante films for years to come.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)

Rynn (Jodie Foster) has been trained by her father to be self-sufficient, but after he dies her attempt to go on living as normal hits a pedophile-shaped bump. Part drama about a self-sufficient teenager, part thriller about a self-sufficient teenager, this is an engaging and unsettling film that makes great use of Martin Sheen’s creepiness.

The Dead Zone (1983)

Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens from a coma with the ability to see into the future, but he realizes too late that the gift comes with a hefty cost. David Cronenberg’s adaptation of Stephen King’s best seller is one of the director’s less stylized efforts, but it packs a fantastic punch. Plus more Martin Sheen’s creepiness!

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Saint to some, slacker to others, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is exactly who he wants to be, and we can all learn a lesson from his certainty. Director/writer John Hughes gave us several ’80s classics, but for my money his best is a three-way tie between Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, and this smart and funny middle finger to authority.