Crossing the Streams is our monthly look at all the offerings hitting the big streaming services each month, and this time we’re checking out the new Hulu arrivals for January 2021. This month’s titles are light on new movies, but they still include plenty of old favorites from Stephen King, the 90s, Mike Myers, and more!
Keep reading to see what’s new to Hulu for January 2021!
Hulu Pick of the Month for January 2021
The comedic stylings of Mike Myers were never universally adored, but the years have been even more unfair to some of his past gems. A case in point is his spy spoof trilogy that too many scoff at these days. All three films — Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) — are new to Hulu this month, and while a marathon would probably be a bit too much I do recommend giving them a spin. There are highs and lows, obviously, but if you just let yourself relax and enjoy the smartly crafted idiocy it’s a revisit worth making. Myers and Jay Roach poke masterful fun and James Bond and others, the gags come fast and furious, the opening title song and dance numbers are choreographed perfection, and the entirety has no deeper goal than to entertain.
More More More!
Most films hit the screen as the completed vision of their directors, but sometimes a filmmaker has more to say that they couldn’t fit it for one reason or another. Enter the inconsistent joy that is director’s cuts! It’s typically name directors who get the privilege, and that’s certainly the case for the three hitting Hulu this month.
First up is Bernardo Bertolucci’s extended cut of 1900 (1976) which, atypically, was actually the cut he initially released. Its 317-minute running time was trimmed to 247 minutes for a US release, though, before being restored in the years that followed. The longer cut is the one presented here, and if you have five hours to spare it remains an epic in more ways than one as it explores class, crime, family, and friendship through the lens of the early 20th century in Italy. Robert De Niro and Gérard Depardieu headline (obviously), and the film charts through relationship through years both glorious and tumultuous. And did I mention Ennio Morricone provides the score?
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982) was shafted on its initial release, much like John Carpenter’s The Thing that same year, but history recognizes it as a science fiction masterpiece. (Again, like Carpenter’s film.) That hasn’t stopped Scott from fiddling with it, though, and over the years we’ve seen a few different cuts. The last, called The Final Cut, was released by WB in 2007, and while it runs the same length as the initial theatrical version, the differences leave viewers with a different tone and ending. Is it better? That’s debatable, but removing voice-over narration is almost always an improvement.
The differences made to Michael Mann’s The Last of the Mohicans (1992) from theatrical release to Director’s Cut aren’t nearly as dramatic, but the few extra minutes do add nuance and character touches. The film’s narrative trajectory remains the same and every bit as powerful as Daniel Day-Lewis’ Hawkeye leads a heroic effort amid the carnage of the French and Indian War. It’s still one hell of a historical drama complete with romance, action, and suspense.
A Stephen King Triple Feature
Stephen King adaptations enjoyed something of a resurgence recently, but it’s important to revisit the classics too. The 80s remain his biggest decade prior to the 2010s, and now two of those under-appreciated films are new to Hulu alongside a lesser film from 1990!
Cujo (1983) is a tight, claustrophobic adaptation of one of King’s meaner novels, and director Lewis Teague does fantastic work tightening the screws through to the very end. The rabid dog entered pop culture long ago, but the film keeps things serious and deadly while recognizing the tragedy of this pup’s transformation into a mad killing machine. Dee Wallace gives an intense performance as the woman at the center of it all trying desperately to protect her son, and while the film softens King’s ending considerably it’s still an effective one.
David Cronenberg entered the King game with his adaptation of The Dead Zone (1983), and while it’s far from flashy it’s exactly what you’d expect from the filmmaker. No, not body horror, but there is a chilliness throughout as Cronenberg brings to life King’s tale of a psychic given the chance to prevent the end of the world. Christopher Walken’s lead performance is rightfully subdued and emotionally affecting as loss and duty fuel him towards action. It’s a terrific and somber thriller.
While those two films are legitimately fantastic, the same can’t really be said for Graveyard Shift (1990). It’s straight trash horror as a mill becomes infested with killer rats, and while King’s short story is an effective one-note hit the film suffers a bit stretching it to feature-length. Still, it’s a killer rat movie, so there’s still plenty to love for fans of sweaty, dirty, bloody genre fare.
It’s Always the Right Time for ’90s Thrillers!
We get the occasional throwback now and then, but 90s thrillers remain a subgenre unto themselves. Take Internal Affairs (1990), for example. Recently revisited in some ways by Fatale (2020), Mike Figgis’ steamy film sees a violent relationship take hold between three people as Andy Garcia’s Internal Affairs agent begins to investigate Richard Gere’s corrupt cop — with the agent’s wife (Nancy Travis) caught in the middle. It’s a mean, twisty good time and delivers some stellar back and forth action between Gere and Garcia.
Jonathan Mostow’s Breakdown (1997) is just simple thriller perfection across the board. Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan play a couple on a cross country drive who cross paths with killers led by the eternally great J.T. Walsh. She’s abducted, and Russell sets out to find her, and it’s just a brilliantly suspenseful ride populated with practical stunts, solid performances, and a highly satisfying end. Watch it. Re-watch it. Love it.
Writer/director Kasi Lemmons’ Eve’s Bayou (1997) isn’t your typical 90s thriller, but I’m including it here as the film is always worth highlighting and celebrating. A young Jurnee Smollett plays little Eve, but it’s the adults who play deceitful games including Samuel L. Jackson, Lynn Whitfield, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and more. It’s a terrifically constructed dramatic thriller with tinges of something more, and both sharp writing and compelling performances push it towards a memorable climax.
The Complete Hulu List for January 2021
| Release Date | Title | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1/1 | 1900 (1977) | |
| 1900 (Extended Cut) (1977) | ||
| American Gigolo (1980) | ||
| Arachnophobia (1990) | ||
| The Arrival (1996) | ||
| Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997) | ||
| Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) | ||
| Austin Powers In Goldmember (2002) | ||
| Bad Company (2002) | ||
| Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2007) | ||
| Blood Diamond (2006) | ||
| Bloody Sunday (2002) | ||
| Blow (2001) | ||
| Boogie Nights (1997) | ||
| Breakdown (1997) | ||
| Broken Arrow (1996) | ||
| The Brothers McMullen (1995) | ||
| Bully (2001) | ||
| Changing Lanes (2002) | ||
| Chaplin (1992) | ||
| Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009) | ||
| Cloverfield (2008) | ||
| Coneheads (1993) | ||
| Constantine (2005) | ||
| The Cooler (2003) | ||
| The Core (2003) | ||
| Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) | ||
| Cujo (1983) | ||
| Dance Flick (2009) | ||
| Date Night (2010) | ||
| Dead Poets Society (1989) | ||
| Dead Presidents (1995) | ||
| The Dead Zone (1983) | ||
| Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2009) | ||
| Donnie Brasco (1997) | ||
| The Duff (2015) | ||
| Enemy at the Gates (2001) | ||
| Escape From Alcatraz (1979) | ||
| Eve’s Bayou (1997) | ||
| Face/Off (1997) | ||
| Fire Force: Season 2, Episodes 1-12 (DUBBED) (Funimation) | ||
| The Firm (1993) | ||
| The Foot Fist Way (2008) | ||
| Footloose (1984) | ||
| Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) | ||
| Frozen (2010) | ||
| The Gift (2000) | ||
| Girl Most Likely (2013) | ||
| Good Luck Chuck (2007) | ||
| Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) | ||
| The Haunting (1999) | ||
| Hell or High Water (2016) | ||
| Hondo (1953) | ||
| Hot Shots! (1991) | ||
| How Do You Know (2010) | ||
| In & Out (1997) | ||
| Indecent Proposal (1993) | ||
| Internal Affairs (1990) | ||
| Kiss the Girls (1997) | ||
| The Ladies Man (2000) | ||
| Last of the Mohicans: Director’s Cut (1992) | ||
| The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) | ||
| Like a Boss (2020) | ||
| The Longest Yard (1974) | ||
| Look Who’s Talking (1989) | ||
| Look Who’s Talking Too (1990) | ||
| Look Who’s Talking Now (1993) | ||
| Lost In Space (1998) | ||
| Love And Basketball (2000) | ||
| Major League (1989) | ||
| The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) | ||
| The Mexican (2001) | ||
| More Than a Game (2008) | ||
| Mousehunt (1997) | ||
| My Best Friend’s Girl (2008) | ||
| A Night at the Roxbury (1998) | ||
| New In Town (2009) | ||
| Night at the Museum (2006) | ||
| Paycheck (2003) | ||
| The Peacemaker (1997) | ||
| Places in the Heart (1984) | ||
| Poseidon (2006) | ||
| Pride (2007) | ||
| The Princess Bride (1987) | ||
| Push (2009) | ||
| The Quick and the Dead (1995) | ||
| Regarding Henry (1991) | ||
| The Relic (1997) |
||
| The Rules Of Attraction (2002) | ||
| Salt (2010) | ||
| Save Yourselves (2020) | ||
| Selena (1997) | ||
| Shrek (2001) | ||
| The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) | ||
| Soul Plane (2004) | ||
| Species (1995) | ||
| Star Kid (1998) | ||
| Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) | ||
| Star Trek: First Contact (1996) | ||
| Star Trek Beyond (2016) | ||
| Starman (1984) | ||
| Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift (1990) | ||
| Super Dark Times (2017) | ||
| The Three Musketeers (2011) | ||
| The Truman Show (1998) | ||
| Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) | ||
| Virtuosity (1995) | ||
| Walking Tall (1973) | ||
| War (2007) | ||
| Where Hope Grows (2015) | ||
| Wonder Boys (2000) | ||
| Young Adult (2011) | ||
| 1/5 | Boruto: Complete Season 1 (DUBBED) (Viz) | |
| 1/6 | Mighty Oak (2020) | |
| 1/7 | Gretel & Hansel (2020) | |
| Vanderpump Rules: Complete Season 8 (Bravo) | ||
| 1/8 | Celebs Go Dating: Complete Seasons 6 – 8 (All3Media) | |
| A Certain Scientific Railgun Part 2: Complete Season 3 (DUBBED) (Funimation) | ||
| Tattoo Fixers Extreme UK: Complete Seasons 5 & 6 (All3Media) | ||
| 1/11 | Lights Out (2016) | |
| The Rhythm Section (2020) | ||
| 1/13 | Everyone is Doing Great: Complete Season 1 (Endeavor Content) | |
| 1/14 | Alone (2020) | |
| The Secrets We Keep (2020) | ||
| 1/15 | Endlings: Complete Season 2 | Hulu Original |
| The Ultimate Playlist of Noise | Hulu Original Film | |
| 1/17 | Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Complete Season 3 (SUBBED) (Infinite Frontiers) | |
| No Escape (2020) | ||
| 1/18 | I Don’t Know How She Does It (2011) | |
| 1/20 | 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined: Complete Season 1 (TLC) | |
| Car Kings: Complete Season 1 (Discovery) | ||
| Cutthroat Kitchen: Complete Season 14 (Food Network) | ||
| Gold Rush: Complete Season 10 (Discovery) | ||
| House Hunters: Complete Season 163 (HGTV) | ||
| House Hunters International: Complete Season 138 (HGTV) | ||
| One-Punch Man: Complete Season 2 (DUBBED) (Viz) | ||
| Property Brothers: Forever Home: Complete Season 1 (HGTV) | ||
| Puppy Bowl: Complete Seasons 14 & 15 (Animal Planet) | ||
| River Monsters: Complete Season 9 (Animal Planet) | ||
| Rob Riggle: Global Investigator: Complete Season 1 (Discovery) | ||
| Rock The Block: Complete Season 1 (HGTV) | ||
| Save My Skin: Complete Season 1 (TLC) | ||
| Torn from the Headlines: New York Post Reports: Complete Season 1 (ID) | ||
| A Very Brady Renovation: Complete Season 1 (HGTV) | ||
| Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein?: Complete Season 1 (ID) | ||
| Worst Bakers in America: Complete Season 2 (Food Network) | ||
| Worst Cooks in America: Complete Season 17 (Food Network) | ||
| 1/22 | Derek Delgaudio’s In & Of Itself | Hulu Original Film |
| The Sister: Complete Season 1 (Hulu Original) | ||
| Terra Willy (2020) | ||
| 1/27 | The Haves and Have Nots: Complete Season 7B (OWN) | |
| 1/29 | Jann: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (Distribution 360) |
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