Looking for the best shows and movies to watch on Hulu this month? Hulu is kicking off 2021 by adding an exciting array of movies to its slate — all the better to keep you indoors while it’s cold and contagious outside. There’s something for everyone, including a modern Western that nabbed plenty of Oscar nominations, a beloved sports romance, and a classic fantasy adventure.
Plus, later in the month, Hulu will be adding a new original movie that pushes the bounds of what a magic show can be — no, seriously — and marking the American debut of a hit Canadian comedy.
Our picks for the best shows and movies to watch on Hulu in January are below, but here is the complete list of what’s new on Hulu in January. If you’re looking for even more suggestions, click over to our full list of recommendations.
The Best Shows and Movies on Hulu This Month
Hell or High Water
Available Jan. 1
Start 2021 in style with this modern Western thriller. Hell or High Water is a gritty heist movie with a top-notch cast: Chris Pine and Ben Foster star as brothers who rob a bank in order to provide for their family, while Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham play the Texas Rangers on their tail. Director David Mackenzie and writer Taylor Sheridan – who’s now a big-time TV guy thanks to creating Yellowstone — give their cat-and-mouse game real heft, taking the story in a surprisingly introspective direction. It’s a stunning frontier drama that earned four Oscar nominations but still somehow feels like it doesn’t get talked about enough.
Love & Basketball
Available Jan. 1
Love & Basketball was the directorial debut of The Old Guard‘s Gina Prince-Bythewood, who has said that her goal while writing the film was to “make a Black When Harry Met Sally.” She succeeded; it’s become a turn-of-the-millennium classic. Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps are the perfect team as next-door neighbors and childhood sweethearts pursuing their dreams of becoming professional basketball players. On top of being a dreamy romance, Love & Basketball is also a smart sports movie about the pressure young athletes face.
The Princess Bride
Available Jan. 1
Looking to escape into a fantasy this month? As you wish. As of the new year, The Princess Bride is finally on Hulu, making it even easier to revisit the adventures of Westley (Cary Elwes), Buttercup (Robin Wright), Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), Rodents of Unusual Size, and the other colorful characters in this elaborate bedtime story being told by a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his grandson (Fred Savage). (If you’re really in the mood to feel something, chase it down by watching the late Carl Reiner reenact the ending with his son, the film’s director, Rob Reiner.)
Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself
Available Jan. 22
Derek DelGaudio’s incredible one-man show In & Of Itself comes to Hulu as a film directed by Frank Oz, who also directed the stage production. DelGaudio is a magician, among other things, but “magic show” doesn’t come close to summing up this experience, which blends confessional storytelling and impressive tricks. By the end, it’s a sophisticated exploration of identity. While the movie can’t quite recreate the feeling of attending the live performance, the fact that it translates to the screen this well is still an impressive sleight of hand.
Jann
Available Jan. 29
If Schitt’s Creek made your sense of humor more Canadian, check out Jann. Executive produced by Schitt’s Creek EP Andrew Barnsley, the Canadian comedy is making its U.S. debut on Hulu, which releases the first two seasons at the end of the month. Jann stars and was co-created by singer-songwriter and actor Jann Arden, who plays a fictional version of herself: a former pop star dealing with a breakup with her longtime girlfriend and her mother’s early-stage dementia, all while trying to stage a professional comeback. The show is already a hit in Canada, where it’s racked up several Canadian Screen Award nominations. Plus, Sarah McLachlan guest stars as Jann’s archrival.
Want to know what else is coming to Hulu? Here’s everything new on Hulu in January.
