An eclectic group of movies makes up Hulu’s top 15. Paul W. S. Anderson’s In the Lost Lands is toward the top. The fantasy movie based on stories by George R.R. Martin flopped at the box office, but it’s found a new audience on streaming. The same can be said for Riff Raff , the little-seen crime comedy starring Bill Murray and Pete Davidson.
Outside of the top 15, there is a bevy of underrated movies to watch in July. One of our picks is Sunshine, a sci-fi thriller from the duo that brought you 28 Years Later . Keep reading to see all three of our recommendations.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream , the best movies on Netflix , the best movies on Hulu , the best movies on Amazon Prime Video , the best movies on HBO Max , and the best movies on Disney+ .
Sunshine (2007)
Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland are best known for their collaborations in the 28 Days Later franchise. Yet the duo worked together on 2007’s Sunshine , a sci-fi thriller that deserves as much attention, if not more, than their zombie movies. In the year 2057, humanity is facing extinction due to the death of the sun. With Earth freezing, mankind’s last hope lies with eight astronauts — including Robert Capa (Cillian Murphy), James Mace (Chris Evans), and Cassie (Rose Byrne) — on board the Icarus II.
The group plans to use a stellar-bomb device that could reignite the sun. Sunshine’s visuals and score are spellbinding, which pave the way for future space exploration movies like Interstellar . Misunderstood at the time, Sunshine is now regarded as somewhat of a masterpiece.
Stream Sunshine on Hulu.
The Way Way Back (2013)
Fresh off winning an Oscar for their screenplay on The Descendants , Nat Faxon and Jim Rash teamed up for The Way Way Back , a delightful coming-of-age story set in a Massachusetts beach town during the summer. Duncan (Liam James), a timid teenager, is forced to spend the summer with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her rich boyfriend, Trent ( Steve Carell ), and Trent’s conceited daughter (Steph).
Neglected by his mother and insulted by Trent, Duncan finds solace at a local water park and its kind manager, Owen (Sam Rockwell). The water park becomes Duncan’s oasis as he works through his problems with Owen, who takes the young teen under his wing. For those who have felt left out and unseen, The Way Way Back is a heartwarming reminder to be yourself.
Stream The Way Way Back on Hulu.
Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
Flight of the Phoenix was made to be watched on a Sunday afternoon after a long weekend. It has enough action to keep you entertained, but if you happen to doze off for a few minutes, there’s no need to rewind because the plot points aren’t that major. I mean this as a compliment, by the way. Turn your brain off and enjoy an easy-to-digest survival drama.
Based on the novel and the 1965 movie, Flight of the Phoenix follows two pilots — Capt. Frank Towns ( Dennis Quaid ) and co-pilot A.J. (Tyrese Gibson) — and their attempts to transport the crew of an oil rig out of the desert. A destructive sandstorm causes the plane to crash-land in the abandoned desert. With dwindling supplies and the threat of smugglers, the only way out is to construct a plane from scratch and fly themselves to safety.
Stream Flight of the Phoenix on Hulu.
