The 7 Best New Movies on Hulu in January 2022

If you’re trying to figure out what to watch on Hulu, you’ve come to the right place. The streaming service has added a number of great library films this month, ranging from under-seen hidden gems to reliable classics. Below, we’ve assembled a list of the best new movies on Hulu in January 2022, using the new release lineup as a guide to point you towards some films you may not have known were now available on the streaming service.

Beautiful Creatures

During the YA adaptation boom of the 2010s, a romantic gothic fantasy called “Beautiful Creatures” got lost in the shuffle, but it’s more than deserving of being rediscovered. Based on the book of the same name by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the film takes place in South Carolina and follows a teen named Lena who’s new at school and may or may not come from a family of witches. She strikes up a relationship with a teen boy (played by “Solo” star Alden Ehrenreich) against her family’s wishes, and drama ensues. Written and directed by Richard LaGravenese, the film has a wonderful Southern Gothic romance flavor and co-stars Viola Davis, Jeremy Irons, Emmy Rossum and Emma Thompson.

Courage Under Fire

If you’re into legal thriller mysteries like “A Few Good Men,” check out “Courage Under Fire.” Released in 1996, the film stars Denzel Washington as a Lieutenant Colonel serving in the Gulf War who is assigned to determine if Captain Karen Walden (played by Meg Ryan) deserves to be the first woman to posthumously receive the Medal of Honor. Washington’s character conducts a series of interviews with service men who served under Walden, but receives conflicting stories that play out in flashback as to what happened on the fateful night she died. Directed by Edward Zwick, the film also stars Lou Diamond Phillips, Scott Glenn and a young Matt Damon, and was shot by Oscar-winning DP Roger Deakins.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

There’s a reason fans have been clamoring for a “Master and Commander” sequel ever since the Best Picture nominee was released in 2003 – it’s a great film with great characters and leaves the door open for many, many more stories to come. Russell Crowe leads the Patrick O’Brian adaptation that takes place during the Napoleonic Wars and follows the voyages of a ship on the high seas. Paul Bettany co-stars as a surgeon with a Darwin-like fascination for science, and the action as directed by Peter Weir is magnificent.

Moulin Rouge!

Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann rocked audiences with his bombastic, wild and completely romantic 2001 musical “Moulin Rouge!” The film is part fantasy and part tragedy as it takes place in 1900 Paris and follows an aspiring writer played by Ewan McGregor who falls in love with a performer and courtesan played by Nicole Kidman. The film is a jukebox musical but offers unique renditions of classic songs ranging from Elton John to Madonna to The Police, all told through Luhrmann’s unique filmmaking lens.

Panic Room

David Fincher has admitted that with his 2002 thriller “Panic Room,” he was really just trying to create the ultimate date movie. To that end, he succeeded. The claustrophobic thriller stars Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart as a mother and daughter living in their new NYC apartment who are besieged one night by intruders. They quickly hide themselves in the apartment’s high-tech panic room, only to discover that what the intruders want is inside that room, and they’re not leaving. Jared Leto is hilarious as one of the criminals, Forest Whitaker is aces as a conflicted thief and Dwight Yoakam (of all people) is absolutely chilling.

Sense and Sensibility

If you’re in the mood for a great period drama, you can’t go wrong with “Sense and Sensibility.” Director Ang Lee’s 1995 Jane Austen adaptation was written by Emma Thompson, who also co-stars and picked up an Oscar for her adapted screenplay. The film follows the sisters of a wealthy English family who must deal with sudden poverty, as they’re forced to find financial security through marriage. The terrific ensemble cast includes Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie.

What About Bob?

An underrated Bill Murray comedy if there ever was one, 1991’s “What About Bob?” is a hoot from start to finish. Murray plays a man suffering from multiple debilitating phobias who, when his therapist refers him to the egocentric Dr. Leo Marvin (played by Richard Dreyfuss), tracks Dr. Marvin down to his vacation home and ingratiates himself with Marvin’s family – much to Marvin’s chagrin. As Bob is beloved by Dr. Marvin’s wife and kids, Leo is driven to his wits’ end and takes drastic measures.