December is here and with it, streamers are getting their monthly influx of new titles to watch. From “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu’s first feature to one of the standout horror movies of 2024 you might have missed, there are plenty of new movies on Hulu in December worth tuning into. To help you skip the infinite scrolling, here’s a curated selection of the best new movies streaming on Hulu this month.
‘Gladiator’ (2000)
If the long-awaited arrival of Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” sequel has you in the mood to revisit the original 2000 film, Hulu has you covered this December. Russell Crowe stars as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a faithful soldier of the Roman Empire, loyal to Marcus Aurelius, who loses everything at the hands of Marcus’ scheming, sniveling son Commodus (a slithery Joaquin Phoenix) and winds up fighting for his life in the Gladiator arena. Nearly 25 years later, Scott’s blood-pumping historical action epic still swings a sharp sword, and Crowe’s compelling performance holds up even better in light of the second film. It’s a five-time Oscar-winning epic and a bona fide crowd-pleaser, what more could you want for a holiday season stream?
‘The Muppets’ (2011)
Until someone comes along to revive the beloved puppet brand once again, 2011’s “The Muppets” is the best recent film entry in the long and ever-entertaining canon. It’s also, unfortunately, a rather timely watch in 2024, with the recent sale of the Henson Company’s Chaplin Studios and Muppets*3D shutting down at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. Jason Segel and Amy Adams star as Gary and Mary, the human helpers to the world’s biggest Muppets fan, Walter (also a Muppet), who rallies with the Muppets themselves to save Muppet Studios after a ruthless businessman (Chris Cooper) sets his sights on razing the lot to drill for oil. Super charming, with great (and Oscar-winning) original songs — by “Flight of the Conchords’” Brett McKenzie, no less — “The Muppets” is charming feel-good watch.
‘Cuckoo’ (2024)
One of the year’s most distinctive horror movies hits streaming this month, Neon’s “Cuckoo.” Starring “Euphoria” breakout and “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” star Hunter Schafer, “Cuckoo” follows teenager Gretchen (Schafer) to a remote Alpine resort in Germany, where she reluctantly moves in with her estranged father, stepmother and half-sister after her mother’s death. There, she also meets her father’s mysterious and imposing boss, Herr König (Dan Stevens doing a German accent with his whole chest), and stars to experience strange, scary and otherworldly phenomenon. Though not as fright-forward as you might expect, ‘Cuckoo’ casts its strange spell rather well, and director Tilman Singer once again proves himself a singular voice after his stellar 2018 debut “Luz.”
‘Moulin Rouge’ (2001)
The vibrant, delirious Baz Luhrmann (“Elvis”) jukebox musical “Moulin Rouge” arrives on Hulu this month, and if you’ve never seen it before, it’s a whirlwind of music, tapestry, lust and romance that must be experienced. Luhrmann ecstatically embraces his style of excess here, making the film an endless rush of colors, textures and sounds — and of course, some of the most beloved songs of all time, from Elton John’s “Your Song” to Nirvana’s “Teen Spirit.” Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor are magnetic and so swoon-worthy as a doomed, radiant courtesan and the romantic poet who falls in love with her, belting out their hearts, and sweeping you up in their tragic tale.
‘Speed’ (1994)
There’s a bomb on a bus, and it will go off if Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock can’t keep it speeding over 50 mph. Might not sound too intense, but factor in red lights, pedestrians, rush hour traffic, dwindling gas supplies and all the other factors that make driving such a difficult task and you’ve got one of the most inspired concepts for one of the greatest action thrillers of the 90s.
‘Twilight’ (2008)
Heads up for the “Twilight” lovers, the whole Saga is headed to Hulu this month. The series isn’t always streaming, so if you’ve been longing for a re-watch, now’s the time. Future indie darlings Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in the YA vampire romance sensation that sparked an infamously passionate fan response and equally intense cultural counter-vitriol. In retrospect, the first film is a rather swooning, handsomely-made YA paranormal romance, and love it or hate it, undeniably an icon of its times all these years later. And with a killer soundtrack, to boot.
‘Step Up 2 The Streets’ (2008)
Jon M. Chu is currently flying high and tearing it up at the box office with the first half of “Wicked” adaptation, but if you want to throw it back — physically or nostalgically — Hulu is currently streaming his 2008 feature film debut. A sequel to the more romance-forward 2006 “Step Up,” which catapulted Channing Tatum to stardom, “Step Up 2 The Streets” introduced a new cast and a new style, amping up the dance sequences significantly, amplified by Chu’s signature euphoric kinetics. There’s a school romance here too and the movie has plenty of charm, but really, this one is about the dances; big, ambitious, heavily-choreographed ensemble numbers that make you want to get up and get in on the party.
