Hulu subscribers have so much content at their disposal. The platform has countless hours of programming available, but sorting through it can often be a hassle. It’s tough to know what’s worth your time and what isn’t. I can relate all too well, subscribing to no less than eight streaming services, and I still find myself paralyzed by fear when trying to decide what to watch. Let’s narrow the focus a bit to make your quest for quality content less daunting to talk about science-fiction programming on Hulu that might have gotten lost in the shuffle.
The platform currently hosts plenty of stellar sci-fi content. At present, Hulu has three different Jurassic Park flicks available to stream and the entire Alien franchise. However, if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool science-fiction fan, you’ve likely seen many of the franchise-based films hosted on the platform. Instead, we’re here to share ten under-seen science fiction titles on Hulu that you may not have seen.
Kids vs. Aliens
If you’re in the mood for a nonsensical good time that harkens back to the days when children ran free on (and off) screen, we’ve got exactly what you crave. Kids vs. Aliens, a feature-length adaptation of the V/H/S/2 segment “Slumber Party Alien Abduction,” is a campy delight. The film follows a group of youngsters who face off against alien invaders using human parts to fuel their spaceship. This outlandish effort recalls ‘80s pictures like Flight of the Navigator and Explorers, but with considerably more viscera and much spicier language.
Jason Eisener, who directed “Slumber Party Alien Abduction,” also helmed this spinoff. Eisener co-wrote the screenplay with John Davies, who shared writing duties on the “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” segment as well.
RELATED: Kids vs. Aliens Director Teases More Stories to Tell in This Universe
T.I.M.
You have to love the acronymous title of this tale of AI run amok. T.I.M. stands for “Technologically Integrated Manservant” and imagines what happens when artificial intelligence begins to take its objective to serve its creator a bit too seriously.
The flick didn’t garner rave reviews upon initial release. However, if you’re in the mood for an escapist thriller offering an admonition on the dangers of AI, you could certainly do far worse.
Donnie Darko
Richard Kelly’s apocalyptic tale about a young man grappling with mortality flew under the radar upon release, due in large part to bad timing. The picture bowed in theaters shortly after 9/11 and features a storyline involving a plane crash. Accordingly, the picture didn’t receive a lot of marketing and pulled in roughly $500,000 during its stateside theatrical run. The film has since rightfully developed a sizable cult following.
Donnie Darko is full of quotable dialogue and hidden items that make repeat visits every bit as enjoyable as an inaugural viewing. Donnie Darko features a stellar cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, and Noah Wyle.
Slash/Back
If it’s a brutal science-fiction picture with strong female characters and meaningful representation of Indigenous people you seek, we have just the film for you. Slash/Back follows a group of Inuit teenagers who explore the outer reaches of their home base (without the benefit of parental oversight) only to get tangled up with unsavory alien invaders.
The film draws parallels between what the young women at the core of the narrative face and the disastrous effects of colonialization on Indigenous communities. Nyla Innuksuk sat at the helm of this 2022 effort, and she also co-wrote the screenplay with Ryan Cavan.
Infinity Pool
Brandon Cronenberg gets a lot of grief for his status as a nepo baby, however, he’s a talented filmmaker with an uncompromising creative vision. Sure, his auteur father, David Cronenberg, may have helped him get a foot in the door, but Brandon is a creative force all on his own. One needs look no further than Infinity Pool to understand that.
This stylish film combines body horror, folk horror, and social commentary; unfolding at an island retreat where there is absolutely zero tolerance for lawlessness. Those who violate the rules pay the ultimate price.
Palm Springs
I like to see seemingly opposing genres merged, and we see that a lot with the juxtaposition of horror and comedy. However, there aren’t nearly as many films that fuse elements of science fiction with comedic energy. Palm Springs is a great example of a feature that bridges those two diverse genres. The picture’s narrative brings together two complete strangers who meet by happenstance and subsequently find themselves stuck in a time loop from which they cannot seem to escape.
This 2020 release likely flew under the radar because of COVID restrictions and its streaming-only release, though the picture still picked up two Golden Globe nominations. Not too shabby.
Crimes of the Future
If you’re a fan of ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, you likely have a soft spot for the output of David Cronenberg. Videodrome and Scanners are two of my all-time favorite genre pictures, but for today’s purposes, let’s set the elder Cronenberg’s past output aside to focus on one of his more recent efforts. I’m talking about Crimes of the Future, a futuristic effort following a pair of performance artists who have built a following from live demonstrations involving the regrowth of mutated organs. This lands them on the radar of a mysterious collective with thoughts of their own about this frightening step in human evolution.
If you lamented the beloved director’s pivot to more mainstream fare in recent years, this is the return to form you’ve been waiting. Brace yourself for a wild ride that harkens back to classic Cronenberg.
No One Will Save You
Writer/director Brian Duffield is likely best known to horror fans for writing the Netflix chiller The Babysitter. If you enjoyed that sinister effort, you should make haste to check out his 2023 streaming sensation No One Will Save You. The flick ranked as the most-watched streaming title during its first week on the Hulu platform.
This thoughtful meditation on trauma sees a young woman confronting alien invaders while simultaneously grappling with the need to leave the past where it belongs (in the past).
Vesper
I have to warn you: this post-apocalyptic picture runs nearly two hours, so you may need to carve out a little extra time to experience it. However, your patience will surely be rewarded. The film follows a young woman called Vesper (Raffiella Chapman) who is struggling to get by in a dystopian future. She must keep her wits about her and rely on her biohacking prowess to stay alive.
Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper co-wrote and co-directed the project, which has been met with primarily positive reviews from critics and moviegoers alike. The pair previously collaborated on a segment for the anthology horror picture The ABCs of Death 2.
They Come Knocking
Music video director Adam Mason helmed this made-for-TV movie which premiered as episode nine of Hulu’s Into the Dark series. Critics praised the feature for establishing an eerie atmosphere and delivering accessible characters. The flick follows a father and his two daughters as they embark upon a road trip to bid farewell to the girls’ recently deceased mother.
The Into the Dark films are a mixed bag. Some of them are exceptional, some are rather forgettable. They Come Knocking is surely one of the more memorable titles to come out of this collaboration between Hulu and Blumhouse Television.
Let us know what you think about these underseen sci-fi films on Hulu in the comments below!
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