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Tom's Guide
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
7 best new to Hulu movies with 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes
Hulu continues to deliver when it comes to curating a solid lineup of high-quality movies. Each month, the streaming service adds a batch of critically praised titles to its library, making it a go-to destination for movie fans looking for something that's both fresh and acclaimed. It's part of why we consistently rank Hulu as one of the best streaming services available. May 2025 is no exception. We've scanned the incoming titles and zeroed in on the ones that have earned serious praise — specifically those with a 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes. You may like From a Korean crime thriller that deserves more attention to one of the highest-rated 'Mission: Impossible' flicks (and a couple of genre gems you might've missed), here are seven movies new to Hulu in May 2025 that are absolutely worth your time. The Wailing Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Korean Thriller HD - YouTube Watch On Critically acclaimed for its atmospheric storytelling and intricate plot, 'The Wailing' stands out as a compelling exploration of human vulnerability in the face of incomprehensible forces. This Korean dark thriller set takes place in a remote village where a series of mysterious murders and illnesses begin to plague the community. The events coincide with the arrival of a suspicious Japanese man, leading to growing fear and suspicion among the villagers. Police officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won) investigates the incidents and soon discovers that his own daughter is exhibiting strange behavior. In desperation, he turns to a local shaman for help, but as the situation escalates, Jong-goo is forced to confront the possibility that something far more sinister is at play. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Rotten Tomatoes score: 99% Watch it now on Hulu The Insider (1999) Trailer #1 - YouTube Watch On 'The Insider' is a gripping drama based on real events, directed by Michael Mann and starring Russell Crowe and Al Pacino. Jeffrey Wigand (Crowe) is a former tobacco executive who becomes a whistleblower. After being fired from his high-paying job at a major tobacco company, Wigand reveals to the world the industry's knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking and its deliberate efforts to manipulate nicotine levels in cigarettes to make them more addictive. Wigand's decision to speak out puts him and his family in serious danger. Lowell Bergman (Pacino), a producer for the investigative news program 60 Minutes, convinces Wigand to go public with his story, despite the immense personal and professional risks involved. Rotten Tomatoes score: 96% Watch it now on Hulu 'Spy' (2015) Spy Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne Comedy HD - YouTube Watch On If you're in the mood for a comedy flick with some explosive action, 'Spy' is the one to watch this month. It follows Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), a mild-mannered CIA analyst who works behind a desk, providing intel and support to field agents. When her partner, Bradley Fine (Jude Law), is killed during a mission, and another top agent is compromised, Susan volunteers to go undercover and take on a high-stakes mission herself. Her task is to track down a dangerous arms dealer, Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), who has sold a nuclear weapon and threatens global security. Despite being inexperienced in the field, Susan's journey is full of mishaps, unexpected disguises, and hilarious encounters, as she navigates through a world of spies and dangerous criminals. Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% Watch it now on Hulu 'Decision to Leave' (2022) Decision to Leave Trailer #1 (2022) - YouTube Watch On 'Decision to Leave' earned plenty of praise for its storytelling and compelling central performances, earning Park Chan-wook the Best Director award at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Detective Jang Hae-jun (Park Hae-il) is an insomniac investigator in Busan, who is assigned to the case of a retired immigration officer found dead at the foot of a mountain. His investigation leads him to the deceased's enigmatic wife, Song Seo-rae (Tang Wei), a Chinese immigrant working as a caretaker for the elderly. Despite initial suspicions due to her calm demeanor and suspicious injuries, Hae-jun becomes increasingly captivated by Seo-rae, blurring the lines between professional duty and personal obsession. Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Watch it now on Hulu 'Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation' (2015) Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) | Official Trailer | Paramount Pictures UK - YouTube Watch On Hulu has become the ultimate destination for 'Mission: Impossible' fans, as it now has every movie in the franchise (except for 'Dead Reckoning'), making it the perfect time for a marathon before 'The Final Reckoning' hits theaters this month. Among the standout movies in the series is 'Rogue Nation,' widely regarded as one of the best. In this fifth installment, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), a highly skilled IMF (Impossible Mission Force) agent, is on a mission to take down the Syndicate, a network of operatives who are as skilled and ruthless as the IMF itself. When the IMF is disbanded by the U.S. government and labeled as an illegal organization, Hunt is forced to work without official support. He teams up with a British agent, Ilsa Faust (played by Rebecca Ferguson), whose true allegiance remains unclear. Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Watch it on Hulu starting May 15 'Attack the Block' (2011) 'Attack the Block' is a British sci-fi comedy-horror that's definitely entertaining. Its fast-paced action and social commentary helped it gain cult status over the years, especially for introducing John Boyega to mainstream audiences before his breakout role in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.' The story kicks off when a group of young offenders, led by the tough Moses (Boyega), mug a woman named Sam (Jodie Whittaker). However, their plans are interrupted when an alien spacecraft crashes nearby, and terrifying, aggressive alien creatures begin attacking the block. Instead of running away, Moses and his gang decide to fight back and protect their home turf from the extraterrestrial threat. They end up banding together with Sam, who becomes an unlikely ally in their fight for survival. Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Watch it now on Hulu 'The Damned' (2024) THE DAMNED Official Trailer (2024) - YouTube Watch On Looking for something on Hulu with a more serious tone? 'The Damned' is worth checking out. This folk horror movie had a limited theatrical run in early January and received strong praise from critics, with some describing it as 'heavy on mood and existential terror.' The story follows Eva (Odessa Young), a young widow who leads a remote fishing outpost during a harsh winter. When a foreign ship sinks off the coast, Eva and her crew are faced with a moral dilemma: rescue the survivors or ensure their own survival by conserving dwindling resources. Their decision sets off a series of eerie and supernatural events, including the appearance of a draugr — a revenant from Nordic folklore — suggesting that their choice has awakened a malevolent force. Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Watch it on Hulu starting May 9 More from Tom's Guide
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘60 Minutes' vs. a Corporate Merger? You've Seen This Movie Before – in ‘The Insider'
Stop me if you've heard this one: '60 Minutes' faces pressure from its corporate bosses in order to grease the wheels on a proposed merger, leading to accusations that journalistic integrity has been sacrificed on the altar of profit. While that applies to Paramount Global's current jockeying with the Trump administration as the company seeks approval for its $8 billion Skydance Media merger, it also describes what happened 30 years ago, when '60 Minutes' caved to CBS' lawyers to avoid putting a roadblock in the way of its planned acquisition by Westinghouse. At the time, it was a Mike Wallace segment on '60 Minutes,' interviewing tobacco industry whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand, who at great personal risk exposed how his former employer, Brown & Williamson, and others in the tobacco industry had consciously sought to mislead the public about the addictive effects of nicotine and dangers of their cancer-causing products. The events of that period were dramatic enough to inspire the 1999 Michael Mann-directed film 'The Insider,' starring Al Pacino as CBS producer Lowell Bergman and Russell Crowe as whistleblower Wigand. For those who see CBS' possible capitulation to Trump as a major setback for the venerable newsmagazine, it's a reminder that tension between corporate ownership and journalism has reared its ugly head before, and not always with a heroic 'All the President's Men'-style ending. Indeed, in 2016, 20 years after the Wigand piece finally aired, then-'60 Minutes' executive producer Jeff Fager called it 'probably the most important story that was ever reported by '60 Minutes,'' and the decision to yank the segment 'a low point in our history.' If that was a low point, it could soon have company, as Paramount mulls a settlement with Trump in his lawsuit over what the president has maintained was misleading editing of a '60 Minutes' profile of Kamala Harris broadcast before the election, litigation that journalists and legal scholars both inside and outside of CBS News widely see as frivolous. During a press conference Monday, FCC chairman Brendan Carr said that the Trump lawsuit had 'nothing to do with the work that we're doing at the FCC,' but those who have watched the commission under his stewardship could be forgiven for viewing those remarks with skepticism. Last week, the longtime executive producer of '60 Minutes,' Bill Owens, took a principled stand in the face of corporate cowardice, leaving the program while referring to his 'diminished independence' in overseeing the show. The news sent shock waves through the news division and beyond, given the prestige that the venerable newsmagazine still commands even in a hollowed-out linear-TV environment. Like their predecessors, the current corporate brass under Paramount Global Chairwoman Shari Redstone also have bigger fish to fry — in this case, seeking to safeguard the merger with Skydance that the Trump administration has made clear will not happen without capitulation in the '60 Minutes' lawsuit. Notably, the current '60 Minutes' team has already publicly pushed back more aggressively than key figures did on the Wigand story, with Scott Pelley delivering a bracing closing note to Sunday's broadcast regarding Owens' departure. Acknowledging the pending merger, Pelley said Paramount 'began to supervise our content in new ways,' adding, 'No one here is happy about it.' There are some obvious distinctions from what transpired three decades ago, beginning with the fact that CBS feared litigation from a private company, not coercion from the federal government. Yet the question of a corporation buckling under pressure — and undermining the standing of '60 Minutes' in the process — is close enough in the broad strokes to feel eerily similar. Conducted by the legendary Mike Wallace, the Wigand interview didn't air as initially planned because the legal department feared a multibillion-dollar lawsuit for interfering with Wigand's confidentiality agreement with tobacco giant Brown & Williamson. The pressure came after ABC — on the verge of its acquisition by the Walt Disney Co. — had faced, and settled, a $10 billion libel lawsuit by another cigarette maker, Philip Morris, against ABC News over a segment on one of its newsmagazines. (That, too, has echoes of Disney's $15 million settlement of a Trump lawsuit against ABC's news division, prompted by George Stephanopoulos' references to Trump having been found liable in the case brought by E. Jean Carroll.) CBS began its negotiations with Westinghouse in September 1995, a month after that settlement was announced, which clearly played on the minds of the network's legal team and executives. Surprisingly, given their reputations, neither Wallace nor the founding executive producer of '60 Minutes,' Don Hewitt, significantly fought back against the legal department, Bergman recalled in a 2012 interview, not long after Wallace's death at the age of 93. 'I couldn't understand why they folded,' Bergman said, citing the clout Wallace possessed within the organization. 'I would say objectively that he didn't agree with what they were doing, but he wasn't willing to say, 'I'm not going to let this stand.'' As PBS' 'Frontline' noted in a documentary about the Wigand episode, CBS actually gave in without facing a formal lawsuit. The larger backdrop, however, was that then-CBS owner Laurence Tisch was seeking to finalize the network's sale to Westinghouse, and the mere threat of a massive lawsuit could have potentially jeopardized the $5.4 billon deal. The question raised by CBS' actions then, as 'Frontline' framed it, has echoed through the intervening years — namely, 'As media companies increasingly come under the control of large corporations, what is the threat posed to news gathering and the public's right to know?' The fact '60 Minutes' has survived another 30 years underscores that the public-relations blow struck by the Wigand story wasn't a fatal one, but the reputational damage — to Wallace and the larger franchise — did linger. It's worth noting, too, that the era in which these cases played out in the mid-1990s marked what in hindsight can be seen as the beginning of the end for the dominance of the broadcast networks, as Fox, the WB and UPN joined the growing influence of cable to gradually chip away at their power. '60 Minutes' has continued to produce laudable journalism, but the program operates today in a much different, more fragmented media environment. While Paramount management is clearly engaged in a calculation about the value of the merger versus whatever harm knuckling under to Trump might inflict on the CBS News brand, history will likely judge the prospect of caving in under these circumstances at least as harshly, and likely more so, than the network's actions in 1995. CBS eventually aired the Wigand interview almost a full year after the piece was originally scheduled and pulled. Ironically, a subsequent Vanity Fair article, titled 'The Man Who Knew Too Much,' would be acquired by the studio that had essentially started it all, Disney, and become the foundation for 'The Insider.' In addition to media industry skittishness, Wigand's story also reflected the enormous power the tobacco companies possessed in the 1990s, and the extent to which they would go to protect their product and profits — including their CEOs lying to Congress about whether nicotine qualified as an addictive substance. In his two-decades-later appraisal, Fager concluded that no one at '60 Minutes' did anything wrong, and the situation was 'just mishandled.' Yet that assessment, understandably, came from his perspective as a newsman. Because based on the priorities of lawyers at CBS corporate, then and likely now, the situation was in fact 'handled' in precisely the cover-your-assets manner they intended. The post '60 Minutes' vs. a Corporate Merger? You've Seen This Movie Before – in 'The Insider' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
School wrongly suspended student ‘trying to do the right thing,' judge rules
A Virginia Beach Catholic school's decision to suspend a student for not immediately reporting that a classmate had a bullet was 'appalling,' and violated the terms of his family's contract with the school, a judge ruled this week. The decision was issued Monday by District Court Judge Vivian Henderson after she heard testimony from the student's mother, as well as the former principal of St. John the Apostle Catholic School, and the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Richmond, according to a transcript of the hearing. 'The unfortunate victim in this matter was (the boy who reported the incident),' Henderson said in announcing her decision. 'Because to see him punished as the person who was trying to do the right thing is appalling … Especially in an environment where students are forced, younger and younger kids are being forced, to make adult-like decisions, without clear boundaries or parameters.' Rachel Wigand sued St. John's in September after her 11-year-old son was suspended for 1½ days. The lawsuit claimed the school breached its contract with the Wigand family by punishing the boy for something not in the student-parent handbook. The handbook doesn't say anything about needing to immediately report incidents in which a student has ammunition, according to the complaint. The only thing it says must be immediately reported is allegations involving sexual harassment. In an interview with The Virginian-Pilot last year, Wigand said her son waited a couple of hours to come forward because he wanted do it when the other boy wasn't around. She also said her son couldn't understand why he was punished, especially when it was the same disciplinary action received by the student who brought the bullet to school. In her lawsuit, Wigand asked that she be reimbursed for the $4,780 in tuition she paid for her son for the first half of the school year. But on Monday, her attorney Tim Anderson told the judge she was only requesting $81, as well as attorney's fees and other costs. The $81 represents about how much a day and a half of tuition amounted to, Anderson said. 'This wasn't about the money,' the lawyer said. 'It was about much more than that. What we wanted was a clear ruling from the court that this was a suspension and that it was not allowed under the contract.' St. John's officials repeatedly claimed the punishment was not a suspension, Anderson said, and that it was allowed under the rules. The Catholic Diocese of Richmond issued a statement Tuesday in which it said it stood by the school's decision. 'At St. John the Apostle School, we are dedicated to maintaining a safe and focused learning environment for our students,' the statement said. 'While we disagree with the court's decision, we respect the legal process. Our focus continues to be providing enriching and Christ-centered learning experiences for our students, and we are hopeful this conclusion will bring all parties involved an opportunity to move forward.' Wigand applauded the judge's decision Tuesday. While her children still attend St. John's, she's considering sending them elsewhere next year. 'I truly appreciated having an independent third party recognize that the school's decision was wrong,' she said. 'After seven months, it was a weight lifted off my back for just trying to do what was best and right for my child.' Jane Harper,
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Virginia student's suspension for not reporting classmate with bullet sooner is 'appalling,' judge says
A Virginia Beach, Virginia, judge said it was "appalling" that a school suspended a 6th grader for waiting too long to report that another student had brought a bullet to class. The judge ruled Monday in favor of the child's mother, Rachel Wigand, after she sued St. John the Apostle Catholic School for breaching its contract when administrators suspended her son in September for a day and a half. The child, who was identified in the lawsuit as A.W., received the same suspension as the student who allegedly brought the bullet to class. "A suspension on a child's academic record is permanent. When you're enrolling children in subsequent educational places, they ask you that question: has your kid ever been suspended? What happened to her child was so absurd," said attorney Tim Anderson, who represented Wigand. "It wasn't fair that the mom was going to have to answer that question, yes, for the remainder of this child's academic career," he said. The child was in class, preparing to take a standardized test, when another student pulled out a bullet and showed it to him. Anderson previously told NBC News said the child took the test, which lasted about an hour and a half, went to another class, and then told the principal. It was about two hours between the child seeing the bullet and him alerting the principal, Anderson said. School administrators called the police, and officers found the bullet in the student's bag, according to Anderson. Judge Vivian Henderson said to see the child punished for trying to do the right thing was "appalling, for a lack of a better word, for this court." "Especially in an environment where ... younger and younger kids are being forced to make adult-like decisions without clear boundaries or parameters," Henderson said in a recording of Monday's hearing provided to NBC News by Anderson. She said "the unfortunate victim in this matter" was Wigand's son. An attorney for the school had said in closing arguments that it is written in the school's handbook and in the tuition contract that St. John the Apostle has the right to impose "a more or less severe form of discipline." The attorney also argued that it is stressed in school that safety incidents need to be reported immediately. The attorney said the decision to send Wigand's son home "was clearly harping back on that lesson and trying to impose a lesson of 'Hey, this is why it's important.'" Anderson said the school could have put the child in detention or imposed another type of in-school disciplinary action. The Catholic Diocese of Richmond said while it disagrees with the court's decision, it respects the legal process. "Our focus continues to be providing enriching and Christ-centered learning experiences for our students, and we are hopeful this conclusion will bring all parties involved an opportunity to move forward," a spokesperson said in a statement. Wigand previously told NBC News that her son had wanted to stay anonymous when reporting the incident, but the school took that away when he was suspended. Anderson said Tuesday the child has been bullied since the incident, and Wigand plans on enrolling him and her other children in a new school. This article was originally published on
NBC News
08-04-2025
- NBC News
Virginia student's suspension for not reporting classmate with bullet sooner is 'appalling,' judge says
A Virginia Beach, Virginia, judge said it was "appalling" that a school suspended a 6th grader for waiting too long to report that another student had brought a bullet to class. The judge ruled Monday in favor of the child's mother, Rachel Wigand, after she sued St. John the Apostle Catholic School for breaching its contract when administrators suspended her son in September for a day and a half. The child, who was identified in the lawsuit as A.W., received the same suspension as the student who allegedly brought the bullet to class. "A suspension on a child's academic record is permanent. When you're enrolling children in subsequent educational places, they ask you that question: has your kid ever been suspended? What happened to her child was so absurd," said attorney Tim Anderson, who represented Wigand. "It wasn't fair that the mom was going to have to answer that question, yes, for the remainder of this child's academic career," he said. The child was in class, preparing to take a standardized test, when another student pulled out a bullet and showed it to him. Anderson previously told NBC News said the child took the test, which lasted about an hour and a half, went to another class, and then told the principal. It was about two hours between the child seeing the bullet and him alerting the principal, Anderson said. School administrators called the police, and officers found the bullet in the student's bag, according to Anderson. Judge Vivian Henderson said to see the child punished for trying to do the right thing was "appalling, for a lack of a better word, for this court." "Especially in an environment where ... younger and younger kids are being forced to make adult-like decisions without clear boundaries or parameters," Henderson said in a recording of Monday's hearing provided to NBC News by Anderson. She said "the unfortunate victim in this matter" was Wigand's son. An attorney for the school had said in closing arguments that it is written in the school's handbook and in the tuition contract that St. John the Apostle has the right to impose "a more or less severe form of discipline." The attorney also argued that it is stressed in school that safety incidents need to be reported immediately. The attorney said the decision to send Wigand's son home "was clearly harping back on that lesson and trying to impose a lesson of 'Hey, this is why it's important.'" Anderson said the school could have put the child in detention or imposed another type of in-school disciplinary action. The Catholic Diocese of Richmond said while it disagrees with the court's decision, it respects the legal process. "Our focus continues to be providing enriching and Christ-centered learning experiences for our students, and we are hopeful this conclusion will bring all parties involved an opportunity to move forward," a spokesperson said in a statement. Wigand previously told NBC News that her son had wanted to stay anonymous when reporting the incident, but the school took that away when he was suspended. Anderson said Tuesday the child has been bullied since the incident, and Wigand plans on enrolling him and her other children in a new school.
