Hulu has you covered if you’re looking for movies to watch this July Fourth weekend. In fact, it arguably has the greatest July Fourth movie of them all, which doesn’t involve any actual U.S. history. But as a rousing patriotic flick, it’s hard to top the sci-fi action and spectacle of Independence Day, which hit theaters 28 years ago this week.
Our remaining picks for the three Hulu movies that you need to stream this weekend include an underrated horror comedy and a romantic drama/comedy that’s celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. With these three films, you don’t need to go to a theater this weekend. The best movies are coming to you.
Tragedy Girls (2017)
You kind of have to admire the spirit of McKayla Hooper (Alexandra Shipp) and Sadie Cunningham (Brianna Hildebrand) in the horror comedy Tragedy Girls. McKayla and Sadie are so obsessed with becoming famous true crime podcasters that they’re willing to start killing their own victims. The girls even capture a real serial killer, Lowell Orson Lehmann (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ Kevin Durand), with the intention of framing him for their crimes.
That plan could have worked if Sheriff Blane Welch (Timothy V. Murphy) hadn’t ruled the girls’ first victim as an accidental death. This enrages McKayla and Sadie, who go on to kill again. But as the girls refine their extracurricular activities, their plans never quite work out as intended. And they may not be the last ones standing when the credits roll.
Watch Tragedy Girls on Hulu.
Independence Day (1996)
Yes, Independence Day is the obvious choice to watch on July Fourth weekend. But it’s the feel-good sci-fi disaster movie we need, especially since it gives everyone on Earth a common enemy when alien invaders come to claim our world. The destruction of the White House is one of the most famous shots in cinematic history, but the aliens don’t stop there. Los Angeles, New York, and other major cities around the world are also destroyed in spectacular fashion.
Even in the face of extinction, America rallies the world against the invaders with one last assault. President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) gives a speech for the ages before Captain Steven Hiller (Bad Boys: Ride or Die‘s Will Smith) and David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) embark on what may be a suicide mission to the aliens’ mothership. But if the remaining American forces can’t win the battle on Earth, then Hiller and Levinson’s mission may be for nothing.
Watch Independence Day on Hulu.
Garden State (2004)
Zach Braff wrote, directed, and starred in Garden State, which is still his top cinematic achievement two decades later. Braff plays Andrew Largeman, an actor who has never found success because his emotions have been bottled up by years of medication. Upon returning to his hometown for the funeral for his mother, Andrew struggles to feel anything when he reunites with his old friends Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) and Dave (Alex Burns).
When Sam (Natalie Portman) enters his life, Andrew finally starts to feel something again despite her admitted compulsion to lie. These two dysfunctional people may be made for each other, but Andrew has to come to terms with the darkest chapters of his past before he’ll be ready to move on with anyone.
Watch Garden State on Hulu.
