Shubhabrata Dutta
There are many movies that are a source of healing. When we are feeling low, left out, or lonely, such movies offer a safe place, even if it means letting out all the pain. Thanks to the advent of OTTs, these movies are now at our disposal, and we can stream them as many times as we want until we feel better. In this list, we bring you movies to watch on Hulu when you are lonely. From comedy to romance to heartbreaking flicks, the list has additions that will help you divert your loneliness and those that will help you share it with the characters.
10. Step Brothers (2008)
Laughter is the best medicine, but for what? Well, that’s debatable, although it certainly helps when you are feeling lonely and sad. So, if you are looking for a movie that makes you laugh, Adam McKay’s ‘Step Brothers’ is a great pick. Starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, the movie follows middle-aged slackers Brennan (Ferrell) and Dale (Reilly), who come face to face, thanks to their single parents who get married.
Thus begins a hateful verbal and physical give-and-take between the two step-brothers who are forced to share the same room, much to our hilarity. The onscreen chemistry of the two comedic actors makes the movie a mindless laughter riot that you can experience right here.
9. Akira (1988)
Katsuhiro Otomo’s immortal cyberpunk anime drama, ‘Akira’ transports you to a different world with its rich narrative and gripping story. The film follows Kaneda, a bike gang leader, who tries to protect his childhood friend Tetsuo from a classified government project. Tetsuo has acquired supernatural abilities, which may be the result of an atomic bomb that was dropped by the government on Tokyo 31 years ago after an experiment on children failed.
Revolutionary in its depiction of a dystopian future and in terms of visuals and anime action, ‘Akira’ is a cult classic anime movie that is a milestone in Japanese animation and animation in general. So, if you want to get rid of your loneliness in a most epic way, you can watch ‘Akira’ here.
8. No One Will Save You (2023)
If you are alone at home and looking for something interesting and creepy that picks at your brain, ‘No One Will Save You’ is your choice. It follows a young girl named Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever) who lives alone in her childhood home while dealing with a personal loss. However, things soon take a wild turn after she is subjected to torment by a group of extraterrestrial beings who use telekinesis to make her relive her past trauma. When she isn’t, she is busy fending off the aliens and keeping the people under their control at bay. In this movie, we find out whether she survives the invasion. You may feel that you are like Brynn if you are struggling to cope with your weird neighbors or the people around you who appear and behave weirdly with you, i.e., like the aliens. In such a case, you might learn a thing or two about how to deal with them. ‘No One Will Save You’ can be streamed here.
7. The Worst Person in the World (2021)
Something that every person suffers from and needs to suffer from, ‘The Worst Person in the World’ deals with indecisiveness and mistakes. We follow a young woman named Julie (Renate Reinsve) who tries to navigate her life through her 20s to her 30s, an adventure underscored by romance with not one but two contrasting men, grief, endurance, and self-worth. Julie is flawed in numerous ways, and so are we. Following her gives the viewer a sense of connection that arises from making similar mistakes and feeling the same way in the aftermath. Like life, ‘The Worst Person in the World’ is abstract and meaningful at the same time. It can be streamed here.
6. Three Minutes: A Lengthening (2021)
Sometimes, the past can relieve us from the present. ‘Three Minutes: A Lengthening’ is a documentary directed by Bianca Stigter, which is bound to pull you out of your lonesome state and unexpectedly tap into your emotions. It analyses three minutes of footage shot in 1938 by a guy named David Kurtz. It includes moving images of the Jewish inhabitants in Nasielsk, Poland, right before they were removed from existence by the Holocaust. It is adapted from the non-fiction book ‘Three Minutes in Poland: Discovering a Lost World in a 1938 Family Film’ by Glenn Kurtz, the grandson of David Kurtz. The place, the people, the period, the smiles, and the sense of impending loss make this film no less than a time travel. You can stream it here.
5. Flee (2021)
An adult animated documentary directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, ‘Flee’ showcases the journey of a man named Amin Nawabi (alias) who reveals his tragic story of escape from his hometown in Afghanistan to Denmark as a kid in the aftermath of the Soviet-Afghan War and an invasion by mujahideen forces. Rasmussen’s interview with Nawabi takes the form of a brilliant blend of real archive footage and animation through which we see Nawabi reveal his story for the first time in 20 years, one he has hidden even from his partner, who is soon going to be his husband. A strong memoir of self-discovery through personal struggle, ‘Flee’ is a story of survival that is bound to help you realize how important accepting your past is to live in the present. One of the reasons we can feel alone is because we have left our past behind. This film helps us reach back and pull it beside us no matter how painful it is. You can stream it here.
4. Mass (2021)
This powerful and moving film is about two parent couples sitting and trying to have a conversation about a tragedy that occurred six years ago, which marred them forever. Evan, son of Jay and Gail, was killed in a school shooting perpetrated by Hayden, son of Richard and Linda, who committed suicide after the shooting. God forbid you find yourself in such a situation, but if you are looking to vent out a similar kind of pain, ‘Mass’ gives words to thoughts that you wouldn’t want to address. A journey of loneliness, anger, and eventually acceptance, ‘Mass’ puts forward a painful yet relieving experience underscored by death. The film stars Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney, and Ann Dowd. You can stream it here.
3. The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (2022)
Directed by Tomohisa Taguchi, ‘The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes’ is the film adaptation of the eponymous Japanese light novel written by Mei Hachimoku and illustrated by Kukka. A perfect romantic getaway in times of loneliness, the film follows two people, Kaoru Touno and Anzu Hanashiro, who meet after Kaoru, dealing with the passing of his sister, comes across the Urashima Tunnel that is rumored to grant a wish in return for a lifespan. They decide to carry out an experiment in the tunnel as both have wishes they want to be fulfilled. The film won the Paul Grimault Award at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival and is acclaimed for the way it blends its story with breathtaking visuals. You can watch it here.
2. Inu-oh (2021)
Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, ‘Inu-oh’ is for those who are forced to put on a mask (not a real one but a façade) to hide their true self from others. In other words, they have to pretend. The visually stunning film is based on the novel ‘Tales of the Heike: Inu-Oh’ by Hideo Furukawa, which talks of a real-life Noh performer (Noh is a form of classical Japanese dance-drama). Set in 14th-century Japan (the Muromachi Period), the film follows the titular character, a deformed boy who wears clothes and masks to hide his appearance and is a Noh dancer. He meets Tomona/Tomoichi, a blind boy who is a biwa player, and the two decide to form a troupe.
Their adventures and performances, each of which tells a story and affects them in some way, make the film a compelling drama whose roots go deep within Japanese culture. The film shows that we all need someone to whom we don’t have to pretend, but only after we accept who we are would that be possible. Winner of many awards and accolades, including the Satoshi Kon Award for Best Animated Feature at the 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival, ‘Inu-oh’ can be watched right here.
1. Nomadland (2021)
This film is directed by Chloé Zhao and is based on Jessica Bruder’s 2017 non-fiction book ‘Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.’ All about loss and loneliness, we follow Frances McDormand’s character, Fern, who takes to the road as a nomad after losing her husband, her job, and even her hometown. While her experiences are a clear reminder of emotional isolation as much as a physical one, the little moments of hope and happiness make ‘Nomadland’ a film that reminds people that they aren’t alone in their loneliness. Fern remains alone till the end of the film, which states the obvious, i.e., often, there’s no happy ending. However, her interactions with people prove that seeking help and comforting others do help keep the isolated feeling at bay. The film won three Oscars at the 2021 Academy Awards. You can stream the film here.
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