With Labor Day in the rearview and NFL season officially here, it's beginning to feel a lot like autumn, even if the last of the summer's heat still remains. Prime Video and Hulu have launched a fresh wave of film and television programming to keep audiences entertained, while certain fan favorites are poised to leave their streaming libraries this month. With both digital platforms boasting their own respective extensive catalogs, CBR is here with recommendations to help viewers choose what exactly to binge this weekend.
Here are the biggest and best shows and movies to stream on Hulu and Prime Video this weekend, from the chance to get a head start on Halloween scares to taking the last chance to watch shows before they leave the streaming services.
The Blair Witch Project Makes for a Ghoulish Double Feature
Found footage cinematography is perhaps at its most effective in the horror genre, and one film that catapulted its popularity in the Hollywood mainstream is 1999's The Blair Witch Project. Ostensibly filmed by a group of research students creating a documentary about Maryland's infamous Blair Witch, the movie's success helped pave the way for found footage horror flicks like Paranormal Activity and Rec. Both the original film and its 2000 sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, are now available to stream on Prime Video.
The 1999 instant classic has a trio of film students camp in the woods outside of Burkittsville, Maryland, where they discover that the local legend behind the Blair Witch may be real as they experience sinister supernatural phenomena. While Book of Shadows largely eschews the found footage format, the movie gently breaks the fourth wall, following fans of the original movie venturing to Burkittsville, where they stumble into the forest's dark secrets themselves. The two movies are poised for a double feature viewing, albeit one that varies significantly in the aesthetic of one horror movie to the next.
The Ghost and the Darkness Predates Beast's Lion Thrills
Though Beast didn't quite live up to critical expectation or audience enthusiasm earlier this summer, another lion-based thriller has come to Prime Video. The 1996 action-adventure film The Ghost and the Darkness is now available to stream, depicting a fictionalized account of two lions that reportedly terrorized a railroad project in Kenya in 1898. And while The Ghost and the Darkness certainly isn't to be hoisted as high cinema, it brings some genuine excitement amidst its period piece setting.
Starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas, The Ghost and the Darkness has the two actors portray military engineer John Henry Patterson and Charles Remington, respectively. Summoned to Kenya, the two men are tasked with hunting down a pair of lions that have steadily been killing railroad workers to prevent further bloodshed. While ludicrous at moments, The Ghost and the Darkness delivers plenty of suspense while showcasing Kilmer and Douglas at the height of their powers.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Retires from Duty on Hulu
One of the most celebrated television comedies in recent years is Brooklyn Nine-Nine, winning and nominated for a multitude of awards across its eight-season run. Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, the sitcom took place in a Brooklyn police precinct staffed by eccentric cops keeping New York City safe. The series is set to leave Hulu next week, giving audiences just enough time to binge the show from top to bottom.
Andy Samberg stars as police detective Jake Peralta, whose natural skills as an effective crimefighter are undercut by his ceaselessly goofy nature. Jake is joined by his no-nonsense Captain Raymond Holt and the intimidating Rosa Diaz as they put their own comical twist on crime-solving. A masterclass in situation comedy, catch Brooklyn Nine-Nine in the limited time that it's still on Hulu in its entirety.
Hunter x Hunter Expands Its Big Game Action
The anime adaptation of Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter manga series is coming to Hulu in a big way, with new dubbed and subtitled episodes this month. Episodes 53-148 have been officially dubbed in English while episodes 80-148 have been added, subtitled and with their original Japanese-language tracks. With this, the entire 2011 reboot anime series is now available to stream on Hulu for those looking to experience the story on the platform in full for the first time.
Hunter x Hunter follows a young boy named Gon Freecss, who discovers that his long-lost father, Ging, is alive and well and living out his dream to be a hunter. Despite being left behind by Ging, Gon is determined to follow in his footsteps and trains to become an expert hunter himself. With plenty of globe-trotting action adventure as Gon tracks legendary animals and discovers hidden treasure, Hunter x Hunter stands complete and ready for an epic binge-watch.
We Bought a Zoo Rises Above Its Meme Distinction
Many memes recently taking the internet by storm center around the 2010 film We Bought a Zoo, co-written and directed by Cameron Crowe and adapting the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee. Starring Matt Damon as Mee, We Bought a Zoo follows Benjamin and his family as they recover from the loss of his wife. Relocating their home in a bid for a fresh start, the Mee family decides to acquire a rundown zoo, taking on the joint task of renovating it for the public.
Despite its thoroughly meme-able title, We Bought a Zoo captures the everyman charm and slice-of-life drama that Crowe excels at as a filmmaker. Buoyed with a likable cast, including Scarlett Johannson, the movie favors an easygoing exploration of sentimental emotion rather than big twists and stakes. The perfect movie to curl up and watch on a rainy afternoon, We Bought a Zoo is available to stream on Hulu.