It’s the summer of love, having kids and — evolutionary theory? That’s what Hulu has in store for its subscribers in July, with three very different movies that are underrated and a blast to watch.
Sci-fi fans will love Mission to Mars, an underappreciated adventure tale that’s more Stanley Kubrick than George Lucas. The Assessment is also a sci-fi movie, but one that’s more concerned with questions of morality rather than space travel.
If aliens and bleak futures aren’t your thing, watch Ruby Sparks, a charming fantasy that wonders what would happen if the partner of your dreams actually exists.
‘Mission to Mars’ (2000)
When an exploratory crew of astronauts disappears on Mars, a rescue team (played by Tim Robbins, Gary Sinise, Connie Nielsen and Jerry O’ Connell) is sent to find out what happened to them. But soon they find themselves in need of help as asteroids damage their ship, leaving them stranded with rapidly diminishing supplies. Without a fully operational shuttle, they must still solve the mystery of the missing crew while also finding a way back home to Earth.
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What if the director of Carrie had made 2001: A Space Odyssey? That’s basically what Mission to Mars turns out to be — a sci-fi film about space exploration that has moments of greatness brought down by some questionable dialogue and a head-scratcher of a climax. Still, its highs are very high, and they include a thrilling opening sequence detailing a space mission gone awry and some pretty gnarly zero-gravity scenes aboard a futuristic spaceship. The ending is hokey — it attempts to explain how humans really evolved using questionable science and janky CGI — but Mission to Mars is still an enjoyable adventure romp that will make you want to read The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury again.
Mission to Mars is streaming on Hulu.
‘The Assessment’ (2024)
In the near future, not everyone is free to have children. Environmental disasters and overpopulation have depleted society’s resources, so couples who desire offspring must go through a rigorous assessment to determine if they are fit to be parents.
Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) desperately want a child, so they agree to be inspected by Virginia (Alicia Vikander), a government employee charged with determining if Mia and Aaryan are mentally and physically fit to raise a child. Virginia’s methods are odd and then become increasingly intrusive as she subjects them to numerous tests that strain their marriage. Soon, Mia suspects Virginia’s not being as professional as she should be, and is hiding a secret that could destroy them all.
The Assessment is an odd film — it’s a sci-fi flick that at times feels like a thriller but packs the emotional punch of a good drama movie. It presents a very believable near-future scenario where its central concept could happen, and which people like Virginia could take advantage of for their own nefarious purposes. The Assessment is sometimes bleak, but there are glimmers of hope, too. The ending is unexpected — it gives its three characters what they all want, and what they deserve.
The Assessment is streaming on Hulu.
‘Ruby Sparks’ (2012)
Calvin (Dumb Money‘s Paul Dano) is a novelist with a severe case of writer’s block. One night, he dreams of a woman he’s never met before, and begins writing about her. He names her Ruby, and soon, he’s writing his next book about being in a relationship with her. One day, he’s stunned to find Ruby (Zoe Kazan), alive and seemingly real, standing in his apartment with the belief that they are dating. Is Calvin going insane? Or did he really will the woman of his dreams into his life? Either way, Calvin has his hands full, and Ruby might not be the answer to all of his problems.
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Ruby Sparks is a rom-com with just the right touch of fantasy and charm. Dano and Kazan are real-life partners, and they have a believable chemistry as a couple who love each other, flaws and all. The movie fully commits to its far-out premise, but it doesn’t sacrifice honesty for whimsy. The ending leaves things a bit unresolved as to whether Ruby is actually real or not, but it doesn’t feel unfinished or unsatisfying.
Ruby Sparks is streaming on Hulu.
