Most Watched Movies on Netflix, Hulu, Prime video and Disney+ in 2020

Most watched movies of 2020 are an odd mix of films that is sure to stir some controversy as if 2020 hadn’t had enough of that already.  

So, 21 of the most watched movies of 2020 on streaming services are going to be featured in this piece in order of volume. 

I will write reviews of each I have seen and tell which ones you should watch, which you should not, and which you should look away from for the rest of eternity. 

Although the year was a handful, with the abovementioned and with so much more, there were a few movies that had a big impact on my life. 

For example, Mulan showed me how much Hollywood needed China. While Sasha Cohen Baron again delivered on his most iconic role and racked up quite a few laughs. 

Artemis Fowl disgusted me while the Old Guard showed me how to build a perfect theme and movie around one. 

The table below includes the names of the movies with their streaming platforms and recommendations on whether you should watch them or not.  

Most Watched Movies on Streaming Platforms 2020

Most Watched Movies on Disney+: Hamilton

Director: Thomas Kail

Writers:  Lin-Manuel Miranda (book), Ron Chernow 

Stars:  Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr.

Hamilton is the most watched movie on Disney+ 2020. And a masterpiece directed by Thomas Kail, and the writer Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ron Chernow.  It includes the stars like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff. 

It is a biography of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the USA, captured live from Broadway with some of the best performances. 

Watching the first 10 minutes of Hamilton, I was so impressed and moved by the performances and the lyrics, that I knew I wanted the pleasure and the joy of watching such an incredible show to last longer. So, I paused the show and watched it throughout the whole week. 

Dare to say, it was one of the best weeks of quarantine. Regardless of what was happening, whether I was in a bad mood, or devastated by all the fake news and the constant flow of poor quality information. I could just turn it on and continue the journey through the life of one of the greatest people on Earth. 

It was both inspiring and aspiring and something that was much needed in the pathos of quarantine times. However, that expression stayed with me for a long time until now. And it sure as hell, seems like it is going to stay with me for much longer.  

Because it makes you feel like you never want to leave their world. Although you know how it all ends, it’s the lyrical journey that subsumes you and integrates you into acts like you were witnessing it first hand. 

It is no wonder it is on top of the most watched movies on multiple streaming platforms.

Most Watched Movies on Prime Video: Borat

Director:  Jason Woliner

Writers: Sacha Baron Cohen (screenplay by), Anthony Hines (screenplay by)

Stars:  Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, Tom Hanks

In his directorial debut, Jason Woliner directed the Borat  Subsequent movie, which was written by Sasha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimmer including stars like Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, Tom Hanks. 

It is the continuation of the first movie. Borat is released from prison after 14 years and is once more sent to improve relations with the USA. This time, however, he ends up uncovering more of the US’s flaws than Kazakhstan’s. 

First time I watched it. I loved it because I was high. However, later when I watched it without any substance, I respected it for trying its best to show the absurdities and the fatuous cringes and idiotic ideologies of our society. 

It is not the best comedy of the year but it surely was one of the funniest most watched movies on streaming services. Of course, by now the people have gotten insensitive to the political and social satires. Thus, Borat is a bit too late in this genre, yet it still delivers enough laughs for your money. 

You won’t come out of the movie or stand up from it fully inspired or holding your stomach because you laughed so much that it hurts. But you won’t regret your time spent on the movie. 

However, the best way to watch it might be with heightened senses, however, with a few scenes that provoke laughter like no other. You remember those jokes and retell them to others. 

For example, the time when Borat and Tutor go to a pastor to get an adoption. The writing couldn’t have been more clever.  

The only drawback is that those moments are rare.  

Most Watched Movies on Netflix: The Old Guard

Director:  Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writers:  Greg Rucka (screenplay by), Greg Rucka 

Stars:  Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts 

After Hamilton and Borat, I am dismissing a few movies mostly because I haven’t watched them. But except for My Spy, I did watch and I regret that I did, and I don’t feel like wasting any more time writing about it too. Thus, I am warning you to not watch it.  

Now when it comes to Old Guard it was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Greg Rucka, Leandro Fernandez.  The cast includes people like Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, and Schoenaerts. 

I have been a long-time fan of Charlize Theron and have been watching most of her movies. I have seen a fair share of movies with the hero as the main badass person. However, there is no one that matches her talent. 

For example, in Atomic Blonde, the directors chose style over substance, which left no room for character development or even exploration. 

I liked that movie too, but it was more of a dry experience with a bunch of cool action scenes. However, in the Old Guard, they probably learned from that mistake. It had problems with shaky cams and camera angles utilizing the dutch angle excessively.

Although it wasn’t perfect, I loved how they handled the theme of immortality. For example, if Atomic Blonde chose to narrate the movie. By the way, I hate narrations or exposition in movies.

And that meant that no matter how cool or beautiful the action scene might have looked, you always knew that she survived because she lived to tell the tale. 

In Old Guard, even though they are immortal, you never really know if she will and that brings quite the tense and suspenseful moments because you’re invested in the character as well. 

This movie definitely deserves to be one of the most watched movies on Netflix. 

Netflix Comedy Movies of 2020: The Lovebirds

Director: Michael Showalter

Writers:  Aaron Abrams (story by), Brendan Gall (screenplay by)

Stars:  Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks

The Lovebirds is that movie that you should watch with an open mind and try to get as much out of the chemistry and the charm of two leads. Because apart from that there is not much they offer. 

One of the most watched movies of 2020 Lovebirds was directed by Michael Showalter and written by Aaron Abrams, Brandan Gall. It includes stars like Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks. 

Interracial couple gets tangled up in murder case they didn’t commit, that has a huge impact on their relationship. 

I don’t regret watching this movie as much as I did My Spy, and would still recommend it. Especially if you are bored and have nothing to watch and/or a big fan of Kumail Nanjiani. 

It is one of the most watched movies on Netflix though, but perhaps it was due to the lack of available movies during the quarantine.  

The movie seems like it was improvised from start to finish. It doesn’t have a proper plot or premise. Neither does it have proper character building, though it has some really good jokes that land and tickle a good laugh or two. 

Obviously, the authentic connection between the leads goes off the screen and can easily be noticed, but chemistry and good jokes are not enough to make a good movie. It would be a good Netflix special for comedians, but for a movie that requires a whole lot more. 

The Most-Streamed Movies: Project Power

Director:  Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

Writers:  Mattson Tomlin

Stars:  Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback

Project Power was one of those movies that I expected would make a franchise and maybe have me on their side. Except I didn’t like the movie despite its incredible cast like Jami Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback. 

It was directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman and written by Mattson Tomlin. The movie is very quick with its plot and introduces it at the beginning at which you point assume or get ready for a thrill ride, full of obstacles and adventures of the main hero. 

However, it never delivers. It has some terrific action scenes but the way they edit or shoot is a bit too fast for me. Although it energized the movie that way. 

I don’t intend to spoil anything but it’s been almost a year now, so you probably have already watched the movie yourself.  

The third act of the movie, the part that most people wait for the most, especially in action movies disappoints you. It is about 5 minutes long and ends with the hero taking the pill and destroying all the opposition.  

The inclusion of Dominique Fishback’s character seems so unnecessary or moved by some political agendas or something. Plus, it adds nothing to the plot of the movie except take the precious time of it which could have been better spent elsewhere. 

It is not the actors but the writing I guess which included the role in the first place. Nevertheless, it was one of the most watched movies of 2020 on streaming platforms.  

Most Watched Movies of 2020 on Netflix: Holidate

Director: John Whitesell

Writers:  Tiffany Paulsen

Stars:  Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Kristin Chenoweth

Hilodate is that movie with a cute concept and pretty much it. However, it was fun at times and the acting is great. But overall plot and storyline lack sophistication and authenticity. 

It was directed by John Whitesell, written by Tiffany Paulsen, and the cast includes people like Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Kristin Chenoweth. 

As I mentioned just a few paragraphs earlier about movies that chose substance over style and a movie that chose style over substance, this movie chooses neither and stumbles face-flat on its script. 

I like the chemistry between the characters, and I was in for the movie in the first 10 minutes of the movie even though I knew it was not a quality start. 

I was just waiting for how they will manage the meet-cute, will the girl like him first or the opposite way and, in general, how will all that happen. 

And seeing the whole scene and how forced it seemed, drove me away right there. I knew they had failed already then, but for some reason, I came back to the movie after a day or two to watch it again. 

Watch it I did, but only for another 10-20 minutes at which point I knew they were making collections of what they thought were cool romcom scenes that didn’t even stick well. 

This movie just reminds me of how bad the previous year was, for it was any better. I can’t understand how it made the most watched movies on Netflix list. However, it wouldn’t have even been close if it was a normal year. 

Movies Streamed on Hulu: Palm Springs

Director: Max Barbakow

Writers:  Andy Siara (screenplay by), Andy Siara (story by)

Stars: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons

Palm Springs succeeds on everything Holidate failed. Despite its overused concept of re-live the same day over and over again.  It was directed by Max Barbakow, written by Andy Siara, and includes stars like Andy Samberg, Cristin Millioti, J. K. Simmons. 

By no means Palm Springs is Groundhog Day, in some ways, it outperforms that once a cult classic movie. 

The chemistry and the performances are so brash and authentic imbued with fresh jokes and emotional tone that you can’t laugh, and not like it.  I always liked Andy Samberg, however, for me, his humor was more like a bunch of pop culture references with an ironic tone. 

Yet, In this movie he upgrades that to almost perfection.  I like how character development happens too. If you were to read the synopsis as I did, before watching the movie.

You would wonder how they would achieve character development in a movie with only one day to live. Yet they achieve it in the most creative ways that haven’t been done in most other movies. 

You never expect to get so much out of a movie with an overused concept. And I didn’t as well. However, I was mildly shocked at how much I enjoyed the movie.  And it wasn’t only because Andy was in. That is because it is the kind of movie you want to watch.

A movie with your favorite actor and a good script to give them a fair chance, and a creative imaginative new take to an old clichéd concept. This only makes you love the movie and everything about it.

It must be one of the most watched movies on Hulu in 2020. Check out the best comedy movies of  2020 if you like the comedy movies genre.

Most watched movies of 2020 you shouldn’t miss

Of course, this year wasn’t the best. Thus, it didn’t create a lot of great movies to watch. Although, the two movies I enjoyed were Hamilton and Palm Springs from the list of most watched movies on streaming services. 

There were other movies of course like Nolan’s Tenet, or Pixar’s Soul. However, they weren’t the most streamed online. but if you are looking to have a good viewing experience, the list below should give you just that:

1. Hamilton
2. Tenet
3. Palm Springs
4. Soul

This is not a long list of the best movies of 2020, but one that will definitely leave a great expression. 

Because I wasn’t able to watch all  21 of the most watched movies on the list above, I couldn’t review them all. However, there were so many movies that needed reviewing. 

The only two other movies that had good reviews were Extractions, and Greyhound. You can check them out on their corresponding streaming platforms.