Sunday, November 30, 2008

JJJ casts some unusual votes for Best Dramatic TV Series

Hulu Awards Panelist John J. Joex lets us get into his head as he casts his votes in this week's Hulu Award choices. His choices for Best Dramatic TV Series were a little different than those you might expect:

I know that I should be nominating shows like ER, Chicago Hope, and The Practice, but the fact is that those shows never really registered with me. Not at all saying they are bad shows, I just never jumped on board with them. So instead, I will throw in a few nods for shows that I did really like and hope that they make it into the later rounds.

Picket Fences – This early David Kelley series is flew under the radar, but really pushed the boundaries of Prime Time television when it aired. It ranged from police procedural to courtroom drama to riveting social commentary. It did descend into melodrama during its final season, but still provided plenty of engaging viewing during its four year run.

Equal Justice – I was a big fan of this series about young public defenders working the D.A.’s during its short one and a half season run. It introduced us to a young Sarah Jessica Parker and brought Joe Morton to the small screen. Unfortunately, Hulu has only a small sampling of episodes available.

Raines – I’m a huge fan of Jeff Goldblum and regret that he has rarely received the proper material to allow him to show off his acting chops. This odd little short-lived procedural with a supernatural bent seemed like the perfect vehicle for his talents. Unfortunately almost no one tuned in and it disappeared after seven episodes. The good news is that Hulu has the full run of the show available.

Read John's full post here!


Cast your audience vote for Best Dramatic TV Series here!

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at 11:57 PM 7 comments

Electronic Ballot Stuffing

I just wanted to assure people that multiple votes from the same person are not being counted. I can tell which votes are from unique computers and user-names, and which votes are being posted from the same place over and over.

It's one vote per person, per category. Please check in often, as new categories are being posted several days a week!
at 11:51 PM 0 comments

Friday, November 28, 2008

Best Animated Short

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW

The final category that the panelists will be considering this week is "Best Animated Short." A short is not to be confused with a short-format series. These shorts are one-off deals that work as a stand-alone.

Remember, Hulu Review readers and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. In addition, the highest audience vote-getter will automatically advance to the next round.

All of the shorts are hosted by the aggregate studio Movieola, so I'm not going to list them here. There are 37 eligible shorts. Next week, they'll be narrowed down to a list of proposed nominees.

The shorts which are eligible are the ones that have been added before "Welcome to Eden" (including "Welcome to Eden"). You can use the "recently added" feature in the link to identify the eligible shorts. Anything that appears after "Eden" has been on Hulu for longer, and is therefore eligible.

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW



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at 11:38 PM 0 comments

The Hulu Top Twenty




Here are the 20 most popular movies on Hulu this week.




 Last Week's Ranking: 9
Weeks on List: 2
Notes: "There's no crying in baseball!" This much-beloved girlie baseball movie features an oddball ensemble cast including Madonna, Rosie O Donnell, Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, David Strathairn, Jon Lovitz, Bill Pullman, and Lori Petty. It's rare that so many disparate actors can be brought together to great effect, but that's exactly what Penny Marshall accomplished here. It jumps to the top of the charts in its first full week on Hulu.

2. The Call of the Wild
Last Week's Ranking: NA
Weeks on List: 1
Notes: This 1972 adaptation of the famous Jack London novel stars Charlton Heston as the good-hearted prospector who must battle the elements and his human rivals in the harsh Yukon setting. Good thing he's got that amazing dog with him!

3. Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag
Last Week's Ranking: 1
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: There must be something I'm not getting about this I-Max documentary featuring fighter pilots. The message board for the movie has a lot of military folks chatting it up, so that may have something to do with it.

4. Rudy
Last Week's Ranking: 4
Weeks on List: 2
Notes: Long before Sean Astin carried his beloved Mr. Frodo up to the highest peaks of Mordor, he was a working-class footballer trying to escape his roots.

5. Basic Instinct
Last Week's Ranking: 3
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Sixteen years on, Sharon Stone's hoohoo is still drawing eyeballs in massive numbers. I hope she has that thing insured!

 Last Week's Ranking: 6
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Jim Carrey goofs it up in a decent comedy that puts all of his face-stretching talents on display.

 Last Week's Ranking: 10
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: The strangely charismatic Johnny Knoxville leads his ragtag crew of misfits through a slew of disgusting stunts.

Last Week's Ranking: 7
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Natalie Portman debuts her acting chops alongside a career-best performance by Jean Reno.

 Last Week's Ranking: 13
Weeks on List: 4
Notes: Flyfishing as therapy. This acclaimed Robert Redford-directed movie was one a key stepping stone for Brad Pitt on his path to A-list stardom. A tearjerking drama about two brothers and their father trying to coexist in the face of issues. Also, don't miss 10 year old Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

10. Lawrence of Arabia
Last Week's Ranking: 5
Weeks on List: 2
Notes: The classic, Academy Award-winning 3.5 hour epic showcasing Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness. Hulu tells us that this will only be up until November 30, so you better get it while it's hot.

Last Week's Ranking: 12
Weeks on List: 4
Notes: Ashton Kutcher and Jennifer Garner team up in this stoner flick just before they became breakout stars.

 12. Air Force One
 Last Week's Ranking: NA
Weeks on List: 1
Notes: Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman star in this pre-9/11 actioner about the hijacking of an airplane by enemies of the United States. In this case, the airplane in question has the President (Ford) aboard, and the evil country is Kazakhstan. Where's Borat when you need him? At any rate, the critics ate this one up.

13. Flatliners
Last Week's Ranking: 2
Weeks on List: 2
Notes: Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland star in this eerie thriller about a group of med students who dabble in visiting the afterlife by killing and then resuscitating themselves. You can read my full review of it here.

14. Bring It On
Last Week's Ranking: 17
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Kirsten Dunst shook these pompoms long before kissing Spider Man in the rain, and this turn as a peppy cheerleader spawned a movie franchise. Eliza Dushku and Jesse Bradford costar as siblings. This has an expiration notice with two days left on it, so get it while the getting's good.

15. American Virgin
 Last Week's Ranking: 11
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Bob Hoskins and Mena Suvari star in the lowly-regarded 2000 comedy.

 Last Week's Ranking: NA
Weeks on List: 1
Notes: Harrison Ford narrates this IMAX nature documentary that takes a sprawling look at the global ecosystem. There is an attempt to tie in to sites that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's novel "The Lost World," but there's not much on that front. Just 40 minutes.

Last Week's Ranking: 16
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Paul Verhoeven's futuristic thrill ride gives us a war between humans and giant space alien bugs. Guess which side Neil Patrick Harris is on?

Last Week's Ranking: 14
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Can you really call a 53 minute comedy a movie? The boobs of the hour belong to Nikki Ziering.

Last Week's Ranking: NA
Weeks on List: 1
Notes: A 1970 feature directed by Billy Wilder, this is a true comedic classic, earning rave reviews from critics both then and now. Robert Stephens stars as Sherlock. Also features Christopher Lee as brother Mycroft Holmes.

Last Week's Ranking: 15
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: A Mormon sniper and an atheist medic clash as their platoon struggles to survive behind Nazi lines in this 2005 actioner.

Notably Absent:
These movies dropped off the list this week.

The Fifth Element
Last Week's Ranking: 8
Weeks on List: 4
Notes: An early addition to Hulu, this is actually the most popular movie of all time. But apparently, a flood of new offerings will rob it of that title soon enough.

Last Week's Ranking: 13
Weeks on List: 4
Notes: Kate Beckinsale as a goth-boy's wet dream can't save this dark and dreary action flick from the weight of its futuristic vampire world. It had a decent run on the Top 20, but I suspect it's gone for good.

 Last Week's Ranking: 19
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: Along with Ghostbusters, this is a movie that everyone likes, but which not too many people seem to have a reason to watch at their PC.

Ghostbusters
 Last Week's Ranking: 20
Weeks on List: 3
Notes: An awesome classic (currently up for a Hulu Award for Best Movie Comedy), this just barely squeaked into the top 20 last week.
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at 1:47 PM 0 comments

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Best Family Movie

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

When we think of online video, we don't typically think "family movie." After all, how many families out there are set up to comfortably share a computer-viewing experience? Nevertheless, we have every expectation that as the lines between pc and tv become increasingly blurred, this segment of the market will become increasingly important.

For now, Hulu has these 11 trailblazers on tap for our viewing pleasure.

Readers of The Hulu Review and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. In addition, the highest vote-getter will automatically advance to the next round.

Here are the 11 eligible movies: A final list of nominees will be posted next week.

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

at 11:25 PM 2 comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

at 5:52 PM 0 comments

Best Anime Series

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

It's very difficult to pin down what anime is and isn't. But, as is the case with pornography for the Supreme Court, we know it when we see it.

Technically, the term refers to "a Japanese style of motion-picture animation," but pinning down that style is where it gets sticky.

What we can safely say is that the genre contains some amazingly good art, with thoughtful and creative writing and drawings that far surpass the typical mainstream American cartoon.

The offerings below represent some of the best (and the worst) that the genre has to offer. Let's hope that our panelists and audience members can help us separate the wheat from the chaff.

Readers of The Hulu Review and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. In addition, the highest audience vote-getter will automatically advance to the next round.

Here are the 13 eligible shows: A shortened list of proposed nominees will be posted next week.

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION


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at 12:49 AM 19 comments

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

New Show: FiNS

Episodes: Twelve full episodes of 22 minutes apiece
Clips: None
Studio: FUEL TV
Rank: B-
My first impulse when I see a show like this is, "how many shows about surfing can they possibly make?" And then I remember that you could say the same about a lot of good shows. After all, how many shows about good looking young people living in good looking urban apartments can they possibly make?

You know what? This is a good surfing show. It's not quite good enough to make me, whose interest in surfing rose and ended with the Paskowitz family, tune in to watch. But the production values are good, the scenery is predictably gorgeous, and the producers manage to find something in the surfing subjects that go beyond the traditional athlete highlight.

Each episode tackles two or three subjects, typically including an actual surfing session, someone who works in the surfing industry (such as a surfing photographer), and a spotlight on an interesting location, style, or personality that is important to the sport.

If you have an interest in surfing, I think you'll find this to be a very entertaining way to teach yourself more about the ins and outs of the serious surfing world. If you just like to watch the waves and imagine what can be done on them, this will also fill that need.
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at 7:51 PM 0 comments

New Show: The Obama Presidency


Episodes: None
Clips: One 3:33 clip
Studio: IGMAWOH (brought to us by the Impossibly Gorgeous Men and Women of Hulu)
Rank: B+
It was big, welcome news when President-elect chose to use the internet as his forum for his first weekly address. I think we here in the Hulu camp would rather he chose Hulu instead of YouTube, but that's a minor quibble.

The important thing is that we, the people, can receive words from the president's mouth in a more direct way than ever before. We don't have to sit by the dadgum radio at the appointed hour like our grandparents. We don't even have to set our VCRs like our parents. Nope, we just point and click and soak it in wherever and whenever we want.

As far as this specific offering goes, I think it's great that Hulu has been proactive about getting this critically important content. There aren't too many videos that have the potential to really impact the future of the nation.

The presentation and quality are fine, and Hulu has the added bonus of a live discussion segment attached to the video. On YouTube, the official video has comments blocked, and there are a zillion recreations that are full of crap. Here, there's just one video, and the Hulu policy of regulating profanities seems to have raised the intelligence level of the discussion considerably.
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at 7:23 PM 0 comments

Best Cartoon Series (non-anime)


VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

It's no newsflash that cartoons aren't just for kids anymore. That's been the case for decades now.

But that doesn't mean that the artform isn't continually evolving and reaching new heights. The cartoons on this list run the gamut-- political satire to child programming to action to comedy. In fact, this might be the most diverse list of programs to come together under any single category heading.

So, amidst all that variety, what will earn a nod from our panelists and audience members? I'm eagerly awaiting the answer to that question.

Readers of The Hulu Review and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. In addition, the highest vote-getter will automatically advance to the next round.

Here are the 20 eligible shows: A shortened list of proposed nominees will be posted next week.

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION



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at 3:32 PM 16 comments

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

New Panelist: Jarett Wieselman of The New York Post

Jarett Wieselman, the lead entertainment reporter for the NY Post entertainment blog "POPWRAP," joined the Hulu Awards Panel last week.

I love Jarett's writing. Here are a couple of his latest skewerings of some celeb fashion faux pas:

Jarett finds that Katie Holmes can't pull this tablecloth off

Jarett points out that Beyonce's hat is NOT all that

Here's hoping that that keen (and catty!) acerbic wit will serve him well when deciding which shows and movies deserve his vote.

Welcome to the panel, Jarett!
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at 10:59 AM 0 comments

Short List for Best Comedic Short

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

The early results are in for the Best Comedic Short race, and 45 eligible short films have been reduced to 20 proposed nominees.

Hulu Review readers and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. The highest vote-getter will also be recognized on awards night.

The final nominee list is coming soon!

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

at 2:34 AM 0 comments

Best Competitive Reality Show: Official Nominees

We are down to the five official nominees for "Best Competitive Reality Show!"

Hulu Review readers and the general public can still cast their votes in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote is equal to the vote of one panel member. In addition, the show that gets the most audience votes will be recognized during the Awards Ceremony.

Let's see what got the competitive juices flowing for our panelists:

CLICK ON YOUR FAVORITE TO CAST YOUR VOTE!




A good-hearted show that never fails to wring tears from the inspirational stories of its contestants. Trainers Bob and Jillian have become the touchstones of the show's success.

Hell's Kitchen
Gordon does his damnedest to make a group of aspiring chefs cry. The challenges and the dinner services are always full of desperate tension, and that's good television.


Jay Mohr may be gone from center stage, but the concept lives on, fueled by the funniness of the undiscovered comic contestants who turn up every year.


The backroom workings of the fashion industry are dissected as a group of always-colorful aspiring designers try to convince us that their bold vision is more chic that chit.


The top quality of this otherwise-traditional elimination reality show has kept it in the spotlight for years. Chefs compete to prove their mettle.

AUDIENCE VOTE

It only takes a $100,000 prize to get these catty aspiring supermodels to tear each other to shreds. The ensuing dogfight was enough to make this show the top vote-getter from our audience.

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at 2:14 AM 7 comments

Best Non-Competitive Reality Show: Official Nominees

We are down to the five official nominees for "Best Non-Competitive Reality Show!"

Hulu Review readers and the general public can still cast their votes in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote is equal to the vote of one panel member. In addition, the audience favorite will be recognized on awards night.

Let's see what stimulated the intellect for our panelists:

CLICK ON YOUR FAVORITE TO CAST YOUR VOTE!



Morgan Spurlock applies his independent documentarian chops the this critically acclaimed series which asks people to spend 30 days in the shoes of those they hate.


America's Most Wanted
For decades, this show has been popularizing the faces of violent and otherwise detestable criminals and putting them behind bars. A public service as well as entertainment.

Charismatic monster-hunter Josh takes the viewer to exotic locations in search of as-yet undiscovered legendary creatures. He hasn't nailed down a unicorn just yet, but he brings a fascinating look at local cultures and traditional stories.


Ghost Hunters
They used to fix leaky pipes, and now they chase haunts in various interesting American locales. The show's creators never deviate from its formula, and why should they? It's working just fine as it is.



When this show debuted, the idea of a group of fashion-conscious gay men rescuing uncouth souls from their un-hip lifestyles was cutting edge enough to push the envelope. Now that the basic concept is so old hat hasn't stopped it from being popular, or relevant.

AUDIENCE FAVORITE

Chef Ralph Pagano and his endless quest for a day's work in countries around the world has attracted the most votes from the audience.


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at 1:47 AM 7 comments

Best Celebrity-Driven Reality Show: Official Nominees

We are down to the five official nominees for "Best Celebrity-Driven Reality Show!"

Hulu Review readers and the general public can still cast their votes in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote is equal to the vote of one panel member. The winner of the audience vote will also be recognized.

Let's see which shows caused our panelists to be star-struck:

CLICK ON YOUR FAVORITE TO CAST YOUR VOTE!




This offering gives us a behind-the-scenes look at some professional housecleaning. Of all the offerings on the list, this one might be the only one that is actually useful.


The Girls Next Door
Three beautiful women hanging on the arm of one wizened old man, this show has been a spectacle for the masses ever since it made its debut.

Kathy Griffin's personality is both wisecracking and genuine, and that is the secret to this show's success. This endless exploration of her life on the d-list is only getting better.

Chef Gordon Ramsay is a reality-show juggernaut, and this British import relies on his boisterous and profanity-laden personality.


Tim Gunn makes a living by redressing people for their dressing choices. His acerbic personality ensures that while he clothes the body, he lays the soul bare.
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at 1:21 AM 5 comments

Race for Best Movie Comedy Getting Hilariously Good

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

The early results are in for the Best Movie Comedy race, and 48 eligible flicks have been whittled down by our panel and our voting audience. We're now left with a lucky 13 proposed nominees.

Hulu Review readers and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. In addition, the top audience vote-getter will automatically advance to the final round.

The final nominee list is coming soon!

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION


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at 12:41 AM 1 comments

Best Comedy TV Show Race Funnying Up

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

The early results are in for the "Best Comedy TV Show" race, and 42 eligible shows have been given every deserved guffaw and chuckle by our panel and our voting audience. We're now down to 20 proposed nominees.

Hulu Review readers and the general public can vote on their pick in the comments section of this post. The total audience vote will have the weight of one panel member. In addition, the top audience vote-getter will automatically advance into the final round.

The final nominee list is coming soon!

VOTE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

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at 12:01 AM 23 comments

Monday, November 24, 2008

New Show: Hulu How-To's

Episodes: None
Clips: Five short clips, about a minute in length each
Studio: Brought to you by the impossibly gorgeous men and women of Hulu.com
Rank: B
These are short, professionally done videos that competently walk you through some of Hulu's features. Currently, they tell you how to post, embed, or email a video; they also tell you how to use your queue and subscription services.

I'm not sure whether this is needed, but if you accept that it is needed, it should probably be a little more comprehensive. I know there's that Hulu walk-through video I've seen on the front page of the site, and there must be some interesting little downloads out there that can alter your Hulu experience. Even if there isn't, I'd like it to at least serve as a complete list of Hulu's features.

It would also be a great place to answer some FAQs, and give updates on issues such as being able to choose your advertising (pick you poison!).

All that being said, I'm glad to see it there. Thanks, IGMAWOH (impossibly gorgeous men and women of Hulu.com)!
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at 11:46 AM 0 comments
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