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Jerry Maguire: ''You Had Me at Hello''

betina — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:59:48 -0500

Today's Hulu Days of Summer release, Jerry Maguire, owes much of its success to the remarkable script and screenplay by Cameron Crowe. The plot is relatively simple: Sports agent Jerry Maguire suffers a nervous breakdown and decides that the sports management business has sold out. He leaves his agency in hopes of opening his own business. Dorothy Boyd -- played by Renée Zellweger, virtually unknown at the time -- applauds Jerry's courage and decision, quits her job at the firm and decides to help Jerry on his mission. Jerry subsequently loses all his clients to his former sports management agency, but one -- Rod Tidwell (played by the effervescent Cuba Gooding, Jr.), a wide receiver who has been down on his luck -- offers Jerry his only chance for honest success. The movie continues on, testing relationships, partnerships and boundaries until, at the end, Rod makes a huge career leap. Rod's success, and ultimately his own, makes Jerry realize that his one true love happens to be his best friend and his one true supporter, Dorothy.

The story makes for a good drama but what makes Jerry Maguire most memorable to me are the quotes. They're now iconic: The ''Show me the money'' phone call where Rod challenges Jerry to be a better agent, Jerry's ''You complete me'' plea for a second chance with Dorothy, and her ''You had me at hello'' response all keep this movie ingrained in our culture.

These standout lines make Jerry Maguire not only a great summer blockbuster (perfect for the Hulu Days of Summer), but also a timeless classic that crosses gender lines, sure to be a remembered for years to come.

Enjoy,
Betina

Programming Notes

rebecca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:26:02 -0500

As the long weekend approaches, we're doing our best to be sure there's plenty to watch in between the fireworks displays. We've introduced 11 movies in the last week (all part of the Hulu Days of Summer), plus a few things you may have overlooked:

More from MOJO
MOJO continues to serve up more content on Hulu this summer. This week, we've added two new MOJO shows that appease your need for more sports and more technology. Fields of Glory, hosted by college sports broadcaster Brent Musburger, offers an insider's view of college football's greatest stadiums. Take a look and see if your alma mater is represented. Meanwhile, The Circuit's geek-chic host Deepak Ananthapadmanabha (just call him Mr. Ananthapadmanabha) delivers gadget- and tech-related news with wonderfully dry delivery -- what better way to learn about glow-in-the-dark pigs? (Of course, enlisting the help of Howard Stern's Bowling Beauties to demonstrate Wii Bowling doesn't hurt, either.)

Talent Show
Think America has talent? You can be the judge with clips from America's Got Talent. Whether the Southern Belles wow you with their synchronized clogging, Miss PussyKatt makes you blush with an act that's straight out of shop class, or 9-year-old David Militello melts your heart with his spot-on rendition of Michael Jackson's "Ben," there's a little bit of entertainment for everyone.

Hill Street Blues
Before The Shield and even NYPD Blue, there was Hill Street Blues. Covering the work and personal lives of Captain Furillo, Sergeant Esterhaus and the rest of their squad, it offered a "real," detailed view of the grittier side of life on the force. What made Hill Street Blues remarkable was its accurate portrayal of the force, the large ensemble cast, and the interwoven plot lines that arced over the course of several episodes. We're happy to be able to bring another season on board for its devoted fans.

Be careful out there,
Rebecca
Editor

Today's Feature: Men in Black

Brandon — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:00:12 -0500

The Fourth of July is synonymous with a number of things, including fireworks, backyard barbecues and good weather. It's also the time to expect another summer blockbuster movie from Will Smith. This year doesn't disappoint, with Smith's new superhero film, Hancock, premiering today in theaters across the country. (You can catch Will Smith talking about the film and his career in this excerpt from The Today Show.)

In honor of Smith's Fourth of July accomplishments (and in time for the three-day weekend), today's Hulu Days of Summer debut is Men in Black, an entertaining movie about two secret agents (Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones) who must try to save the world after alien "bugs" threaten to blow it up.

How did it all begin? On July 2, 1996, or "Willie Weekend," as it is called by numerous film critics, Smith starred in Independence Day, and his summer box office fate was nearly instantly sealed. Combining Smith's humor, charm and Roland Emmerich's powerhouse effects, Independence Day brought in a whopping $306 million. Smith cemented his position as the King of July Fourth with three more releases over the next five summers, with Men in Black ('97), Jon Peters' Wild Wild West ('99) and Men In Black II ('02). This trio grossed over $550 million total. And when Smith projects weren't pegged for July Fourth, they came around just a week or two later, including Bad Boys II ('03; $138 million) and I, Robot ('04; $144 million). Now that's taking it to the bank!

Brandon

The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps

rebecca — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:57:06 -0500

Today's Hulu Days of Summer debut is all about the laughs, courtesy of that master of multiple roles, Eddie Murphy. In The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Murphy plays eight roles himself, including the portly Professor Klump and a sex-crazed grandma.

Picking up where the original Nutty Professor (a remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis film) left off, Sherman Klump is a professor in search of a miraculous elixir to stop aging. Unfortunately for Sherman, he never managed to fully eradicate his arrogant alter-ego, Buddy Love. Now Buddy's back with a vengeance, threatening to screw up Sherman's upcoming marriage to cutting-edge DNA scientist, Denise Gaines (Janet Jackson) and take all the credit for the youth serum.

Fortunately for the Professor, Buddy has to go through Sherman's family to get to the remedy. Poor Buddy doesn't know what's coming to him.

Rebecca
Editor

Today's Pick: Lost Highway

gabe — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:55:18 -0500

We're starting the third week of the Hulu Days of Summer with something more surreal. At first glance, David Lynch's Lost Highway might not seem like the perfect summer movie, but let me explain: Sometimes fun in the sun doesn't fit your frame of mind. And when that mood strikes, I recommend closing the drapes, putting on Lost Highway and getting lost in the dark and lonely Los Angeles of David Lynch's imagination.

Lynch's films defy the rules of Hollywood. They're perverse, erotic and often incomprehensible, but that's the appeal. And in this case, casting actor Robert Blake to play the inherently creepy "Mystery Man" alongside Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette (Medium) was a stroke of genius.

"We've met before, haven't we?"
Gabe

Our Call of Duty

dave — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:48:50 -0500

A couple months ago, we received a call from the Department of Defense asking if we could help support the recovery of injured soldiers in Veterans' Hospitals around the country. They specifically asked if we could get a bunch of military-themed films on Hulu, and even gave us a list of famous war movies and television shows that they would like to have available. At the time, the closest thing we had was a couple seasons of McHale's Navy, which would certainly cure anyone's jones for Ernest Borgnine, but probably not much else.

The good folks at Twentieth Century Fox were able to provide eight films that capture much of the triumph and pain of war from their library. The Longest Day, the multi Oscar-winning movie about D-Day told from the perspectives of the Allied and German forces, had a great cast, including Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Red Buttons, Eddie Albert and Paul Anka. The Sand Pebbles was nominated for eight Academy Awards (including Best Actor for the great Steve McQueen) and co-starred Richard Attenborough and Candice Bergen.

We now also have 1943's Guadalcanal Diary, produced while WWII was still being fought, with a young Anthony Quinn in the cast; and also 2001's Behind Enemy Lines with Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman. There are four other classic films as well.

I have to admit that I was a little confused by the Department of Defense's request: If I were an injured soldier, would I want to watch a bunch of war movies in my recovery? It didn't make sense to me. But the camaraderie among and between soldiers is a unique thing, and in many ways not comprehensible to those of us outside the armed services. Shared and sharing experiences go a long way toward getting these folks through their jobs, their tours and, in this case, their recoveries.

So if a small collection of war movies (and Hulu Days of Summer page and see if you can crack the code.

Now on Hulu: Highlander, The Complete Series

rebecca — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:57:48 -0500

There are a number of shows we consider fan favorites at Hulu, and today's Hulu Days of Summer debut is on the short list. Full of plot twists and complex story lines -- not to mention sword fights and love scenes -- Highlander is a fantasy-driven, mid-1990s look at the adventures of Duncan MacLeod.

The special twist to this story? MacLeod's an immortal warrior who was born in Scotland more than 400 years ago. But he's not alone. Other immortals roam the world, clashing with each other in hopes of becoming the sole survivor of their kind. (These immortals aren't invincible -- they die when they are beheaded.) In each episode, an immortal seeks out MacLeod, hoping to finish him off so they're one step closer to being "the one."

One of the many reasons why Highlander is compelling is how it looks at the life of an immortal, showing how MacLeod copes with outliving his family and loved ones, his community, and even his culture. It all links back carefully to the Highlander movie -- an instance where the TV spinoff stays true to its cinematic roots.

Starting today, Seasons 3-6 join the first two on Hulu. If you're new to the show, feel free to dig in from start to finish here. Otherwise, you can pick up where you've left off with the first episode of season 3:

Rebecca
Editor

Programming Notes

rebecca — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:27:07 -0500

While the Hulu Days of Summer moves forward, we're continuing to add more to the site, from minisodes of your favorite fighterfighter drama to headlines from the evening news. Here's what's new to Hulu this week:

Rescue Me Minisodes
Although new episodes of Rescue Me aren't due until next spring, Hulu offers an alternative to fill in the gap: Rescue Me Minisodes featuring the 62 Truck guys. Although the storylines are typically unrelated to the series, it's a chance to see the crew at its finest -- giving each other a hard time at the firehouse. In the first five-minute installment, pretty boy Sean goes on a cleansing fast, abstaining from food, booze and caffeine because he's been "feeling toxic." The rest of the company, of course, takes issue with this, beginning a tirade of toilet humor that culminates in the ultimate temptation: Lou's homemade doughnuts.

The Latest News, Now on Hulu
To help you stay on top of current events, Hulu now offers segments from three of NBC's leading news programs -- all updated daily. Clips from NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams cover important topics and stories from around the world, while our excerpts from the Today Show include great interviews, summer recipes and in-depth human interest stories, letting you tune in to the segments you're most interested in. Finally, for more in-depth political coverage, NBC's Meet the Press asks tough questions of policy makers. Several of the current clips (including this one) feature the best moments from the late host, Tim Russert.

You Asked For It: More Lost in Space
Lost in Space fans, we're listening. Episodes from the third season of the space-age classic are now available. In this final season, the Robinson family travels to far-flung worlds in an attempt to reach Earth or Alpha Centauri. Lost in Space is a fun, fast-paced adventure filled with 1960s-era special effects and explosions, aliens, spaceships and kitschy costumes and sets.

A Cosmic Voyage
Brush up on your science knowledge with a sweeping view of the universe. Morgan Freeman narrates Cosmic Voyage, a compelling short film about the big bang theory, particle physics and evolution, keeping the terminology light enough for novices to follow. The first portion explores the outer reaches of our universe before moving inward to protons, electrons and quarks. It's an interesting recap of modern science delivered with beautiful cinematography and cutting-edge computer animation.

Enjoy,
Rebecca
Hulu Editor

Introducing... ALF, Season 1

brendan — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:49:35 -0500

As a child of the late '80s, I am honored to introduce ALF to the Hulu Days of Summer. It's hard to believe that this strange, hairy creature from the planet Melmac would have such an influence on pop culture. There was a time when he made the rounds on the talk show circuit and his not-so-handsome visage would appear on everything from lunchboxes to underwear.

I used to watch the show with my dad as a young boy (yes, I'm that young), and while he laughed at the dry wit and one-liners, I chuckled at the funny creature who chased the cat across the screen. This wasn’t exactly the Sesame Street that my mom wanted me to watch, but we got away with it. She appeared to disapprove, although there were moments (usually of great distress) when Mom's ALF impression would bubble to the surface. These impersonations would cause uproarious laughter from Dad and me because we knew that, deep down, Mom liked ALF, too.

I am very excited to relive my childhood by catching my favorite episodes of ALF, Season 1 on Hulu. Please sit back, take a peek into the simpler times of the 1980s, and enjoy the zaniness of our favorite orange-haired Alien Life Form. (Having a cat within reach is optional, but I suggest the tabby; Siamese is too lean.)

Brendan Haney
"That would be nice!"

Collections are Here

rebecca — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:50:45 -0500

We’re always looking for new ways to share video here at Hulu, and our Collections are a great way to catch up on the shows and movies everyone’s talking about. Each collection is a group of clips that share the same theme, all together on a single page so it’s easy for you to browse and share your favorites.

We're compiled over 60 collections so far, but we know that's only scratching the surface. One of our newest collections is Famous Firsts. It features complete pilot episodes of some of our all-time favorite shows, from Arrested Development and The A-Team to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

You can also check out Entertainment Weekly's New Classics (Vol. 1 and Vol. 2), taken from the magazine's list of "the next generation of masterpieces." With House, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on the list, we'd have to agree. Take a look and see who made it as No. 1.

We'll continue to create more collections, but visit anytime to catch up on the latest musical SNL Digital Shorts, get a quick dose of Leno headlines, and check out Conan's fan favorites. Or maybe you’re craving nothing but chicken? We’ve got it covered!

Of course, there’s also my personal favorite, the best of Jonah Hill on SNL, and a tribute to the late comedy great, George Carlin, including his monologue from the first episode of Saturday Night Live.

Arigato and Mazel Tov,
Matt
Hulu Collections Guy

Today's Debut: Raising Arizona

rebecca — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:31:41 -0500

When I was a kid, I wasn't allowed to watch television without asking permission. (Thanks again, Mom!) Occasionally, though, when my brothers and I were especially good, we'd get to pop a film into the VCR during dinner. One of my parents' favorite things was to show us movies from the '80s, videos we were too young to see the first time around. We started with Raising Arizona and I've been laughing ever since.

Week two of the Hulu Days of Summer brings Raising Arizona to our ever-growing list of movies. The first major hit for the Coen Brothers -- who went on to make O Brother, Where Art Thou?, No Country for Old Men and The Big Lebowski -- it features Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter as a recently married ex-con and ex-cop who can't have a baby. Getting desperate, they kidnap one from a set of quintuplets. The baby's biological father hires a bounty hunter to get the baby back, and the ex-con's old friends bust out of jail. Clearly, things go downhill from there. Between Cage's mustache, Hunter's expressions and the witty Coen dialogue, Raising Arizona is one of my favorites.

Now that I'm allowed to watch as much TV as I want (one of the advantages of being a grown-up), I sometimes find myself watching this movie again. What can I say? I have a great appreciation for physical humor, witty dialogue and ridiculous southern accents. Hopefully, after watching this, so will you!

Jason Nellis
"Mind you don't cut yourself, Mordecai!"

Angel - Season 1 Debuts Today

rebecca — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:32:18 -0500

The Hulu Days of Summer continues this week, starting with the premiere of the first season of Angel. If you're a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you're probably familiar with her demon-killing boyfriend from the first few seasons of the show, Angel (played by Bones star David Boreanaz). Although Angel is a vampire himself, he's not like other blood-suckers: A band of gypsies restored his human soul as punishment for murdering one of their own. As a result, he's plagued by guilt and remorse for all of the lives he ended to feed his thirst for blood -- he's a vampire with a conscience, if you will.

After three seasons of kicking demon butt alongside Buffy, he ultimately decided to continue paying penance for his past sins by moving to -- where else? -- Los Angeles. And so Angel begins. As the city's newest private detective, he fights evil in order to help the helpless.

Angel keeps a lot of the same humor I enjoy so much in Buffy, but its stories are a little darker. After all, Buffy's a suburban high school student, while Angel has immersed himself in the seedier underbelly of Los Angeles. With the help of Cordelia (Buffy's high-maintenance gal pal) and a few others, Angel uses his skills to rescue wannabe actresses from bloodthirsty vampires, save yuppies from parasitic monsters, and protect single twentysomethings from jealous ghosts, all as he battles the demons within.

With cameos from your favorite Buffy stars, including Oz, Wesley, Faith and even Buffy herself, Season 1 is a lot of fun -- and it's all available on Hulu, including the first episode:

Rebecca
Editor

Summer Spirit

rebecca — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:38:04 -0500

The Hulu Days of Summer continues! So far, Hulu's delivered the goods, with top-tier entertainment -- Lost in Translation, The Three Stooges, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and the best from PBS -- to keep you tuned in this summer. And now, Hulu brings some deliciously sinful entertainment to the mix with Bring It On.

Like other high-school movies, Bring It On is full of backstabbing, quick wit and drama, this time with a cheerleading twist. A perky Kirsten Dunst plays Torrance, the new captain of the Toros cheer squad. Five-time national champions, the team expects to reign supreme once again -- until a tough-as-nails newcomer (Eliza Dushku) threatens it all when she reveals that their routines are ripped off from an inner-city squad (led by Gabrielle Union) who have all the right moves, but not enough cash to enter the competition.

What happens next? Drama, of course! But there's fun, too: killer jumps, backflips and hilarious one-liners. The bombastic, ESPN-worthy choreography and the snappy comebacks make this one of my favorite teen flicks. See for yourself -- and check back next week to see what else is coming to Hulu this summer.

Rebecca
"This is not a democracy, it's a cheerocracy!"

TV for Your Mind

MarkF — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:33:45 -0500

The fourth day of the Hulu Days of Summer brings some cerebral content to the site: Five new series from Hulu's newest content provider, PBS.

When I was a child, I often got to stay up late to watch Nova comes to Hulu with 14 amazing episodes, from the Lost King of the Maya to a behind-the-scenes look at the Mars Exploration Rover project.

In addition to Nova, we're launching 10 episodes of Scientific American Frontiers -- an entertaining look at the latest trends in science, medicine, technology and the environment with the ever-charismatic host, Alan Alda. In a similar vein, we have 10 episodes of Wired Science, spotlighting the latest in cutting-edge research and technology as it redefines our culture, brought to you by the team behind Wired Magazine. If you like the magazine, you will love this show. Architecture and design fans will want to tune into design: e2. It moves "green" to the forefront of building practices and habitability, bringing sustainable architecture indoors as it explores the impact on concrete jungles and our homes alike.

My newest favorite, Carrier, takes you aboard the USS Nimitz -- a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier -- and gives you an incredible look at the day-to-day operations of one of the world's largest warships. It shows what it's like to manage an airport that floats 24 stories off the water; check out this clip of Navy F-18 pilots taking off from the flight deck at 130 miles per hour:

One of the things I've always appreciated about PBS is that they are publicly supported, with no commercial breaks in their shows. We've done our best to support that format here at Hulu. While you'll see a couple short advertisements at the beginning of each show, as well as some "overlay" ads (the ads that appear at the bottom of a video), we've made sure you can watch episodes as they were intended, with no ad breaks.

Love what you see? Continue to support your local PBS station to keep great shows like these coming. In the meantime, I can't wait to see more from PBS -- and it's a good bet that I'll be staying up late to watch!

Mark Forbes

The world forgetting, by the world forgot

Eugene — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:34:18 -0500

Day three of the Hulu Days of Summer brings a brilliant, mind-bending, description-defying movie: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Romance, comedy, horror, science fiction -- the movie is both all of these and something all its own.

Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) were once in love, but when their relationship goes sour, she undergoes an experimental procedure to erase her memories of him. When he discovers this, he chooses to undergo the same procedure. But as his memories of her start to evaporate, he begins to remember why he fell in love with her in the first place, and, trapped in his own mind, he begins a desperate struggle to salvage his best memories of her.

This meditation on the nature of love and memory benefits from some of the best work from two ingenious talents, Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry. Kaufman's screenplay is both structurally brilliant and deeply humane and won him an Oscar, while Gondry transforms Kaufman's conceits about memory into brilliant visual metaphors that are both poignant and horrifying, with a texture and surrealism that is missing from so many digital special effects today, so often lifeless in their flawless artifice. Add in a pitch-perfect score by Jon Brion and a performance by Winslet that's so full of life, she makes Carrey seem subdued, and you have one of the most unique romantic comedies you'll ever see.

It's one of my favorite movies ever, and no amount of advanced technology could erase it from my memory. We're thrilled to be able to share it with you.

Eugene