Hulu Awards Week 3: John J. Joex’s List

Round 1 nominations for Week 3 of the Hulu Awards were in the following three categories:

Best Documentary Feature:

Hulu.com has a limited number of offerings in this category and some only marginally count as documentaries. Still, there were a few good ones to pick from.

My Nominations:

1. Koyaanisqatsi – This 1982 movie directed by Godfrey Reggio uses slow motion and time-lapse photography set to the minimalist music of Phillip Glass to show modern life and its imbalances. It truly is a work of art and like other cinematic masterpieces such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Fantasia is best experienced on the big screen.
2. Australia: The Land Before Time – I have always had a fascination for Australia and this documentary provides an interesting view of how life manages to survive in the harsh environment that makes up the majority of this continent.
3. Split: A Divided America – Provides an insightful look at how the United States has become a split nation focusing primarily on the fallout from the 2004 Presidential Election. It takes neither a Liberal or Conservative stance as it tries to present a good sampling of perspectives.

Honorable Mention: Paul Mooney's Analyzing White America – White people beware (myself included). Comedian Paul Mooney takes dead aim in his often humorous yet hard to swallow diatribe on post-911 America.

Guilty Pleasure: Burger Town – Don’t get me started on food, it’s a particular favorite subject of mine. This documentary looks at several of the Burger legends focusing on those that got started on the West Coast including McDonalds, Big Boy, and In-N-Out Burger. Not quite as snappy as similar shows that have appeared on The Food Channel and other cable channels, but still entertaining.


Best Dramatic Short:

This category contained a plethora of oddities (as you would expect for this milieu of filmmaking), but there were a few gems among them.

My Nominations:

1. David Bianchi's Soldier – This riveting piece provides a smack in the face to the realities and horrors of war.
2. I'll Save The Multiverse – A fun little romp through parallel dimensions to save the universe.
3. Between the Flags – Two guys waiting around for a riot to start making small talk and finding others ways to pass the time. Like something you would expect from Kevin Smith.

Not for the Feint of Heart: The Brain Eater – Overly morbid and somewhat nonsensical. For gore fans only.


Best Horror Movie:

I’m not a huge horror fan, but I have seen enough to have a good feel for the genre and Hulu.com has some good choices available.

My Nominations:

1. John Carpenter’s The Thing – An easy choice. One of the few remakes that actually surpasses the original (quite a feat to, considering its classic status), this movie manages to deliver a good story, while providing plenty of frights as well. An all time classic among Horror and Science Fiction films.
2. The Toxic Avenger – This raunchy movie is a great parody of horror/gore genre and put Troma Entertainment on the map.

Guilty Pleasure: The Car – This 1977 movie is really pretty bad, but provides some good campy B-Movie fun (essentially it is Jaws with a car replacing the shark). A perfect target for Mystery Science Theater 3000.


Sports Programming Finals:

NHL – I’m not into the extreme sports or reality/game show offerings representing three of the five finalists and no football choices made it to this round, so I will go with this one because it provides really good coverage of the NHL.


Best Show of the Eighties Round 2 Nominations:

Since all of my Round 1 nominations made it to this round, the choices are pretty simple. See my previous post for my comments on these shows.

1. Miami Vice
2. Hill Street Blues
3. WKRP in Cincinnati
4. The White Shadow
5. St. Elsewhere

Best Show of the Seventies Round 2 Nominations:

All but one of my Round 1 nominations moved up so I tacked on Night Galley in the number 5 slot. See my previous post for my comments on these shows.

1. Barney Miller
2. Mary Tyler Moore Show
3. The Bob Newhart Show
4. The Rockford Files
5. Night Gallery

Best Classic TV Series Round 2 Nominations:

Somehow I missed The Dick Van Dyke Show in Round 1 so I am making up for that in the Round 2 nominations. See my previous post for my comments on these shows.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Three Stooges Collection 1934-1936

(Editor's Note: The general public can participate in the nominations as well. Go to the links above for any or all of the categories you are interested in and cast your vote for the shows you think should win. All of the general votes will be tallied up and count as one panelist in deciding the final winners. PSW)