Five movies I want added to Hulu
Hulu offers movies, but so far, they aren't that great. That's why Don Reisinger has compiled a list of movies he wants to see added to the video streaming service.
Last week, I discussed five television shows that I would like added to Hulu, the online video-streaming service backed by NBC and Fox. Now it's time we shift our attention to film to find five classics that Hulu needs to add to its movies page.
Granted, movies are different. You need to invest more time if you want to watch some of your favorite films, and they don't have the ongoing sweep of a long television series. But there is a market for streaming movies online and because they are currently free on Hulu, users can start a film today and finish it tomorrow or skip to their favorite part of a film without much trouble.
But Hulu's current catalog of films is unsatisfactory. In fact, the majority of movies it now offers are titles that performed poorly at the box office. It's in desperate need of change.
Citizen Kane
No list of movies can be complete without mentioning Citizen Kane. Released in 1941, Citizen Kane was the first feature film directed by Orson Welles and is widely considered by film pundits the greatest movie of all time.
Although it doesn't top my list, I simply don't see how any film-streaming service can exist without Citizen Kane. It is a classic. It belongs on Hulu. And just in case the site's managers need justification for such a move, it should be noted that Citizen Kane is one of the most studied films in history. Film classes will jump at the chance to have easy access to the movie and since skipping from one point to another is easy with video streams, I'm sure it would make for a great (and simple) teaching tool for professors.
The Godfather
Say what you will about the Mafia and its glorification in film, but The Godfather is one of the greatest films ever made. And I'd love to see it on Hulu.
Adding The Godfather to Hulu lends the site's movie page credibility, a harder edge (which wouldn't be a bad thing), and the ability to open its doors to millions across the globe who would love to watch gangster films. The Godfather is one of the most celebrated films in history. It belongs on Hulu.
Goodfellas
Goodfellas is another classic gangster film that would lend the same credibility to Hulu as The Godfather. Much like The Godfather, it's one of the most respected films of the past few decades.
In order for Hulu to truly bring value to its movies page, it needs to add a movie like Goodfellas. There are so many memorable moments from the film that it would probably be a success if the site only offered the best clips from the movie. Goodfellas has become a cult classic thanks to those scenes and that's exactly what Hulu needs right now to coax more people to the movies page.
The Shawshank Redemption
The prison film The Shawshank Redemption tops the user-generated list of the best movies of all time on IMDb. And although it's a long movie, it's an ideal film to add to Hulu.
Adding The Shawshank Redemption would transform Hulu's movie page. Undoubtedly, film schools and film buffs alike would study the film and take the chance to use the stream to quickly and effectively find their favorite scenes. And considering moviegoers have voted it the best of all time, isn't that enough justification to add it to Hulu?
The Dark Knight
The 2008 Batman blockbuster, The Dark Knight, should be added to Hulu as soon as possible. If that happens, Hulu could finally prove to its users (and especially its critics) that it too can start offering movies as they're made available on DVD and Blu-ray.
And that's precisely why it needs to be added to Hulu. Right now, the service is filled with old, barely known films that generally fail to captivate audiences. If The Dark Knight could make its way to the service, it would immediately show that Hulu is capable of offering major titles within a reasonable amount of time since its release. I think it would make Hulu's movie page more relevant.