Hurricane Earl is the big news this week. NBC’s Today Show has the latest information about the storm as it approaches the Eastern seaboard. If you missed it first thing this morning, no worries! You can check it out on hulu right now. Here’s Bill Reed, head of the National Hurricane Center, predicting whether the Hurricane Earl would hit land.

And for an update, here’s a piece on the North Carolina evacuation effort. Stay tuned to NBC and Hulu for the latest on Hurricane Earl.

Three Mad Men episodes have bottomed out the top five best selling Amazon Videos on Demand. If you’re a fan of the show, catch up on the latest season with a triple feature. If you have yet to check it out, this is the perfect time!

First watch Public Relations, the season 4 premiere. This episode asks the question, “Who is Don Draper?” As Dick Whitman reinvents himself as a divorced man with his own company, he actually creates a new persona.

Next, watch The Good News, which is actually the third episode of the current season. For context, you might want to also check out episode 2, The Good News, which features the company Christmas party. In The Good News, Don makes a quick trip to Acapulco, meanwhile, serious conflict arises between Joan and Lane back at the office.

That’s already a triple feature. Care to go for four? Watch episode 4: The Rejected. When Pete receives an edict from Rodger and Lane, he finds himself confronting a personal dilemma.

All these episodes are available on Amazon Video on Demand.

The Hulu folder is always a good choice. But, what now? Do you watch a show, or a clip? Yes. What letter does it start with? Why not start out by watching the most popular shows of the day? Here’s the list of today’s Hulu Top 10 to get you started:

1. America’s Got Talent: Week 13, Night 1

Season 5: Ep. 25  Original air date: 8/25/2010

The season is wrapping up as the semifinalists perform for America’s vote!

2. Eureka: Stoned

Season 4: Ep. 7  Original air date: 8/20/2010

The rivalry between Carter and Grant for Allison reaches a new -and dangerous- level in this series about a classified town full of super geniuses.

3. Persons Unknown: Shadows in the Cave

Season 1 : Ep. 13  Original air date: 8/28/2010

After their escape, the captives attempt to return to their lives – however, The Program has no intention of letting them go in this new series about prisoners of a ghost town.

4. Burn Notice: Blind Spot

Season 4: Ep. 11  Original air date: 8/19/2010

Michael, burned secret agent,  and team come to the aid of a woman who has her entire life savings wiped out by a sleazy womanizer.

5. Ultraviolet

Feature Film

Milla Jovovich, Cameron Bright, Nick Chinlund and William Fichtner star in this story of a woman caught in a futuristic civil war between the government and a subculture of disease modified humans in whom speed, strength and intelligence are magnified.

6. The Family Guy: Big Man on Hippocampus

Season 8: Ep. 10  Original air date: 1/30/2010

Peter develops amnesia.

7. Haven: Ain’t No Sunshine

Season 1: Ep. 8  Original air date: 8/27/2010

In this week’s episode in the murder mystery series, a ghost story comes true when a dark spirit begins claiming lives in a Haven clinic.

8. Persons Unknown: And Then There Were None

Season 1: Ep. 12  Original Air Date: 8/28/2010

Unable to trust Joe, Janet sets her sights on the new Night Manager Ulrich as her ticket out of town.

9. Royal Pains: Big Whoop

Season 2: Episode 11  Original air date: 8/19/2010

This week in this doctor show, Hank and Emily care for a patient together but disagree on the course of treatment. Meanwhile, Evan concocts a cyber retaliation plan against Emily, who has managed to direct web traffic to her site.

10. Psych: Viagra Falls

Season 5: Ep. 6  Original air date: 8/18/2010

This week on the detective show, two former cops come out of retirement to help Shawn and Gus solve the murder of a former police chief.

The current top 3 VODs are romantic comedies: The Back Up Plan, Date Night, and When in Rome, a Kristen Bell vehicle.

I didn’t want to see this one; I got tired of Veronica Mars, and I hated her in Heroes. In spite of myself, I chuckled at the trailer for this one. Kristen Bell unleashes a curse during a trip to Rome that has 5 strangers fall in love with her. She only likes one of them, but can’t be sure whether it’s her or the curse that has him bewitched. It sounds corny, but the trailer was funny.

There’s a quirky flick in the top 7 as well: Greenberg.

I’m not sure about this one. The trailer for Greenberg made it seem interesting and charming, but the clip from the actual movie was a little slow. I’m not sure what the bulk of the movie is, but I would think slow. It is currently #4 on Amazon’s VOD top-sellers, so that recommends it.

The comedy that really caught my attention was The Joneses.

This slick comedy presents a twist on a sitcom perfect family. The trailer had me wanting to watch the whole thing. Yesterday. The Joneses has been on the VOD top-selling list before and is currently #5.

When I started this post, there were 2 tear-jerkers on the list, but as I added links, the Miley Cyrus flick was bumped down, apparently. That leaves us with Extraordinary Measures, #8 among the VOD top sellers.

I almost cried watching the trailer for this movie, based on a true story. Maybe because it’s based on a true story, I find it more palatable than the Cyrus movie, The Last Song. I can’t help but hope Extraordinary Measures has a happy ending, despite the odds.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, #6 on the list, also won me over with its trailer. What can I say? I’m a sucker for an awkward coming of age story, ala Harriet the Spy.

Finally, Kick-Ass remains on the VOD best-sellers list after several weeks. It’s currently #7. I wish I had a review for it, but after several attempts, have failed to see Kick Ass yet.

Well, the trailer for this movie was kind of creepy. I wouldn’t recommend it for children, despite some young cast members. Your kids might a. get the wrong idea, or b. get scared out of their minds watching the young crime-fighter(s) in this flick. Pre-screening may be in order.

With a preponderance of comedies, romantic and otherwise, who is taking advantage of Amazon’s Video on Demand?

1.
Dragonfly, 2002.
Dr. Joe Darrow’s (Kevin Costner) world is shattered when his wife (Susanna Thompson) is killed while performing medical relief work in Central America, and his patients — after their own near-death experiences — begin delivering messages from the great beyond. On a quest to determine what his lost soul mate wants, Darrow is forced to accept the impossible. Kathy Bates co-stars in this romantic thriller with a surprising twist.

2.
The Horseman, 2008Unsettled by his teenage daughter’s (Hannah Levien) untimely and suspicious death, a vengeful father (Peter Marshall) sets out on a purposeful road trip across rural Queensland, Australia, to find out who killed his little girl — and to make them pay. Along the way, he becomes a father figure to a troubled young runaway (Caroline Marohasy) who might be the one link he has left to his own humanity.

3. height="150" />
Twisted, 2004Female cop Jessica (Ashley Judd) is more dedicated to enforcing the law than most of her colleagues, since she feels she has a lot to make up for: Her father moonlighted as a serial killer. Could it be that the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree? That’s what Jessica thinks when she finds herself at the center of her own investigation as past lovers inexplicably start dying at a breakneck pace.

4.
Below, 2002
n this sci-fi thriller penned by Darren Aronofsky, an American submarine stumbles upon a downed British hospital ship while navigating treacherous waters during World War II. After rescuing the ship’s three remaining survivors, Lt. Brice (Bruce Greenwood) and his men discover that true danger may not come from the Germans pursuing them, but rather from a ghostly threat that lurks far below, or even within, the submarine itself.

5. height="150" />
Rampage 2009Dejected by the futility of his tedious life, bitter small-town resident Bill (Brendan Fletcher) takes matters into his own hands by constructing a bulletproof outfit, picking up his semi-automatic weapons and attempting the largest killing spree ever seen. Written and directed by controversial filmmaker Uwe Boll, this ultra-violent action movie features jarring handheld camerawork and original dialogue largely improvised by the cast.

Enjoy your big night in with one of these great Netflix Instant Queue selections. Don’t have Netflix? Click here.

I found out something at Netflix today, something I should have suspected anyway: The Netflix Top 100 list is fluid. So I’ve been going from an old copy of the list, a list in which I’d seen 45 of the top 100. Today’s list has more movies I haven’t seen. I think to be safe, I’ll consult the list weekly when I add to this series.

Seventh in my series is actually 18th on the Netflix list today: The Dark Knight.

My husband and I saw this movie on opening night at midnight. We were the oldest people in that packed theater. That must say something about the movie, huh? And? Heath Ledger? Creepy.

But I digress. I must say up front that I am not a fan of comic book movies, but I am partial to Batman. I liked the campy 60s TV show, and the Tim Burton movies.

How could I possibly like that flavor of Batman and The Dark Knight flavor as well? Well. . . I couldn’t. This movie was Dark. In fact, I struggle with calling it by its proper name. I am constantly checking myself from calling it The Dark Night.

Christian Bale is a man of few words in this role, his second time portraying Batman, no? And I wasn’t feeling Batman Begins, either.

But my husband thought it was good, and he liked The Dark Knight as well. He didn’t think it appropriate for children, and our children, who would rather have their teeth pulled out one at a time than watch a DC comic representation of anything (Smallville notwithstanding)–didn’t mind. Although now that the oldest two are getting bigger, they might condescend to watch The Dark Knight. They believe the hype.

And, if I must say, I can definitely see why the movie made so much money. Besides being dark, it is also big on explosions, cool gadgets, special effects, and this niggling mystery: what’s up with the Joker?

I wouldn’t be able to give you that answer, but Heath Ledger acted his butt off in his final performance. What’s next? Joaquin Phoenix as The Penguin?

Please click here for my rating system:

1. Story: I’d say it’s reasonably put together to be comic material. Believable is a stretch, but the bank robbing angle was an unexpected twist. 8

2. Acting: Heath Ledger did the best portrayal of his career in this movie. Christian Bale was a decent foil. 8

3. Costumes/Sets/FX: The Dark Knight had very strong atmosphere. 9

Total review for The Dark Knight: 8

Watch The Dark Knight tonight on Amazon Video on Demand.

This review is part 7, (# 18) in a 45 (ish) series. Click here for # 1, Crash, here for part 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, here for part 3, (#5), Ironman, here for part 4, (#7), The Pursuit of Happyness, here for part 5, (#9), Gran Torino, and here for part 6, (#15, The Inside Man.

There is a new Miss Universe in the land. While those of us stateside had our hopes pinned on Rima Fakih, Miss USA, in the end, it was not to be. The new queen is, not surprisingly, gorgeous, and will do the crown proud. Jimena Navarrete, of Mexico is only the second girl from her country to win the title of Miss Universe.

For more about the pageant, see the Miss Universe channel on Hulu.

Oh, those zany romantic comedies! On one hand, perfect for a date night in. On the other hand, cringingly awkward. And there you have the top two movies on Amazon Video on Demand: Date Night, and The Back Up Plan.

Date Night focuses on a married couple infusing adventure into their boring lives. The emphasis here is married. This would be especially funny to couples who have been married for a few years.

Then there’s The Back Up Plan, whose trailer features a scene of J-Lo fainting head first into a birthing pool. I feel a whole wave of cringing coming on. Just a hint: DO NOT include birth in a date movie! I like a good birth story probably more than the next person; The Baby Story was one of my favorite shows. My husband? Not so much.

So maybe this is strictly a chick flick? The pregnant critic I read liked it. Netflix says: When Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) tires of looking for Mr. Right, she decides to have a baby on her own. But on the day she’s artificially inseminated, she meets Stan (Alex O’Loughlin), who seems to be just who she’s been searching for all her life. Now, Zoe has to figure out how to make her two life’s dreams fit with each other. Alan Poul directs this hilarious, heartfelt tale of confusion, confession and romantic slapstick.

So now you can watch the top 2 Amazon Videos on Demand, and see why they are on top. You could possibly nudge The Back-Up Plan into first place. You’d like that kind of power, wouldn’t you?

XM Radio’s Laugh USA is funny for the whole family. It plays several different comedians’ stand-up routines. The thing about the radio, though, obviously, is you can’t see the comedians. That would be ok if they only told audio jokes. But they’re telling visual jokes too, and Laugh USA chops the routines into little bits, so you sometimes  miss the context of the jokes. The more you listen, the more you may be able to piece together the whole joke, but not always. Now you can find some Laugh USA comedians on Netflix Instant Queue!

For the stand-up fan, Comedy Central Presents is almost too good to be true. We’re talking hundreds of comedians in this single title. And it’s available instantly for streaming, too? That alone is worth the download.

So I’m trolling through the massive list of comedians, and I find one of my favorites from Laugh USA—

Clinton Jackson. Sample joke: "I’m watching a Sunny Delight commercial, and the mom says, ‘you can have water, the purple stuff, or Sunny D!’ And the black kid is thinking, hmmm, I want some of that purple stuff!" And he launches off into a discussion of crunchy koolaid, which you must hear. Go ahead, listen. I’ll be here when you’re finished.

So you’re in for a treat if you can catch Clinton Jackson on TV. He’s clean cut, has hilarious observations, and crazy facial expressions.

You can also catch his stand up special: Clinton Jackson on Amazon Video on Demand. So, to review: Clinton Jackson=very funny. You can hear him on Laugh USA, and you can watch him on Netflix Instant Queue, Amazon Video on Demand, and YouTube.

So, what are you waiting for? You’ve got some comedy to catch up with.

Don’t have Netflix? Click here.

The Hulu folder is always a good choice. But, what now? Do you watch a show, or a clip? Yes. What letter does it start with? Why not start out by watching the most popular shows of the day? Here’s the list of today’s Hulu Top 10 to get you started:

1.

Miss USA: Tripping Gets You a Headline

Original air date: 5/16/2010

Joan and Melissa Rivers watch Michigan’s slight trip during the evening gown competition in slow motion. At our house, Miss USA is a big deal. She’s from our state, and currently competing in Miss Universe, which airs next week. There’s also the little matter of our daughter competing in the Miss Michigan USA pageant next month. It is very inspiring to see that this girl tripped and still won the title. Are we watching the next Miss Universe?

2.

Eureka: Momstrocity

Season 4: Episode 6; original airdate: 8/13/2010

Eureka is a Syfy network show about an unclassified town of geniuses. Named Eureka, the town was set up by Harry Truman with help from Albert Einstein. The show explores the dichotomy between super genius and absent-mindedness. In this episode, Carter takes Kevin on a trip but a peculiar element threatens the trail of the not-so-happy campers.

3.

Burn Notice: Hard Time

Season 4: Episode 10; original airdate: 8/12/2010

In the ongoing saga of Michael Westen, mysteriously "burned" secret agent, Michael infiltrates a high-security prison in order to protect an inmate (a good friend of Sam’s) who is marked for death by a fellow prisoner.

4.

Persons Unknown: Seven Sacrifices

Season 1: Episode: 11; original airdate: 8/21/2010

Persons Unknown is an NBC series that revolves around people imprisoned inside a small ghost town. In this episode, Janet sets her sights on the new Night Manager Ulrich as her ticket out of town.

5.

Kourtney &Khloe Take Miami: Reflections

Excerpt

In this reality TV train wreck, Kourtney voices her disappointment in Scott, while Kim reveals why she and her ex Reggie Bush called it quits.

6.

Haven: Sketchy

Season 1: Episode 7

Haven is a new Syfy show that premiered on July 9th. Based on Stephen King novel, The Colorado Kid, Haven involves a mystery of a dead body found in a small island off the coast of Maine. In this episode, a man’s body is bent, broken and crumpled leaving Audrey to untie the knots of a new mystery.

7.

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Peanuts Classics: Jersey Shore Version

Excerpt from season 8 episode 111; originally aired 8/17/2010

The title is self-explanatory.

8.

Persons Unknown: Identity

Season 1: Episode 10

Irishman Liam Ulrich replaces the fallen Night Manager, upping the ante in The Program’s diabolical game of psycho cat and mouse. I failed to mention (or notice) before that this show is classified as horror and suspense. Keep that in mind.

9.

Royal Pains: Whole Lotto Love

Season 2: Episode 10

This drama follows up-and-coming New York doctor Hank Lawson, who loses everything fighting for the life of a patient, and escapes to the Hamptons with his younger brother Evan. After making a dramatic medical rescue at a party, Hank inadvertently finds himself the Hamptons’ most in-demand new doctor. Now, with the help of Evan and an ambitious physician assistant, Hank is once again helping those in need and reinventing himself as the Hamptons’ hottest new doctor-on-demand. When two lottery winners arrive in the Hamptons, Hank treats them both for conditions that appear to be related to their newly lavish lifestyle.

10.

Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side

Season 8: Episode 20

It wouldn’t be Hulu’s top 10 without Family Guy, the tasteless Fox ‘toon. This episode piques my curiosity: The Griffins pay homage to “The Empire Strikes Back.”

You can watch these and many more shows on Hulu.