Monthly Archives: February 2010

Cultural TV on Hulu.com

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Another snowstorm in the Washington, DC area led me to search for cultural outlets that don’t require me to leave home. Today, I logged on to Hulu.com, a website that offers streaming video of television shows from networks like ABC, NBC and Fox, as well as documentaries, news, films and trailers.  I typically rely on satellite TV for such entertainment but have finally caught on to the Internet age of television. Today I selected Martin Yan’s Hong Kong, a cooking show located under the Food and Leisure section. I watched an episode called Rice and Shine, which I enjoyed because I was eating a leftover bowl of Jambalaya and rice that was cooked by my friend Derrick in honor of the New Orleans Saints for the Super Bowl —WHO DAT!

In this episode, Martin Yan discussed how rice is grown, the various types of rice from around the world and special rice dishes cooked in five star restaurants in Hong Kong. The episode gave brief cooking demonstrations for a Chinese version of sushi and “pearl” meatballs made in a bamboo steamer. I also watched an episode called International Flavors that took ingredients from the West and the East to make dishes such as Thai chili crabs, pizza and lamb chops.

While these shows are a great way to stay connected, I really can’t wait for the roads to clear up so I can experience the world locally through venues such as restaurants, museums and retail stores. However, in the meantime, if you are stuck inside like me, visit Hulu.com and search for shows by language, country or region.

Oscar Nominations for Best Foreign Language Film

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The 2010 Oscar nominations were announced today for the 82nd Academy Awards. I admit that I have not seen many of the nominated movies; however, I will watch to cheer on my favorite actors. One category that receives little attention is Best Foreign Language Film. This year’s nominees are the following:

  • Ajami is about life in a mixed Jewish-Arab neighborhood in the Mediterranean city of Jaffa. (Israel)
  • El Secreto de Sus Ojos features a federal justice agent who becomes entangled in an investigation on the murder of a young woman in 1970s Buenos Aires. (Argentina)
  • The Milk of Sorrow explores abuses inflicted on Peruvian women during the ascendancy of the Maoist Shining Path guerrilla movement. (Peru)
  • Un Prophète follows a young French Muslim man who is sentenced to six years imprisonment in a jail dominated by the Corsican mafia. (France)
  • The White Ribbon focuses on the adolescence of young children in a village in Northern Germany on the outbreak of the First World War. (Germany)

While the subject matter for each film is dark, the cinematography, sound effects and acting in the trailers on YouTube appear to be amazing and worth the viewing. To catch these films before the Oscars (Sunday, March 7th) check out theaters that specialize in independent films, foreign films, documentaries and classic cinema.