The Criterion Collection Is Coming to Hulu Plus

Yesterday, Hulu Plus was a paid streaming service that cinephiles were more likely to scoff at than subscribe to. Today, it's arguably the Web's most essential destination for movie-lovers. So what happened? The Criterion Collection, with their vast and immaculately curated library of the world's most important classic and contemporary films, brokered a deal with the site to immediately make 150 incredible titles available to current customers, with the additional promise that this initial batch would be followed by another 650 films in the coming months.

So, while regular Hulu will remain your go-to place for Chevrolet commercials that are occasionally interrupted by new episodes of 'Family Guy,' for $7.99/month Hulu Plus now offers its customers unfettered access to cinema's greatest works, including films that haven't even been released under the Criterion banner -- rare classics otherwise unavailable on these shores.

As of this morning, my Netflix home page is imploring me to watch Miley Cyrus in 'The Last Song.' Hulu Plus, on the other hand, is pointing me toward 'Seven Samurai,' 'The 400 Blows' and 'M,' which, after a short barrage of ads, will play uninterrupted on any streaming device I own.

And just like that, Hulu Plus is now an invaluable resource. Longtime Criterion honcho Peter Becker has issued a statement in which he rightfully insists that the company's main focus will remain with physical media, but that the Hulu deal constitutes a "huge expansion of