This is sad

Time magazine says Netflix's Streaming Library is Shrinking Fast

They're down to 4,335 movies. When I joined, they had about 20,000, I believe.

At my peak, I had rated about 3,300 titles on Netflix.com, with star ratings, back when you could do that. I rated only movies I had actually seen.

One of the reasons I quit Netflix was their shrinking DVD collection, and that was a few years ago.

Netflixfan.com for sale

I'm offering my domain for sale or trade. Contact me at netflixfanatic at yahoo dot com.

Thanks.

Quit Netflix

I forgot to mention I haven't been a Netflix subscriber since about October 2016.

How to make the most of Netflix

 7 Mistakes You're Making While Using Netflix 

Back with Netflix

I first joined Netflix in 2004, and stayed until 2015.  I took a one-year break, and just rejoined today, for the basic streaming plan, and started over with a one-month free trial. My list of movies and all my ratings are gone from when I was a member before, so I'm not going to bother rating all those movies again; I don't really need recommendations. The first few titles I searched for were unavailable, so we're not off to a good start. 

Netflix Alternative

Read a book.

http://shirt.woot.com/offers/readflix

A Year Without Netflix

I can't believe it's been a year since I suspended my Netflix account. I watched 45 movies last year, and only four were DVDs from Netflix and one streaming.  Now I use Redbox, if I really need a movie, or I go to the theater.

Suspended

I have suspended my Netflix account, for the time being. I'm still a huge Netflix fan, and I still recommend the service, but you don't need me to tell you it's awesome. Almost everyone has Netflix now. Congratulations to Netflix, for a job well  done.

24 Struggles Every Netflix Addict Will Immediately Understand

This list from Buzzfeed applies to streaming customers mainly. I'm a DVD-only subscriber. I gave up my streaming account when I gave up broadband. I've switched Internet service providers. I'm now with Time-Warner Cable on the Everyday Low Price plan, which is $14.99 per month for 3 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. The speed has been very consistently between 2-3 Mbps download, which is enough for me.

DVDs dwindling

I know Netflix is trying to force me away from using DVDs and into streaming*, because of money. They make more money with streaming. This is how it begins. More and more of my DVD queue is creeping into the unavailable section. Of the 344 titles in my queue, 77 have a wait status. Those waits consist of 14 short waits and an unbelievable 63 VERY LONG WAITS. That's crazy. I also have 86 movies "saved" which were formerly queued, so that's 38% of my selections I'll probably never see.

77 waits
14 short waits
63 very long waits
344 queued
86 saved

430 Total
163 Wait or unavailable

I remember being so excited about Netflix when I joined in 2004.

*I can't afford faster Internet. I'm using Freedompop.com, and it's "up to 10 Mbps" is less than 1 Mbps in reality, and they throttle streaming users after the first GB. It's better than nothing or dialup, because with dialup, you have a phone bill. At least I don't have a phone bill.

2013 Annual Report

I'm wearing my Netflix sweatshirt, which I got on eBay, while I blog this. Time for my annual report. In 2013, this is how I consumed movies:

 I saw 123 movies in 2013:

Netflix DVD: 70
Theater: 39
Netflix Instant: 6
Other Internet: 5
Redbox: 2



This is the lowest number since before Netflix. I must admit, I'm not including many hours of television I got through Netflix Instant. I don't count those toward my movie totals. My viewing might have increased if I tracked those hours.

I've seen 999 of the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, 2002 edition. The book has been revised many times, so the complete list from all editions now has 1,153 titles on it. The newest edition has 28 titles I haven't seen, so there's a big difference among editions. I'm wondering if I should try to complete all editions, or is that a fool's errand? I'm getting my stats from the new iPhone app for the book, 1001 Movies Before You Die. You can also see them on Icheckmovies.com, which is the only list-tracking site I use now. I still have my stuff on Listology.com, but I'm not updating it.

I'm still keeping the DVD plan and the Instant plan, until I can afford a faster Internet connection. I'm currently using Freedompop.com for my Internet, and even on their best plan, I experience only 1-2 Mbps. I need an external antenna. My house is a Faraday cage, apparently. I've heard they throttle streaming users. Oh well. It's slightly better and cheaper than DSL or cable, except when it rains.

Shout-out to Reed Hastings and the Netflix crew for a job well done. Thank you.

IPhone app for the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

I just downloaded and installed the iPhone app for the book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, which you know, is my favorite movie list. This is a great app. I'm so excited to discover it. It allows you to keep track of all the movies you've seen on the list. It includes a place to rate each movie, make notes, and a link to buy each movie, or share on Facebook and Twitter.

Wish I had this app back in 2004, because it has a place to save the date seen. If I hadn't already seen a great many of them, I'd add the dates, but that's too much work.

The app allows you to choose which list is your default: the newest edition, the essential, or the complete. I've seen 999 of them, so I'll be interested to see how soon I can complete at least the essential list, once I ch.eck them off.

It's only 3.2 Mb, and it takes just a couple seconds to open.

It opens with a splash screen asking you to buy the book, of course. It goes away with a single tap, and as long as the app is open, it doesn't pop up again.

It requires two or three taps to check off each title. First tap to select the movie, then tap to mark it seen, then tap the down arrow to go to the next title or tap to return to the list For someone like me, it would be nice to tap each title once to indicate seen or not, or import seen titles from another list. But it's very smooth and fast, so it's OK.

It shows you which movies are also on the 1001 Books list, which is cool. There's an app for that book, too.

I paid $4.99 for it, which is worth it, for such an excellent app.

Download 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die from the iTunes store
 it

Binge viewing is a thing

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about the trend toward binge-viewing on Netflix, which is when you watch a whole TV series in a short amount of time. They say half of Netflix users studied have watched an entire series in one week. I've done that, with series like Band of Brothers, and The Pacific. I watched one or two episodes a day.

Now that I can get through a series so quickly on Netflix, I could never have the patience to watch a series spread out over an entire television season. I like waiting until a series is complete, so I know the story is written, and I won't be left hanging in suspense by a cancellation, or a writers' strike, or other such nonsense. I'm not going to start a series until I know EVERY episode is available on Netflix right away.

Uncritical Netflix

My favorite movie review writer, Leonard Maltin, used to have a page on Netflix.com at http://www.netflix.com/MaltinPicks, like Roger Ebert, TV Guide, etc., but Netflix has done away with critics recommendations, and replaced it with a "taste preference" for "critically-acclaimed" genres. Therefore, I read Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide on my iPhone to get his take on the movies.

I don't rely on Netflix.com for movie recommendations any more. I'm interested in the star ratings they predict I'll give a movie, but it's not the biggest influence on what I watch. I'd say it's about a 30% influence. The biggest influence on me is my friends/family. Next is the the Flixster app on my iPhone, which I use to check out the new releases. I go to the movies almost weekly, so I have to keep up with the buzz.

Gatsby

I searched Netflix.com for The Great Gatsby, because I just saw the Baz Luhrmann version, and wanted to rate it, and the fifth result was Hemlock Grove, a Netflix Original Series. Coincidence?

Netflix bias

I was going to write a post about how disappointed I am that Netflix recommendations for me always include Netflix Original Series. I used to trust Netflix to recommend to me titles I would like, based on my own taste in movies. Netflix usually predicts pretty closely what I'm going to like, so much that my star rating is almost always identical to the predicted star rating.

 But, now that Arrested Development Season 4 is on Netflix, I can't look at Netflix.com without being reminded to watch it. It is a Netflix Original Series, and they predict I'll love it. This made me suspicious that maybe their recommendations are biased in favor of their own content.

Well, maybe to begin with. I used to be confronted with an ad for Hemlock Grove every time I opened Netflix.com. However, they predicted I would give Hemlock Grove only two stars, even though it's a Netflix Original Series. So is it OK to trust Netflix?

Netflix DVD wins 2012

This month marks my ninth anniversary with Netflix. I still love Netflix, but 2012 was not a big movie year for me. My attendance at the movies was way down for several reasons. I worked longer hours. The people I usually go to the movies with were less available, due to work and school commitments. After seeing over two thousand movies in the last eight years, my interest in movies is flagging. I'm more particular in my taste. I've completed some great movie lists: AFI, Academy Awards, Leonard Maltin, and almost all of the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. You can see my progress at I Check Movies.

I saw 136 movies in 2012

73 were on Netflix DVD
21 on Netflix Instant via Roku
37 at a theater or other public venue
5 were on DVD from another source

Still worth it

I'm paying $21.33 per month for Unlimited Streaming + 2 DVDs out at-a-time (Unlimited) and I think it's worth it. On the nights I don't have a DVD, I watch something from my instant queue. I easily go through two DVDs each week, and one or two instant titles each week, in addition to the weekly trip to the theater to catch the latest blockbuster or IMAX movie. I like watching older movies by streaming, like The Naked City (1948), because then the picture quality isn't compromised by my slow connection. Keep in mind, I haven't had cable TV since 2004, and because of Netflix, haven't missed it a bit.

I'm glad Netflix changed its mind about splitting up and moving me to Qwikster, but boy, was that embarrassing. I felt bad for Reed Hastings. What a miscalculation.

Qwikster fan?

Not. Qwikster represents the beginning of the end of the DVD. DVDs are old school. I am a movie fan first and foremost. It doesn't matter to me how I get my movie fix. I was one of the first to buy a Roku box and get my Netflix movies streamed to my TV. However, I am one of those who will be moved to Qwikster, because I still have to have my movies on DVD.

The reasons I still want my movies on DVD:

Even with an HD TV and broadband, the picture quality is still better on DVDs most of the time. I admit this is probably my fault. It's cheaper to get DVDs from Netflix than to increase what I pay for broadband in order to possibly improve picture quality.

Of the 455 titles in my queue, only 176 are available instantly.

Optional subtitles, especially on English-language films. Try watching Trainspotting or The Hill (1965) or without them. Oops, bad example. The Hill is available only on DVD.

P.S. I'm still in shock as to Netflix splitting up. The name Qwikster makes me think this is all a bad joke and we're being pwned. It sounds like a mashup of Quitter and Flix. I thought about buying the name qwiksterfan, but I'm not going to do it.

Can't afford the new prices for Netflix?

For those of you upset about the price hike, help has arrived. I just learned about the Netflix Relief Fund.

Netflix and their new prices

Netflix is charging different prices for their services. Some folks are upset about this. Here's a link to the press release announcing the new plans.

The way I see it is that Netflix has a right to charge whatever they want and you have a right to choose whether to use their service. You can vote with your dollars. It doesn't matter how long you've been a "loyal" customer. You got what you paid for, or you would have quit.

You people who think it's "greedy" for companies to charge for their products and services certainly don't think it's greedy when the labor unions demand higher wages. You don't think it's greedy for the government to confiscate our money and our property to redistribute it to people who won't keep their pants zipped. Funny how you don't think it's greedy of you to keep your own money instead of giving it to Netflix.

It's a crime to share Netflix password in TN

I think it's unwise, but should it be a crime? Netflix sharing will be a crime in TN

IMDB 250 on Netflix Instant

PaulIsAGeek has done a great job of finding the IMDB Top 250 on Netflix Instant so you can easily add them to your Instant Queue. I have seen all but the last one.

Still a Netflix fan

I'm still a huge Netflix Fan, but I'm slowing down. I saw only 202 movies in 2010, compared to 473 in 2006. I rented 52 of those on DVD from Netflix, and watched 40 instantly. I saw 67 movies in a theater. I'm still waiting to see the last seven movies of the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, 2002 edition. I've been without cable TV for seven years.

Roku Lives!

Thanks to my commenters for their good advice! I replaced the power adapter, and now it works!

Dead Roku

I am forlorn. My Roku player is dead. It lasted two and a half years. I think a power surge killed it. The little light doesn't come on. What should I do? Should I buy another Netflix-ready device? Or should I replace my Roku?

My AT&T DSL connection is only 768Kbps at $19.95/month, and the Roku made it possible for me to get streaming content at 2-dot quality, which was tolerable with most of the stuff that I watch.

Because of my slow Internet connection, streaming on my Mac Mini is not an option. I have tried watching Netflix Instant in my Firefox browser, but it took forever to buffer, and there is no remote control. I can't watch instantly on my laptop, because it's not compatible with Ubuntu.

I don't want a game console, or a Blu-ray player, or a new TV, or a DVR, or a new home theater system.

I would consider an Apple TV.

Netflix Surprises

I have seen Searching for Bobby Fisher, King of Kong, and Serenity, but I'm going to have to check out the rest of these: "Suggestions and Hidden Gems!" from a new Netflix fan blog whose focus is on Netflix Streaming.

Netflixers.com

Netflixers.com looks like it's meant to be a social-networking forum for Netflix Fans. From their What is a Netflixer? page, it "was created by a group of students at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business as part of a project for our Information Systems for Business and Management class." I hope they haven't received a grade yet, because it's incomplete. The log in goes to Wordpress. I think it's not a serious thing. I'd give it a B for passing the quick-look test, but a D for being shallow. Maybe it's a test to see how much traffic they can get by using the Netflix brand name and posting links to other Netflix-related sites?

Still prefer DVDs

I may be a luddite, but I still prefer DVDs to Instant Netflix. I don't have a very fast internet connection, (I have the cheapest DSL you can get from AT&T) so I get only two star quality when streaming. I don't mind if what I'm watching is not really affected, but sometimes the movie really suffers. However, I love having an alternative to TV, and I love having something to watch when the DVD is in the mail, so Instant Netflix is a great feature that adds value to my membership.

I like using my Instant queue as kind of a overflow for the DVD queue. I have already maxed out my queue, so I frequently add things to Instant that I don't want to forget about.

Saturday shipping

Today is the first Saturday I have ever seen Netflix acknowledge receipt of a movie I returned on a Friday, and it's the first Saturday Netflix told me they are shipping a title which is due to arrive Monday.

Fun with IMDb

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) should be a familiar destination for all movie fans, because they are the only place online where you can find out about nearly every movie ever made. Even Netflix doesn't do that.

You can go year-by-year to find the top movies by boxoffice or MOVIEMeter(tm) rating, which is how I look for movies to put in my Netlfix queue, sometimes.

IMDb maintains a constantly-updated list of the top 250 movies by MOVIEMeter(tm). I would like to brag about how many I've seen of them. How do I keep track? I use 250films.net. 250films.net is a well-made site where you can actually check off the films you've seen. Click on this button to see which ones I've seen:




Here is another cool site for looking at the IMDb Top 250, where you can see monthly snapshots of the list going back to 1997, as well as do month-to-month comparisons to see which titles have been added or moved up or down.

Can you join Netflix without a computer?

Do you know anyone who uses Netflix, but doesn't have a personal computer? You have to be able to go online at least once to join Netflix, but you don't really need a personal computer or to access the Internet more than a few times a year. Because of how the queue* works, you can get online once when you join, and go a very long time without seeing your queue again. If you can get online at a friend's house, or the public library, or at work, all you need to do is fill your queue with 26 movies, and you can go six months without seeing your queue again, if you watch just one a week. This works only if you're OK with watching whatever is in your queue in random order. If you're the type who has to be in the mood for a specific movie, this won't work. If you have a phone that connects to the Internet, you should be able to change your queue that way.

If you're OK with watching streaming movies only, and not DVDs, you can get a "Netflix-ready device." I have an iPod Touch, with the Netflix app, so I can see my Instant queue any time I have WiFi. There are Blu-Ray players, game consoles, TVs, and streaming players that allow you to see your instant Netflix without needing a computer.


*Q:
What is the Queue? How do I use it?
A:
Your Queue is the list of the movies you want to see, in the order you want to receive them. You may add, delete or change the order of movies in your Queue at any time.
To add a movie to your Queue, just click the Add button next to any movie. We'll send you as many available movies from your Queue as your plan allows.
Once you've finished viewing a DVD, simply return it in the prepaid return envelope and we'll send the next available selection from your Queue as soon as possible.
To change the order in which movies are delivered from your Queue, you can change the number in the Priority column, use the 'move to top' button, or simply drag and drop the movie to where you want it in the list.
To remove movies from your Queue, click on the 'X' under the column labeled 'Remove'.

Friends without Netflix

Do you have any friends who still haven't tried Netflix? I was astonished to learn that my nurse at the doctor's office still hasn't signed up. I will not rest until she does.

I think it might be ignorance. I have to explain to them how it works. It helps if I show them the envelope, because it's hard for folks to imagine how easy it is. They think they have to get a stamp and address the envelope and buy envelopes, and all that old-school stuff. Even when I tell them it's postage-paid both ways, they are skeptical. They think there's a catch.

I also think it's hard work for some people to find stuff to watch. With TV, it's passive. You watch whatever is on, or you hit one button on the remote. Netflix requires a bit of thought and more effort than switching on the TV. You have to go online, look at pictures, and click a button. If you're really ambitious, you read the description and reviews.

Even with Roku, you have to decide what to watch. The TV doesn't decide for you. People can be paralyzed by choice. Well, Netflix solves that problem by suggesting movies. All you have to do is rate movies. Is that so hard?

I look at some of my Netflix Friends, and I'm frustrated at how few movies they've rated. Or maybe they really haven't seen that many. They must be the people with the social lives and beautiful lawns.

Netflix app for iPhone and iPod touch

This is ideal: the Netflix app for the iPad is now available for the iPhone and iPod touch. You use it to login to your account and see movies instantly. Since I have only an iPod touch, I have to use WiFi. It let's me browse my instant queue, search for and add new movies.

The first thing that comes up when you open it is a few suggestions, according to your taste. The movie art is nice and big, so it's easy to identify them. Everything has been simplified and enlarged to make it touch-friendly on the small screen.

I watched a little bit of a Dexter episode and it loaded very quickly, faster than on my TV. The picture was nice and watchable. Watching anything on the small screen is not my first choice, but I can think of times it will come in very handy.

Now all we need to worry about is how AT&T will cope with all the extra bandwidth.

Download the Netflix app in iTunes:
http://iTunes.com/apps/netflix

Re-releases on Netflix

I have to check the Netflix New Releases on HackingNetflix.com, because I love rating the ones I've seen. Occasionally, one will show up that I have previously rated! It went out of print, and then came back. Or maybe I saw it in the theatre and rated it before it was available. Or maybe I rented it from Facets or Greencine. It's how I keep track of what I've seen, to improve recommendations.

Redbox

I've used Redbox exactly once. Folks say Redbox is more convenient than video stores, but you still have to return the DVD the next day, or pay a late fee. I hate that. And I've seen people standing in line at Redboxes, especially on weekends. I use Netflix so I don't have to remember to return something, and I don't have to drive, park, and stand in line.

Netflix recommends...

One of the features I like about Netflix is that it recommends movies you'll love. The more movies you rate, the more accurate these suggestions are. You should browse Netflix and rate every movie you've ever seen, not just the ones you've rented from Netflix. This really makes a difference.

The red star ratings you see on the Netflix site are actually predictions of what you would like, based on other users' opinions. If you rate more movies you have seen, those stars will start to reflect your opinion more than anyone else's.

I have rated 3,246 titles on Netflix.com. It's possible that I've seen more than that, I just can't remember them all. As a result, there are 347 movies that Netflix expects me to love. Does that number seem low to you? Or is it about right?

Back before the Netflix Prize was awarded, I had very few recommendations from Netflix. Less than a hundred. I think my taste in movies is so personal and eccentric, that it's hard to predict what I will love. Even the Netflix algorithm predicts only four stars for "movies you'll love." Shouldn't it predict you'll give FIVE stars to movies you will love? I guess it's because my taste is so idiosyncratic.

Using Netflix to tidy up

Unclutterer is the blog about getting and staying organized. The Unclutterer blog noticed back in 2007 that Netflix is a great way to cut down on household clutter. Instead of buying movies, you can keep a virtual collection by subscribing to Netflix, and having access to thousands. I love that I can use Netflix to keep track of what I've seen and whether I liked it. In case folks ever ask. After I joined Netflix, I dumped all my VHS tapes. The only DVDs I own are the ones I bought before they became available from Netflix.

fflick - movie reviews via Twitter

This new site, fflick, looks like a good idea. If you're on Twitter, you can use fflick to see what people think of certain movies. It will crawl all your friends' tweets to find any movies mentioned and group them for you. It also aggregates all movie mentions and gives them a score, even ones that aren't out yet.

For example, there have been over sixty-one thousand tweets about Salt, as of this post, giving it a score of 64% positive. You can sort the mentions by Friends, Positive, Negative, etc.

Oh, and there's a button to add the title to your Netflix queue. :)

Here's Roger Ebert's page on fflick.

Criterion on Netflix

Criterion Cast, "The Podcast Dedicated To Important Classic And Contemporary Films," has posted a list of Criterion films available on Netflix, with links.

P.S. I've seen about half of the films.

Bye, Bye Blockbuster.

I was really sad to learn that Blockbuster has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. It's kind of hard to believe. But, as a Netflix fan, I am happy to see Netflix survive.

I am first and foremost a movie fan. I don't really care whose name is on the package my movies arrive in. I am not wedded to the Netflix brand. I love Netflix because it brings me my movies. If Blockbuster could have brought me my movies the way Netflix does, this might be called the Blockbuster Fan blog. But it aint.

Many folks predicted that Blockbuster would prevail. I could gloat, but I do not enjoy seeing any company fail. Still, I believe the market knows best. This is a perfect example of market forces creating efficiencies. We customers made this happen. We voted with our dollars.

Watch Netflix instantly on the iPad!

Netflix iPad App Available From App Store - Apr 02, 2010

LOS GATOS, Calif., April 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) today announced that a free Netflix App for iPad is available on the App Store, allowing Netflix members to instantly watch an unlimited number of TV episodes and movies streamed from Netflix to iPad. Streaming to iPad is at no additional cost to Netflix members on plans starting at just $8.99 a month.

Limited-time offer: $20 off Roku

Roku and TrialPay are having a limited-time offer of $20 off the Roku player, whether you're already a member of Netflix or not only for new members (updated 7/22/10).

I've had my Roku ever since the first day, and I love it. I recommend it for everyone who likes movies, and it's a great TV-cable-sat substitute, too. The Roku hooks up to your TV and Internet and let's you watch movies from Netflix instantly on your TV, unlimited, no waiting.

One a week

If you knew me when, you'd know I used to watch many more movies than I do now. When I started with Netflix in 2004, I saw about 300 movies each year. Lately, I've managed one DVD from Netflix each week, and one theatrical title each week. I saw only 171 movies in 2009! Pitiful.

Allow half-star user ratings in Netflix

The Netflix Rating Granulizer for Greasemonkey does exactly that. Install this extension in your browser, and you'll be able to assign ratings with half a star. I used it to give The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 3.5 stars. It's better than OK, but I didn't really like it.

LikeMinds alpha

I have rated over 3000 titles on Netflix.com. I use Netflix as my main repository of movie ratings. I like to know how I rated a movie, in case someone asks me. Sometimes I can't remember if I've seen a movie, or if I liked it enough to see it again, so I refer to my Netflix rating. Having to refer to Netflix is inconvenient sometimes. I don't want to have to start over from scratch with ratings on every movie Web site. What if I quit Netflix? What's going to happen to all those ratings? Now I can keep them. The LikeMinds Web app allows you to take your Netflix ratings with you, or move them from one Web site to another. Right now, you can export ratings from Amazon, Blockbuster, Flixster, Imdb, Movielens, Netflix, RottenTomatoes, and Yahoo, and import to Amazon, Blockbuster, Movielens, Netflix, and RottenTomatoes. They will be adding others.

It took about 10 minutes for my 3030 ratings to be imported from Netflix into LikeMinds.com. It took about a minute to download them to a file on my laptop.

It's in alpha at the moment, so they are looking for feedback on problems or features and are quick to respond. Let me know if you use it, and what your experience is.

Netflix as Christmas gift

Netflix has been around for 12 years. I can hardly believe it was already seven years old when I joined in 2004. However, there are still folks out there who have never joined. I was at the doctor's office a few weeks ago, and was shocked that my nurse didn't know how Netflix worked. I reckon alot of you never considered trying Netflix until someone gave you a gift subscription. So, if you got Netflix for Christmas, and you are a total newbie, please leave a comment. I'd love to meet you. Tell us what you think.

Leonard Maltin's app on sale

The Leonard Maltin iPhone/iPod Touch app I posted about is on sale at the iTunes store for $2.99, down from $4.99. It's based on his paperback movie guide. I reckon the price drop is because of how slow the search feature is. Also, you can't find things by keyword. You have to know the exact title or name, or at least the beginning letters. If you search for movie titles containing the word "Henry", you'll get Henry V, but not The Private Life of Henry VIII.

Even with these problems, I still love and recommend the app. Get it while it's on sale, and you'll get free updates when they fix these problems.

Netflix recommends I watch Wings of Desire (1987), and predicts that I will give it 3.9 stars, based on my feelings for Nosferatu the Vampyre (with Bruno Ganz), Downfall (a great movie also starring Bruno Ganz) and Big(!). The problem is I've already seen it. I rented it from Netflix in 2006 and rated it 3 stars. I guess it went out of print and then a new edition was made, but the rating I gave it in 2006 didn't transfer from that edition to this. I don't remember exactly why I gave it a lower rating. Should I re-rate it 3 stars, in total disagreement with what Netflix knows about me? Or trust Netflix? I feel bad for disagreeing with the Netflix prediction of my rating, because they spent a million dollars to improve their recommendations.

Two things of note: I love Bruno Ganz, as an actor, and I rate every movie I've seen on Netflix.com.

Best Movie guide on the iPhone and iPod Touch

I am thrilled to learn from a comment left here by Ken, that Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide is now available on the iPhone and iPod Touch. I bought mine from the App Store for $4.99, which is a third of what the book costs.

The advantages of it over other applications is that you don't have to be connected to the Internet to look up movie details. You get plot summaries, star ratings, cast and director. You can search the database by title, cast, or director to get filmographies. I do this all the time when I'm out with friends. We'll be talking about movies and they ask me what other movies has an actor been in? What other movies has someone directed? They think I'm the movie expert, and I keep them impressed by using Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide.

Another advantage is that you can create your own custom lists or add to Favorites or Movies to See which you can backup online. There's also a button to add movies to your Netflix queue (requires an Internet connection).

I've been waiting for this ever since I gave up my Palm T|X. A good movie guide was the only thing I missed about that Palm. I left a note on Leonard Maltin's Web site, asking that they make an app for the iPhone. I reckon I wasn't the only one who wanted it. Now my iPod Touch is complete.

If you don't have iTunes or an iPhone, check out the developer's Web site for screenshots and more info.

P.S. No one paid me or gave me anything to write this review.

One Month free trial cards from Netflix--October 2009 edition

It's time again for the ONE MONTH FREE TRIAL CARDS from Netflix. Act fast, because these single-use codes are available on a first-come basis. They expire October 31, 2009. Go to Netflix.com/tellafriend and enter one of these codes:

M216083727415
M256053727795
M226043727745
M246053727735

You are welcome to post your unused codes in the comments.

Fine print says: Cannot be combined with any other offer. Current and previous members and their households are ineligible. Netflix will bill you at the completion of the free trial unless you cancel prior to the end of the free trial. Netflix is a month-to-month subscription that you can cancel at any time. No refunds or credits for partial monthly subscription periods. Please visit Netflix.com/TermsOfUse for complete fine print. Netflix reserves the right to change terms and conditions any time they feel like it, and since I don't work for Netflix, nor do I represent them, I have no right to speak for them, and you're at your own risk. You should check out their site and not take my word for it.

1001 movies available at Netflix

You thought I was over my obsession with the 1001 movies you must see before you die. Not so fast. I found that Netflix Community user Knaldskalle has posted the list with links to Netflix where the titles are available on DVD, so you can quickly add them to your queue. That represents much work, for which I am grateful. I'm still stuck at having seen only 992 of the 1001 (2002) edition, but I've found sources for two of the remaining 9, so there's hope.

Goal-oriented

This is sad. I've justed downgraded to 1-out, and the same week added a 500th movie to my queue. Since I'm goal-oriented regarding movies, I have to see them all, and at this rate, it will take 9.62 years. In that time, man will have walked on Mars, we'll all have flying cars, and Netflix will send movies to a chip in our brains.

Haitus

It's taking me too long to watch movies, so I've changed to the one-out plan.

Fired by Amazon

I have been fired by Amazon, because I am an affiliate living in the state of North Carolina, which just placed a sales tax on anything you buy online if you click through from a site based here even if the vendor does not have a physical presence here. All I was selling was the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.

Taxes hurt everyone.

The guy with the gun in the above photo is North Carolina.

Russian DVD rental service

RussianDVD.com uses the Netflix model to rent Russian-language movies to continental U.S. residents. They say they have 5,000 in their library, and many with English subtitles.

I discovered them when I was trying to finish the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. They had one of them (now out of stock), The Asthenic Syndrome, but it was in Russian, without English subtitles, and I don't want to watch it that way.

One Month free trial cards from Netflix--May 2009 edition

It's time again for the ONE MONTH FREE TRIAL CARDS from Netflix. Act fast, because these single-use codes are available on a first-come basis. They expire JUNE 15, 2009. Go to Netflix.com/tellafriend and enter one of these codes:

M11577892195
M21577892035
M71547892055
M81597892325

You are welcome to post your unused codes in the comments.

Fine print says: Cannot be combined with any other offer. Current and previous members and their households are ineligible. Netflix will bill you at the completion of the free trial unless you cancel prior to the end of the free trial. Netflix is a month-to-month subscription that you can cancel at any time. No refunds or credits for partial monthly subscription periods. Please visit Netflix.com/TermsOfUse for complete fine print. Netflix reserves the right to change terms and conditions any time they feel like it, and since I don't work for Netflix, nor do I represent them, I have no right to speak for them, and you're at your own risk. You should check out their site and not take my word for it.

Reed says I'm weird...and I agree

Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, was asked in an interview by Motley Fool, "With so many shows on DVD, why doesn't Netflix directly market the 'dump your cable and save money' message?"

Hastings replied, "Well, no one dumps their cable."

!!!!!

Well, I have news for Mr. Hastings. I DID. I dumped cable for Netflix in 2004. Five years ago.

I don't even watch broadcast television.

I get my news from various Web sources, but I'm very happy "living under a rock". I no longer feel the pressure of materialism which comes from the bombardment of continuous advertising. I no longer feel panic or anxiety from a repetitive news cycle of tragedies, disasters, and human evil over which I have no control. I get my television series on DVD, long after you have deleted them from your DVR.

I live in peaceful oblivion punctuated by the arrival of red or blue envelopes.

via Hacking Netflix

Clark Howard on Netflix

I listen to Clark Howard on the radio in the afternoons. He's the financial guru whose slogan is "helping you to save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off." He's famous for his thriftiness, and he says Netflix is a great way to save money. It's always a thrill to me to hear smart folks endorse Netflix, because it brings back the feeling I had when I first discovered the best way to get movies.

I listen to Clark on an FM talk 101.1 WZTK in North Carolina,

Facets Multimedia

If you're looking for titles which are unavailable through Netflix, out-of-print or imported*, you should try Facets Multimedia in Chicago, Illinois. I rent movies from them by mail, on DVD and VHS**. They have a subscription service identical to the Netflix model (except instead of a queue, you have "selections"), and the prices are the same**. Allow an extra day or two for your selections to arrive, since they come from Chicago.

For imports, you need a multi-region DVD player.

**The VHS rentals incur an extra shipping charge.

Get Satisfaction from Netflix

You can Get Satisfaction from Netflix by asking a question and getting help from hundreds of Netflix users registered at GetSatisfaction.com, a message board or forum for various products and services. It's also a great place to find frequently answered questions for new users, perhaps stuff you think Netflix would never tell you. Not an official Netflix service, and no Netflix employees are involved.

The site requires registration, or you can use your OpenID or Windows Live ID.

Find Netflix Instant Watching titles faster with these tools

I found these on Lifehacker:

FlixWare searches title, actor, genre, year.

Netflix Instant Watch Tracker searches by title, actor, and genre

InstantWatcher.com is very versatile, with searches by title, actor, genre, new, expiring, best, worst, and random. Includes links to play or add to queue, if you're logged in. Includes pop-up title synopses. Free and no registration required.

Airport no longer snowed in

Actually, it is I who am no longer snowed in, and my Apple Airport Express is back to work! It's still under warranty, so I took it to IT Worx, a certified Apple Reseller and Service Center, and they fixed it. It was a configuration issue. Boy, do I feel silly.

Even though I had three Netflix DVDs at home, I immediately watched a movie on my Roku. It was such a relief to have it back online. My Roku gave me the welcome message telling me that it had been upgraded. I changed my display settings to HD, but I haven't tried watching an HD movie yet. There aren't any in my queue. I still can't see the Amazon menu, which is supposed to be along soon.

I should confess that, in my desperation, I went to Video Review, the best video store in Greensboro, and rented a couple of DVDs to carry me until I could get my Airport working again.

Snow Day, and no Netflix

I'm bummed. We are having a rare snow day in North Carolina, and the office is closed, but I have run out of Netflix DVDs to watch. Worse yet, my Apple Airport Express died, so I can't watch instantly on my TV. OK, so I should be grateful I can watch instantly on my Mac, but it's awkward, since my desktop is not a comfortable place to watch a movie.

Should I risk my neck to venture out into the cold, to find a video store or movie theatre where poor, minimum-wage-slaves have risked their necks to get to work?

Or should I read a book?

Family movies in 2009

Cinematical has an interesting list of family movies to anticipate in 2009. I'm looking forward to Disney-Pixar's Up, which is coming in May.

Best family movies of 2008

Commonsense Media, which partners with Netflix to provide information for parents, has compiled a list of the Best Movies of 2008, and the ages of the children for which the movies are appropriate.


AGE 4+
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!

AGE 5+
WALL-E

AGE 6+
Kung Fu Panda

AGE 13+
Iron Man
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

AGE 15+
American Teen
Slumdog Millionaire

How many movies did you see in 2008?

Without even trying hard, I saw more movies in 2008 than in 2007. I saw 263 movies in 2007.

194 from Netflix (36 of those were Watched Instantly)
56 in a theatre
14 from Classicflix
12 from various other sources: TV, a friend, or eBay
6 from Video Review, a bricks and mortar video store
4 from SilverScreenArchive
1 from the Greensboro Public Library

For a total of 287.


You can see all the titles, categorized by source, on my Listology list of Movies Seen in 2008

Will work for Netflix

I work a regular job, for money, for which I am very grateful, because it is the means by which I obtain things I need, like food and shelter, and Netflix. 

Film personality test

Ben Tesch says:

It’s not strange to disagree about movies that are wildly different, and there are surely a few random movies that are very polarizing. What I find most interesting is which movie people consider the best movie from a particular director, as it is usually very telling and polarizing in a different way, so to this point I will propose a new personality test where you reblog your favorite movie from each of these directors:

1. Joel Coen: No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, The Hudsucker Proxy, Miller’s Crossing, Raising Arizona, etc
2. Wes Anderson: The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tennenbaums, Rushmore, Bottle Rocket, etc
3. Hal Ashby: Being There, Shampoo, Harold and Maude, etc
4. Kevin Smith: Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Dogma, Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Clerks, etc
5. Quentin Tarantino: Grindhouse, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, etc

My results:

Joel Coen: Raising Arizona
Wes Anderson: Darjeeling Limited (I haven't seen Bottle Rocket)
Hal Ashby: Being There
Kevin Smith: Chasing Amy
Quentin Tarantino: Reservoir Dogs

Via Listology

Faster than Netflix!

Wow, that was fast! I posted my promo codes here, then Mike at Hacking Netflix linked to my post, and within hours, I received four bonus rental vouchers on my Netflix account.

Has it worked for you yet?

More One Month Free Trial Cards from Netflix

These Netflix promo codes expire October 31, 2008. Each code can be used only once. You must be a new member. Limit one per household. The free trial lasts one month. At the end of the trial, Netflix will begin to bill our payment method. No refunds or credits for partial months.

M298097791525
M278027791555
M218087791515
M288037791565


I dislike the glue which they used to hold the cards to the mailer this time. When I removed the cards from the paper, it removed some of the fine print from the back of each card.

I will receive one bonus disc voucher for each new customer who signs up using one of the priority codes provided. The voucher will appear in my queue. I must redeem the voucher for the disc to ship. I am limited to five bonus discs. All bonus discs plus one plan disc must be returned for the next shipment.

Post your priority codes in the comments, if you want bonus discs too.

Netflix Movie Watching World Championship: The Quest for the Popcorn Bowl

Some sleep-deprived folks are going to try to watch movies for more than 5 days in a row, continuously, in order to set a new world record for movie-watching. In Times Square. Sponsored by Netflix, of course. The prizes are great. If I could stay awake for more than 120 hours, I would go for it, but I value my sleep too much. After watching movies, my second favorite thing to do is sleep.

The longest I've ever continuously watched movies was probably at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, when I was watching movies from 8 AM to 10 PM. Even so, the most consecutive movies I watched was only five.

Via Cinematical.

"Land of no return"

This Slate Magazine online reader poll asks "What unwatched Netflix rental have you kept unwatched the longest?" Poll closes Tuesday, September 5, and they promise to "offer some strategies for avoiding the land of no return."

Thanks for all the bonus discs!

Thanks to those of you who signed up for Netflix using one of my trial codes, I received 5 bonus rentals.

If you posted your promo codes here, and you want to see how many bonus rentals you received, check "membership terms and details" under "your account" on Netflix.com.

What powers the Netflix Player?

HotHardware interviews the Roku VP of Consumer Products, Tim Twerdahl, about what's inside the Netflix Roku player. He confirms there is no hard drive, only flash memory. It runs a version of Linux on an NXP core processor. They are also going "to seek out other content providers to put their content on the Roku box."

They are sold out and on about a two-week back-order.

My Netflix Player is here. Now what?

I've received my Netflix Roku today! Just as they say, it was a breeze to set up. The hardest part is deciding what to watch first!

I also received two Netflix DVDs in the mail.

What I should do is watch and return my DVDs before using the Netflix Player to watch movies instantly. Oh, if only I could call in sick tomorrow!

I'll never be able to cancel Netflix. Never.

My Netflix player is coming!!

I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it!! I just ordered a Netflix Player from Roku! I can't wait for it to arrive. The second I learned about it on Hacking Netflix, I had to have one!! I might never watch a DVD again. This little box will allow me to watch Netflix instantly on my regular TV, via my home WiFi Internet connection. I won't be tied to my computer any more. I have 56 movies in my Watch Instantly queue, but I'll be adding more soon.

This means it won't matter if I have a Mac or a PC, I'll be able to Watch Now without my computer at all!

Wow, this signals the end of an era for me. No more cable TV, no more broadcast TV, no more DVR, no more DVDs. Well, maybe not yet. There are still 444 movies in my queue that are available only on DVD.

I will let you know how it works.

One month free trial cards from Netflix

I received four one month free trial cards by mail from Netflix, with priority codes.

For each of you that uses one of these codes, I'll get a bonus disc. For each activated card, I'll see a "Bonus Disc" button appear in my queue for each new member.

If you received these in the mail, feel free to post your codes in the comments. Maybe you'll get bonus discs too.

I have to share my promo codes this way, because all my real-life friends and family are already Netflix members!

If you've never joined before, click on Netflix Tell A Friend and enter one of the following codes. If these codes don't work, check the comments for more.

M17010581585
M18013581505
M15015571545
M12011571575

This offer ends June 15, 2008.

One month free Netflix

For new members only. Try this link. Expires 06/15/08.

I got it in an email. This time, there's no promo code or coupon code, just a button to click in the email. I've tried to extract what I think is the relevant information from the URL. Let me know in the comments if it doesn't work. When I click it, it redirects me to my home page, since I'm already a member. You might have to delete your Netflix cookie to see it.

Freakomendations

Paul Lamere, a researcher at Sun Labs, collects Freakomendations, which are wacky recommendations from Netflix or Amazon. For example, "Because you enjoyed The Killers, Netflix thinks you will like The Looney Tunes Golden Collection".

Create your own remote control!

NoviiMedia makes software which you can put on your mobile device to turn it into a universal remote control for your TV, DVD player, Tivo, or sound system. I love it!

My Palm T|X is turning out to be a great investment. It's like having a universal remote, calendar, alarm clock, to-do list, music player, photo storage, deck of cards, phone book, address book, library, note pad, Web browser, and world atlas in my pocket. All except a phone.

Your laptop can do these things except it doesn't fit in your pocket.

Dude has over a thousand Netflix friends!

I just made Robowriter a Fave, which means I'm a Fan, not a Friend, since he's a stranger to me. He has rated 13,132 titles on Netflix, written 486 reviews, made 148 lists, and he is 50% similar to me. His reviewer rank is an astonishingly low 14. My favorite thing about Fave Robowriter, is his exhaustive lists in which he categorizes movies very specifically. For example, he's making a list of all movies in which the Wilhelm Scream is used.

Feedflix

From a comment on my blog, I learned about FeedFlix, a handy place to share your Netflix Queue and reviews with anybody (even if they aren't Netflix members). As far as I can tell, they have less than a hundred users signed up, but if they ever get a substantial number, the data could be really useful. The FeedFlix feature that's most interesting to me is that you can see who else is watching or waiting for the same movies you are. It's totally anonymous. All you have to share is your Netflix Queue RSS feed link, and FeedFlix keeps your page updated. My page is http://feedflix.com/netflixfan.

Netflix recommends I watch ZERO 258 movies

I don't know if it's the new design of the Netflix Web site, but all suggestions have disappeared. I used to have about 200, because I've rated over 2000 titles. Maybe they've been reset. When I rated the last movie I returned, the number jumped to ten.

***UPDATED 3/30/08 I just noticed, all my Netflix suggestions are back!

VHS all gone

I found a home for the remainder of my used VHS tapes, via the Greensboro Freecycle Network (TM). Freecycling is like a Craigslist for household discards that are otherwise headed for the landfill, the dump, etc. It is stuff that might not be worth the trouble to buy or sell, but someone out there would take it off your hands for free. Like small amounts of scrap, broken appliances, obsolete technology, clothing, etc. You can request what you need, or offer what you have. Then folks reply if they have it or want it. You never know what a stranger might value that you find worthless. I think it's great that my tapes didn't end up in the trash.

Freecycling reminds me of a good documentary I got from Netflix: The Gleaners and I. Gleaning, which is picking up other peoples' castoffs and leftovers, or recycling, is one way for the poor to get what they need at the same time we protect the environment from waste. We should make more gleaning opportunities available in America.

In Leviticus 19:9 and 10, God commands us "When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."

Peerflix is shutting down

CNET News.com reports that "The DVD swapping service Peerflix is closing, according to an e-mail sent to users this evening. The service enabled its members to request DVDs from other members. It let users print prepaid fold-it-yourself mailing containers on 8x11-inch paper, and charged a fee for each swap."

This doesn't surprise me a bit. If you don't want to keep the movie, but just watch it, then swapping movies doesn't make sense when you can rent them so much faster and easier from Netflix, and no one can compete with the selection Netflix has.

However, I am sad whenever an entrepreneur fails.

Every Movie Available From Netflix On Demand

Jon Dyer’s Blog has a list of Every Movie Available From Netflix On Demand which is very, very handy. It represents alot of work on the part of Jon Dyer. I hope he can keep it updated, but Netflix should make such a list available or at least make it possible to search for movies according to whether they are available on demand.

via Hacking Netflix

Netflix apparel turns heads

I get interesting reactions when I wear this Netflix fleece top I bought on eBay. I'm the only one I've ever seen wearing Netflix-branded clothing in public in Greensboro. Without exception, people assume I work for Netflix. The sales associate at Best Buy offered me a deal on a TV if I could get him free Netflix. I say no, I don't work for Netflix, but I tell them about my blog.

I wish Netflix would sell this stuff directly to consumers. Why don't they?

Video tapes saga

I found a recipient for many of my used videotapes. A friend of mine took all my Babylon 5 episodes and a few of the movies.

DVD killed the Video star

Since I joined Netflix, I have bought about 50 videotapes of movies which still aren't on DVD. Some of my pre-recorded videotapes are worth selling or donating, but hundreds more contain TV series and movies recorded from TV (ie: every episode of Babylon 5 and Xena: Warrior Princess).

Now that DVD has killed the VHS, what are you going to do with all those old videotapes? I don't want to dump them in the landfill, so I looked into my recycling options.

I was researching this issue on the Web, when I came across this list of videotape recycling companies. Unfortunately, they are all on the Left Coast. There is Tropical Media, a company in Burbank, CA, which recycles VHS, Beta, etc. GreenDisk, in Washington State, has a mail-in service for recycling all sorts of "technotrash", any computer-related waste, but they charge by the pound, and you pay shipping.

Elsewhere, there is Lacerta, in Massachusetts, but you have to call or email for a quote. Sounds like it's not for consumers.

Shred-It looks like just what I need. They have branches all over, and one is in Greensboro (Burlington, actually). They have a call-in shredding service, which shreds while you wait, and they shred all sorts of media, not just paper. But I still have to call or email for a quote.

I wish I could find a more convenient way to recycle.

What have you done with your old tapes?

My Netflix anniversary

It was over four years ago that I joined Netflix. Since we've been together so long, we take each other for granted. So much so, that I forgot to celebrate our anniversary on January 13. But I'm still a fan! So here is a hug and a kiss on Valentine's Day to all you fine folks at Netflix.

Glossary of Netflix Fanatic terms

My favorites are "notflixing", which means renting a movie, but not watching it, and "queue-mongering", which means filling your queue with movies you have no intention of watching.

My own contribution, is "lackaflixaphobia"--the delibilitating fear of not having a Netflix in the mailbox, especially right before a holiday or long weekend.

Inspired by Terminology for the Netflix Fanatic - The Big Noob

Via Hacking Netflix

NEW NETFLIX Kids T-Shirt auction

Another auction from an anonymous former Netflix employee. This time, it's a NEW NETFLIX Kids T-Shirt Size Youth XS.

Account hold better than canceling

The Account Hold feature of Netflix is new to me. If you're too busy to watch your movies, or you're feeling Netflixia, you don't have to cancel. If you put your account on hold instead, they will stop sending you movies and stop billing you, but they won't stop you from using the Netflix Web site. You can start up again any time.

Account Hold is good for only 90 days. After that, you have to cancel or resume.

I've never used this feature. Have you?

Via BrentEvans by way of LifeHacker

How many movies did you get from Netflix in 2007?

I saw only 263 movies in 2007. It was a slow year. The year before, I saw 473. This is how 2007 breaks down:

Netflix sent me 106 movies,

SilverScreenArchive sent me 65,

Classicflix sent me 2,

I saw 67 in a theatre, on the big screen,

and 23 from other sources, like eBay, Amazon, a dollar store, or Redbox, Video Review.

I managed to avoid Blockbuster and Hollywood Video entirely.

Thank you, Netflix!

Netflix Watch Now on my Mac

I can watch Netflix movies online with my new Mac Mini, because it has an Intel processor. Using a program called Boot Camp Beta, I installed Windows XP on a small part of the hard drive. By default, my computer starts in Mac OS 10.4, but on those days I want to Watch Instantly, I hold down the Option key while starting up, and choose Windows XP.

I have installed Firefox on the Windows XP partition, as well as Windows Defender and AVG freeware for anti-virus. When I am in Windows, I have to remember to take precautions while on the Web.

It's an expensive workaround for those of us who prefer the Mac platform, while we wait for Netflix to make Watch Now available for Macs. I paid $500 (refurbished) for the Mac Mini, and $179 for a legal copy of Windows XP. I didn't want to try Windows Vista, because of all the bad things I've heard about it.

I saw an ad on Apple.com which claims Vista runs better on a Mac than a PC. Too late. I don't want to spend any more money on Microsoft.

I have the best of both worlds: I get to keep using a Mac computer, and I get to watch Netflix movies instantly online!

SilverScreenArchive

So, today I get a nice email from David at SilverScreenArchive, telling me that they are not going to make me pay for the DVD that got stolen on Veterans' Day! Sweet.

And he reminded me that my old posts about ClassicFlix should be updated to show the name has changed to SilverScreenArchive, the other best place to rent classic films. For you young folks out there, when I say "classic", I mean a film that was made between 1906 and 1969. Netflix is great, but they can't rent what isn't on DVD. So what SilverScreenArchive offers, which no one else does, is the service of renting films that have never been released on DVD, making them especially rare and hard-to-find. Their films are usually transferred from some other format to DVD.

SilverScreenArchive is located in California, so it takes an extra day for mail to get here to North Carolina, but the service is excellent.

If you're trying to complete the list of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, SilverScreenArchive is a great resource.

Holiday presents opportunity for thief

I forgot that yesterday was a Federal holiday, and that the USPS wouldn't be picking up my mail. In the morning, I left an envelope in the box destined for Silverscreenarchive, my choice for movies which Netflix doesn't have. When I returned home in the afternoon, the flag was still up, but the DVD was gone. I suspect that the combination of idle children out of school, and my forgetfulness, created an opportunity for a thief. Too bad the film won't be of any interest to a typical child of today. It's a Frank Sinatra/Debbie Reynolds romantic comedy from 1955.

NETFLIX.in domain name for Sale !!

An eBay seller located in India is selling the Netflix.in domain name. Starting bid is $19.00. Buy It Now is $1,200.00.

NETFLIX.in domain name for Sale !! - (eBay item 330187124975 end time Nov-17-07 23:37:24 PST)

Moby gives music away

Musician Moby has made some of his music freely available on mobygratis.com only for independent and non-profit filmmakers, students, etc. Login required.