netflix :/

mefford76 · Post by **mefford76** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:46 pm

ok, i hate getting a bad movie in netflix and i just did. i want to get a good movie every time, but maybe that's just not possible. can you guys help me with how you find good movies more often? their suggestions don't seem to work. i take some friends recommendations when i think i might like it. i have about 70 movies in my queue but when looking over it, i can't say for sure which movies i am going to like one over another. overall scores don't seem to help much either...

it might not be possible, but if you know of a resource let me know. the feature i really wish netflix had was one where it took a person that had your same likes and dislikes. say they agreed with me 90% of the time, then let me look at other movies they liked that I hadn't seen. that could help, too bad they just use silly scripts to say this movie has boxing so you're going to like this movie cause it has boxing.

i guess people that don't have netflix can help as well. how to avoid bad movies...

VikingMachine · Post by **VikingMachine** » Thu May 17, 2007 10:21 pm

You want to know how to avoid bad movies? Dont watch movies...there you have it! We will send you an invoice later.

Honestly though, what you are asking is impossible. Raise you hand if you have watched a bad movie in the last couple months? *VM raises his own hand*

I just watched...er struggled through "The Good Shepard"...it had actors I liked, a storyline similar to ones i have enjoyed before and it sounded interesting....it was terrible!

Minniman · Post by **Minniman** » Thu May 17, 2007 10:51 pm

I suggest going to RottenTomatoes.com and taking a good look around.

Or ... you can just be like my brother and enjoy every movie you see - even if they are poorly scripted, poorly acted, or have been directed by a complete idiot.

mefford76 · Post by **mefford76** » Thu May 17, 2007 11:23 pm

i guess i just have to not like some movies. i like rotten tomatoes but they loved the movie i just hated http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_an ... ic=columns

i just saw casablanca for the first time. i thought it was ok, but i wasn't in love. i have citizen cane in my queue. do you think i will have better luck with that? or patton? and what about solaris? tomatoes says to rent them...

my two favorite movies are harold and maude and the graduate.

the last awesome movie i watched was tears of the black tiger. if you like gory, yet arty you'll love this movie. i suggest turning on the subtitles as it comes dubbed be default on the options.

another movie that totally "suckered" me was thumbsucker. man that was a bad movie.

i have the good shepherd in my queue should i remove it? rotten tomatoes says so.

jackal · Post by **jackal** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:37 am

The good shepard had tons of potnetial
but deniro draged it into a boring few hours
of blah.

I really enjoyed Flyboys and Driving Miss Sunshine(?)

I am going rent down in the valley with Ed Norton
next. It looks a little more of an indy film from
what i have seen.

Hunter Morrow · Post by **Hunter Morrow** » Fri May 18, 2007 8:56 am

mefford76 wrote:do you think i will have better luck with that? or patton?

Rent it, you magnificent bastard!
Also, I'd rather slam my junk in a van door than watch the Good Shepard again. Might wanna take that out of the cart.

VikingMachine · Post by **VikingMachine** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:43 am

Hunter Morrow wrote: Rent it, you magnificent bastard!
Also, I'd rather slam my junk in a van door than watch the Good Shepard again. Might wanna take that out of the cart.

Umm, lets see...slamming junk in the door vs watching the good shepard...level of pain is equal, but slamming would be over and done with in a short time while the shepard is 2:47 of pain....

Slam away!

Post by **Mothman** » Fri May 18, 2007 10:57 am

mefford76 wrote:i guess i just have to not like some movies. i like rotten tomatoes but they loved the movie i just hated http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_an ... ic=columns

i just saw casablanca for the first time. i thought it was ok, but i wasn't in love.

I like that movie but it's hard for it live up to it's reputation. I prefer The Maltese Falcon. That's a cool movie. I highly recommend it.

i have citizen cane in my queue. do you think i will have better luck with that?

You might. It's going to depend on your tastes. Citizen Kane is a very visual film and one of the thinsg that makes it great is the way it's filmed, the way shots are composed and lit, etc. It's not to everybody's tastes.

and what about solaris? tomatoes says to rent them...

I haven't seen "Patton" but I've only heard good things about it.

Which version of "Solaris" are you talking about, the 1970s (or was it '60s) film or the version made a few years ago starring George Clooney? I thought the latter was a bit of a mess. I wouldn't recommend it.

You listed a couple of your favorite movies. That helps but if you could list more, it might give us a better idea of your tastes and help us to help you.

Jim

Minniman · Post by **Minniman** » Fri May 18, 2007 12:38 pm

mefford76 wrote:i guess i just have to not like some movies. i like rotten tomatoes but they loved the movie i just hated

You have to watch out for art films. Some are fine, and others are just too boring to be any good, and that says a lot coming from a person who likes detailed scripts.

Mothman wrote: I like that movie but it's hard for it live up to it's reputation. I prefer The Maltese Falcon. That's a cool movie. I highly recommend it.

Casablance is considered a great movie. Although it has lost some of its political statement being so anachronistic now, it still does a lot of things right. Perhaps you just didn't notice how long many of the uncut camera shots are.

You might. It's going to depend on your tastes. Citizen Kane is a very visual film and one of the thinsg that makes it great is the way it's filmed, the way shots are composed and lit, etc. It's not to everybody's tastes.

I agree. Don't expect too much, and you may be all right. Citizen Kane is a very good movie for more than just the script and acting. It broke a lot of ground on how films can be made, and it is often considered one of the best films in the history of movies. How can any movie live up to that?

Which version of "Solaris" are you talking about, the 1970s (or was it '60s) film or the version made a few years ago starring George Clooney? I thought the latter was a bit of a mess. I wouldn't recommend it.

I thought the Clooney Solaris was alright, but I was in the mood for some sci-fi when I saw it.

I haven't seen "Patton" but I've only heard good things about it.

Patton, A Bridge Too Far, and Tora, Tora, Tora, are arguably the best war films to come out of the 1970's.

The one thing I don't like about Patton is that the studio made no attempt to get the vehicles correct. A Bridge Too Far and Saving Private Ryan do a much better job for us grognards.

If you like war movies, rent Stalingrad. It is realistic, and that does not bode well for the German infantry. The U.S. version is dubbed from the original German film.

You listed a couple of your favorite movies. That helps but if you could list more, it might give us a better idea of your tastes and help us to help you.

I agree. It is easier to help you if we know what films you did like and did not.

Post by **Mothman** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:39 pm

Minniman wrote:Casablance is considered a great movie. Although it has lost some of its political statement being so anachronistic now, it still does a lot of things right. Perhaps you just didn't notice how long many of the uncut camera shots are.

I noticed. I actually like Casablanca quite a bit but it's a film that many people consider the best movie ever made. As you said regarding "Kane", that's a tough reputation to live up to ... it creates extremely high expectations in the viewer.

I agree. Don't expect too much, and you may be all right. Citizen Cane is a very good movie for more than just the script and acting.

Guys, I know I'm nitpicking but it's "Citizen Kane", not "Citizen Cane".

Jim

BGM · Post by **BGM** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:53 pm

Minniman wrote:
The one thing I don't like about Patton is that the studio made no attempt to get the vehicles correct. A Bridge Too Far and Saving Private Ryan do a much better job for us grognards.

If you like war movies, rent Stalingrad. It is realistic, and that does not bode well for the German infantry. The U.S. version is dubbed from the original German film.

I also HIGHLY recommend Stalingrad. Patton is one of those movies that, as I am passing by while channel surfing, I stop and watch it. I can never gt enough of George C. Scott's performance in that film. And no one does a better Omar Bradley than Karl Malden.

Heh, but I always do wonder why Patton keeps blowing up tanks that are his namesake. IIRC, they used decommissioned M-90 Patton tanks as the German tanks. Drives me nuts to see that!

If you haven't seen Band of Brothers, put them in your queue. Th efirst episode is light on action but sets the story well. After that, they ratchet up the action and realism and it is AMAZING! And the fact these are real stories of real guys, it makes it even more intense.

BGM

mefford76 · Post by **mefford76** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:26 pm

Mothman wrote: You listed a couple of your favorite movies. That helps but if you could list more, it might give us a better idea of your tastes and help us to help you.
Jim

ok, here are my 5 star movies. they are in alpha order, not from favorite to least. i think my taste is eclectic, so i don't know if it will be easy to tell me. i tried to keep the list as short as possible. i have purposely included some movies that a lot of people love and I hate. I hope this helps.

5 star
40 year old virgin
akira
alien (s)
beautiful girls
amelie
band of brothers
the celebration
blade runner
cool hand luke
dune
fight club
high fidelity
hunt for red october
hustler
leaving los vegas
lost in translation
pieces of april
the squid and the whale
goonies
waterland (not waterworld)

notable movies I didn't like
american splendor
armageddon
breach
crash
election
get shorty
in the bedroom
the insider
speed
spiderman (2)
i heart huckabees
easy rider
adaptation
annie hall

mefford76 · Post by **mefford76** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:43 pm

I also HIGHLY recommend Stalingrad

there is a 1993 and a 2003 post

if you haven't seen Band of Brothers, put them in your queue.

see my post. favorite war movie ever. nothing lets you feel what the troops feel better then this movie. my grandpa was in the bulge and this movie just hit home.

I noticed. I actually like Casablanca quite a bit but it's a film that many people consider the best movie ever made. As you said regarding "Kane", that's a tough reputation to live up to ... it creates extremely high expectations in the viewer.

it was good, i just didn't see it as a timeless movie like some other movies from that time are.

You have to watch out for art films. Some are fine, and others are just too boring to be any good, and that says a lot coming from a person who likes detailed scripts.

that is very true. i love a good political documentary. this one just didn't give enough information for me to get what was going on and didn't hammer home any specific points. very hard to follow and i consider myself to be knowledgeable in that area.

Patton, A Bridge Too Far, and Tora, Tora, Tora, are arguably the best war films to come out of the 1970's.

i'll try patton first, and then the other 2 if that one goes well.

I prefer The Maltese Falcon

added to queue. your butt's on the line now

Which version of "Solaris" are you talking about, the 1970s (or was it '60s) film or the version made a few years ago starring George Clooney?

the newer one. i like clooney and cronenberg (sp?). but i have heard mixed things.

Driving Miss Sunshine

i believe you mean little miss sunshine, and that movie is great. very skeptical of flyboys.

one other movie i love is when we were kings.

BGM · Post by **BGM** » Fri May 18, 2007 4:20 pm

It seems like you really soured on movies that were primarily "art house" hits and "critics' faves". I would stay away from the "talkier" Top 100 films of all time (e.g Annie Hall) and go for the more action-packed ones. You should enjoy Patton. That and The Maltese Falcon will be a good measure.

I would say if it received a lot of "buzz" but never was really popular in mainstream movie theaters, you'd be best to stay away, unless you just have a gut feeling. It seems like you trend toward action, but action with intelligence and characters. You also seem to have a very "macho" feel to your list. (That's not a bad thing!)

The shocker for me is that you liked "Lost in Translation". Aside from gazing at the gorgeousness that is Scarlett Johannsen, I hated that movie. And I usually like art house type movies.

Unless you have hit a long string of renting movies you hated, I don't think you should worry too much. The thing about Netflix is you aren't wasting money, IMO. If it really sucks, stop watching it and send it back and get another one... no harm, no foul. Believe me, I ended up renting some real pieces of crud in my time. Just roll with it.

BGM

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Fri May 18, 2007 4:28 pm

mefford76 wrote: ok, here are my 5 star movies. they are in alpha order, not from favorite to least. i think my taste is eclectic, so i don't know if it will be easy to tell me. i tried to keep the list as short as possible. i have purposely included some movies that a lot of people love and I hate. I hope this helps.

5 star
40 year old virgin
akira
alien (s)
beautiful girls
amelie
band of brothers
the celebration
blade runner
cool hand luke
dune
fight club
high fidelity
hunt for red october
hustler
leaving los vegas
lost in translation
pieces of april
the squid and the whale
goonies
waterland (not waterworld)

notable movies I didn't like
american splendor
armageddon
breach
crash
election
get shorty
in the bedroom
the insider
speed
spiderman (2)
i heart huckabees
easy rider
adaptation
annie hall

I can recommend a few possibly.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Another top 10 for me)
American History X.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Boondock Saints (One of my Top 10)
Clerks 1&2
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Noticed Akira ... if you want more anime series recommendations let me know, NetFlix has a very nice Anime selection)
The Fifth Element
Ghost in the Shell (Anime movie as big as Akira ... and for good reason)
Grave of the Fireflys (more anime)
Good Will Hunting
The Shawshank Redemption
Miller's Crossing
Man on Fire
Mystic River
Ninja Scroll
Office Space
Pulp Fiction
Sin City
Snatch