Monday, October 27, 2008

A Movie Weekend

We've been signed up with Netflix for a while now - definitely more than a year and we love getting movies in the mail.

I knew that under our plan, we were able to watch movies directly thru the Netflix site, but had never really thought much about it. Usually, the Evil Twin orders the movies and if it's something I'm interested in watching, I'll watch it with him. If not, then I find something else to do with my time.

If there were movies I wanted to see, then I'd add them to the queue. The only problem with that is that the Evil Twin has about 300 movies on there. If I moved mine to the top, then I would mess up his carefully calculated list - so I just hadn't really bothered with it much lately.

On Friday evening, sitting here at my new laptop, I wanted to look for something on Netflix and when I went to the site, I was reminded about the "Watch it now" feature. I clicked to see what was available and was surprised to see something I actually HAD been wanting to see there. Wow.

It was the Ben Stein documentary "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed". I happen to like Ben Stein. It was a really neat little documentary and I'm glad I checked it out. (I know there are people out there with a differing view of the ideas that were explored in this documentary and I'm really not interested in getting into a debate about any of that - I'm just mentioning that I watched the thing).

After I watched that, I looked to see what else was on there. I saw a Woody Allen movie "Sleeper". I'm not a big Woody Allen fan, but I know there are plenty out there. I thought perhaps I just needed to give him another shake and check that one out. Probably not the best choice if I wanted to change my opinion about him as a director and his weird 70s hair was a distraction.

But, I watched it - didn't really get it, but it was entertaining.

On Saturday night, I figured I'd try my luck again and pick a different movie. I chose "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" - with a bit of trepidation. I had heard horrid reviews and figured if it really stunk I could just click the stop button and maybe find something else more interesting.

I was pleasantly surprised, though. No, it's no Oscar winning film, but it did have several funny moments and it was just over the top enough (ridiculous funny) that I actually thought it was better than the reviews I had heard.

In order to watch the movies from there, I have to use Internet Explorer - which is fine, but I prefer using Firefox... oh well.

Using this feature will give me the ability to watch many movies that the Evil Twin wouldn't really be interested in. He does want to see the Ben Stein documentary, but he likes to get his DVDs in the mail and watch them on the main TV - as opposed to watching something on his computer. He'll probably end up putting that one in the queue at some point and I'll watch it again when we get it.

Plus, I'll be able to take a chance on things (like the Woody Allen flick) that I normally wouldn't put on the queue. So, I'm really excited about my new little discovery... even if it's not a "new" idea on Netflix. I'm just slow on the draw, I guess and late getting around to doing things.

If you do Netflix, check it out. It's a neat feature!

23 comments:

  1. I have subscribed to Netflix on two different occasions. Both times, they failed to get me new releases withing a reasonable amount of time.

    Example: The Transformers movie was in my que for over a month.

    And that is not the only movie. A lot of them were like that.

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  2. I've never done Netfilx, as I have a hard enough time keeping up with things that are about to be deleted from my DVR!

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  3. Netflix is awesome. Where else can I get a variety of zombie, werewolf and vampire movies sent to me daily. Oh and a variety boobs is also a good thing.

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  4. We used to do Blockbuster by mail and it worked great, but then they decided to double the price and change some of the rules. We said goodbye!

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  5. I love those stupid-silly movies that make you laugh out loud in an ashamed sort of way....my guilty pleasure? "Napolean Dynamite."

    There. I said it.

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  6. Bucky - (knock wood) - we've only had a few minor problems. I would have given them the heave-ho too if we had a bunch of trouble.

    Gigi - You definitely need to be a dedicated movie person to keep up with it and get your money's worth. But, I think the one at a time plan is super cheap: you might be able to swing that (not much activity).

    Ron - we were also very surprised (and pleased) with the selection.

    kenju - once we discovered Netflix, the Evil Twin even threw out his BB card. He never cared much for them anyway. It seems like if someone rents something and doesn't return it, they never replace it, so we'd have to scour all the other locations for unusual titles. With Netflix - they're all there, available and sent right to our house!

    Laura - I love Napoleon Dynamite. I don't think that's a shameful one. "Now, go make your own damn qesa-dilla!" Oh - and who would not laugh at "The Happy Hands Club"?

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  7. I don't have netflix, but I watch ABC episodes of DH and Brothers and Sisters that I forget to DVR on my computer. And I found some website that has movies for free, but I'm suspicious that they're probably bootlegged or somethign. Duh, ya think?

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  8. Love the watch online feature. That's how we keep up with a lot of our favorite TV shows - we burned through a whole season of the Office in about 3 days not too long ago.

    I just wish the selection were a little bigger, but they seem to be improving it on a pretty consistent basis.

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  9. I love having Netflix! It's the only way I ever get to watch movies, and I agree with you being able to try stuff online without putting it in your queue. I have defintely taken advantage of that feature.

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  10. I'm with gigi....I can't even get around to watching all the stuff I have on my DVR's. Checked one last night...said I had '2%'left on my available disk space. So....I just started 'deleting' ;)

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  11. I gave up renting movies...I never had time to watch them entirely and then they were due back. Now I am making a DVD library thru purchases. Works well when our cable goes out too. Thedaughter wants to start with Netflix, so we may just check it out.

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  12. Netflix could become a serious addiction... and that 'watch it now' even more so. ANYTHING you want? Right there on your computer?

    Dangerous biznazz, that is.

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  13. K - It's nice to be able to catch up with stuff missed by the DVR.

    Nick - I was amazed at the number of things available. I'm pretty easy to please (movie-wise), so I'm sure I'll get some enjoyment from it!

    Ginger - I see myself being a Netflix "on demand" junkie. LOL.

    Efen - the Evil Twin is very picky about what goes on the DVR, so I never even use it. This way, I can watch some flicks too.

    themom - the best thing about Netflix is there is no return time. Start out with one at a time rentals and see how you like it.

    Tiff - it's not EVERYTHING they offer (on DVD), but I think it said about 11,000 titles. That would be something for everyone, I suppose. :-)

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  14. I loved Netflix when we had it. We discontinued for the summer. I guess you wouldn't stand a chance watching anything w/ ET in line ahead of you! I just overheard someone else talking about the Ben Stein flick, guess I need to see it...

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  15. I've thought about Netflix but right now its not in the budget. Maybe someday...

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  16. I'm not big on movie-watching, but I do enjoy our netflix subscription. We've had it for awhile now and it's nice to be able to have movies on hand if the mood so strikes us. We have about the same arrangement. Scott orders what he wants and if theres something I want to see he moves it to the top of the que for me.

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  17. I'm not big on movie-watching, but I do enjoy our netflix subscription. We've had it for awhile now and it's nice to be able to have movies on hand if the mood so strikes us. We have about the same arrangement. Scott orders what he wants and if theres something I want to see he moves it to the top of the que for me.

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  18. I'm not big on movie-watching, but I do enjoy our netflix subscription. We've had it for awhile now and it's nice to be able to have movies on hand if the mood so strikes us. We have about the same arrangement. Scott orders what he wants and if theres something I want to see he moves it to the top of the que for me.

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  19. I live in a small town and our one little video store closed a few weeks ago. They refered us to the one about 3 miles away, but geeshhhhhh... I'm busy. My boys thinks it's the end of the world... but, thanks for the idea of Netflix. I will have to try.

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  20. I'm always really tempted by Netflix, but I think out in the country it wouldn't be very fast.

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  21. MsPulp - you can watch it instantly, too!

    Inanna - if things keep tanking, it may be cut from our budget. We justify it now because it's our only entertainment budget.

    Vinomom - depending on how you use it, a person can definitely get their money's worth from a subscription.

    JFab - we've had good luck with it so far.

    Honeywine - I think they offer a free trial subscription. Turn around for us is fairly fast and we're not in a huge area...

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  22. Netflix sounds good, right now we have a Comcast bundle w/recorded stuff in the box, some left over from '07, lol!

    I like Ben Stein too. I always loved watching Win Ben Stein's Money!

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