For the second time in as many weeks I’ve been asked what my favorite brand is and why. This may seem like a simple question, but for me it’s just not that easy. I have a habit of compartmentalizing my life into different categories, large and small and then I break them down into subsets. Now I know what you’re thinking, “this man is far too anal;” and maybe I am, but this keeps me sane. You see, I have a very overactive imagination and if left unchecked or mismanaged, I’d wind up like those lost souls you see wandering the streets wearing 12 coats and a skully at the Taste of Chicago, or delivering Hamlet’s opening monologue to a gang of pigeons.
When I moved back to the city eight years ago, I settled into a medium rise building in South Shore. The TV reception was abysmal, even with a fancy set of rabbit ears that I’d laced with tin foil. At the time, the only watchable channels were Fox and UHF-62; which only played infomercials and tele-evangelists. Cable wasn’t a justifiable expense, but I needed an outlet; something to engage my meandering psyche. I needed a place to escape to after work or on the weekends if I didn’t have other plans. So I turned to video.
Like most people, I used to get my videos from Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. For a while I was a member of those DVD clubs where they send you a video each month. That didn’t last long because I’d always forget to choose the title I wanted and they’d send me some insipid, less than cerebral romp about talking pigs or chain smoking gibbons. I guess it didn’t help that I also forgot to pay for them, so they promptly cancelled my membership. I didn’t mind, because there wasn’t much a selection and the process was far too tedious. At the video store I could wander each isle for hours trying to find something that seemed remotely entertaining. Most locations were arranged by genre, but clearly there wasn’t much thought put into accommodating customers with more discriminating pallets.
I was frustrated because I was relegated to choices geared toward mass consumption. Simply put, they only offered movies and not films. Sure I could have driven all the way up to Facets, but that too would have been a hassle on a weekly basis. I needed something different, something that had a more sophisticated selection and ease of operation. I wanted what the DVD club tried to offer, but I didn’t want to buy them and I needed more choices. That’s when I discovered Netflix.
I first became aware of Netflix when a colleague of mine had her selections delivered to our office. One day while checking my mail, I saw these red black and white self-mailers with the Netflix logo prominently displayed on the front and back. I was intrigued, so I lifted one out of her slot for further examination. I could tell there was a DVD inside, but I didn’t know what it was or where it came from. I looked around to see if anyone was watching and briefly thought about snagging that bad boy for myself. I could take it home, watch it, bring it back and put in her slot without being detected. It would’ve been an easy operation; I have a knack for covert opps, so this mission would have been a snap. I elected not to engage in operation “Rosebud” and immediately went back to my office to search for some answers.
I did a quick search, located the site and once I was in, it was like I’d received a golden ticket to movie wonderland. I browsed their selections and discovered that when you set up your membership, you could build a queue based on your favorite genres, and then they’d send them to you to enjoy at your leisure. You can keep a movie as long as you want without a late fee and they come in a pre-paid self-mailer. Aw man this is great! I signed up right away. Once you set up your queue you’re good to go! Netflix will even make recommendations for you based on your preference settings and how you rate the movies you’ve already seen. Since I joined I’ve rated over 1200 films and watched an average of three a week over the past five years.
I was stoked! I began telling everyone I could about Netflix trying to get them on the bandwagon. A few of my friends did, but some were still loyal to the usual suspects. They’d say, “But what if I want to watch a certain movie that night or on the weekend?” I saw their point and early on this was one of the few flaws in their business model. I’d always say, “Plan in advance and you won’t have that problem, unless you change your mind.” However all that changed when you could instantly stream movies directly to your computer and now to your TV. Netflix just keeps on getting better.
Netflix has become a social network in itself. Unlike the old brick and mortar places that at best had a few employees with miniscule film knowledge and always suggested something they watched during a whippit binge, or were populated by all sort of grimy minions mumbling like Popeye underneath their breath. Netflix gives you the option to set up a home page connecting you to family and friends that share your zest for film. Your ratings are shared with them, as are your recommendations. The selectability goes even further by proposing suggestions according to gender and geography. Offering so many variables may seem excessive, but for me it’s just the ticket.
I get two movies at a time and have the maximum number of films in my queue. I’ve gotten as many as four at a time and on more than one occasion have had to delete listings from my list. During my year of living aimlessly, Netflix has been my only form of affordable entertainment. Until TV went digital and I got the box, I’d watch movies most of the time, including the extra features. I do this because I have more than a casual interest in film. The additional DVD content has become my film school. I even found some really good film from some the trailers, preceding the main feature. Hmmm, why are they called trainers if they come before the movie? Sorry, I digressed, but my point is if you skip over them you just might miss some great performances.
I could go on and on about Netflix, and movies in general. I could expound further on my favorite genres or some of the thousands of films I’ve watched over the years. I could tell you about some of the worst films I’ve found in their database or the oddest. I could tell you about the Netflix miscues, or how my post office always seems to lose at least one movie per month. I could explain their unofficial practice of “throttling,” members. I could share with you the times Netflix lead to me having a blockbuster night; but not this time. I’ll save that for the squeal.
Now Let It Breathe.
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