Streaming Recommendations (Netflix, HBO, Amazon, etc.)

Quote: terapined

How can you have a con man movie without an interesting type of con.
.

It was a true story, I remember Abscam. Real
life cons are mostly boring, life is mostly
boring. That's why fiction in books and
movies was invented. If life was like the
movies, why would we need them.

Thoreau said we lead lives of quiet desperation.
He was wrong, it's quiet boredom. The average
person watches 5-6 hours of TV a day, so
desperate not to live their lives they have to
watch actors living fake ones. Or escape into
fake drama in video games.

Just watched the Ben Stiller version of 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'. Enjoyable light fluff, though I liked a couple of sequences which were filmed more like a travelogue than a film... only to discover the scenes in the Himalayas were actually Iceland. Still, it's fun enough, though the twist of the MacGuffin was obvious.

Also started to watch Blue Ruin, and will finish tonight. Very gritty, low-fi film. Enjoying it.

Any thoughts on Marvel's Daredevil? Netflix is obviously hoping that this one will bring in some new subscriptions.

Quote: Pacomartin

Any thoughts on Marvel's Daredevil? Netflix is obviously hoping that this one will bring in some new subscriptions.

Watched one episode. Far too dark. As in its shot in semi darkness. On the other hand, I'm also not a fan of superheroes. And a blind maetial arts expert is all very good, but... meh.

Quote: Pacomartin

Any thoughts on Marvel's Daredevil? Netflix is obviously hoping that this one will bring in some new subscriptions.

The pilot felt 2 hours long, it was so tedious.
The fight scenes were ridiculous. They punch
and hit and it has no effect on the opponent.
Hitting and kicking and avoiding knives and
guns and he's blind. Terrible dialog, terrible
production values, terrible acting. Need I go
on?

They finally added The Last Samurai last week.
Pick one; gripping, fantastic, amazing, over the
top. This is what movies are all about. It's Tom Cruise
at his best, it's film making at it's best. I give it
a 10, solid from start to finish.

Netflix CEO predicts end of 'linear TV' in next 20 years.

I do say that the rare times I do watch regular TV, which is maybe 2 hours per week unless it is football season, the feeling of waiting for the show to come on is weird. For football, I more listen than watch as I am really dying off as a fan. I so much rather binge a little then go build something in the basement.......

Stock soars to new high.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-15/netflix-tops-62-million-customers-with-gains-in-u-s-abroad

I timed the last episodes of TBBT and I got 12:20 of commercials and CBS previews of other shows. I am not sure how the episode is reported as 22 minutes long, but the previous episode was 19:43. Part of it is they seem to start early and finish late so there is more time between the cold open and the finale. There was also a segment where Ford was co presenting along with TBBT, so it may be a commercial which actually counts as part of the show.

The producers say there is no product placement in the show, that all those beverage containers are to make the show seem realistic.

Quote: AZDuffman

Netflix CEO predicts end of 'linear TV' in next 20 years.

I think that is a very strong statement. Commercial AM broadcasting developed from amateur broadcasts around 1920.Although there was some FM broadcast before WWII, the FCC moved FM to the frequencies between 88 and 108 MHz on June 27, 1945. By the end of the 1970s, 50.1% of radio listeners were tuned to FM, ending AM's historical prevalence.

Technologies stay with us for a long time even after they are archaic. DVR's and massively fragmented audiences threaten the core business mode of commercial broadcast TV. I think that scripted stories will move away from broadcast at ever increasing pace. If football leaves broadcast TV completely, there will be a big shakeup.

But I don't think it will come to an end in twenty years. That is just hype.

Quote: Pacomartin

Technologies stay with us for a long time even after they are archaic.

Would you believe in some parts of the world they still use the wheel? it must over a hundred years old! ;)

Seriously, there is something to be said for just turning on the TV and being able to watch a show at once, without having to navigate menus, lists and make things connect over WiFi.

Quote:

But I don't think it will come to an end in twenty years. That is just hype.

"It's hard to make predictions, especially about the future."

Following a trend to its logical conclusion can be folly, too. 20 years ago the trend was for ever smaller cell phones with better texting capabilities and longer battery lives. Go back to that time, tell people the most desirable cell phones of 2015 will be freakishly BIG, with a battery that won't last a single day, and no one would believe you.

It's not easy to imagine "what could replace on-demand online streaming," but something just well might. Or it may change in simple ways. Suppose your TV or set-top box, or even the streaming stick, could download an entire series and store it, maybe doing so in the wee hours when you're not using them. Now you could watch your shows at any time, too, without having to wait for a download. A gadget which could store download shows and movies would be a great way to take your "on-demand" programming on the road as well. You can't do that with Netflix as yet. Suppose you could set them to download X show and play it at a certain time? Say when you wake up each morning, or when you're eating lunch, etc.

How about adding interactive components to TV programming, so that watching them live allows you to take part? There may not be a demand for that, but who knows. As an example, there's a podcast I listen to on Mondays, but which is webcast live on Sundays. At that time there is a live chat and you can pose questions about the topics discussed. Suppose the NFL let you vote on calls reviewed on replay? How about taking part in a game show, where you could win a prize, but only if you're watching as it is broadcast?

And don't forget the 723 other ideas I've not thought of yet, but someone out there has ;)