Those with Netflix will know instantly to what I am referring here. Ever log on to Netflix and check out your Recommendations page? I normally don't. I try to use a more intuitive and organic approach to discovering films, and enjoy making it more of a "found item" journey than one in which one corporation tries to force-feed me the goods of another corporation. But every once in a while, I like to check the Recommendations page out, mainly because its a quick and simple way to add more ratings to Netflix (which I am, now that I think of it, unsure of why I even do that since, ultimately, the only real reason to do that is to get things recommended to you -- which I don't like...)
Most of the time Netflix makes some sort of sense with their recommendations. Take, for instance, the fact they are recommending Madea's Family Reunion to me because I highly rated both Malcolm X and The Color Purple. Recommending Futurama Season 3 to me because I loved The Simpson Movie, Futurama Season 1 and The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror is a no-brainer. I get that, even though they should probably figure that if I am that far into the Groening oeuvre, then I am probably hip to Season 3 of Futurama already.
But then, Netflix produces some amazing whoppers. I am reminded of the Patton Oswalt bit about his first experience with TiVo, where he watches The Man from Laramie, a classic Anthony Mann western, and the next morning, TiVo has completely filled up with "horsie shows," a phrase Oswalt speaks in TiVo's voice, which most of us would recognize to be that of a stereotypical mentally disabled person. TiVo throws a fit trying to defend its decision, and Oswalt moans "Thank god, you don't have retard strength, TiVo..."
Hopefully, Netflix doesn't either, because I am launching a new series here, in which I will give any of my readers out there the title of the films that Netflix uses as the basis of its recommendation, and then a couple of days from now, I will let you know the actual title of the movie it actually thought would be a decent match to the previous set of films. I will even give you some capsule hints to each "enjoyed" film so that you can see just how far-ranging Netflix has gone to suggest something to me. If you can actually match my answer, I will try to come up with some sort of prize. I will be completely honest, but I can almost guarantee you, there is not a single chance in all of the Chinese hells (the Chinese have a lot of hells, you know) that you will guess it. If you do, then your name is probably Netflix...
NETFLUXXED QUIZ #1
Because you enjoyed:
1. Seven Chances (1925, directed by Buster Keaton, silent, black and white comedy, Buster runs down a mountain chased by a zillion women who want to marry him to get to his fortune)
2. The Duellists (1977, Ridley Scott's directorial debut, based on a Joseph Conrad story, Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel are soldier rivals who duel with swords throughout the Napoleonic age)
3. Jeeves and Wooster: Season Three (1992, classic British TV comedy, P.G. Wodehouse, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie doing what they do best... make Jen and I laugh uproariously)
Based on these choices, can you guess what Netflix recommended? The answer on Friday...
Most of the time Netflix makes some sort of sense with their recommendations. Take, for instance, the fact they are recommending Madea's Family Reunion to me because I highly rated both Malcolm X and The Color Purple. Recommending Futurama Season 3 to me because I loved The Simpson Movie, Futurama Season 1 and The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror is a no-brainer. I get that, even though they should probably figure that if I am that far into the Groening oeuvre, then I am probably hip to Season 3 of Futurama already.
But then, Netflix produces some amazing whoppers. I am reminded of the Patton Oswalt bit about his first experience with TiVo, where he watches The Man from Laramie, a classic Anthony Mann western, and the next morning, TiVo has completely filled up with "horsie shows," a phrase Oswalt speaks in TiVo's voice, which most of us would recognize to be that of a stereotypical mentally disabled person. TiVo throws a fit trying to defend its decision, and Oswalt moans "Thank god, you don't have retard strength, TiVo..."
Hopefully, Netflix doesn't either, because I am launching a new series here, in which I will give any of my readers out there the title of the films that Netflix uses as the basis of its recommendation, and then a couple of days from now, I will let you know the actual title of the movie it actually thought would be a decent match to the previous set of films. I will even give you some capsule hints to each "enjoyed" film so that you can see just how far-ranging Netflix has gone to suggest something to me. If you can actually match my answer, I will try to come up with some sort of prize. I will be completely honest, but I can almost guarantee you, there is not a single chance in all of the Chinese hells (the Chinese have a lot of hells, you know) that you will guess it. If you do, then your name is probably Netflix...
NETFLUXXED QUIZ #1
Because you enjoyed:
1. Seven Chances (1925, directed by Buster Keaton, silent, black and white comedy, Buster runs down a mountain chased by a zillion women who want to marry him to get to his fortune)
2. The Duellists (1977, Ridley Scott's directorial debut, based on a Joseph Conrad story, Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel are soldier rivals who duel with swords throughout the Napoleonic age)
3. Jeeves and Wooster: Season Three (1992, classic British TV comedy, P.G. Wodehouse, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie doing what they do best... make Jen and I laugh uproariously)
Based on these choices, can you guess what Netflix recommended? The answer on Friday...
2 comments:
Ok, you better post the answer to this in a few days. No hints? I'm digging through IMDB trying to find some connection, although I surmise that to be fruitless.
The Life of Mammals (4-Disc Series)
Because you enjoyed:
The Twilight Zone: Vol. 16
Harold and Maude
Rabbit-Proof Fence
???!!!
Post a Comment