[DragonLoaf]

I have found the thread regarding Netflix streaming gems and finds very useful in determining what to watch. So I thought it might be helpful to note the terrible viewing that we have encountered and post the details here as a warning to others. I will kick things off with a couple of prime selections; I suggest two classifications: Steaming Pile for the worst of the worst - simply unwatchable, and Offal Offerings for the merely almost intolerable.


Steaming Pile Nominee # 1

Hancock - Mostly I am angry with myself for sitting through the first 15 or 20 minutes of this drivel thinking that it must get better. Not only does it not get better, it gets worse! Please let me know if you successfully sit through this entire heap; I want to shake your hand; you are a much tougher soul than I.


Offal Offering Nominee # 1

The Last Winter - I think this is supposed to be a poignant statement regarding the exploitation of natural resources, specifically in this case drilling for oil in Alaska. Instead it is confusing, disjointed, and not nearly as scary as advertised. It really didn't make much sense and I am sorry that I endured until the end.


All right folks, bring out your terrible and unbearable, and help save some of us from the pain of the insufferable.

 

[Phantom Gremlin]

It's not infallible, but maybe you should check rottentomatoes.com before streaming. Hancock gets a 40% rating on that site. But The Last Winter gets 77%. To quote my idol, Capt. James T. Kirk, in The Trouble With Tribbles: "Well, there's no accounting for taste."


My nomination for "terrible and unbearable" would have to be Independence Day. Key plot points include alien interstellar ships needing to use earth satellites as communication relays, and an Apple PowerBook being used to upload a computer virus to an alien spaceship.

 

[Karmyna]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom Gremlin /forum/post/18162472


It's not infallible, but maybe you should check rottentomatoes.com before streaming. Hancock gets a 40% rating on that site. But The Last Winter gets 77%. To quote my idol, Capt. James T. Kirk, in The Trouble With Tribbles: "Well, there's no accounting for taste."


My nomination for "terrible and unbearable" would have to be Independence Day. Key plot points include alien interstellar ships needing to use earth satellites as communication relays, and an Apple PowerBook being used to upload a computer virus to an alien spaceship.

You forgot the flying saucer with an RS-232 port....

 

[DragonLoaf]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom Gremlin /forum/post/18162472


It's not infallible, but maybe you should check rottentomatoes.com before streaming. Hancock gets a 40% rating on that site. But The Last Winter gets 77%. To quote my idol, Capt. James T. Kirk, in The Trouble With Tribbles: "Well, there's no accounting for taste."


My nomination for "terrible and unbearable" would have to be Independence Day. Key plot points include alien interstellar ships needing to use earth satellites as communication relays, and an Apple PowerBook being used to upload a computer virus to an alien spaceship.

Good advice, but really I am interested in individual opinions here. I find them interesting and often help me understand nuances that didn't occur to me. For example, your nomination of Independence Day intrigues me, because I love that movie. I know it is ridiculous and overblown, but it is unabashedly so and fun as a result. Come to think of it, what a perfect movie for Mystery Science Theatre 3000!


Plus I can read about movies on this thread or the Gems & Finds one and I will remember the comments about them when I am in front of my TV. I suspect others are like me and are using a streaming device to watch Netflix on a TV without general internet access close at hand. I am far too lazy to get off the couch and wait for my ancient piece of garbage computer to fire up so I can check rottentomatoes after I see a movie I think I might be interested in seeing.


The Last Winter gets 77%? Amazing! I admit that I must be too dumb to understand this movie if three-quarters of the world likes it. It's all right, I didn't understand Mulholland Drive either, and I see it rates an 81%! Sheesh!

 

[JoeSchmoe007]

Hey, I liked Hancock! Independence Day was OK too, you just shouldn't try to take too seriously.

 

[Phantom Gremlin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by DragonLoaf /forum/post/18168641


I suspect others are like me and are using a streaming device to watch Netflix on a TV without general internet access close at hand. I am far too lazy to get off the couch and wait for my ancient piece of garbage computer to fire up so I can check rottentomatoes after I see a movie I think I might be interested in seeing.

I watch a lot of TV with my Macbook on my lap. Yes, I'm a nerd. One very nice thing about the Macbook is that sleep/resume takes only a few seconds, much faster than a Thinkpad running XP. It's very easy to open and close the lid 10 or 20 times an hour, like I do. When I'm watching a talk show, I'll punch up the actor's name in Wikipedia. When I'm watching a finance show, I'll punch in some stock symbols on Yahoo finance.

 

[artwire]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantom Gremlin /forum/post/18171889


I watch a lot of TV with my Macbook on my lap. Yes, I'm a nerd. One very nice thing about the Macbook is that sleep/resume takes only a few seconds, much faster than a Thinkpad running XP. It's very easy to open and close the lid 10 or 20 times an hour, like I do. When I'm watching a talk show, I'll punch up the actor's name in Wikipedia. When I'm watching a finance show, I'll punch in some stock symbols on Yahoo finance.

I'm going to suggest you need an ipod touch. It lets you do the same thing, but you can do it while reclining on the couch. Yeah, I know you can do that with the macbookpro, but it gets awkward . Only drawback is you can't eat popcorn at the same time or it smudges the touch screen

As for stinkeroo movies, I caught one the other day... Blind Date. It starred Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, both excellent actors, but boy was it a downer. It's a remake of Theo van Gogh's 1996 film, which I have not seen, but based on the cast we thought it was going to be a light hearted comedy -- it turned out to be anything but. Definitely dont watch it if you're in a remotely bad mood. This was not bad like "attack of the killer tomatoes' bad, which can be lots of fun... was just deadening, depressing, and repetitive to the point that you wanted to tear your hair out. Yes, I couldn't believe it either, but we watched it to the bitter end.


Save two hours of your life and skip that one.

 

[penngray]



Quote:
Originally Posted by joeschmoe007 /forum/post/18169423


Hey, I liked Hancock! Independence Day was OK too, you just shouldn't try to take too seriously.

I agree, maybe they like "The notebook" instead