The Hangover and Memento: what's the difference?
The biggest news in the entertainment world today is the Canadian debut of Netflix, the movie and TV series subscriber service that’s threatening pay-per-view cable offerings and the already beleaguered video rental business. But Netflix’s chief executive Reed Hastings denies that his company will kill cable. “We’re like a bicycle compared to the car,” he said at a press conference. “We’re a supplement.”
Indeed. Between caps on bandwidth and the inability to deliver DVDs to users’ doorsteps, which is an option for American Netflix users, Hastings is right in his conservative approach to the Canadian launch. And since the service is still new, the film options aren’t as bountiful as we’d expected. Popular titles, like The Hangover, were missing, and the site offered some interesting alternatives:
Not available: The Hangover
Recommendation: Memento, the Guy Pearce thriller about a man who lost his short-term memory and is trying to find his wife’s killer. In addition to the memory theme, both are thigh-slapping comedies with cameos from Mike Tyson. Trust us.
Not available: The Office, season 1
Recommendation: Waiting…, a forgotten 2005 workplace comedy (except the workplace is a burger joint) starring Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long and the guy who played Sam on Freaks and Geeks (we hear he’s in Bones now).
Not available: Friends, season 1
Recommendation: Dummy, another under-the-radar comedy from the early ’00s. This time, Adrian Brody stars as an awkward ventriloquist who dates his unemployment counsellor. Sounds like a bizarro-world Ross Geller.
Not available: Iron Man
Recommendation: There are two options. An explosion porn movie called Twelve Rounds starring WWE wrestler John Cena, and the 1982 Wes Craven–directed campy-horror flick Swamp Thing, which, according to the trailer, has “monsters and midgets.”
Not available: Avatar
Recommendation: The awful 1998 movie adaptation of Lost in Space with a hodgepodge of ’90s A-listers, like Heather Graham and Matt LeBlanc.
I literally just signed up for netflix and am so disappointed at how limited it is. As of now, many popular titles (in fact, every single title I search) is ‘not available’. It’s extremely irritating because, although I am aware that this may only be because the service is brand new, I still am entitled to a month free trial. What is the use of my ‘free trial’ if there isn’t anything I am interested in watching?! I feel like they should have stocked up before opening for business. My free trial is going to waste unless they get on top of things ASAP.
September 23, 2010 at 10:41 am | by DanielaYou can search their selection before signing up for the free trial.
September 23, 2010 at 1:36 pm | by RyYou’re so freaking right….250 movies and I’m struggling to find a good modern movie. It’s unbelievable that there is such a huge gap between Canada and US Netflix.
If they don’t improve I’m going to cancel
September 24, 2010 at 8:43 pm | by Ric7 months later and their selection is still atrocious. Netflix is a dog that needs to be put to sleep.
February 5, 2011 at 4:24 pm | by D SExtremely disappointed at the selection in Canada. I couldn’t find 1 single movie that I wanted to watch. First I searched for Wall Street: not available. On Deadly Ground: not available. Face/Off: not available. Iron Man: …. What’s the point if nothing is available ? Is this a joke ? So frustrating.
February 27, 2011 at 4:18 pm | by MikeYou are all absolutely right! I just started my free trial and the selection sucks. There are a few shows that my daughter likes and there’s the odd one i want to watch, but as for selection pure crap! The newest movie is probably from 5 years ago. If selection doesn’t improve I may cancel soon too!
March 23, 2011 at 9:31 pm | by Kenny