Whether you are a Netflix customer who prefers the disc through the mail approach, the streaming content service through your computer or other devices, or a combination of both, in my opinion the one thing that customers can probably agree on is that browsing for movies on the Netflix site leaves something to be desired. I’m sure that the powers that be over at ‘Little Red’ are aware of this, at least I hope that they are. You would think that they would have done something about it already, but not really. Personally I resorted a long time ago to using other sites to browse for movies, then when I have a title I want I search Netflix by name. This is just a guess on my part, but with the jump in subscriptions that Netflix has seen due to the expansion of their streaming functionality it looks as if they have decided to rely on other sites to help customers as well. The following from Michael Hart, Director of Engineering at Netflix on the Netflix blog:
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What it is: Hapless gym employees Chad (Brad Pitt) and Linda (Francis McDormand) discover a disk containing CIA secrets. This leads them to former CIA analyst Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) whom they attempt to blackmail. Failing at that they then turn to espionage as they attempt to sell the disk to the Russians. Events become complicated when Osbourne’s wife (Tilda Swinton) and her lover (George Clooney) get tangled in the escapade which leads to murder and mayhem. Who lives, who dies, and who gets the secret files? Watch the film to find out!

Why it’s Significant: Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Francis McDormand, George Clooney, and Tilda Swinton all directed by the Coen brothers. Need we say more? This sardonic look at what can transpire when government secrets and human lies collide provides this dark comedy with enough laughs and quirky scenes to entertain any Coen fan. Best known for recent hit No Country for Old Men and their classics The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou, Fargo, and my favorite Raising Arizona the Coen brothers have a style all their own. For those of you with a wicked sense of humor, Burn After Reading does not disappoint.

Death Race on Blu-ray gives you the opportunity to record your own webcam commentary during the "Stage 3" race from your computer. Your unique commentary will be judged by the film's director Paul W.S. Anderson.

I'm not sure I understand why the contest winner would receive a 52 inch-HDTV as most Blu-ray owners probably own, well, Blu-ray players and with that HDTVs. But, an extra 52 inch in your garage, next to your Corvette couldn't hurt. The HDTV is the first place prize. Second and third place receive a PlayStation 3. Fourth and fifth place get five Universal Blu-ray titles. Register at UniversalHiDef.com/deathrace and record your commentary to share with other BD-Live-ists. Contest ends 1/11/09.

–Rich

To escape the redundancy of the week, I often find solace in film. So I have decided it might be a good idea to review movies watched over the weekend. I’m always looking for something new and different to watch and we all know how difficult that can be so we should do what we can to share suggestions.

This weekend I watched three movies; Sunshine, Equilibrium, and Baby Momma. Oh yeah and The Golden Compass (again) but only because someone else made me watch it.

Sunshine - Weird but interesting. Needed a bit more plot development. It’s about a team of astronauts sent to shoot a nuclear bomb into the sun to restart it (since it’s dying). The team sent before them has gone missing… and you probably get the picture - team disagrees on pivotal decision, decision results in issues and finding creepy things, etc. Worth a watching if you like movies such as Solaris.

Equilibrium - Think Matrix raw. Christian Bale, Taye Diggs - awesome fight scenes, more real-life but still impossible. Good story line.

Baby Momma - Way less funny than the previews.

Golden Compass - Completely disappointing if you have read the book (as usual)

This weekend I plan to watch all horror movies in honor of Halloween. More quick and dirty reviews to come.

Mention and review
The secretary
The Company of Men