Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
No matter how pop culture savvy you may be, you’re going to fall into a streaming rut every now and then. It’s inevitable. Death, taxes, and what the hell am I supposed to watch on Netflix, am I right? I recently added I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, The White Helmets, and Girlfriend’s Day to my queue, so it’s not that I don’t have enough options, it’s that I have too many titles from which to choose.
Sometimes you just need a reprieve from the arduous task of decision making, which is why I decided to try Netflix Roulette.
The concept is simple: Netflix Roulette will randomly select a title for you to watch from the streaming service’s extensive library. Not only that, but you can filter the results by film/TV show ratings or by adding various actors, directors, or keywords to help provide more ideal matches. I’ll try it for a week, I thought. Let Netflix Roulette choose one title a night for me to watch. Maybe I’ll even discover a hidden indie gem or new documentary I can write about.
But I was wrong. Dead wrong.
Sure, I discovered some exciting new titles to stream, but not in the way I originally expected. Here’s what happened when I took a chance with Netflix Roulette.
Monday: 'Casa de Mi Padre'
Despite my affinity for Will Ferrell’s storied SNL career and entertaining string of early-2000 hits, I’ve never seen his divisive Spanish-language film Casa de Mi Padre. While this super weird satire of a telenovela certainly isn’t for everybody, I appreciate the fact that Ferrell took such a huge creative swing. Yes, it’s just as absurd as you think it’ll be, but it’s also a lot of fun.
I wanted to use Netflix Roulette to infuse my queue with a jolt of imagination, and Casa de Mi Padre did so in seismic fashion.
This was a terrific idea!
Tuesday: 'Look Who's Talking'
Ugh. This was a terrible idea.
Not because I’m supposed to watch Look Who’s Talking — a film I was very much looking forward to revisiting as an adult — but because Netflix Roulette doesn’t really work.
Sure, Monday’s brief dalliance with the website was a success, but when I saddled up for round two, I discovered why the term disappointment is so often associated with roulette. Look Who’s Talking contains everything a human being could ever want in a 1989 comedy: Kirstie Alley, shenanigans, and a wise-cracking baby wearing sunglasses. But it just wasn’t meant to be.
When I went to stream the film Common Sense Media called an “enjoyable comedy” that proves “Americans love talking babies,” I was shocked to discover that it was unavailable to watch on Netflix. Perhaps this was just a stray error? A cosmic whoopsy daisy? Nope. 19 of my next 20 spins on Netflix Roulette resulted in titles that were no longer on Netflix. Who knew gambling could be so unpredictable?
Not only was I unable to stream Look Who’s Talking — which is what I can only assume going through a divorce feels like — but it appears as though Netflix Roulette hasn’t been updated since 2014. Fortunately, I wasn’t going to let a little hiccup like “the entire website doesn’t work” derail my quest for new streaming content.
Wednesday: 'Walking with Wolves'
Out of the ashes of the departed rises a phoenix named the AllFlicks Netflix Randomizer.
Sure, the name doesn’t have the same jaunty zest of Netflix Roulette, but in terms of execution, Netflix Randomizer is the perfect co-pilot in our aimless streaming voyage. Plus, it also allows you to search within a specific genre and filter results by their IMDB Rating.
Before watching Walking with Wolves, I’d summarize my feelings on these majestic creatures as “I don’t care,” but the film is a surprisingly spiritual look at the unique relationship between shepherds and wolves. I wouldn’t have watched this documentary on my own, but thanks to the Netflix Randomizer, I can recite insightful witticisms like “The wolf’s ancient way of life is being pushed to the edge by modernization” while on a second date or waiting in line at the butcher shop.
Thursday: 'Take Me Home'
Running into Take Me Home on the Netflix Randomizer was a pleasant surprise, kinda like randomly seeing an old co-worker you don’t actively despise while on a stroll through the park.
Written by former Parenthood star Sam Jaeger, this enjoyable slice-of-life indie centers on a down on his luck photojournalist (Jaeger) who agrees to drive a woman (Amber Jaeger) across the country to visit her ailing father. I’m a sucker for a well-crafted “two lost souls finding solace in one another” story, and the lively chemistry and sizzling banter between the leads (who are married in real life), make this film a diamond in the streaming rough.
Friday: 'The Legend of Bagger Vance'
Huh. So it turns out I’ve never actually seen The Legend of Bagger Vance.
A film that’s been out for 17 years and stars Will Smith, Matt Damon, and Charlize Theron has a way of making you feel as though you’ve already watched it. Actually, this phenomenon exists for a lot of good but not great films from the late ’90s/early 2000s. I’m 98% sure I’ve seen Runaway Bride, but all I can remember from that movie is the poster featuring Julia Roberts wearing sneakers with her wedding dress, which, honestly, is a pretty baller look.
With apologies to golf, the 1930s, and ghosts (maybe?), I fell asleep watching Bagger Vance, but that had more to do with it being Friday night than Matt Damon or Will Smith.
Also, related, I voluntarily watched The Legend of Bagger Vance alone on a Friday night.
*In New Yorkkkkk
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of*
The AllFlicks Netflix Randomizer is a terrific tool for discovering new titles to watch. If you ever find yourself in a streaming rut or just plain curious about the underreported plight of wolves, I highly suggest you give it a go!
