The 360/Netflix Streaming Movies Thingie Thread!

[Gail Simone]

Seriously, the 360 has taken a huge leap towards being that set-top device that actually serves multiple purposes. The ability to queue up 500 movies and television seasons for watching any time you like, plus the superior selection of downloadable games, has made my 360 the most used television entertainment system I've ever had.

While the selection of movies and series is limited, there are a ton of obscure gems along with some great foreign films, documentaries, and classics. I sat down and compared what's available to the DVD's I've already bought, and realized that I would have saved a couple thousand dollars on DVD purchases if I'd had this service earlier. It's also nice to have favorite tv seasons like Red Dwarf, the Office, Columbo, and 30 Rock all free on demand even though I've bought all the dvd sets in the past.

PLUS! I'm watching more crappy d-list horror films than ever. Wanna see a terrible movie? Watch 'Cripple Creek,' baby! It's AWFUL.


By the way, have you guys all heard of this?

http://www.themediamall.com/playon

This is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It is a completely free download and service, that allows your 360 to play all the stuff on youtube, hulu, and other free video content right from your computer on your television. It takes only a couple minutes to set up and works brilliantly. Hundreds of television series on on Hulu, including SNL, the Alfred Hitchock shows (my favorite), Jericho, Battlestar Galactica, some Simpsons, Family Guy, and dozens of others. All free, to watch any time you like, right on your television. I had no idea Hulu had so much stuff. Because I don't enjoy watching television or films on my computer, I hadn't checked it out, but to have all this stuff for free on demand is quite awesome indeed.

Between play on and the Netflix streaming, we hardly ever even watch regular television any more. It's very cool to have all that stuff available, in very very good resolution (better than cable) any time we want to watch.

Anyone found any great obscure films on the Netflix streaming service?

A couple quick, but qualified, recommendations:

Calvaire: Not for the squeamish. This film isn't horrifying because of gore, but because of content. A singer's van breaks down in an oddball village.

Jesus Camp: A painful documentary about religious fanaticism.

The Host: I'm sure most of you have seen this, but it's a great Korean monster film, that is surprisingly powerful.

House Of Games: One of Mamet's most under-rated scripts, a great film about con men.

Being There: I know it's not obscure, but one of my all-time favorite films. I could watch it a million times.

The FILM CREW: These are MST3K-like film commentaries by the MST3K crew. Hollywood After Dark in particular is a riot.

Marx Brothers: Many of the best of their films are on Netflix, and Duck Soup should be required viewing.


Anyway, those are some of the things I've been watching...what about you guys? Anyone else have a 360 AND netflix?

[Matt Doc Martin]

Jesus Camp sounds equally scary and sad.

[Astonishing X-Fan]

I live in Canada so no Netflix service for me. :mad:

[Merey]

I have Netflix's Roku box (http://www.roku.com/netflixplayer/) (it preceded X-Box as Netflix's 1st direct to TV streaming device) for about a year now and I have to say that I love it! Yes, there's an odd selection of tv shows and movies (most of it being crap), but it is getting better. Plus, there's tons of nifty odd stuff like Forever Knight, and a good assortment of higher brow documentaries and foreign/art house films, stuff I'm not sure I'd ever get around watching if it weren't right there sitting on my box to watch. Anyway, I'm glad to see Netflix has expanded their streaming more. And it's good that they are now partnered with Starz because they now offer more mainstream stuff, but beware a lot of these movies/shows have expiration dates.

ETA:

Yikes, I just looked at our Netflix Instant Queue. We have 220 items on it. My fiance loves loading it up with all seasons of whatever tv shows they offer. Anyway, stuff I recommend:

* Broadway: The American Musical - a six part documentary of the history of musical theatre. I especially loved the 1960 - 1979 episode - the Sondheim-centric era.

* Quantum Leap. One of my all-time favorite shows. I have a great time re-watching "To Catch A Falling Star" and "The Leap Back."

* Middlemarch. Mmmm Rufus Sewell!

[MPagar]

It's a great feature, and now even better since Netflix is allowing Sony videos to be added to the queue.

Cedar Dryad and I have also been watching the amazingly low budget horror movies(or more of me forcing her to watch), with "The Stink of Flesh" taking the top prize so far for shittiest movie we've seen through Instant Play.

I had Jesus Camp added a while back, but I'm still trying to find the right moment to watch it. Seems like the type of movie that'll get the blood pressure up.

[Pink Bat Maxine]

Absolutely, Gail. 360's taken a HUGE leap forward, and the selection from Netflix is only gonna be getting bigger. I just wish you didn't have to make your streaming queue via computer, but still..... I'm using the heck out of this service. I was gonna cut off my gold membership, but not any more.

[4thHorseman]

PLUS! I'm watching more crappy d-list horror films than ever. Wanna see a terrible movie? Watch 'Cripple Creek,' baby! It's AWFUL.

Please, go watch Dumpster Baby. Possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. I regret checking it out on Netflix. I had to delete it right away after seeing it in fear that my Xbox would get the Red Ring of Death from playing such a crappy film.

[Gail Simone]

I have Netflix's Roku box (http://www.roku.com/netflixplayer/) (it preceded X-Box as Netflix's 1st direct to TV streaming device) for about a year now and I have to say that I love it! Yes, there's an odd selection of tv shows and movies (most of it being crap), but it is getting better. Plus, there's tons of nifty odd stuff like Forever Knight, and a good assortment of higher brow documentaries and foreign/art house films, stuff I'm not sure I'd ever get around watching if it weren't right there sitting on my box to watch. Anyway, I'm glad to see Netflix has expanded their streaming more. And it's good that they are now partnered with Starz because they now offer more mainstream stuff, but beware a lot of these movies/shows have expiration dates.

ETA:

Yikes, I just looked at our Netflix Instant Queue. We have 220 items on it. My fiance loves loading it up with all seasons of whatever tv shows they offer. Anyway, stuff I recommend:

* Broadway: The American Musical - a six part documentary of the history of musical theatre. I especially loved the 1960 - 1979 episode - the Sondheim-centric era.

* Quantum Leap. One of my all-time favorite shows. I have a great time re-watching "To Catch A Falling Star" and "The Leap Back."

* Middlemarch. Mmmm Rufus Sewell!



You wrote about it on the geektress blog, right? That's why I decided to get Netflix!

[Chris Hansbrough]

is it freezing on anyone else.....muh netflix seems to freeze partway through just about anything.....everything works fine but the netflix keeps crashing muh system with it's mighty freezy powers...

[cedardryad]

Cedar Dryad and I have also been watching the amazingly low budget horror movies(or more of me forcing her to watch), with "The Stink of Flesh" taking the top prize so far for shittiest movie we've seen through Instant Play.


Because we both know "Maniac Nurses Find Ecstasy" was much worse than "The Stink of Flesh".

[Chris Hansbrough]

Because we both know "Maniac Nurses Find Ecstasy" was much worse than "The Stink of Flesh".

oh there are some bad ones on there. I went on a troma fest. Redneck Zombies......yeah.....that was baaaaaaad, Hall Monitor, even worse......holy hell I've seen some bad movies. and I love it.....now if only they had gymkata so I could listen to it with teh gymkommentary......I love you Chris Moreno.....

however it's not all bad on instant play...I marathoned the live action Tick show. god I loved that one......

not to mention the comedians of comedy. I always love me some patton, maria, and brian. I'm jus' kind of mad they didn't take any footage from nostalgia. It was kind of fun to re-watch parts of that show. so great it was. Gail you needs to convince em to come to the wow hall again. because that kicked ass...

[Gail Simone]

I'll ask them when they are coming back to Eugene, but remember, the C of C did their last show as a group in San Diego this year, so it'd be individual members.

Gail

[MacQuarrie]

I checked, and "Garbo Talks!" is available for streaming on Netflix. So now you have no excuse.

I love this movie. I love Anne Bancroft in this movie. I love Ron Silver and Catherine Hicks and Dorothy Loudon and Howard Da Silva and Harvey Fierstein and Hermione Gingold and Steven Hill in this movie. I love Mervyn Nelson and Richard B. Shull and Adolph Green and Betty Comden (as Garbo). I don't love Carrie Fisher, but you're not supposed to.

I love the scene with the construction workers, the ferry to Fire Island, Shakespeare in the Park, and Gilbert's part-time job.

Go. Now. Watch my favorite movie.

[Chris Hansbrough]

I'll ask them when they are coming back to Eugene, but remember, the C of C did their last show as a group in San Diego this year, so it'd be individual members.

Gail

hehe you don't have to. I keep attention to schedules of the comedians I enjoy laughing at. and that show was probably the best I've seen. Although I also enjoyed Brian Regan in Portland.....not enough of the funny comes to eugene anymore.....and I like me some funny......I'm still mad I had to miss the san diego show

[DungeonmasterJim]

Okay, I'm ignorant and a wee bit lazy and need to do today's installment of my webcomic which is only half finished at the moment!:eek:

Can someone give me the Cliff Notes version of how Netflix works with the XBox 360 and what I have to do? I am a gold member and this is sounding superior to renting movies from the local video store.

Thanks!

DM Jim

[Gail Simone]

You have to have broadband and a decent connection, DJ. Then all you need is a Netflix subscription of 8.95 a month or higher, I think. That entitles you to movies sent to your door, but also unlimited use of the streaming movies and tv series that they have, which they say is something like 12,000 movies and series.

You can watch them on your puter, or through your xbox.

It's easy as pie. The software for it is available for free right on your Xbox live home environment thingie, under 'video marketplace.'

I've found it to be really useful. But even WITHOUT the netflix thing, install that Play On bit of software I linked to above as that has gillions of hours of movies and tv for free, some of it great stuff.

[Cam63]

Jesus Camp sounds equally scary and sad.

The electrodes on sinner's genitals scene was inspiring.

[Gail Simone]

hehe you don't have to. I keep attention to schedules of the comedians I enjoy laughing at. and that show was probably the best I've seen. Although I also enjoyed Brian Regan in Portland.....not enough of the funny comes to eugene anymore.....and I like me some funny......I'm still mad I had to miss the san diego show

Brian Regan is my all-time favorite, and he's come to Eugene a couple times in the last two years. I missed his last show, but he was hysterical the year before. I've seen him live three times and each time I was exhausted from laughing after.

Patton says he's the best stand-up comic in the world.

[Cam63]

Better than Dubya's press conferances ?

[Chris Hansbrough]

Brian Regan is my all-time favorite, and he's come to Eugene a couple times in the last two years. I missed his last show, but he was hysterical the year before. I've seen him live three times and each time I was exhausted from laughing after.

Patton says he's the best stand-up comic in the world.

I would agree. My brother came up from his place in the San Jose and we went to see him in portland that year....funny as all get out. I love people who can be funny without talking about their dick every 2 seconds. although galifinakus is funny simply due to his ability to just stand up and say the most random shit. it's like an hour of one line jokes every time I've seen him but damn sometimes it can be funny. It's sort of how I've always been. the guy that in the middle f a conversation says something that comes off as completely random and it catches you off guard. It's been a while since I've een to a show though. need to start going again......havn't even been able t do a concert since the sam roberts band in eugene (Which if you ever get the chance to see them in the states you should go....small shows and I've ended up hanging with the band after each of them....and the Hip too after portland......I LOVE Seeing Huge CANADIAN BANDS IN THE US!)

[Merey]

You wrote about it on the geektress blog, right? That's why I decided to get Netflix!

Nope. I'm not a writer for that blog, but sounds like a great blog to be a part of. But I do love to shill for Netflix and its Roku box (or equivalents). If I had to choose between my digital cable/dvr and Netflix with instant viewing, I think I might go with Netflix.

[DarkCrisis]

My only prob with it is you have to have a Gold Account to use the Netflix streaming thing.

And Im already paying $20/month for Netflix, I dont want to pay another $15 a month as well.

360 should follow PS3s lead and go free service.

[Gail Simone]

Sweetie, XBOX live gold is four dollars a month, not twenty. It's 49.99 for the entire year.

[MPagar]

Or you could pay around $8 a month, but unless there's a situation where you can't see yourself playing for more than a month or two a year, then you'd be saving a lot on the yearly payment.