Netflix Streaming

The Big Dig

Netflix offers thousands of movies to stream. How can you pare down the choices? As a subscriber, you will have tools, however, they’ll only take you so far.

How to dig deep –

With a bit of effort, you can discover gems excluded from your Top Ten movies based on the Netflix "what you watch" system. Additionally, suggested selections often include movies already seen and rated.

• Use Rotten Tomatoes (RT): RT has a link listing what you can stream on Netflix. Filter movies either by the Tomatometer or by Release Date. Look at the RT reviews and the public reviews. If you find a movie that shows high scores from both, take a chance. Note: You can add a movie to your cue via their website. 

• Find filters: For instance, use the filters on the left side of the RT page. Note: If you click on a movie to see more information, the back button works poorly on their site causing you to start over each time in order to get through the lengthy list. On Netflix, filter by the 1-star to 4-star ratings. Netflix predetermines the amount of stars they believe you will give a movie and then provides your selections.  Keep digging. The system doesn't always work. 

• Use the Netflix Watch Instantly tab: Search Foreign films (Australian, British, and New Zealand) if you don’t care for subtitles, however, you may miss some major gems. If you really want to broaden your repertoire, select Watch Instantly, Foreign, Subgenres, then Japanese, etc. Netflix will again provide suggestions, but be sure to also Sort By: highest ratings, year released, etc., for more results. 

• Find more: If you loved a Netflix movie and want to see similar ones, go to one of your favorites and click on the red highlighted words, such as, drama, historical, period pieces, etc. Again, Netflix will not filter out films already seen. 

• Read Netflix reviews: Hover over the movie’s picture on the Netflix Watch Instantly screen and a pointed finger will appear, click the movie title to the right, then scroll to see the reviews. 

• Choose wisely: Many times, Netflix reviews will not match those of Rotten Tomatoes. Who should you trust? Netflix reviewers may have personal reasons for giving bad or good reviews and lack expertise, and Rotten Tomatoe reviews can be baffling. Seeing high reviews on both sites is a pretty good sign that you’ll want to add it to your Watch Instantly cache.  

• Peruse: Hundreds of blogs and movie sites provide monthly lists and news of new Netflix Instant Watch releases. (Search: Netflix Streaming Blogs)

New big dig favorites on Netflix Instant Watch: Undefeated, Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, A Royal Affair, The Fall, Vanishing of the Bees, Henning Mankell's Wallander

Finding gold: October Sky, Exit Humanity, Timecrimes, The Chaser, Centurion, California Dreamin', The Sea Inside, and many more found by digging. 

Have other digging tips?
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