Okay so you know how I wrote that big post on whether I should try to outguess Netflix so it would give me better recommendations, and in that post I said this:
There is definitely a tone-deaf aspect to the way Netflix classifies movies. “Foreign” is one of the worst category offenders. There’s a vibe of “if you liked Amelie, you’ll like The Hidden Fortress.”
So what does Netflix have for me now?
Based on how much I liked Eddie Izzard: Glorious (liberal standup by a transvestite Brit) and Throne of Blood (1957 Japanese masterpiece based on Macbeth), I will apparently like…
Long Way Round: A sort of The Motorcycle Diaries for the Hollywood set, this documentary miniseries chronicles the cross-continental adventures of actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they set out on their BMW bikes to travel round the world. Embarking from London and arriving 115 exhausting days later in New York, the duo tackles 20,000 miles of tough terrain, explores offbeat destinations and takes in colorful local culture.
Seriously, quoi? Why, because they’re all “not from around these parts”?
I watched that series. Yes, I did. And while there is much buddy-bonding going on, it’s also kinda fun. Turns out getting through Uzbekistan on a couple of bikes is entertaining.
Still, yes, one does have to sort the NettyFlixy suggestions. In fact, I’d say that 85% of my relationship with Nf has to do with sorting.