Is Netflix narrowcasting my movie selection too much?

The question posed in my title is the one thing that stuck with me the most after reading the second chapter for Sunstein's, Republic.com 2.0 and what this meant about me as a movie aficionado. I guess you could call me a movie snob, as I tend to lean toward a DVD viewing of Nolan's Memento, a movie I have seen multiple times over Scream 4 or any of the new releases to hit the theater. It is not to say that Memento is better than new releases, it is more a commentary on the state of movies currently as remakes, sequels, prequels, and reboots are all the rage in today's cinema. I would much rather watch a well-crafted movie from a respected filmmaker like Christopher Nolan, a director who can make Hollywood blockbusters (The Dark Knight, Inception) and films that would be the hot topic at Sundance (Insomnia, Memento). I like quality when I watch a movie and when I sit down and commit to a 2 hour viewing of a movie I want to get something out of it whether it intrigues my mind or simply allows an escape from the daily grind of life. But, sometimes I wonder if I miss out on things when I see a trailer and read some unfavorable reviews and thus totally swayed not to waste my time and watch something I already know is good and will prove to be enjoyable for me. I think that with Netflix, it knows my interests so well that it will eliminate the process by which I select my movies and I like that it gives me suggestions based on my previous viewings. That said, usually I will use my friends as a barometer as well to see whether or not I should see a movie. Friends that share my interests in movies will tell me about something they say recently and suggest I watch it and I will most likely because I respect their opinion and often we share the same ideas about what makes a movie good or great.

I think that after examining my habits on selecting a movie, I respect outside opinions instead of Netflix. The website Pajiba usually has a good idea about what will pique my interest, and I go to them for reviews on movies, TV, and general pop culture items and highly recommend it to all of the pop culture snobs out there. All things considered though, I think I will try to watch Scream 4, but definitely not for the $10 that the local cineplex will charge, but that is a topic for another blog post.