How I Got Over

Yes, I gratuitously borrowed from The Roots for the title of this post.  With that said, I must apologize for not posting the weekly film happenings index for this last week and not posting many reviews.  Been pretty busy at work, trying to stave off a cold, and, did I mention I was producing a short film (donate here)? So things have been pretty hectic.  But that does not mean I haven't been watching movies and thangs.  So I thought I'd use this post to catch ya'll up and tell you the story of how I liberated myself from Comcast.  I have had Netflix for several years.  (Full disclosure--I do not get paid for schilling for Netflix.)  I originally enrolled with Netflix because I was bankrolling Blockbuster with all the late fees I was racking up.   When Netflix started streaming movies for free, I invested in a Roku box so I could stream the movies directly to my television.  (I also do not get paid to schill for Roku).  But I love that little black box.  Not only can I watch movies and tv shows via Netflix, I also have access to Amazon on Demand if I actually want to pay for newer movie and tv content, and other free Roku "channels," including Pandora.  

Even after I purchased the Roku box, I kept my non-premium, basic digital cable at $60 a month in fear of the digital transition.  I became increasingly frustrated that I could not get any bare bones cable package for less.  When a friend gave me their government coupon digital converter box, I unhooked my cable box and, when the cable man came calling asking me whether I wanted to work something out, I gave him the box, the wires, and the crappy $2.50 a month remote and told him to keep on steppin'.  I haven't looked back and I proudly tell people that I don't have cable.  Now my monthly home entertainment budget is $8.99 for my Netflix--1 DVD out at a time and unlimited streaming.  The Roku box at the time I purchased was $99.  Now you can get the HD version for half that amount.  There has been some adjustment.  For cable shows that I love I have had to delay my need for instant gratification.  So I'll be watching the third season of True Blood when it comes out on DVD just before the 4th season starts.  I have to watch Sons of Anarchy on my computer via Hulu a month after the episode has aired on F/X.  But I have been so excited to learn that a Hulu Plus channel is coming to the Roku.  So my monthly home entertainment cost will be about $20 when I add Hulu to my Netflix, but that's much better than $60 a month for non-premium content.  So all I have to say to Comcast is "Stop sending me crap in the mail!"  I am over traditional cable subscription service.  So there.

So what have I seen recently on Roku/Netflix?  First, a little indie gem called Jelly about a young biracial woman who is trying to get over a break-up, wishing her love-life could work out like a John Hughes movie.  Definitely a chick flick, but not formulaic or contrived.  Definitely worth a look.

Next, since The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is now in theaters, I watched The Girl Who Played with Fire.  Noomi Rapace is just as badass as ever as Lisbeth Salander and the story is very similar to the Stieg Larsson novel.  Now I'm all set to scoot over to Landmark Midtown Art Cinema to see ...Hornet's Nest which is the last part of the Millennium Trilogy.

Finally, I am about to wrap up watching the second season of a great BBC television series called Survivors.  Its a remake of a '70s tv series of the same name and stars Max Beesley whose claim to fame in the States unfortunately is his turn in Glitter as Mariah Carey's love interest.  But don't worry this show is really good and so is Max.  The story is about people who survive a worldwide super flu.  It's sort of like Steven King's The Stand, except no supernatural forces of evil, or like 28 Days Later without the zombies.  Definitely worth a looksie at seasons 1 and 2 if you like post-apocalyptic fare that is edgy but not too dark.