TheBigDave

A few of the titles are leaving on November 1st:

Legally Blonde
The Holiday (duh, holiday eligible!)
Almost Famous
Major League (sports)
The Interview
The Truman Show


Here's an updated Netflix list, and I added a few more at the bottom:

Scary Movie 2 (dupe with Prime!)
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Mean Girls
Breakfast at Tiffany's
The Big Short
Dazed and Confused
Love Actually (holiday eligible!)
Clueless
Ghost Town
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
The Switch
The Princess Bride
Moonrise Kingdom
Minions
Sixteen Candles
While You Were Sleeping
Clerks (dupe with Prime!)
Chasing Amy (dupe with Prime!)
Pleasantville
Shakespeare in Love (dupe with Prime!)
Amelie (dupe with Prime!)
Kingpin (sports)
Meet the Blacks (2016) - coming Nov 2nd.
Wet Hot American Summer
Coming to America
Tommy Boy
Hot Fuzz
Man Up
Chef
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Adventures in Babysitting
Spies Like Us
Serendipity
The Ref (Christmas movie)
Trainspotting
The Commitments

TheBigDave

I took a quick glance at Hulu. Here's some movies:

Hot Pursuit
The Voices
Bridget Jones's Diary
48 Hrs.
Varsity Blues
Get Shorty
Top Five
Crocodile Dundee
Midnight in Paris
The Skeleton Twins
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Throw Momma From the Train
Groundhog Day
Swingers
Election
The Duff
Kentucky Fried Movie
Good Luck Chuck
The Original Kings of Comedy
Barbershop (2002) - coming Nov 1st
Death at a Funeral (2007 - the original) - coming Nov 1st
Major League (1989) - coming Nov 1st

davidh777

Thanks for bringing your streaming research to the Comedy Challenge, TheBigDave!

This is what annoys me about the streaming model. While it's easy to "find something to watch," it's harder to rely on specific titles being available, and the competitive market makes it even more likely that content won't be duplicated.

Being on 2/3 of the main services seems like a good prospect, and if we pick in advance, that'd allow people to rent by mail or use other similar options.

Is Scary Movie 2 too terrible to be our first weekly selection? It checks the double-count box and is on two services, but I'd hate to waste everyone's time.

TheBigDave

I think if you try to find stuff that's on 2/3 services, we'll be stuck with a handful of crummy movies to choose from. Maybe just stick with Netflix. I think a majority of people subscribe to that.

If you want a good Horror/Comedy, how about Tucker & Dale vs Evil. It's a great flick and it's available at all 3 streaming services.

https://www.netflix.com/title/70129463
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006FTC6ZC/
http://www.hulu.com/watch/645954

davidh777

Why do you think we'd get stuck with crummy titles when we're talking about Scary Movie 2 and other quality films?

But you're probably right about Netflix. I want to be inclusive, but realistically there will probably only be a small handful of participants. I've only converted to Netflix in the last year or so, so I tend to look for other options out of habit.

Of course then you contradict yourself with a great selection available everywhere. Unless there are disagreements, let's plan on that one, and it'd be a first-time watch for me!

TheBigDave

That Netflix list is pretty good. Lots of popular films. For the people that don't subscribe to Netflix, those titles are all easy to find. Either at the public library, on TV, the bargain bin at Walmart, or they already own it.

Trevor

Woah, David, you've never seen Tucker & Dale vs Evil?! Perhaps my favorite comedy in decades.

BobO'Link

I watched that one for the Horror Challenge - a first time viewing. It's quite good and I'd agree about it being one of the best "comedy in decades" films. I gave it 8/10. It was good, and fun, enough that I'd willingly watch it again for the Comedy challenge.

shadokitty

I've never been this close to pure evil before. It kind of stinks. Perhaps my favorite movie line in a long time.

LJG765

I have to admit, I am one of those who doesn't have Netflix. I have Amazon Prime, though. Out of the list there were several that I own or have access to through Vudu.

If you're doing themed weekly watches, why not put together a list of 4 or 5 and then have the participants vote on which they'd prefer...the most popular one wins and that's the choice? That way it'll be likely to be a choice that the most people can access.

I have to admit to never seeing it either!

davidh777

List thread is now live.

No, it's been on my Amazon watchlist for forever, though.

Maybe I can parse some top choices out of what's already been posted.

BobO'Link

I, too, don't have Netflix but have Prime. I own 13 of the films on the list and have little to no interest in the others (which explains why I don't own copies) but if one that's available on Prime were selected I'd watch it.

I like the voting suggestion but can't say for sure I'll participate in theme nights. I've been trying to reduce the unopened pile lately to get my wife off my back and have resisted pulling from the shelves for checklist/them night stuff. A lot depends on just how much unopened comedy titles I have. I don't think it's anywhere close to the almost 200 horror ones so there might be hope...

You need to fix that! Maybe we should use it for a theme night - I'd watch it again even though it's only been a few weeks since I first saw it.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Late to the party but I like the weekly idea, especially with horror for the first week and political in there somewhere.

I've only seen the workprint version.

Here's the free comedy category vudu movies with ads
http://www.vudu.com/movies/#uiList/232/3

Stand-up comedy
http://www.vudu.com/movies/#uiList/232/14

There's going to be comedy in the other categories too but this is a start.

BobO'Link

I just ordered a copy of the new "The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection" (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup) remastered BR set (Barnes and Noble - $40.90 w/20% off coupon for a shipped price of $35.50 including tax). Reviews indicate this set is very good with only a few non-correctable (generally of the no better print available type) issues. I've loved these films since I first saw them as a kid and can hardly wait to watch these remastered versions! While I don't expect it to arrive by Tuesday it should be here by next weekend. I can "make do" with other films until then.

LJG765

Has there been a final decision on the once a week group viewings? Trying to figure out the first couple days of what I'm planning on watching. Thanks!

davidh777

Let's plan on the first week's viewing being Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, as there seemed to be shared interest in that!

TheBigDave

Sounds good to me. I love that movie.

Maybe pick a dozen decent flicks from the list and set-up a poll. Then we can vote and the top 3 picks will fill-out the remaining weeks.

Or just paste the Netflix (or Amazon Prime, or both) list into the List Randomizer and the first 3 movies win.

https://www.random.org/lists/

LJG765

That works. Time/day? I know, I know, I'm pushing for details!

BobO'Link

I, too, would like to know the day/time for the viewing. I need to pull it out of my uncataloged pile (the stacks where I keep stuff I've watched but not yet entered into the database - a system I truly need to change).

I also need to rearrange my unopened piles to get the comedy stuff more easily accessible. Doing that for the Horror challenge made a huge difference in how quickly I selected the next film. Maybe I'll do that tonight waiting for Trig or Treaters. (image in spoiler in case you don't want to click through)


I just ordered a copy of the 40th Anniversary edition of Monty Python and the Holy Grail on BR (got a $5 "bonus" coupon from BB and that was as good a use as any). I don't do a lot of upgrades for BR editions of stuff (I look at the DVD and upgrade only if it looks like it'll be a significant improvement) but reviews indicate it looks quite a bit better, has "new" bonus features, and it's a top 10 comedy favorite of mine. It's *supposed* to be here by Saturday and I'll watch it the day it arrives.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

I think a poll works better. Maybe look at the free hulu/yahoo site too. Not everyone pays for Netflix and Amazon.

davidh777

Oh, we need a set time and day rather than the whole week? Sorry, still new to this. I think it would have to be tonight for double-counting purposes. 8 PM ET? 9?

Trevor

Yeah, it's a theme week viewing; no set date or times needed.

I guess for conversation purposes the end of the week would be the time to create the discussion thread or open the conversation in this thread.

jmspls72

Count me in

BobO'Link

Are you sure we don't want to limit it to a particular day for the viewing? If it's for the week I can see watching it on Monday and forgetting half of what happened by the Friday/Saturday discussion. Of course you can always just wait until "discussion day" for your viewing so it's fresh...

If you get that quote raise your hand.

BobO'Link

I like the idea of a poll... put out the list during the prior week so there's time to discuss merits of each and do the selection sometime over the weekend.

That would mean we need a list sometime today or tomorrow or Wednesday for next week's selection.