I've been waiting for Netflix to do this, and I guess they figured out how to make the numbers work because they're getting into ORIGINAL, exclusive movies.  Not cheap documentaries, but exclusive first-run features.  I knew it was only a matter of time, given that HBO has the rights for HALF of the movies coming out until 2020, and the licensing costs have to be skyrocketing.  But the choices are... odd.

First of all: there's a freakin' SEQUEL to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon coming out, and opinions are split.  There's people who wonder "why?" and others who see the names Yuen Wo-Ping directing and Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh starring and think "there's NOTHING there I don't like!"  Seriously, that's a cincher for me.  And it's going to be an IMAX flick, so you have that option (but no regular theatrical release).

And on top of that, Adam Sandler just signed a four-picture deal with Netflix.  Which I guess makes sense, he has an audience on there, and I guess it'll help give Netflix a nice stack of cash to go after more projects... I'm hoping that they go for more interesting fare, I don't want just different versions of what I could get in the theater, I want the movies that the theater can't give me: the mid-budget dramas, comedies, the stuff that can do well but not make back a 100 million advertising budget back.  Considering how lackluster their movie selection is becoming, I kinda thought Netflix would be playing more movie moneyball... dividing up their money into more medium budget movies to fill out the ranks... but I guess they know what they're doing.  Like, you know how Lincoln was almost on HBO, and how Behind The Candelabra was theatrical in other countries but straight to TV here?  That's what i want to see, films that audiences will dig but don't lend themselves to the massive blitz required to open a feature for one big weekend.

One thing I do want them to do is to design a new, awesome Netflix opening logo.  Something to stand up against the Universal, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Disney, Dreamworks etc logos, you know?  Design something that would look amazing on the big screen, not just have the letters pop up.  Be grand about it.