So over the last few hours, I've been trying to find something that can fill the void left in the absence of Netflix Streaming...

1. Refresh Netflix.com. I tried this a few hundred times over the course of an hour and was unsuccessful at changing its fate.
2. Pretend you don't care. Watch something else. After becoming so accustomed to Netflix Life, I wasn't too sure what cable programming had to offer these days. Needless to say, everything sucks and Glee was a rerun. But I was able to kill 20 minutes looking for my TV remote.
3. Browse Tumblr. This tactic can keep you busy for a long time but just when you're incredibly entertained by memes, the Tumbeasts will attack... then you will be lonely once again.
4. Go outside and see the light of day. Too bad it's nighttime other wise this would have been a viable option.
5. Do something productive. Do your homework or some laundry. Clean your house. Cook dinner. Pay your bills. However, no matter how much you get done it will seem insignificant compared to TV show marathon you previously had planned.

Name:  The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Type:  documentary

Netflix Synopsis:  When Steve Wiebe got laid off, he turned to the classic arcade game Donkey Kong for solace; soon, he decided to challenge Billy Mitchell's long-standing record score.  So began the bitter rivalry that lies at the heart of this curiously compelling documentary. Providing a history of competitive video gaming and a look at some of the key players, The King of Kong is its best when revealing just how Mitchell will go to retain his crown.

What I Thought:  At first, I did not want to watch this film at all but I was coerced so I did.  In the beginning I just thought it was so funny how serious these people where about video games. I thought I was in for a good laugh. As the movie went on, I became so involved and invested in Steve Wiebe's life. You will quickly turn "Team Wiebe" and start rooting for the take-down of the evil Billy Mitchell. There are surprises around every corner. The suspense will kill you. Worth watching!

Rating:  / 5

I know I usually just review documentaries but I think I might broaden the topic so I can include some other the other films I've watched that deserve attention (especially B-horror movies, which are a passion of mine).

Title:  Between the Folds

Type:  documentary

Netflix Synopsis:  Filmmaker Vanessa Gould takes you on a provocative odyssey into the mesmerizing world of modern origami, where artists and scientists use the ancient art form to craft works of delicate beauty and to model cutting-edge mathematical theories.  Pushing the envelope of origami to include caricatured portraits and elaborate abstract designs, these experts examine how paper folding can reveal the profound connection between art, science and philosophy.

What I Thought:  Incredible.  I saw things in this movie that I would have never imagined possible.  Origami is created by just folding paper--no cutting, no taping, no gluing.  No addition.  No subtraction.  Just folding.  There are two sides taken in this documentary: those who believe in an organic way of folding and those to believe in strict techniques.  Some believe that no two pieces should ever look the same and that there is no pattern.  How the paper is folded should be inspired by the moment.  Others take mathematical approaches to folding.  Scientists, mathematicians, biologists, engineers.  There are even students at MIT studying folding and the capacity of a piece of paper.  I still just can't even get over this film.  I figured it would just cover the history and its importance in Asian cultures but it's so much more than that.

One of the paper folders featured created the music video for The Format's The Compromise.

Rating:   /  5

Title:  Welcome to Macintosh: The Documentary for the Rest of Us

Type:  documentary

Netflix Synopsis:  Written and directed by filmmakers Robert Baca and Josh Rizzo, this entertaining documentary delves into the world of Apple Inc., the groundbreaking company responsible for, among other things, the iMac, the iPod and the iPhone.  With interviews from a variety of industry insiders, Baca and Rizzo chronicle the history of the Steve Jobs/Steve Wozniak-founded corporation and track the meteoric growth of the Mac phenomenon.

What I Thought:  As a Mac fangirl with a new obsession with watching documentaries, I was really excited to watch my first Apple documentary but I was really let down.  The film completely falls short of what I had expected.  All the interviews were with people who don't matter (as far as I'm concerned)--no Jobs, no Wozniak--however, they did interview the original 3rd co-founder.  Everything was really repetitive and annoying.  Although this was made in 2008, all the stories told date back to the 80s.  All recent news and relevant stories are ignored.  To be honest, I didn't even finish watching it in its entirety.

Rating:   / 5