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All the Good Netflix Movies Are in Canada and Brazil (gizmodo.com)

Posted by msmash on from the best-netflix-experience dept.

Netflix's movie library has declined over the last two years when cross referenced with IMDB's 250 movies list. Earlier this month, we learned that if you were in the United States, Netflix only had 31 of the 250 movies listed on the holy-grail of all movie databases. Gizmodo today reports that if you were in Brazil or Canada, that same library looks a lot better. From the report: According to analysis by both The Streaming Observer and AddonHQ, Canada and Brazil have the best content ecosystems, when it comes to movies on Netflix. But when it comes to good movies, Brazil is tops. The Streaming Observer found that Brazil had 85 movies from IMDb's Top 250 in its library. The site also put together a ridiculously huge chart if you want to see exactly which movies are available on each service. It's worth checking out. Brazil has movies that those of us in America could only dream of streaming, like The Godfather Part II, Fight Club, and The Empire Strikes Back. Mexico and Sweden have solid showings too, with 73 and 70 movies from the IMDb's Top 250 in their respective libraries.

15 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. stories by ecorona · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I care about new content more than watching the same old stuff, which I only watch very rarely. Netflix has great original content for like $10 freaking bucks!

    1. Re:stories by Darinbob · · Score: 2

      If I haven't seen a movie from the 50's, then it's still new content to me. I'd rather not have to have $10 for one service, $10 for another, and so on. I did not get premium channels when I had satellite or cable, like HBO or Showtime, so going back to that model of picking and choosing individual content producers feels wrong to me. Problem is that 90% of the stuff is available on all the major streaming channels so subscribing to more than one feels like a waste.

      Of course, I can get movies from the movie "rental" service but they're greatly overpriced. Stuff that's interesting has a "buy" option which is expensive and silly (I don't own it, I only have access while this company in a risky industry stays in business), with the "rent" option for less interesting movies but still typically $5. But since there are enough tv shows on Netflix I haven't yet gone through I don't need to go there anyway. After cutting the cord once my viewing has gone way down overall. A whole lot of "must see" movies I never saw in the theater and which may never be on streaming for many years (same as waiting for it to be on cable). But I can live without that.

  2. I'd guess it's the licensing fees by SensitiveMale · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But that's just a guess. Of course that being said, Netflix is cutting back their shipping hubs. Those fuckers axed the one that was next day away from me and I have to use one a state over that takes 2 to 3 days each way.

    1. Re:I'd guess it's the licensing fees by Yaztromo · · Score: 2

      But that's just a guess. Of course that being said, Netflix is cutting back their shipping hubs. Those fuckers axed the one that was next day away from me and I have to use one a state over that takes 2 to 3 days each way.

      It's worth noting that outside the US, Netflix doesn't run (and AFAIK has never run) any DVD shipping service. It's been streaming only. So in theory that shut weigh in Netflix US's favour somewhat.

      Yaz

  3. Canadian Bacon? by sinij · · Score: 4, Funny

    Blame Canada! Time to invade, or at least drone them, so we can exploit the natural richness of their Netflix offerings.

    1. Re:Canadian Bacon? by elrous0 · · Score: 2

      We tried that once before, and it cost us our Baldwins.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  4. They forgot something by Adriano+ML · · Score: 2

    They should apply the same metrics to a torrent site like thepiratebay, might be interesting...

  5. Re:wtf Netflix by Yvan256 · · Score: 2, Funny

    As a Canadian, I've seen the new Star Wars and let me give you some spoilers: at the end of the movie, Data totally dies by saving Picard's life!

  6. Both countries have content regulations by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As anyone who is a citizen of either Canada or Brazil (which would include myself and one of my colleagues) could tell you, the main reason is that both Canada and Brazil have major film subsidies and content requirements for any broadcaster of any type, and both countries produce many award winning films.

    Netflix has no choice in the matter. They are required to provide a certain level of movies from the host country to be able to operate there. The fact that these countries subsidize their film industries and produce high quality award winning films is a direct result of this.

    Regulation is good. Lack of regulation leads to the really bad choices on Netflix in the USA, for example.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Both countries have content regulations by wisnoskij · · Score: 4, Informative

      http://top250.info/stats/?6/41...
      In the current 250, ZERO of them come from Canada. A few of them (like 1-2%) Canada helped in the production (mostly in cooperation with some big name countries). Brazil does even worse.

      --
      Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
    2. Re:Both countries have content regulations by fred6666 · · Score: 2

      That's probably because you only consider movies in English. There are very good movies from Denmark, France, Germany... even in Canada perhaps most good movies are in French.
      And you may not consider that "Western appeal" but there are some good movies from Bollywood and the rest of Asia too.

  7. Do i really need *these* movies on streaming? by AthanasiusKircher · · Score: 2

    Brazil has movies that those of us in America could only dream of streaming, like The Godfather Part II, Fight Club, and The Empire Strikes Back.

    While this is a list of good movies, I'm not sure this is the sort of stuff I'd like Netflix to prioritize. Some people like the new content showing up on streaming services, especially "original" content. I like some of that, but what first made me love Netflix's DVD service years ago was the more obscure stuff -- discovering good movies I hadn't seen before. Even Netflix's streaming service when it first came out had a great selection of old films (usually "classics," but not the most popular ones) as well as really great more recent ones (though not many new releases). I first watched films like Pan's Labyrinth and The Orphanage on Netflix "Instant watch," while rediscovering old classics from more obscure Buster Keaton and Chaplin films to old TV series like Yes, Minister and the classic Sherlock Holmes series with Jeremy Brett.

    Most of that stuff is gone. And frankly, I don't really want to watch this stuff again. People who love these movies probably already have purchased them either on DVD or through some streaming, so they'll permanently have them available.

    And actually, do I really want to watch Godfather Part II again? Sorry, I think it's overrated. (Yes, this is just my opinion.) The two narratives are disconnected, and while I love the early De Niro period piece, the other story is too dark. I love the original Godfather (and have watched it quite a few times), but I sometimes wish I could just except the early period stuff from part II and watch that separately. Fight Club? Are there lots of people who actually WANT to watch that repeatedly? It's a fantastic movie, but it goes in the category of things that are just not pleasant to watch again. And, sorry, but if you're a fan who wants to see The Empire Strikes Back over and over, you probably already own some special collector's edition. (Or, if you're a TRUE fan, you've probably sought out the "Despecialized" version before Lucas messed with it.)

    I'm not saying it wouldn't be good to have such classic films as options on Netflix. But I know they'd be really expensive to have available, and they wouldn't be my priority.

  8. As a Canadian, all I have to say is... by phorm · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sorry

  9. Re:Grass is always greener by DarthVain · · Score: 2

    I used to switch to US netflix all the time. There are differences. However it is always changing. It doesn't always make any sense to the actual consumer, half the time I just mumble to myself "must be some weird licencing thing"...

    At any rate one of the big things for me at the time used to be that ALL the Star Trek content was on the US Netflix, whereas on Canadian Netflix had very little (a couple movies, and maybe TOS)...

    At one point switching back and forth I noticed that the latest episodes of Top Gear were on Canadian Netflix, but not US Netflix...

    There there was a time when I started to watch a TV series on Canadian Netflix, only to have it suddenly vanish without warning... Again licencing foolery.

    To be honest it is all just wearisome.

    The latest Star Trek and Netflix BS is the new TV show that CBS is making. Will be in international libraries in Netflix. However not in the US (CBS) or Canada (BELL) because of exclusive licencing deals. Whatever.

  10. ThePirateBay has 250 out of 250 by PeeAitchPee · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just torrent from the pink or green skulls to avoid malware. Bonus points for using a VPN.