Event Horizon

Dear Netflix: What?

The Netflix price hike kicked in this month and I'd decided to keep both plans. When Netflix announced the price increase I was right there with everyone else voicing outrage on social networks. Because I was a customer long before the streaming option became available, I felt like Netflix had it wrong in the way they were framing the issue. I wasn't on an streaming plan with an occasional DVD rental, I was on a DVD plan with occasional streaming. I was also put off by the manner in which they announced it, seemingly without regard to their most loyal and long-standing customers. Price increase, fine, but grandfather in the existing user base, show your loyal customers that you appreciate their business. 

After calming down a bit I re-thought my position and now I'm not at all worried by this price increase. What changed my mind? I remembered why I joined Netflix in the first place. I previously rented movies from Blockbuster and would usually rent one or two movies a weekend at $4.25 per rental. So, conservatively, let's say I rented only one movie each weekend this month and turned them all in on time (avoiding late fees), I would have paid $17. And if I rented more than one movie over a weekend or incurred late fees that total would have been much more. And keep in mind that renting movies at that time meant driving to the video store (and hoping they had the movie I wanted in stock) and back again, an expense and hassle that Netflix service avoids. So, given all of that, the Netlfix price increase is still a savings and my membership still has value to me. So, all was forgiven.

Now, this week, the Netflix CEO announced that he knows he made a mistake with the two price plans and he was prepared to fix it - by splitting the two services into different businesses. Okaaay. Now I have to decide not only if I want to keep two services but if I want to keep two separate accounts, two ques, and two bills. Come on Netflix, ever heard of bundling? All the cool service providers are doing it.

I like renting DVDs and I still consider streaming a hit-or-miss option, as they are likely to not have what I'm looking for available on streaming. Just this last weekend, for example, I rented Source Code on DVD and it's not available yet on the streaming service. And I still buy the occasional DVD if it's something I want in my collection. Even if my DVD player died tomorrow I'd probably replace it. I think they are underestimating the staying power of the DVD.

Of course, their long-term strategy is sound, eventually the DVD will go the way of the VCR, but I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering if Netflix will still be around when that day arrives.

Star Trek Returns

As you may have heard, the new Star Trek movie opens today. As a longtime fan, I have a lot of trepidation about this move. Yes, I accept that the franchise needed a reboot, that last movie was horrible, but I'm concerned about the idea of a prequel. A prequel looks to the past, and Star Trek has always been about looking toward the future. I will definitely see this movie, and so far, the reviews I've read have almost all been very positive, so there is reason to hope that this movie will be a giant step forward for the franchise and not a step backward. When I see this movie I will hoping to see if it lives up to the Star Trek dream, those enduring elements that have made Star Trek a cultural phenomenon and touchstone. If I had to define those key elements crucial to the success and enduring power of the Star Trek vision I would say that they are:

• Optimism: Above all else, Star Trek is an optimistic vision of humanity reaching out and exploring the cosmos. Science fiction has given us many dark and disturbing tales of the future, dystopias reflecting our deepest fears, while Star Trek was a utopian vision of humanity successfully overcoming our present social, economic and political problems to chart a course for the stars. This MSNBC report suggests that this utopian vision of the future may not be so unrealistic. I certainly hope it's not, but even if it is, I think the vision is one worth working towards.

• Technology: The technology envisioned by the Star Trek series was futuristic to be sure, but it was also an extrapolation of known science, making it something we could well imagine actually using one day. The technological and engineering feats of the series inspired generations of real scientists and engineers who have actively worked to bring Star Trek tech to reality. The modern cell phone you have now is a direct decedent of the communicator that Captain Kirk used to signal the Enterprise. See this Computerworld report for a look at how Star Trek and other sci-fi films have given us visions of tech tomorrows that are close to true today.

• Relationships: More than the optimism and the technology, it was the close relationships among the characters that really powered the Star Trek series. The interplay of complex personal backgrounds as well as interspecies and cross-cultural relationships provided ample drama as well as light comic moments that proved the series was far more than space battles and explosions.

I am looking forward to seeing the new Star Trek movie and hoping against hope that it will live up to the rich legacy of Star Trek while introducing Trek to a new generation of moviegoers. My hope for Star Trek is that it will indeed live long and prosper.

Photo: MTV.COM

Genetic Profiling

It looks like the U.S. may have avoided a dystopian future in which a persons social and economic status is determined by their genetic profile (AP - House approves anti-genetic discrimination bill):

Companies would no longer be able to use genetic information like a person's predisposition for breast cancer, sickle cell or diabetes to make insurance or job decisions under a bill passed by Congress on Thursday.

If President Bush signs it into law it will mean that the film Gattaca will stay safely in the realm of science fiction.

Indiana Jones Trailer

I took a look at the trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie, it looks good. What's with using the music to the Children of Dune miniseries? After all, they have the soundtrack for the three Indy movies to draw on, they have to use music associated with another sci-fi franchise?

Netflix Gift Subscriptions

I received an e-mail from the movie subscription service Netflix last week inviting me to send a gift subscription to my dad for Father's Day. I've subscribed to Netflix for about a year now and I've been very happy with the service, so I was tempted to take advantage of their offer...that is until I read the fine print. The terms of the gift subscription include the following:

Recipients will need a valid payment method to redeem the membership and Recipient authorizes Netflix to charge for any movie the Recipient fails to return, as provided in our Terms of Use. Also, upon the conclusion of the Gift Subscription period, Recipient authorizes Netflix to begin to bill the payment method for monthly subscription fees and applicable tax unless the Recipient cancels prior to the end of the Gift Subscription period. Although the subscription is cancelable at anytime, there is no refund or credit for partially used periods.

This means that my dad, upon receiving the "gift" would have to take out his credit card and enter his payment info in order to start his gift subscription. And, then later, if he did not remember to cancel his subscription exactly when it expired (he wouldn't), Netflix would charge him for another month and continue to do so until he canceled the subscription. Now, I know my dad well enough to know that this would not fly with him. He raised me well enough to know that you don't give someone a gift and then expect them to pay for it, and this is exactly what Netflix was asking me to do. So, I balked at this very generous offer and instead sent Netflix the following e-mail:

Dear Netflixers,

Thank you for gift subscription offer, I did consider sending one to my dad for Father's Day. I balked, however, when I read the fine print, which makes it clear that the recipient of the "gift" is the one charged for the service. I would like to encourage you to change your gift subscription policy so that the gift giver (the current subscriber) pays for any charges incurred and then at the end of the gift subscription the recipient receives an invitation to provide their payment info and continue with their subscription. This is much more sensible than asking people to give a "gift" and then expect the recipient to immediately provide payment information so they can be charged...that is no gift at all.

I'll let you know if I receive a reply from them. Netflix is a great service and shouldn't have to resort to these disreputable practices to gain new members, especially when they are risking the goodwill of existing members who recommend their service to friends and family.

I Am Yoda

As part of the Star Wars 30th Anniversary celebrations, I took the Which sci fi character are you? test and found that I am, as many have suspected, actually Yoda. So, from now on, when you ask for my advice, just remember, it's not good to ignore your own Jedi Master.

Aeon Flummox

I saw a preview for the Aeon Flux movie (based on the TV series of the same name) and it looks great, my only question is about the casting of the lead role. Charlize Theron? I guess Claudia Black was unavailable? Most people probably don't care, but fans of the old series will probably feel that Theron just does not have the edgy cynicism and world-weary attitude to pull it off. As for casting Trevor Goodchild, I realize there was probably no way to lure Anderson Cooper away from his day job.

Star Wars

I went to see Star War: Revenge of the Sith last weekend. First, let me recommend this review to you (Wired - Star Wars Ends With Solid Sith) as an example of how to review a movie without giving anything away. I really enjoyed the movie and thank Lucas for doing such a fantastic job. See, I enjoyed it because I let go my conscious self and ascended to a higher realm of pure sensory experience. Ok, not really, but I discovered with Episode I and II that if I allowed myself the time for critical analysis of the ideas being conveyed by the move, the political and philosophical implications of the SW universe, I would not enjoy the movie. Similarly, if I focused on the quality of the acting or the dialogue, I would not enjoy the movie (though the acting in this one is much better). However, if I accepted the basic idea that these movies are made for kids and not meant as a grand statement about Life, the Universe, and Everything (which we all know is the point of another movie in theaters now), then I could relax and enjoy the spectacle. Episode III certainly provides a lot of spectacle, but I particulary enjoyed the story arc and how well Lucas tied it all together and set the scene for Episode IV. I particularly liked the ending of this film and how it resonated with a scene in Episode IV. So, well done, bravo, and I can't wait to see it again.

The Passion of the Christ

The Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ opens today. I have not seen it yet, but I plan to, and will offer some comments at that time. I've viewed the trailers that are available on the official movie website, and I'm impressed with the realism that Gibson has brought to this screen adaptation of the greatest story ever told. Of course, part of the controversy is that the realism and the violence are too graphic, but I'm sure that an honest depiction of these events would have to be. The way the Romans practiced executions, particularly with scourging and crucifixion, these were acts of torture designed to humiliate the victim and remind the people of the power and brutality of Roman rule. Torture is never an easy thing to witness. Thanks to modern technology and the faith of one man, we are all about to witness just how horrible and brutal such a death could be. We all must confront the Christ, either to deny him or to accept him, but you cannot ignore him. The crucifixion is the central act in the great human drama, and scene that returns to center stage in some shape or form in every generation. Our "reality TV" generation now has a chance to view a Reality Gospel that will challenge and inspire, and yes even offend viewers, just like the original.