Comments on: Netflix thinks…

By: Harga Blackberry

Harga Blackberry — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:38:40 +0000

The sort of statistical data mining used by Netflix, Amazon, and other online merchants is a rather inexact science, but they keep using it because it does work a lot of the time. Of course, it’s only as good as the data sets that they are working with

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:00:20 +0000

Liz: I just thought the second season was flat, somehow. I wasn’t as interested in the patients, and Paul seemed more unrelievedly depressed. That’s not to say it’s not worth renting, if you liked the first one. I plan to rent the third one when it comes out.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:59:44 +0000

Liz: I just thought the second season was flat, somehow. I wasn’t as interested in the patients, and Paul seemed more unrelievedly depressed.

By: Liz

Liz — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:36:59 +0000

What didn’t you like about the second season of “In Treatment”? I loved the first season, and I’m considering whether or not to rent the second one.

By: James Drake

James Drake — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:10:44 +0000

I’ve found Netflix suggestions to be very good when they are 4 stars are better, but I’ve rated a lot of films. I’ll provide more specifics when I have more time, and I hope others will tell how many films they’ve rated.

By: Pat Dooley

Pat Dooley — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:44:22 +0000

Speaking of Zero Mostel, we just threw out a toilet set he had autographed. It said “Zero Mostel shat here” and had a cartoon sketch of himself. He “created” it when he played my father-in-law’s tent theater, loafing through Tevye, and still bringing the house down. We would have Ebayed the seat but it was past even that.

By: Pat Dooley

Pat Dooley — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:20:33 +0000

Netflix simply looks at who liked the movie you ordered and what else they liked. It is likely more sophisticated than that, but it is just doing stats on what people order and rate. If you start rating its suggestions, it might become more selective. Of course, when sophisticated Opera lover chooses anything with Elina Garanca in it, but also chooses animated stories, thrillers, science fiction spoofs and B&W classics, what’s a poor dumb computer to do? You liked Toy Story so you’ll love Carmen?

By: Foxfier

Foxfier — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 16:55:31 +0000

FogCity –
No, you’re assuming that it makes that much sense. Most of the recommendations are straight out of the broader category– “classic movie,” “Cartoons and Anime,” “Musical,” “Documentary”– with a few that go off of shared key-words from those who rated it highly.

Rating more movies hasn’t actually improved the recommendations, it’s resulted in more keyword-sharing movies in the same category.

I wish they would use a profiler like Amazon’s– “Z people who liked X liked Y”– it might be more accurate.

The entire point of the post is that the suggestions suck.

By: Mike Lief

Mike Lief — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 16:50:29 +0000

Neo, I had the opportunity to see Zero Mostel perform as Tevya back in the mid ’70s, and it was a thrilling performance, one of my favorite theater experiences.

Like you, I think the film version isn’t nearly as good — and Topol offers a very different take on Tevya — but it’s a decent production of the show.

Have to agree with you that people bursting into song makes more “sense” in a stage production, as opposed to the photo-realistic world of the cinema.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 16:39:24 +0000

Mike Lief: didn’t like the movie. Loved the play, which I saw in the original cast production. I generally dislike movie musicals and find them very odd. But that’s because I grew up watching the originals in the theater.

I’m spoiled that way.