# Your odd Neflix recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650 "2013-01-28T20:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/1 "2013-01-28T20:47:14Z")
A few nights ago I watched the Neil Young concert film _Heart of Gold_. Later on my home page there’s a new “Because You Watched…” list based on the film. And it was all these other concert films. Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Roy Orbison, and a bunch of others. And while scrolling across the list, one non-concert film pops up – _Hondo_ starring John Wayne. WTF?! The only possible connection I could think of was that Neil wore a vaguely western outfit during his concert. Also, the word “Classic” appeared under each film’s Genre listing – Neil’s is “Classic Rock” and Wayne’s is “Classic Western”. And as an aside, Netflix seems to think I will love all their Bollywood films, as all my recommendation lists seem to be half-populated with Indian films for the past couple weeks. I’ve watched a few Korean films during that time, but I can’t think of an Indian one that I tried. So I’m mystified by these too. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/2 "2013-01-28T20:53:34Z")
I love their ridiculously specific categories, like “Slapstick foreign gay/lesbian comedies.” I made that one up for illustrative purposes, but we did have recommendations the other day in two separate categories: **Canadian Horror Movies** and **Gory Canadian Horror Movies** Don’t get me started on its confusion over us watching every stupid zombie movie ever, while the kids watch Spongebob and Pocoyo all day. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/3 "2013-01-28T21:10:29Z")
Because I watched Breaking Bad, apparently, it thinks I want Dark everything. Never mind that mainly what my family consumes is Doctor Who and How I Met Your Mother. No, we’re the Dark Family. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/4 "2013-01-28T21:11:32Z")
Among my current category lists: Cerebral British TV Shows Witty Comedies Featuring a Strong Female Lead Gritty Military Dramas Critically-acclaimed Crime Documentaries Sentimental 20th Century Period Pieces based on Books Romantic Independent Coming-of-age Movies Inspiring Foreign Biographical Movies Goofy Showbiz TV Shows Serial-Killer Thrillers Emotional Sci-Fi & Fantasy Feel-good Social & Cultural Documentaries ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/5 "2013-01-29T16:47:32Z")
It’s my understanding that a lot of the recommendations are based on the fact that other people who liked _Heart of Gold_ also liked _Hondo_. So it’s not that these two films have anything to do with each other, but rather that “you seem to have the same taste as this other member, so we’ll recommend what they liked too.” ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/6 "2013-01-29T17:05:25Z")
The one that totally cracked me up was when they recommended that since I had watched _Bleak House_ and _Slings and Arrows_, I would probably also like _Sponge Bob Squarepants: Who Bob What Pants_. What? They also seem to be consistently under the impression that I would like Tyler Perry movies, even though I have never watched or rated anything remotely LIKE a Tyler Perry movie. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/7 "2013-01-29T18:00:54Z")
I’ve found the actual movie suggestions to be fairly worthless on Netflix, but the projected ratings to be surprisingly accurate. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/8 "2013-02-01T04:36:05Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Among my current category lists: > Cerebral British TV Shows > Witty Comedies Featuring a Strong Female Lead > Gritty Military Dramas > Critically-acclaimed Crime Documentaries > Sentimental 20th Century Period Pieces based on Books > Romantic Independent Coming-of-age Movies > Inspiring Foreign Biographical Movies > Goofy Showbiz TV Shows > Serial-Killer Thrillers > Emotional Sci-Fi & Fantasy > Feel-good Social & Cultural Documentaries I get: Dark Romantic Dramas Featuring a Strong Female Lead Cerebral British Crime TV Dramas Supernatural Horror Movies from the 1960s Gritty Treasure Hunt Movies Exciting Vampire Horror Movies ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-odd-neflix-recommendations/648650/9 "2013-02-01T04:38:30Z")
So pleased that they apparently have several subcategories of “Gritty” and “Cerebral”. Or maybe the latter is “Cerebral British …”