Friday

Netflix is my new favorite thing. It allows me to watch old classic movies on a regular basis, and has dramatically helped my hitting-on nerdy film guys... (because as we all know – the more movies you’ve seen, the cooler you really are.)
My kick-ass friend and fellow blogger MIKE TOOLE is equally obsessed with Netflix. I have noticed that since I joined, our Monday morning email typically consists of “What movies did you watch? oh, wait - how was your weekend...” so yeah. Okay. I managed to get a few minutes of his precious time, and asked him a few questions. It went a little like this:

Q: So Mike. You once referred to yourself as a quote, “Netflix Nerd”. Define "Netflix Nerd”?

A: Someone who obsesses about all things Netflix: their queue, searching for new movies, basically spending way too much time on the Netflix site. Then there are many times where I imagine where my movies are. Does the postman have it? Has he put it in the mailbox yet? I tell all my friends about it. If you happened to join in late on the conversation, you might think I was talking about my own child. Shit! I just remembered I had a dream last night that I bought stock in Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX).

Q: How many movies are currently in your rental queue?

A: 270

Q: Yikes! What 3 movies are next?

A: In the mail right now (and should arrive today) are Manhattan and Rosemary's Baby. They just received Capturing the Friedmans from me, so they should be sending Intolerable Cruelty. But there's a long wait for that, so I may not get it. Bastards.

Q: How many movies do you average a week?

A: It really fluctuates. It's hard to put a number on it. This past week I watched five. But there have been weeks where I watched maybe only one, or zero, depending on my schedule. You can tell I wasn't busy this week.

Q: Have you ever rushed through a movie, just to return it for the next movie?

A: Many times.

Q: Ever lost the envelope? That’s gotta suck.

A: Not the actual envelope, but two movies have been lost in the mail. I've probably been flagged by Netflix now under their, "Might be a dirty thief" file.

Q: Favorite movie of the past month:

A: Dr. Strangelove

Q: Great movie. Favorite movie of the past week:

A: Whale Rider

Q: I can't get into that for some reason. So do you have a favorite movie snack?

A: Maker's Mark.

Q: What do you do when there is no Netflix to watch?

A: I go through the movies I own to see if there are things I haven't watched. I'm bad at buying things, then never watching them. My roommates bought me a movie for me birthday about a year and a half ago, and I've never watched it. Pretty fucking rude, huh? Yet, I did watch Super Troopers. Twice.

Q: Speaking of twos, choose one: net or flix?

A: Flix.

Q: Butter or salt?

A: Butter, hands down. Except for when you get it on your crotch and makes you look like a pervert. Salt rots your teeth. Butter merely clogs your arteries.

Q: Theatre seats or couch?

A: Couch, or the theatre seats where you can put the arms up and stretch out. Of course, you have to make sure it's not a crowded theatre, otherwise people will be pissed. I also have a pretty sweet rocking chair that I like to sit in. It makes me feel old and wise. I imagine Ebert sits in a rocking chair when he watches movies. And I bet he eats a TON of popcorn. Extra butter.

Q: So it's a friday night. Will you be Netflixing or going out or both?

A: I'll be Netflixing and taking it easy. I'm driving out to Pennsylvania early tomorrow for a bachelor party. Damn! I should have rented Bachelor Party!