Whereas only a handful of worthwhile titles are being added to Netflix throughout June, we’re losing nearly a dozen classics or would-be classics in the bargain. Again, this does not particularly make me thrilled about the streaming service’s realigning of focus from offering a large variety of unique titles to offering a small, if fruitful helping of original programming. And as good as that programming is (and it really is, for the most part), the fact that we’re losing some good to great comedies, fromGroundhog DayandWayne’s WorldtoBridget Jones’s DiaryandAbout a Boy, makes it hard to legitimize Netflix’s reputation as a great movie library.
Add on major genre entertainments likeSam Raimi’sDarkman,Clear and Present Danger,Ghost, andThe Bank Job, and it becomes even more difficult, but this is ignoring the actual masterworks that are getting the boot. Just look at this sampling:Robert Zemeckis' wondrousWho Framed Roger Rabbit?,James Gray’s intimate crime dramaThe Yards,Todd Field’s tense, terrificIn the Bedroom,The Others, andParis is Burning, one of the best documentaries released in the 1990s. These are major works that deserve long, vibrant discussions, so get ye to your couch and get watching before June 1st is here and most of these will require the purchase of a DVD…or an iTunes file.
A Wrinkle in Time
About a Boy
Bridget Jones’s Diary
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury
Clear and Present Danger
Disney Animation Collection: Vol. 5: Wind in the Willows
Dude, Where’s My Car?
Elias: Rescue Team Adventures: Season 1
The Faculty
Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog
Groundhog Day
In the Bedroom
Jersey Girl
Kinky Boots
Losing Isaiah
Madonna: Truth or Dare
Marvin’s Room
Music of the Heart
My Boss’s Daughter
Nine Months
The Others
Paris Is Burning
Private Parts
Schoolhouse Rock!: Earth
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
The Station Agent
The Stepford Wives
Stir of Echoes
Stir of Echoes 2: The Homecoming
The Super Hero Squad Show: Seasons 1-2 Velvet Goldmine
View from the Top
Wayne’s World
Eureka Seven: Seasons 1-2
HawthoRNe: Seasons 1-3
The Bank Job
A Late Quartet
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: Season 1
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble: Season 1
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Mixology: Season 1
Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me
Sophie’s Choice
