Monday, April 27, 2015

April Expiration Watch: Farewell to Friends New & Old

Once again Netflix teases us with some stream-worthy titles, only to snatch them away just a few months later. As I did back in January, when something similar happened, I'm going to sort this month's expiring titles into groups based on when they arrived—only this time I'll start with the most recent (just to keep you on your toes). Unless otherwise noted, all of these can be streamed through April 30.

Arrived in March (available 2 months)
Across the Great Divide (1976)
Bitter Moon (1992) - Review
The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Arrived in February (avail. 3 months)
The Brothers Bloom (2008)
Cecil B. Demented (2000)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010) - thru 5/12
Ulee's Gold (1997)

Arrived in January (avail. 4 months)
Robocop (1987)
Valkyrie (2008)

And then there are those that seemed to be on more reasonable timetables, i.e., on contracts ranging from six months to two years:

Arrived in November (6 months)
Airplane (1980)
Hell Is for Heroes (1962)
Little Odessa (1994)
Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country (1991) - Review

Arrived in May 2014 (1 year)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
Ichi the Killer (2001)
Romancing the Stone (1984) / The Jewel of the Nile (1985)

Arrived in November 2013 (1.5 years)
Flight (2012) - thru 5/1
Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) - 5/14
Skyfall (2012) - thru 5/4

Arrived in May 2013 (2 years)
Photographic Memory (2011) - thru 4/29
The Accused (1988)

Thanks for the memories

Despite having had a decent run, a number of the bigger titles (The Accused, Boys Don't Cry, Flight, and Skyfall) will be missed, while it's likely that Airplane! and Star Trek VI will be back before you know it.

Of course, it's not the name-brand titles that will be mourned most, but smaller films like Ross McElwee's Photographic Memory, expiring April 29. From the man who created 1986's inimitable Sherman's March, this 2011 film is another of the director's "autobiographical documentaries," this time focusing on his relationship with his 19-year-old son, but also with his 24-year-old self who lived in France in the late 1970s. A meditation on growing up, lost love, father-son dynamics, and the pitfalls of a creative existence, Photographic Memory is a touching glimpse at how quickly the years pass, told by a filmmaker who continues to navigate his unique personal terrain with intelligence and wit.

Also leaving the Netflix fold are three more classics: McLintock! (1963), starring John Wayne, and two Audrey Hepburn pics, Funny Face (1957) and Sabrina (1954); plus the modern classic, Roberto Benigni's 1997 Oscar winner, Life Is Beautiful. Both Funny Face and Sabrina have come and gone before, but there's no telling if we'll see the other two again. The only consolation regarding classics—and it's not much of one—is that it looks like at least eight or nine pre-1980 titles will be showing up in May, only half of which are returning.

But that's for another post...


April 29

Photographic Memory (2011)

April 30

The Accused (1988)
Across the Great Divide (1976)
Airplane (1980) / Airplane II (1982)
Along Came Polly (2004)
Bitter Moon (1992) - Review
Boys Don't Cry (1999)
The Brothers Bloom (2008)
Cecil B. Demented (2000)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Finding Forrester (2000)
Funny Face (1957)
Hell Is for Heroes (1962)
Ichi the Killer (2001)
A Knight's Tale (2001)
License to Drive (1988)
Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Little Odessa (1994)
McLintock! (1963)
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
Robocop (1987)
Romancing the Stone (1984) / The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
Sabrina (1954)
The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country (1991) - Review
Sweet Revenge (1998)
Ulee's Gold (1997)
Valkyrie (2008)

May 1

Flight (2012)
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008-2012) RENEWED
Twisted (2013) RENEWED

May 4

Skyfall (2012)

May 12

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010)

May 14

Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Secret Life of the American Teenager seemed to have been "expiring" every month (without never actually expiring?). Do you know what's going on with that?

David Speranza said...

I wish I did! And now it's moved to 5/1. ;-\

David Speranza said...

And now it's renewed indefinitely. Sheesh...