streaming services

I didn't even know Ben Affleck HAD an AI company. Now Netflix is buying it for $600 million. Photo below - Pirates of the Caribbean, now a Disney+ franchise. Are we circling the drain when it comes to streaming and subscription costs? Where does it end?

Congrats to Netflix on buying an AI cinema effects company nobody ever heard of before, for nearly a billion dollars (see link below. But there's already too much CGI low quality film franchises where the screenwriters seem to have left the building ages ago.

This is a story which could go either way. I could rant about there being too many marginal AI players to eke out a living and survive the coming shakeout. Or I can point out that there is a limit to the number of streaming subscriptions anyone can afford, and the amount hours in a day to enjoy those shows. Let’s focus on how much my entertainment monthly charges are.

Netflix – yes I have this one. $24.99 a month. To get 4K film (when available) and watch on more than one screen. This is March 2026 pricing. Netflix has raised prices annually, amounting to 40% of the past few years. This is no doubt helping to fatten Ben Affleck’s wallet.

YouTube – too many plans to list, even if I had all day. If you go for the top plan, it could cost up to $82 a month. If I cancel Xfinity/comcast subscription then I’d still need comcast Wi-Fi ($50 a month), a price which will surely continue to inflate. If I want “good” comcast Wi-Fi, with better speeds and reliability, it’s gonna cost more.

Xfinity TV package – I’m paying over $100 a month for 2 sets. I have a bunch of things bundled into this, including HBO max, would are available as standalone. Or maybe they are already standalone for me? I can hardly tell. I get several emails/texts a week telling me the apologize for tiling and disruption, and inviting me to upgrade to a faster/more expensive modem. Consumer alert - HBO Max removed "Westworld" from it's on demand streaming. You have to pay per episode, even though it was an HBO show when originally broadcast.

Paramount + - $8.99 a month on my plan. $13.99 if I go ad free. I got this to watch “Star Trek - Strange New Worlds". I think . . . )

Apple TV - $12.99 a month. This is the only way to get Ted Lasso and any of the soccer matches in Europe. I've started watching "Severence". It's very good. But not $156 a year worth of "good".

I believe I also may have Disney +, but I haven’t stumbled into any House of Mouse content recently. Disney owns the entire Star Wars, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Indiana Jones franchises. Does this mean i can only watch re-runs at Disney+ now?

Here are subscriptions I’m pretty sure I have NOT been snared into yet: Hulu, Sling, Fubo, Philo, separate ESPN (I get at least 2 ESPN channels on Xfinity, so I assume it’s bundled); I don’t have a dedicated NFL streaming package. And I don’t have “new” Direct TV, where the dish is gone and they stream their content to my Xfinity modem.

So far I’m up to around $300 a month. Before I factor in my AT&T wireless plan. That’s costing me $50 a month, even with a paid off phone. And I can’t cut my cellular service, even though I NEVER watch TV on my phone, or my tablet.

So – I’m spending $350 a month to watch tv, receive zillions of spam emails, and occasionally make a phone call. And those dozen services get more complex all the time.

Maybe this is the reason many of us have no cash left at the end of the month. It’s all going to wireless entertainment. I don’t have enough free hours in the day to justify all this expense.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Netflix to pay up to $600 million for Ben Affleck's AI company

REVERSE the DIS-CONNECTION - Movie Recommendation and Review of "Reverse The Curse". Movie Review: Reverse the Curse by David Duchovny

Reconnect the Disconnection = Reverse the Curse

This is a movie about life and it’s about death and life through the eyes of death. First of all will say this is a spoiler. The trailer URL is also a spoiler.

Do you watch trailers before movies? If you do, enjoy. This is a drama, psychologoical death specialist - if was a movie catagory called relateful… Perhaps this would fit. It’s a happy sad ending all in one.

I watch a zillion trailers just to enjoy mini movies. RARELY do i watch the full film. This trailer intrigued me. No one in my life is actively dying. This isn’t about the death as much as REVERSE THE CURSE is about RECONNECTING DISCONNECTIONS. And Ducovny wrote and directed and starred, Good job David, seems like a long way from Californication.

Disconnection from too much love. Disconnection from too much hurt.

In this film, Duchovny plays a father who was a terrible father. There is no disputing the history. But it gets to be repainted in such a beautiful way. If only some of you smarter deeper personal development folks could find more words after seeing the film (if it speaks to you). The film plays him to be the bad dad really well, totally bought the innocent son and distant non loving father, one innocent and one wretched. I didn’t see it until the son saw it. I could not not blame the dad. But we humans are so much more than these double binds, victim molds.

It was so well done. It should win awards. SIDE NOTE: i’m on the selection committee for the SAG awards this year (it will be nominated by me).

This movie is focused on baseball. I do not like baseball or any spectator based sports, but that’s another story. It suits this film well. It’s perfect as it’s not about baseball - spoiler - love when he throws out the map on the way to the stadium. And really wanted his team to win, but it was so perfect the entire time.

The character who has job title Death Specialist almost became an FBI agent earlier in life. She shares a story from her moment at the academy. She takes one big message, In real life the fbi agent shares with her, agents are shot and often die because the mind thinks they are dying from the gun shot. While, in reality most bodies can survive a gunshot. He said most important thing he wants all his agents to know is Don’t let the bullet kill. Don’t let the trauma ruin your life. Don’t let the bad dad make you a bad son or have a bad life. Don’t let the bullet kill you is in my soul in a new way, similar concept, lodged in deeper. Wish could say more, it’s beyond words and done perfectly well in the movie.

Without spoiling more… some little personal tidbits.

Truth be told, i fast forwarded the part that knew was coming, when his protected world was uncovered and his reality was shattered. Much like in the Truman show, when Truman found out his whole life was fake. We all knew it would happen if he lived long enough, how long can they fake reality. Then his trauma is shared on screen. This kind of pain, have enough, know it well, didn’t feel the need to live vicariously. Maybe it’s an edge, a boundary, or a block… It doesn’t mean it isn’t a perfect movie. Doesn’t mean that should remove that scene, it is completely necessary. Makes me happy to say, i skipped that part. It’s like saying, i don’t like hearing sirens, so they should stop using ambulances (do think they should change the sound, another story). But i do close my ears if possible when sirens go by.

Summary the film is about WAKING UP. Taking responsibility. Don’t let the bullet kill you is about forgiveness. The movie caught me in blame for the bad dad and then woah, woah, woah, you all know, we are more complex. Here’s where i lose my wheelhouse. Want to speak on the relatefulness and growth of the characters. The love that is found even at the end of time, even when no more time.

Who doesn’t need a death specialist before they are dying????

Is the coverage freezing for other people? . Or is it just me?

Where are you streaming the debate? I usually watch things like this on Hulu, but lately, Hulu has been spotty.

The Diplomat is amazing. The Netflix show, The Diplomat is amazing. I love it – it ticks all of my boxes for suspense, romance, intrigue, and things I can’t name.

Did you see it, did you like it?

I’m watching A Discovery of Witches and also enjoying that, but both Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches and Interview with a Vampire are sadly proving unwatchable.
Love to hear what you’re watching and loving

What are your sci-fi TV show recommendations? Some i loved that jump to mind:

• The Expanse
• Most of the Marvel stuff like Loki, What If?
• Rick and Morty
• Legends of Tomorrow Etc

What are your sci-fi TV show recommendations? Some i loved that jump to mind:

• The Expanse
• Most of the Marvel stuff like Loki, What If?
• Rick and Morty
• Legends of Tomorrow Etc