Stupid, Stupid Netflix

Netflix is closing Red Envelope Entertainment, its film purchasing and distribution arm, because "...the Red Envelope Entertainment unit competed with its main suppliers, Hollywood studios." This is a big bummer, actually. Two of the movies that Red Envelope produced, Sherrybaby (a movie about an irresponsible mom on parole starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Danny Trejo) and Confessions of a Superhero (a documentary about the people who dress up like superheroes and stand around Hollywood Boulevard taking pictures with tourists for tips) were among my favorites of the last few years. They had a distinctly un-big-studio pacing and sensibility that I'll genuinely miss. Red Envelope also distributed that Helvetica movie that everyone went nuts about a few months ago, as well as a ton of other documentaries and little indie dramas. I... [read full story]