One of Netflix’s big selling points over the years has been its ability to recommend films its users will like, to the point where the company gave away a $1 million prize to the team of scientists who could improve its taste graph by 10 percent.
But let’s say you’re one of the 810,000 people who quit Netflix over the last quarter. You could always go back to your local video store (just kidding! It’s closed). Or rebuild your taste graph by spending years watching films on a new service, like you did with Netflix, coming to know one another like trusting lovers, finally able to admit to yourself that yes, you love romantic foreign dramas with a comedic touch.
Luckily the local connoisseur from Hunch have got you covered. They just rolled out their Netflix Predictor this week, which allows users to log in with their Hunch account and get a wide selection of movies recommended to them. Based on the number of films it offered me which I have already seen and loved, it’s a good bet they have cracked the “Napoleon Dynamite problem,” in which some quirkier films are so polarizing that it’s almost impossible to predict whether someone will like it.
If you’re still a Netflix user you can actually connect your Netflix account to Hunch’s taste graph, essentially doubling down on the targeted recommendation. The Hunch service also comes with a slider that allows you to select your decade, a good thing when you’re in the mood for some 50s noir or some 80s cheese. And if you’re with a group you can toggle between “best for you” and “most popular,” a nice option to get something a little less targeted.
Have you recently quit Netflix? Switched to Amazon or Hulu or Shelby.tv? Let us know how you’re finding good movie recommendations in the comments.
