The Top Movies That Will be Removed From Netflix When the Starz Play Deal Expires

Before we get to the meat of the article, it should most definitely be highlighted that Seasons 1-3 of Breaking Bad are now available to stream via Netflix. The surprise announcement adds a show that would most definitely appear in the top 5 of our list of the Best TV Shows on Netflix Instant Watch.

As you may have recently heard, Netflix and Starz were unable to reach an agreement to renew their contract, so all of the “Starz Play” movies will no longer be available to stream beginning February 28^th of 2012.

It’s a sizeable loss for Netflix, and a potential signal of rough waters ahead for the company. Netflix offered Starz $300 million but they wouldn’t take it. Given how limited Starz library is, it’s a relatively surprising move. Here’s my opinion: don’t get mad at Netflix, they’re doing everything they can to have a stellar (and profitable) product but the typically backwards thinking of the big studio executives is killing it. Streaming is still too new for them to commit to it in any big way, especially in something as potentially comprehensive as Netflix. This is no Blockbuster situation, Netflix is not going to go under because they’re sitting idly by, ignoring consumer trends.

Here’s a list of the Starz Play movies you should make an effort to watch before they expire (click any of them to add them to your queue):

Movies for the Whole Family

• Tangled (2010) – Mandy Moore
• Toy Story 3 (2010) – Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
• Ponyo (2008) – Tina Fey
• Astro Boy (2009) – Nic Cage
• Secretariat (2010) – Diane Lane
• The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010) – Nic Cage
• The Last Song (2010) – Miley Cyrus
• Tales from Earthsea (2006) – Timothy Dalton
• A Christmas Carol (2009) – Jim Carrey
• The Pebble and the Penguin (1995) – Don Bluth (dir.)

Romantic Movies

• When in Rome (2010) – Kristen Bell
• The American President (1995) – Michael Douglas
• Chicago (2002) – Catherine Zeta Jones, John C. Reilly
• Maid in Manhattan (2002) – Jennifer Lopez

Horror, Action and Sci Fi

• Apocalypto (2006) – Mel Gibson (dir.)
• The Thing (1982) – Kurt Russell
• Big Trouble in Little China (1986) – Kurt Russell
• Let Me In (2010) – Richard Jenkins
• Apollo 13 (1995) – Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon
• The Crazies (2009) – Timothy Olyphant
• Red Dragon (2002) – Edward Norton, Anthony Hopkins
• Hellboy (2004) – Guillermo del Toro (dir.)
• Mortal Kombat: The Movie (1995) – Christopher Lambert
• Blade 2 (2002) – Wesley Snipes
• Pandorum (2009) – Dennis Quaid
• Frozen (2010) – Solid little horror flick
• Absolute Power (1997) – Clint Eastwood
• Brooklyn’s Finest (2009) – Richard Gere, Don Cheadle
• Stone (2010) – Edward Norton, Robert De Niro
• And Soon the Darkness (2010) – Amber Heard, Karl Urban
• Jason X (2002)
• The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984) – Peter Weller
• Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) – Nic Cage
• In the Mouth of Madness (1994) – Sam Neill, John Carpenter (dir.)
• eXistenZ (1999) – Jude Law, David Cronenberg (dir.)
• Night of the Living Dead (1968) – George Romero (dir.)
• Simone (2002) – Al Pacino

Some Classics

• The Sting (1973) – Paul Newman, Robert Redford
• Airport (1970) – Charlton Heston
• Send Me No Flowers (1964) – Doris Day, Rock Hudson
• Double Indemnity (1944) – Fred MacMurray
• Lenny (1974) – Dustin Hoffman
• Four for Texas (1963) – The Rat Pack
• The Stranger (1946) – Orson Welles

Everything Else

• The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) – George Clooney
• Party Down (2009-2010) – Adam Scott. One of the best comey shows on TV recently
• Gangs of New York (2002) – Daniel Day Lewis
• Casino (1995) – Robert De Niro
• Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) – Mike Myers
• Step Up 3 (2010)
• The Money Pit (1986) – Tom Hanks
• Anger Management (2003) – Adam Sandler
• The Verdict (1982) – Paul Newman
• Blue Velvet (1986) – Dennis Hopper
• Cannibal! The Musical (1996) – Trey Parker, Matt Stone
• Trucker (2008) – Nathan Fillion
• Gigli (2003) – Ben Affleck

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