Netflix Diaries is a weekly feature on Criticize This! that looks at what we’re watching via Netflix Canada, and our ongoing experience with the service. This feature is not sponsored or endorsed by Netflix Canada in any matter.
I’ve been so busy with home renovations lately that I haven’t found time to watch anything other than the DVD and Blu-ray screeners in my “must review” pile. So when I got stuck in line at the car wash the other day, I took the opportunity to check Netflix on my iPhone to see what I’ve been missing. One of the top titles was Chapter 27, which I’ve been interested in seeing since it came out in 2007. The film is a look into the life of Mark David Chapman over the course of the three days leading up to him shooting, and killing, John Lennon. I’m not a fan of viewing movies on a small screen, but it was hard to stop watching Chapter 27 once I started thanks mainly to Jared Leto’s amazing portrayal of Chapman (he gained over 60 pounds for the role and is nearly unrecognizable). After 10 minutes I decided to wait until I got home to finish the movie properly and give it my full attention.
It’s hard to call Chapter 27 a good movie. For the most part it only touches on the subject at hand without digging into who Chapman was and where he came from. That said, it is interesting to get an idea as to what Chapman’s motives were, his fascination with J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, and how he tried to stop himself from doing what he did. Of course, only taking what we see in a fictional Hollywood account as fact would be silly (the film did make me want to learn more about Chapman and the horrific event so it does deserve some praise). I’m sure hardcore Lennon fans will be offended at the whole concept of Chapter 27, and the fact that another Mark Chapman, Mark Lindsay Chapman, portrays Lennon, is sure to piss a few people off too.
Chapter 27 streams in HD on a compatible device. I had no issues watching it on the XBOX 360 or on the iPhone.
Some recent titles on Netflix Canada we’ve noticed this week include Thieves By Law (2010, SD), How to Cook Your Life (2007, HD), and Primal (2009, HD).
What are you watching on Netflix Canada? Let us know in the comments below and we might include it in an upcoming Netflix Diaries piece.
