Netflix, RPGs, and You
I am a Netflix customer and have been since its inception in 1997 (when you paid a fee per movie as if you went to the corner video store). Since then, they have implemented some pretty cool features. One of them is the Instant Watch feature. You can watch some movies and TV shows online for free, if you already have a Netflix account of course. And if you’re like me, you were lucky enough to get a Roku Netflix Player to watch them on your TV. One of the things I don’t like about Netflix is that you can’t search only through the movies available to watch instantly. But I was able to Google a site that allows you to search through only the Instant Watch movies.
Yesterday, I searched through all the movies that were classified as Fantasy and/or Science Fiction. There are a lot of good movies out there that can be used for inspiration. So if you have a Netflix account and are looking for a spark to put into your RPG, just search for these and fire it up in your browser!
Each link goes to the page in Netflix to add it to your Netflix Instant Watch queue (if you’re a Netflix member, of course)
Big Trouble in Little China
A classic pulp action comedy. It’s got a smart-ass main character, an immortal bad guy, and a funky beholder. Almost the perfect movie and the makings of an almost perfect pulp RPG.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Entire series)
The classic sci-fi TV series from the late 1970′s. I still have a huge crush on Erin Gray. If you’re playing a Sci-Fi RPG, this is good for inspiration on NPCs (bee-dee, bee-dee, bee-dee) and plot.
Clash of the Titans
Titans, Pegasus, Krakens, Medusa, and Greek Gods. All of the makings of a great fantasy game.
Dragonheart
It’s not a perfect movie but it’s got a great twist to the old knights vs. dragons plot. A knight befriends the last dragon to defeat the BBEG. Of course, no one likes the dragon at first because they’re “evil.” But, by the end, they’re all one big happy family.
Dungeons and Dragons
Yeah, it sucks but it does have some “ok” story elements. If nothing else, you learn that a beholder can be easily distracted by throwing a rock.
Excalibur
Personally, I think this is a crappy movie and never got into it. However, it is the classic King Arthur tale and stars Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, and Patrick Stewart.
Justice League: The New Frontier
This is a fantastic new animated movie set in the golden age of comics. Hal Jordan is the central character, played up grandly as a pacificist who is a grand choice for Green Lantern. RPG-wise, it shows what a truly conflicted hero can be. One who is truly confused as to whether or not to take the job. Do you take the job to protect hundreds of thousands of people when that job requires you to sometimes use violence?
Ladyhawke
A great mystery/fantasy adventure/romance. Great plot twist with the two lovers forced to live in the same world, but one always in light and the other always in darkness. Can the PC bring the lovers together and stop the evil that is keeping them apart?
Legend
The main character has to fight evil to keep the woman he loves. Classic fantasy tale.
The 13th Warrior
A band of warriors intent on stopping evil and saving a town from destruction. Sound familiar?
The Beastmaster
The quintessential Druid and how to play it.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The classic sci-fi tale of saving the planet from total destruction.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
It’s an entire campaign wrapped up in a 105 minute movie. It has all the elements of a major story-arcing fantasy adventure.
The Neverending Story
A “real person” pulled in to a fantasy world filled with all kinds of great characters. A true “through the looking glass” movie that would be a lot of fun to play as an RPG.
Of course, there are more than just these to instantly watch but these are the ones that I think could easily give you inspiration in your current campaign. So go out there! If you’re a member of Netflix, put these in your Queue! If you’re not, you can try a two-week trial and see how it works! 
