I’ve been a Netflix subscriber since 2005, so I have a lot of experience with how they do business. Most of it is good–such as introducing the concept of no late fees and bringing Blockbuster to their knees–but then there’s the less-than-desirable practice of “throttling” and their refusal to list the release dates for DVDs and Blu-ray movies. But despite any complaints, I’ve stuck with the company through it all, and I feel perfectly qualified to discuss the Netflix free trial, Netflix movies, and Netflix plans.

Netflix Free Trial

I never took advantage of the Netflix free trial, because I didn’t need any convincing to join the nation’s largest online movie rental service. I heard about their business thanks to an aggressive marketing campaign, and I was sick and tired of my local video store not carrying the titles I was looking for (especially in regards to foreign cinema) and being such dicks about late fees. Armed with a love for cinema and a painfully slow dial-up connection, I went and joined the Netflix faithful.

If you’re less certain, though, you can sign up and receive one month’s membership for free. You’ll only be able to have one or two movies out at a time, but it should be more than sufficient to see how Netflix works and how long titles will take to reach your home.

You’ll also be able to sample the streaming movies on Netflix, which is important considering that they eventually hope to drop the through-the-mail option entirely. Just imagine how much Netflix spends each year on all that pre-paid postage. When their library of movies can all be streamed online, they’ll be making more money than ever before.

Netflix Movies

Netflix currently has over 100,000 movies in their library, and a much smaller percentage are also available to be streamed online. No matter what kind of film genre you’re into, you can bet that Netflix will carry it (no porn, however). I do run into the occasional movie that isn‘t stocked, but those instances are few and far between (I enjoy watching lots of obscure films).

I usually get my movies through the mail, as I live in a rural area and have spotty Internet service. When I send a title back to Netflix, it almost always arrives the following day, and then my next selection can be expected a day later. I’m perfectly pleased with the two-day turnaround time, although this will depend on how far you’re located from a Netflix distribution center.

When I have watched streaming movies on Netflix, I’ve had no complaints. Just make sure you have a fast and reliable Internet connection, and you won’t have a problem. The only downside is having to watch the movie as-is, meaning you can’t select from various menu options like you could with a DVD. Still, that’s a small price to pay for being able to view films over your PC or Mac with just a couple of clicks.

The selection of streaming films on Netflix used to suck, but they’ve taken great pains to improve the quality in the last few years. They have a deal with Starz that allows them to carry many of the same films that are currently being shown on premium cable, and the overall Netflix streaming library continues to grow.

For those who only watch movies on Blu-ray, you’ll be delighted to know that Netflix offers Blu-ray rentals for a few extra bucks a month. I don’t use this option myself, but it’s perfect for those with elaborate home theatre setups.

And speaking of home theatres, the Netflix streaming option can also be set up to be piped directly to your TV. I have a friend who has a massive high-definition television, and it’s always a treat to get to watch movies with him. I’m not aware of the specifics, but any tech geek worth his salt should be able to figure it out.

The only downside is Netflix’s refusal to provide a list of which movies are coming out in a specific week. They used to do this, but people would end up complaining when the movie they wanted wasn’t immediately available. Netflix got tired of the griping, so they just removed the list. I don’t agree with this policy at all, as anyone who pays a monthly membership fee should have the right to voice their opinion without threat of having a service eliminated.

Netflix Plans

There are a wide array of Netflix plans to choose from, and I’ve used a number of them over the years. When I first became a subscriber, I chose the plan that allowed me to have three movies out at a time. As my appetite for cinema grew, I switched to the 8-movies-at-a-time plan (the largest plan offered by Netflix). But after viewing many of the movies I was really interested in, I ended up dropping down to the 5-at-a-time option.

And since there are no late fees, you can keep your movies as long as you like. I have a pal who’s joined Netflix once or twice in the past, but his selections always end up scattered around his house and never get watched. Of course, I don’t suggest this behavior, as you’ll eventually be asked to pay for the movies in question (when you cancel your membership).

To encourage subscribers to take advantage of their streaming option, Netflix also offers a reduced-price plan that eliminates the mail-order option altogether in favor of online viewing. I won’t go with this plan until I have no other choice, but those who spend all their time online may want to consider it.

That wraps up my look at the Netflix free trial, Netflix movies, and Netflix plans. As I stated earlier, I’ve been a customer since 2005, and my overall experience has been above satisfactory. Those who watch foreign and animated films to the exclusion of all else might want to give GreenCine a look before joining up, but anyone else would be crazy not to give Netflix a try.

And don’t even get me started on Blockbuster. If they hadn’t spent years putting the bottom line before customer satisfaction, then maybe this article would be about them instead. But they didn’t, and so it isn’t. It’s nice to know that the gods of cinema dish out a little justice from time to time (although I’m still waiting for them to do something about Michael Bay and James Cameron).