Aside from the House of Cards debacle and that creepy video Kevin Spacey made, Netflix had a pretty good year. They released The Haunting Of Hill House, a terrifying drama about a dysfunctional family haunted by ghosts. The show was a surprise hit, as viewers loved the gripping story, plus hunting for hidden specters in the background of every scene.
Recently the streaming giant launched another highly anticipated project: Black Mirror - Bandersnatch, an interactive choose-your-own-adventure film. In the supernatural thriller, viewers get to make moral decisions for characters, which often have grave consequences. The creators said there are at least five possible endings, and your experience could last anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes.
Usually Netflix keeps their viewing data secret, which is good, because I don't want anybody knowing I watched the first season of Fuller House. However, the company couldn't help but brag today after breaking another milestone:
"Took off my blindfold this morning to discover that 45,037,125 Netflix accounts have already watched Bird Box," the company tweeted. "Best first 7 days ever for a Netflix film! Wow! That's a lot of people that didn't want to talk to their family during Christmas.
The psychological horror film stars Sandra Bullock, Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich and Machine Gun Kelly. Yes, that Machine Gun Kelly who got roasted in a diss track war with Eminem a few months ago. You thought he was done, didn't you? Nope. He's on the big screen. Well, the little screen that is also pretty big. I'm calling it now, 2019 will be the year of Machine Gun Kelly! Whoop, whoop!
The official synopsis states: "When a mysterious force decimates the world’s population, only one thing is certain: If you see it, you take your life. Facing the unknown, Malorie finds love, hope and a new beginning only for it to unravel. Now she must flee with her two children down a treacherous river to the one place left that may offer sanctuary. But to survive, they’ll have to undertake the perilous two-day journey blindfolded."
Critics have pointed out that Netflix's accomplishment should come with an asterisk: 45 million accounts viewed Bird Box, you say? Is that global or international? What does "watching" mean, exactly? If someone turns it off after five minutes, does that count as a watch? What if the film plays automatically after a viewer has fallen asleep? Where's the independent, third-party sourcing? I want answers, Netflix! Or I'll never watch Fuller House again!
Well, one thing cannot be denied: Bird Box is popular, and is reaching the young generation. Yesterday a Twitter user referred to Academy Award-winner and three-decade acting legend Sandra Bullock as "that lady from Bird Box," sparking outrage.
Well, sorry, Twitter, but now it's official. Sandra Bullock, you are not that lady from Speed, or that lady from Miss Congeniality, or that lady from The Blind Side. You are that lady from Bird Box. Embrace it!
