"Let's watch Love Actually."
"I'm not in the mood for that. Can we please do The Crown? "
"Ugh, no. I don't want something that serious."
"Well, what will you watch?"
The above is a much abbreviated, but completely accurate version of every discussion that takes place when I try to have a family movie night. Or, really, any night when we want to put on Netflix. It usually ends with us sticking with reruns of Absolutely Fabulous for the millionth time.
That isn't a bad thing — Patsy's magazine episode never gets old — but it is frustrating. It also means that most of us don't actually get to watch something we're in the mood for.
Figuring out what you want to stream isn't any easier on your own. According to a study from Rovi, the average person spends almost 20 minutes trying to figure out what to watch on Netflix or Hulu. That's almost one full episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt that you could be watching.
With that in mind, we've rounded up 15 apps, sites, and bots that will help you make a decision — fast. Some are totally random while others take your preferences into account. Either way, now we can end the Netflix decision making conflict once and for all.
Have Someone Else Decide For YouWhatthehellshouldIwatchonNetflix.com is a digital roll-of-the-dice decision maker. Choose a category (movies or TV) and genre, and the site comes up with a streaming option for you. Of course, if you don't like what's randomly selected, you can always click for another option (although that kind of defeats the point). On our first go at selecting a random comedy movie, we got the excellent film I Love You Phillip Morris.
Photo: WhatthehellshouldIwatchonNetflix.com
Spin The (Digital) Wheel
Upflix is another one that randomly selects your movie or show for you, but this time, you can be a little more specific in your search. To make sure you don't get some terrible, straight-to-home-release movie, you can opt for ones with at least a 3 or above Netflix rating.
Photo: Upflix.
Crowdsource From An Uninvolved Third Party
When in doubt, let Rotten Tomatoes groupies help you choose. Filter the movies on Reelgood by Rotten Tomatoes audience and go with one of the options with the highest Tomato score.
Photo: Reelgood.
Make A More Informed Decision
Watching a trailer and video clips or listening to a movie's soundtrack can help you figure out if you're in the mood for an old school rom-com (à la Audrey Hepburn) or something more modern. The Fan TV app gives you all those resources in one, easy-to-click through space.
Photo: Fan TV.
Go For The Specifics
Netflix's subcategories are the gift that keeps on giving. Why just search the "Drama" section when you could see dramas based on books, social issue dramas, and dramas based on real life? You can find all of these in Netflix by going to the individual genre page and selecting the subgenre drop-down tab to the right. Or, you can go here for a complete list of all subcategories in one convenient location.
Photo: Netflix.
Find Even More Niche Categories
The Buddy TV Guide app is kind of like Pinterest for movie viewing. You can pin movies to your page (the app calls pins "Vibes") and search the lists that others have created. So, when you're really craving a "secretly mature cartoon" or "teen TV for grownups," you'll be able to find the perfect option.
Photo: Buddy TV Guide.
Take The Tinder Approach
Movidea brings Bumble and Tinder's swipe right, swipe left interface to Hollywood flicks. Just pick which genres you like and specify popularity and year range. The app pulls up movies that fit your criteria and those you swipe right on will be added to your viewing list. You can browse this app on your commute home, then have your night's viewing options all set by the time you walk in the door.
Photo: Movidea.
Look Beyond Netflix
Figuring out what to watch on Netflix is a challenge if you're not seeing anything you like. So, broaden your streaming search. FlixFindr has the benefit of including eight different streaming sources — from Showtime Anytime to Xfinity — so you know you have the largest range possible. That could be overwhelming, but the app's advanced filter page, which lets you specify a Rotten Tomato score, release date, and genre, will make it easier to narrow your options.
Photo: FlixFindr.
Text For An Idea
Shoot a text to the HuffPost Entertainment Bot in Facebook Messenger and you'll be given a list of categories with appropriately hilarious GIFs to match. Then, if you log on to your Netflix account, you can start streaming the movie in seconds. (We love this weepy young Leo GIF for "drama.")
Photo: Facebook Messenger.
Message For Ideas Based On What You Like
And Chill might have a cheeky name, but it is all business. The bot, accessible through Facebook Messenger, delivers spot-on recommendations after you give it a sense of your preferences. Describe the type of movie, genre, and actors you like in depth for the most accurate suggestions.
Photo: Facebook Messenger.
Match Your Mood
Do you want something thrilling and happy and lighthearted? Or maybe you want some emotional, romantic fantasy. Finding something that fits your exact mood can feel impossible, but the Yahoo! Video Guide 's Mood Picker comes up with a list of spot-on choices every time.
Photo: Yahoo! Video Guide.
Go For A Pro Pick
IMDb can feel like a time suck — searching for one actor leads to another and then another — but the reviews are a must-have. Use Wioflix (which stands for "What Is On Netflix") to sort through the clutter and organise movies by IMDb rating.
Photo: Wioflix.
Weigh In On The Conversation
Go to Reddit's "Best Of Netflix" section to see what others are watching and loving. Then, after you've finally successfully found your flick, help a pal out by leaving your own suggestions.
Photo: Reddit.
When You Know What You Want
On the off chance that you do have a movie in mind but aren't sure if you can stream it, download Can I Stream.it? The app will tell you where you can find it, so you'll know if you have to pay to rent it on iTunes or if you can stream it for free on Hulu.
Photo: Can I Stream.it?
Share Ideas With Friends
It's way easier to decide on a flick for movie night beforehand than on the night itself. Skip hours of back-and-forth by downloading the comprehensive Go Watch It app. You can share your finds with friends and create a queue that you can pull up once you're settled in with wine on Saturday.
Photo: Go Watch It.
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