Rifflix Night

Like you have anything better to do.

Now that I'm back from job training, I can get back in the groove and finish up some projects I've been working on. At least, I hope so. Work's still real nasty right now, so most of my time off work is spent chillin', ya dig?

Speaking of which, Rifflix Night on Xbox Live was inaugurated two weeks ago. It's an officialized communification of a tradition my brother (Wrecklaimer) and I started a while back. We'd watch a movie together over Xbox Live using Netflix instant streaming. Inevitably, we turned to mocking the films.

It's pure gold. Ba-zing!

XBL friends MichiganSniper5 and ImperialPie joined me for a viewing of "Leprechaun in the Hood." After some screwing around, trying to figure out how to get everyone watching the same thing, we had a great time. Unfortunately, Wrecklaimer had suspended his Netflix account on account of his school schedule, so it was just us three.

Thus, a tradition began. I've received some positive feedback from friends who want to join in, and a few questions about the whole thing. Here's a general overview/FAQ:

 What is Rifflix Night?

A rip-off of "Rifftrax" (audio commentaries for films by the cast and crew of "Mystery Science Theater 3000"), cleverly combined with "Netflix", the video service used to view the material.

Up to four friends gather in an Xbox Live party and watch a bad movie together. Witty and scathing commentary from fellow viewers really make the whole thing what it is.

 What do you watch?

Really, the only criteria for the films are that they be trashy, so-bad-they're-good, or just plain bad. Parodies or anything deliberately bad don't really qualify. It helps if the film is unintentionally cheesy, cheap (low-budget), or stupid (but not for lack of trying). Granted, some films intentionally set the bar low, but sometimes they work, too.

 How do you watch?

To participate, you must have:

1. An Xbox Live Gold membership
2. A Netflix account (automatically makes you eligible for the on-demand service)
3. The Netflix app downloaded on your Xbox 360
4. An Xbox 360 headset/microphone
5. Alcohol (encouraged, but not mandatory. Not permitted for minors)
6. A good sense of humor, willingness to join in with one-liners and witty observations

 When do you watch?

So far, we've only done Rifflix Night on Friday evenings. But there's no reason Saturdays can't work as well. Really, it depends on who's available at what time. Being an Eastern time zone resident, I usually host around 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. my time. But that is also flexible. I try to schedule the viewings so that if anyone has plans for the rest of the evening (away from the Xbox or a game later), we get the film out of the way first.

 What's next?

Here's a list of some dreck I have in my Instant Que, ripe for the riffing:

• Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus
• Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever
• Godzilla's Revenge (I'm going through every Godzilla movie I can find)
• Zardoz (yes, the one with Sean Connery in a mankini)
• Suggestions from the peanut gallery. Find a bad one, see if it's on Netflix. Or trawl through and pick something that looks "good."

 Can I join in?

Got any money?

 No.

Well, then fuck you that's okay!

 Problem(s)?

A few. For whatever reason, "Jaws: The Revenge" isn't compatible with party mode. Bummer.

Also, being Canadian. Or at least residing in Canada. Different Netflix, with different selection. Very few movies that can be shared between us. Double bummer. 

 Contact

Send me a message over Xbox Live, leave a comment here, Facebook message, email, carrier pigeon... you'll figure something out.