5 d. ago Bland, easy to follow, for fans of everything: what has the Netflix algorithm done to our films?

When the streaming giant began making films guided by data that aimed to please a vast audience, the results were often generic, forgettable, artless affairs. But is there a happy ending?When the annals of 2025 at the movies are written, no one will remember The Electric State. The film, a sci-fi comic-book adaptation, is set in a world in which sentient robots have lost a war with humans. Netflix blew a reported $320m on it, making it the 14th most expensive film ever made. But it tanked: though The Electric State initially claimed the No 1 spot on the streamer, viewers quickly lost interest. Today, it doesn’t even feature in the company’s top 20 most viewed films, a shocking performance for its most expensive production to date. It became just another anonymous “mockbuster”, crammed with the overfamiliar, flashy signifiers of big-screen film-making: a Spielbergian childhood quest, a Mad Max post-apocalyptic wasteland, Fallout-style retro-futuristic trimmings.Another way of classif...

Technology

7 d. ago Marc Maron goes scorched earth on Netflix, Dave Chappelle and Bill Maher: ‘Fascism is good for business’

Podcast host says Netflix will ‘just co-opt anybody that can tick that algorithm’

Economics

2 w. ago Swansea City fans' forum LIVE: Updates as club chiefs face supporters

Follow all the latest from Swansea City's latest fan forum

Society

3 w. ago Premier League's great ticket problem as new survey outlines problem 79% of fans face

The new Premier League season is here, and fans will be hoping to follow their favourite team home and away, but they may hit a stumbling block with regards to securing tickets

Sport

4 w. ago ‘Refreshingly optimistic' superhero series fans say is 'so much fun' now streaming for free

This charming comic book series is now on ITVX and is the perfect follow-up for fans of the new Superman movie

Sport

last month How to watch Man Utd vs Everton: TV channel, live stream and kick

For fans looking to tune into or follow the pre-season showdown between Manchester United and Everton, here's everything you need to know, courtesy of Mirror Football

Politics