Sponsored content by SnagFilms.com.
“Discover Something Different”—three simple words that effectively capture what SnagFilms does. In a sea of blockbusters and Hollywood hits, the pool of available films on instant play can get old pretty fast. Enter SnagFilms. It’s a site that solves the age-old problem of finding content that’s actually good and worth watching.
A 2013 Webby Award honoree and recently named one of Red Herring’s Top 100 Technology companies, SnagFilms is a free movie site that’s unlike any other. Host to a large library of compelling movies, from clips to full-length films, SnagFilms boasts an impressive selection of the most seminal documentaries, critics’ picks and narratives of our time. With 11 “channels” to pick from, including comedy, LGBT and festival favorites, there’s something perfect for every palate.
But really, everyone knows that the best movie recommendations come from word of mouth. That’s why SnagFilms launched a new social video platform in June 2013 to accommodate the increasing need for a space where critics, movie buffs and casual viewers can connect, discover and recommend great titles. Movie recommendations on this new platform are based on your own personal preferences as well as suggestions from your social network and “cream of the crop” SnagFilms’ editorial selections. You’ll never get a message from SnagFilms along the lines of “Loved Thor? You’ll love The Hulk!” SnagFilms recommendations are not solely dependent on this set of problem-solving operations that spew out hit-or-miss suggestions.
But who's this crack editorial team we mentioned, the ones responsible for curating SnagFilms’ existing and growing collection of cinematic gems? They're led by new managing editor Michael Pielocik, who comes to SnagFilms from The Onion, where he spent years writing for their web videos and television shows. Michael was also an associate producer and programmer at Thirteen WNET New York, the nation's largest public television station. He and his team are combing the SnagFilms library so they can bring you everything from kung fu to Merchant Ivory. Their “SnagSelects” range from artsy to action-packed to socially conscious to just plain weird. In other words, no matter what you're looking for, you'll find it on SnagFilms. Plus, the selections often stay current with popular culture.
In light of the Supreme Court overturning California’s ban on same-sex marriages and decreeing the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, SnagFilms spotlighted Inspired: The Voices Against Prop 8, a documentary that chronicles several people’s lives in the wake of Proposition 8 as they took action in passionate rallies and defiant marches, paving the way of the new gay rights movement.
And to serve the Game of Thrones fan base after the recent Season 3 finale, Aberdeen was featured, a 2000 film starring Lena Headey (who plays Cersei Lannister in the HBO series). The drama follows Kaisa’s nuclear family that was blown to bits years ago—her mother in Aberdeen, her father in Oslo and Kaisa in London. She has to transport her father back to Scotland, but her cargo proves to be more of a problem than she imagined.
The most coveted placement on the homepage is the main feature selected by the SnagFilms’ editors. Most recently, Ride with the Devil, a 1999 Ang Lee-directed film, snatched the position. The drama stars Tobey Maguire playing an immigrant’s son who fights for truth and justice during the American Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas border along with a staunch loyalist, a freed slave and a young widow.
Heeding these editors’ picks may be the easiest and most surefire way for great recommendations, but at times even that’s not enough. It’s why SnagFilms has also deeply integrated social media. Great movie recommendations can often come from your own friends and other trusted sources. And in that same vein, SnagFilms uses its social networking platform to help its users discover and spread the word on great films. After signing in with Facebook or Twitter, exploring and experiencing films essentially becomes an interactive viewing party. Building a network of friends, film critics and other movie-lovers is easy and even recommended on the site, and guarantees that the movie selections that you receive will be just right for you.
SnagFilms was built on the belief that the best endorsements come from three trusted sources: friends, experts and yourself. And thanks to that unique combination, SnagFilms has become wildly popular in helping unite film fanatics, experts and casual viewers together who all share the same passion: Discovering something different.