When I see a trailer, I immediately triage the movie into one of three buckets: 1) Hate it -- I'll watch it on a trans-continental flight if I'm too tired to sleep. Like, that dumb movie with Jackie Chan and the other guy that isn't Chris Rock falls into this bucket. 2) NetFlick it -- looking forward to watching it but don't want to blow a future NetFlick selection by seeing it in the theater. Michael Clayton falls squarely in this bucket. 3) See it in the theater -- only reserved for movies I think will be dramatically better on the big screen than at home, in my pyjamas, drinking a glass of wine, snuggled in with my wife and snoozy old hound next to me., So, Indiana Jones will be a theater selection (unless the reviews absolutely stink).

It's not because George Clooney isn't a draw. It's not because Michael Clayton isn't foing to be a great watch. It's because I cherish my NetFlick opportunities.

I think modernly Hollywood figures NetFlix (DVD rental) is where the "Michael Claytons" are going to make their real money.

The theatrical run of "mature entertainment" is generally designed to create a "theatrical aura" for the movie, earn first dollars and -- hopefully and occasionally with the right movie -- generate hit money during the theatrical release ("Sideways," "Crash," "Million Dollar Baby")

Still, it has to sting George Clooney a little to know that his movies simply don't earn much theatrical. He's rarely had the taste of people lining up to see his movies. It happened with "The Perfect Storm" and the "Ocean's."

Funny thing. He pretty much said this in a TV interview I saw about a year ago. "Only the Ocean's movies are hits," he said, almost shaking his head like he knew that, and he was resigned to it.

His next movie is called "Leatherheads," evidently a "pure entertainment comedy" about football in the 20's with Clooney in a romantic triangle with Krasinski from "The Office" and Renee Zellwegger.

That movie was just postponed from Christmas to 2008 some time. I wonder why.

So, by saying you cherish your opportunities to watch a movie on Netflix, does that mean you do not have that many movies on your list? That's never a problem for me, so theater experiences are actually more valuable to me.