There are tons of streaming services out there. I have personally used more than 50 different streamers since 2020. You have your standard “big dogs,” like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Then there are the network-specific channels like HBO Max, Disney+ and Peacock. And the rest of the field is rounded out by services set aside for niche viewers. You have Shudder and Full Moon for the horror addicts. Crunchyroll for anime lovers. You even have the Hallmark Channel for people who just love living cheesy Christmas movies all year long.
Fandor is probably best classified as a niche service, but their niche tends to cast a much larger net than the others. You see, Fandor prides itself on spotlighting independent films. You are not going to find big-budget, current films here and that is its charm. But high dollars does not necessarily mean low entertainment. Fandor wants to change the culture of thought around indie films that the mainstream public tends to watch.
The streaming service has been around for a while. It originally began in 2011 and was available as a standalone app on devices like Roku and iOS. But in 2018, the company started shutting down operations. Soon, it sold off all of its assets to investment brokers. Fortunately, Fandor was rescued from the abyss of failed internet apps by Cinedigm Corp, a company that owns several other streaming services. Through this renewed lease on life, Fandor has found its way to the Amazon Prime service.
I decided to give it a shot and try out the free preview. I have to admit that I knew very little about Fandor when I signed in. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.
So, just what can you find on Fandor? I am so glad you asked. The movie offerings are broken down by categories. You have Action, Comedy, Horror, Fantasy, Drama and International categories, just to name a few. Most of the films are considered “older,” having been made before 2000. In just a few minutes of thumbing through the catalog of films, I found some gems. House on Haunted Hill (1959), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), Gorgo (1961) and Fear in the Night (1947) are some of the top picks I found here. If you have never had a chance to see these films, Fandor is your hookup. I even found the film some call the worst movie ever made, Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010). I classify that film as “so bad you have to see it.”
Fandor has a pretty sizeable library of films to choose from. I believe at the time of this article, there are about 4,000 films ready to be seen. The app is easy to navigate, using the same tools one would use when searching through Amazon Prime Video. According to the Fandor website, they are working on an app redesign, making it a standalone service once again. But for now, you have to have an Amazon Prime account to get the free trial.
If you are a fan of older independent and foreign films, Fandor is a great bargain. After the trial, the rate is just $3.99 per month. While some of the films in its library have had runs on Netflix, most of these movies will never make it to any other streaming platform. Fandor fits an underserved market of movie fans.