The problem with a recommendation engine is that it breaks down when content options are limited. In Netflix's early days of streaming, they had a similar approach to content as they did with DVDs, i.e. capitalizing on the long tail and offering an enormous selection. That proved to be inefficient for streaming because there's a minimum bar at which rightsholders will sell licences, and it's far higher than just the price of a few DVDs. Thus, Netflix switched to a more limited acquisition model, and then began a more aggressive program of content creation to effectively gate its offer from competing services. The upside of this for consumers has been a shift by many talented creators into series-style content; the downside is that the market for independently-produced films has bottomed out considerably.