They already have the recommendation engine built and they need every differentiation they can get to compete with the crowd of streaming providers.
Right now, I don't know of anyone who has limited spare time who would risk trying something unknown just because it shows up in their Netflix recommendations. If Netflix got those right frequently, people would rely on it more and probably enjoy it more. A 10% increase in accuracy has a decent chance to push beyond the invisible "good enough to trust" threshold and create an experience other streaming services just don't have.
When Netflix users only decide what movies to watch based only on the titles they recognize from marketing campaigns, their disappointment with Netflix's selection will be higher.
Their optimal strategy is to have a recommendation engine that routes users to good, but unknown movies that they know people end up enjoying if they just take the dive to start watching them.
Heck, if it did that I'd be happy. I don't even know why I still have my Netflix subscription. The selection is basically as good (bad) as Hulu and Crackle, the price is higher and the recommendations are laughable (right now they're pushing: Velvet, a TV series about a Spanish fashion house; Sense 8, the latest lameness from the Wachowski brothers; Elsa & Fred, aimed at old people, a Robert Pattinson vehicle, Orange is the New Black, The Butler and piles of other stuff I would never watch if you tied me to a chair).
Frankly, I don't believe they have a recommendation engine anymore: I think they just suggest whatever is cheapest for them to play.
This simple but more accurate model would have been a useful foundation for Netflix to build its own internal models on, and highlight the flaws in the assumption of the Cinermark algo.