It took me far too long to log this list, but here it is finally in text form. I’m striving to do better in terms of figuring out who did audio description for every film. This year, the information is very spotty, so I’m just mentioning the film, and where I watched it. Sometimes there are multiple tracks. However, often the track from the cinema ends up on streaming as well. or perhaps, we get the UK track.

20) Air (Amazon)

This audio description really takes off in the multitude of 80’s references, as well as some really well described scouting footage that Matt Damon has to watch to try and discover the next big thing for Nike. I have seen this twice, and perhaps that is what helped elevate it to the final list of twenty. A really well made track, mixed nicely, and an excellent choice of narrator.

19) Spider-Man Across The Spiderverse (Apple Store)

The degree of difficulty here is higher, thanks to the onslaught on spider-folk in the film. In certain sequences, not only do you want to make sure you get the references to these obscure variants, but distinguish them in the track. I thought this really handled the stuff well. I do think the track side-stepped some references to Spider-Gwen being transgender, but I can see why Sony would make that request. Pointing out that Gwen has a transgender flag in their room may not be plot specific, but sighted kids did feel the representation, I just don’t think blind kids did. Again, I’m fairly certain this had to have been a request from Sony, so I’m not holding it against the rest of the excellent description.

18) Anatomy Of A Fall (Screener Copy)

I’ve actually watched this twice from my screener from neon, so I’m not sure if this matches the one Hulu has. This is a terrific track that does a great job of exploring the mystery of the titular fall, translating an immense amount of non-English dialogue, and also giving Milo Machado Granger’s nuanced performance as much reverence as it deserves.

17) Saltburn (Amazon)

From being willing to name characters before someone says their name, to the fascinating costumes at an engaging party, to the opulence of the estate itself, the track of Saltburn certainly helps create the ambiance. After seeing this film twice, it’s really how the description handles the difficult subject matter that makes it more impressive. From the “You’re lucky I’m a vampire” moment, to Barry Keoghan really cleaning that bathtub, to his… show of grief at the gravesite, the team found the perfect way to describe the salaciousness of all of it.

16) Leave The World Behind (Netflix)

I loved the focus on camera direction and angles here. There are moments where the camera pans down from the first floor to the second. There’s also a shot that pulls in through a key hole. I wouldn’t know these things without not just the attention to detail, but the recognition that directors do bring something to the table. Yes, the lady isn’t translated, but the whole point of that scene is that Ethan Hawke can’t understand her, or heed her warning.

15)They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix)

From the science fiction nature of dealing with clones, to the incredibly specific costume, hair, and set design, I really felt that the track for this embodied everything this film was and wanted to be. It truly compliments the work.

14) Rustin (Netflix)

An expansive ensemble to keep track of, along with a script full of dialogue may make this seem like an odd pick, but it is in those quieter moments, when the narrator captures the magic of Coleman Domingo’s performance as Baird Rustin that you feel the care being given to this subject. From making you aware historical figures are on screen, to helping define history, this was an excellent track.

13) Oppenheimer (Cinema/Peacock)

I’ve seen this one twice as well, and it was the same track both times. Another film with a profound amount of dialogue, the narration team takes the time to focus on acting choices, the flashes of horrific implications of bomb use, and tracking an expansive cast that seems to never end. Everyone seems to be wearing a suit and tie, but it’s what those men and women bring to those roles, and how this description captures it. Also, the bomb test segment is incredibly well done.

12) Evil Dead Rise (MAX)

This was pure insanity. From that opening sequence, which is so well done, to the happenings inside the apartment complex, this was a wild ride. Things happen to characters, around characters, and through the peep hole of the apartment that I thought was all exceptional. Just trying to describe whatever the hell that was at the end too, must have been a bitch.

11) Poor Things (Apple Store)

This description does such a good job with the character makeup of these outlandish characters, and isn’t afraid to describe the oodles of sex Emma Stone has in this film. But what captured my heart and soul was the mention of visual stylistic choices by the director, including acknowledgement of the use of black and white, as well as one scene being shot with a fish eye lens.Not every blind person is blind since birth, and these little fragments often answer questions about why a certain director is getting so much praise. There are also a dozen of od hybrids roaming around.

10) Society Of The Snow (Netflix)

I love having international content described, and we get so little of it. This excellent true story captured a harrowing plane crash, navigated a true story of survival against some difficult choices, and captured the beauty and loneliness of the environment that held these few survivors prisoner for so long.

9) The Zone Of Interest (Fandango At Home)

They were the first VOD to offer audio description. This audio description track offers an unflinching look at its harsh subject matter, translates the dialogue with a wide narrator cast, and uses choices by Jonathan Glazer, like his night vision shots to shape this experience. But what I really loved was the end, when each voice talent got to read their own name, so you could match a name to a voice.

8) The Marvels (Disney plus)

The mechanics of the constant teleportation puts this high on my list, as well as the segment involving the cats. Both are more than enough to make this memorable.

7) Golda (Apple Store)

This biopic tracks smoking in a way I’ve never heard before. Golda was known for being a smoker, and this film follows the process in a way that makes RJ Reynolds excited. There isn’t much to this film otherwise, but damn this makes it feel so poetic.

6) Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 (Disney plus)

Having seen the first two visually, I can tell you that I didn’t feel like I missed a beat here now being blind. The audio description did an excellent job of framing what felt like the perfect end to this trilogy, had solid character descriptions for a third film, and really brought out the horrors of animal cruelty. Exceptional work.

5) Bo Is Afraid (Showtime)

This film is so visual. Ari Aster loves his horrifying elements, and Bo has them in spades. Even if the film doesn’t feel as much of a straight horror like his past two films, our protagonist is scared of everything, and the world around him is a nightmare. The best parts are tracking a total weirdo that lives outside Nathan Lane’s house, and loves to just pop up in a window, and also the giant freaking penis.

4) Sisu (Apple Store)

This international actioner has a man with a very particular set of skills doing some really awesomely violent things to Nazis. This was a ton of fun, and the action is so over the top and non-stop. The lead is a strong silent type, which means he needs more description, as well as a dog being present for a lot of the film as a non-verbal lead. There were things that happened here I’ve never seen in a film. Ever.

3) No One Will Save You (Hulu)

Proof that I can rank audio description high without liking the film. I didn’t like this, but the audio description track really was exceptional. Without it, this film wouldn’t just be unwatchable, it would be the kind of rage inducing unwatchable like it was for me to sit through Skinamarink this year without AD. But, this is a science fiction film, with aliens, and people who choose not to talk but can. Really, the writer and narrator did excellent work here, and the audio description is better than the film.

2) Silent Night (Apple Store)

The same could be said for Silent Night, which has possibly the most audio description. John Woo’s latest I think has no dialogue, and is completely reliant on audio description to tell us the story. It does a good job, since the movie is not entirely action packed, and needs to develop the characters. Woo always knows how to direct action scenes, so when it matters, the description does a great job. This also travels to more locations than No One Will Save You, which benefits a lot from being able to describe the house, and then spending a lot of time in it.

1) John Wick Chapter 4 (Apple Store)

I didn’t want my pick for best audio description of the year to be simply “the most”, but rather the merging of a lot, with some dialogue. This is such a damn fine action film, and it even features a blind character kicking ass, in a more believable way than previously seen. He uses auditory devices. There are so many segments with really intricate action, and this track handled that perfectly. So, this is my pick for best audio description track of 2023.