Author: John Stark

Blogger. EIC of macthemovieguy.com. Contributor to mjsbigblog.com and houseofgeekery.com. Previously featured on starpulse.com.
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Madame Webb

John Stark

the internet certainly has an opinion on this film. It’s like a grand offense that occurred, the cinematic equivalent of slapping someone’s mother. But is it really? If you want to comb back through, you’ll see that I didn’t quite buy the doom and gloom of Morbius, if for no other reason than it was the most normal performance Jared Leto has ever given. But, Madame Webb also has moments where it clearly could have been at least a decent film. So, let’s break down the hate, and see if it’s warranted. but first, the audio description. Laura post and … Continue reading Madame Webb

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The Small Screen Diaries- 05/25/24

John Stark

I’ve been finishing a lot of shows. but, maybe I’ll need to start one soon. Amazon is bringing back Nurse Jackie. I should probably start watching that now. In terms of finales, I did get to The Connors (Hulu) which really made me think that they were going to resolve that Mark plot in the same episode, but I guess we will wait for him to inevitably be arrested next season. In the final season. I always find the amalgamation of cast that they have in each episode interesting, as they talk around characters who aren’t there. Ben’s off getting … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 05/25/24

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an American Bombing: The Road To April 19th

John Stark

While this is definitely not the first documentary on the Oklahoma City bombing, it is the most recent, which means it has a 2024 outlook on extremism. So this MAX documentary ultimately ends up right where you think it will, discussing January 6th. Extremism is extremism. It is important to understand history so we are not doomed to repeat it. And thus, the glimmer at the current state of affairs is brief, and the majority of the film is a deep dive into the Oklahoma City attack, Timothy mcVeigh, and what caused him to be a domestic terrorist. I had … Continue reading an American Bombing: The Road To April 19th

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I.S.S.

John Stark

Now is an excellent time to make more thrillers about tensions between America and Russia. I’m not sure we really ever stopped, though I do remember the Red Dawn remake specifically switched the baddies to North Koreans because they couldn’t run the Russian narrative at the time. Well, now we are shooting So you Think You Can Dance alumni Ariana Debose into space. Yeah, I know, she won an Oscar. But she started on So you Think You Can Dance. #neverForget Debose plays an astronaut we know next to nothing about, as the movie starts with her already on her … Continue reading I.S.S.

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The Small Screen Diaries- 05/24/23

John Stark

Starting off today with some cancellations. MAX cancelled, and I totally understand, The Girls On the Bus. We’re on the same page. That’s rare. Originally, I saw it billed as a limited series, but I guess they changed gears. Also, Apple Plus cancelled Still up, which is more disappointing, but not worth rioting over. That show was going to have a problem going the distance anyway once the initial quirky catalyst was thrown out the window. It’s still finale season, and I wrapped the season finale of Fallout (Amazon), which I am saddened doesn’t actually credit an audio description narrator … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 05/24/23

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The Small Screen Diaries- 05/23/24

John Stark

Well, we finished Jeopardy Masters (Hulu), which has had a mixed ability to get audio description to Hulu, but the finale has it, so I can talk about it. A new Final boss is crowned, but since all three will be back for the third go around of this, we might get a new boss next season. I also knocked out the season finale of Will Trent (Hulu), which really swung for the fences there at the end with an end that will change how the show is in Season 3. I gotta say, I also immediately hated the wife … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 05/23/24

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Girls State/Boys State

John Stark

This year, Apple released a documentary, Girls State, which I decided I had to check out. I ddidn’t realize it was technically a sequel, because documentary sequels are rare, but there was also boys State, which I had never seen and decided to check out. I’d love to buck the trend here, even as a mal critic, and tip my hat to the ladies, but there’s a contrast here. Although, both films have audio description of pretty similar quality. The first film, Boys State,takes place in Texas. It features aspiring high school leaders who come together and form a fake … Continue reading Girls State/Boys State

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The Small Screen Diaries- 05/22/24

John Stark

Time to finish a few more shows. One of them was a series finale, The Good Doctor (Hulu), which wrapped its 7 season run with an episode that seemed poised to kill off some characters. Luckily, most survive. With a time jump forward, we see some truly confusing shit. I mean, not to be that guy, but there was clearly a 10 years later, but did all of those lives feel like ten years later? Charlie’s an attending, but the other two are still playing with baby Eden? Like flash everyone forward please, not just some characters. It’s so weird … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 05/22/24

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The Small Screen Diaries- 05/21/24

John Stark

I finished a lot of shows on Monday. Tuesday, I finished the limited run of Knuckles (Paramount Plus), which saves a lot of the action for the final episode. This thing is still too long, should have been heavily edited into a movie that overall sucked less. I’m a fan of Adam Pally, so to see him get so much screentime in something this high profile was a plus, but this is so stretched for time. It was also nice seeing Stockard Channing, who I feel like hasn’t acted in a while. I haven’t seen her in a while anyway. … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 05/21/24

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Schindler’s List

John Stark

Not that the internet needs one more review of Schindler’s List. Let’s be honest and say that all these years later, and this is as engrained in the finality of cinema as Citizen Kane, The Wizard of oz, or Casablanca. 30 more years could pass, and nothing will change in regard to Steven Spielberg’s historic accomplishment. I somehow missed the official 30th anniversary of this film last year, and was reminded of it earlier this year when The Zone Of Interest caused many to reference this classic. It had been years since I saw this, and what I saw was … Continue reading Schindler’s List

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the Small Screen Diaries- 05/20/24

John Stark

I’ll start off just with a cursory acknowledgement that I finished American Idol (Hulu). As SNl has started to use audio description, my greatest hope is that for its 23rd season, American Idol finally figures out what audio description is. Their biggest competition, The Voice, is audio described. I’d like to have some basic knowledge of what these singers look like, and maybe what they are wearing. Jack Blocker was wearing a shirt everyone was talking about, and I had no point of reference. I’d say American Idol hates blind people, but I know they don’t, as they have cast … Continue reading the Small Screen Diaries- 05/20/24

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Migration

John Stark

Illumination has struck again, much like the flock of geese struck that airplane Sully was flying. Migration is one of those animated films that follows the formula set by other films like it, but it isn’t sure where to make good choices. The end result is like playing Duck Hunt and missing all your shots. I skipped the theatrical release and waited for Peacock. I’m proud of that choice. Kumamoto Nanjiani plays the patriarch of a little duck family, with a wife (Elizabeth Banks), an uncle (Danny Devito) and two ducklings. He’s always been afraid his whole life of leaving … Continue reading Migration

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The Small Screen Diaries- 05/20/24

John Stark

I’m so excited to have outer Range (Amazon) back. I’m pretty sure this is Roy Samuelson doing the narration. Amazon tried to push me into episode 2, but I don’t want to rush it. It took two years to get to season two, so it will probably take another two for the next. But I also know I can’t screw around, and Amazon expects me to watch this fast enough so they are encouraged to renew it. But, if you haven’t yet checked out this show that is like if Yellowstone was being written by Chris Carter or Jonathan nolan, … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 05/20/24

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The Beekeeper

John Stark

There are different types of movies in the world. there’s the kind that attracts critics and film snobs, and they debate the merits of a lot of films no one will ever watch again. too many of those people don’t understand the appeal of something like The Beekeeper, which is one of the dumbest movies I’ve seen in terms of plot, but it was also oddly a blast to watch. Jason Statham clearly wanted his own John Wick style franchise, and David Ayer was happy to oblige. The upside is that this movie has audio description by Jedidiah Barton and … Continue reading The Beekeeper

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Freud’s Last Session

John Stark

This wound up on Netflix, after previously having a VOD run. I didn’t see audio description for this when i wanted to rent it, and Netflix didn’t pick up a track for it. However, I’m a fan of Anthony Hopkins, and I really thought this film would be just a long conversation between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis. It’s not. You actually need the audio description. While the movie does imagine what a conversation would be like between Freud (played by Anthony Hopkins) and Lewis (played by Matthew Goode), as they debate faith and the human condition at the onset … Continue reading Freud’s Last Session