Author: John Stark

Blogger. EIC of macthemovieguy.com. Contributor to mjsbigblog.com and houseofgeekery.com. Previously featured on starpulse.com.
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40 For 40: 40 Of My Favorite Actors

John Stark

Just like I’m rolling out reviews of 40 of my favorite films (that have audio description) after rewatching them, as part of my personal celebration of turning 40, it’s time to talk about the 40 actors who are most likely to get me to watch a film. Favorites. Not the best. There are people I respect, who are terrific talents, but they just don’t draw me in. obviously, I also like more than 40 actors, so a lot of the people on this list will also be here because they have been in several of my favorite things. So, in … Continue reading 40 For 40: 40 Of My Favorite Actors

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/20/23

John Stark

Well, in a shocking turn of events, HBO is in talks to license some of its original content to Netflix. i have to believe that these are the lower tier titles. It’s actually not that weird. True Blood is on Hulu. So, if Netflix starts running Boardwalk Empire, Carnivale, or Six Feet under anytime soon, you’ll know why. No way will this extend to Game of Thrones. 7) XO Kitty (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Renewed After the initial shock of not being familiar with the source material, seeing how Dae is trapped in this fake relationship he seems … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/20/23

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The Old Way

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Hulu English Audio Description?: No I think one of the tidbits that hulu refuses to acknowledge in its steadfast refusal to acquire audio description for non hulu programming (or non Disney/ABC/FX), is that a lot of times they are the streaming debut for a movie. So for anyone who was remotely interested in this Nicolas Cage western, sucks to be you. There’s no audio description. Westerns without audio description are a shame because they usually have some truly great cinematography, some serious potential in costume and set design, and likely a few well choreographed gunfights. And … Continue reading The Old Way

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/19/23

John Stark

Well, filming on 1923’s second season has been postponed until after the writers strike. I get the feeling these strikes are going to last for a while. 10) Designing Women (Hulu) English Audio Description?: no Status: Ended The ladies and their somewhat problematic boyfriends prepare to celebrate New years. Episode Grade: B- 9) Friends (MAX) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Ended Whence we last left off, Monica and Richard broke up, and Chandler reunited with Janice. This is not a fair trade. Monica spends the episode mourning the relationship she ended, and smoking cigars, while Joey submits himself to trying … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/19/23

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/18/23

John Stark

Juneteenth! No TV news, just the fact that today is a holiday! 12) XO Kitty (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Renewed It’s not that the series is bad, it just happens to be in 12th. I honestly only watched the first of the three films this series is a spinoff of, so I didn’t quite understand who the character was, and while it does a fair amount of explaining, I think it assumed the bulk of the audience were already fans. Episode Grade: B- 11) Home Improvement (Hulu) English Audio Description?: No Status: Ended That pumpkin scene at the … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/18/23

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/18/23

John Stark

Juneteenth! No TV news, just the fact that today is a holiday! 12) XO Kitty (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Renewed It’s not that the series is bad, it just happens to be in 12th. I honestly only watched the first of the three films this series is a spinoff of, so I didn’t quite understand who the character was, and while it does a fair amount of explaining, I think it assumed the bulk of the audience were already fans. Episode Grade: B- 11) Home Improvement (Hulu) English Audio Description?: No Status: Ended That pumpkin scene at the … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/18/23

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When You Love The Walking Dead, And it Doesn’t Love you Back

John Stark

Last fall, I was attempting to do a seven day free trial of AMC Plus, but their app was so poorly designed, and I was having such a hard time navigating the app, and their customer service team couldn’t figure things out in time, so they comp’d me a year of AMC Plus. At the time, they had almost no audio description. I was told that AMC took accessibility seriously, and would be working on their app as well as expanding their audio description list. That hasn’t happened. After watching major series after major series drop on the platform, from … Continue reading When You Love The Walking Dead, And it Doesn’t Love you Back

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Magic Mike’s Last Dance

John Stark

Where I Watched It: MAX English Audio Description?: Yes Lots of missed opportunities here. I really don’t know why Steven Soderbergh is back in the director’s chair, but there’s something very disconcerting about the once revered director saying No to the second film, but being hungry enough to do the third. This man directed sex, lies, and videotape, Out of Sight, Erin Brockovich, Traffic, and knew making George Clooney be Danny Ocean was a great idea. The fact that he came back for what is essentially the Tokyo Drift of the franchise is disappointing. Last Dance revolves around the idea … Continue reading Magic Mike’s Last Dance

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/17/23

John Stark

Some big shows dropping this coming week. Secret invasion! The Walking Dead: Dead City! The Bear! And Just Like That! It is truly an embarassment of riches. Anyway, Happy Fathers Day, and I hope you enjoy this roundup. It’s dedicated to my best friend, who would have turned 40 today. Rest. in Peace. 10) The Clearing (Hulu) English Audio Description: LOL, No. Status: Unknown I love when hulu picks up a show clearly from another English speaking place, and touts it as a Hulu original, but also says fuck audio description. This didn’t even premiere this week. it’s been a … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/17/23

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/16/23

John Stark

Well, NBC has opted to not renew American Auto after all. Looks like a solid victim of the writers strike, as they needed to either extend contracts at the end of the month, or cancel. However, MAX is sticking with Velma. 15) The Adventures Of The Gummi Bears (Disney Plus) English Audio Description?: No Status: Ended Consistently ranking low, this nostalgic trip hasn’t quite worked out. This was the 7th episode, and I’m trying to get at least 10 in so i have that fully revived memory. This one was mostly about adopting an abandoned wolf cub. Episode Grade: C … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/16/23

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Shooting Stars

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Peacock English Audio Description?: Yes I’m a little bit of a sucker for a nice sports drama. It doesn’t really seem to matter what sport, because I have enjoyed golf (The Greatest Game Ever Played), track (Race), swimming (Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken), hockey (The Mighty Ducks), basketball (Glory Road), football (Varsity Blues), baseball (Field Of Dreams), soccer (can I just use Ted Lasso?), and of course bobsledding (Cool Runnings) and whatever Iron Will represents. So, yeah, I liked Shooting Stars. I’m not saying that I love all sports movies. I wasn’t a fan of The … Continue reading Shooting Stars

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/15/23

John Stark

In the slow world of TV news, networks are starting to assume that they won’t have scripted programs for the Fall, and are once again leaning on reality series. NBC just ordered a new Wild Kingdom show for the fall. So instead of watching the OneChicago lineup, you get the same thing you’d get with any other nature documentary. 12) Trophy Wife (Hulu) English Audio Description?: No Status: Ended This one is tough, because I basically enjoyed everything I watched yesterday. Trophy Wife doesn’t have audio description,and some of the moments were a bit cringe. The kids were working on … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/15/23

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/15/23

John Stark

In the slow world of TV news, networks are starting to assume that they won’t have scripted programs for the Fall, and are once again leaning on reality series. NBC just ordered a new Wild Kingdom show for the fall. So instead of watching the OneChicago lineup, you get the same thing you’d get with any other nature documentary. 12) Trophy Wife (Hulu) English Audio Description?: No Status: Ended This one is tough, because I basically enjoyed everything I watched yesterday. Trophy Wife doesn’t have audio description,and some of the moments were a bit cringe. The kids were working on … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/15/23

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Reality

John Stark

Where I Watched It: MAX English Audio Description provided By: point360 Narrated By: Tanzi Alexander Reality is boring. That’s why we choose escapism whenever we can, because reality can be very monotonous. It’s why there isn’t a real-time DMV movie. Just a guy waiting for his number to be called so he can get his Driver’s License renewed. We instead read books, that even when they are non-fiction, still seem more interesting than our daily lives, and watch television and movies that take us anywhere but here. Reality is not just the name of a character, but a promise that … Continue reading Reality

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/14/23

John Stark

Well, some good news dropped for two shows. Netflix went ahead and gave XO Kitty a second season, and Apple has officially renewed Silo. Always nice to start off the roundup with some good news. 11) Mulligan (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Not Yet Renewed it’s not that this was bad, it’s that everything else was better. I’m enjoying the Senator character, and jokes like Mulligan thinking he can find the National Treasure like that Nic Cage film. but I think, especially on a day where I watched an episode of Futurama, that this show is still struggling to … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 06/14/23