Author: John Stark

Blogger. EIC of macthemovieguy.com. Contributor to mjsbigblog.com and houseofgeekery.com. Previously featured on starpulse.com.
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Christmas On mistletoe Farm

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Netflix English Audio Description?: Yes It’s entirely possible that British people make better random Christmas movies than we do. There’s nothing really unique or special about this film, but it was oddly charming enough that I liked it. I know that’s not the case for some, but when you watch these random factory farmed Christmas films, you get a mixed bag. It’s amazing how many are released every year. Christmas is really a huge business. This Christmas throwaway features a man who inherits the titular farm, and moves his two small children out to this charming … Continue reading Christmas On mistletoe Farm

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The Too Much TV Roundup- December 17th

John Stark

This was a truly exceptional day of television. Trying to rank these shows was really har. I don’t think I’ve ever had this problem with this many shows. 8) Ghosts (CBS/ Paramount Plus) English Audio Description?: Yes When you see Ghosts at the bottom, it usually means I saw very little shows that day. However, that’s not true here. I think the only reason I could come up with for putting what was a rather interesting episode involving a guest star being in love with one of the ghosts, was that they made it a two-parter, and I just haven’t … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- December 17th

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10 Titles With Audio Description Included With prime To Make your Holidays Bright

John Stark

Just like I did for Halloween titles, I’m trying to do for Christmas titles. I’m trying to select only titles with audio description, and I’m trying to get to 10. However, these are also recommendations, so I have to have actually seen the film, either with or without audio description (either before I lost my vision or after). I managed to get to 10 with Netflix, but not Paramount Plus or Hulu. Will Prime Video be different? They do have FreeVee. 1) Something From Tiffanys I actually haven’t even gotten a chance to review this yet (I’m a little behind), … Continue reading 10 Titles With Audio Description Included With prime To Make your Holidays Bright

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The Banshees Of inusharon

John Stark

Where I Watched it: HBo MAX English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated By: Nicole Sansorella Just a few years ago, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO was either my favorite film of that year, or runner-up. I distinctly remember that ranking. I think I loved the film more than most, admittedly, but I found it well written, and oddly entertaining considering the subject material. plus, how can you be mad at the film that finally got Sam Rockwell not just an Oscar nomination (his first), but also the win. So overdue. Banshees is likely in a very same position, as … Continue reading The Banshees Of inusharon

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Oscars: Who is Still in The Best Picture Race?

John Stark

With most of the precursor awards having at least announced their nominees, minus the guilds, we’re starting to see a much easier path to the top 10. Most people will agree on anywhere from 4-6 locks at this point. you’ll see how many I’m willing to lock. And those that are locks, are not ones that are new to my list. 1) Everything Everywhere All At Once To be nominated, the Oscars use rank preferential balloting. What this means is that where people put a film on their list matters, as that gives it more of an edge in terms … Continue reading Oscars: Who is Still in The Best Picture Race?

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Willow

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Disney Plus English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated by: Marsha Bartenelli I meant to watch this a while ago, knowing that the Willow TV series was upon us. But, the season was just so full of films, I got around to it a little late. Yes, I’ve never seen Willow. This was my first viewing of this film. I was five when the film was released theatrically, so it’s not like I was walking up to the box office and buying my own tickets. As far as why not before now, I don’t really know. … Continue reading Willow

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The Too Much TV Roundup- December 16th

John Stark

A couple of shows in this race today. Who ended up on top? 7) My Next Guest… (Netflix) English Audio Description?: No I’m not really grading this program. i didn’t finish it. There was no audio description, which meant that whenever Zelenskyy was speaking, i didn’t understand most of what he said. I actually don’t know if his translator was speaking for him, as I sometimes heard someone with a Ukrainian accent, but it was all a bit confusing. I didn’t finish this program, so i feel uncomfortable grading it. Episode Grade: Unwatchable. 6) Rami (Hulu) English Audio Description?: Yes … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- December 16th

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Pearl

John Stark

Where I Watched it: iTunes (VOD) English Audio Description?: Yes After using Ti West’s X as a statement on why Paramount Plus needs to take audio description more seriously, I figured I should actually watch one of his films with audio description, so I sprung for Pearl so I could get audio description. I know A24 distributes to Showtime, and they can’t be bothered by blind people, so even though I subscribe to Showtime, and would have access to this film eventually, i paid for it. That’s my life. Just so I can get an accessibility feature. Pearl is a … Continue reading Pearl

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yes, Netflix, Accessibility Matters

John Stark

often I feel like I’m stuck on a soapbox, having to consistently remind large multi-billion dollar corporations that accessibility isn’t a perk. It’s not something that I’m requesting, like going to a hairstylist and asking for highlights. I’m not upgrading to Uber XL for more comfort. When I or anyone else in the blind and visually impaired community talk to you about audio description, we are talking to you about accessibility. Audio Description, or Descriptive Audio (if you prefer), is an accessibility tool. It’s not something people just use for fun. It’s not like I’m calling you and asking for … Continue reading yes, Netflix, Accessibility Matters

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Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Netflix English Audio Description Provided By: International Digital center There are still some things that I know are hard to translate to a blind audience, and i have yet to see a way of truly being able to explain why something like stop motion animation is so captivating to someone who has never seen stop motion animation. To them, animation is animation, or the story is the story. Often, a lot of the intricate details that go into these tireless stop motion features end up not being a part of anything we are able to experience, … Continue reading Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

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The Too Much TV Roundup- December 15th

John Stark

Well, I know fans of the Charlie Hunnam series Shantorum are going to be sad that the show got cancelled yesterday by Apple Plus. Apple is usually pretty good about letting a show find its audience, so for a show to be cancelled so quickly after its last episode dropped, the viewership on this must have been really bad. I can understand why, as having been a few episodes in, I wasn’t really grabbed by the show either. Unlike The Imperfects, which i have decided to finish despite cancellation, I’m dropping Shantorum from my roundup effective immediately (as I already … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- December 15th

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The Too Much TV Roundup- December 14th

John Stark

Obviously, I was a little busy today. Shorter list than usual, I’m afraid. 4) Tell Me lies (Hulu) English Audio Description?: Yes As I mentioned previously with this show, I’m already at the point where I no longer feel like I need to know how it ends. I feel like it just takes up time from other shows. This show has a totally serious conversation in one scene, and then in the next sends its guys offf on a competition to drink beer and pee on a rock that looks like boobs. The weird thing is, this isn’t a comedy. … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- December 14th

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Emancipation

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Apple Plus English Audio Description Provided By: Pixel Logic Narrated By: Tanzi Alexander My review of Emancipation has no bearing in what occurred at last year’s Oscars. I am completely able to compartmentalize and not let things that do not have anything to do with this film, and the hundreds of people who worked on it, affect my enjoyment or lack thereof. Will Smith does not set the release dates for his films, nor does he choose whether or not to launch Oscar campaigns. If you find Will Smith to be too problematic to watch this … Continue reading Emancipation

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Bros

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Peacock English audio Description?: Yes I think I heard more about how groundbreaking this comedy was than anything else. Always lead with “funny as hell”, and less with “breaking glass ceilings”. You can break a glass ceiling and still not be good. Like, if the first person to walk on the moon was Hitler, something tells me we wouldn’t celebrate that. Sometimes, just being first isn’t really the selling feature. i think that’s where Bros, which actually is hilarious, stumbled at the box office. it was so caught up in letting everyone know it was the … Continue reading Bros

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The Too Much TV Roundup- December 13th

John Stark

Eight TV shows today, plus two films. It’s officially 12 Days To Christmas. Did you get all your shopping done? 8) Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes The episode that starts off with Jodie Foster talking about her home being haunted by ghosts, and then veers in a wildly different direction was the second of the four new episodes, and the most interesting thing about this episode was that they found someone named Jodie Foster who is not “the” Jodie Foster. Episode Grade: C 7) The Devil’s Hour (Amazon) English Audio Description?: Yes I would love to get into … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- December 13th