Author: John Stark

Blogger. EIC of macthemovieguy.com. Contributor to mjsbigblog.com and houseofgeekery.com. Previously featured on starpulse.com.
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The Small Screen Diaries- 04/30/25

John Stark

TV Shows Watched: Dope Thief: S1E8 (Apple TV +) with audio description, Good American Family: S1E8 (Hulu) with audio description, Devil may Cry: S1E6 (Netflix) with audio description, Andor: S2E4 (Disney Plus) with audio description, The Walking dead: Dead City: S1E4 (Netflix) with audio description, The Wheel of Time: S3E6 (Amazon) with audio description, Elzabeth: S2E? (Paramount Plus) with audio description, your Friends And neighbors: S1E3 (Apple TV +) with audio description, The Daily Show: Tuesday (Paramount Plus) no audio description, and You: S4E2 (Netflix) with audio description. Best Episode: Dope thief- All things considered, I thought this Brian Tyree … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/30/25

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Delicious

John Stark

Netflix is constantly importing their international content for American audiences, and they seem to pick and choose what gets audio description and what doesn’t, even if the film has no profile other than the one Netflix is giving it. This is true of the repulsive delicious, a film misguided on every level, that revels in its sadistic intentions, and ultimately fails to even deliver on that promise. It may claim to be one of the more shocking films you could watch, but having seen films like Bones And All, I’d beg to differ. Delicious is basically about a family that … Continue reading Delicious

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The Small Screen Diaries- 04/29/25

John Stark

A note: i clicked play on Netflix for Black Mirror expecting either to start at S1E1 or S7E1. For some reason, despite never having seen the show, I started with S5E1. I found out… after watching. TV Shows Watched: the Handmaid’s Tale: S6E6 (Hulu) with audio description, Black Mirror: S5E1 (Netflix) with audio description, Dying For Sex: S1E6 (Hulu) with audio description, American Idol: S23E14 (Hulu) no audio description, Krapapolis: S2E14 (Hulu) no audio description, St Dennis Medical: S1E18 (Peacock) with audio description, the Daily Show: Monday (Paramount Plus) no audio description, the Rookie: S7E15 (Hulu) with audio description Best … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/29/25

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Electra

John Stark

Electra (2025)- Maria Bakalova, Abigail Cowen, Jack Farthing The idea that someone is not who they initially seem to be seems to power a range of films. Aside from the usual “killer reveal” in horror movies, where we are also treated typically to a monologue of why this deception has happened, films feature all sorts of lies and manipulation. It is the central twist that powers the Matlock reboot right now on CBS. It is basically the mantra of Tom Ripley in any incarnation. It also runs through Saltburn, with an interesting twist at the end almost validating the lies. … Continue reading Electra

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The Small Screen diaries- 04/28/25

John Stark

TV Shows Watched: The Last Of us: S2E3 (MAX) with audio description, North Of North: S1E5 (Netflix) with audio description, Wandla: S2E1 (Apple TV +) with audio description, American Idol: S23E13 (Hulu) No Audio Description, tracker: S2E15 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Million Dollar Secret: S1E? (Netflix) with audio description, the Bondsman: S1E6 (Amazon) with audio description, the Great North: S5E8 (Hulu) no audio description, yolo: S1E1 and S1E2 (MAX) no audio description, Last Week Tonight: Most Recent (MAX) no audio description, Matlock: S1E? (Paramount Plus) with audio description.Best Episode: The Last Of us- Despite my qualms with certain choices … Continue reading The Small Screen diaries- 04/28/25

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Lavender Men

John Stark

Lavender Men (2025)- A Proclamation Of Excellence And One Of My Favorites This Year I’ve really only seen one movie before this that I thought had the chance of being in my top films of 2025 list. It is a sad statistic considering that I’m not that far from 100 titles in 2025, and only one title has audio description and could also land on that list. However, I have to say that Lavender Men has made an excellent case as to why it should be included even without audio description. I think this is one of the brightest, boldest, … Continue reading Lavender Men

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G20

John Stark

I realize that I am at somewhat of a disadvantage when it comes to the whole “trust me this film looks great” front, which impacts a lot of action, science-fiction, horror, animated, and to some extent the other genres. it just feels so much more pronounced when visual effects fail a film like G20, as opposed to A Real Pain. But, having seen G20, i can’t really find another reason this would be considered such an egregious failure. it seems to be doing quite well for Amazon, and viola Davis is one of the greatest living actresses. She clearly likes … Continue reading G20

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The Gorge

John Stark

It has taken me a minute to collect my thoughts on the disappointment that is Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge, and Apple TV + original that they didn’t even bother to attempt a theatrical release for. While it is a disappointment, it isn’t quite the crater left behind by Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle last year, but it isn’t far away.Hopefully, you’ll be able to understand the abyss of never ending disdain for mediocrity that consumes The gorge, and perhaps why Scott should have just agreed to jump on the Black Phone sequel instead. The movie is set in one of those dystopian … Continue reading The Gorge

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The Small Screen Diaries- 04/27/25

John Stark

TV Shows Watched: Etoile: S1E1 (Amazon) with audio description, Government Cheese: S1E3 (Apple plus) with audio description, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: S3E4 (Netflix) with audio description, gotta Get out Of Here- S1E3 (Hulu) with audio description, 911: S8E14 (Hulu) with audio description, Battle Camp: S1E2 (Netflix) with audio description, Ghosts: S4E18 (PAramount Plus) with audio description, Deli Boys: S1E8 (Hulu) with audio description, Grimmsburg: S1E5 (Netflix) with audio description, Lazarus: S1E3 (MAX) with audio description, SNL: Mikey Madison (Peacock) with audio description, Mobland: S1E2 (Paramount Plus) with audio description Best Episode: Etoile- the new series from Amy Sherman-Palladino tackles dance … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/27/25

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Star Trek: Section 31

John Stark

being forced to sit down and watch what looks like a new Star Trek film, only to realize it is cheap streaming crap, is like finding a cloaking device in your partner’s underwear drawer. have you been lied to this whole time? What level of deception has transpired in order for this egregious offense to occur? It just leaves you with this lingering question of “WTF?” After all the wait, this supposed deep dive into the intelligence gathering arm of Star Fleet is lacking in intelligence on the page. After all the whispers, this look into the clandestine is more … Continue reading Star Trek: Section 31

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The Small Screen Diaries: the Weekly Rankings

John Stark

If you want to know all the shows I’m keeping up with, and generally how I rank them, this is that list. Fighting for spots this week are Andor (Disney Plus), You (Netflix), Etoile (Amazon) and Battle Camp (Netflix). WINNER: Hacks (MAX) with audio description- Hacks debuted on top, but slipped a spot after going a week without a watch. well, I’m now two episodes in, and even though the top shows are competitively excellent, hacks feels like the best thing I’m watching right now. Can it win the Emmy for comedy series? Runner Up: The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) with … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: the Weekly Rankings

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The Small Screen Diaries- 04/26/25

John Stark

CBS has decided to not move forward with a second season of papa’s House, which makes some sense, as the show isn’t good. However, I would have recognized the talent potential, revamped the series, and found it some new writers and then tried to see if I could make a second season work. Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans jr SHOULD work as a series, and the fact that it doesn’t means the creatives on the show are failing. TV Shows Watched: You: S5E1 (Netflix) with audio description, the Connor’s: S6E5 and S6E6 (Hulu) with audio description, Devil May cry: S1E5 … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/26/25

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Eephus

John Stark

Batter up. We are headed into cinematic nostalgic bliss. Eephus is a film so profoundly moving, so exquisitely crafted, and so utterly moving that it hasn’t just raised the bar for independent cinema, it has sent it out of the damn ballpark. To call it a masterpiece feels almost reductive, and I say almost, because as a blind film critic, this film does not have audio description. I think that is probably why when I was originally offered an opportunity to screen the film, and I followed it up with a “I’d love to, and if audio description is available, … Continue reading Eephus

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Paddington In Peru

John Stark

Paddington Bear, the cuddly marmalade powered manifestation of kindness returns for his third feature, this time exiting his home in the UK for a new locale in Paddington In Peru. Don’t worry, because even though his family, The browns, are also at a transitional point, they’ll be following him on his journey. Sadly, director Paul King is not returning as director for the third feature, so if you were expecting him to somehow top what he achieved in Paddington 2, he opted instead to direct Wonka. I don’t know if that puts us at a huge disadvantage, but the change … Continue reading Paddington In Peru

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The Small Screen Diaries- 04/26/25

John Stark

TV Shows Watched: Andor: S2E3 (Disney Plus) with audio description, Survival Of The Thickest: S2E5 (Netflix) with audio description, Number One happy Family USA: S1E2 (Amazon) with audio description, Midcentury Modern: S1E4 (Hulu) with audio description, Deli Boys: S1E7 (Hulu) with audio description, Battle camp: S1E1 (Netflix) with audio description, Survivor: S48E9 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Krapapolis: S2E14 (Hulu) no audio description, ransom Canyon: S1E3 (Netflix) with audio description, Abbott Elementary: S4E22 (Hulu) with audio description, Hacks: S4E2 (MAX) with audio description. best Episode: Hacks- Still operating at peak television, the second episode was fantastic as Deborah and Ava … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/26/25