Author: John Stark

Blogger. EIC of macthemovieguy.com. Contributor to mjsbigblog.com and houseofgeekery.com. Previously featured on starpulse.com.
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Rob Peace

John Stark

Rob Peace- Am Inspirational Story weighed Down By Being An Inspirational Story Quick Take: Chiwetel Ejiofor tries his hand at directing again, and also acting in this inspirational film that is too busy being inspirational to really ever get off the ground. When we meet our young protagonist, we see that he has this challenged relationship with his father, which is made worse when his father is accused of, and convicted of murder. His son then has to balance seeking a better life for himself, getting an education, moving on with his life, finding love, and all the while burdened … Continue reading Rob Peace

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Nickel Boys

John Stark

Nickel Boys- A Bold Directorial Narrative Feature Debut Quick Take: Another screener without audio description, and one that I really wanted to have the track for. Ramel Ross made a strong directorial choice to tell this film in first person point of view, that I was really intrigued as to how the audio description team would handle it. Sadly, Amazon does not provide audio description for its screeners. Without my help, nickel Boys has gotten close to its Best Picture Oscar Nomination, after landing in the Golden Globe race. I ahve a feeling I will love the final product, but … Continue reading Nickel Boys

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The Small Screen Diaries- 01/01/25

John Stark

We are at the point now where I have to consciously remind myself to type 25 instead of 24. I literally cannot believe we are 25 years into this century. I feel like those people who were turn of the century back in the 1900’s, who are now in the roaring 20’s, enjoying the jazz age, totally unaware of the coming Great Depression or WWII. Like, what the hell is ahead? TV Shows Watched: Skeleton Crew: S1E6 (Disney Plus) with audio description, Squid Game: S1E4 (Netflix) with audio description, Laid: S1E6 (Peacock) with audio description, 911: S8E3 (Hulu) with audio … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/01/25

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Escape From Alcatraz: 45th Anniversary

John Stark

Escape From Alcatraz: 45th Anniversary- Clint Eastwood Must Get Off The Rock Quick Take: This is one I fell in love with at some point when it was on cable. It was in pretty decent rotation, so I think I’ve seen it more than once prior to watching it again with audio description. This is available in the Apple Store, if you are curious to see if Clint Eastwood can break out of the Rock. This is one where he’s just acting, and not directing, though it feels like he could have easily done both. It is an action packed … Continue reading Escape From Alcatraz: 45th Anniversary

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Sing Sing

John Stark

Sing Sing- Is This One Of The Very Best Of The Year? Quick Take: Last year, when critics were bouncing around festivals looking for 2023 Oscar contenders, the Toronto International Film Festival landed a buzzy indie that had everyone saying “just wait for 2024”. Coleman Domingo was already firmly in the race with Rustin, and the hope was this little gem would be given room to breathe by entering 2024 an early frontrunner. Then, A24 bought the film, and scheduled it for a summer release. last year, this helped the little indie Past Lives get noticed, but that ultimately led … Continue reading Sing Sing

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Message In A Bottle: 25th Anniversary

John Stark

Message In A Bottle: 25th Anniversary- Kevin Costner, Robin Wright, Paul Newman, Nicholas Sparks Quick Take: Get out the Kleenex. It is time for a good old fashioned Nicholas Sparks cry. This guy loves to make depressing romantic movies. Here, Robin Wright plays a journalist who finds this, well, you know, and decides to find out who wrote it. that leads her to a sad but hunky Kevin Costner, who is still mourning the loss of his loved one, while trying to care for his recovering alcoholic father (Paul Newman). Of course, she doesn’t tell him about the messages, and … Continue reading Message In A Bottle: 25th Anniversary

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The Invisible Raptor

John Stark

The Invisible Raptor- Did This Indie Horror Comedy Spare No Expense? Quick Take: I do wish this one had audio description. It is a horror comedy that really is paying heavy tribute to Jurassic Park. I’ve since been made aware of some visual cues that lean even more into this idea. But, yes, it is a movie about an invisible raptor. it is silly. It features absolutely nonsensical moments. It feels schlocky at times, but also spot on. I look at this, and then films like Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey and The Mouse Trap, and I think of … Continue reading The Invisible Raptor

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Stop Motion

John Stark

Stop Motion- A Horror Spin On The Painstaking Filmmaking Technique Quick Take: Shudder outdid themselves on several of their titles this year, producing some really interesting original fare. They even sponsored some international offerings vying for the International Oscar. Stop Motion is a great idea, that stumbles in the execution. It isn’t particularly surprising, and theres too much of a sense of predictability. There could have been so much more inventiveness with regard to the use of the art of Stop Motion, but it treads more into a psychological thriller, with a protagonist descending into madness. it certainly isn’t the … Continue reading Stop Motion

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Uncle Buck: 35th Anniversary

John Stark

Uncle Buck: 35th Anniversary- john Candy Is Still One Of The Greats Quick Take: A John Hughes classic. Back in September, when I first watched this with audio description, it was fun getting to enjoy John Candy again. Of course, this movie also introduced us to Macaulay Culkin, and was the reason Hughes recommended him for Home Alone. But, it does feel like we had such a brief period with john Candy, a thoughtful comedian who likely would have gone on to pursue the same dramatic swings as robin Williams. I think we never truly got the best of Candy, … Continue reading Uncle Buck: 35th Anniversary

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The Turnaround

John Stark

The Turnaround (Netflix)- What If We Were Nice to Athletes During Their Slump? Quick Take: Even though Netflix couldn’t get this documentary short to the Oscars, it is still worth mentioning because it has audio description. I think it will resonate the most with fans who are aware of this team, and the centered athlete, but really anyone who roots for a team every single year understands that those are your players, whether you like it or not. And, a novel idea is shown, where instead of making them feel worse while already in a dark place. Jeering players on … Continue reading The Turnaround

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The Small Screen Diaries- 12/31/24

John Stark

Happy New Year! We can celebrate now that Hulu has added audio description to Night Bitch. Thanks Hulu for only making it a few days late, instead of weeks or months. It really is the little things in life. TV Shows Watched: Shrinking: S2E12 (Apple Plus) with audio description, La palma: S1E1 (Netflix) with audio description, Secret Level: S1E3 (Amazon) with audio description, Bookie: S2E2 (MAX) with audio description, Virgin River: S6E3 (Netflix) with audio description, The Sticky: S1E1 (Amazon) NO AUDIO DESCRIPTION, A Man On The Inside: S1E? (Netflix) with audio description, Happy’s Place: S1E? (Peacock) with audio description, … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 12/31/24

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A Real Pain

John Stark

A Real Pain- Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin Are A Perfect Pairing Quick Take: This viewing was without audio description, as I was provided a screener for this title. Jesse Eisenberg wrote, directed, and stars in one of the best films of the year. It is such a simple film, and the second this year with this theme. eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play cousins who are finally getting around to taking a trip to Poland that their recently deceased Grandmother wanted them to take, so they can see where she grew up under Nazi occupation. Eisenberg and Culkin bounce off … Continue reading A Real Pain

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Doc Of Chucky

John Stark

Doc Of Chucky (AMC Plus)- Beware The Runtime Quick Take: As a fan of the Child’s Play franchise, I was interested in a movie that explored the legacy. This does not have audio description, and I wish it did. However, more than that, I wish it wasn’t nearly four hours long. My body was not ready. it wasn’t even a title I thought “This seems likely to be longer than either of the Avatar movies, or anything Martin Scorsese or Ridley Scott has made in the last 20 years.” And, when we broke the two hour mark, it was going … Continue reading Doc Of Chucky

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being John Malkovich: 25th Anniversary

John Stark

Being John Malkovich: 25th Anniversary- Step Right On Through This Door Quick Take: A quirky masterpiece. 1999 was such a strong year for film. An embarrassment of riches. It is so nice to know Spize Jonzes’s odd little comedy has audio description. It so totally needs it. From the floor with the lowered ceilings, to all the insanity of finding a door that leads you into the mind of John Malkovich, the amount of things that wouldn’t make sense without it is long. There is a scene where everyone looks like John Malkovich, facially, but it is all these different … Continue reading being John Malkovich: 25th Anniversary

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The Substance

John Stark

The Substance- I’ve Avoided It This Long….But It is Time Blindness is weird. Years ago, when I was sighted, I never could have made it through The Substance. I wasn’t a big gore fan, and this is one of the goriest films I’ve ever seen. But you’d be surprised what I can sit through now. I’ve seen so many films, which has really opened me up even more to the horror genre. Case in point, this year I finally tackled In The Mouth Of Madness. I watched In A Violent Nature. I have films in my top 25 that are … Continue reading The Substance