Category: Movie Review

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Triangle Of Sadness

John Stark

Where I watched It: iTunes English Audio Description?: no neon is very underwhelming when it comes to making sure their films have audio description. I do not believe a track exists, as I have a blind friend who saw this theatrically and confirmed there was no audio description. So, this isn’t so much a traditional review as one of my rants about audio description and the lack thereof. Triangle Of sadness has a large ensemble. i mention this because as a sighted person, I relied a lot on facial recognition to follow characters. It was really easy. Now, I try … Continue reading Triangle Of Sadness

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Tar

John Stark

Where i Watched it: iTunes English Audio Description Provided By: The Media Access Group Narrated By: Andrew Thatcher You’ve probably heard quite a bit about this tour de force Cate Blanchett turns in this year in Todd Field’s Tar. Certainly, it’s because the film is well crafted, and Blanchett is one of the best living actresses. But in Tar, a film that explores and seems to have something to say about our new world we’ve created for ourselves, the complex theories in Tar likely make this a limited appeal film. I know that critics love this film, but I don’t … Continue reading Tar

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

The Eternal Daughter

John Stark

Where I watched It: iTunes English Audio Description?: Yes Narrated By: Darren Polish This film has one of the most obsessively and aggressively annoying sound designs. This, and the Amazon movie Nanny, are both designed to drive you mad by creating sound design that isn’t scary, but so obnoxious you lose your damn mind. The whole reason this film exists, and why someone like Martin Scorsese would be a producer (Yes, really) is Tilda Swinton. This is a perfect A24 release. it’s artistic as fuck, and people will debate and dissect this for years to come. The reality is that … Continue reading The Eternal Daughter

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

The Menu

John Stark

Where I Watched It: HBo MAX English Audio Description?: Yes It’s actually been fun watching the progression of the film from festival, to release, to critics groups, the Globes, and now a long shot at the Oscars. The Menu is one of those films we can’t really talk about. Like, I really need to spend the next five paragraphs talking about the dwindling gorilla population or something. Because, The Menu is not a face value film, and that’s what makes talking about it so damn hard. Basically, a group of people are given the opportunity to eat at this super … Continue reading The Menu

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

If These Walls Could Sing

John Stark

Where i Watched It: Disney Plus English Audio Description?: Yes I think I was most surprised at how long the Abbey Road studio has actually been open. I didn’t realize it’s been 90 years. And considering that the documentary is directed by Paul McCartney’s daughter, i really expected it to be Beatles centric. but, it’s not. I mean, it mostly is. if you are a fan of The Beatles, there is some focus on them as you might expect. But there’s also focus on artists who came before, and after. There’s commentary on specific songs recorded there, like Alfie, and … Continue reading If These Walls Could Sing

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

After Yang

John Stark

Where I Watched it: iTunes English Audio Description provided By: Deluxe Narrated by: Darren polish This is one of those films i actually attempted to watch without audio description earlier in the year on Showtime, but it became abundantly clear to me really fast that this film was unwatchable without audio description. I still believe that, even after enjoying it with Darren’s narration. The film is just so entrenched in this indie science fiction world, it’s almost like a love letter to what could be, or what might have been. Colin Farrell, who had the best year of his life, … Continue reading After Yang

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Argentina: 1985

John Stark

Where I Watched it: Amazon English Audio Description?: No I wanted to approach this with the idea of explaining that we can’t understand these titles with just dubbed audio track, but dammit, this movie was great. It’s Argentina’s entry into the Oscar race this year for International feature. it already made the shortlist, it just made the BAFTA shortlist, it has a Golden Globe nomination, as well as a Critics choice nomination. So while more people may be talking about All Quiet On The Western Front, Decision To Leave, and RRR, this one has performed quietly, but well. Now, I … Continue reading Argentina: 1985

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Where The Crawdads Sing

John Stark

Where i Watched It: Netflix English Audio Description provided By: Media Access Group Narrated By: Michael Bove It might seem like I should have reviewed this film a while ago, and you’d be right. It was released theatrically in July, and it was that moment that prompted me to go “Hey, i should knock this book out before it hits streaming.” That didn’t happen right away, I needed a few extra weeks, and here we are. of course, I also broke the cardinal sin of enjoying film… never read the book. The book is never as good as the movie, … Continue reading Where The Crawdads Sing

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Sr.

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Netflix English Audio Description?: Yes Somehow, the documentary branch did not shortlist this farewell to an artist. Somehow, the documentary branch that believed When We Were Bullies warranted a nomination last year, failed to see any relevance or beauty in a son working to make peace with the inevitability of his father’s passing, while also wanting to participate in a documentary on his final days and musings. Robert Downey Sr. Is the Sr. Referenced in the title. And for those of you who have no idea who that is, or that he was a filmmaker in … Continue reading Sr.

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

The Woman King

John Stark

Where I Watched It: iTunes English Audio Description Provided By: Media Access Group Narrated By: Leilani jones Wilmore Watching the evolution of the Woman King,at least through other movie pundits, was a ride. There was this concept that perhaps the movie wouldn’t be any good (because of it’s September release date), and then there was concern over the subject matter (slavery), followed by the utter surprise at the glowing Rotten Tomatoes score, and then box office over performing. That was followed by the realization that perhaps this film was an Oscar contender. Not just for Viola Davis, but in multiple … Continue reading The Woman King

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Spin Me Round

John Stark

Where I Watched It: iTunes English Audio Description?: No To be fair, this is also available on AMC Plus without audio description, so I could have watched it in either place. I can’t remember why I chose to rent it. it was probably on sale. In factI crammed so many movies into my Christmas break, some of them I’m struggling to even remember coherently at a level where I can fully critique them. i do know that I wanted to see this because I love Alison Brie, and fully support her film career. The plot was basically involving a girl … Continue reading Spin Me Round

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

White Noise (2022)

John Stark

Where I Watched it: Netflix English Audio Description?: Yes Other than my usual perspective of being blind and watching with audio description, i also have not read the book. I’ve heard some call it unfilmable, but I have no context. From what I can tell, i understand their hesitation. i miss the Noah Baumbach who was more interested in seemingly being the next Wes Anderson, and directing offbeat indies like The Squid And The Whale. Netflix letting him do whatever with large sums of money isn’t helping. White Noise is a film not everyone will like. That’s a fact. Not … Continue reading White Noise (2022)

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Sam and Kate

John Stark

Where I Watched it: iTunes English Audio Description?: no This is one of those examples I brought up about why audio description should be on more things… because households sometimes aren’t like 100% blind, and we all share spaces, and live together? Well, i watched this with someone else that I knew would like a film starring Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek. Because of that, and they know there was no audio description, I got some things explained to me along the way that I would not have been able to understand without. That being said, i will be giving … Continue reading Sam and Kate

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

The Invitation (2022)

John Stark

Where i Watched it: Netflix English Audio Description?: Yes It needs to be said that Nathalie Emanuel needs to be a casting priority for Hollywood. Like, she needs the same level of attention Margot Robbie gets. There’s no reason she can’t be an A-lister. She should not have to do films like this to hope her star power rises. Everyone loves her, she proved her dramatic weight on Game of Thrones, and is waiting for her big non-Fast and Furious moment. This isn’t it. This is one of those films where I actually don’t blame the cast. At all. I … Continue reading The Invitation (2022)

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Aqua Teen Forever

John Stark

Where I Watched it: iTunes English Audio Description?: no This one was just for me. I’ve watched every single Aqua Teen thing since the show premiered. I have some seasons on DVD. I screened the movie in theatres before it came out. I’ve watched the show a bit since losing my vision. It’s not the easiest to follow, but I’ve been following these characters for like 20 years now. Seriously. i remember on one of the DVD’s you could take a recording of the Mooninites doing a voicemail for you. And, yes, that was my voicemail for about a year. … Continue reading Aqua Teen Forever