Category: Movie Review

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Martha

John Stark

Martha (Netflix)- Martha Stewart Clears The Air… And You Can Too In Your Own Home! Quick Take: I normally am trepidations when subjects are involved in their own biopics or documentaries, because often they show you what they want to show you. Martha Stewart is someone who has spent a lot of time in the public eye, and a lot of it isn’t flattering. One of the reasons I bothered to give this the praise, is I think Martha really did open up about some unflattering or personal details, and the director also holds her accountable. There are moments where … Continue reading Martha

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Shark Tale: 20th Anniversary

John Stark

Shark Tale: 20th Anniversary- Will Smith, Jack Black, Robert DeNiro, Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie Quick Take: I’m always surprised this didn’t become a franchise. After all, there are two Nut Job movies. Gnomeo and Juliet got a sequel. The Boss Baby had a sequel. How this movie managed to evade becoming a franchise likely has to do with the expense and popularity of the voice cast. Will Smith, jack Black, Renee Zellweger, Robert DeNiro, Angelina Jolie, and Martin Scorsese. do you realize that out of the entire main voice cast I just listed, only one of them is not an … Continue reading Shark Tale: 20th Anniversary

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Despicable Me 4

John Stark

Despicable Me 4- A Screenplay That Feels Like It Was Written By 10 Minions Quick Take: The fourth outing, and the sixth technically in the franchise at large, Despicable Me 4 has a lot happening. it feels like the script was written and then rewritten almost like a game of “Yes, and” where the next person added another subplot. this movie is so scattered, so disorganized,it makes the third film seem better. I wasn’t a fan of the third, because I didn’t think Steve Carell should have voiced both. It was a missed opportunity to go in a completely different … Continue reading Despicable Me 4

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Our Little Secret

John Stark

Our Little Secret (Netflix)- Lindsay Lohan Tries To Impress Kristin Chenoweth This Christmas Quick Take- It feels like Lindsay Lohan is on film probation, and she’s having to work through Netflix content creation to get a real film offer. In this latest film, which is disguised as a holiday film, Lohan plays a young woman who breaks up with someone at the top, only for us to have a weird montage of the passage of time, so that we can see her years later with a new boyfriend. this one has invited her home for the holidays, and when she … Continue reading Our Little Secret

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Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking

John Stark

Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking (MAX)- My First review Of Audio Description For A Stand-Up Special Quick Take: I’ve never reviewed a stand up special. I felt like I needed to, and lo and behold this thing went and got a Golden Globe nomination. I realized I don’t know how to grade stuff like this, but it was an interesting look at how audio description supports stand up. When you think about how comedians for years made money off of their albums, with no visual reference, it isn’t the most obvious genre for effusive description. I chose to start with … Continue reading Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking

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Super/Man: The Christopher reeve Story

John Stark

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story- An Inspirational Look Into The Life And Legacy Quick Take: I’m catching up on reviews. I saw this over a month ago, before it made its debut on MAX. My review reflected the lack of audio description provided in the screener, though it now has accessibility on the streamer. As much as I liked this documentary, it isn’t exactly a happy one, so revisiting it again for audio description purposes is not something I want to do immediately. However, I remember when he injured himself. I was not a huge fan. At the time, I … Continue reading Super/Man: The Christopher reeve Story

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The Merry Gentlemen

John Stark

The Merry Gentleman (Netflix)- It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Magic Mike Quick Take- Of all the Netflix holiday romantic comedies I ingested, this Britt Robertson/Chad Michael Murray one was the most entertaining. It is basically the Magic Mike Christmas we never got, but not as explicit. Robertson plays a young actress who is told at 30 she’s too old and is fired from her Broadway show. She’s aged out. She moves home, her parents business is failing, and her idea to save it is a Christmas revue with the local hot guys, including her potential love interest (Murray). … Continue reading The Merry Gentlemen

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The Piano Lesson

John Stark

The Piano Lesson (Netflix) Misguided Direction Saved By Stunning Detweiler And Ensemble Quick Take: Malcolm Washington, son of Denzel, is making his feature directorial debut with a challenging August Wilson work. We meet several members of a tight knit family, with Samuel L Jackson serving largely as the de facto patriarch of this clan, and most of the film taking place in his home. Though, he is often just a voyeur as the energy between John David Washington and Danielle Detweiler powers the film, as he is looking to buy some land that has a deep familial connection, and wants … Continue reading The Piano Lesson

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Meet Me Next Christmas

John Stark

Meet Me Next Christmas (Netflix)- Christina Milian featuring Pentatonix Quick Take: Christina Milian got her Netflix holiday film. She’s also having a bit of a career bump now, following her casting in Dexter: Original Sin. Here, the actress/singer is stuck with a male co-star with less name recognition, but the presence of Pentatonix. The entire movie hinges on a young woman (Milian) who has a meet cute moment with a guy who says he’s going to be at this Pentatonix concert, and if they run into each other there… it is fate. So, she tries to get a ticket, and … Continue reading Meet Me Next Christmas

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The Night Before Christmas In Wonderland

John Stark

The night Before Christmas In Wonderland (Hulu) Gerard Butler Sings Again For This Animated Dud Quick Take: This animated dud dropped on Hulu like it was cold. not hot. It features the one time Phantom Of The Opera, Gerard Butler, singing his way through some atrocious songs in a story that blends Santa with all of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland characters. Well, mainly the Queen, who has outlawed Christmas because of that one time Santa didn’t get her what she wanted. So, Santa has to find a way to convince her to have a change of heart. There’s no audio description, … Continue reading The Night Before Christmas In Wonderland

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Casa Bonita Mi Amor

John Stark

Casa Bonita Mi Amor (Paramount Plus)- All That South Park Money Goes Somewhere Quick Take: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have made a ton of money. A ton. From South Park to the Book Of Mormon, these two are doing just fine. This is a movie about how they tried to take a chunk of that money and save something they loved in Colorado from their childhood. It can best be described as some similar minded Chucky Cheese or Dave And Busters. A place where you could have all the fun and food. I had a place like that when … Continue reading Casa Bonita Mi Amor

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Meet Me In St. Louis: 80th Anniversary

John Stark

The Holiday Classics: Meet Me In St Louis: 80th Anniversary Quick Take: As much as I love musicals, this is actually my first time. I found it with audio description, and it is a Christmas film on an Anniversary year. it had to finally happen. I found it oddly entertaining looking back on how things were done 80 years ago, and this film is also commenting on a period even earlier than it. So, the grandfather in this movie, when he talks about courting his wife, I’m fairly certain did that during the Civil War. Perspective. but aside from this … Continue reading Meet Me In St. Louis: 80th Anniversary

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Fall Into Winter

John Stark

Fall Into Winter (Netflix)- Lori Laughlin Makes Another Wholesome Christmas Film Quick Take: For Christmas, I noticed Netflix had also gotten the rights, and the audio description to Fall into Winter, one of Lori loughlin’s many TV movies. It feels like it was made on a conveyor belt of Lori Loughlin holiday films that have the same cast and just recycle the set. Here, she’s a baker, and her brother is leaving town, and sells his half of the business to this guy she hates, but you know they will fall in love by the end of the film. It … Continue reading Fall Into Winter

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Hot Frosty

John Stark

Hot Frosty (Netflix)- Will Lacey Chabert Hook Up With A Snowman Before It’s Too Late? Quick Take: Lacey Chabert brings her Christmas magic to Netflix, and Netflix is very confused. In what should have been a hilarious send up of all those basic Christmas films hallmark/Lifetime/Great American Family push out every year, it falls prey to a lack of imagination, and casting an underwhelming male lead. I know I’ve seen Dustin Milligan before, and I feel like I’m being mean, but this film required someone with actual comedic chops. Lacey Chabert and Andy Samberg, for example, would work, with a … Continue reading Hot Frosty

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The Outrun

John Stark

The Outrun- Saorise Ronan Makes A Sprint For The Best Actress Race Quick Take: This was provided for my consideration, but without audio description. With Saorise Ronan on the edge of the Oscar conversation, i dove in. This film is basically an addiction drama, with Ronan’s character going through the wringer, and dealing with her parents, as well as a potential love life, and things like rehab. It isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but it is based on a memoir. Ronan is good, but not one of my favorite performances of the year, nor do I think she eclipsed … Continue reading The Outrun