The Small Screen Diaries: 01/02/25
I’ve got one more of my awards nominations down, as my votes were cast for Critics Association Of Central Florida, and I had the pleasure of voting for many of my favorites. Narrowing down lists was hard, and I did certainly ask myself if there was at least a small possibility someone might vote for that person, so like while I enjoyed Taraji P Henson in Straw, I voted for someone more likely. Even trying to decide my Top 5 Best Picture nominees was tough, as I was pretty sure The Baltimorons is a “me” thing, so I ended up … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 01/02/25
Gabby’s Dollhouse: the Movie
Disclaimer: I’m an adult. I’m also a blind film critic This will make no sense, but privilege just astounds me. there are people in power, who act like they are somehow marginalized, when they never have been, and control the marginalization of others. Like, who do you think came up with redlining? Why do you think all but one of our Presidents share a common trait. The audacity of privilege, and to pretend you don’t have it, is mind boggling. Here’s the connection to this preschool movie. the reason I bothered to check out Gabby’s Dollhouse was because if I … Continue reading Gabby’s Dollhouse: the Movie
Stranger Things: Season 5
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic, and this show has audio description, written by Christina Stevens, narrated by Jamie Lemcheck, and produced by International Digital Center. I didn’t really align with the Stranger Things phenomenon right off the bat. Some people get to claim they were champions of a show from its inception,and others along the way. Nevertheless, this show has a permanent place in my history of television and cinema. I had been familiar with audio description, but hadn’t listend to it when I was still sighted, because I didn’t need it. But after losing my vision, I was … Continue reading Stranger Things: Season 5
The Small Screen Diaries: 01/01/26
I’m already making great progress on that resolution. One date down. TV Shows Watched: Stranger Things: S5E8 (Netflix) with audio description, DMV: S1E4 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Celebrity Weakest Link: S1E11 (Disney Plus) no audio description, Death By Lightning: S1E4 (Netflix) with audio description Stranger Things- I ahve to do a full review, but props to Christina Stevens for writing an excellent track. I never felt like I missed a beat. Thanks. Yeah, the finale is a bit silly, and they made choices, but no spoilers here. Just in case. It’ll be in the review instead. I wasn’t blown … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 01/01/26
The Small Screen Diaries: 12/31/25
Starting with tomorrow’s diary, it is that dreaded reality of remembering it is a new year, and actually reflecting that when you type in a date. But you know, I’m going to accidentally slip up. Not this year. My New Year’s Resolution is to get that date change right. If you set small attainable goals… because clearly, we aren’t moving the needle much on the pass through of audio description anytime soon. I just posted my YouTube review of a film yesterday, and someone from the film thanked me for my review and said “Oh by the way, we did … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 12/31/25
It’s Never Over Jeff Buckley
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. Hallelujah indeed. This film deserves praise simply for presenting Jeff as more than the guy who popularized Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. I watched another documentary earlier this year, where a director was tasked with following a pending production of Turandot, and leaned very heavily on Nessun Dorma, the most overdone aria. Here, I actually got to learn about Jeff’s life, and hear some other music. I wasn’t a fan, not because I didn’t like him, but because I didn’t listen to him. So, exploring his life through his friends, family, and other artists was a … Continue reading It’s Never Over Jeff Buckley
The Copenhagen Test
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. This series does have audio description on Peacock. Dear Chat GBT, Your membership to the Writers Guild of America has been denied. the benefit of dropping your show on peacock, on December 27th, is that most outlets have already released their best of and worst of lists. So, unceremoniously dropping all episodes of a new action thriller on a Saturday, caught my attention. This feels like a burn off if there ever was one. But this show has Simu Liu, Melissa Barrera, and Brian D’Arcy James.It can’t be that bad, can it? Here’s the … Continue reading The Copenhagen Test
The Small Screen Diaries: 12/30/25
TV Shows Watched: Hal and Harper: S1E2 (Mubi) no audio description, The Copenhagen Test: S1E1 (Peacock) with audio description, The Chair Company: S1E6? (HBO MAX) with audio description, The Morning Show: S5E6 with audio description, and Nobody Wants this: S2E6 (Netflix) with audio description. Hal and Harper- Still exploring Mubi. Mark Ruffalo is in this. I wish Mubi pushed more into the world of AD. The Copenhagen Test- Fuck. This is one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen. I don’t know how it has 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. Good lord. There’s an R word we don’t use anymore, but… … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 12/30/25
Apocalypse In The Tropics
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. Thankfully, this has audio description. Netflix was in the Oscar race this year with some predictable contenders. They were expected to get Oscar shortlists for The Perfect Neighbor and cover Up, but could they get a third? Sure, and this is that. Seemingly rising to the top in a very crowded Oscar race is a film about how Christian Nationalism nearly destroyed a country. the rise of false prophets using bastardized interpretations of the Bible, to convince people to believe in them, and then after currying favor with the populous, using that to influence … Continue reading Apocalypse In The Tropics
Going In Blind: We Bury The Dead
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. i typically review films with audio description, but I did not have it with my advance of this film. Vertical does occasionally provide audio description, so this title may have it. Someone has to be first out of the gate. The first official review for 2026. My next year has started, and this one isn’t over. As I continue to consider Oscar bait titles, Vertical is prepping their new zombie horror starring Daisy Ridley, which opens on January 2nd, 2026. So what privileges is the film granted? Well, I can truthfully say this is … Continue reading Going In Blind: We Bury The Dead
The Small Screen Diaries: 12/29/25
TV Shows Watched: The Abandons: S1E1 (Netflix) with audio description, Percy Jackson: S2E2 (Disney Plus) with audio description, Squid Game: The Challenge: S2E3 (Netflix) with audio description, Emily In Paris: S5E2 (Netflix) with audio description, Breaking Bad: S3E5 (Netflix) with audio description The Abandons- A funny name for a show abandoned by its creator. Kurt Sutter left the series during production due to disagreements with the studio. When the creator of Sons Of Anarchy and its spinoff has thoughts, Netflix might want to let him do his thing. I think Paramount hasn’t given Taylor Sheridan a creative note in five … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 12/29/25
Caught Stealing
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. The only person standing in your way is you. Caught Stealing has been called Darren Aronofsky goes mainstream, which is reductive considering he has made wide release films before. It suggests that audiences are incapable of enjoying films of artistic merit. Ironically, caught Stealing made just shy of 20 million off a 40 million dollar budget, which is not quite the success of Black Swan, which made 106 million on a 13 million budget. So, maybe the idea of what mainstream is, perhaps is a falsity in and of itself. But that’s just being … Continue reading Caught Stealing
Going In Blind: Zodiac Killer Project
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. This has no known audio description. This. I’d love my review to just say “this”, with a grade, and nothing else. there are some truly exceptional uses of the form of documentary this year, and this is one of them. There are so many documentaries you can point to and say “this is like that”, and very few you can say are not like anything you’ve seen before. Charlie Shackleton tells the audience what could have been. He had been working on a project centered around the hunt for the zodiac killer, using material … Continue reading Going In Blind: Zodiac Killer Project
Good Boy
Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. I went to hell and back to get audio description for this. you are welcome. There’s something truly magical about someone taking it upon themselves to launch their film career with an inventive horror film shot from an animal’s perspective. And for the director to choose to use his own dog, and not a trained dog ready to hit every mark the first time, it ended up being a painstakingly long process full of extra footage, heavy editing, and the hope it will all pay off. Considering that Indy the dog has gotten some … Continue reading Good Boy
The Small Screen Diaries: 12/28/25
TV Shows Watched: Stranger Things: S5E7 (Netflix) with audio description, Boots: S1E? (Netflix) with audio description, SNL: Josh O’Connor (Peacock) no audio description yet?, and Elzabeth: S3E? (Paramount Plus) with audio description Stranger Things- Another tame episode, all things considered. This series, while excellent, has been very skittish and full of separation anxiety ever since the Justice for Barb movement. So, we are at a point now, where there is this gaggle of characters, who the producers believe ALL need to make it to the finale apparently. At this point, I don’t even have faith they will kill one of … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 12/28/25