We Have Always Lived In The Castle
Sometimes I still review a film without audio description. This popped up on Hulu, and Hulu and IMDB can’t seem to agree on when this was released. It might qualify as 2024, but probably not. This is a weird little thriller about two sisters, played by Alexandra Daddario and Taissa Farmiga, who lose their father and live in a time when women need men to guide them. They have an uncle (Crispin Glover) who is certifiable, but seems like a nice guy, and then in comes a cousin (Sebastian Stan) who may have ulterior motives. Reasons for audio description: 1) … Continue reading We Have Always Lived In The Castle
Luca
As people discuss the downfall of Disney, and the lackluster output by Pixar, I need to point out always that Luca is terrific. This Spring, taking advantage of a release schedule altered by the strikes last year, Disney released Soul, Turning Red, and Luca theatrically, since they did not receive theatrical runs due to the pandemic. I thought Soul was good, but I wasn’t obsessed. I’m not a big Turning Red fan, but Luca is delightful. Taking place off the coast of an Italian fishing village, this is a story of discovery, adventure, family, taking risk, and making the most … Continue reading Luca
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/12/24
After I made that post about me being concerned about the CBS lineup already, they went and started looking at a new likely series order for a reboot of the series Cold Case. Kind of poetic to look at reviving Cold Case, since that’s kind of what Cold Case is about. Looking at things no one is actively looking at. Maybe something will move to Paramount Plus? I checked out the new Good Times (Netflix), which is nothing like the original show, because humor is totally different. And now, every show has a talking baby. So, this has to have … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/12/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/12/24
First, I’m upset. Like, kudos and stuff to the fans, but it looks like SWAT is not ending this season after all.I conceptually don’t understand this move, since CBS has a solid lineup, and is really only losing Blue Bloods now, along with Young Sheldon and Bob Hearts Abishola. While not every show has been renewed, the FBI franchise has, and I’m sure the NCIS series has as well. Tracker got an early pickup. That really doesn’t leave much “on the bubble”, and Elzabeth has such a strong future, that their bizarre strategy of premiering the show, and then waiting … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/12/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/10/24
Constellation (Apple Plus) basically revealed its bonkers hand. I gotta say for audio description that has to follow two versions of the same person, this does a really good job. Yes, it is kind of that Thing 1 and Thing 2, but if it was good enough for Dr Seuss… Seriously though, Constellation has some really strong description, and I’ve never felt lost in a show that is off the walls. Top Tier. X-Men 97 (Disney plus) also happened. I don’t quite have the words. I’m having a lot of emotions about this episode. The audio description? You know, I’m … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/10/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/09/24
Let’s see how this day went. Another episode of Three Body Problem (Netflix) in the bank, and considering the last episode was utterly nuts, this episode was a lot more grounded.Sure, the episode ends with a reveal into what that probe would actually be,but you know. Oh, and that one guy is buying a star. I just saw the viewership for Netflix, and this was still on top. Duh. The audio description is still really solid from Darran and Co. Top Tier. Then we transition to The Dynasty (Apple Plus) that tackled the Aaron Hernandez days of the team. The … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/09/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/08/24
I finished two shows yesterday. I gotta say, I enjoyed Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix), but from a directorial standpoint, this season finale was so close to ending on a cool line of dialogue to set up next season, but instead it kinda pushed further into that diorama scene, which it didn’t need. There’s one of those “What’s next?” Type statements, and that would have been the place to cut, I think. It felt like a stronger ending. At this point, for season two, I hope the audio description is more immersive. There are a lot of fans of the … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/08/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/07/24
Not really a new show, but I did dive into the second season of Loot (Apple plus). The series is hilarious, and the first part where she’s being interviewed and asked those questions was hilarious. Loved it. I’m not just a Maya Rudolph fan, but I love what MJ Rodriguez brings to the table as well. It’s got that battle of being a sitcom, and I’m convinced Apple has kidnapped Tansy Alexander at this point because I think she’s narrating the whole lineup now or something, but this tries to do the most with the time it has. there are … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/07/24
Mean Girls (2024)
They call themselves The Plastics. They’re shiny fake and hard. Sometimes, when you strive to appease everyone, you end up appeasing no one. Luckily, that isn’t the case with mean Girls, the musical adaptation that hit theatres in 2024, but it does suffer from a lack of identity. The movie is neither a complete reimagining of the original film. Or a faithful adaptation of the musical. Hell, it isn’t even a new version of the musical, in the way that they just fill the movie with new songs. It tries to be everything. On Wednesdays we wear pink. Get in … Continue reading Mean Girls (2024)
Players
I want to enrich my cinema experience. I want to watch less bad, or mediocre movies. But the problem is, I actually like certain actors. So, when Netflix regurgitates something with a generic title like Players, I ignore it. Then I notice it stars Gina Rodriguez (Jane The Virgin, Not Dead Yet), Damon Wayans Jr (Happy endings, let’s Be Cops), and Tom Ellis (Lucifer), and I really am genuinely supportive. The same thing happened with Dan Levy’s writer/directorial feature debut earlier this year. Normally, with a lesser known actor,I would have passed on Good Grief. Netflix keeps hiring actors I … Continue reading Players
Orion And The Dark
I would have liked this concept to go to basically anyone but who actually made this. Arguably, even Dreamworks knows they didn’t stick the landing, which is why you are just now hearing about this as a Netflix original. It’s Dreamworks Animation. This is the same parent company that was more than happy releasing Ruby Gilman Teenage Kraken last year, and had no problem putting Megamind Vs The Doom Syndicate straight to Peacock. Meanwhile, they ditched this. Joke is on them, because it is better than that Megamind sequel (more on that in its own review). Orion and the Dark … Continue reading Orion And The Dark
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/06/24
Kicking off today’s diary with the new shows first. Sugar (Apple Plus) is so stylish, so cool, so swag that I can’t help but be enamored with it. It has all those feelings of The Maltese Falcon and Philip Marlowe, and seems like the kind of project we could have revived Humphrey Bogart for. But, Colin Farrell is surprisingly terrific as John Sugar, a private detective who is hired by a wealthy grandfather (James Cromwell) to find his granddaughter who has gone missing, and keep it out of the papers. Despite the jazzy soundtrack, and the swag of the times, … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/06/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/05/24
Well, NBC went and fucked it all up again. Strong language, I know. Right off the bat. There’s really no other way to open with NBC repeating the same mistake. Quantum Leap has been axed again, without bringing anyone home. No finale season. They didn’t even get what LaBrea got with those handful of episodes to wrap things up. Honestly, you could probably just do a two hour Quantum Leap event, bring everyone home, including the (sorry, spoilers) two current leapers, as well as Sam. Bring everyone home. Call it a day, and never touch this franchise again. But no. … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/05/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/04/24
I decided to check out the hot new limited series, Ripley (Netflix), which has All Of us Strangers star Andrew Scott playing Tom Ripley, in a loose reimagining of The Talented Mr Ripley. Translating a book to film often shortens the material, but into a limited series, and you can keep a lot more of the subject matter. The question is whether or not this sustains the run as well as the film managed to. Johnny Flynn and Dakota Fanning c-star. The audio description here was perfectly fine. If I had any note, it would be to lean more in … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/04/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 04/03/24
Even more TV news! And it concerns a show I watched yesterday! Will Trent (Hulu) has been renewed by ABC for Season 3. Not really surprising. The narration can be better. I did figure out that they are creating a multipurpose track that can go anywhere, which is why we keep using torches. but, it is shooting for the bare minimum, with there being times when description might have been nice. For example, when the captain gets dressed up in advance of her press conference, a couple of the cast make reference to that, but we have no idea what … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 04/03/24
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