The Abyss
Back in December, James Cameron released his restoration of The Abyss theatrically, not just updating it to the technical specifics of modern times, but also tweaking it to his own director’s cut, releasing the version he wanted to release. For a director like Cameron, whose resume is actually quite small as he takes a lot of time to develop an idea, The Abyss is like the Moby Dick of his filmography. It has been pretty notoriously hard to find on any home media up until this point, but now that Cameron has a version of it that he approves of, … Continue reading The Abyss
The Small Screen Diaries- 02/08/24
Some of our favorite shows have started to return. Abbott Elementary (Hulu) is leading that charge, and sadly, they switched audio description providers. It is a pretty obvious artificial voice, and it barely spoke during the season premiere. There are definitely long stretches where if you just walked into the room, you would assume the program totally lacked audio description. It does not. It spoke maybe five times, and while I will not contend that the information given was useful, I will take issue with the fact that there were some other moments where experienced AD writers would have added … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/08/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 02/07/24
Disney waited patiently for me to finish the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney Plus) before renewing the show for a second season. You know what’s amazing? The total lack of representation. It’s amazing how the shitty character descriptions in this have removed race for blind people. Lance Reddick, a black man, (also, rest in peace), played Zeus in the final episode, and he’s just referred to as wearing a suit and being bald. You know, sighted people can see representation right? Little kids of color can see themselves represented on screen, but when you have audio … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/07/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 02/06/24
Well, production on Season 3 of Foundation has been pushed back. Not a great sign for a show that needs a lot of post-production. but, in good news for no one except the people on the show, FOX gave Animal Control an early Season 3 renewal. Sadly, they didn’t give it audio description. I finished Echo (Disney Plus), which has the weirdest ending. It feels like it’s building to this massive and epic fight, and it wasn’t as epic as the build up was. Still, a solid show, but I wonder if any Marvel show will ever truly hit me … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/06/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 02/05/24
I’m worried about a Paramount Plus purge as they started with purging content on their international versions, and now are purging international content from Paramount Plus. The list was a bunch of shows that never even aggregated into any of my feeds, unlike Netflix which constantly throws international content at you. So if it was underperforming, maybe Paramount Plus should advertise that they actually are making shows internationally? Speaking of, I did check out Sexy Beast (Paramount Plus) officially and while the ending was solid, it does take a while to warm up. It’s definitely a mature show, and I’m … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/05/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 02/04/24
the way my week works, is that I typically try and introduce new shows on Sunday to my rotation, and then Monday starts going through another episode of each show I’ve decided to continue with. So, this Sunday, my watching of Sexy Beast (Paramount Plus) was so disjointed and interrupted, I decided I’d just use its “second” episode that would happen later this week to rewatch the pilot coherently. but, technically I tried. While I do really enjoy the Jonathan Glazer film on which the series is adapted, it’s been years since I’ve seen the film. At least twenty, but … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/04/24
American Fiction
Rarely is a debut film so exceptionally biting in its attempt to drive home a point, but Court Jefferson’s American Fiction is that pleasant surprise. As a white male film critic, even though my main purpose is to come at this perspective as a blind film critic, i always look at certain films and wonder if what i have to say is valid, or even what criticisms I could offer. Honestly, I have none. So, this time, I have nothing to worry about. My only criticism at all is just in how the film is received, as I wasn’t quite … Continue reading American Fiction
the Small Screen Diaries- 02/03/24
So the Top 20 were chosen on Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), which is still easily the dumbest way of calling something a “challenge”. I don’t even know why only 20 people? All of them should have made it through, just expand the numbers. Did you really not have enough numbered vests? It would have been even more beneficial to be a higher number then. Plus, we should have a feeling like we had in the first Squid Game, that multiple people could win. That changed in the final challenge, but these guys didn’t need to know that multiple people … Continue reading the Small Screen Diaries- 02/03/24
The ABC’s Of Book Banning
Nominated this year for Best Documentary Short at the Academy Awards, the ABC’s Of Book Banning was a title that jumped out at me immediately. I figured it would be right up my alley. Long ago, before we ever got into our current political climate, when I had my first car and could put bumper stickers, I had “Read Banned Books” on my car. That was back before even the Bush/Gore election, so I’d say I’ve thought banning books is stupid as long as I thought about the concept of reading. Sadly, this short doesn’t have audio description, which makes … Continue reading The ABC’s Of Book Banning
All Of Us Strangers
It’s tragic that Andrew Hague’s All Of Us Strangers wasn’t nominated for a single Oscar. honestly, it’s a travesty. Considering the widespread praise this film has had, the only possible reason could be the belief that this is just another gay movie, and that would be such a mistake. Andrew Scott plays a man who lives in England in one of those new condo buildings where no one else has moved in. Except one day, he finds a neighbor, who lives on another floor. Lost in their loneliness, these two connect, which sparks something within Scott, and he basically returns … Continue reading All Of Us Strangers
the Small Screen Diaries- 02/02/24
Today, I finally found out how Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix) ended, and I’m not sure what a second season would look like. The adventure is always in getting Scott and Ramona together, so unless they keep telling alternate versions of that story, they’d likely be together in another season. So I fully support the creators intent of this being a limited series. Has Been Hotel (Amazon) crossed into trust building. The songs are silly. This is still a show I like but don’t love, though I give it props for being unlike anything else on the market, and also … Continue reading the Small Screen Diaries- 02/02/24
Dicks: The Musical
Just in time for its debut on MAX, my belated review of Dicks: The Musical, an A24 film i rented from the Apple Store with audio description from Deluxe, narrated by Julian Smith. Right off the bat, this film is not for you. Yes, you. I don’t even know you, but I’m pretty sure this film isn’t for you. I’m honestly not even sure who this film is for, because it seems to want to be for nobody. The duo behind the film adaptation of the off-Broadway musical ‘Fucking Identical Twins’ have concocted something Trey Parker and Matt Stone would … Continue reading Dicks: The Musical
Eileen
Sometimes, when you have a small audience that sees a film out of a festival, they put out thoughts into the world as to not spoil the eventual film’s release. I feel like that happened with Eileen, but in a way that did not represent the film. Luckily, as this film was available to me for my consideration with audio description made possible by Neon, I was able to actually understand what this film was about. Previously, the general vibe from the festival crowd was something about a prison, a young Thomasian Mackenzie working there, and how the introduction of … Continue reading Eileen
The Small Screen Diaries- 02/01/24
Looks like NBC is trying to review Suits, with a pilot order for Suits: LA. Also, Netflix made a giant announcement yesterday confirming several series will bow in 2024, including the final seasons of Sweet Tooth, Umbrella Academy, and Cobra Kai, along with new seasons of The Diplomat, Emily In Paris, That 90’s Show, The Night Agent, and Outer Banks. Waiting until 2025 for sure, are Stranger Things, Wednesday, Virgin River, and Ginny and Georgia. That last one surprised me, as it doesn’t seem like a show that takes a long time to put together, and with the relative youth … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/01/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 01/31/24
A month has gone by. Damn. Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney plus) gave its best character description so far. When Percy tries to enter Hadestown, he must first pass by a fellow demigod. We were told he was tall, gaunt, and had wispy hair. For Percy Jackson, that’s like amazing audio description. We then meet two other characters with decidedly less description. Especially Hades, who just kinda appears. Hell, Cerberus got more description. Barely. Also, Poseidon shows up, and I was so totally underwhelmed with his entrance. This is some of the most lackluster audio description I’ve heard in … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/31/24
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