The Small Screen Diaries- 01/30/24
The Brothers Sun (Netflix) continued its unique brand of action and comedy and the mystery of exterminating all evil… by doing evil? An interesting series, but Michelle Yeoh is mostly criminally underused. It’s like this movie didn’t know she was about to win an Oscar. I made good on my promise to watch a second episode of Death And Other Details (Hulu), because of Mandy Patinkin and he isn’t disappointing. He’s terrific, and while the show is incredibly borderline going week to week as to whether or not I’d watch another episode, it’s on the bubble because of him. Echo … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/30/24
The Small Screen Diaries- 01/29/24
I finished Billions (Paramount Plus) officially. What a great finale, and a spinoff is totally set up for Taylor, so please make that happen. Kudos to Paula Hoffman and everyone who worked on the audio description for the two available seasons. My Life With The Walter Boys (Netflix) just suffers from having too many damn characters, and doing a poor job of describing them at the on set, so I don’t have a concrete idea of what these people look like. Anytime a new face shows up, there’s really nothing that describes them. Ted (Peacock) is shit. This audio description … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/29/24
the Small Screen Diaries- 01/28/24
What an odd day for television. Thank God I had Julia (MAX) at the end of the day as a dessert. It’s sad that show is coming to an end, because while watching that White House centric show, along with the speech around the publisher going blind, and Paul just being great all episode, this really reminded me of what a Julia Season 3 could have been if not cut tragically short by MAX. #SaveJulia Instead, I watched some new shows. I’m honestly not sure if I want to watch any of them again. Death And Other Details (Hulu) does … Continue reading the Small Screen Diaries- 01/28/24
The People Vs Larry Flynt
More of my Oscar Shame, though this one I’m less ashamed of. I wasn’t old enough to se this on my own when it first came out, and it just became a matter of never catching up on this double nominee. Nominated for Best Director for Milos Foreman and Actor for Woody Harrelson, it is easy to write this film off as inconsequential. In fact, I assume that is why it doesn’t have audio description on Paramount Plus. but, ultimately, the film is very much about free speech, whether you agree with that speech or not. And that is the … Continue reading The People Vs Larry Flynt
Marriage Story
Somehow, and I really don’t know why, I never watched Noah Baumbach’s Marraige Story upon release.Not only does the film have audio description, and it’s not very old, but it is a Netflix original. What the hell have I been doing with my life? So, in opening up my Oscar Shame period, I admit that I needed to right this wrong, and I’ve now seen this. It is amazing. Stunning. The cast is exceptional. I would hand out nominations right on down the line. Best Picture, Director, Actor (Adam Driver), Actress (Scarlett Johansson), and if we are giving a nod … Continue reading Marriage Story
The Small Screen Diaries- 01/27/24
i finally wrapped Lawmen (Paramount Plus), which absolutely could have a second season if they wanted. It was a fantastic series, with possibly the best audio description I heard in television this year. Definitely a Top 3 show. Amazing performances, the score was incredible, and just the whole production kept me engaged for all eight episodes. Has Been Hotel (Amazon) continues to be an oddity fitting of A24, as it combines this concept of redemption in hell with these bizarre characters and full musical numbers. Amazon needs to promote this show more, or it will fail. I’m recognizing several voices … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/27/24
Gran Turismo
Granted, it’s been about a month since I watched this video game racing adaptation, but I don’t know why Sony would wait a month to add audio description. This review is based on the fact that when I initially watched this, it had no audio description, which is insane. Sony has more than enough money to put audio description on this title, and the fact that they didn’t on Netflix, or even in the Apple Store, really boggles the mind. Turismo was never my racing game. I enjoyed other franchises more when I could see. My favorite game had to … Continue reading Gran Turismo
Steel Magnolias
Again, living out my Oscar shame. Though, Steel Magnolias surprisingly was not nominated for as many Oscars as I would have assumed. Thanks to AMC Plus, I was able to watch this without the accessibility I need. I think about the supposed streaming wars, and the inevitable collapse of streamers, and I kind of wonder if the ones that are doing things like ignoring accessibility features will survive. Food for thought. But, likely your local theatre will do Steel Magnolias at some point, so you might have to cross that bridge of getting audio description in live theatre. This is … Continue reading Steel Magnolias
The Small Screen Diaries- 01/26/24
Because it makes absolute sense, Temptation Island is moving networks again. Except, this time it’s not moving to a network. Netflix will now take the reins of the long surviving reality stalwart that just can’t stay dead. Originating on FOX in the boom of reality TV, the show took couples and “tempted” them to cheat with hot singles. What a premise. It’s amazing this show isn’t winning Emmy awards. Speaking of reality TV on Netflix, I did go with another episode of Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), which really has got to find actual challenges for these people. After watching … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/26/24
Killers Of The Flower Moon
No matter what words I have for this film, it already has won a barrage of trophies, and is a Best Picture nominee this year, among its many other nominations. Of course, it is directed by Martin Scorsese, who earned his 10th Best Director nomination, becoming the most lauded living director.It’s part of the reason streaming services like Apple and Netflix give him massive budgets for films that likely will never make that back. The profile his films hit, and the status he gives to them during awards season is almost this intangible quality you can’t put a price on. … Continue reading Killers Of The Flower Moon
Terms Of endearment
Continuing on my journey of watching Oscar films for the first time, a period I’ve come to call my shame period, I found Terms of Endearment. I found it without audio description, which is problematic, since this is a Best Picture winner. I’m of the belief that any Best Picture winner or film added to the National Film Registry should be required to have audio description. These are all cornerstones of cinema, even if in some cases we like films that didn’t win, or aren’t in the registry yet more. My thoughts on this include the fact that I didn’t … Continue reading Terms Of endearment
The Retirement Plan
Despite being offered gems in 2023, Nicolas Cage is still saying Yes to anything. No wonder he wants to retire. We are so close to having a Cage renaissance, but he desperately needs an agent who won’t put him in useless shit. The Retirement Plan is that. Useless. It’s a “guy with a particular set of skills” movie, when Cage is introduced as a former heavy who is drawn back in to protect his daughter and granddaughter.I think Cage has already done this Liam Neeson genre before, so I’m not sure why he’s back. And he just protected a child … Continue reading The Retirement Plan
The Small Screen Diaries- 01/25/24
It’s been so long since any news that I was not shocked that Wolf Pack was cancelled by Paramount Plus after one season. I kinda already thought it had been. Especially with Paramount going through a much reported mass firing shortly. Fool Me Once (Netflix) I see is still trending in Netflix’s top 10. Harlan Cobin’s adaptations seem to always attract enough attention, and the British audio description on the series is solid. In this episode, a car alarm was triggered in a way I hadn’t thought of, but I thought the narrator did a nice job of explaining it. … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/25/24
Oscar Nomination Reactions
I suppose the fact that it took me time to get to this post means that my thoughts are not just a total knee jerk reaction. I’ve truthfully thought about these nominations, and what these nominations truly mean for the future of film. Is there a silver lining we are missing? Was anyone truly snubbed this year? Let’s talk. BEST PICTURE: While I did miss one in my projections, it was honestly because I didn’t think the PGA would go 10 for 10, for the first time in history. Going into the PGA, this was my list of films I … Continue reading Oscar Nomination Reactions
The Small Screen Diaries- 01/24/24
Doesn’t the first month on the 24th day of the 24th year feel like some unofficial A24 holiday? Did you accidentally celebrate by watching an A24 title? Also, Jon Stewart is kinda sorta coming home to The Daily Show. The catch is, once a week, and only through the election season. I’m still upset Apple cancelled his show. The Vegas episode tackled that whole casino and lotus flower plot line. It’s funny that the guy casually referred to as a mailman before ended up being Hermes, since they intentionally underdescribed him to not draw attention the first time around. So, … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/24/24
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