Tag: A24

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Movies With Pride: Love Lies Bleeding

John Stark

I’m always amazed by the cult of A24. They’re just a distribution company, yet there are some out there that think this studio is carefully curating the best cinema of the year. If not the best, certainly the most challenging. I don’t disagree with the latter, as A24 films always seem like we’d never see them released by anyone other than A24 or Neon. Rose Glass’s Love Lies Bleeding is very much one of those films. I struggle to see where a film where the two leads are lesbians would fit in, especially in a way where the studio would … Continue reading Movies With Pride: Love Lies Bleeding

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Problemista

John Stark

If I had known this thing was so close to dropping on MAX, i wouldn’t have renewed it. I will say, that with almost 100 titles so far this year, this is currently at the top of my list. I am probably the only person who can say that, since I think everyone is likely to have seen something at one of the festivals by now. But for me, I thought this quirky A24 comedy hit the mark, a rare feat for what has been a fairly mediocre year thus far. The audio description is produced by Deluxe, with primary … Continue reading Problemista

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The Zone Of Interest

John Stark

This years Oscar winner for best international Feature is brought to you by Jonathan Glazer, who previously directed films like Sexy Beast and Under The Skin. While there is some flair here, this couldn’t be more different. A24 distributed this, and it is tough to look away from. 30 years since Schindler’s List, and we are just getting another truly masterful but frightening look at one of the worst periods in our history. Glazer captures this through his determination to show the life of a Commandate’s family that lives just outside the death camp of Auschwitz, and how their mundane … Continue reading The Zone Of Interest

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Dream Scenario

John Stark

A24 has to manage their portfolio better. It is a little like how WB dropped Wonka, Aquaman and the lost Kingdom, and the Color Purple on the same weekend. A24 needs to figure out their awards contenders, so films like Dream Scenario, The iron Claw, and other late entries aren’t forgotten. I’m happy Nicolas Cage got a Golden Globe nomination, but with the work he’s been putting in recently in films like this, Pig, Massive Talent, and a few other choices, I feel like we are pulling him away from exceptionally awful straight to streaming titles. he had at least … Continue reading Dream Scenario

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All Dirt Roads Taste Of Salt

John Stark

The title is a lie. I found a dirt road, and it did not taste of salt. it tasted awful. Luckily, this feature debut from Raven Jackson, and has a few Independent Spirit Award nominations. As a voter, I was provided with a screener. As a blind voter, I was not provided with accessibility. As a human being, I was ignored by A24, so I hope Raven can take some solace in the fact that I did actually pay to watch a film I had a free screener too just because I’m disabled and apparently that’s a big problem for … Continue reading All Dirt Roads Taste Of Salt

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the Small Screen Diaries- 02/02/24

John Stark

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

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Dicks: The Musical

John Stark

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

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Bo Is Afraid

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Paramount Plus (with Showtime) English Audio Description?: Yes Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey, Kylie Roger’s, Denis Menochet, Zoe Lister Jones, Richard Kind, and bill Hader. Written And Directed By: Ari Aster Boy, am i glad this had audio description. Someone deserves overtime pay, because Aster certainly made them earn their money. Bo Is Afraid is one of those divisive films some will love and some will hate. Even among Ari Aster fans who look forward to his particular brand of oddity, this may not be what they expected from the … Continue reading Bo Is Afraid

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The Too Much Tv Roundup- 12/26/23

John Stark

Apparently Percy Jackson is doing solid numbers for Disney. Over 13M in the first week. Maybe the series will survive. 1) Bodies (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Limited I may not always know what is going on, but as the series moves forward the series has intrigued me a lot. By episode 5, things are really starting to come together, and you can see characters understand what is going on. Episode Grade: B+ 2) Monarch (Apple Plus) English Audio Description?: Yes Narrated By: Jedidiah Barton Status: Unknown Our characters find themselves really trapped in the freezing tundra being chased … Continue reading The Too Much Tv Roundup- 12/26/23

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Showing Up

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Apple VOD English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated By Laura Post Cast: Michelle Williams, Hong Chau, Judd Hirsch, Amanda Plummer, Andre 3000, John Magaro Written By: Jonathan Raymond Directed By: Kelly Reichardt First Cow is still on my very long list of “I’ll get around to it”, so this is my first experience with Reichardt. Showing Up ended up winning an all inclusive Altman award, which blessed the entire production. No one asked me. I think as an independent film, or a meditation on normality, and the banality of existence, Showing Up works. but as … Continue reading Showing Up

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/17/23

John Stark

It’s too close to Christmas for any good TV news. 1) Scott Pilgrim Takes off (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Limited The creators of this show have already said they have no plans for a second season, but this basically is a remake of the film, just done in a different style. I really liked it, and I was happy to hear many of the original voice cast. It has such a strong anime flavor to it, it feels very different from the film. And, it will run longer than the movie, giving us more time to explore these … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/17/23

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Talk To Me

John Stark

Where I watched It: iTunes English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated By: William Michael Redman Like most horror films, Talk To Me has an element you just have to accept. If you can’t accept the element, the film will never work for you. There is a hand, people grab onto it, and let a spirit inside them. The rule is that it can only be for a short period, like a quick high, but sadly this Aussie horror film is really bad at explaining how people know things. So, you just have to accept that this is the world. … Continue reading Talk To Me

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 11/24/23

John Stark

What did you do for Black Friday? Did you buy some awesome gadgets? Any physical media? Did you finally splurge on that air fryer even though you don’t cook but you hope by owning an air fryer you will be more inclined to cook? 1) Neon (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Not Yet Renewed It’s charming me more and more with each episode. The gang gets an offer to shoot a music video, while their would-be agent gets shot down at work even though clearly she saved the day, and our budding musician has a nepotistic interview for a … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 11/24/23

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The Too Much TV Roundup- 11/17/23

John Stark

It it looking like the solution to paying actors more isn’t for people in the boardrooms to not continue to make absurd amounts of money in non-creative positions managing creativity, instead the solution is to kill that creativity. Another show has gotten the axe, as Hallmark has cancelled their Yellowstone knockoff Ride after one season. Will more cancellations be coming? Most definitely my dude. 1) Sex Education (Netflix) English Audio Description?: Yes Status: Final Season Otis and Amy are both there for Maeve when she returns home to meet up with her brother and see her mom in the hospital.Only … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 11/17/23

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Past Lives

John Stark

Where I Watched It: iTunes English Audio Description By Deluxe Primary Narration By Jedidiah Barton Do you ever think “Oh, that seems interesting.”, and then everyone on the internet responds to it with the level of dedicated Ferber that suggests the movie is now a religion. Do you worship at the church of Past Lives? Perhaps you saw the A24 logo, and just stared at that for two hours, and let A24 be your new God. in short, cal the hell down. I went into Past Lives really trying to keep my expectations measured and fair, allowing a film to … Continue reading Past Lives