Tag: Disney Plus

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The Small Screen Diaries- 03/19/24

John Stark

Not surprising at all, but CBS will continue to air its Australian import, NCIS: Sydney for its second season, despite already having two NCIS shows, and currently in development on two more. Fun fact, this entire franchise only exists thanks to a series being rescued from cancellation. Possibly the smartest “save our show” ever has turned out to be CBS picking up JAG after it was cancelled at NBC after one season. Without that, they wouldn’t have had the long and successful run of the original show, nor would they have NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, NCIS New Orleans, NCIS Hawaii, … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 03/19/24

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The Marvels

John Stark

The maligned box office flop The Marvels came home to Disney Plus, with audio description by Laura Post and the team at Deluxe. Picking up where something else left off, which then had this spinoff that featured another character but had one from the movie this is a sequel to, whilst incorporating a brand new character from another TV series… this really doesn’t follow just one thing. This is an amalgamation of what happens when a cinematic universe is taken to the furthest degree. So, Brie Larson is back as Captain Marvel, who is technically the star of this film. … Continue reading The Marvels

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The Small Screen Diaries- 03/01/24

John Stark

Timing is everything. Netflix announced the cancellation of The Brothers Sun right after I finished the final episode of the season. I liked the show, and I would have come back for a second season, but I could say that about a number of shows Netflix sends into the void every year. I’m not angry enough to tweet them, or X them. I don’t know why Elon had to go and make that weird. I want to send tweets, not whatever the hell we call it now. But, Michelle Yeoh’s Netflix show is short lived. I will testify that Halo … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 03/01/24

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Nei Nei and Wai Po

John Stark

I just want the world to know, that as a blind film critic, I take on this years Oscar nominees as presented to me. Disney Plus currently has this nominee for Best Documentary Short, and much like they’ve been doing with all their other Oscar hopefuls, they said “hey, you know those blind people? yeah, fuck em. Fuck em hard, the Mickey Mouse way.” I totally sat through this film which is entirely in another language, so i could write a review that pointed out that yet again, Disney Plus has put out another Oscar film without audio description.Bobby Wine: … Continue reading Nei Nei and Wai Po

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The Small Screen Diaries- 02/24/24

John Stark

Man, i hope the SAG awards stay on Netflix. no commercials. Say anything you want. Fantastic. The predictable awards were predictable, and the other trophies painted a picture of the Actor and Actress race. Cillian Murphy has now won both the BAFTA and SAG, defeating Paul Giamatti at both. I cannot shake the feeling that Giamatti is winning for The Holdovers. It may just be because of how much I adore Paul, but I love both films and performances. On the actress side, Lily Gladstone closed the gap between her and Emma Stone by winning the SAG Actress trophy, while … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/24/24

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The Last Repair Shop

John Stark

Oscar nominated for Best Documentary Short, The Last Repair Shop is now on Disney plus, but without audio description (at least when I watched it upon release). I don’t care this time. It’s my party and I’ll do what I want. While there are other exceptional documentary shorts this year, I am in love with this one that focuses on a small group of instrument repair workers who try to make sure the Los Angeles public schools have access to workable instruments. Not only is this a love story of sorts to these people who work in a back room … Continue reading The Last Repair Shop

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The Small Screen Diaries- 02/15/24

John Stark

Did you feel like you got hit on the head yesterday? That’s because Paramount Global has axed streamer Noggin, which launched as a cable channel in 199, before developing its own paid service in 2015. Nine years later, Paramount Global is on fire, and they need to cut costs. A lot of the basic core programs of Noggin are available on Paramount Plus anyway, so I’m sure this is just a redundancy they felt was needed. I was more surprised that 800 people worked for Noggin. Just to balance themselves out, they also cancelled Evil. So, something on either end … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 02/15/24

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Bobi Wine: The People’s President

John Stark

This Oscar nominated documentary is just one of many documentaries that Disney Plus seems to not want to bother with audio description. It’s like they have this huge National Geographic wing, but they are afraid to add audio description to most of it. I already reviewed The mission, which was a failed Oscar bait earlier this year, and it lacked audio description. This film, from what I can tell, deserves to be where it is. it just can’t get my vote in terms of accessibility. We all have our causes, and I’m here to discuss film and advocate for accessibility, … Continue reading Bobi Wine: The People’s President

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The Small Screen Diaries- 02/04/24

John Stark

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

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The Small Screen Diaries- 02/01/24

John Stark

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

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The Mission (2023)

John Stark

Originally, my plan was to watch this and hopefully have one more shortlisted Documentary Feature off my list. Then, the Oscars didn’t short list it, so this is just a review no one will care about. But, in case someone does, it’s valid to discuss this because Disney perpetually makes their feature docs available without audio description. This one is about that guy from a few years back who tried to bring Jesus to a tribe on an island that has stayed in their own little indigenous bubble. This guy had the testicular fortitude, or utter insanity, to approach this … Continue reading The Mission (2023)

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The Small Screen Diaries- 01/19/24

John Stark

I found out that Apple isn’t moving forward on a third season of Schmigadoon. Honestly, I was shocked they made a second. Very pleasantly surprised, as I love that show, but still surprised. Not shocked by the cancellation, especially after they also ditched The After Party last year. I also wasn’t surprised by who won Celebrity jeopardy (Hulu) this week. That’s the person that I assumed would win the whole thing, so the fact they made the final three doesn’t shock me.I laughed at the audio description. At the very end, when our lovely narrator is filling in that lead … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries- 01/19/24

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The Shepard

John Stark

Disney Plus has another short film contender this year in which they partnered with Alfonso Cuaron. Just like last years, it’s also vaguely a Christmas movie, and it’s also just OK. I feel like these budgeted short films with major talent attached to them are kind of making the short category less fun for breakthrough potential from new directors. It’s a perfectly nice film set on Christmas Eve, with a predictable ending. It involves wartime, and planes. Talking about something this short much beyond that will spoil it entirely, so let’s just say I have faith in any audience to … Continue reading The Shepard

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Bedknobs And Broomsticks

John Stark

This little window of time where I keep watching random titles on streaming services that were nominated for Oscars but I still hadn’t seen has been rewarding. One of those titles is this film right here. Yes, I’ve never seen the utterly bonkers Bedknobs and Broomsticks. It feels like a project that was green lit because of the success of Mary Poppins, and Angela Lansbury jumped in because she was affronted that she wasn’t Mary Poppins, so she was going to do this… dammit. Disney has let Roundabout do the audio description, which has been a mixed bag in the … Continue reading Bedknobs And Broomsticks

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The Small Screen Diaries: 01/15/24

John Stark

The Emmys were last night, and Succession predictably did well, while Better Call Saul finished its run with not a single win for anything ever. I’m most excited for Paul Walter Houser who won Supporting Actor in a Limited for Blackbird, which was on Apple Plus in July 2022. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should. He’s fantastic. And now, the shows I actually did watch. My Life With The Walter Boys (Netflix) has some audio description that has grown on me. Of course, four episodes in and I have a bit more of a grasp on this show … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 01/15/24