Tag: Liz Gutman

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

My Mom Jayne

John Stark

Featuring: Jayne Mansfield as Herself, Mariska Hargitay as herself Directed By: Mariska Hargitay Streaming Service: HBO MAX Release Year: 2025 Runtime: 118 minutes Audio Description Provided By: International Digital Center Written By:Liz Gutman Narrated By: Frankie Corzo What Is it?: Mariska Hargitay takes a break from Law and order SVU to direct a documentary about her mother Jayne Mansfield, who died tragically when Mariska was just three years old. What Works: As a film lover, i enjoy movies about Hollywood. I like things that revisit the golden age of cinema that existed long before I was born, and is populated … Continue reading My Mom Jayne

Editorial2 Comments

The Small Screen Diaries: 07/06/25

John Stark

TV Shows Watched: From- S2E7 (MGM Plus) with audio description, Squid Game: S3E3 (Netflix) with audio description, The Bear: S4E9 (Hulu) with audio description, Drag Race All Stars: S10E9 (Paramount Plus) with audio description, Invasion: S1E1 (Apple plus) with audio description, We Were Liars: S1E5 (Amazon) with audio description, Such Brave Girls: S1E2 (Hulu) with audio description, The Great North: S5E15 (Hulu) no audio description Best Episode: The Bear, Runner Up: Squid Game Best Audio Description: Squid Game, Runner Up: From Best Performance: Jamie lee Curtis (The Bear), runner Up: Jeremy Alan White (The Bear) Best Moment Of Audio Description: … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: 07/06/25

EditorialLeave a comment

The Small Screen Diaries: The Weekly Rankings

John Stark

Once again I’m running down the sixty shows on my broad watchlist. Joining the list this week, which was fairly slow for new shows, are The Sandman (Netflix), All Of Us Are Dead (Netflix), The Office (Peacock), Such Brave Girls (Hulu), Nautilus (AMC Plus), Dexter (Paramount Plus), and Prison Break (Netflix). I wrapped some shows, and anything that would rank outside the top 60 dies. WINNER: Squid Game (Netflix) with audio description- I knew I was going to lose my favorites. After the tragic uprising didn’t work last season, it meant playing out Squid Game till the end. I’m only … Continue reading The Small Screen Diaries: The Weekly Rankings

Movie Review, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Going In blind: Presence

John Stark

First Person Audio description is so interesting. I loved how Nickel Boys navigated the complexities of the perspective being one of the characters in the film, with other characters interacting with you. Presence, directed by Steven Soderbergh, feels like a departure from his typical fare, and also serves as further exploration of first person audio description. Universal Studios, the theme park element, was built on the idea that you can “ride the movies”. Now, with the right VR headset and a good first person movie, you can live the movies. In Presence, you wouldn’t exactly be alive. What makes Presence … Continue reading Going In blind: Presence

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

The Life List

John Stark

Since the last bucket list film was Blink, a film I was not fond of its messaging, the bar was fairly low going into The Life List for it to exceed expectations. Still, it is a Netflix release, and one that certainly doesn’t seem like it is poised for awards consideration. A lot of this has to do with Sofia Carson’s inability to land theatrical releases, and a seemingly unbreakable bond with Netflix,but Netflix also does this very well. In fact, while I can’t place the name of the film, I feel like there was a Netflix film where a … Continue reading The Life List

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Flow

John Stark

Academy Award Winner Flow has finally landed an audio description track here in the United States, courtesy of WBD. Flow streams on MAX, and while I don’t have direct proof as to who paid for the track, my options appear to be WBD, Sideshow/Janus, or Criterion. While Criterion has released a handful of physical discs with audio description, I don’t believe they have ever bothered to create a track. their service is highly inaccessible and features no audio description. I think WBD, which also landed the streaming debut rights to The Boy And The Heron and Drive My Car, two … Continue reading Flow

Movie Review, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Emilia Perez: A Second Look

John Stark

Emilia Perez: A Second Look- 13 Oscar Nominations Was Enough To Trigger English Audio Description! So, I originally made a pretty big fuss about the lack of audio description on the major Oscar contender from netflix. I did sit through the film, with only Spanish available at release, and reviewed the film as it was presented. I addressed the problems with the lack of inclusivity on a film touting nothing but, and how Netflix had previously ignored fellow Spanish-language Oscar nominees like El Conde, Brdo, and Roma, none of which got audio description in their respective years. But, as Timothee … Continue reading Emilia Perez: A Second Look

Movie Review, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s What’s Inside

John Stark

It’s What’s Inside (Netflix)- A Sundance/SXSW Hit With Excellent Audio Description For my own sanity, I have to start including or streamlining the process. Truth is, I could use more subscribers, likes, and views on YouTube, a platform I might one day reach some level of monetization on. So, above is my video review of Its What’s Inside, if you’d like to hear my thoughts. My general thoughts are that the film has an interesting premise, a body swap film that makes a bold choice that forces a tough decision. It feels very light, despite the catalysts in all of … Continue reading It’s What’s Inside

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

A Family Affair

John Stark

One of my favorite things about this movie is the audio description. It is another winning combination of Liz Gutman and Jamie Lemcheck, and these two fine women have made it a point to point out Zac Efron’s hotness as much as possible. It isn’t just how Gutman writes the description, mentioning his physique, but how Lemcheck actually sells it. Women and gay men everywhere appreciate it. A script from the male gaze probably would have tried to do a similar thing to Nicole Kidman, but it just doesn’t work for this film. This is a romantic comedy at its … Continue reading A Family Affair

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Hitman

John Stark

Premiering at last year’s Toronto International Film festival, there was some interesting buzz for Hitman. Was it a potential Oscar contender? Who would snap it up in an already tight race? Ultimately, Netflix swooped in, which might have meant a campaign for this year’s Oscars, but that June release date tells me Netflix has other plans. Luckily, the movie stands on its own, and whether it ever wins or is nominated for any major award, this will have fans. It’s the equivalent to last year’s The Killer, which had fans too, even if it really didn’t manifest anything for David … Continue reading Hitman

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Thelma The Unicorn

John Stark

As a member of Film Independent I keep getting invites about a special live read of Napoleon Dynamite. That odd breakout hit was directed by Jared Hess, who has now found his way after all these years to animation with Thelma The Unicorn. Does this make you want to put on some chapstick and vote for Pedro? But first, let’s talk audio description. International Digital center is behind this, with Liz Gutman writing, and Tristan Snyder narrating. I’m excited for this, because I haven’t heard too much from Tristan since The Good Doctor switched audio description companies. Here, he proves … Continue reading Thelma The Unicorn

TVLeave a comment

Snack Shack

John Stark

I am someone who admittedly has a lot of really dumb films in my “desert island” list, or the favorite/comfort films list. I enjoy many teen movies from my day, from bigger hits like She’s All That and Varsity Blues, to even some lesser hits, like Get Over It. but, as I age, I should be aging past teen films, and yet, here comes Snack shack, which surprisingly is really good. the first indication that this is something special is that it is an independent feature that got a theatrical release, instead of being banished to streaming. That means we … Continue reading Snack Shack

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Maestro

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Netflix English Audio Description provided By: international Digital Center Written By: Liz Gutman Narrated By: Jamie Lemcheck Cast: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Sarah Silverman, and Maya hawk. Written By: Written By: Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer Directed By: Bradley Cooper The nose. Everyone had an opinion on the nose. Well, good news Mr. Cooper, you’ve landed yourself a blind film critic, and I’m not judging your makeup team here. This is about whether or not Bradley Cooper has anything to say as a filmmaker, and I think he does. Usually, because I don’t get … Continue reading Maestro

TVLeave a comment

The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/24/23

John Stark

I’m writing the next day about what I watched on Christmas Eve, which means you are reading this on Christmas, so Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And for those who don’t celebrate, today is weird because everything is closed… except movie theatres. I guess you gotta go see a movie today. 1) Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix) English Audio Description Provided By International Digital Center Written By liz Gutman Narrated By Sri Gordon Status: Unknown This seems like a no-brainer for a second season, except for the lawsuits Netflix is having to deal with. They gave outlast a second season, and … Continue reading The Too Much TV Roundup- 12/24/23

Movie ReviewLeave a comment

Leave The World Behind

John Stark

Where I Watched it: Netflix English Audio Description Provided By: International Digital Center Written By: Liz Gutman Narrated By Jabari Gray Cast: Julia Robert’s, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Myha’al, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evan’s, and Kevin Bacon. Written and Directed By: Sam Ismael I went through all the emotions while watching this roller coaster. I remember at the top of my YouTube review, I said this movie gets all the grades. It had me so confused, up and down, weird shit, great shit, experimental takes, great acting, bad acting, cool ideas, unoriginal ideas, and then right at the end… I realized. … Continue reading Leave The World Behind