Tag: Netflix

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

John Stark

Theoretically, there is life in a franchise like ghostbusters, as the concept is pretty basic. Four guys with varying personalities use their ghost hunting tech to save the world. But, this has been really hard to pull off. Even Ghostbusters II, featuring the original cast lacks a little bit of that magic. I actually liked the remake with the ladies, but most people don’t. Then, Ghostbusters: Afterlife had fun with blending the old and new, and riding that nostalgia train. Fine. But what do you do next? inexplicably, everyone seemed to move to the Big Apple. They were all out … Continue reading Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

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Find me Falling

John Stark

I had a dream this summer. I frequently operate in a deficit in terms of when I post a review to my YouTube, and when I post to the site. I really wanted to close the gap, and once my school year starts again, my students are going to take up a lot of time. So, over the next two days, we are rapid firing reviews. Let’s go! Find Me falling is a Netflix movie of the week starring Harry Connick Jr as an aging rockstar who moves to the Greek isles to a nice coastal home, only to find … Continue reading Find me Falling

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Skywalkers: A Love Story

John Stark

One of the more dangerous documentaries this year, but so immensely fascinating at the same time. Of course, the easy comparison to Skywalkers: A love Story is man On Wire, except I felt this renegade filmmaking style. getting the opportunity to explore artists on the fringe, who what they are doing is dangerous, and technically illegal. It sent me back to Exit Through The Gift Shop, which is one of my favorite documentaries of all time. This bold crew follows two extreme climbers, who seek to get to the highest of heights. they aren’t interested in Everest, but they would … Continue reading Skywalkers: A Love Story

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The Teachers Lounge

John Stark

I almost don’t want to do this. We get so few international films described each year that I really don’t want to bite the hand that feeds. But, I also want the industry to keep making audio description for international titles, so i have to talk about it, but I can’t actually lie and say this is good audio description. it is a conundrum. Luckily, this is a terrific film, and you should see it anyway. It’s always amazing to get that experience of perspective from another country, and another culture. how do things there work? What is their day … Continue reading The Teachers Lounge

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The Neon Highway

John Stark

I like Beau Bridges as an actor, which is likely how I found myself watching a film where he is the big name draw, and it has no audio description. Beau Bridges may have had a few films he starred in back in the day, but it has been a long time since he toplined a movie. The Neon Highway isn’t even his movie, he just hijacks it. The Neon Highway starts off with two brothers looking to make it big in country music. They have a great song, and a label is interested. But, when the brothers find out … Continue reading The Neon Highway

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Sausage Party: A Second Look

John Stark

Yes, I’ve reviewed this film before. The great thing about maintaining a website this long is that someone can look back and see what I initially wrote about Sausage Party. with the release of the new Amazon series Sausage Party: Foodtopia, I took the advantage of Sausage party being on Netflix, with audio description, to watch and see how the audio description holds up and compares. Also, is this film still funny? I do want to type this part out. It’s important. This film stars the vocal talents of: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Edward Norton, Salma … Continue reading Sausage Party: A Second Look

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The Imaginary

John Stark

This is the year of imaginary friends I guess. I’ve seen three films centered around them, and this is my review of the second. Netflix has an animated adventure about an imaginary friend, who becomes worried that he’s being forgotten, and gets some help from other imaginary friends on how to stay alive. It’s actually kind of interesting how this film handles imaginary friends, with them disappearing if forgotten, but they find safe havens, like libraries, that radiate with enough imagination to keep them alive. However, when our main imaginary friend suspects that something might be wrong with his human, … Continue reading The Imaginary

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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

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Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

John Stark

Just like Top Gun came back after a long hiatus with its hero in the title, Beverly Hills Cop is back on the beat for a fourth entry, with most of Axel Foley’s name in the title. It a really odd and uncomfortable choice, and headed into this, I wasn’t sure that Netflix would be able to pull this off. Mark Malloy? A feature directorial debut? On this? This film had all the makings of another hot trash Netflix title that just gets put out to appease algorithms. After all, CBS has a quite high profile pilot for a TV … Continue reading Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

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Trigger Warning

John Stark

I’m a believer in the idea that certain things can move the needle in a positive or negative direction. yes, there’s a core movie, but sometimes something stands out that is better or worse than the rest, and it is possible to move your feelings about that film just a little bit. For example, sitting through a movie you don’t really care for, only to find out that it secretly was headed to a mindfuck of an ending. That ending alone could sway you. Sometimes, because Netflix’s mold relies on one or two stars anchoring a project, the charisma of … Continue reading Trigger Warning

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Ultraman Rising

John Stark

I’m just going to admit, I may not be the definitive critic for this. I have never seen any Ultraman shows or films before, on top of that whole niche thing of being a blind film critic. So, this ting could totally deviate and break every Ultraman rule, and I would have no idea. I’m just approaching it like Ultraman just starts today, with this film. Which this film also doesn’t want me to do. Ultraman Rising definitely has that vibe of “you should know what this is”, from the very start. It isn’t debilitating, and you can watch the … Continue reading Ultraman Rising

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Remembering Gene Wilder

John Stark

Another review of another film without audio description. Netflix is hosting this, and despite its lack of accessibility, I tend to be interested in documentaries about film, actors, and directors. I don’t know why. It’s just so weird. So I naturally felt compelled to watch the Gene Wilder doc, and hear from all these people about what a terrific man he was. Not only does gene ruminate on his own life, but creatives from Mel Brooks to Eric McCormack discuss the impact of Gene Wilder across his various projects. We hear about how Gene adored the late Gilda Radner, as … Continue reading Remembering Gene Wilder

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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

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Under Paris

John Stark

There’s a fine line between a good dumb shark movie and a bad dumb shark movie. Obviously, Jaws is exempt. It is the pinnacle of achievement for this genre.Nothing has touched it since, though a few films have really put an interesting spin. I wouldn’t call The Shallows a dumb shark movie, for example.Under Paris is like Deep Blue Sea. It has its charm. Dumb charm, but charm nonetheless. This film is actually a French title that is now living on Netflix, and has audio description done by Diffuse, Narrated by Vito DePhillippa and written by Bryn Poudie. Those are … Continue reading Under Paris

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Miller’s Girl

John Stark

This film wants you to know… Jenna Ortega is 18. Because, if she wasn’t, I suppose that would somehow change your mind? Like, people dig this movie about a teacher and his student, possibly because she is legal, but those people would feel morally reprehensible if she wasn’t?This movie is more concerned with that than actually being good. Miller’s Girl also lacked audio description on Netflix, so this sultry thriller is headed for doom as it is. I didn’t get much out of this. There are more unwatchable movies than this, but this happens to have just enough in this … Continue reading Miller’s Girl