Tag: Tom Hanks

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The Phoenician Scheme

John Stark

Cast: Benecio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, f Murray Abraham, Riz Ahmed, Bryan Cranston, Charlotte Gainesborg Written By: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola Directed By: Wes Anderson Original Score by: Alexandre Desplat Studio: Focus Features Release Year: 2025 Audio Description Provided By: Written By: Narrated By: What Is it?: A death prompts a rush for control of what he left behind, causing one of the parties (del toro), to traverse the globe finding ways of manipulating others into slowly helping him gain majority control. Along the way, he’s accompanied … Continue reading The Phoenician Scheme

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Freaky Tales

John Stark

Freaky Tales (2025)- Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Ben Mendelssohn, Tom Hanks Quick Take: Anthology movies can be a tough sell, because often each segment can be weighed on their own merits. So, while you might like or love all or most, one segment that feels off, or just doesn’t inspire you the same way as the other segments, can change your perception of the totality of the work. For example, with last years Kinds of kindness, i found something in the first two segments, but struggled a bit more with the third and final. For Freaky Tales, I found myself … Continue reading Freaky Tales

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Forrest Gump: 30th Anniversary

John Stark

This year brings about the return of Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Robert Zemeckis. Later in the year, they have a film releasing together called Here, but it feels special because 30 years ago they made the Best Picture winning Forrest Gump, based on a best selling novel. The film has since not aged quite as well as others, especially since its big Oscar competition was Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption. Shawshank at the time did not have the box office, and while Pulp Fiction marked a return to form and a new career high for John Travolta, Tarantino … Continue reading Forrest Gump: 30th Anniversary

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The Bloody Hundredth

John Stark

The only film this year to list Tom Hanks and Hitler in the “cast list” section on iMDB. This is the companion documentary to Masters Of The Air, a fantastic limited series on Apple Plus, which was also narrated by Laura Post. This documentary tells the true story, and in many ways would be a spoiler if you wanted the series to surprise you. Real interviews are used, along with footage from the era, and commentary from those involved in the creation and production of Masters of The Air, explaining why this story is so worthy of its own incarnation. … Continue reading The Bloody Hundredth

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Asteroid City

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Peacock English Audio Description?: Yes Wes Anderson is one of the few directors where I’ve actually managed their entire filmography. He is one of those very influential directors whose style speaks to cinema lovers, but always really stands out as a director who makes the kinds of choices that make me wonder how do we appropriately convey his quirks to a blind audience through audio description? He has released three films in the span of my vision loss, and none of them have pushed into my Top 5 of his filmography. To be fair, it seems … Continue reading Asteroid City

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A Man Called Otto

John Stark

Where I Watched It: Netflix English Audio Description?: Yes Narrated By: Andrea Breton You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch. While I am unfamiliar with both the original film and book on which this English language adaptation is based, I suspect there are many like me. I definitely think we should do a better job of helping American audiences enjoy International cinema, instead of just remaking it. but, without remakes, we’d never have gotten The Departed or Coda. Not that A Man Called Otto is necessarily on that level, but with Tom Hanks being in three films in 2022, this is … Continue reading A Man Called Otto

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Pinocchio (2022)

John Stark

Where I Watched it: Disney Plus Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated By: Laura Post If we are being really honest about these Disney live action remakes, the ones that work seem to be the ones that take a risk and offer something brand new. Something other than just a beat for beat remake, but instead try and show us something we didn’t get to see in the animated version. They also rely heavily on your nostalgic connection to the original piece, casting, and direction. Despite the fact that many critics would dump all the remakes, there’s an argument to … Continue reading Pinocchio (2022)

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Elvis

John Stark

Where I Watched It: HBo MAX Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated By: Jedidiah Barton So, as a blind film critic, I’m now expected to enjoy a Baz Luhrmann film on its own merits. I can imagine telling him, or him reading a review from a blind film critic. i feel like he would be absolutely livid that I would have the audacity to comment on his production, knowing what I know about Baz and his work. Here’s the deal. I never saw Australia. The Great Gatsby is my favorite film of his. i didn’t like Moulin Rouge until the … Continue reading Elvis

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Splash

John Stark

Where I watched It: Disney Plus English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe Narrated By: Laura Post The last time Splash was made relevant to me was when film nerds who caught the opening of Disney Plus looked at all the offerings and said “Splash. That will be my first watch.” And then they noticed that Disney blurred out the nudity, and there was some minor internet outrage. I’m anti-censorship, but I’m also anti-watching a movie for the nudity. So, if you pervs cued up Splash only to see Daryl Hannah’s brief nudity, that’s what Pornhub is for. Not an actual … Continue reading Splash

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Cloud Atlas

John Stark

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, James D’Arcy, Susan Sarandon, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess Directed By: The Wachowski Where I Watched It: Netflix (though this was not my first time) English Audio Description Available?: Hell Yes. Plot: People. Over time. Stories. Intertwined. I’ve now seen this film twice, and trying to describe it seems still like a monumental task. The film stretches over thousands of years, imagining actors almost as reincarnations of themselves across time in completely different circumstances and explores deep themes like human connection and fate. What Works: Well, for the sighted, I do remember … Continue reading Cloud Atlas