The Girl With The Needle- Denmark’s Oscar nominated International Oscar entry. yes, I sat through it. No, it doesn’t have audio description. Why do I do it? Because I’m silly enough to try and point out that the method of delivery for most international features that choose to not have audio description is inaccessible to blind and low vision audiences. I cannot see or read the subtitles, nor can I be expected to know every language. Even with that, I highly doubt this film was released in America with Danish Audio Description, so even if I happened to be American and fluent in Danish, I still would be missing out on the visual elements. Accessibility is not an inherently American right, but a responsibility we have as a people worldwide. Accessibility, when committed to, creates a world where if you ever need it, it is there. you do not know for certain you will not be disabled at some point in your future, and if we plan for it, instead of constantly now trying to make inclusivity a villain, then when you find yourself in need, the system is already built for you. This is something that we haven’t yet fully realized as a people, and often society is judged not by how those who have the most are treated, but rather how those who have the least.
Final Grade: unwatchable Due To Lack Of Audio Description
The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something HAs Passed- While the singular lead actress, who is the creative force behind this film is drawing attention, I was unable to get behind this BDSM dark comedy because, again, it did not have audio description. This one is in English, but with the center of the film being sexual content, it was not a great watch without my accessibility needs met.
Final Grade: Unwatchable Due To Lack Of Audio Description
Slingshot- This film does have audio description, and even Oscar Winner Casey Affleck. What it lacks is a reason to exist. It is an intentionally vague science fiction thriller where a crew is on a mission, where things go awry, and the lines between real and surreal are blurred. Basically, it is a space madness film. This concept has been done before, and better, by more talented directors working with better scripts. I think Event Horizon has gotten a bit more appreciation over the years, but it certainly isn’t the only film like this. Danny Boyle’s Sunshine would be another better choice, if it has audio description. Affleck, along with Laurence Fishburne, try to make the most out of a heavily retread theme, one that found even Adam Sandler entering the genre earlier in 2024 with Space Man. I did see this two months ago, so specifics on the audio description aren’t great, but I don’t remember it being a problem. there’s a third act twist that isn’t spoiled by the audio description, and I think its approach supported all of the signals we would need for that ending to work.
Rotten: Final Grade: C-
Galaxy Quest- This wonderful sci-fi comedy never gave up or surrendered, and 25 years later it holds up. I think it has continued to have fans, and I hope we never rope a legacy sequel, reboot, or anything near it. it is great as is, and with the passing of Alan Rickman, any follow-up would need to address his absence. This quirky comedy about the cast of a cancelled TV show, that resembles Star Trek, and whose cast now makes a living going around to conventions, has a take on 90’s fandom. Somewhere along the way, after this, nerd culture bled into pop culture, and these conventions look totally different. This captures the vibe of the 90’s, and what it meant to be a die hard fan of your favorite show long after it went off the air. It is something the documentary Trekkies explores rather well. Here, the gimmick is the cast finds themselves in a real space adventure show up requiring help, and they’ve been watching the episodes of the TV show thinking they were real historical relics. These actors are out of their comfort zone in the best of ways, and the winning cast, led by Tim Allen, makes this a comedy classic I’ve rewatched over and over. If you haven’t had the pleasure, it does have audio description, which my DVD of this film does not. I like this film so much, I bought the digital copy from the Apple Store just so I could have the audio description. This cst may be headed off world, but the movie is coming to my desert island. It may not be an A+ movie, but to me, it is very much a happy place, and a comfort film to consume.
Fresh: Final Grade: A+, Audio Description: A-