THE OUT-LAWS – Puzzling why well-known, talented actors would sign on to this dud. It’s exceedingly stupid…the movie and their choices. Skip it. Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1.
THE BEAR – Award winning show that proclaims itself a comedy, but to me, it screams drama (although there is comic relief). Either way, it’s outstanding! The work is excellent and the premise is refreshingly clever and different. The dialogue and situations are realistically fast-paced, frantic even, as real life often is…including the menu items they rapidly whip up on camera (usually in the midst of a crisis). It all rings true to daily existence. I haven’t seen any of these actors before, but I fully believe every one of them. Brilliant. Cheers! Boyfriends – 2; Girlfriends – 1.
ROCK HUDSON – ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED – Released in 1990, this documentary focuses primarily on Hudson’s tragic AIDS diagnosis and the conflict between his on-screen ladies’ man persona and his private life of homosexuality (which was the case with many leading men of his era in Hollywood). A sad end that ultimately helped turn the tide on the stigma of AIDS and all the false narratives surrounding it. Worth viewing for those of us who remember Rock. Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING #2 – Murderous mischief thrives at the Anconia, a Manhattan condo complex, as season two gets underway. And the only witness to the crime is Mrs. Gambolini, a yellow-headed Amazon parrot. But she ain’t talkin’…at least not about the murder. I like this season even more than the first. The show manages to guest star a lot of great celebrities….Sting, Nathan Lane, Amy Schumer and my favorite, Shirley MacLaine. Lots of laughs, too. It’s delightful! Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1 (Mrs. Gambolini).
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING – Fun whodunnit caper unfolding with mayhem and madness in a New York City high-rise as unlikely sleuths Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez conspire to save their lives and solve who did the dastardly deed. Entertaining! Cheers! Boyfriends/Girlfriends – 0.
RENFIELD – Better than I expected. Campy, silly version of Dracula according to Renfield. Entertaining with some laughs. Nicholas Cage is over the top, but it works. Rest of cast is also quite good. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.
THE FULL MONTY – Kelly and I loved the film when we saw it 25 years ago, so we were excited to watch the sequel in series format when it dropped on Hulu. It delivers the same quirky, off-beat humor and charm, but it’s also infused with heartbreak and sorrow which was not part of the movie storyline. All of the original cast reprise their roles and these Sheffield lads are dear to me. I like the way snippets of the original film are woven into the series – some briefly in the opening scene and then vanishing as the episode moves into present day, and some poignantly at the end. That end bit got to me. A few of the lads even manage to pull off a mini version of their famous striptease….sort of. It’s a bloody good ride! Cheers mates! Boyfriends – 3; Girlfriends – 1.
ARNOLD – Schwarzenegger’s life is a testament to the power of visualization and determination. Excellent documentary. Straight talk from Arnold. Great video of his mini horse and donkey which the peeps know are dear to my heart. Unanimous toasts. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 2 (the mini horse and donkey).
STILL – Lovable Michael J. Fox takes us on the journey that has been his life, both charmed and challenging. Remarkably, his sense of humor and positive energy continue to shine despite his struggle to deal with the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Kelly and I were in awe of his courage, his ability to make us laugh and laugh at himself, his honesty and the immense contribution he has made to finding a cure through his foundation. He credits the support of his family, particularly his wife of 35 years, actress Tracy Pollan, for his ability to push on from day to day. His younger self is portrayed by interspersing scenes from his well known characters into his bio. It’s fun and refreshing. And the apt title, “Still,” refers to more than the obvious. Well done, Mike! Cheers!!! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 1.
FUBAR – Hoping to replicate the success of True Lies, and based on the same premise, this NetFlix series has failed miserably. It had potential, but it has none of the charm and clever wit of the movie, nor the sizzle between Arnold and Jamie Lee. There is zero chemistry among the cast. The dialogue is contrived and tired. The whole thing feels as if it is forcing the audience’s reaction – this is where you laugh, this is our nod to the film, this is our cute catch phrase “that’s it and that’s all,” which by the way, is more grating than cute. They even bring in Tom Arnold reprising his role as a CIA agent in one brief scene. The actors playing Emma, Tina, Aldon and Boro are quite good. The rest of the cast…not so much. The mother is totally miscast and the actor playing Roo is terrible. Even Arnold is subpar. His delivery is flat throughout. I didn’t believe him as the character. A dud all around. “That’s it and that’s all.” You said it Arnold. Skip it. Cheers! Boyfriends – 1; Girlfriends – 0.
