Ed-Shullivan Reviews

Young Dillinger (1965)

I watched it all and yet i was left waiting for so much more

[3/10 · 18 April 2024]

I always enjoy the old crime films especially when they are filmed in black and white. Frankly though, Young Dillinger was a big disappointment. I could not understand the relationship on screen between John Dillinger (Nick Adams), and his moll. Elaine (Mary Ann Mobley). They continually expressed their undying love to one another but all I saw were two people reading their scripted lines and lacking any emotion or physical attraction to one another. If anything I viewed Mary Ann Mobley's performance as deserving of a. Golden Raspberry Award. Had this award been available in 1965. Fortunately for Mary Ann Mobley the awards were first presented in 1981.

There is a relatively strong supporting cast with actors such as Robert Conrad, John Ashley, Victor Buono, and John Hoyt but their performances were wasted on this very choppy film with no real sense of direction.

No spoilers here but suffice to say I am still waiting for a proper ending to the film. It is as if the director was left hanging when the entire cast walked out before the film was provided with a proper ending to the Young Dillinger story.

I can only give this film a lacklustre 3 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Tammy (2014)

Starts off strong but peters out over the second half

[5/10 · 16 April 2024]

I really enjoy the physical comedy of Melissa McCarthy and her film Tammy in which she plays the starring role had potential but did not live up to my own personal expectations. The story line was written by the husband and wife team of Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy so they have no one to blame. I am assuming the inexperience of the writer/director Ben Falcone had a lot to do with the film petering out halfway through it.

Heck, they even had the reputable star and original Louise (Susan Srandon) from the classic 1991 Thelma & Louise road trip film playing Tammy's grandmother who fronts the money and her own vehicle for the Grandma and Granddaughter road trip gone wrong.

I was so looking forward to being entertained by Ms. McCarthy and Ms. Sarandon but unfortunately I was disappointed. My advice to Miss McCarthy was leave the husbandry to your husband Ben Falcone, and leave the directing to a seasoned and proven director such as a Ridley Scott or a Clint Eastwood both who have directed successful road trip films.

I can only provide a less than stellar 5 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Diner (1982)

The adult version of American Grafitti

[8/10 · 16 April 2024]

I liked it and I rate it an 8 out of 10.

I always enjoy films that pertain to the 1950-60s era and this film fits that bill perfectly about a bunch of young men (not boys anymore) and women who have been friends for years who always hook up at their favorite Baltimore Diner. The men's backgrounds are varied as what you would expect them to be in real life. You have the habitual gambler. Hairdresser and law school student Boogie (Mickey Rourke) is more interested in taking a shortcut to success by making high stakes bets with a street bookie and we all know how that may work out.

You have the young man. Shrevie (Daniel Stern) who is married already and is an electronics salesman and music maniac who goes crazy when his wife .Beth (Ellen Barkin) even so much as touches one of his record collection and does not put it back exactly in the chronological order he has created in his own mind.

Then you have the young couple who are scheduled to be married on New Years Eve 1960 that is as long as the potential bride can pass her fiances home test by answering a series of sports related questions all of which refer back to his favorite NFL football team, the Baltimore Colts.

One character who you will recognize is a very young. Kevin Bacon wou plays the misguided but wealthy Fenwick, who survives not by working on any particular career path but solely on his parents funding his lifestyle and heavy drinking and hard driving.

There are a few more characters as well but you get the gist. It's a great movie that touches on this potpourri of characters over a 24 hour period that will keep your attention to determine what will happen next. A great job by the film director. Barry Levinson.

True Detective: Night Country: Part 1 (2024) Season 4, Episode 1

Enough already with attempting to continually build suspense when there is none

[4/10 · 4 April 2024]

Awwww, what a big disappointment season 4 was for both Mrs. Shullivan and I. From the season title "Night Country" the producers utilized the pretence that this so called suspense all happened in Alaska when the day and night are in total darkness. In my humble opinion the combination of each episode happening in the dark and even when scenes occurred within the confines of the jail, someone's home, or in the science labs, the director used a grainy blue lens filter so that we the viewers were always expected to try and watch through a cloud of darkness.

The four letter word that rhymes with "puck" was used way too often and added absolutely nothing to the shallow plot of a murdered indigenous woman as well as the mystery behind what caused five (5) Scientist's working in the lab to disrobe and freeze to death on the frozen tundra.

All hype, lots of useless swearing, unnecessary sex scenes, and the worst of this season was Jodie Foster telling anyone who was in earshot of her "to ask the right questions". Well I have one question myself "who was the idiot who thought this season 4 was going to appeal to an audience who actually enjoys a good mystery series?"

I rate season 4 with a 4 out of 10 IMDB rating.

Adaptation. (2002)

Some IMDb reviewers refer to this as clever, original and/or unique. Me? I refer to it as another artsy fartsy convoluted disappointment.

[20 March 2024]

Although Adaptation boasts some former Oscar winners in the starring roles, I hate to say it but I found the picture rather empty and with way too much dialogue and little meat and potatioes. Yes, I agree that the very talented Chris Cooper was deserving and thus he won a best actor in a supporting actor award for his role as the toothless John Laroche, whose passion for orchids and horticulture made writer Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) discover passion and beauty for the first time in her life. If you pay close enough attention to what is going on, Susan Orlean is assigned to adapt her non-fiction book "The Orchid Thief" for the screen but is having difficulty finding enough material content (that is the meat and potatoes that I found lacking) to make her book transfer to the big screen. A noted screenwriter named Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) is hired to bring the book to the screen but he also is having a writer's block.

Susan Orlean's solution was to meet with John Laroche and go on an orchid hunt for a very rarely seen orchid. Of course Ms. Orleans and Mr. Laroche find what they are looking for in the conservation area that they are trespassing on, and to get Ms. Orlean excited John Laroche suggests she inhales some of the particles of the orchid to feel the euphoria that he also feels.

In my humble opinion maybe if I also had sniffed some drugs as Ms. Orleans had, maybe I would have enjoyed this two tier story line more than i did. I will give it a 6 out of 10 IMDb rating for originiality but I tend to withhold a higher IMDb rating for films that I actually find entertaining and not based on artsy fartsy dialogue and rich idealism.

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

An all time classic black and white film that assuredly will entertain all creature feature movie buffs

[10/10 · 20 March 2024]

Wow! If you are a movie monster buff of the cinema classics of the 1950s - 1960s era than put Creature from the Black Lagoon at the very top of your must watch (again) list. Even if you have already seen this film many years ago, it is in my humble opinion one of those classic black and white monster films that is deserving of cult status and never to be forgotten.

Similar to many films released ever since the talkie films began on October 6, 1927, with The Jazz Singer, a love triangle always makes a film choose a side. Should male number one (1), or male number two (2) win the girl over?

In this case it is the beautiful Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams) who joins the all male expedition along the Amazon River who the natives are very wary of entering when the scientific team accidentally discovers a prehistoric Gill-Man in the Black Lagoon. Miss Lawrence is wooed by two male admirers, Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning) and Dr. David Reed (Richard. Carlson) but the Creature from the Black Lagoon also takes a fancy to the beautiful Kay Lawrence when she innocently decides to take a dip off of the side of the boat.

This is a fantastic horror/romance/thriller film and the purpose of filming in black and white is not lost on the viewing audience as you will not be able to decide who your eyes should be focused on. Should you focus on the first glimpse of the creature in the black lagoon or on the beautiful Kay Lawrence when she dons her swimsuit and takes her dip in the Amazon river? No need to worry as both the creature and actress Julie Adams share screen time and we the viewing audience can enjoy this classic creature feature mystery in all its magnificent black and white eerie color.

I give the film a perfect 10 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Frank and Penelope (2022)

An intense and grossly under rated film. Ignore the bad reviews

[8/10 · 28 February 2024]

I really was not expecting much from Frank and Penelope as a serious horror/thriller genre film. Although the film starts off rather mundane, the film gradually builds up steam to what I consider both an effective thriller and with a surprise ending. No spoilers here.

The two main characters Frank (Billy Budinich), and Penelope (Caylee Cowan) are mostly unknown actors but I believe both have garnered significant support from their growing fan base which includes myself now.

The plot has been done hundreds of times before with a dysfunctional group of characters controlling a small town where they go undetected with their dastardly crimes. Coming into this tiny dirt road town in their souped up. American made Dodge Charger are Frank and Penelope who are on the run in a similar fashion as the well known rebels from the.1991 movie thriller Thelma and Louise.

As hard as actor Billy Budinich deserves to be recognized for his character portrayal of a tough guy boyfriend, most of the attention will go to the female lead character Penelope played to perfection by actress Caylee Cowan. Her voice, her swivel hips and pouty lips, but mostly her sex appeal and her sexy baby voice will leave most fans wanting to see and hear more from Penelope.

It becomes a battle of wits and desire to stay alive for Frank and Penelope to get out of this freak town and I found myself rooting for both of them to succeed.

No spoilers here, suffice to say I really enjoyed this horror/thriller film and I give it a most deserving 8 out of 10 IMDb rating.

I look forward to seeing more films from both Billy Budinich and Caylee Cowan.

Tokyo Vice (2022– )

The 6 C's

[9/10 · 23 February 2024]

Criminals, Cops, Cool, Clever, Communications, and Calculating

Criminals: The simple name referenced as the Yakuza brings fear in the eyes of anyone who dares to stand between this criminal organization. Two rival gang leaders intend to control the underworld to which great wealth and power will be bestowed on the last man standing. Ishida (Shun Sugata) is the reigning Godfather and an upstart smarmy Yabuki (Kazuya Tanabe) the second-in-command of the Tozawa yakuza clan has every intention to take power away from Ishida.

Cops: Two dedicated detectives, Jin Miyamoto (Hideaki Itô) a dog with a bone detective, and his mentor, Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe) a vulnerable family man with a wife and two young daughters but dedicated to his job and his goal to abolish the Yakuza from Japan.

Cool: One man, one name, "Sato" (Shô Kasamatsu) stands for all that is considered cool. He is third in command in the Yakuza organization the Chihara-Kai, under the Godfather (Shun Sugata) Ishida and Sato reports begrudgingly directly under Hayama when Ishida appoints him as the new Wakagashira of the Chihara-Kai after he served seven (7) years in prison. Sato was a street kid with tons of moxie, handsome, smartly dressed, brute strength and fearlessness but his greatest asset is he has even more smarts and always thinking two steps ahead of any adversary.

Clever: Clever would be an understatement for the many players in this crime/drama TV series who all seem to have a plan for success in their respective fields. Whether it be the pretty blonde American Samantha (Rachel Keller) who works hard in an effort to establish her own hostess bar, or in the newspaper industry Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) who follows both the criminals and the enterprises, and the cops with their thorough investigations, the cops who investigate the criminals, and the criminals growing their criminal enterprises.

Communications: The main star of this series is an American news reporter Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) who speaks fluent Japanese who always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time just to get his next breaking storyline. Although Jake is considered an outsider by the Japanese people, he gradually impresses both the cops and criminals with his insight, and his willingness to learn from both the cops and robbers at any cost, and his love for the Japanese culture and its ways.

Calculating: A great series always leave its audience with fresh bait before you witness the next big catch. In this series every episode is a story within itself. But make no mistake about it all the various players in this series have a plan and their lives invariably intertwine. Arrest, wealth, success, romance, and even death are just some of the outcomes from the many plans that are put in place. If you liked the.2002-2008 TV crime/drama series The Wire, then you will love both the characters and the many storylines designed to captivate us the audience in Tokyo Vice. Be prepared though as the series is heavy on the English sub-titles but well worth our undivided attention.

I give the series a very smart and cool 9 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr. (2023 TV Movie)

It was no nice to have THAT TIME together

[8/10 · 21 February 2024]

Anyone born in the 21st century most likely would be referring to the actor Frediie Prinze Jr who starred in the Scooby Doo feature films, and in his own TV series titled simply Freddie, and married his co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar.

But back in the mid1970s, there was a new half hour sitcom titled Chico and the Man, starring the gruff and old veteran actor Jack Albertson who owns an auto repair garage, and he takes on a young but very talented mechanic named Chico Rodriguez (Freddie Prinze). In real life Chico, played by Freddie Prinze was an up and coming but very young stand up comedian named Freddie Prinze. Freddie changed his surname from Frederick Karl Pruetzel, to Freddie Prinze which sounded like a Prince.

I never missed one episode of this TV comedy Chico and the Man, and as this documenatry points out, Freddie Prinze was a top comedian appearing on numerous TV shows and magazine covers.

Unlike many other documentaries which tend to praise and adore their main character, we see and hear about both the talent and the demons of Freddie Prinze. It is a biographical story from his early beginnings in comedy to the heights of Hollywood stardom coming mainly from his TV appearances and not from films.

I give the film a favorable 8 out of 10 IMDb rating. It is well worth watching.

Miss Stevens (2016)

Driving "Miss Chalamet"

[4/10 · 20 February 2024]

I thought the drama teacher Miss Stevens (Lily Rabe) was driving three (3) students to a drama competition? But in reality, the storyline was focused squarely on one only (1) of the three (3) students' named Billy (Timothée Chalamet). The other two (2) students Sam (Anthony Quintal), and. Margot (Lili Reinhart) appeared to be nothing more than fillers so that this road trip would appear to be more about the three (3) students personal problems. Sam being gay, and Margot lacking confidence. Miss Stevens for her baring her soul to these kids and another booty call teacher just did not appeal to me. If this type of road trip students/teacher scenario appeals to you then I recommend Hilary Swank's performance in the 2007 film Freedom Writers, which will bring tears to your eyes.

But make no mistake about it, actor Timothée Chalamet is provided the majority of screen time with their chaperone Miss Stevens as well as Billy getting the big screen to himself when he gets on stage to perform his lines as Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman. We keep hearing over and over again that Billy needs to take his meds and if he does not his quirkiness is exacerbated. My revised title Driving Miss Chalamet is due to Billy coming across as a pill popping spoiled wuss who would rather lie and deceive others than deal with his own insecurities.

The biggest disappointment in the film was the limited screen time that was provided to both Anthony Quintal, and Lili Reinhart. The producers picked a decent enough musical score in the rock group America's Sister Golden Hair which kicks in periodically and as their closer to help inspire the audience to sigh in enthusiasm but instead, I just sighed, when will this meaningless film end?

I give the film a barely passable 5 out of 10 IMDb rating. More on screen time for Quintal and Reinhart would have made the film more balanced and less of a starring role for the whiny Chalamet who seems to always play the same type of role.

24 (2001–2010)

James Bond is 007 and Jack Bauer is just a 0

[4/10 · 11 February 2024]

Mrs. Shullivan and I have always had the action TV series 24 on our "must watch list" and even though this TV series was first released twenty three (23) years ago we thought we could benefit from binge watching the mind bending total of 207 episodes (after the TV series had lasted an amazing nine (9) seasons) over the next several free weekends, time permitting.

I recall back in 2001 that the TV series 24 was the main topic at work around the water cooler and the subject of exciting conversation before and after team meetings but I just did not have the time to sit down one hour a week and watch each new episode. Especially true since the TV series lasted an astounding nine (9) seasons.

Soooooo, this particular weekend Mrs. Shullivan and I agreed it was time to bite the bullet and start streaming 24 on the Disney Plus channel. Some may think that binge watching a TV series is of great benefit, but I have to tell you that after watching the entire season one's 24 episodes over the past two weekends we quickly realized that binge watching 24 was much like watching the 1993 comedy movie Groundhog Day.

First of all the clock ticking away the minutes of each hour may have been appealing to a one hour per week TV episode, but when you are binge watching through streaming and there are no commercials you quickly realize that the 4 or 5 minutes which elapse when the clock periodically appears were each segments TV commercial breaks which is hilarious.

Now if I get into the meat of this action/drama/suspense series as the old Burger King TV commercials would say about their competitors burgers "where's the meat?" Mrs. Shullivan and I were very disappointed in season 1 with the premise being about agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) attempting to save the senator's life while in the midst of his preliminary campaign running for the presidency of the USA. Half of season 1 concentrated on the trouble Jack Bauer's bimbo wife and daughter caused each and every episode. Planting the last nail in this coffin called 24 was Jack Bauer's every minute being in a pressure cooker driving to or from some criminal mastermind's hideout who want to kill him, the senator and/or his family.

To sum up the series it was boring and so predictable. We watched season one and the first two episodes of season 2 then we buried the TV series 24 and said to each other "adios Jack Bauer" you are not worth investing into 181 more episodes of our valuable time.

I give the series a barely passable 4 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Real Time with Bill Maher (2003– )

I have a question?

[4/10 · 11 February 2024]

Why is it that as soon as Bill Maher walks out on his stage there is a very loud and boisterous audience applauding this guy even before he spews a single word? Then when he initiates his monologue from his very first so called sarcastic joke (usually in reference to the Republican Party and specifically he invariably calls out Donald Trump by name ad nauseum) not only do we hear faceless applause but we also hear boisterous laughter and still the camera never pans out to an assumed appreciative audience that seems to salivate on every word, grimace and use of that four letter word that rhymes with PUCK that Bill Maher uses on each episode?

In my humble opinion I believe Bill Maher has been selling his TV audience snake oil with not only his TV induced canned laughter but this late-night show's producers have taken the fake audience to a next level with this constant canned applause and still we, the at-home TV audience never see a real live single audience spectator.

One of these days we may get to see an audience that has in their hands a megaphone in each hand. One megaphone will have a red button on it and when pressed the canned laughter will prevail. The second megaphone will have a button with two little hands depicting a "clap now" insignia that the paid audience can press to save their poor hands from this constant ghost applause that we continually hear but never see an actual audience.

In the past sporadic episodes of his show that I have watched (since nothing else seems to be on) I have heard Bill Maher tell his ghost audience that he has no use for a wife, nor for any children, and I can only assume his home is surrounded with wall to wall and ceiling to floor mirrors so the only person Bill Maher has to look at is his own egotistical self.

I give the Real Time with Bill Maher TV show a fake 4 out of 10 IMDb rating and ask with great passion for the producers to occasionally pan to this never-before-seen audience to see what kind of idiots are actually in the audience who are always laughing and applauding at Bill Maher's every word.

Only Murders in the Building (2021– )

People please listen to stage critic Maxine Spear's (Noma Dumezweni) opinion ... it is over rated!

[5/10 · 31 January 2024]

Did you ever experience paying a King's ransom to watch a live theatre performance only to eventually and disappointingly walk out of the theatre saying WTF? Well maybe the $9.95 per month Disney charges to watch Only Murders in the Building isn't a King's ransom, but I do value the 30 plus hours Mrs. Shullivan and I invested in watching the first three seasons and yes, we were disappointed.

I have always enjoyed both Steve Martin and Martin Short's physical comedy but their banter back and forth each and every episode with their moderator and third amigo Selena Gomez who plays Mabel Mora, the interior designer and artist, was nothing more than boring banter. Steve Martin plays. Charles-Haden Savage an unemployed TV star from a long forgotten crime series as the 1990's TV Detective Brazzos. Martin Short plays the most unluckiest stage director Oliver Putnam, and unlike having the Midas touch it seems any play Oliver creates falls flatter than actress Cara Delevingne's chest.

Mrs. Shullivan and myself watched the first couple of episodes and we realize that you have to invest some time in the first few episodes of any new TV series before you can actually assess whether or not, a TV series is both entertaining and intriguing. Unfortunately we continued watching each and every episode of the first three (3) seasons and the banter between the three (3) actors just continued to get more meaningless as did the storylines.

There are quite a few cameo appearances by first rate film and/or stage actors such as Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Michael Rapaport, and even Meryl Streep, but even with all that talent and the mantra "the show must go on" , I asked Mrs. Shullivan "how much more of this boring series do you want to endure?"

The series has a considerable amount of time on the actual stage of New York City's iconic 3,400-seat United Palace Theater which is another failed attempt of trying to convince us the audience we are watching a live stage performance for only $9.95 a month, rather than the average $400 ticket price for a front row Broadway experience. Actress Noma Dumezweni plays stage critic Maxine Spear and if her opinion counts, she's not a fan of stage director Oliver Putnam's plays, and unfortunately neither are Mrs. Shullivan and I.

But as the late great P. T. Barnum always said "There's a sucker born every minute" Welcome to the club.

I give this TV series a passable 5 out of 10 IMDb rating and I would really like a refund from the Disney channel.

San Quentin (1946)

Keep in mind the film is in black and white just as the laws in effect were back in 1946

[6/10 · 30 January 2024]

Just by adding Laurence Tierney in the lead role as a rehabilitated convict, named Jim Roland, who is asked by the San Quentin Warden to become the prison's model spokesperson for the rehabilitation program that has gone into affect makes the film worthy of a watch.

A prison escape is planned by a wolf in sheep's clothing prisoner who eventually will bump heads with the recently reformed Jim Roland, (Laurence Tierney) who wants to ensure the Warden's newly introduced rehabilitation program continues even though the Prison Board believes it should be scrapped.

The film is a classic good guy versus bad guy black and white 1946 crime film well worth a watch.

I rate it a 6 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Strays (2023)

GREAT for a Saturday afternoon comedy that elicits lots of laughter

[8/10 · 25 January 2024]

Warning: This is not a children's film, but for age 16 or older.

Wow! And I do mean WOW! Mrs. Shullivan, son number two, and myself sat down to watch a light hearted comedy film and much to our pleasant surprise we got our belly full of laughs. Although Mrs. Shullivan kept repeating film that this is strictly to entertain a big boys dirty comedy filled with jokes about dogs biological urges the timing of the jokes and the real life dogs antics were hilarious. Oh yes, and by the way, Mrs. Shullivan was also seen laughing hysterically throughout this so called adult boys film.

The two main dogs are voiced by none other than Will Ferrell who plays Reggie the abandoned mutt, and the king master of all strays "Bug" voiced by Academy award winner Jamie Foxx. The animated dogs lips moving as they speak was also well done.

Will Forte plays a great villain as Reggie's dissatisfied dog owner who keeps trying to get rid of his nuisance pet Reggie by driving him miles away from his home only to see the loyal Reggie come trudging home time and time again dog tired but still loyal to his nasty owner.

I really enjoyed the evil villain versus dog hero theme and I will be sure to purchase a copy so that I can watch it whenever I need a picker upper and a few good belly laughs. I give this light hearted warped dirty comedy a superb 8 out of 10 IMDb rating.

When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965)

An Elvis film knock off

[6/10 · 25 January 2024]

I could not help but think this film reminded me very much of one of the many successful Elvis Presley films in which there was always a bevy of beautiful girls that Elvis would be serenading and/or a love interest who could also sing and dance, as well as some elderly parents and/or business associates who disliked this new hip culture of singing and swinging hipsters.

Connie Francis has the voice of a songbird and when you add a few 1960's top ten pop charts sung by The Herman's Hermits and lead singer Peter Noone you add a certain required quality to the film such that it is worth watching, even if it is a knock off of the many Elvis Presley films.

Yes, there is a plot in which.a then thirty two (32) year old actor Harve Presnell who plays Danny Churchill is trying hard to pass as a younger twenty (20) year old drop out college architecture student who convinces.the pretty. Ginger Gray postal worker (Connie Francis) to build a brand new hotel resort to save her fathers ranch from getting into the hands of the gangsters who.hold the gambling debts of her father. It's not clear to me how they actually build this luxurious hotel and it gets filled to capacity all within a month or so, but heh, that's show business for you.

I give the film a respectable 6 out of 10 IMDb rating.

After Midnight (2024– )

Funny Ha Ha? No! More like Funny Nah Nah

[3/10 · 17 January 2024]

I am always interested in seeing new comedy shows and new TV series format(s) but I instantly felt as if I was being bamboozled when the canned laughter kicked in immediately which is what occurred during the Pilot episode of After Midnight.

I would classify this as an attempt at Improv comedy with a splash of the Game Show host Taylor Tomlinson reading scripted Improv attempts for three (3) stand up comedians competing against one another and the host Taylor Tomlinson being the three (3) competitors Judge and Jury.

Taylor Tomlinson seems to be able to articulate well but after each and every response by any one of the three (3) competitors Taylor Tomlinson breaks out into a belly laugh and the canned laughter overcomes all sound. Quite frankly neither the proposed visual screen skits, nor any of the three (3) stand up comedian's responses are very funny.

There is one noticeable positive comment I can make though about CBS's After Midnight show. This new CBS TV series does compete head on with the worse show in TV history which is NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers. Viewers now have an alternative nightly boring TV series to help us fall asleep with before their show even ends each night.

I give After Midnight an IMDb rating of 3 out of 10 which happens to be a few notches higher than I have awarded to Late Night with Seth Meyers. So, let these two (2) Neilsen rating bottom feeders compete for the lowest TV ratings each night and hopefully they will knock each other out and we will then be mercifully provided with some new alternative late night hosts.

The Wonder Years (1988–1993)

Just a wonderful light hearted family themed TV series with some good and timely messages

[9/10 · 16 January 2024]

Let's start with the actor and adult Daniel Stern who narrates young Kevin Arnold's history growing up in the Arnold family household. Kevin's family life is most like many North American children growing up in the late 1960s and early '70s through the eyes of a very gullible then increasingly less innocent Kevin Arnold.

Daniel Stern who plays the unseen adult version of Kevin while narrating Kevin's every emotion that Kevin goes through living with his gruff and tough father Jack Arnold (Dan Lauria), his sweetheart and caring mother Norma (Alley Mills), and of course Kevin's family life would not be complete if he wasn't constantly being harrassed and embarrassed by his big brother Wayne (Jason Hervey).

Each episode that Daniel Stern narrates tells us of a situation that Kevin, his family, and/or his friends get themselves into while Kevin himself is growing through puberty and his first female crushes both the adult and the normal teenage crushes.

The Wonder Years is a simple blend of historical and political situations and opinions in which Kevin's feelings are continually tested by everyone who enters his life both at home and in his classroom and neighbourhood.

If you grew up in the 1960's and 1970's which I did it most likely will bring back some long forgotten typical teenage angst and also some fond memories and music of the 1960's and 1970's. I rate the series a well deserved 9 out of 10 IMDb rating.

The Floor (2024– )

Clever and patient contestants skilled in using subterfuge have a distinct advantage in this new game show The Floor

[10/10 · 10 January 2024]

Wow! What a great new show which commences with having.a welcomed 81 contestants stand on a floor grid with each contestant owning their specific category which varies from bugs, to cereals, to technology categories and anything else that can be categorized which is basically unlimited.

The Floor which uses two contestants to battle against each other with one contestant winning their opponents share of the grid floor. Strategically the viewing audience can witness how one or more contestants may become vulnerable as grid spaces are won or lost and the contestant who wins the most grid spaces during the weekly game also wins a $20,000.00 prize with the last (wo)man standing winning the Grand prize of $250,000.00.

Mathematically speaking we can see that the weekly prize value of $20,000.00 and the Grand prize value of $250,000.00 which will take several weeks to eventually be awarded indicates that this game show is not about the producers giving away millions of dollars or neither cars or luxury vacations. No, this game show is more about a competitive game show where the audience can play along guessing as the two contestants battle each other to win the other contestants grid(s) that they currently own. The two battling contestants start off with a thirty (30) second clock which only descends with a wrong answer, and a three (3) second penalty if a contestant passes on a clue. The contestant whose clock goes from 30 to 0 seconds first loses their match and sent packing home.

If you win you continue, and if you lose you go home. The host is well known film and Tv personality. Rob Lowe who takes a backstage to the contestants whose backgrounds are as diverse as the catgories they are competing for. This game is like Jeopardy with its categories but on steroids since Jeopardy has three (3) contestants and The Floor commences each new game with eighty one (81) contestants.

I give this new and exciting game show a perfect 10 IMDb rating and it's been a long time since.a successful game show such as Jeopardy, Let's Make a Deal, and/or. The Price Is Right came along.

The King (II) (2017)

If you are American and like to feel depressed about your country than this is a must watch for any card carrying Democrat

[4/10 · 9 January 2024]

This is a documentary film that was supposed to be about the America that Elvis helped mold with his brand of rock and roll music, swinging hips, and movie stardom. Oh, and let us not forget how saturated his face and image were marketed on from everything from toys to toasters in the 1950's through 1970's and beyond where he is still considered the King of Rock N Roll.

But really what this documentary unfolds and addresses before our very eyes is the director/writer. Eugene Jarecki's left leaning political view that Elvis Presley and by extension Donald Trump destroyed the American dream and made themselves very wealthy on the backs of hard working Americans that did not look like themselves.

I found the documentary an unfair view of a time in America when Americans were actually prosperous both as a country and as hard working immigrants who made it in America and regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity either simply enjoyed Elvis Presley and/or wanted to see more and more of Elvis on the stage and in the movies.

Any public image of a politician/musician/film star/author/celebrity can always be criticized for not supporting some group or some cause but why do some writers/directors use this platform of film to disparage others who do not share their own view of the world?

I give the film a 4 out of 10 IMDb rating and I really hope that the Amazon censors will allow my review to remain without pulling it as they may not share my own view which is there have always been two sides to every coin and every controversy.

Saltburn (2023)

Somewhat of an artsy fartsy film but still worth seeing at least once

[6/10 · 8 January 2024]

Did I like it? .... Yes

Was it something I would recommend? .... Yes, but don't rush to go see it. Save watching this film for when you are really bored and are looking for something a bit different to watch.

Remember the 1981-1989 TV series Dynasty which was about the lifestyles of the rich and famous? Well, Saltburn kind of reminded me of that old TV series where the cast members may have been very wealthy in their TV roles that they were playing and at each others' throats all of the time. In the case of Saltburn this is a story of how one filthy rich family named the Cottons who come from old generational inherited money and have never had to worry about anything but how to entertain each other at their Saltburn estate.

Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) who attends a very private and prestigious University takes a fancy to a somewhat awkward and under privileged classmate named Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan). When there is a school break Felix feels empathy for his new friend Oliver and invites him to stay at his Saltburn estate with his own family since Oliver's own family is severely broken both mentally and financially.

This film as I have said earlier is a somewhat artsy fartsy type of film with a decent music score and an opulent backdrop of the Saltburn estate. Something of a film that the majority of movie goers will never in their lifetime (including myself) ever have a chance of spending weeks at a time being served hand and foot by a string of butlers and chefs.

The storyline continues to compare the far reaching and diverse backgrounds of the two University students Felix Cotton and Oliver Quick. There are a few twists and turns which any decent film needs to include if the director wishes to hold his/her audience's attention.

I give the film a decent enough 6 out of 10 IMDb review rating, but any higher of a rating would just be me trying to embellish a standard film into something more than it is just like the wealthy Cotton family does.

Börje (2023)

Any true hockey fan who saw Börje Salming play will appreciate his biography

[9/10 · 7 January 2024]

Mrs. Shullivan and I are of the vintage back in the 1970-1980's when Sweden's Börje Salming and Inge Hammarstrom were first introduced by the media to Toronto Maple Leafs fan base back in 1973. The Swedish players were known for their finesse and not for their toughness but that fallacy was quickly reversed after each game that Börje Salming sacrificed his body and played with the biggest heart of any Toronto Maple Leaf player who donned the blue and white jersey.

After finishing the first four (4) of the six (6) episodes we are hooked on this TV mini-series biography. Yes, there is a lot of dialogue in the Swedish language which requires English sub-titles but it only adds to the irony and conviction of the two Swedish hockey stars who travelled across the continents to play in a foreign country and had to initially struggle both on and off the ice learning our English language and adjusting to the more physical and pugilistic approach of the 1970's NHL format. So excuse the producers for injecting just a wee bit of the reality of adjusting to a new life in a foreign country and learning a second language but in my humble opinion this biography provided just a bit of reality of the transition these two professional athletes were required to adjust to make it in the NHL.

I am excited to watch the upcoming last two (2) episodes of this TV mini-series but Mrs. Shullivan and I know how it will end. Börje Salming's early life was a hardship but his hockey skills drove him to greatness such that he is now considered one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history.

This is an excellent biography and a must see for ALL hockey fans. I give this TV series a grateful 9 out of 10 IMDb rating for the series but I give Börje Salming a perfect 10 out of 10 for both the man and the hockey player he was. Borje may never have won the coveted Stanley Cup but he did win the hearts of millions of hockey fans. Rest in peace Börje Salming. You are greatly missed.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Not what I expected from a film so highly touted but a big disappointment

[5/10 · 31 December 2023]

Usually within the first fifteen (15) to thirty (30) minutes of a film I can usually determine if a film will stir that movie excitement within me we all long to feel. Unfortunately in the case of Oppenheimer I started to get that uneasy feeling which sometimes happens when I feel I have been bamboozled by the Hollywood hype and by a well laid out marketing campaign.

Approximately at the thirty (30) minute mark Mrs Shullivan and I both simultaneously shared our disappointment in what we were watching was very disappointing from what we were expecting and experiencing.

The film Oppenheimer was turning into a biography turned into a movie in which the film stars were almost reading their lines over top of one another if you listened closely. Also seriously competing for film cred was the irritating and non stop music score in a poor attempt at maintaining some semblance of drama and urgency within the moment of screen time when in fact Mrs Shullivan and I just found the music score was almost a continuous five (5) sequence musical note which worked much better in the original 1970s "JAWS" franchise films than it does in Oppenheimer.

All in all we both found the film a big disappointment so I can only provide an IMDb rating of 5 out of 10.

Barbie (I) (2023)

I would have preferred to see this as a 30 minute TV sitcom

[6/10 · 27 December 2023]

Mrs. Shullivan and I enjoyed about the first 30 minutes of this full length feature film but after about the third song and dance number by the various Ken's we agreed that Ryan Gosling appeared to be the main character and not Barbie.

Don't get me wrong, both Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie performed their respective doll like rolls of Ken and Barbie with a well balanced comedic and realistic delivery but when the producers appeared to display the Ryan Gosling "Ken doll" with an enhanced CGI eight (8) pack abdomen and bulging biceps we thought to ourselves that this was more of a vanity project for Ryan Gosling rather than an opportunity to reflect the changing world and the advancement of feminism through Barbie's vision of the changing world.

The visuals in multi colored pastels reminded me of the 1960's Elvis films such as Blue Hawaii since Barbie and Elvis were popular icons within the same era. The downside of the Barbie film was that her message of being your own person and not being reliant on a man seemed to get lost by the multiple song and dance numbers provided to the ensemble cast of the male Ken dolls.

All in all it was a decent film, not to be considered a future film classic, nor a memorable Ryan Goslng or Margot Robbie performance worthy of an Academy Award but just like Barbie it may be remembered today as a memorable place in time from a long past era. It would not surprise me to see a TV producer turn this Barbie film into a franchise merchandise bonanza and a weekly 30 minute TV sitcom which in my humble opinion is about all it could hold Mrs. Shullivan and my own attention for.

I give the film a decent 6 out of 10 IMDb rating.

Dumbbells (2014)

Dumbbells is proof that Evolution can work in reverse

[7/10 · 22 December 2023]

Does liking this movie make me a dumb person? If it does I don't really care. I enjoyed this docu-drama-comedy-romance low budget style film and I will be watching it again at some point. The three main characters were enjoyable and interesting characters. Brian Drolet who plays Chris Long a highly touted college basketball star who gets injured before he can sign his first big professional contract ends up being relegated to work at a misfit gym which goes under new management.

The new owner of the gym is a guy named Jack Guy (Hoyt Richards) who has plenty of charisma and high expectations of his staff but unfortunately he is currently having a significant cash flow problem. Jack Guy's character is so irritating that you can't help but like him and his array of wigs and if that makes any sense at all then you, will also enjoy the film as much as I did.

The third main character is gym owner Jack Guy's attractive niece Rachel Corelli (Taylor Cole) who is hired by Jack as an instructor at his dumpy gym which Jack intends to turn around with plenty of advertising and a bunch of hot girls plugging his product.

Getting back to the main character the down on his luck former college basketball star Chris Long who is torn between two relationships his former shallow but hot looking girlfriend Kim Hertz (Mircea Monroe) and his recently new co-worker Rachel Corelli who is down to earth and very supportive of Chris's ability to succeed and in his pursuit of happiness.

It is well worth a higher score than the picture is indicating so far and as such I rate it as a 7 out of 10 IMDb review score.