ChuckCunningham Reviews

Elementary (2012–2019)

An enjoyable TV program ...

[9/10 · 27 October 2023]

I missed this one during it's original run on network television, but I've gone through the entire series the past couple of months thanks to the DVD collection at my local public library.

I had previously watched the entire series of The Mentalist and I was looking for something similar. Elementary fit the bill.

I wasn't so sure about Sherlock at first, he was a little hard to understand and seemed like a combination of Monk and Sheldon Cooper, but he grew on me.

I hadn't really seen much of Lucy Liu, only her small part in Payback and her appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Her ensembles are nothing short of fabulous. A true Fashionista.

When you get to spend a couple of hours every day with a character you can really become attached to them. Greggson and Bell were also very good.

The mystery at the beginning of every show was always compelling. I'm kind of a simpleton, so when the plot veered off in a strange direction I was usually lost.

The show opener and theme are especially good.

Death Wish 3 (1985)

Bronson vs. Chuck Cunningham....

[8/10 · 26 October 2022]

I hadn't seen this one since 1985. I'd forgotten how good/bad it was. Where in New York is this set? A great idea for some futuristic theme park. You pay to be one of the residents fighting off the hoodlums, thugs or ner-do-wells. Or you can opt to be one of the gang members waging war on the elderly inhabitants of the urban combat zone.

This is right up there with Road House in entertainment value.

Bronson does it all, beating the criminals senseless, throwing mannequins off rooftops, blowing away thugs with high-powered weapons, enjoying ice cream and managing to find time for a romantic interlude with a woman about 45 years younger than him.

The final shootout, with Bronson and Ed Lauter, blazing their way through the war-torn, burning city streets while people cheer from their apartment windows is classic cinema.

The final blow is a bazooka blast which leaves me a burning corpse.

A must for anyone's watch list.

And Jimmy Page does the music.

Better Call Saul: Saul Gone (2022) Season 6, Episode 13

"Con man ... Albuquerque ..."

[8/10 · 21 August 2022]

I guess its pretty much the way it had to end, I was just hoping for something ... more ... more. A jaw-dropping finale along the line of the other show. I'll miss my TV friends in New Mexico and Nebraska. For the past few years there's always been something to look forward to each week. I can't watch regular movies and shows any more. I can't. I won't.

That reminds me, I gotta find a new place to hide my passwords here at home.

Better Call Saul: Waterworks (2022) Season 6, Episode 12

Notes from this episode ...

[8/10 · 11 August 2022]

Miracle Whip is nowhere as good as mayonnaise. It's like regular Raisin Bran instead of Raisin Bran Crunch.

Francesca's friendly, folksy demeanor has become a jaded scowl.

Howard's wife is a very striking woman.

Nobody does crack any more.

Kim, her boyfriend and Saul all use the word "yep."

Carol Burnett is a National Treasure.

Office birthday parties are seldom fun.

The Score (2001)

If Neil McCauley had survived ...

[8/10 · 7 August 2022]

He would have enjoyed this one. It's a standard heist caper elevated by an excellent cast. Marlon Brando is very funny in his final role. One of DeNiro's better performances of the past 20 years, and Edward Norton plays a prick really well. Very little violence and some suspense and tension during the robbery.

Better Call Saul: Breaking Bad (2022) Season 6, Episode 11

Season 6 may have peaked too soon ...

[5/10 · 3 August 2022]

These last two episodes were a little underwhelming. Time wasted on Gene's shenanigans with Jeff and his friend. It was good to see Carol Burnett and Stuart from the Big Bang Theory, but c'mon. The tension and suspense is gone. What happened with Kim? What's going on with construction of the Meth Super Lab. It didn't seem like Don Eladio and the cousins were buying the Lalo death story. And it sure seemed like Howard's wife was going to do some digging into his death. The appearance of Walt and Jesse just felt like a deleted scene from BB. I kinda like Jeff's friend's dog.

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

"Buzzard's gotta eat. Same as worms."

[9/10 · 30 July 2022]

Uncle Leo should've listened to Lige.

40 years ago I got Clint to sign an 8x10 of Josey Wales. When he saw the photo he said "Well, looks like we got us Josey Wales."

A very enjoyable movie. Lots of familiar faces.

I've seen it countless times, but I just now noticed Richard Farnsworth among the cast.

Better Call Saul: Nippy (2022) Season 6, Episode 10

The Nerdy Baseball Card Guy ...

[7/10 · 27 July 2022]

... would seem to be more of a threat than the new Jeff. He was kind of a doofus. I'm sure the creators of the show did everything they could to get Don Harvey back. You'd think that whatever show or movie he was working on would realize the importance of the final few episodes of Saul and free him up for a couple of days.

Questions: After the mall heist does Gene continue bringing the security guys Cinnabons?

Do I see Skyler in the photos for next week's show?

How do they get that backhoe out of the lab?

Head of the Class: I Am the King (1989) Season 3, Episode 19

Gary Goodrow ...

[8/10 · 14 July 2022]

He played Sid in this episode. He also played Bob, the guy who held up the stereo store during the WKRP remote with Dr. Johnny Fever! I can't seem to find the place to enter trivia here.

Better Call Saul: Point and Shoot (2022) Season 6, Episode 8

I was looking for a curve ...

[9/10 · 13 July 2022]

... Instead it was a fastball right down the middle.

It seemed like they were making it a little too obvious that Gus would kill Lalo in the lab with the gun he had stashed there a few episodes back. So I was expecting a twist. Someone else would actually kill Lalo. Someone we never would have guessed, like Kim, or Lyle or even the nail salon lady!

... There was the somewhat cliche scene where the villain has the good guy at gunpoint and all he has to do is pull the trigger. Instead he keeps talking, or in this case, lets the good guy keep talking, creating enough time for an escape. I miss Lalo already. Howard, not so much.

Bonus points for an appearance by Broderick Crawford.

Highway Patrol (1955–1959)

A lot of crime on that little stretch of road ...

[8/10 · 7 July 2022]

And most of it was committed by men wearing suits, ties and hats. As a child of the 60's I was plopped in front of the TV to watch all of these shows, so they evoke fond memories. They should have done a crossover episode with Dragnet. Broderick Crawford and Jack Webb talking to each other would have been magical.

Out of Death (2021)

You warned me!

[1/10 · 5 July 2022]

I read the reviews but I watched anyway. It was only about 90 minutes, which is probably the same amount of time they invested in making this movie. I did avoid spending any money on it. I checked it out from my local public library. Next time I 'll check out a book.

Desperate Hours (1990)

So bad that it's .... Still pretty bad.

[2/10 · 21 June 2022]

Quite possibly the best cast ever assembled in a God-awful movie. The peaceful, tranquil music that accompanies the scene as a bloody and beaten David Morse disposes of a dead body makes no sense. Dean Norris makes his 59th appearance as a cop. Elias Koteas apparently once had hair. No nudity from Mimi Rogers.

Better Call Saul: Plan and Execution (2022) Season 6, Episode 7

Why, Lalo? Why?

[9/10 · 29 May 2022]

Why couldn't you have taken out the Kettleman's instead? At the very least Betsy. Craig, we could go either way. It was good to see the camera guy from Saul's film school posse get a scene with a substantial amount of dialogue. No new episodes for about six weeks, but it may take that long to recover from this one.

Better Call Saul: Hit and Run (2022) Season 6, Episode 4

Cucumber Water for paying customer only ...

[9/10 · 3 May 2022]

Humor, suspense, a nice little twist, even a visit from three characters we haven't seen in a while. Another good episode. We're now about a third of the way through this final season. I can't wait to watch the next one, but at the same time, I don't want it to go by too fast. On a side note, has anyone seen the According to Jim episode with Howard as the yoga instructor?

Better Call Saul: Rock and Hard Place (2022) Season 6, Episode 3

Cry Nacho

[10/10 · 28 April 2022]

A very good episode. I was both stunned and amazed. We haven't really seen much of Lalo here in season 6, but he's out there, lurking, plotting and planning. I see that Spooge makes an appearance next week. I hope we haven't seen the last of Saul's film school posse.

Better Call Saul: Wine and Roses (2022) Season 6, Episode 1

Good Saul, man!

[10/10 · 21 April 2022]

It was great to see how they managed to weave so many of our favorite characters into this one episode. I'm not sure I can make it to August 15th to see how this ends. We also got to see Saul naked. That's a big plus in my book.

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

Pretty Die-Hardy, but not the Die-Hardiest ...

[7/10 · 31 March 2022]

Bruce fights bad guys, makes wisecracks, blows stuff up and drives cars really fast. The world becomes a much safer place because of this. It's also the first time we see a bald John McClane.

Seinfeld: The Trip: Part 1 (1992) Season 4, Episode 1

We're living in a society!

[8/10 · 23 March 2022]

Bevo 13678 sure comes up with some funny stuff. The actress in this one looks just like my sister. I tell her that all the time. Kramer is sure a nut. Ann Landers sucks!

A Day to Die (2022)

Almost makes you wish Bruce would go back to making music

[1/10 · 8 March 2022]

Dull. Bland. Boring. We're fools for continuing to watch these movies, thinking the next one will be better. Bruce is laughing at us. In the time it took to write this, he just completed another one.

Sudden Impact (1983)

"Swell.'

[9/10 · 5 March 2022]

Any movie with both Albert Popwell and James McEachin has got to be good. The best part was when Harry punched the Evil Bette Middler in the face. No trial. No reports to file.

Medium: Where Were You When...? (2010) Season 7, Episode 6

Start TV skipped this episode ...

[7/10 · 26 February 2022]

Was it an oversight or did they omit it for a reason? I'll put a call in to Detective Scanlon so he can investigate. I'm guessing it is a fairly good one, so I'll rate it a seven.

Survive the Game (2021)

One theory ...

[1/10 · 20 February 2022]

... Each year, probably early January, Bruce goes into a studio for a couple of weeks and films a bunch of generic action scenes. Bruce jumping off a bridge. Bruce firing a weapon. Bruce fighting a guy. Bruce making a wisecrack. They be sure to change the wardrobe a little. Then Bruce is gone. His work done for the year. The producers then cut and paste the scenes into direct to DVD movies which are then released during the next several months.

Better Call Saul: Bagman (2020) Season 5, Episode 8

Good Saul, Man!

[10/10 · 8 February 2022]

This one episode is better than most movies. The work that must have gone into the choreography of that shootout is mind-boggling. Mike could be one of the Expendables!

Bonus points when Lalo refers to Kim as "Mrs. Goodman."

Medium (2005–2011)

Small Medium at Large ...

[9/10 · 2 February 2022]

Joe seems to spend a lot of time walking around the house in his underwear. It was one thing when the kids were younger, but in later episodes Ariel is now a teenager in high school.

Put some pants on, Joe!