Page 2/4

By Douglas Gruehl

Take Two Pills and Call Your Dealer in the Morning!

Netflix’s new series, Painkiller, sheds a brilliant spotlight on the opioid crisis and the villains behind the proliferation of the infamous OxyContin pain relief drug. If only the ending of the multiple lawsuits brought against big pharma was not so unsatisfactory. Purdue Pharma’s claims for bankruptcy protection being banned by the US Supreme Court is, […]

By Douglas Gruehl

Beanie Babies – Did You Get Scammed?

The Beanie Bubble is a totally fun romp chronicling the rise and fall of people’s obsession with Beanie Babies. I remember that my mother went on a hunt for the “Diana Beanie ” when she was in Canada and scored one for my son. Zach Galifianakis is brilliant as Ty Warner, as is Elizabeth Banks […]

By Douglas Gruehl

Barbie – So Pretty In Pink!

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are total perfection – nice surprise about Gosling’s self-deprecating characterization of Ken. Robbie, as always, delivers a spot-on performance. Kate McKinnon shines in her over-the-top portrayal of Barbie’s protagonist! Absolutely fabulous. IMHO, probably the absolute best character in the film. Michael Cera is the perfect nerd friend, Alan. Will Ferrel […]

,

By Douglas Gruehl

Oppenheimer? HUGE YES!

Christopher Nolan’s latest opus is nothing short of brilliant!   Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer is Oscar worthy but let us not overlook the brilliance of Robert Downey Jr, as Lewis Strauss. Of all the roles in his career, this is superb. His malevolent narcissistic Machiavellian portrayal is simply brilliant. One should not overlook the wonderfully nuanced performance by […]

Apple tv

,

By Douglas Gruehl

Hijack? Oh yes!

Edris Elba is absolutely brilliant in this new series. This is not Snakes on a Plane, rather an ultimately thrilling and intriguing suspense thriller. There are so many backstories and personal stories that you wind up rooting for everyone that is featured. HUGE 5 stars to sit back and enjoy the ride. Loved all the […]

,

By Douglas Gruehl

Indiana Jones meets James Bond with a lot of sass!

And are any of you surprised that I LOVED this latest installment of the Indiana Jones enterprise? This is a wonderful romp incorporating the best of Indiana with spectacular James Bond over-the-top action scenes with a touch of Steve McQueen Bullitt car races. The opening segments are a brilliant use of CGI to make Harrison […]

By Douglas Gruehl

Asteroid City – A Cacophony of Cameos!

Wes Anderson’s latest adventure, Asteroid City, is a surreal version of the age-old play Our Town. From Bryan Cranston’s subtly nuanced performance as the host/narrator to Tom Hanks’s grumpy old patriarch, this movie is rife with so many cameos by Hollywood A-Listers that I am reminded of Ward Bond who appeared in almost every movie […]

By Douglas Gruehl

Unstable? YES! Totally Unstable & Great Fun

Rob Lowe’s new Netflix series, Unstable, is a joyful romp that provides hours of over-the-top fun entertainment! Lowe, probably best known for his ill-fated sex tape from years gone by, proves he is more than just a pretty face! IMHO, he has gone well beyond his term as one of the original Brat Pack.  Also […]

By Douglas Gruehl

Transatlantic – A Real Life Journey of Heroism and Compassion

Transatlantic, the new Netflix series based on The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer, is a heartwarming series depicting the heroic efforts of ‘real-life” American Varian Fry and his cadre of British Intelligence operatives helping refugees escape the Nazi persecution of intelligentsia, artists and ‘enemies of the state’ escape to the United States during the early […]

FUBAR is Terminator meets James Bond

,

By Douglas Gruehl

FUBAR is Terminator meets James Bond!

FUBAR, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro, is a mindless but fun takeoff on Terminator meets James Bond with a dash of True Lies. A totally mindless but totally fun romp! Who cares what the plot is? It is just fun hours of mischief peppered with a great supporting cast that delivers on all levels. […]

The poster for the HBO show White House Plumbers

By Douglas Gruehl

White House Plumbers – White House Bumblers?

OMG, director David Mandel’s new political miniseries on HBO Max, White House Plumbers, chronicling the ill-fated 1970’s Watergate break in, is a thoroughly engaging comedy (remember a comedy is a play on or about life) of errors. I wonder, given the poetic license of portraying the events, how could any of those involved not be […]

Being Mary Tyler Moore - Who Cares?

By Douglas Gruehl

Being Mary Tyler Moore – Who Cares?

I admit it. I was suckered into watching the new documentary that touted it included access to her vast archives and never before seen footage discovered in her basement after her passing. Maybe it should have remained lost for the ages? As charming as some of the footage was (the new foal or maybe the […]