News for today's 2018

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas again donned wedding rings

8:05 AM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjUxlofAqjQts9VOREYAZvvDktQ0Ss4ZjFrFv1I1oKOdaFnI9v1uh6dEexZg7vRR5sx01HZ6VrmiI2iXr38PnjatZ5pt0IvWCm0576CNWQy6uagidM8DSyXGHYS7HnNS96owEA45_/s1600/Catherine+Zeta-Jones+and+Michael+Douglas+again+donned+wedding+rings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjUxlofAqjQts9VOREYAZvvDktQ0Ss4ZjFrFv1I1oKOdaFnI9v1uh6dEexZg7vRR5sx01HZ6VrmiI2iXr38PnjatZ5pt0IvWCm0576CNWQy6uagidM8DSyXGHYS7HnNS96owEA45_/s1600/Catherine+Zeta-Jones+and+Michael+Douglas+again+donned+wedding+rings.jpg" /></a></div><br />Apparently, <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/11/michael-douglas-and-catherine-zeta.html" target="_blank">Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas</a> finally solved all  their problems: to Western press reports, on the ring finger of the  couple reappeared wedding rings. <br /> <br /><script type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script><br /><br /> Paparazzi made a few frames  actor couple, the code that was walking around New York with their  children - son Dylan and daughter Carys. <br /> <br /> Starry family held  together all day, they visited one of the restaurants in the city, then  visited a theatrical production - the musical "Motown" and later moved  Movies, where the second part of the tape watched Peter Jackson "The  Hobbit". <br /> <br /> Note that the assurances of the source, the meeting  was not organized for the children. Also, Zeta-Jones and Douglas looked  as if never parted. <br /> <br /> Well, let's hope that in the relationship  of one of the most beautiful couples in Hollywood came the best of  times, and in 2014 New start for them with clean slate.<br /><br /><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><ins class="adsbygoogle"      style="display:inline-block;width:468px;height:60px"      data-ad-client="ca-pub-8441125172513237"      data-ad-slot="7346003106"></ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWmgb-8htXTI-iRUQWXCnR00_zi8zCFL8fn0V6_AYA0DnSTTmPwyPTo5UMyDJ82gj2Q8H-WSTje9XaJczUe5oR8ZG0TFZB9y3_kVLuWAatA6VGxrIhIIw3-02Ft41iGTGoPTPp4bF/s1600/Michael+Douglas+and+Catherine+Zeta-Jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWmgb-8htXTI-iRUQWXCnR00_zi8zCFL8fn0V6_AYA0DnSTTmPwyPTo5UMyDJ82gj2Q8H-WSTje9XaJczUe5oR8ZG0TFZB9y3_kVLuWAatA6VGxrIhIIw3-02Ft41iGTGoPTPp4bF/s1600/Michael+Douglas+and+Catherine+Zeta-Jones.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ykD249GrLlF1oo9WMRaOfHtQOnlJmuLNzYRFZTJnIwnv3cWPzBGgmY2KE0ZnoW4DZ7voIQ79jKMjMXWpJ0VZobhp_M1uvd292gIAheOPIsQdT_pHmgDNSNBFZkcMTztFrZuQuxNc/s1600/Michael+Douglas+and+Catherine+Zeta-Jones+-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ykD249GrLlF1oo9WMRaOfHtQOnlJmuLNzYRFZTJnIwnv3cWPzBGgmY2KE0ZnoW4DZ7voIQ79jKMjMXWpJ0VZobhp_M1uvd292gIAheOPIsQdT_pHmgDNSNBFZkcMTztFrZuQuxNc/s1600/Michael+Douglas+and+Catherine+Zeta-Jones+-2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><script type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script>          <script async src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><ins class="adsbygoogle"      style="display:inline-block;width:250px;height:250px"      data-ad-client="ca-pub-8441125172513237"      data-ad-slot="2423706304"></ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br />

Apparently, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas finally solved all their problems: to Western press reports, on the ring finger of th...

Last Vegas: A reasonable bet

1:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b><i>Last Vegas</i> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><b>(2013) • <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/lastvegas/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">View trailer</a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b> </b><br /><b>3.5 stars. Rating: PG-13, for sexual candor and occasional profanity</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a></b></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Old pros are a Hollywood treasure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They make everything look effortless, bringing warmth and depth even to ordinary material, transforming simple scenes into memorable dramatic moments. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DNPNQ34ts7-YWiGvpEALF8KLDJjEqdB_vym4kZ1MjOLP-XHynqZaqQ9E6cMyNyt4SoT2NijqGT-FmXcckk1JLTeN0r-vKx98rqX2rNiGcYh6zKBK37zFyajlsaH2a7C_itCbFnAGQV0/s1600/Last+Vegas+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DNPNQ34ts7-YWiGvpEALF8KLDJjEqdB_vym4kZ1MjOLP-XHynqZaqQ9E6cMyNyt4SoT2NijqGT-FmXcckk1JLTeN0r-vKx98rqX2rNiGcYh6zKBK37zFyajlsaH2a7C_itCbFnAGQV0/s400/Last+Vegas+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Safely deposited in a trendy Las Vegas hotel/casino, our heroes — from left, Sam (Kevin<br />Kline), Archie (Morgan Freeman), Paddy (Robert De Niro) and Billy (Michael Douglas) —<br />wonder how to begin their "fabulous weekend." As it turns out, a poolside bikini contest<br />will become the perfect ice-breaker.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bonus, in the case of <i>Last Vegas</i>, is that Dan Fogelman’s script isn’t merely <i>The Hangover</i> for the geezer set; his little story is alternately funny and poignant, with mildly earthy touches that draw laughs while never straying into vulgarity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the cherry on top, we even get a solid moral: Life ain’t over unless we lay down and give up. Every new day, no matter what our age, brings the potential for fresh magic and unexpected delights ... as long as we’re willing to risk the unexpected.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in the day, the “Flatbush Four” were inseparable best friends: scrappy kids convinced that anything was possible, as long as they looked out for each other. Director Jon Turteltaub conveys this dynamic with a charming photo booth montage that plays behind the opening credits: a giddy burst of youthful energy that defines relationships and, yes, reveals that two of these boys are sweet on the same girl.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flash-forward to the present day, and — ennui being inevitable — that enthusiastic youthful fire has dimmed to a flickering spark. Pulsating embers, if any still exist, are buried beneath graying ash. These former friends stay in touch, but only fitfully.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Archie (Morgan Freeman), following an “episode” that sent his adult son into a panic, has been put under well-meaning but soul-draining lockdown, constantly cautioned against doing anything more strenuous than picking up a book. Sam (Kevin Kline), although boasting a long and happy marriage with Miriam (Joanna Gleason), spends his days surrounded by elderly friends who reaffirm his own vanishing vitality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A senior center regimen of swimming pool exercises is both hilarious and tragic, the misery evident in Sam’s resigned expression. Resigned, but never quiet; Sam isn’t one to suffer silently ... which makes his despair that much more obvious to Miriam.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paddy (Robert De Niro) has become a virtual recluse, refusing to budge from the apartment he shared for so long with his own adored wife, dead now for a year; the home has become a photograph-laden tribute to her memory. A well-meaning young neighbor regularly brings soup, probably as an excuse to verify that he’s still alive; Paddy grumpily insists she shouldn’t bother.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Billy (Michael Douglas), the most financially successful of the quartet, has remained single all this time, perhaps hoping that youth can be retained by surrounding himself with a lifetime’s supply of willing young women. Now, however, he has impulsively popped the question to his current girlfriend, Lisa (Bre Blair); she has accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their striking age difference — she’s in her early 30s — raises eyebrows. So do the circumstances under which the proposal emerges.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such details aside, Billy wants to gather the ol' gang for an appropriately boisterous bachelor party. The wedding has been scheduled for Las Vegas, obviously just the setting for this potential bacchanalia. Sam and Archie are delighted, the latter concealing his intentions beneath the cover story of a “church outing.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paddy ... not so much. Prying him out of the apartment is hard enough; even worse is the festering enmity that has soured his relationship with Billy. Paddy has ample cause for his anger, but — as happens more than once, in Fogelman’s script — things aren’t quite as simple as they seem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually, inevitably, the aging Flatbush Four assemble in Vegas, Paddy grousing every step of the way. Whatever is about to happen remains tantalizing but uncertain, our protagonists bewildered by the mechanics of booking a hotel room, let alone determining how to uncork a party that’s supposed to be “legendary.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salvation arrives in the form of Diana (Mary Steenburgen), a game but mostly ignored lounge singer. She sparkles under the appreciative glow of their attention; they loosen up in the presence of her uncomplicated exuberance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By which time we, as well, have been drawn under this film’s spell, fully invested in what comes next.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">De Niro, Freeman, Douglas and Kline work well as a team, generously setting each other up for gently caustic one-liners and well-timed double-takes. The film makes ample sport of their fish-out-of-water awkwardness, whether flummoxed by electronically operated room curtains, or apoplectic over the costs involved with “table service” at a trendy nightclub.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vegas is similarly rich with unusual archetypes, of course, and Fogelman doesn’t miss many ... except, refreshingly, any intimation of hookers with a heart of gold (or any lesser metal). This film’s taste runs more toward the pantomiming members of the Cirque du Soleil troupe from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zarkana</i>, or the rowdy drag queens from a celebrity impersonation revue: the perfect foils for an endless wealth of bewildered expressions and self-deprecating verbal slips and quips from the Flatbush Four.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">De Niro still delivers the best hangdog expression in Hollywood, which Turteltaub encourages but carefully avoids overusing. Paddy, for all his gripes, turns out to be the serious guy in this group: the one who cuts to the chase, particularly when it comes to Billy’s pending nuptials. He and Douglas share a memorable moment during a quiet, early morning poolside encounter. Paddy’s lingering irritation notwithstanding, he nonetheless cannot stand to see his onetime best friend make a mistake ... if, indeed, that’s the case.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The scene has surprising depth and sincerity: quite unexpected in what is being billed as a raucous, superficial comedy. It feels like a conversation that would take place between two men who know each other intimately, their current estrangement notwithstanding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Douglas imbues Billy with just the right splash of superficial bonhomie: the fellow guaranteed to liven up a party, but bearing a smile that extends no further than his too-bright teeth. At the same time, Billy obviously teeters on the edge of nervous despair, the twitchy, often glazed look in Douglas' eyes conveying ... something. Resignation? Terror? Clearly, Billy isn't a happy guy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Freeman makes the most of Archie’s hidden reservoir of debonair dash, always at odds with his quiet, deceptively meek exterior. Truth is, Archie is virtually giddy with his newfound freedom, embracing even little things like a kid released from long-term detention. Nothing is warmer than Freeman’s full-wattage smile, and his smooth moves are to die for.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kline, in turn, makes Sam the mildly fussy smart-aleck, forever covering his insecurities with a joke. Thanks to a most unexpected gift from his wife, Sam throws himself into the Las Vegas “experience” ... despite having no clue what that experience really is. He learns as he goes, and Kline’s athletic grace is employed to marvelous comic effect, as Sam rebounds from one misunderstanding to another, particular when the gang encounters a gaggle of young women — April Billingsley’s maid of honor is a standout — at a nightclub bachelorette party.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steenburgen, having no business being so stunning for somebody who just turned 60, literally radiates warmth and precocious curiosity, as Diana slowly gets a bead on her four new companions. Her most intimate moments come with Paddy and Billy, both drawn to her incandescence. I particularly like a quiet scene between Steenburgen and Douglas, as Diana and Billy wander among a museum display of discarded Las Vegas neon signs: a clever nod to the old-versus-new undertone that flows throughout this film.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jerry Ferrara, well remembered as Turtle from TV’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entourage</i>, has a droll supporting role as Dean, an obnoxious young snot eventually forced, in delicious fashion, to rue his boorish behavior. Romany Malco is less successful as Lonnie, the VIP host put in charge of the Flatbush Four. Lonnie’s initial dismay at this assignment is much too visibly contemptuous, given the graciousness required of somebody holding such a job, and Malco never quite recovers from this introduction; he never makes Lonnie sound genuine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinematographer David Hennings has plenty of fun with Vegas glamour and glitz, and he definitely catches the atmosphere of the opulent ARIA Resort and Casino, where much of the story’s action is staged. Mark Mothersbaugh contributes a droll score, although it would have been nice to hear better defined character themes for each of our four heroes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We shouldn’t be surprised by this film’s touches of poignance and genuine character depth, since Fogelman also wrote 2011’s richly entertaining <i><a href="http://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2011/07/crazy-stupid-love-hilarious-painful.html">Crazy, Stupid, Love</a></i>. He navigates humor and bittersweet letdowns quite shrewdly, with heartwarming results.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turteltaub, recently seduced by the empty, high-concept calories of <i><a href="http://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2010/07/sorcerers-apprentice-hocus-pocus-little.html">The Sorcerer’s Apprentice</a></i> and the <i>National Treasure</i> series, makes a welcome return to the more deftly calibrated directorial chops he displayed in earlier efforts such as <i>Cool Runnings</i>, <i>While You Were Sleeping</i> and <i>Phenomenon</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Last Vegas</i> is a nice surprise: a whimsical dramedy certain to please the older viewers at whom it has been targeted. Sadly, the younger demographic probably won’t go near it, even with so many bodaciously curvy bikini babes on display. That’s a shame, because the story’s message is all-ages-appropriate: Embrace the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div>                                                                                                                           <br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which you can do while embracing this film.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>

2013 Bre Blair Comedy Jerry Ferrara Joanna Gleeson Kevin Kline Mary Steenburgen Michael Douglas Morgan Freeman Robert De Niro Romany Malco Last Vegas: A reasonable bet

Last Vegas (2013) • View trailer 3.5 stars. Rating: PG-13, for sexual candor and occasional profanity By Derrick Bang Old pros are a H...

Clint and Me

7:55 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH_3F4XDvxsxzSR493_5X5Gf_C1LzDuGdyOpLPhfBLY4Oq1dwH7LquQ2CAQaEsAz_D43Y-TO2nLFpmKqVkXPuwfJU7SMyLX3kGPOkQNotptrZNTttX35RXc4LmYiRJFj1Bn9a_GVEgx4s/s1600/Magnum+Force.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH_3F4XDvxsxzSR493_5X5Gf_C1LzDuGdyOpLPhfBLY4Oq1dwH7LquQ2CAQaEsAz_D43Y-TO2nLFpmKqVkXPuwfJU7SMyLX3kGPOkQNotptrZNTttX35RXc4LmYiRJFj1Bn9a_GVEgx4s/s320/Magnum+Force.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force (1973)</td></tr></tbody></table><i>by guest contributor Magic Lantern 21</i><br /><br />“Good guy…that last one he shot was a good guy!”<br /><br />Eleven words… my claim to celebrity status; my fifteen minutes of fame which if you took a stop watch and measured, would run well under that length of time. And although I would have many small screen appearances later on in “The Streets of San Francisco,” these few words to this day still get me the most attention. Why? Because Clint Eastwood films are both well known and greatly admired not only in the U.S., but also by audiences around the world. Therefore to be associated with a Clint Eastwood movie usually guarantees that an actor (even a bit one as myself) will receive instant and lasting recognition.<br /><a name='more'></a> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP64w671F-iLB5e-6wPLBlnBEMCP4K2NPPxyyyHR9fqVp445EG_gb3DTcWzmnmrYaYuQPRb3OkHhBAA4AB_U5YoY5Qsi4hYWTBPFP-A1-D3jqyinq64ROZvo5mC7XdzGB0TbjloHg5boYy/s1600/00+dirty+harry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP64w671F-iLB5e-6wPLBlnBEMCP4K2NPPxyyyHR9fqVp445EG_gb3DTcWzmnmrYaYuQPRb3OkHhBAA4AB_U5YoY5Qsi4hYWTBPFP-A1-D3jqyinq64ROZvo5mC7XdzGB0TbjloHg5boYy/s320/00+dirty+harry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirty Harry (1971)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Not long ago, TCM ran a tribute to Clint Eastwood and it brought back memories of my experiences meeting and working with him. He was a very pleasant, down to earth man in person…a real pleasure. I met him first in 1971 when he was shooting <b>Dirty Harry</b>. I had gone down to North Beach (one of the film’s locations) to take a look at the “Harry” car which it was being arranged I would purchase from Warners' Transportation when the picture “wrapped”. It was to be my first car and owning a picture car driven by Clint Eastwood made it all the more exciting.</div><br />He was very humble, polite, and soft-spoken when I met him and I also remember being surprised at how tall he was - well over six feet. I subsequently went down to the set many times afterwards and brought high school friends and dates along. Needless to say I was very popular amongst my peers. I unfortunately didn’t get the car, however - they needed it for a “pickup shot” in L.A. later and it got shipped back to the Warner Brothers lot. <br /> <br /> In 1973, three years after becoming an “extra” I reported on the set of <b>Magnum Force </b>- Dirty Harry’s second appearance on screen. I initially performed in the background in various roles - police officers mainly, but during one of the days that I had reported to work as an “extra” I was approached by the Assistant Director, Al Silvani, who told me that my agent had suggested me for a small speaking role as a Cadet in the film. I was of course ecstatic. I was given the few pages of script that contained my line and rehearsed every variation of that piece of dialogue that you could imagine (see above and watch<span style="color: #990000;"> the very beginning</span><span style="color: yellow;"> </span>of the clip below).<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wlaYAExLJmmmwAZAOS7GSETZ8F2ZSfubhGAMTZsLM97hiFiPQNHu18Z4iES7s-vRK-lfruA09AENCarhcp-SjKGPacNv0mZrRU9S-Nx5HiI_uBQjWXWfxSg85vGv2kwg7ZdyeeJqfKMv/s1600/00rogues+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="121" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wlaYAExLJmmmwAZAOS7GSETZ8F2ZSfubhGAMTZsLM97hiFiPQNHu18Z4iES7s-vRK-lfruA09AENCarhcp-SjKGPacNv0mZrRU9S-Nx5HiI_uBQjWXWfxSg85vGv2kwg7ZdyeeJqfKMv/s200/00rogues+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnum Force (1973)</td></tr></tbody></table>Finally the day came and I reported to the police firing range to do my scene in the picture. I was in good company - getting to hang out with Robert Urich, David Soul, Tim Matheson, and Kip Niven all day (actually two days - it took that long to film!). They were a fun group…and I remember Urich doing impersonations of various celebrities like Ed Sullivan, etc. He kept us in stitches. Ted Post was the director and I was able to cinch my bit in two takes. Of course Clint Eastwood, Hal Holbrook, and John Mitchum were also there. It was a memorable event.<br /><br />The last time I got to work with Eastwood was in 1976 on his third outing as Harry in the <b>The Enforcer</b>. I was at the Hall of Justice - this time as an “extra”. Perhaps I was feeling shy - or maybe I figured he wouldn’t remember me because (after all) it had been three years since I last saw him - or I thought he was a big actor now and too busy for me - but in any case I felt uncomfortable to re-introduce myself and so didn’t bother to go up to him that day. However, as they were setting up I happened to glance over in his direction and he made a point to single me out and nod a greeting of acknowledgement. I thought that was pretty cool - especially since now he was a bonafide mega star! But, you know, in hindsight, I shouldn’t have been surprised - that is Clint Eastwood. He never saw himself as a “star” - he has always been unpretentious in that way. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NH8_zxmkLUtLwqEtyM1473HbDtXWvYD9-XjOzHGIhVChzamn9iCBK9wqSa4YWoyCdwDTwURrvk11pNO8muQXVOgExiklwjN6oe6S7COfyJyTINWNMmv6I2dWyt0Mai6k-_AFWbJOMXPg/s1600/000+older+eastwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NH8_zxmkLUtLwqEtyM1473HbDtXWvYD9-XjOzHGIhVChzamn9iCBK9wqSa4YWoyCdwDTwURrvk11pNO8muQXVOgExiklwjN6oe6S7COfyJyTINWNMmv6I2dWyt0Mai6k-_AFWbJOMXPg/s200/000+older+eastwood.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clint Eastwood today</td></tr></tbody></table>One incident to drive this point home occurred during the filming of <b>Dirty Harry</b>. My father worked in his usual capacity (liaison between SFPD and the motion picture company) on that film, and both he and Eastwood had the same birthday, May 31st. The crew decided to get a cake for my Dad and presented it to him at lunch. One problem - they forgot it was also Clint Eastwood’s birthday. Well, could you imagine what the results would have been if this happened to another big actor with a matching ego? Not Clint, he wished my father a “Happy Birthday” and enjoyed some of his cake.<br /><br />Well, that’s my two cents for what it's worth regarding my time spent with Clint Eastwood. Great memories of a great guy and certainly worthy of the honor TCM gave him. Of course, knowing him, he probably thought it was a lot of to-do about nothing.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AIP9AJTbCcs?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AIP9AJTbCcs?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <br /><br /><i>Guest blogger Magic Lantern 21/aka/Tony Piazza is a San Francisco native whose father was at one time assigned by the City and County of San Francisco to be liaison between the SFPD and visiting film companies. This assignment involved assisting with scouting locations and making sure the city's day-to-day activities weren't hampered by filming. One such assignment was responsibility for the safety of citizens and property when the iconic chase scene in <b>Bullitt </b>(1968) was being filmed.</i><br /><br /><i>Tony himself, as he mentioned, worked for a time in the industry. He was an extra, a stand-in, performed stunts and had bit parts in films and on TV. Eventually, however, his life took a scientific turn and he has had a long career as a biologist.</i><br /><br /><i>More recently Tony returned to entertainment and the arts. He performed as an extra in the film <b>Sideways </b>(2004), did a commercial for a local retail store and has produced his own films. His book, <u>Anything Short of Murder</u>, is about to be published by Dog Ear Publishing, hopefully by the end of the year; it will be available at Amazon and other major book sites. As MagicLantern21, a member of TCM's CFU, Tony has a long-running murder mystery serial, REEL MURDER, in progress. <a href="http://fan.tcm.com/_WIN-A-MOVIE/blog/2948726/66470.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Click here for a link</span></a> to the related contest he's created and the chance to win a $20 Movies Unlimited gift certificate.</i><br /><i></i><br /><i>Thank you, Tony, for sharing your memories with Reel Life! </i><i>- The Lady Eve</i><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja10jnqP1pdRjmT-TNBb784mVLMv-JFPm_kmuX58UQKPoLGF4IxAzkAKQgkClIzX31V0Iw2hr6m9hoJ3tj5aPHtFVdObveReFebuQd67eBB09rBKoXBDQMzPlN6vmxkiDY4HxsVS8iaKPZ/s1600/michael+and+tony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja10jnqP1pdRjmT-TNBb784mVLMv-JFPm_kmuX58UQKPoLGF4IxAzkAKQgkClIzX31V0Iw2hr6m9hoJ3tj5aPHtFVdObveReFebuQd67eBB09rBKoXBDQMzPlN6vmxkiDY4HxsVS8iaKPZ/s320/michael+and+tony.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Douglas with Tony Piazza (Magic Lantern 21) on the set of "The Streets of San Francisco"</td></tr></tbody></table></div>