AEReport

Harry Lewis dead at 93

Jim Fordyce — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:59:22 PDT

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Harry Lewis, a nasty accomplice of Edward G. Robinson in theHumphrey Bogart classic Key Largo who went on to launch the showbiz-hotspot restaurants Hamburger Hamlet and Kate Mantilini, has died. He was 93.

In John Huston’s Key Largo(1948), Lewis played Edward “Toots” Bass, one member of Johnny Rocco’s (Robinson’s) gang who pose as vacationers before taking over a run-down hotel in South Florida

Esther Williams Dead at 91

Jim Fordyce — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:35:44 PDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Esther Williams, the swimming champion turned actress who starred in glittering and aquatic Technicolor musicals of the 1940s and 1950s, has died. She was 91.

Williams died early Thursday in her sleep, according to her longtime publicist Harlan Boll.

Following in the footsteps of Sonja Henie, who went from skating champion to movie star, Williams became one of Hollywood’s biggest moneymakers, appearing in spectacular swimsuit numbers that capitalized on her wholesome beauty and perfect figure.

Such films as “Easy to Wed,” `’Neptune’s Daughter” and “Dangerous When Wet” followed the same formula: romance, music, a bit of comedy and a flimsy plot

"Now You See Me" is Something to See

Jim Fordyce — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:43:00 PDT

Rating: 3 out of Fordyce

It is always nice to see something different at the movies. With so many plot retreads, Now You See Me is a a great mystery that is a lot of fun. The story revolves around four magicians, who team up to perform the greatest illusions ever. They have a benefactor, who is helping them, and when they appear to rob a bank in Paris live on a Las Vegas stage the FBI and Interpol set out to find out what is going on.

The twists and turns in this one will keep you interested and curious. It all winds up in a neat little package with a surprise ending. Doing their jobs well are the actors who amaze us: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Mélanie Laurent, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman all make you beleive they are who they are. But are they? Go enjoy this movie and find out! It gets a very good 3 out of Fordyce.

Credit Check:
There is no bonus scene at the end, so go home unless you like reading credits.

'S.W.A.T.' Actor Steve Forrest dead at 87

Jim Fordyce — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:31:06 PDT

Actor Steve Forrest has died at his home in Thousand Oaks, California. He was 87

Forrest is best known for the role of Lt. Dan Harrelson in the 1970’s police drama, S.W.A.T. The series aired for two seasons on ABC=TV

In addition to S.W.A.T. he appeared on Murder, She Wrote, The Client, Columbo, Fantasy Island, Love American Style, Medical Center, Ironside, Circle of Fear, The Name of the Game, Bonanza, Cimarron Strip, Burke’s Law, and Death Valley Days. He was also a series regular on Dallas in 1986. He was in several movies including “The Longest Day,” “Spies Like Us” and co starred with Faye DUnaway in “Mommie Dearest.”

"Star Trek: Into Darkness" A Perfect Ride in Space

Jim Fordyce — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:42:57 PDT

Rating: 4 out of Fordyce (Perfect)

Since the original series in the 1960s, I have been a big fan of Star Trek. I have almost always seen the movies in previews or, like tonight, I was first in line at my “Regular Movie House,” The Mary Pickford in Cathedral City, CA.

Armed with my 3-D glasses I was ready for Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of the NCC 1701 to keep me in warp drive, and I was not disappointed. The biggest problem I have in writing this review is how to not give you any spoilers.

The cast is back and, like last time, marvelous. Chris Pine is the dreamy, oversexed Captian James T. Kirk, who literally gets some alien tail in this one, and Zachary Quinto is Mr. Spock. The plot is a little transparent, but it has some twists that will make trekkies think, “Why did

"Gatsby" is flashy fun, but the same story

Jim Fordyce — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:40:00 PDT

Rating: 2 out of Fordyce

Will Hollywood ever get over “The Great Gatsby”? It has been done now about five or six times, None of them have been stellar. This time the task of taking the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel and bringing it to the big screen went to the man who brought us “Moulin Rouge,” Baz Luhrmann. He took Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire and tried to make them Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Maguire was OK, DiCaprio was still using his Howard Hughes voice from “The Aviator.” The rest of the cast were mediocre, and the women where stiff and gave you no reason to care about them.

I was really prepared for this to be over-the-top, with Luhrmann at the helm but it seems he did show a little restraint. The story did follow the novel. But the production numbers for the parties, the speeding cars, and several other scenes were all overdone and all computer generated. I also found the soundtrack ridiculous. When a movie is set in the 1920s go get some music from the period. There was hip hop and disco that sounded like the Village People collided with a shooting star. Pleasant, but it did not belong. This was nothing special and only gets a wishy washy 2 out of Fordyce.

Credit Check:
I left.
Sorry, this film was already way too long at almost 2 and a half hours.

Soap opera star Jeanne Cooper has died at 84

Jim Fordyce — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:37:53 PDT

CBS/AP/ May 8, 2013, 3:04 PM Jeanne Cooper, who played grande dame Katherine Chancellor for nearly four decades on “The Young and the Restless,” died Wednesday morning in her sleep, her son the actor Corbin Bernsen wrote on Facebook. The family confirmed the death to CBS.

Bernsen tweeted April 12 that his mother faced an “uphill battle” for an undisclosed illness. In subsequent days he wrote of her gradual improvement and said that she’d been taken off breathing equipment.

In a Facebook posting April 17, Bernsen said his mother cursed several times, “showing me that she’s becoming her old self, not thrilled about the situation, and ready to get out of the hospital and shake up the world.”

On Wednesday he wrote that she remained a fighter until the end: “She has been a blaze her entire life, that beacon, that boxer I spoke

"Iron Man 3" is action-packed fun

Jim Fordyce — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:51:27 PDT

Rating: 3 out of Fordyce

I must say I enjoyed the first Iron Man, and even though I am always wary of sequels, Iron Man 2 was ok, so I was off to see Iron Man 3 on opening night. Part of the charm here is Robert Downey, Jr as the quirky, sarcastic and very wealthy Tony Stark. He was once again fun to watch as he donned the big iron suit. He is joined by Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts and Don Cheadle as Colonel Rhodes. When you add in Ben Kingsley as the villainous Mandarin, you have the makings of a fun film.

The plot in this version is very good. There is a new dynamic between Stark and Ms. Potts and a bad guy with some secrets. The story is clever and moves along right from the beginning. There are a couple of twists you won’t see coming, and it all wraps up neatly in a little over two hours. I can’t say more without spoiling things, so I won’t. But I must add that there are a couple of very unbelievable scenes even when performed by a guy in a magical computerized suit. Go enjoy the fun of this film that gets a very good 3 out of Fordyce.

Credit Check:
STAY right until the end or you will miss out

Deanna Durbin dead at 91

Jim Fordyce — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:36:55 PDT

Ms. Durbin with Franchot Tone in “His Butler’s Sister” (1943).

By ALJEAN HARMETZ New York times Published: April 30, 2013

Deanna Durbin, who as a plucky child movie star with a sweet soprano voice charmed American audiences during the Depression and saved Universal Pictures from bankruptcy before she vanished from public view 64 years ago, has died, a fan club announced on Tuesday. She was 91.

In a newsletter, the Deanna Durbin Society said Ms. Durbin died “a few days ago,” quoting her son, Peter H. David, who thanked her admirers for respecting her privacy. No other details were given.

Ms. Durbin had remained determinedly out of public view since 1949, when she retired to a village in France with her third husband.

TNT Renews "Dallas" for third season

Jim Fordyce — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:18 PDT

By NELLIE ANDREEVA, deadline.com | Tuesday April 30, 2013 @ 11:32am

As expected, TNT has renewed Dallasfor a third season. No final decision on veteran Southlandand freshmanMonday Mornings, but neither is expected to be renewed. TNT will likely make the end of the two dramas official in the next two weeks as the cable network is gearing for its May 15 upfront presentation. Also likely coming up in the next week or so are the new TNT series pickups, with the Howard Gordon-producedLegends and Michael Bay-produced The Last Ship expected to get a nod. Produced by Warner Horizon Television, Dallas is a followup of the iconic 1980s series. TNT has ordered 15 episodes for the third season, which is slated to launch in early 2014. “Although we said goodbye to