“Maleficent,” the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty,” reveals the events that hardened Maleficent’s heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora, only to later realize that the child may hold the key to peace in the land.
It’ Ain’t Over…Till It’s Over is the newest book by Marlo Thomas. The book is not about Thomas. Rather, it is a collection of experiences by a variety of women who have changed their lives and made their dreams come true. This is a book for anyone who feels stuck in their lives, who has ideas and interests, and who thinks it is too late to do anything about them.
Ms. Thomas has dedicated her life to helping women. Her TV series, That Girl, which ran from 1966-1971, was one of the first shows that focused on a workingwoman who wasn’t looking for a husband and who was happy with her life as it was. Thomas has also penned several books, each with inspiring words for all readers.
Most recently, Marlo has been a contributor to the Huffington Post and has her own website where she brings interesting stories to the viewers. Her webseries is titled Mondays with Marlo.
As Thomas explains in the Forward, the book is “60 inspiring stories.” And they are definitely inspiring. Each story is about a woman who has taken the bull by the horns, so to speak, and changed her life. Age doesn’t matter. Careers and family aren’t the focus of these stories. The women have either taken an idea out of necessity or something they love to do, and created a new lifestyle from it.
The first chapter tells the story of a 54-year-old woman who saw the need for a cellphone case that would hold other necessities and took that idea forward. Today her little idea that was meant to downsize and ease the problem of never finding what she needed in her purse is now a huge business.
There’s a story of a woman who enjoyed bicycle riding and inadvertently created a budding jewelry business out of bike chain links. With 60 inspiring stories of women who have altered their lives for the better, most readers will finish the book with ideas of their own. The stories show how creative we are, how drive and determination can spur us on, and how sometimes, something innocuous can be the impetus to bring out the encouragement we need to follow our dreams, whether we know it or not.
It Ain’t Over… is a book that doesn’t have to be read at once. It’s a great book to pick up and read a few stories from time to time for a little pick-me-up, and let’s face it, with all the stress in our lives, we can all use some motivation to spur us on.
It Ain’t Over…Till It’s Over: Reinventing your Life – and Realizing Your Dreams – at Any Age makes a great gift for any woman struggling with her life, job, or is simply frustrated with the road she is traveling. It gives women the inspiration to follow their ideas. Do you love to bake? Do you love to act? Do you love to dance? Follow your heart. Perhaps by reading how others succeeded, you can get figure out how to bring your ideas to fruition.
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Atria Books (April 8, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1476739919
ISBN-13: 978-1476739915
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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Sleeping Beauty awakens for the first time on Diamond Edition Blu-ray, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on October 7th! All-new Diamond Edition special features, never-before-seen deleted scenes and characters make this a must-own for every family’s classic collection!
Two new collections of Jack Lemmon films are now available for home viewing. Each box contains four movies starring the incomparable Jack Lemmon.
In one collection, four classic films combine for a lot of viewing pleasure. Operation Mad Ball (1957), Good Neighbor Sam (1964), The Notorious Landlady (1962), and Three For the Show (1955) each portray the wonderful acting talent of Jack Lemmon. With costars Betty Grable, Marge & Gower Champion, Kim Novak, Fred Astaire, Romy Schneider, Dorothy Provine, Ernie Kovacs, and Kathryn Grant, these movies are filled with fun and great stories.
Whether Lemmon is playing a GI who was presumed dead then turns up after his wife has remarried, a nice family man who is drafted into helping his wife’s girlfriend inherit her grandfather’s estate, an Army private scheming to win the heart of an army nurse, or a man who falls in love with his landlady who might be a murderer, his performances are filled with delight and charm.
The second collection is bursting with more versatility from this amazing actor who was equally talented in comedy and drama. Under the Yum Yum Tree (1963), My Sister Eileen (1955), Phfft! (1954), and Luv (1967) show off Lemmon’s great comical genius.
In this collection Lemmon plays a suicidal man who falls for his friend’s wife, a womanizing landlord trying to seduce a tenant away from her fiancé, a divorced man trying to figure out his life with a lot of humor, and a publisher being conned and pursued by a young woman.
Lemmon’s costars in this collection include Carol Linley, Dean Jones, Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Judy Holliday, Jack Carson, Peter Falk, and Elaine May.
If you are a fan of Jack Lemmon or just a fan of great movies, these collections are worth watching. The Jack Lemmon Showcase collections of films each include four memorable movies. They are not rated, so use your own judgment when showing them to youngsters. Jack Lemmon’s legacy is one of true talent. This man could do it all, and do it all to perfection, as exemplified in these two collections.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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This 1964 movie stars several top actors of the day. Ann-Margret, Tony Franciosa, Carol Linley, Gardner McKay and Pamela Tiffin, along with Andre Lawrence play six twenty-something singles in Madrid who meet and ultimately fall in love. The Pleasure Seekers is an updated version of the classic 1954 movie Three Coins in a Fountain, with a different location and several musical numbers, but the same basic plot of three American women in a foreign country who find the men of their dreams.
Fran (Ann-Margret) is a nightclub singer. Her roommate is Maggie (Linley) who works for a news organization. Maggie is the secretary to Paul Barton (Brian Keith) and has been in love with him for a long time, even though he’s married to Jane (Gene Tierney). She often commiserates with her co-worker Pete (McKay) who is a sensitive guy who has a lot of girlfriends but is serious about his career.
Maggie’s college roommate arrives in Madrid to stay with the two girls. Susie (Tiffin) is a dimwit in many ways. She is definitely not sophisticated or worldly. When she meets Emilio (Franciosca), she thinks he is a bum because he is spending his afternoon in a museum, but in reality he is very rich.
Meanwhile, Fran has an accident and is cared for by a young doctor. Andres (Lawrence) and Fran hit it off in more ways than one when his motorbike strikes her in the street. He cares for her then leaves.
So, that about sets up the prospective couples. Fran falls for Andres who lives in a small village and does not feel he can support an American wife. Maggie falls for the rich, womanizing, bachelor who won’t commit to any woman. And Maggie loves her boss but discovers Pete is more her type.
Whit all this hubbub going on, Ann-Margret manages to sneak in some delightful songs. The music is fun and sensitive, upbeat yet warm. The songs really add to the entertainment factor of this film.
While it is definitely predictable and is based on the classic movie, The Pleasure Seekers is still an entertaining and fun movie. Yes, it is dated, and yes, it is not award-caliber acting, but it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music. From the FOX Cinema Archives, The Pleasure Seekers is definitely an enjoyable film. It’s not rated however I would personally rate it PG for suggestive material.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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From 1981-1982, James Garner reprised his role of Bret Maverick in the series Bret Maverick. Garner appeared in one episode in 1979 as Bret in the short-lived series Young Maverick, and in the 1978 TV movie The New Maverick. Garner has played Bret Maverick many other times throughout the years: in an episode of the TV series Sugarfoot in 1957, in the show Alias Jesse James (although his scenes were deleted in the final cut), and in the TV series Maverick which ran from 1957-1962. After all these appearances, it would be difficult to imagine any other actor playing Bret Maverick, although some have tackled the character. However, James Garner is the ultimate Bret Maverick.
The series Bret Maverick is set in Sweetwater, Arizona in the 1880s. The pilot episode sets up the rest of the story for the remaining episodes of the series. Bret comes to Sweetwater to take part in a big poker game. He ends up winning the Red Ox Saloon and purchasing a ranch just outside of town. But can this lifelong gambler settle down in a quiet little town?
With an ambitious reporter (played by Darleen Carr), a sheriff trying to clean up the town, or at least keep it as safe as possible, and an array of other characters, the stories and conflicts that take place in Sweetwater are enough to keep Bret busy.
Bret Maverick is an easy-going man. He definitely believes in keeping himself armed, just in case. And this man is heavily armed. But his skill and cunning come in handy. Bret says things like they are, likes his privacy, and always has good intentions. He is the type of man anyone would love as their neighbor, friend, and yes, one that women could over. He’s the epitome of class while at the same time doesn’t pull any punches, literally and figuratively.
All of the episodes of this short-lived series are available in this 5-disc box. Bret Maverick is part of the Warner Archive Collection and is available from their website at wbshop.com.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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Join the loveable Peanuts gang as they celebrate America, from the Mayflower to outer space. This fun – and informative – two-disc set will inspire and entertain viewers of all ages.
Featured Specials:
* The Mayflower Voyagers – The Peanuts become pilgrims sailing to the New World aboard the Mayflower and endure the first hard winter on Plymouth Plantation.
* The Birth of the Constitution – Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang is present when the country’s founding fathers discuss putting together the constitution.
* The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk – Linus and Charlie Brown witness the Wright brothers’ first flight.
* The NASA Space Station – Linus dreams that he and the rest of the Peanuts gang travel into space.
* The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad – Charlie Brown discusses how the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads link to create the transcontinental railroad.
* The Great Inventors – Each member of the Peanuts gang reports on various American inventions. Linus discusses Alexander Graham Bell while Peppermint Patty and Marcie talk about Thomas Edison, and Charlie Brown writes a report on the invention of the automobile.
* The Smithsonian and the Presidency – Viewers experience meeting U.S. presidents as seen through the eyes of the Peanuts gang. Charlie Brown visits with Abraham Lincoln. The gang also meets Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
* The Music and Heroes of America – Snoopy wants to participate in Schroeder’s report on music in America. Everyone in the gang plays a different musical instrument while we hear such classics as “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” and “Yankee Doodle.” This special plays homage to such celebrated composers as John Phillip Sousa, Irving Berlin, George Cohan, Scott Joplin and others. Also featured is Lucy’s report on the heroes of America, which include Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr. Jonas Salk and others.
This is America, Charlie Brown originally aired as an eight-part mini-series on CBS in 1988.
We have five (5) units to giveaway. To be eligible to win a copy of This is America, Charlie Brown, email us at [email protected] with “Charlie Brown” in the title. Please supply your name, address, phone number and email address (so we can let you know if you are a winner).
The deadline for this giveaway is June 13, 2014.
Disney’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” follows the exploits of 11-year-old Alexander (Ed Oxenbould) as he experiences the most terrible and horrible day of his young life—a day that begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by one calamity after another. But when Alexander tells his upbeat family about the misadventures of his disastrous day, he finds little sympathy and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him. He soon learns that he’s not alone when his mom (Jennifer Garner), dad (Steve Carell), brother (Dylan Minnette) and sister (Kerris Dorsey) all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Anyone who says there is no such thing as a bad day just hasn’t had one. The film hits theaters nationwide Oct. 10, 2014.
Some touching moments with moms from Disney – Happy Mother’s Day from Disney and Family Choice Awards/Family Magazines!
Disney Junior’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a popular series for preschoolers. This latest DVD (Around the Clubhouse World) includes five fun-filled episodes.
In the title episode on this DVD, “Around the Clubhouse World,” Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto set out to travel to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse versions of France, Italy, Egypt, and China. “You’ll see what a wonderful world it can be.”
The trio takes a baguette, a fortune cookie, tickets and the special mousketool to help them solve problems along the way. In the various “countries” they meet up with some of their friends who, in typical Mickey Mouse Clubhouse tradition, need a little help solving some dilemmas. Viewers – and the gang – must figure out which tool to use to help them along the way.
Included in the box is an “Official Clubhouse Passport” so kids can have their own passport and can get them stamped along with Mickey and Minnie. With stickers to place where the official stamps belong, as well as a few additional features, this personal passport is something that adds a fun element to the story. Parents can help their kids place the stamps in the correct locations on the passport while they are enjoying the trip around the clubhouse world.
Four additional episodes on the disc add more Clubhouse fun. There is “Donald and the Beanstalk,” “Goofy on Mars,” “Mickey’s Handy Helpers,” and “Pluto’s Dinosaur Romp.”
When the Magic Helpers get stuck, Goofy, Daisy, Donald, Minnie, and Mickey must figure out why they are not working and correct the problem – so Goofy can have his veggie stew! The Magic Helpers are responsible for making the meals, and Goofy really wants his veggie stew.
A fun little character named Dinah appears in the episode “Pluto’s Dinosaur Romp” when Professor Von Drake’s Tick Tock Time Machine accidentally brings the baby dinosaur to the clubhouse. The gang must figure out how to get her back to her own time so she can be with her friends and family.
The TV series is filled with fun for young viewers, and this DVD brings together five adorable episodes, along with an Official Clubhouse Passport. With the classic characters, engaging stories for preschoolers, the Handy Helpers, the Surprise Switch, the special tools, and all the great things in the clubhouse, this is a disc that will delight and entertain youngsters. So, say the magic words, Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse, and open a magical world for your preschooler.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
Follow her on Twitter
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