New Plush to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the classic film ‘UP’

Posted on April 19, 2019June 13, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

It is hard to believe that Carl, Ellie, Russell, Kevin, and Dug have been part of our lives for ten years. In 2009 the animated Disney film UP was released to rave reviews and the story touched the hearts of audiences of all ages.

Carl and Ellie

While we have seen so many royal animated love stories with the Disney princesses, the love story of Ellie and Carl is perhaps the most heartwarming of them all. To think that animated characters can bring tears to our eyes and deeply touch our hearts is a tribute to the storytelling and this beautiful movie about love and family.

Carl and Ellie are, for many of us, the most iconic animated characters in love. Their story reminds us that deep and abiding love between two people is what carries us through life. The devotion between these two is unbroken from the first time they met as little kids. Their love bound them together long after Ellie’s death, and her final wish was that Carl would continue to enjoy life without her. How sweet and sensitive is that? It proves the love they shared is timeless.

Russell

Russell is an adorable and eager young boy. Yes, he is a little overweight, but he has no father to help inspire him. His mother loves him, but Russell definitely misses having his father around to show him the ways of being a Wilderness Explorer. The wilderness must be explored! While his father is off with his new family, Russell is trying hard to connect with him, to no avail.

This adorable little scout is anxious to get his last badge so he can advance in the troop. All he needs is to assist an elderly person. This poor little fellow picks grumpy Carl Frederickson.

To escape from being sent to a nursing home, Carl sails his house down to South America with the help of helium balloons. Unbeknownst to him, Russell accidentally is on his porch. Carl tries to send the little boy back home, but things get out of hand and the two of them find themselves on an adventure in South America near the spot where Ellie always wanted to go.

Russell is still intent on helping Carl to get his “helping the elderly” badge so they try their best to move the house to Paradise Falls, where Ellie had envisioned putting her house. Carl is still following Ellie’s dreams.

So, in the end it is Russell that adds meaning again in Carl’s life. He is following the wishes of his beloved Ellie and continuing his own adventures. This time he is with this young boy and is happier than he has been since Ellie’s passing. By mentoring Russell, Carl has found a purpose again.

Kevin and Dug

Dug is one of a pack of “talking” dogs under the control of Charles Muntz, the explorer that Ellie and Carl always admired. Muntz turns out to be hunting Kevin and with the help of Dug, Russell and Carl manage to save her and return her to her babies.

Disney is celebrating the 10^thanniversary of this loveable film with new plush characters. Fans of the movie will definitely want at least one of the soft, huggable plush characters, if not all of them. They make a great setting on a bookshelf. And every time you look at them, you will remember the fun, smiles, and tears in this instant classic. Unfortunately, there is no Ellie plush, however, putting Carl with Russell and Dug and Kevin tells the story of this foursome and how they bonded through love and caring.

Carl is a fun plush old man with his tennis ball anchored cane and his hearing aid in his right ear. His bushy eyebrows and his pants belted up high on his chest portray this man to the fullest. And like he is in most of the film, Carl sports a kind of grumpy attitude with a bothered expression reminding us that he still misses his beloved Ellie. Carl stands approximately fifteen inches high. He is fun to stand on a table and is definitely a conversation starter!

Russell is also fifteen inches from his feet to the top of his cap. He wears his Wilderness Explorer uniform proudly with all his badges – except the Assisting the Elderly Badge. He has yet to earn that one. Russell’s wide smile with sparkling white teeth portray his eagerness to help others and explore the wilderness.

Dug is adorable with his floppy tongue and happy smile. Dug wears his collar that lets him “talk.” This plush does not actually talk, but kids will enjoy talking for him. He is a huggable dog and sits eleven inches high.

Kevin is colorful, just like her on-screen character. She stands approximately fifteen inches high and has wiring in her legs and her neck so she can be posed.

Russell cannot stand on his own however Dug does sit by himself and with a little maneuvering Carl can stand on his own. Kevin’s legs can be adjusted to make her stand on her own. The characters are hand washable with a soft damp cloth when needed. They each list for $19.95.

Happy 10^thanniversary to Up. Adventure is out there! Celebrate with these fun new plush characters!

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about books, products, travel, and entertainment. 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County.

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The 10th anniversary of the classic film ‘UP’

Posted on April 19, 2019April 19, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

Carl and Ellie

Russell

This adorable little scout is anxious to get his last badge so he can advance in the troop. All he needs is to assist an elderly person. This poor little fellow picks grumpy Carl Frederickson.

Carl and Russell

Kevin

Kevin is a beautiful and very colorful giant bird that discovers this unlikely duo. Russell names him Kevin however the bird, it turns out, is a girl. It is Russell’s friendship with Kevin that spurs on the boy and when the three of them run into trouble, it is Kevin who is at the center of it all.

Personal note: We had a bird and didn’t know if it was a male or female so we named it Kevin.

Dug

Russell and Carl

“Adventure is out there,” and Carl, Ellie and Russell have all found it in their own ways.

Kevin is colorful, just like her on-screen character. She stands approximately fifteen inches high and has wiring in her legs and her neck so she can be posed.

Happy 10^thanniversary to Carl, Russell, Dug, and Kevin. Remember, adventure is out there!

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County.

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Piglet is front and center in the Disney Wisdom April Collection

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

This year the creative folks at Disney have a special collection called the Disney Wisdom collection. Each month they have a new quote from one of their classic characters. And each quote is inspiring and motivating.

April brings Piglet with an encouraging quote from his good friend Christopher Robin – “You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.”

This inspiring quote is embroidered on the plush Piglet’s scarf. We all know Piglet is a bit squirrely, but this little fellow seems to have a lot of confidence. His smile is enchanting and well, let’s face it, Piglet is a cutie. This plush is the perfect remedy for someone who is having a bad day or is questioning her abilities. And he’s cuddly too! From the tips of his toes to the top of his floppy ears, Piglet measures 17 inches. He’s made of all new materials. Piglet is not washable however it probably wouldn’t hurt him to gently wipe him if something spilled on his body.

The Disney Wisdom collection releases one wise quote each month, and on Piglet’s rear is embroidered “Disney WISDOM Series 4 of 12.”

Besides the loveable plush animals, included in the monthly collections are: a ceramic mug, a notebook, and a pin set. The mug is a good reminder for everyone when they start their day with a cup of coffee. “You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.” Or keep it at the office for those days when you doubt your decisions or abilities.

The notebook is a good item for kids to keep in their backpacks or school lockers. “You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.” Who wouldn’t feel better after reading that?

If you have been collecting the Disney Wisdom items, April’s Piglet is the next item on your list. And if you haven’t collected any up until now, this month’s quote might be exactly what you are looking for to inspire a child, a spouse, or a friend. “You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.”

What makes this limited edition collection exceptional are the quotes that accompany the items each month. They are all ideas that are inspiring and encouraging, and let’s face it, a little encouragement is what everyone needs at some time or another.

There are collectors that get them all…just because. However parents might think about getting them or one item and putting it away for just the moment when your child needs a little encouragement. Everyone needs to be reminded “You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.” And who better to remind us than Piglet? He has survived plenty of tough times, with the help of his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.

So, for April’s release (available April 20), enjoy Piglet and the motivation from Christopher Robin. “You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think.

The first three in the collection were:

Coming up are:

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‘The Kid who would be King’ on Blu-ray + DVR Combo Pack

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

The myth of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a story that has intrigued generations. Excalibur, aka “The Sword in the Stone,” and Merlin the magician are part of this fascinating legend. Now, The Kid who would be Kingadds to that with an amazing adventure of some perfectly normal kids tasked with the job of saving the world.

Alex (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) is just an average kid. He and his best friend Bedders (Dean Chaumoo) are considered the geeks of the school and are constantly bullied by Lance (Tom Taylor) and Kaye (Rhianna Dorris). Then one day, while running away from the duo, Alex falls into a pit and discovers a sword…in a stone. This couldn’t be Excalibur, could it?

The legend says that the evil Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson) will one day rise up and control the world, when the sword is dislodged. Well, guess what. Alex now has the sword, and Merlin (Angus Imrie) arrives to help him. It is now up to Alex to save the downward spiral of the world. He lets Bedders in on what is happening, and then decides he needs more help. So Lance and Kaye join them and the four are now off on a spectacular journey to kill Morgana once and for all, and keep the world from ending. Yes, they must save the world, but they have Excalibur and some special magic to help them.

Patrick Stewart appears in a few scenes as the older Merlin, however it is the young Merlin who accompanies the foursome on their dangerous journey.

This is a magical and adventurous story. Kids will definitely enjoy watching the legend play out in modern times, and adults will be intrigued by the story as well as seeing Patrick Stewart on screen as the legendary Merlin.

There are plenty of bonus features included on the discs in the combo pack. First are several deleted scenes. Then there are some fascinating behind-the-scenes featurettes about the origin of the story by writer/director Joe Cornish who has always been intrigued by the legend of Arthur. The viewers are introduced to the young knights and learn how they trained for their battle scenes. There is an interesting featurette about the two actors who play Merlin, and one featurette about Rebecca Ferguson and her evil Morgana character.

The wardrobe and makeup tests and a look at some of the magic in the film are noteworthy and especially intriguing for young viewers.The Kid who would be Kingis a fun adventure adding a chapter to the legend of King Arthur. It is rated PG for fantasy action violence, scary images, thematic elements including some bullying, and language. This is a fun film showing how some ordinary kids, bullies and nerds, join forces and ultimately learn about teamwork and friendship.

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‘Penguins’ from Disneynature is delightful and charming

Posted on April 11, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

Mark your calendars for Earth Day 2019 (April 17) and the opening of Disneynature’s Penguins. This is truly a special film with plenty of fun for the entire family.The film focuses on Steve, an Adélie penguin who is entering the adult world and for the first time joining the other males in starting a family.

According to director Alastair Fothergill, not all penguins are created equal. “The Adélie penguin is by far the most characterful penguin on the planet,” he says. “People may be more familiar with Emperor penguins, but they’re actually pretty mellow. I like to say that Emperor penguins are the California surfers and Adélie penguins are New York City taxi drivers. They have attitude. They’re feisty. They have an extraordinary amount of expression in their eyes. They almost look animated. And I knew—with their big personalities—the film would have a lot of comedy.” And Steve definitely has a big personality.

Little Steve is late to the party. He’s one of the last males to arrive at the colony where the other males have already been building their rocky nests. Then the females arrived and seek out their former mates and for newcomers they must find their new mate. Luckily for Steve Adeline is attracted to him and lo and behold, they start a family with two eggs. After the little ones hatch, it is up to Steve and Adeline to feed and care for their chicks and teach them how to survive so when fall comes and the colony retreats to the open waters, they will survive the dangers that every penguin faces both on land and in the ocean.

The film is narrated by Ed Helms who adds some comedy to these adorable birds. Says Helms, “Disney movies are filled with poignancy and real emotion, but also are extremely funny and relatable—this movie is no different. It’s a True Life Adventure with real footage of penguins in Antarctica, but told in a way that tugs at your heart strings a little and also has quite a few chuckles. For me, this movie is a very cool mash-up of narration and character work. I get to voice Steve’s inner monologue as well as straight narration. It was a really fun challenge for me—a privilege getting to imagine what this penguin might be thinking—and I’m really excited about it.”

Penguins marks the 10^thanniversary of the Disneynature films. It’s their eighth film, following Earth, Oceans, African Cats, Chimpanzee, Bears, Monkey Kingdom, and Born in China.

The story of Steve is a delight and the film is rated G, however there are some scenes of penguins being eaten so keep that in mind when you bring your family. Luckily for Steve (spoiler alert), he and his entire family make it safely through the summer and back out to the ocean to hopefully return the following spring.

Facts about Adélie Penguins

These fellows are about 27 inches tall and weigh between 6 and 13 pounds. They live in colonies and gather rocks to keep their eggs off the cold ground of Antarctica. The eggs hatch approximately 30 days after being laid and both parents take turns fishing for food and feeding their chicks. Their biggest danger is the leopard seal.

Disneynature

For every ticket sold during opening week of Penguins, Disneynature will make a donation to the Wildlife Conservation Network to help protect penguins across the southern hemisphere.

So, gather your family and enjoy Steve and his friends and family as everyone celebrates Earth Day. Penguins is fun for all and a great way to learn about these amazing beings.

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Sonic-Fusion from Waterpik

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

Brushing and flossing are important for oral health and hygiene. Most people don’t brush their teeth as often as they are supposed to, and let’s face it, most people don’t floss their teeth.

When Waterpik came out with their water flossers, many people began using this in lieu of thread floss, which was a benefit for their hygiene. And with the sonic toothbrushes, people found using these electric brushes cleaned their teeth better than their manual brushes. So this was another advancement in oral health.

In our house we have – had – a waterpik water flosser and sonic toothbrushes. We would use the waterpik and then switch to the toothbrush. Our bathroom counter was getting filled with all of these appliances, not to mention hair dryers and other things. The new Sonic-Fusion has reduced the need for both a water flosser and a sonic toothbrush. It combines them into one compact unit.

What do you get with the Sonic-Fusion? First of all, you get the water reservoir like in other Waterpik units. But attached to that is a sonic toothbrush. The toothbrush can connect to the water tank via a hose and when you want to take the toothbrush to the office or on vacation, you can disconnect the hose and use it as a stand-alone sonic toothbrush with a 30-minute run time. There is also a case in which to carry your toothbrush and two brushed.

The specially designed brushes incorporate a water sprayer so when the brush is tethered to the waterpik water reservoir, it is also a water flosser. How convenient is that?

The toothbrush has three modes: brush, floss, brush and floss. So you can simply brush your teeth with the sonic toothbrush, or you can simply water floss your teeth – also with the toothbrush, or you can do both at once. Think about how much time you will save doing both at once, not to mention the space you save by not having two devices sitting on your counter.

On the base of the device you can adjust the force of the water coming out of the brush spigot. There are 10 settings, depending on how forceful you want the water to be. One word of warning, if you use the flosser at the same time you use the toothbrush, make sure you spread the toothpaste throughout your mouth first when the water pressure is on high as it will definitely spritz away all the toothpaste that remains on the brush.

There is an automatic timer incorporated in the toothbrush. Every thirty seconds it softly beeps and then continues. This helps users evenly brush all of their teeth. By dividing your teeth into four sections (top outer, top inner, bottom outer, and bottom inner) you know you have them all covered. My only complaint about this device is when it changes every 30 seconds, it can be difficult to hear for some people. I would have preferred the change to be a bit louder or stop for a second to make sure users were aware of the time before continuing. But that’s the only fault I have found with this. Others in my house hear it just fine, however. After two minutes the device will turn itself off.

Having the flosser at your finger tips while brushing your teeth is advantageous – especially for people with crowns or implants. Everything is right there in one spot so you don’t have to switch devices to get a clean mouth.

Oral hygiene is essential to not only your mouth, but also your entire body. And this Sonic-Fusion cleans your teeth and also removes plaque and debris from between your teeth and at your gumline, which is a place where disease often begins.

With the exception of the water pressure, all the buttons are at your fingertips, right on the brush handle.

Additional brushes are available. Unfortunately, they are not color coded so what we have done in our house, after ordering additional brushes, is take some nail polish and at the bottom of each brush I painted a different color so everyone has their own brush.

Waterpik is a name we can trust and this new Sonic-Fusion takes the best of their water flossing units and combines it with a sonic toothbrush. I highly recommend it.

The Sonic-Fusion comes in two colors: white and black.

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‘William’ – Movie review

Posted on April 8, 2019April 9, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

Cloning is the subject of this interesting story. William brings the past together with the present.

Maria Dizzia plays Dr. Barbara Sullivan, an academic who has a brilliant idea. Waleed Zuaiter is Dr. Julian Reed, a professor who is consumed by the Neanderthal era and excited that the university where he teaches has the only Neanderthal man that is not fossilized. The two doctors get together to create a modern-day Neanderthal by taking the DNA and implanting the fetus in Dr. Sullivan. The two, of course, get married first to make this situation realistic, but soon after young William is born. He’s the first live Neanderthal in 35,000 years.

Their mistake is going public with their project. Had they simply raised the child as their own, although he does have some noticeably different traits than the average boy, perhaps William would have had a much better life. But they used the boy for experiments while at the same time raising him.

The whole thing is too much for Barbara who takes young William to a remote Washington state island where they live together and she tries to make his life as normal as possible. But he does have a unique way of thinking and his strength is far superior to the other boys. Grown up William (Will Brittain) is intelligent but is out of place in this world. His discord with society is evident yet he is a sensitive young man. He wants desperately to be loved and he looks for a girl who will love him, but that is difficult.

Finally when William finds what he is looking for he also discovers he really doesn’t belong anywhere. So what is a young Neanderthal man to do in the 21^stcentury?

The movie is thought provoking and sensitive. It is, above all, a story of finding one’s place in the world, and for William that just isn’t possible. While we all feel struggles with our lives at times, think about how much more intense they would be for William.

William opens in theaters April 12, 2019.

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‘Awesome Alphabet Collection’ DVD GIVEAWAY

Posted on April 8, 2019May 8, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

Kids will love to practice their ABCs with Awesome Alphabet Collection. Highlights include classics “The Beetles Perform Letter B” and “C is for Cookie,” animations, pop culture parodies, and favorite segments from recent seasons. Exploring the alphabet alongside their furry friends is an all-star lineup of celebrity guests. The spectacular A-Z compilation has a runtime of two hours, including Elmo’s Amazing Alphabet Race as a bonus feature. ABC-themed printable activities round out this one-of-a-kind collection.

We have some copies to giveaway.

To be eligible to win a copy of Awesome Alphabet Collection, email us at [email protected] with “Awesome Alpebet Giveaway” 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 May 1, 2019.

‘Mia and the White Lion’ Movie Review

Posted on April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

This movie is this generation’s Born Free film about the plight of lions and the threat to their existence. In this case, a family moves from London to South Africa to oversee and maintain an animal farm where they raise lions for conservation. Well, that is what the children believe. Mia and the White Lion is an interesting and educational film about one young girl’s attachment to a lion and her insistence that the lion should be free.

Mia (Daniah De Villiers) is not happy about leaving her friends in London to move to a lion farm in South Africa with her family. She is sullen and isn’t interested in the animals, unlike her brother Mick (Ryan Mac Lennan) who adores the animals. One day Mia is taken aback by the birth of a rare white lion cub. Initially she isn’t interested in the cub, but Charlie wins her over and soon they are best friends.

Months and years go by and Charlie grows from a cuddly cub into an adult lion, but Mia insists he will never hurt her. Actually, on many occasions he comes to her rescue and the pair are almost inseparable, to the dismay of her parents. But Mia says she will never give up Charlie. They are best friends, even though he is now a fully-grown lion, and as Mia is told, he is a wild animal. But she knows he would never hurt her. Never.

When Mia learns what her father (Langley Kirkwood) has in mind for Charlie, she decides to sneak him out of the compound and take him on a long journey to a reserve where he will be able to live a free life and where no hunters will ever shoot him.

What Mia has discovered is that her father sells the adult lions to trophy hunters who are ruthless when killing these magnificent animals. There is no way Mia wants any of their lions to end up as trophies, and especially her beloved best friend Charlie. So, off they go into the wild toward the reserve, encountering obstacles along the way, but steadfast in their journey to make it to freedom.

While there are many scenes of horror and sadness (trophy hunting is legal in many areas), the movie does leave viewers with a happy heart. And it will hopefully inspire people to join in the effort to save these magnificent creatures. Lions in the wild are endangered, and their danger comes from man, not other animals. Greed and pure evil has put these beautiful animals on the endangered species list and their numbers are falling dramatically. This film is meant to bring their plight to the masses. And it does so in a sweet way with one girl whose love of Charlie transcends any fears and threats.

This movie took three years to make. The young stars used this time to develop relationships with the lions and their closeness to them shows on the screen. It was made with the help of lion expert Kevin Richardson, aka “the lion whisperer.”

Mia and the White Lion is definitely worth watching by the entire family and after the film families will want to gather together to discuss the film and the plight of the lions and other animals. After all, it is up to mankind to save many of these wonderful and endangered species.

Mia and the White Lion is rated PG for thematic elements, peril, and some language. It is both a heart wrenching and a heart warming film.

The film opens in theaters April 12, 2019.

To get involved helping the lions, visit https://kevinrichardsonfoundation.org.

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‘The Glass Bottom Boat’ now on Blu-ray

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Francine Brokaw

The Glass Bottom Boat is a fun 1966 comedy starring everyone’s favorite girl next door, Doris Day, along with hunky Rod Taylor. Day plays widow Jennifer Nelson who spends time as a mermaid for her father’s glass bottom boat business at Catalina Island. When she’s not swimming in the ocean, she has a job at a super secret company run by Bruce Templeton (Taylor) who is creating new technology for the space program. Think of him as an old-time Elon Musk.

The two meet by accident when Templeton accidentally hooks Jennifer’s costume and they get off to a rocky start. It won’t be until she’s back to her real job in Los Angeles that she finds out the man who hooked her is the head of the company.

The two take an instant liking to each other and start dating, but some secrets from the company seem to be finding their way into the hands of the Soviets. (This was at the height of the cold war.) The suspicions automatically turn toward Jennifer. Is she the spy? With the CIA involved as well as the military, they are going to get to the bottom of this spy scandal. Templeton maintains she cannot be the spy. Things get pretty heated when Jennifer discovers their suspicions.

Arthur Godfrey is her father who lives and works on Catalina Island. John McGiver plays the head of PR at the Templeton company, Paul Lynde is the head of security, Dick Martin is Bruce’s partner, Edward Andrews is the general who is the military liaison for the project, Edgar Hill is the CIA agent, and Dom DeLuise is the electrician working at Templeton’s house. But are these people really who they say they are?

Alice Pearce and George Tobias play Jennifer’s next door neighbor and interestingly, these two played the Kravitz’ at one time or another on the hit series Bewitched.

There are a few musical scenes in the film but on the whole it is just a fun, whacky, enjoyable comedy with everyone rooting for Day and Taylor to get together. They make a great couple on screen. He plays a charming man and is eye candy for women! Like Day’s other co-stars in her comedies (Rock Hudson, James Garner, and Cary Grant), Rod Taylor is definitely up there when it comes to charisma and sex appeal. With all the star talent and plenty of hearty laugh-out-loud scenes, this is definitely a cute and entertaining film.

The Glass Bottom Boat is now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection and is available from their site or where Blu-rays are sold. There are a few bonus features on the disc including a look at Catalina and the filming of the scenes on that island. The movie is not rated but it is suitable for everyone.

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