Author: Francine Brokaw

What to expect when ‘Mary Poppins Returns’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Knowing Julie Andrews received the Oscar for her performance in the 1964 film Mary Poppins must have been a consideration for Emily Blunt as she stepped into the shoes of the iconic character. However, Blunt is completely enchanting and a delight to watch. It looks like she had a great time filming every scene.

Mary Poppins Returns is the story of the Banks children, Jane and Michael (Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw), who are grown up and living in London. Michael is a widower with three young and precocious children: Anabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and little Georgie (Joel Dawson). His wife passed away and he is behind on his mortgage. His house is about to be reposed by a very greedy banker, William Wilkins (Colin Firth). Enter Mary Poppins.

With music, mayhem, and magic along with fun and fantasy, Mary Poppins Returns is a sweet story of love and family, like the original film. At its core it focuses on what is important in life.

The score is fun and lively, however the lyrics are very fast and the songs aren’t quite as memorable as the 1964 film, yet there are two that stand out: “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” and “Underneath the Lovely London Sky.” There are a few others that will be enjoyed by the audiences as they watch the fun unfold on the screen.

Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) is a light keeper and manages to get around London on his bike. He’s the equivalent of Bert (Dick Van Dyke) from 1964. And, Dick Van Dyke makes an appearance as Mr. Dawes Jr. In the original film Van Dyke played Bert as well as Mr. Dawes Sr. This man is still as vital and manages a song and dance on a desk!

Angela Lansbury is the Balloon Lady and Julie Walters is the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen. They both are enjoyable characters. Karen Dotrice, who played the young Jane in Mary Poppins, makes a cameo. Meryl Streep plays Topsy and this is the one scene that isn’t necessary in the film. It feels as though the filmmakers decided they wanted Streep in the movie so they created this one scene for her. Otherwise, the movie flows beautifully.

Mary Poppins Returns is a bit darker than the original movie in the sense that the Banks children are motherless. That’s not an uncommon story for many Disney films. But Mary Poppins steps in, or actually flies in, and helps mend this broken brood.

As in the original movie, there are scenes with animated settings and characters. And the penguins that danced with Bert return to delight viewers. In several scenes there are shades of tunes from the 1964 film, which serve to tie them together. And they do it quite nicely, especially for cynics who poo-poo the idea that the filmmakers and the studio decided to add to the history of the famous nanny.

The bottom line is that this is a well-done sequel with a fine cast. Cherry Tree Lane is still the same and as audiences leave the theater they will undoubtedly feel happy and content with the way the movie honors the original and makes a new mark for the lovely Mary Poppins. Will Blunt follow in Andrews’ footsteps at the Oscars? Only time will tell.

Mary Poppins Returns is rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action. It opens in theaters December 19, 2018.

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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Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in ‘The Apartment’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine are adorable in this 1960 romantic comedy. The Apartment also stars Fred MacMurray and Ray Walston.

Bud Baxter (Lemmon) is a hard-working cog in a big company. He’s rising up the ladder because of the location of his apartment. He lives in a building that is convenient for all the executives to take their female friends where their wives won’t see them. So, to get ahead in his job, he loans out his key. But the problem is, his apartment is getting so much use the poor fellow isn’t getting enough sleep himself.

He has no choice in the matter: if he refuses to continue with this plan and loan his key to the executives, he will be fired.

In another plot twist, Baxter is smitten with the elevator girl in his office building, Fran Kubelik (MacLaine). Unbeknownst to him, she had had a brief affair with the company’s personnel director, Jeff Sheldrake (MacMurray), the man who eventually gives Baxter one promotion after another. Of course, he does so only after insisting Baxter only share his centrally located apartment with him. Baxter has no idea the woman to whom he is attracted is renewing her affair with Sheldrake. Eventually, things come to a head and Baxter is put to the test when it comes to Fran and Sheldrake. Can he step aside and be happy in his new position in the company while the woman he loves is shacking up with his boss in his own apartment?

This is a dark romantic comedy and MacLaine and Lemmon are a cute couple. And as usual, Lemmon is entertaining and gives another great performance. This man could do drama and comedy equally well, and in the case of The Apartment, he happens to do them both together. The two actors reunited three years later for Irma La Douce.

Many bonus features add to this Blu-ray edition. There is a half hour “making of” feature, focusing on the relationship between Wilder and Lemmon, and an interview with actress Hope Holiday, who has a small part in the film, she explains how she got the role, which is an interesting story in itself. And film historian Philip Kemp discusses how this movie is Billy Wilder’s blackest comedy.

The Apartment is not rated, however, due to subject matter involving sex and suicide as well as other adult issues, it is not meant for young viewers.

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.

Follow her on Twitter

Lucille Ball is ‘Mame’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


In 1958 Rosalind Russell starred in the movie Auntie Mame, based on the book Travels with My Aunt by Patrick Dennis. The film was remade into a Broadway musical starring Angela Lansbury and then a feature film. This 1974 musical Mame stars Lucille Ball as the eccentric and loveable Mame Dennis. Bea Arthur reprises her role as Mame’s best buddy Vera. She originated the role on Broadway opposite Lansbury. Robert Preston is Mame’s beau/husband Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside.

Mame is a New York socialite with a fabulous apartment and a colorful group of friends. Then when her brother and his wife die, she is given guardianship of their young son Patrick. Mame sees this as an opportunity to open up the world to the young lad, but the executor of the estate, Mr. Babcock (John McGiver) has other ideas. He wants the boy to have a conventional upbringing and life in an upper class boarding school.

Even though they are separated Patrick and Mame still forge further with their bond of love. As much as Babcock wants to keep Mame’s lifestyle and views of living away from the boy, he cannot. Mame’s influence over the years has given Patrick a Mame-like view of the world.

Through all the ups and downs (see the movie to get this pun) Mame and Patrick have the deepest love any mother and son could have. She’s not his mother, but she has definitely instilled her joy of life in the young man.

The songs in the film are memorable: “It’s Today,” “Open a New Window,” “My Best Girl,” “We Need a Little Christmas,” “Bosom Buddies,” and of course the title song, “Mame.” And a new song written for the film, “Loving You,” is sung by Robert Preston.

The bonus feature looks at how Lucy stepped into Mame’s shoes to create this musical, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable version of the story. It was difficult for many people to think of Lucy in the role since Lansbury originated it on Broadway and she had second thoughts about taking it, but as viewers see, she did the character justice and is a delight to watch. It’s just a fun film. Even if you love Lansbury in the role, Lucy will put a smile on your face.

Mame is a fun film with a sweet story. It’s rated PG.

Mame is part of the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered from their website or where Blu-rays are sold.

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.

Follow her on Twitter

‘Write When You Get Work’ – Movie Review

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Emily Mortimer, Finn Wittrock, Rachel Keller, Scott Cohen, Jessica Hecht, and James Ransone star in this story of twists and turns. Write When you Get Workis a romantic drama with dark undertones.

Ruth and Jonny (Keller and Wittrock) were teenage lovers. They went their separate ways and the movie picks up twelve years later when Ruth is an assistant admissions officer in a privileged private girls school and Jonny is still skating between the two sides of the law and continuing his scams. When they reconnect Jonny is instantly infatuated with Ruth again and all his old feelings of love bubble to the surface.

Ruth is intent on keeping her job and living a lawful life, even though her past is riddled with petty crimes. When Jonny discovers where she works, he instantly concocts a new scheme to unload a rich family of their money. With the undertones of rich entitled people coming up against the working class, the film has a few funny parts, however it is more of a romantic drama than a romantic comedy.

The couple at the heart of Jonny’s scheme/scam is Nan and Steven Noble (Mortimer and Ronsone). He is entangled in a legal investigation of his shady business and she is worried that if he is convicted all of their belongings, including her jewelry, will be confiscated by the government. Enter Jonny who has a plan to “help” them hide their possessions.

Ruth is on the outside of this plan and wonders what Jonny is up to. He is hanging around one of the mothers of a student and has to have an ulterior motive. But what is it?

The story brings up shades of The Sting and Bonnie and Clyde. As viewers follow the unfolding plot with its twists and turns, they will undoubtedly be rooting for Ruth, Nan, or Jonny. But who will come out of the scheme on top?

Write When You Get Work is a slow-moving, intricate story. According to Director Stacy Cochran, “the movie is a love story and portrait of New York, a city where people live and walk in unexpected combinations, in their own heads but together. The characters in the movie, Ruth and Jonny, and also Nan and Steven, have loved each other and lost each other. They crowd each other, taunt each other, and evolve toward each other in wavy lines.”  The film runs 99 minutes but feels longer. It’s not rated but is not for young audiences. It comes out December 7, 2018.

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.

Follow her on Twitter

Bring home ‘Smallfoot’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

The musical animated film Smallfoot is a fun twist on a legend. Do humans really exist? That’s the question for a village of yetis.

The story is set in the Himalayans where way up on top of a mountain above the clouds is a village of yetis. They live by a strict code where everything is written in stone – literally. Their laws and code of conduct are all on stones kept by the Stone Keeper. Everyone has his/her own job to do.

Migo is a fun-loving yeti whose father is the gong ringer. Every morning he is catapulted through the air to ring the gong, which brings up the sun. Migo is next in line for that job and looking forward to taking over for his father.

When Migo accidentally falls down through the clouds, he discovers a small foot, aka human. According to the stones, small foots don’t exist. Migo sets out to prove he is not crazy.

While searching for his little friend, Migo is joined by a group of other yetis who also believe in Small Foots. They must do this secretly because, well, the stones are the laws and if a stone says they don’t exist then they don’t exits. And if they prove that that stone is wrong, what about all the other stones? What is really going on?

The story is about understanding and accepting. It’s about learning to get along. Are humans afraid of yetis or are yetis afraid of humans? Or are they all willing and able to be accepting?

Migo is voiced by Channing Tatum. James Corden, Zendaya, Common, Danny DeVito, LeBron James, and Gina Rodriguez are some of the others lending their voices to the many characters in this sweet movie. As Migo is attempting to prove that humans really do exist, the human Percy is attempting to prove that yetis really do exist. The friendship formed between these two is heartening.

With plenty of songs to go along with the cute story, the Blu-ray combo includes two versions of the film. There is the theatrical version and the “Yeti Set Go Sing-Along” version. Whichever version you select, the movie is fun for the whole family. There are a few bonus features including a mini movie with the cutest little yeti toddler Soozie, a look at the making of the film.

Smallfoot is rated PG for some action, rude humor, and thematic elements.

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.

Follow her on Twitter

Trailer for final season of ‘Voltron Legendary Defender’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

With the highly anticipated final season premiere approaching, DreamWorks Animation Television is excited to share the Voltron Legendary Defender season eight trailer!

After saving the Earth, the Paladins embark to prevent Honerva from setting into motion her deadliest plan yet. It’s a race against the clock as the Voltron Coalition gathers from the corners of the galaxy to defend the universe once and for all.

The thirteen-episode season will be an emotional and epic journey not only for the paladins, but also for the fans and team behind the series.

“We are incredibly proud to bring the story of Voltron Legendary defender to a close with the 8th and final season. It has been an absolute honor to work alongside such a talented and dedicated crew these past 4 years over 78 episodes. Witnessing the fandom grow and evolve alongside the show has been nothing short of amazing and saying goodbye to these characters, the amazing worlds they inhabit and the crazy vehicles they pilot will be truly bittersweet. We can only hope that this series will be looked back on fondly in the years to come and stoke the creative flame inside all of us, the same way the original did when we first watched it.” – executive producers Joaquim Dos Santos and Lauren Montgomery.

The critically acclaimed interstellar saga concludes December 14th only on Netflix.

‘Holly Star’ available on digital and VOD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Holly Star is a cute holiday movie filled with comedy and heart, not to mention a little mystery.

Katlyn Carlson stars as Sloan, a woman who is having a string of bad luck. She just got fired, lost her apartment in New York, came back to her childhood home in Maine forgetting her parents are on a cruise, was gifted her grandmother’s old Rambler that is costing her more money every day, and is kind of a klutz. Back in her hometown she is reunited with her best friend Kay K (Teya Patt) and her childhood friend Andy (Brian Muller).

After slipping on some ice she experiences a near-death-experience. In that moment she has a vision of Santa burying a bag. Sloan knows this means something and wants to search for that mysterious treasure. She enlists Kay K, a hard-nosed paintball leader and tough gal to help put the pieces together so they can find the buried treasure. Sloan is convinced her vision means something.

When they come up empty, Sloan asks Kay K to try to kill her so she can have another near-death-experience and hopefully find the answers she is looking for.

In the meantime, to get her “new” car out of the impound facility, she takes a job at Andy’s Christmas tree lot helping him and his father. This is the only way she can earn enough money to get the car back and survive because nothing else is available.

With memories popping back in her mind, her tough-as-nails best friend, her tango-dancing grandmother, and her childhood friend, Sloan is having a Christmas to remember – literally.

The movie is cute and has a sweet ending. It’s rated PG for language, some thematic elements, and smoking. Holly Star is available on digital and VOD beginning December 4, 2018.

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.

Follow her on Twitter

‘Gosford Park’ on Blu-ray

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Julian Fellowes took home the Academy Award (Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) for Gosford Park (2001). Fellowes is well known by fans of British television for Downton Abbey (2010-2015). For fans of the TV show who are missing some upstairs/downstairs drama, Gosford Park fits the bill.

The cast is phenomenal: Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Helen Mirren, Alan Bates, Michael Gambon, Tom Hollander, Natasha Wightman, Bob Balaban, Ryan Phillippe, Clive Owen, Eileen Atkins, Emily Watson, Kelly Macdonald, Derek Jacobi, Stephen Fry, and more. With this list of talent, the film couldn’t be bad. And it isn’t. It’s a very British film about a group of upper-class snobs that gather together at an estate for a weekend of hunting. Of course they bring their servants.

The secrets upstairs and downstairs and between the classes as well as the affairs upstairs and downstairs combine to make this a story that has viewers feeling like they are a fly on the walls of this British gathering. This sneak peek inside the classes of the 1930s is familiar to fans of Downton Abbey.

But more than just the interaction between the people is the sudden murder of the host. Who did it and why? He wasn’t the most admired man there, to say the least. He had a past that has finally caught up with him. But his secret is revealed to viewers as the drama plays on.

Joining the group of Brits at this lavish weekend are a Hollywood actor and a movie producer. They are there to get some background for the next film. Balaban plays the producer to the hilt. His only thought the entire time is how can he make his next movie as authentic and interesting as possible. Phillippe’s character is also an interesting one to watch as he unravels his true identity slowly but surely.

There are bonus features on this new Blu-ray, including deleted scenes and some archival footage. There is a Q & A session as well as new cast interviews. The disc comes with a booklet filled with background information about the film, producer Robert Altman, the cast and characters, and images from the movie.

Gosford Park is a great film to put on during a cold winter’s afternoon. Grab some hot chocolate and sit back for a couple hours of dry British wit and drama. The movie is rated R for some language and brief sexuality.

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.

Follow her on Twitter

‘The Little Witch’ on DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

The Little Witch is a German/Swiss film that has been dubbed into English. It’s the story of a young witch (127 years old) who desperately wants to attend the annual witch’s dance, however she is too young. When she sneaks into the dance and is discovered, her punishment is to learn everything in the witch’s book of spells and be the best witch by the next year. If she can do that then she will be able to attend the annual party. If she cannot do it, then her powers will be taken away.

Along with her friend Abraxas, who happens to be a raven, she sets out to learn the entire book of spells and become a good witch. She is a kind-hearted girl and that doesn’t exactly come in handy when being tested by the older witches. But in the end it is her desire to do good that wins out and let’s just say that the other witches discover just how good a witch this little one has become.

The movie was nominated for “Outstanding Children or Youth Film” by the German Film Festival. It’s a movie that kids will enjoy however because it is dubbed into English, adults will most likely not be enthralled by the movie. It is, at times, a charming tale and has an excellent score.

The Little Witch is not rated, however it is a family friendly film. It runs 103 minutes.

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.

Follow her on Twitter