Author: Francine Brokaw

‘Watch the Sky’ on DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



The 2017 film Watch the Sky has been met by mixed reviews. It’s the story of two brothers who find themselves in the middle of a major event that could change the world.

Shawn Neary (Miles Muir) is an intelligent kid with his eyes on the sky. He talks his brother Michael (Karson Kern) into helping him with his school project. Shawn intends on launching a weather balloon with a miniature shuttle connected to it equipped with a camera. The idea is to capture photos of the edge of the atmosphere. What they capture on camera is much more. There are aliens out there. But are they good or are they bad?

While Shawn and Michael are busy with their project, their father, the sheriff, is busy with his own dilemmas. First, a local farmer disappears and his wife says he was dragged away by a tall mysterious man. And next, all the cows in the area are found dead with their stomachs blown out. Finally, the army is moving into town and taking up residence at the abandoned army camp. Just what in the world is going on?

The film is a low-budget movie with less than stellar acting, however preteens and young teens will appreciate the film. The problem everyone will have is the ending. The story simply ends. There is no wrapping up or anything.

It’s an interesting plot and might just encourage youngsters to learn more about space and scientific experiments. While Shawn is considered a nerd in school, he is definitely a bright boy with a great future in front of him, unless the aliens get him first.

With a non-ending, viewers can make up their own story of how this mystery concludes. There is a slight possibility that there will be future films as this movie was planned as a pilot or the first in a series, but as of this time nothing has been determined yet.

Watch the Sky is a sci-fi family film. Don’t expect a film like ET. It’s interesting at times but as a stand-alone film, it doesn’t quite work. But hopefully there will be more stories continuing with this plot coming soon.

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

Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort 2018

Posted on by Francine Brokaw




First of all, in DCA they’re celebrating the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, with Miguel from Coco. At the Plaza de Familia guests can join the fun at the memory wall where they can put messages for their families, those who have passed and those still alive. There are plenty of things to do here and some special food just for the holiday. And there is a wonderful musical celebration, which includes an appearance by Miguel. This musical celebration is upbeat and the entire area is colorful and happy. This is definitely a place that celebrates family and family love.

Then over in Cars Land, they are celebrating the holiday with their Haul-O-Ween celebration. Mater’s junkyard jamboree has new songs for the occasion, and there are decorations galore throughout the land. Look up, sideways, and everywhere to enjoy all the special intricate details that went into decorating this land for the holiday.

Halloween is the time filled with special – and sugary -treats and Disneyland Resort is no exception. The chefs have created some amazing food for the holiday and there are some novelties, including seasonal popcorn buckets and mugs that all glow and light up. As far as the sugary delicacies, there are several flavors of churros (try the s’mores churro), a really yummy spooky cone macaroon, cake pops, caramel apples, croissant donut (looks like a mummy), Mickey mummy macaroons (can you say delicious?), and so much more. This is not the time to think about calories. Just enjoy these delicious treats because they are only here through October 31.

Vampirina is at DCA to visit with guests. She’s a favorite among pre-schoolers who always want to give her a hug and visit with her. Her show on Disney Junior is popular and Vampirina has a loyal fan-base. Because she’s a little vampire, Halloween is a tailor-made holiday for this cutie.

What’s Halloween without the Haunted Mansion? This is the 25th anniversary of The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Haunted Mansion is once again decked out with all the characters and fun from that film. Jack Skellington and Zero are inside to greet visitors as well as a giant gingerbread house that this year is being overtaken by a five-foot spider with glowing eyes – 90 pounds of gingerbread, 30 pounds of confectioner’s sugar, 10 pounds of white chocolate, and 45 pounds of fondant went into creating this gigantic confectionary delight. The outside of the mansion is decorated as well as the inside, making the Haunted Mansion a special Halloween spot for every visitor to the park.

Main Street USA celebrates the season with a pumpkin festival and Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and the gang are all decked out in their Halloween costumes strolling around the park.

Don’t forget to pick up a Halloween Time food list when you enter the parks. They have the location of each special treat and a check off box so you can keep track of all the goodies you get.

There is much more holiday fun throughout the two parks. Sights, sounds, and smells greet guests at every turn. Nighttime brings more special times with Mickey’s Halloween Party (requires a separate ticket). But don’t wait. Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort only runs through October 31, 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

‘The Hot Rock’ on Blu-ray from Twilight Time

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Robert Redford and George Segal head up this 1972 heist film. The Hot Rock is part Ocean’s 11, part The Sting, and part Marx Brothers!

Redford is John Dortmunder, an ex-con who cannot stay away from the wrong side of the law. His brother-in-law Kelp (Segal) lines up a big heist and brings John into the plan. They are to steal a special diamond from the museum. To do this they need two more in their gang: Murch (Ron Leibman) and Greenberg (Paul Sand).

The interesting thing about this story is that the diamond is stolen near the beginning of the film. The remainder of the movie is about how they can get it back after it finds its way into several different locations. Zero Mostel is Greenberg’s father and attorney. But his parental feelings disappear when he learns of the diamond. Everyone is after this special rock, but where is it?

It’s a fun little film but by today’s standards it’s quite slow-moving. It’s also enjoyable to watch these legendary actors when they were very young. Redford just announced his retirement from the business.

With some hokey yet laughable scenes, The Hot Rock is a cute story that will leave viewers chuckling. Every member of the team does a great job. Leibman is laughable as the driver/helicopter pilot, and Sand is hysterical as the thief who swallows the diamond, then loses it in the police station. Yes, the police station.

Bad luck follows this team from the beginning, and after each incident of craziness, Dortmunder gets more and more adamant about finding the stone. While the others might want to give up, he wonders what bad thing will befall them around the next corner. Everything seems to go wrong for these guys. The tagline for the film, “How many times does it take to steal the same diamond?” says it all.

The Hot Rock was nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Film Editing”

The year he made this film, Redford also made The Candidate and Jeremiah Johnson. The next year he would come out with The Way We Were and The Sting.

The new Twilight Time Blu-ray includes a booklet about the film and the actors, and of course, the phrase “Afghanistan Bananistan” which I remember well! The Hot Rock is a cute caper film that involves caper after caper. It’s rated PG.

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

‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ on Blu-ray

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is the second film in the Jurassic World trilogy and is filled with excitement and heart pounding moments as Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) reunite for the sake of the dinosaurs.

When we left the Jurassic World, only dinosaurs inhabited the island because it became too dangerous for humans. Now the island is going to be blown away by a volcano and all the dinos will die. However there is a plan to capture as many species as possible and relocate them to another island, so Owen and Claire are enlisted to help in this endeavor. What they don’t know is that the real plan is not to save the dinos but to sell them.

Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) has cautioned the U.S. government about doing anything to save the animals. After all, they were meant to be extinct, so making them extinct once again is the right thing to do. But many people don’t agree and want to save them.

There are heart-pounding scenes with the dinosaurs and the volcano as the team gets to work capturing the dinos. The main dinosaur that is held with high esteem is Blue, the velociraptor that was raised by Owen.

There is, of course, a T-Rex, a funny dino called Stiggy, and a new creation known as the Indoraptor, which was created to be the ultimate weapon. While the team encounters these dinosaurs, they also must deal with evil people who can be just as destructive and dangerous as the dinos.

The Blu-ray combo pack includes many fun bonus features. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette with Bryce and Chris, where viewers see how they entertained each other while on set. There is a feature about returning to Hawaii where they filmed the other movies. The jungle there makes the perfect setting for the Jurassic era. There are several other behind-the-scenes featurettes and viewers also see how the scenes evolved from storyboards to live action. And, to make it more believable and fun, instead of using all CGI, the filmmakers created animatronic dinosaurs and puppets that were used on set. They were definitely more life-like for the cast and look realistic to the viewers. There is a featurette about Goldblum’s character who, as he reveals, was almost cut from the original film. He is now the “voice of reason” for the story. With clips from the other films in the series and some fun interviews, not to mention a funny song by cast member Justice Smith, the bonus features make this a great addition to the film.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom lays the groundwork for the final film in the trilogy which is scheduled to be released in 2021.

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

A digital age thriller asks ‘What would you do for love?’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Ever since a certain dating site scared me to death over a decade ago, I’ve been trying my best to keep a low profile. I do not wish to have any social media footprint and would like to erase digital trail as far as my personal life is concerned. Fat chance, so I’ve been told. Keeping personal data out of the hands of governments, corporations, and criminals is virtually impossible today. It’s absolutely terrifying to imagine my data being used against me in any shape or form. I wish I could turn back the clock when privacy was well and alive. Just when I have no choice to accept the disturbing reality of modern life comes Lifetime’s new romantic thriller, You.

Based on Caroline Kepnes’ novel of the same title, You explores “how men and women move through the world differently,” said Sera Gamble, who co-created this unsettling yet fascinating series with Greg Berlanti, Hollywood’s most prolific producer. It totally confirms my conviction that information is power and privacy is dead.

Joe Goldberg (Pen Badgley) meets Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), aspiring writer/college student, when she walks into a bookstore he manages. Immediately we hear what’s going on in his head and this seemingly harmless guy decides that there is nothing he wouldn’t do to make her fall in love with him. Joe stalks Beck (who can blame her for not using her first name) online and off-line to collect information as his tools and ammunitions.

There are many obstacles in his way to winning her heart, but no problem! He weeds them out discreetly, strategically, and nonchalantly. He enjoys all the challenges, especially those thrown down at him by a fellow savior wannabe named Peach Salinger (Shay Mitchell), who claims to have Beck’s best interests at heart. Right! You know what they say; it takes one to know one.

Something tells me this ain’t his first rodeo and winning might be the key word since he is not ruffled by Beck’s one-night stands and transgressions. It’s a predator-prey relationship. Joe knows what he wants, but gradually finds out Beck, his current precious prey, is not what she claims to be. Her online version caters to NY’s highbrow society she desperately aspires to fit in and is vastly different from Beck in person, who is not at all comfortable in her own skin.

You asks what would you do for love? Sure, I’ve always wanted to know the inner workings of a psychopath, but Joe’s internal mental processes and justification for his offenses ‘in the name of love’ are downright chilling. I do not envy any of you having to navigate dating in the digital age. Thanks to all the growth-at-all-costs Internet giants, we’re all more alone than ever in and out of cyberspace. It’s too late to put all the evils and miseries of the world back into Pandora’s box, isn’t it?

You premieres Sunday, September 9, 2018 on Lifetime.

About the Author

Meg Mimura is a TV critic who actually watches shows zealously in search of thought-provoking and paradigm shifting human drama worth our precious time. She is a member of Television Critics Association.

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Sing-Along Edition

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



Every year families gather together at the holiday time to watch Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. The new Blu-ray + Digital Code Sing-Along Edition is a fun way to update your home entertainment library at this special time of year.

This is the 25th anniversary of this strange and macabre fairy tale. Jack Skellington and his dog Zero have become favorite characters and Imagineers at The Haunted Mansion in the Disney parks have embraced them and the film, reimaging the popular attraction for the holiday season. Jack and the story are part of the mansion for Halloween and Christmas time.

Jack is the Pumpkin King in Halloween Town, however Jack is bored scaring people of the “real world.” He ventures out and is swept into a new place – Christmas Town and, well, nothing is the same for them and for fans of the film. Christmas Town is bright and colorful and he feels cheery himself. This is where he belongs, he thinks. So what does he do? Jack Skellington decides to kidnap Santa Clause and take over. But things don’t go according to plan.

Zero, Sally and the rest of Halloween Town are drawn into Jack’s scheme, but they manage to mess things up. Thus, the nightmare begins. Can Christmas be saved? With a mash-up of Halloween and Christmas, things are kind of whacky.

The new edition includes several Sing-Alongs, which are fun to watch and sing along with the scenes as the lyrics are displayed on the screen. There is also a feature on reimagining The Haunted Mansion to embrace the style and fun of the film. There are deleted scenes and an interesting “making of” feature as well. This edition has two ways of viewing the film: with the sing-along lyrics or the original theatrical version.

The combination of Disney and Tim Burton mesh well for the viewers. With songs by Danny Elfman and cute characters, this often macabre yet fun and imaginative film is an annual viewing experience for fans. It’s a clever, witty, and fun.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is rated PG for some scary images.

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

Vivofit Jr. 2 from Garmin

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Just when we thought Smart Phones were taking up too much of our kids’ time, Garmin changes the game. Now your Smart Phone can be helpful with their APP and the new Vivofit Jr. 2. This tracker is on a comfortable adjustable band that comes in a variety of colors and characters and will motivate kids to stay active, do their chores, and achieve goals, while letting parents know how much sleep their child is getting, their activities, and if they are doing their chores.

The Vivofit Jr. 2 is more than a fitness tracker. There is Disney magic inside every band. It’s customizable and parents can adjust the items as needed, via their Smart Phone.

The Disney Princess band is available in two colors: pink and purple. After they reach their activity goals, there are fun adventures to explore with the Disney princesses on a Smart Phone or tablet. They will help Rapunzel and Flynn escape from Mother Gothel, explore the Cave of Wonders with Jasmine, and other fun things. By achieving the goals, they open up more stories and adventures.

Besides activities, parents can set up their App for homework time, brushing teeth, and other responsibilities. And they will be able to design their own rewards for their kids. By achieving their goals, kids earn coins and parents can decide for themselves how many coins must be earned for a special dessert, a trip to the zoo, or any other reward.

The unit is also water friendly, so kids can wear it in the pool or the bathtub. Besides keeping track of time for responsibilities and sleep, the unit tracks steps and activities. It’s recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of activity every day. This unit will not only encourage kids to move but also let parents know if their kids are keeping active or sitting on the couch watching TV or playing video games.

With interactive games and challenges, kids will want to keep busy and keep moving to unlock more fun.

The Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2 comes in the two Disney Princess designs as well as Minnie Mouse, Star Wars and Marvel Avengers with stretchy and adjustable bands. Boys and girls can use it to connect with their friends who also have the App and challenge them to activities.

The unit connects to a Smart Phone via Bluetooth and comes with a one-year battery that can be replaced when needed. It’s recommended for ages 4 and up.

I tested this for a day. It was comfortable and easy to use.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, books,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.

Follow her on Twitter

‘Between Land and Sea’ on DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



When you think of a surfing town you probably think of Malibu or Huntington Beach. But have you ever thought of Ireland? Between Land and Sea is a documentary that examines some of the inhabitants as they survive through the year in Lahinch in County Clare.

Lahinch is known for big waves and for the surfing culture. This quiet town is the home of several famous big wave surfers. But what do they do for the 12 months in a year to make ends meet? They are retired from competition and now raising families. They teach surfing in the summer months but must maintain their homes and families the rest of the year.

The town of Lahinch has become a surfing destination for many Europeans, providing spectacular waves with the backdrop of the Cliffs of Moher. These waves can get up to 20 feet high.

The scenery in the film is spectacular however the stories of the men and families are a wake-up call. The men know they are getting up there in age (if you consider 40 “up there”) and they are raising families. They are not longer the carefree surfers they were in their prime. Although they reflect back on their great surfing days, they realize they have new lives now, and with Lahinch making a name for itself as a surfing destination, this is a great place for them to settle.

Move over Malibu, Lahinch is another surfing town!

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

‘Scooby-Doo! And the Gourmet Ghost’ DVD GIVEAWAY

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


In Scooby-Doo! And the Gourmet Ghost, the Mystery Inc. gang visits Rocky Harbor Culinary Resort, a new cooking retreat located in New Port Cove, Rhode Island. It’s a food lover’s destination, where visitors can learn to prepare meals like master chefs. As Scooby-Doo and his pals arrive to the resort, they are met by Fred’s uncle Bobby, who happens to be the world-famous chef and restauranteur Bobby Flay.

The bonus episodes on the DVD are:

What’s New, Scooby-Doo? “Recipe for Disaster” — Shaggy wins a tour of the Scooby Snacks factory, where a sludge monster is on the loose.

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, “Wanted: Cheddar Alive” — A “cheese monster” frightens away all the workers at the Scooby Snack factory, so no more Scooby Snacks can be made. But without a Scooby Snack, Scooby won’t pursue the monster. The kids convince Scooby to help unmask the bad guy and reopen the factory.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, “The Devouring” — Dr. Rick Spartan returns to Crystal Cove to stop a gluttonous monster who is devouring people whole.

We have some DVDs to giveaway.

To be eligible to win a copy of Scooby Doo! And the Gourmet Ghost, email us at [email protected] with “Scooby Doo 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 September 7, 2018.