An impressive cast brings the Wild West to the forefront in this 1995 film. Wild Bill stars Jeff Bridges as Wild Bill Hickok, a man with a past and the reputation to make anyone shake in their boots.

In a somewhat disjointed telling of the life of this man, Bill’s history and psyche are examined. Flashbacks/dreams are played out in black and white while the current story plays out in color. Bill relocates to Deadwood where he encounters Jack McCall (David Arquette), a young man who bravely announces his intention to kill Bill. Why would this man want to kill Hickok? He tells Bill and the town that Bill treated his mother badly many years ago.

John Hurt plays Bill’s friend Charley Prince and Ellen Barken is Calamity Jane, who wants to rekindle her on again/off again relationship with Bill. Keith Carradine is Buffalo Bill Cody, and Diane Lane plays Bill’s former lover. Christina Applegate, James Gannon, and Bruce Dern also take part in this star-studded story.

The film is interesting for fans of the Old West, however it is a work of fiction based on many factual incidents and people. Film critics recognized Bridges for his performance and, as usual, he completely embraced the character he portrayed.

Bill has pangs of remorse for his past behavior. He killed too many people and left too many women. This is a time for reflection on his past. To assuage some of his guilt he indulges in opium.

In this film Jack McCall does kill Hickok, however his backstory is definitely fiction. McCall shot Hickok in reality because he was annoyed at the man for kicking him out of a poker game! He had nothing to do with the young boy’s mother. As with many incidences in the film, fiction is a little more entertaining than reality.

This new Twilight Time edition includes a booklet comparing the film version of Bill’s life to reality. It is an interesting adjunct to the movie.

Wild Bill is rated R for Wild West violence and a sex scene.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 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.

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In 2014 a group of nutty (no pun intended) park critters stole the hearts of movie audiences. Led by Surly (Will Arnett) the gang headed for the Nut Store where food was plenty. Now The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature follows the further escapades of this little gang as they join together to save their home.

The story picks up where the first left off. Surly and his friends are living in the Nut Store because it was closed and the owner left all of the products behind. There are enough nuts to last years. But Andie (Katherine Heigl) isn’t pleased with the gang that abandoned their roots (again, no pun intended) and left the park, the trees, and their natural habitat for the good life in the store. She sees them losing their natural instincts and insists they return to the park.

That’s the last thing they want. After all, it’s a comfortable life in the Nut Store. No climbing trees and no foraging for food. They’re living the good life. But in an instant all of that is gone so they are forced to return to nature.

Things are going all right until the greedy mayor decides to build an amusement park on the site of Liberty Park. After all, the park isn’t bringing in any revenue so he feels an amusement park would add to his wallet.

The animals band together to take on the mayor and the construction crew, as well as the shabby rides that are built on their home-site. They get the assistance of an unusual group of mice who have taken over part of the city after they had to leave their own home when a golf course was built there. So now the whole gang sets up barriers and obstacles for the new amusement park hoping to save their home and return the site to Liberty Park.

Liam Neeson, Brendan Fraser, Maya Rudolph and the other actors from the first show return to voice their characters. And the third film in the franchise is scheduled for release in 2019.

The Blu-ray combo pack includes some deleted scenes. Viewers can also see the concept art that was the foundation for the show, as well as see how scenes are brought to life from the original storyboards to the final animated scenes. The movie is also available on DVD.

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature is rated PG for action and some rude humor.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 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

With the recent Blu-ray combo packs of Only Yesterday, When Marnie was There, and Mune, GKids brings three very different stories to viewers. They are all filled with the charm and emotions for which Studio Ghibli and GKids are known.

Only Yesterday

The year is 1982 and 27-year-old Taeko (voiced by Daisy Ridley) leaves Tokyo for a vacation in the countryside. She longs to work the land and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. On her train ride from the city to the country, Taeko begins to remember her 5th grade year and the film flips back and forth between the young Taeko and the 27-year-old.

As Taeko works the fields, she and organic farmer Toshio (voiced by Dev Patel) become close friends. All the while she is in the country, Taeko’s younger self is brought to the forefront as incidences of puberty, her frustrations in school and with her sisters and family, and first encounters with boys overtake the memories and concerns. The past and the present meet and the young and the current Taeko discover things about their lives that will take them forward.

This is the 25th anniversary of the English language release of this Studio Ghibli animated film.

When Marnie was There

This is a heartfelt story done with wonderful animation and a character that will capture the hearts of viewers. Like the others from this Japanese studio, the film was re-recorded in English.

Anna is a morose 12-year-old who suffers from asthma. She is a great artist and loses herself in her sketching. Anna is an orphan who has lived with her foster family since she was a little girl. She knows they have her best interest at heart, yet they are not her real parents so how could they feel the love for her that real parents would? Conflicted about life and shutting out the world, Anna is quiet and stays to herself.

Sent from her foster home in the city one summer to a sleepy town by the sea in Hokkaido, Anna dreams her days away among the marshes. She believes she’s outside the invisible magic circle to which most people belong – and shuts herself off from everyone around her, wearing her “ordinary face”. Anna never expected to meet a friend like Marnie, who does not judge Anna for being just what she is. But no sooner has Anna learned the loveliness of friendship than she begins to wonder about her newfound friend.

The love and devotion between Anna and Marnie comes full circle when all is revealed. The summer proves to be a life-changing time for young Anna, who comes to terms with her past and her present.

Mune: Guardian of the Moon

In this beautiful land, there is a Guardian of the Sun and a Guardian of the Moon. They keep nature in balance.

Mune is not supposed to take over being a guardian, but fate intervenes and he is pronounced the Guardian of the Moon. This little guy has good intentions, but manages to mess up the balance of nature. And, the new Guardian of the Sun is also messing up his job.

Soon the land is thrust into darkness and all is not right with the world. It is up to little Mune to find a way to get the moon and the sun back in their proper places, even if that means dealing with the dark influences of the Underworld that have taken over.

There are many interesting characters in this classic tale of good versus evil.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 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