Moana Saves a Turtle – Disney Animators’ Moana Mini Doll Play Set

Posted on February 18, 2017February 19, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

For anyone who has seen the film Moana (and that includes most people), a memorable part of the story is in the beginning when a very young Moana discovers the ocean. This adorable little girl is filled with a kind heart and when she sees a baby turtle trying to crawl over the sand to get to the water, she takes a large palm frond to shelter it from predator birds. She wobbly walks next to the turtle shielding it until it is free in the ocean.

The new Disney Animators’ Moana Mini Doll Play Set lets kids play out their own scene with little Moana and the turtle, as well as put their imaginations to work creating other situations for her, the turtle, the water, HeiHei the rooster, and Pua the pig. This newest play set includes all of these as well as an amulet. They come in a plastic carrying case so kids can easily take them from one place to another.

Little Moana is about 5 inches high but with her wave hairstyle, she is almost an inch taller. Remember back to the film when the water pulled her hair high above her head? That’s what this doll represents. That first encounter the little girl had with not only the turtle, but with the ocean. Moana means ocean and this character has a unique relationship with the ocean. Moana has a pink flower in her hair, wears her shell necklace, and a sweet smile on her face. She is more than adorable. She’s precious and articulated with moving legs, arms, and head. This little Moana can stand on her own.

Pua measures almost three inches high and is a bobble head representation of Moana’s pet pig. HeiHei, the crazy chicken, is about two inches high.

The palm frond is sculpted with a little handle to let Moana hold it while protecting the turtle. Plus, there is a five and a half inch-high sculpted wave. After all, what would Moana be without water?

With all of these elements included in this set, young imaginations will be entertained for hours. And the case makes it great to take along in the car or to a play date. The dedication to detail is amazing. On the handle of the case are sculpted shells.

Due to the size of some of the objects, this play set is for ages 3 and up. This Disney Animators’ Mini Doll Play Set lists for $19.95.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about 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.

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DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge season 4 begins

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

The fate of Hiccup and the Dragon Riders is left in the hands of the mysterious Mala and the Defenders of the Wing, as they work to prove their innocence and create an unlikely alliance. With his elaborate and sinister plans beginning to take shape, Viggo will stop at nothing to get the Riders out of his way, including putting a pricey bounty on Hiccup’s head. The battle against the Dragon Hunters rages on when Season 4 of DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge premieres exclusively on Netflix February 17.

Take a peek:

‘The Good Fight’ – a spinoff of ‘The Good Wife’

Posted on February 16, 2017February 16, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

The Good Wife wrapped its seven-season run on May 8, 2016, but the finale was so polarizing that the show creators Robert & Michelle King wrote a letter explaining why they ended with a slap. “Alicia (Julianna Margulies) would slap someone who victimized her at the beginning of the series; and she would be slapped by someone she ‘victimized’ at the end,” the Kings explained this bookend devise. And they left it up to us to imagine who Alicia would become.

When Alicia’s education ended with that slap by none other than her mentor/colleague/soon-to-be-partner Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), I believe ‘the good wife’ transformed into ‘the free woman.’ Alicia wreaked havoc all right, but can you blame her? She tried to be a good girl all her life, but over the course of seven years relentless power struggles at work and home wore her down and eventually her survival instinct kicked in. She had to be free of all the duties and obligations of a wife, mother, and career woman. Call her immoral! Or even compromised! I don’t care. I just know she had to untether herself and fly away! She is my phoenix rising from the ashes! Through crosses and losses, Alicia clearly learned her lessons and became tougher, cunning, and more powerful. It’s sad, but that’s life. No wonder Margulies summed up the finale in these three words: “Satisfying, uplifting, and sad.”

The ending was so thought-provoking that psychoanalyzing it kept me busy for quite some time. However, letting go of my favorite show is easier said than done. Sunday nights haven’t been the same without it, but Sunday, February 19, 2017 my investment in The Good Wife characters will pay off. Once again, I get to reside in the Kings’ domain.

The Good Fight, a spinoff by the Kings, picks up one year after The Good Wife ended, but lives in a very different world than Alicia resided. At a press conference in January, Robert reminded us that The Good Wife debuted and lived during the Obama years. “The world changed on us. And I think this election gave us a spine,” confessed Robert. “What was fun was coming to the realization Michelle had this epiphany. What if we send Diane into an all African-American law firm?” Hence, The Good Fight.

The spinoff centers around three female characters of different generations. Diane (Baranski), the liberal feminist power attorney, and Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo), tell-it-like-it-is-lawyer and Alicia’s confidante in the final season of The Good Wife, are the returning characters. Maia Rindell (Rose Leslie), Diane’s goddaughter/protègè novice lawyer, is the new Alicia.

We find Diane and Maia on top of the world at first, but they quickly become poison by association with a Ponzi scheme allegedly ran by Maia’s parents. Now that everything that defined Diane and Maia is gone, the privileged white women have no choice but to fight back in order to survive. They join Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, Chicago’s preeminent all African-American law firm, to start over. Lucca, a third year associate at the firm, is brilliant, creative, and cordial enough, but remains an enigma. Is she disoriented without Alicia? What is her agenda? We shall see!

The Good Fight premieres February 19, 2017 on CBS and CBS All Access with subsequent episodes debuting weekly on the streaming service only. The good news is you get to see the first episode on CBS, but the bad news is you don’t get to see the rest unless you sign up for CBS All Access subscription.

About the Author

Meg Mimura is a TV critic who actually watches shows zealously in search of human drama worth watching. She is a member of Television Critics Association as well as Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Get Ready for Disney’s ‘Moana’ on Home Entertainment

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

When Disney throws a party, they really throw a party. This time they were highlighting the upcoming home entertainment release of Moana.

On hand to discuss the making of the film as well as some of the bonus features that will be on the discs, were Director Ron Clements and Producer Osnat Shurer. Shurer proclaimed they whole studio are “tremendously proud of the really rich DVD and Home Entertainment set.” The “level of artistry” used in the film was monumental, she said while explaining how they created new ways of animating water and hair.

The film is made to represent respect for nature and the filmmakers spent many weeks in the Polynesian islands to soak up their culture and heritage. They wanted to portray the islands accurately so when the islanders saw the film they could see themselves and their villages in the movie. When viewers see the 30-minute documentary about the making of the film, they will see the depth the folks at Disney went to to create a culturally representative movie featuring a young girl named Moana, which actually translates to “ocean.”

Casting Auli’i in the role of Moana was easy. As Clements stated, “she embodied the character.” And Shurer added it was “very important to us that she be a hero,” which is what the character definitely is in the film.

People with Polynesian roots voice all the characters. Well, all except one – HeiHei the rooster!

The music and much more were discussed, and Disney put on a great Polynesian show and buffet for those attending this special preview.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars or pre-order Moana which comes out March 7, 2017.

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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‘Fuller House’ – The Complete First Season on DVD

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

The hit Netflix sitcom Fuller House has been renewed for a third season. If you don’t have Netflix, consider getting the first season on DVD, with all 13 episodes.

Fuller House shows that there is a good way to make an updated sequel to a popular show. This is a fun, family-friendly show that brings together the cast from the original sitcom, Full House (1987-1995) while at the same time making it fresh and entertaining for nostalgia viewers and new viewers.

The entire cast of the original are on hand to kick off this new series: John Stamos, Dave Coulier, Bob Saget, Lori Loughlin, and Scott Weinger join series stars Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber. The only cast members who didn’t return are Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as little sister Michelle.

The storyline of this new show focuses on D.J. Tanner who is now a widowed mother of 3 sons. Her sister Stephanie decides to move back home to help her raise her kids. Also joining the household is Kimmy Gibbler who moves in with her daughter Ramona (Soni Bringas) with visitations by her estranged husband Fernando (Juan Pablo Di Pace). This house is filled to the brim, again. That in itself is enough to name the series “Fuller” House, however the fact that D.J.’s married name is Fuller actually adds to the cuteness, and this show has a lot of cuteness going on, with references to the past and all of the phrases made famous by the characters: “have mercy,” “cut it out,” “how rude,” and definitely, “Oh Mylanta.”

As the season progresses the three women find themselves in various situations. D.J. is courted by her co-worker Matt (John Brotherton) and her high school boyfriend Steve (Weinger), Kimmy is thinking about reuniting with her husband, and Stephanie is trying to figure out her own life. In the meantime, there are D.J.’s three sons and Ramona adding more confusion to the old Tanner house. And periodically members of the old cast return to add additional situations to he already complicated household.

For a fun little sitcom, Fuller House definitely delivers plenty of antics for everyone to enjoy, especially if you are a fan of the original series. With all the subtle and not-so-subtle references to the past, this show fulfills the cuteness factor as well as provides a good family show.

“I think we knew it was going to be great because for years and years no matter what we’ve done, everybody always asks about Full House,” Candace Cameron Bure told the media. “Everyone has always talked about Full House, especially through social media and how that’s grown, and we get to interact with everyone in the world. So we knew the fan base has been so loyal and there, but I think even the response is greater than we expected, and we knew it would be great. So it’s extremely exciting for us.” And, it’s fun for the viewers. The actress won the People’s Choice Award for TV Actress in a Comedy, and the show won for Favorite Premium Comedy Series.

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‘DREAM BIG’ on IMAX

Posted on February 10, 2017February 10, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

Academy Award winning actor Jeff Bridges narrates this extraordinary IMAX film highlighting the importance of engineers around the world. “I am a believer in encouraging our youth to make a difference in the world, and DREAM BIG 3D encourages young people to do just that,” explained Bridges.

The film draws on the STEM initiative that is used in many children’s TV series. STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) is a way for kids to understand how solving everyday problems with these fundamental areas of learning can change the world.

In the TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory, the character of Howard Wolowitz is often ridiculed by his fellow character, Sheldon Cooper, for being “just” an engineer, however as viewers know, it is Wolowitz that solves many of the problems and creates substantial things for his friends. And among the physicist on the show, he is the one that went into space. Sure, this is fiction, however viewers see that engineers are an integral element in life, as viewers of DREAM BIG also discover.

“For the past two decades, people have been itching for a popular film about STEM,” says director Greg MacGillivray. “Teachers, museums and parents are looking for ways to get kids not just exposed to but also really turned on by science and engineering. So we wanted to see if we could bring something new to that effort with an entertaining, visually spectacular film full of stirring human stories, one that energizes kids of all kinds, including girls and minorities, to think about engineering as something that might be an exciting thing to do with their lives and their way to make a mark on the world.”

Engineering can be fun and satisfying, especially when world problems are being solved. One of the stories in this film highlights an engineer that went to Haiti to build a footbridge across a dangerous river so people could go to the other side without drowning, which they often did. Crossing the river was the only way kids could get to school, so once the bridge was complete their daily journey was safer and definitely dryer.

There are several other stories highlighted in the film, which brings the projects to the audience in an entertaining way. With the increase in population, buildings are going up higher and higher. But how can they build them safely? That was an interesting dilemma for the folks in Shanghai. But with the help of engineers, they managed to build a skyscraper that would withstand winds and keep the occupants safe, even on the highest floors.

Finding ways to make things is what engineers do. A fascinating fact about the Great Wall of China is that the strongest parts that have survived all these centuries were built using sticky rice in the mortar. And high school students discovered using tampons could help their underwater robot perform without leaking.

Whether it’s working to make buildings safer, creating solar power more efficiently, transportation issues, and making the world a better place for the every growing population, engineers are the foundation of progress.

Says American Society of Civil Engineers Executive Director Tom Smith, “The challenges engineers are taking on are the big ones: clean water, smart buildings, climate change, creating sustainable cities for tomorrow. And that means there is a pressing need for lots of young people to bring their fresh ideas. We hope many will be inspired when they see how engineering can take you to different places across the globe, from China to Nepal to Seattle.”

DREAM BIG is presented in 3D on IMAX screens. To find out the location nearest you, check their website. (In Los Angeles go to the California Science Center.) This is definitely an interesting movie for the entire family. Hopefully it will spark an interest in girls and boys to seek out a fun and fulfilling career in engineering.

The movie opens February 17, 2017.

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‘Two for the Road’ on Blu-ray from Twilight Time

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

Nominated for an Oscar for best original screenplay, Two for the Road is a 1967 film about the relationship and marriage between Joanna and Mark (Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney) as they travel the back roads of France. The film shifts back and forth during five periods in their relationship.

This is a little disjointed as the different periods during their 10-year marriage are defined by the different cars and of course Hepburn’s wardrobe and hairstyles. The theme song by Henry Mancini carries the story along and is definitely memorable, adding to the tone of the story.

Joanna met Mark accidentally and during their first weeks together managed to fall in love, even though Mark was steadfast against love and marriage. But they brought out the best in each other, in a rather odd way. As the viewer looks at their lives as they unfolded during the decade, they might wonder what kept them together? They were definitely different kinds of people, and their unfaithfulness during their marriage was a point of contention. However they always managed to find their way back to each other. To say they were each incomplete without the other is a good way of describing their often-contemptuous marriage. Ultimately it is love that bubbles to the surface and they realize they need each other.

Hepburn is adorable as always. The beautiful background score by Mancini is a good addition to this film. It’s soulful yet spirited, just like the characters.

Jacqueline Bisset has a small but crucial role in the beginning of the story, which is the reason Joanna and Mark got together in the first place. She had not yet made her mark on the American entertainment industry, but soon her career took off. And playing the small part of Joanna and Mark’s daughter Caroline is Kathy Chelimsky. Interestingly, her brother Tom later played the son of a friend of Hepburn in the 1963 film Charade, and Stanley Donen directed both movies.

Two for the Road is the story of two people who have an unbreakable bond. It’s a treasure for film buffs, and especially fans of these two major actors.

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‘Grace and Frankie’ Season Two on DVD

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

Grace and Frankie is a fun sitcom on Netflix. Season three is about to be released this spring on that network, so this is the perfect time to catch up on two of television’s besties as they continue to maneuver through life. Grace and Frankie is the story of two women (Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin) whose husbands (Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston) leave them to be together. They get married leaving their wives to fend for themselves.

The first season basically revolved around the women getting better acquainted with each other while sharing a beach house. They have to get on with their lives after the shock of learning their husbands are gay, and in love.

Not only are these two women dealing with their newfound single lives, they also have children – and grandchildren – to think of.

Season two has Grace getting on with her love life, in the form of her old beau (Sam Elliott). It also has Frankie moving into the business world.

Grace is the high-class sophisticated country club woman while Frankie is the hippie love child. They are definitely different but watching them meld their lives and lifestyles is what makes this as adorable as it is.

At the end of the first season Frankie and her ex, Sol, had a brief sexual encounter. This season Robert is dealing with the indiscretion of his husband. Their marriage is now on the rocks.

Also, Coyote goes in search of his birth mother, Brianna takes over her mother’s company, Mallory is pregnant with twins, and Bud is working in Robert and Sol’s law firm.
There are plenty of guest stars popping up throughout the season, but the main focus is on the two main stars. Fonda and Tomlin are at the top of their game in this series. They have a rapport that shows on screen.

If you don’t have Netflix, check out seasons one and two on DVD. You just might decide to subscribe to that network.

Grace and Frankie show that the other side of middle age doesn’t have to be bland and boring. On the contrary, these two women have a lot going on and still have sex appeal.

Grace and Frankie Season Two is available on DVD February 21, 2017. This is not rated however it is not for kids. It’s completely adult language and content.

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Dreamworks Dragons: Race to the Edge season 4 trailer

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

Check out the new trailer:

‘Dinosaur Train’ Movie premiers Feb. 20, 2017 on PBS KIDS

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Francine Brokaw

PBS KIDS’ series DINOSAUR TRAIN will premiere an all-new one-hour special, “What’s at the Center of the Earth?,” on Monday, February 20. Created by Craig Bartlett (READY JET GO!) and produced by The Jim Henson Company, DINOSAUR TRAIN encourages kids ages 3-6 to apply scientific thinking as they discover new types of dinosaur species, and to embrace the living sciences of paleontology and natural science.

“With this new DINSOAUR TRAIN special, we are excited to give families another opportunity to engage with their favorite characters and learn about nature and science,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “By delivering educational programming through our member stations and their newly launched PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and live stream, we look forward to continuing to serve America’s children anytime and anywhere.”

In “What’s at the Center of the Earth?,” the Conductor has a special surprise for the
Pteranodon Family: the Dinosaur Drill Train. This amazing machine gives its passengers a front row seat as they dig deep underground on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure below the Earth’s surface. There, they discover a whole new world – from fossils and troglobites to rivers of lava. Along the way, the family gains a new perspective on our planet and what it’s made of.

Following its premiere, “What’s at the Center of the Earth?” will repeat throughout February on PBS stations and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and live stream. It will also be available for free on both pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App, which is accessible on a variety of mobile devices and platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. In addition, “What’s at the Center at the Earth?” and four additional DINOSAUR TRAIN stories will be available on DVD from PBS Distribution on Tuesday, February 21.

New digital content from DINOSAUR TRAIN will include “Fossil Finder,” a game that encourages kids to travel underground in the Drill Train to search for fossils. The game will be available the week of February 13th on pbskids.org and on the free PBS KIDS Games app.

DINOSAUR TRAIN airs weekdays on PBS KIDS (check local listings) and daily on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and live stream.