Creativity abounds in this fantasy story about a little orphan girl and a giant. When Sophie is taken by a giant, she is at first a little afraid, but soon learns he is a friend and they become partners in his dream catching business. This Big Friendly Giant is filled with magic, making The BFG a fun film for the entire family.

The original story was penned by Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, etc.) and the screenplay was written by Melissa Mathison (ET, The Black Stallion, etc.) With producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall along with director Stephen Spielberg, the story of The BFG has been taken to the heart of millions of viewers. It’s now available on a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD Combo Pack as well as a single DVD.

Sophie calls the big friendly giant “BFG” and they become close friends. Unfortunately her life is put in danger by the other giants in Giant Country. These giants are much larger than BFG and are cruel. They even eat little human children.

Sophie comes up with a way to save the BFG from the other giants but it takes a visit to Buckingham Palace and assistance from the Queen to solve the problem.

There are plenty of bonus features on the combo pack. There is a featurette about the little boy who was the BFG’s friend long before Sophie came to his home. There is a feature about bringing the story to life from the inception when it was a bedtime story told by Dahl to his daughters, to the writing and filmmaking processes. Another feature shows viewers how combining motion capture with animation created the realistic giants in the film.

Another fun featurette is a short video by the little boy who had been the BFG’s friend long before Sophie and who taught him to speak English, even if he did mangle words. And speaking of words – no pun intended – there is a cute featurette about the actual words used by the giant. Gobblefunk is the language of the BFG. Words in this language include Swigpill (disgusting food), Frobscottle (a drink where the bubbles go down instead of up and cause some Whizzpopping, aka farting), Majester is his word for Majesty when he visits the queen, Whoopsy-Splunkers, Time-Twiddler, Phizzwizzards and more are part of this creative language combining words to suit the giant’s world.

The BFG is a unique movie that will capture the hearts and imaginations of viewers of all ages. There is something for everyone in this creative film. The BFG is rated PG for action peril, some scary moments, and brief 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.

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Have you ever wondered what your pets do when you’re not at home? That is what the filmmakers wondered. That is how they came up with this fun animated film for the entire family. The Secret Life of Pets is adorable and filled with plenty of animals that will steal your heart.

Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) is a content little dog who adores his owner Katie. Then one day she brings home another dog, Duke (Eric Stonestreet), who is a huge, loveable fellow. Unfortunately, Max is not pleased with the new addition to their family and sets out to make life miserable for his new “brother.”

Max and Duke end up separated from the others when their dog walker becomes distracted and soon the two pooches find themselves in danger on two fronts. First, they are targeted by a gang of mischievous former pets who are intent on revenge against humans who have mistreated them. A cute bunny named Snowball leads this gang. But don’t let his looks deceive you. He is filled with rage. The two dogs are also trying to evade the animal control truck.

When their friends learn they are missing, they set out on a mission to save them and bring them home. Among them are Gidget (a fluffy little dog who is in love with Max), Mel (a fun-loving pug), Buddy (an inventive dachshund), Sweetpea (a sweet bird), Chloe (a fat cat), Tiberius (a red-tailed hawk), Norman (a guinea pig), and Pops (a basset hound).

Bonus features on the combo pack include a look at how and why the filmmakers created the story as well as the voice cast. There is a funny and educational featurette about various real life animals with animal trainer Molly Mignon O’Neill in which she introduces viewers as well as voice actors Kevin Hart and Eric Stonestreet to these living critters. Plenty of other bonus features round out this fun-filled disc.

The Secret Life of Pets is available in a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD combo pack, a DVD, a 3D combo Pack and a 4K Combo Pack. It’s rated PG for action and some rude humor.

Look for the sequel in 2018.

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

The Wild Life is a new take on the Robinson Crusoe tale and it’s filled with fun and imaginative characters. The story is told through the perspective of the animals and tells the tale of a shipwrecked Crusoe who gets stranded on an island with an interesting group of residents: Mak (named Tuesday by Crusoe) the parrot, Rosie the tapir, Epi the echidna, Pango the pangolin, Scrubby the goat, Kiki the bird, and Carmello the chameleon.

Each character has a unique personality but they work together to help Crusoe build an island tree house with a functional fresh water system and other cleverly designed aspects. For instance, Scrubby the nearly blind goat gets a pair of glasses.

While the islanders are living and working together, a group of cats is intent on revenge. They had originally been on Crusoe’s ill-fated boat and they believe he mistreated them. They want to get back at him and all his friends. But once they make their way onto the island, they are up against a formidable group as the animals and Crusoe work to fend off the evil cats and defend their home.

Bonus features include a “making of” featurette with the cast and filmmakers. There is also a look at the characters from the perspective of their voice actors. The “Tips for your Trip” featurette has helpful advice if you ever get stranded on an island. And there is a cute “Musical Adventure” which is a visual synopsis of the film set to music.

Spoiler alert: Crusoe is originally stranded along with his dog Aynsley however early in their adventure on the island the dog is killed. So keep this in mind if you have sensitive children.

This is a good opportunity for parents to teach their children about the animals, even though in this case they are all animated. However, they are based on real life species so it could be a fun for kids – and adults – to research the real animals. After all, how much do you know about a tapir or a pangolin?

The Wild Life is rated PG for mild action, peril, and some rude humor. It’s available on combo pack (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD) or as a single DVD beginning November 29, 2016.

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