In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO® Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure: “The LEGO® Batman Movie.” But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.
The LEGO® Batman Movie hits theaters February 10, 2017.
Netflix’s latest and greatest children’s series is Beat Bugs, a show about five friends who discover magic, mystery, and life lessons in their world, which happens to be an overgrown backyard. This imaginative series combines fun characters with the music of the Beatles.
Creator Josh Wakely explained to the media how he came up with the idea. “I was driving,” he said, “and I watched how magnetized [my brother’s] children were by melody, by music, how important it was to their lives. And then, at some point, I was in the car with them and I heard ‘All You Need Is Love,’ and they were singing it back almost straightaway. And I said, ‘Have you heard this before?’ And they said, ‘No.’
Interpreting the songs for kids is a stroke of genius. Some of the characters depicted in them are brought to life in this show. “Lucy is the dragonfly. Lucy in the sky – she comes, and she’s got kaleidoscope eyes. And that’s the song that Pink sings,” Wakely said with heartfelt enthusiasm. And when he was asked if the series will be finished when he runs out of Beatles songs, he replied, “Yeah, but there’s 310. So I’ll be really old.”
The characters are just as fun as the music. There is Buzz, a girl with a propeller on her hat, Kumi, the leader of the group, Jay who’s a little mischievous, Crick who is the scientist and inventor, and Walter Walrus who has a big heart to go along with his big belly.
“These characters have lived in my head for forever now. I know them. I can hear them. Occasionally I can hear them sort of talking in my head. So it makes me sound crazy, but it’s true, even when I’m not writing episodes.”
The show has not yet aired yet it has already been renewed for a second season. And there is a soundtrack available with songs from the series.
This show is a fresh take on old songs. The songs are timeless, however, and for generations of fans they have supplied the soundtrack of their lives. This re-envisioning of them is a child-friendly way for a new generation to experience the sights and sounds, along with fun characters and plenty of things to learn. This is a show parents and grandparents will enjoy watching along with the kids.
Beat Bugs premiers November 18 on Netflix.
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
If your kids love pigs, Arlo the Burping Pig is a fun film for them. It’s the story of a family who moves to a new town and finds they are caught up in two strange cases: a missing Ming vase and a missing circus pig.
The Rose family is new in town. Upon arriving, David (Joey Lawrence) has to abandon his wife (Jennifer Taylor), and his three daughters for two weeks to close his business back in Boston. The girls are a bit disturbed in their new surroundings, especially the youngest, Talia (Lindsey Blanchard) who feels lonely. Then she discovers a pig in their backyard. Yes, a pig. Talia immediately falls in love with this cute little pink piggy that happens to have a burping problem. She hides him in her room and names him Arlo.
In the meantime, a thief has stolen a valuable Ming vase from City Hall. He hides it in the Rose’s yard thinking he’ll come back and retrieve it. The joke is on him. They discover the vase and, not knowing its value or that it has been stolen, take it into their home.
So, while Talia is trying to keep her new friend Arlo safe and hidden from the rest of her family, the thief is trying to find a way into the Rose’s house to get the vase. This leads to plenty of hijinks.
This is definitely a film for youngsters and pig fans. The best part of the movie is little Arlo. The question is whether Talia can convince her family to let her keep him.
Everything comes to a head when the thief comes to claim his vase. It’s up to Arlo to save the day. Oink, oink. Or I should say, “burp, burp.”
This little pig (voiced by Drake Bell) is absolutely adorable.
One word of advice for parents after their kids see the movie and ask for a teacup pig of their own: don’t buy one. Pigs do not stay small forever. Yes, they are adorable but they require maintenance like any other pet. Once in awhile a pig will remain somewhat small, but on the whole they grow into big pigs. While Arlo is sweet and absolutely adorable, he won’t stay like that forever.
Arlo the Burping Pig is rated G for the whole family.
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 1995 TV movie Hiroshima examines the people and events that led up to the dropping of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is an emotional yet educational look at this horrific time in history. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Harry Truman became the president upon FDR’s death. Truman had not been involved at all with any decisions Roosevelt made. In fact, he had been left out of everything. But once he became the president, he had to make crucial decisions, including whether or not to use the new “gadgets.”
Truman is played by Kenneth Welsh. Welsh portrays the president with deep emotions as he ponders his decisions. Winston Churchill (Timothy West) pushes for the bombs to be dropped, while Joseph Stalin (Serge Christianssens) is not shocked about the existence of the bomb when being told about it by Truman. Stalin had a spy in New Mexico so he was completely aware of what the Americans were doing.
Then there is Secretary of War Henry Stimson (Wesley Addy) who, like others around the president, are conscious of the historic events and consider both sides. But once the Japanese have ignored the surrender ultimatum of the Allies, and then sunk the USS Indianapolis, Truman realizes there is no choice in the matter. In order to save more lives the bombs had to drop. The Japanese were not going to surrender and were prepared to fight until everyone was dead – even their civilians. They were teaching everyone how to fight when the Americans invaded. They were not going to surrender.
The film is in both Japanese (with English subtitles) and English. While it documents the actions of both sides with film clips as well as interviews with people who were in the war, it is also a docudrama with actors portraying the leaders. This combination makes it a well-rounded look at the people and the events. It is a good educational tool and informative show about these historic events.
While it is disturbing to contemplate what happened and see it on screen, there is a compelling side to this show. It goes into the psyches of the main characters to deliver a conclusive look at these men, perhaps in a way not known before by younger viewers.
Hiroshima: The Complete Mini-Series Event is not rated however it is not for kids. There are gruesome images on both sides and it deals with adult content.
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
Girl Power is front and center in The Eagle Huntress, a fascinating film about not only one young girl’s desire and hard work but also the life of the nomads in Mongolia and the lives of eagle hunters. To get this amazing story on film was quite a feat by the filmmakers, yet they managed to create a beautifully shot and compelling story for audiences.
At the center of the film is Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl living a nomadic life with her parents, brother, and sister. For generations her family has been eagle hunters, and this young girl decided that she wanted to follow in her father’s, grandfather’s, and forefather’s footsteps. She wanted to be an eagle hunter. “I was ten years old when I decided I wanted to be an eagle huntress,” says Aisholpan.
“If there was an American girl who suddenly said, ‘Dad, I want to be a bull rider!’ we might wonder where that came from,” says director Otto Bell. “But if she’d been standing at the paddock every day for the last thirteen years looking at the bulls, you might say, ‘I knew this day would come.’” Aisholpan has been living with eagle hunters her entire life and at a young age she decided she wanted to join the family business, so to speak.
Capturing her story was not easy. The filmmakers found themselves in several difficult situations. Only a couple times did they request a reshoot. “I have watched a lot of documentary filmmakers work over the years,” says Bell, “and some of them are quite shameless about how much they will ask everyday people to repeat things and again and again. I don’t really have that gene, and I get very nervous and angst-ridden about that when I know they’ve had a long day.” So basically, what you see is what actually happened.
After meeting the family, Nurgaiv, Aisholpan’s father, told Bell, “Me and my daughter are going to steal a balapan (young eagle) from its nest this morning. Is that the kind of thing you’d like to film?” Was it! The scene where Aisholpan scales the mountain and captures her eaglet is amazing. This girl is fearless.
While the elders in the tribe do not think it is appropriate for a girl to be an eagle hunter, Aisholpan and her family forge on with her training. While she is supposed to be “fragile” and stay home and make the tea, she proves that she is just as capable as any man.
“There is no gender discrimination when it comes to hunting with eagles,” says Nurgaiv. “Anyone who is capable of hunting with an eagle is allowed to do so. Aisholpan is a very brave girl. She rides horses, climbs rocks and hunts with eagles easily, like a boy. I am very proud of her.” Says Aisholpan: “Girls and boys are just as strong: if a boy can do something, girls can do it as well.”
And what happened is that this young girl was the first female to enter the Eagle Festival and lo and behold, she won – against 70 older (and all men) eagle hunters. But she not only won, she won and broke the record time! After the festival she had one final step to her dream. She had to hunt with her eagle in the cold winter. That too was successful. Aisholpan is an amazing and determined girl.
The Eagle Huntress is a beautiful film about one girl’s journey to fulfill her dream. It shows the determination of this young girl, the life led by her tribe, the vastness of the region, and the love of a family. This is a great father/daughter movie. It does have some disturbing scenes of animal killings, but that is described as “the circle of life.”
The film is in Kazakh and English with English Subtitles, however most of it is simply beautiful and amazing action. The movie opens November 2, 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
The 1952 classic movie, The Quiet Man, won two Academy Awards (for director John Ford and Cinematography) and was nominated for several others. Ford also picked up the Directors Guild of America award and, according to many, is considered one of the best directors in history. The Quiet Man reunited John Wayne with Maureen O’Hara in this tale of a retired American boxer who moves back to his homeland of Ireland.
Sean Thornton (Wayne) is dejected after an accident in the boxing ring in which he killed an opponent. He wants to change his life and live in peace so he decides to move back to a small village in Ireland with the idea of buying his family’s homestead. With his eye on the property as well, Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) is livid when his sister Mary Kate (O’Hara) and Thornton become involved in a romantic relationship. They have a stormy relationship and an even stormier marriage as she refuses to consummate their marriage until her dowry is received, which Will is withholding. However she holds fast to her Irish tradition. This is a true love story in every sense of the phrase. Barry Fitzgerald is delightful as the Irish matchmaker.
The film was shot on location with extraordinary scenery and the lush green land of the emerald isle. The chemistry between Wayne and O’Hara makes this film as memorable as it is and heartwarming to viewers. This is one of Ford’s classic films and in the bonus features viewers have a treat with some background information in a “making of” feature hosted by Leonard Maltin.
Ford picked up his fourth Academy Award for this film. This behind the scenes feature looks at his history with the film and with the actors. The famed director insisted the movie be shot on location, which was a rarity in those days, especially for the small studio that was making the film. He also insisted it be filmed in Technicolor, something fans have definitely appreciated.
The story was originally a short story which Ford purchased for a mere ten dollars. He knew he wanted to make it into a feature film but that took plenty of effort and time. In order to make this film with the studio, Ford had to make the movie Rio Grande, which also starred Wayne, O’Hara, and McLaglen. With the success of that film he got the green light (no pun intended) to go ahead with The Quiet Man.
There is also a tribute to O’Hara with three of her co-stars – Juliet Mills, Hayley Mills, and Ally Sheedy. They describe her inner and outer beauty and say she had an “aura” about her, as well as grace and kindness. For Hayley, who costarred with O’Hara in the classic 1961 movie The Parent Trap, she said working with the actress was “a treat.” She also said O’Hara “exuded love of life.”
Another bonus looks at the vision John Ford had for the various scenes of the film.
Wayne and Ford worked together on fourteen films, including The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Donovan’s Reef, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Searchers, and Stagecoach. Wayne and O’Hara teamed up in five films: Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952), The Wings of Eagles (1957), McClintock! (1963), and Big Jake (1971).
The Olive Signature Collection of The Quiet Man is a must-have for fans of this classic film. It has been remastered in 4K. It is truly a beautiful edition of this beloved story filled with drama, comedy, and true love.
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
Kevin Spacey is purr-fect in Nine Lives, a delightful story of a gruff, selfish, businessman billionaire who discovers what is most important in life. Tom Brand (Spacey) is building the tallest tower in the northern hemisphere. He is the face of his company. He makes all the decisions. He devotes his life to the company he built while his wife (Jennifer Garner) and daughter (Malina Weissman) are delegated to second place. But things unexpectedly change.
The only thing his daughter Rebecca wants for her birthday is a cat. Tom hates cats. But he relents and goes to a cat store owned by a very strange man, Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken), who has the ability to change lives through his cats. Actually, he changes lives – period.
Tom takes the cat but during a terrible accident his consciousness is transferred to the cat when his human body is put into a coma. So, while Spacey’s body is relegated to lying in a hospital bed, his voice is still very much a part of the movie. Viewers can hear him talking but everyone else only hears cat sounds.
Fuzzypants (the name of the cat) tries everything to make people see he is actually Tom Brand, but to no avail. His daughter slowly puts the pieces together and tries to make her mother understand that the cat is her dad, but that’s really absurd. Isn’t it?
While Tom is stuck inside the cat’s body, his son David (Robbie Amell) from his first marriage to an alcoholic snotty woman (Cheryl Hines) is doing everything in his power to keep the company in tact. He is up against a conniving company executive (Mark Consuelos) who is intent on taking the company out of the hands of Brand.
This is a cute story that leads to a sweet ending. It’s great for the holiday season because, like the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life, the main character discovers things about himself that make him more aware of the things he has done. But in Tom’s case he learns that he has been an SOB and through the experience he has as Mr. Fuzzypants, he learns to be a more caring man.
Even if you aren’t a cat lover, you’ll adore Mr. Fuzzypants.
There is a bonus feature about the casting of the cat. The filmmakers had to import special cats from Russia to be Fuzzypants. He has brilliant blue eyes and an expressive face.
Another bonus looks at the making of the film with the actors and the director Barry Sonnenfeld, who, incidentally, is allergic to cats! Another interesting part of this bonus feature looks at the color palette in the film. Blues and greens are prominent and the filmmakers discuss how and why they chose those colors. And the costume for Walken’s character is eclectic, with parts from different decades and all green. This gives him an unconventional look to go with his unconventional character.
Nine Lives is a fun family film. It’s rated PG for thematic elements, language, and some rude humor. Besides the combo pack (Blu-ray, DVD, + Digital HD), the movie is available as a single DVD.
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
In his newest “killing” book, Bill O’Reilly (along with Martin Dugard) dissects the events and people that were instrumental in the Japanese aggression of World War II. The authors look at several events that were crucial in the war as well as the people involved on both sides of the horrors.
We all know the story of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and we know about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but between these two events that basically bookended the war in the South Pacific, there were plenty of other events that are not as well known, and people who have been delegated to the sidelines of history. This book examines everyone’s parts in this brutal chapter in world history with personal accounts as well as documented statements. Readers will get a well-rounded look at the people and places that made up the war in the Pacific.
From Pearl Harbor to the final battle of the war (between Russia and Japan), the pages are filled with plenty of facts spewed out in a way that makes it appealing to read and interesting to digest. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the situations, many stories may be traumatic for readers to take in. They are horrifying. The inhumanity is unbelievable, yet these events are what happened.
I cannot get rid of the vision of a little Japanese boy carrying his dead infant brother to the place where bodies were cremated, standing at attention while the little body was reduced to ashes, and walking away. It is stories like these that round out the text in this book.
The story of the USS Indianapolis is another aspect of the war that is basically unknown by today’s population. After the Japanese torpedoed the ship, the crew floundered in the water without food or fresh water for four days while sharks picked them off, one by one. Fortunately several men survived and were eventually rescued.
The war did not end with the bombing of Hiroshima. The Japanese were not going to surrender. Civilians were told to fight to the death. But in due time there was a finality to the situation.
General Douglas MacArthur took control of Japan (temporarily). Stalin took a chunk of Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union, once in a fragile alliance with America, became an enemy.
Hirohito, Tojo, MacArthur, and the other notables are discussed in detail. Also under a microscope is Harry Truman, who’s brave decision to release the atomic bombs saved countless American lives, as well as others. With MacArthur ready to invade Japan on the ground, there would have been much more carnage inflicted on American troops as well as the others.
Killing the Rising Sun will definitely have an emotional effect on readers. It is an interesting look at history, well written, and filled with stories that will leave readers thinking and understanding more about the people and events of World War II.
About the Reviewer
Francine Brokaw writes about books, 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.
Follow her on Twitter
Philip Roth’s acclaimed best-selling novels have been turned into several films, including Goodbye Columbus and Portnoy’s Complaint. Now Indignation goes from the printed page to the screen with Logan Lerman leading the cast. This young man deserves accolades for his performance as he carries the show – practically every scene.
The setting is the early 1950s when the Korean War was being waged and young American men were being sent to fight and die over there. Marcus is a straight-A student and receives a scholarship to a college Ohio, quite a way from his New Jersey home. He has dreams of being an attorney and someday arguing before the Supreme Court. As a college student he is deferred from the military.
So, this young naïve Jewish boy heads out to this new life where he encounters plenty of instances that are new to him, including one very troubled but sexually experienced young woman. Olivia (Sarah Gadon) has a troubled past and plenty of emotional baggage.
Marcus buckles down to his studies and his campus job in the library. But Olivia steals his attention and he decides to ask her out. Meeting her was the thing that brought down his house of cards. He was doing all right and on his way to carry out his dreams. But young love got in the way and everything changed after their first date.
Roth’s other novels mentioned earlier also deal with young Jewish men on the brink of life. Each one of his central characters has emotional difficulties of one kind or another. They are definitely flawed to the point of life changing decisions.
While Indignation garnered praise from critics everywhere, it is definitely not a film mainstream viewers will get into. It’s slow moving, depressing, and very deep. If this kind of intense drama is something you enjoy, then this is a film you should check out.
Bonus features on the Blu-ray include a look at the characters and the actors as well as the screenwriter, James Schamus. There is also a look at the novelist and his films. The novel was released in 2008. His past novels include “Deception,” “American Pastoral,” “The Human Stain,” and “Everyman.”
Indignation is a coming of age story dealing with life in the early 1950s when sex was considered indecent. It involves flawed characters with mixed emotions and plenty of personal dramas. Lerman is in almost every scene and his talent is the only thing that takes this story from beginning to end. It’s deep, depressing, yet has something that keeps viewers interested instead of turning it off. What? I don’t know.
This is not for everyone but fans of Roth will be entertained by this production of his novel.
Indignation is rated R for sexual content and some language.
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