‘Imperium’ on Blu-ray and DVD

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Daniel Radcliffe’s performance in Imperium will not conjure up any reflections of his Harry Potter role. In this movie Radcliffe plays Nate Foster, an FBI analyst who goes undercover in a dangerous and life-changing experience.

The movie was inspired by actual events from the life of Michael German who wrote the story. Foster is a young analyst who is enlisted by Agent Angela Zamparo (Toni Collette) to go undercover in a neo-Nazi community to hunt down some stolen toxic materiel that is going to be used to make a dirty bomb. While the others within the bureau are looking at Muslim groups, Zamparo has a feeling that the white supremacists are the ones in control of the material.

Foster shaves his head and turns from a nerdy agent into a tough skinhead in order to infiltrate the community. The white supremacist community is comprised of several groups – some are eager for conflict with anyone on the streets, and others are more contemplative and are biding their time for the right opportunity to strike.

While undercover in this new environment, Foster has a hard time understanding how these people think the way they do. He does a great job of fitting in, however. This man has done his homework and when the going gets tough, he rises to the occasion. This is definitely a different part of his job than he ever experienced before. He is used to sitting at a desk analyzing information. Now he is thrust into a deep, dark world of danger and uncertainty.

The acting is great and viewers will feel their skin crawl as they watch the hatred within the groups bubble to the top. Evil is at its peak in this movie, but so is the intrepid agent who puts his life on the line for the sake of good.

Bonus features on the Blu-ray include interviews with the cast and crew, a “making of” feature, and a featurette about “Living Undercover,” in which both Radcliffe and German discuss the story and how agents blend in when they are undercover. What makes this movie even more than a simple thriller is that the story was taken from actual events.

Imperium is rated R for language throughout. This is not a show for kids. It is a show about evil and hatred. In this case the good guys come out on top as far as the dirty bomb is concerned, yet there is no way of changing what is in the hearts and minds of the community.

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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‘Giraffes: Africa’s Gentle Giants’ on PBS

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Giraffes are majestic, gentle, beautiful, and loving animals. Unbeknownst to many people, they are also endangered. When a family decides to take on the challenge to save giraffes, their story will not only inspire viewers but also give hope and show that humans are not all bad. There are some good people, some caring people, and some people that put others – in this case the future of giraffes – above their own lives.

Did you know there are many different species of giraffes? Their numbers, however, are dwindling and in great danger of being wiped off the face of the earth. How can we let that happen? Giraffes are magnificent and peaceful animals. They deserve a chance to live and thrive.

When one family decided to take it upon themselves to safe Giraffes, their journey took them to places they never imagined. Teaming with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and people in Uganda, Namibia, and Ethiopia, this documentary shows the hard work that this project required. With the giraffe population decreasing rapidly, something drastic had to be done. War is raging in Africa, which caused many hassles for the team. But they kept going.

The endangered Rothschild giraffe became front and center for this group. How could they safely save the population and relocate them to land where they had the opportunity to thrive?

That is an interesting story in itself. They first had to safely capture several giraffes without hurting them or causing them stress. Then they had to ferry them across the Nile River. Yes, you read correctly. Can you imagine a boat with several giraffes traveling across the river? They managed to relocate 18 of the endangered giraffes, outfit them with satellite location trackers, and now keep track of them in their new home, hoping to soon have plenty more babies and a new generation of these magnificent Rothschild giraffes for future generations of humans to appreciate.

This documentary is inspiring. It’s heartening to know that people put themselves in danger to help one of nature’s gentle and beautiful creatures. One look in a giraffe’s eye and you will see that they are sensitive, caring animals.

In this day and age when people are killing each other right and left for no reason, it is nice to see that some people are doing the right thing. Long live giraffes!

Giraffes: Africa’s Gentle Giants premiers October 26, 2016 on PBS’ NATURE.
(all photos courtesy Tom Mustill/AGB Films)

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Under the Moon book/CD

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Soft, peaceful, gentle jazz songs sung in a lullaby format combine to make Under the Moon a nice collection of music for babies, kids, and adults. With legendary singers Billie Holiday, Julie London, Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong and more, these classic tunes are sung in a reflective tone making them a nice collection to listen to at the end of the day.

To accompany the CD is a 36-page hardcover illustrated book complete with lyrics as well as fun illustrations for kids. These jazz standards and lullabies are a good way to put your little ones to bed for the night. They also make a nice background soundtrack for adults when preparing for bed or just unwinding from a stressful day.

Audrey Hepburn was not considered a singer, yet she did croon the theme song “Moon River” in the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This rendition is soft, reflective, and light and it is the final track on the CD. Actually, it’s a sweet little song to listen to while you drift off to sleep.

The tracks on the CD are:

1 Willow Weep for Me – Billie Holiday
2 Gone With the Wind – Julie London
3 It Might As Well Be Spring – Nina Simone
4 Come Rain or Come Shine – Sarah Vaughan
5 Stormy Weather – The Golden Gate Quartet
6 Blue Moon – Mel Tormé
7 The Snow Is Falling – Ray Charles
8 Winter Wonderland – Louis Armstrong
9 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Vaughn Monroe
10 December – Kay Starr
11 Winter Weather – Fats Waller
12 What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – Ella Fitzgerald
13 Moon River – Audrey Hepburn

The tracks, sung in a blissful mode, are a nice way to introduce kids to the soft tunes of jazz. And with the colorful book, this combination is an educational experience not only for kids but for adults as well.

This is the second in the storybook/music jazz collection from The Secret Mountain. The company has several book/CD products for families to enjoy together. Discovering new music at a young age is the foundation on which kids build their music enjoyment. Introducing them to these songs, along with the illustrated books, in this way parents can expand their children’s music intellect and possibly expose them to songs they might never hear any other way.

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‘Dot.’ Premiers on Sprout

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Randi Zuckerberg, a New York Times best-selling author, is bringing her popular stories to Sprout network. Dot. is an animated series following a tech-savvy eight-year-old girl. This curious little child uses technology to learn about the real world. The series is associated with the Jim Henson Company that has brought countless children’s shows to the small screen.

“I would say Dot. was based on almost a decade of observations and research working in the tech world,” Zuckerberg explained to the media. “I didn’t set out to write a children’s book. I was writing Dot Complicated, which was my business book at the time, and I was spending so much time out on the road, speaking with parents, and no matter what I would get on stage and talk about related to tech and business, everyone afterward wanted to talk to me about their children, about their 2 to 5 year olds and how tech savvy children are. So I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, I need to write a book about modern childhood because I’m sitting here, writing a book about being a tech expert, I’m going to get lapped by my 2 year old.’”

Let’s face it, technology is part of our lives and our children are growing up in a fast-paced, quickly evolving tech world. Just how much time kids spend on tech gadgets often presents a problem for parents. “Every family needs to make their own decision about what’s best for them, what they feel comfortable with [with] tech [items],” stated Zuckerberg. “It’s different. Everyone has different comfort zones with it. But I think the reality is that modern children, they’re in it. The train has left the station with children and tech, so how can we get inside the beautiful world that they’re seeing and try to capture that in a way that works for our families?”

The author and executive producer of the show said, “On one hand, tech/life balance should skew so far towards life for children. On the other hand, you don’t want children to not have access to those tech tools and be behind their peers, especially girls. That’s why with Dot – it was so important to me that this be a girl character, because we lose girls in STEM and math and science at 7, 8 years old, exactly the age Dot is.”

Dot is a girl with tech smarts and a curious imagination. What she discovers on her tablet and computer becomes part of her world and the learning begins, not only for her but also for the viewers. The goal of this show is to make technology the foundation on which learning is built.

“I would love for this to be the next American Girl doll experience, except instead of walking to the store and having tea, you’re building robots and making things and doing cool stuff,” said Zuckerberg. “We’re dreaming big with Dot.”

Dot. premiers October 22, 2016 on Sprout.

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“Adventure Time: The Complete Sixth Season” DVD GIVEAWAY

Posted on October 16, 2016November 7, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD, this release includes all 43 episodes from the critically acclaimed show’s sixth season. Join Finn and his adoptive brother Jake, a wise, shapeshifting dog, on a series of adventures in the post-apocalyptic land of Ooo. Throughout their captivating adventures, Finn and Jake encounter several of Ooo’s most extraordinary inhabitants, including Princess Bubblegum, The Ice King, Flame Princess, Lumpy Space Princess and Marceline the Vampire Queen.

We have some copies to giveaway.

To be eligible to win a copy of Adventure Time: The Complete Sixth Season, email us at [email protected] with “Adventure Time 6 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 November 1, 2016.

‘Under the Moon’ Book/CD GIVEAWAY

Posted on October 16, 2016November 7, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Bedtime is often a difficult time. Sometimes kids need a little push to get to slumberland.

Adding to their growing catalog of award-winning storybooks with music CDs, The Secret Mountain releases Under the Moon, the second title from its new collection of jazz- infused music for the whole family. It features thirteen timeless songs evoking the seasons recorded by singing legends Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Fats Walker, amongst others. The music was selected by Misja Fitzgerald Michel, a Paris-based jazz musician, and noted children’s illustrator Ilya Green created the colorful images in the 36-page hardcover book.

This is a perfect nighttime book with CD to help your your child drift off into a peaceful slumber.

Song selections:
1 Willow Weep for Me Billie Holiday 3:10
2 Gone With the Wind Julie London 2:07
3 It Might As Well Be Spring Nina Simone 3:55
4 Come Rain or Come Shine Sarah Vaughan 3:27
5 Stormy Weather The Golden Gate Quartet 2:52
6 Blue Moon Mel Tormé 3:14
7 The Snow Is Falling Ray Charles 2:52
8 Winter Wonderland Louis Armstrong 3:01
9 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Vaughn Monroe 3:09
10 December Kay Starr 3:24
11 Winter Weather Fats Waller 3:20
12 What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Ella Fitzgerald 3:37
13 Moon River Audrey Hepburn 2:02

We have some Book/CD copies to giveaway.

To be eligible to win a copy of Under the Moon, email us at [email protected] with “Under the Moon 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 November 4, 2016.

‘Suddenly’ on Blu-ray

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

In this newly restored edition of Suddenly, Frank Sinatra is even more psychotic than ever. The original 1954 black and white film has been completely restored in HD and gives fans of this film a new experience watching the classic story of a man intent on killing the president.

The town of Suddenly, California is a sleepy little community. One day the sheriff learns the president will be making a stop in town, requiring a lot of additional security. The Secret Service arrives, as do the state police. They are all locking down the town to make sure the president has a safe transition from the train to a waiting limousine. Why all this fuss? Because they were tipped off someone was going to assassinate the president when he stepped off the train.

The main street is locked down but there is one house on the hill with a perfect view of the train station. The house belongs to a retired Secret Service agent (James Gleason) who lives there with his widowed daughter-in-law (Nancy Gates) and his young grandson (Kim Charney).

Before the agents can get to the house to alert the occupants, a trio of men arrives posing as FBI. Led by John Baron (Frank Sinatra), they eventually take over, keeping the occupants hostage. Then they are joined by the sheriff (Sterling Hayden) and the head of the Secret Service detail who unwittingly find themselves caught in the middle of the assassination plot and although shot, the sheriff tries his best to keep the remaining hostages calm.

So now there is an assassin in wait in a house on a hill with a perfect view of the president when he steps off the train. The hostages try what they can but nothing works. How can they persuade a psychotic man not to shoot the president?

Sinatra is brilliant. He often looks directly at the camera, which adds to his psychotic appearance with his wide eyes and odd behavior. This is Sinatra like you’ve never seen him before. He’s creepy yet at the same time manages to add some sympathy to his evil persona.

While the hostages are attempting to talk Baron out of killing the president, they remind him that no one had ever gotten away with it before. That was true then and it is still true. But Baron insists he will be the first one. All he wants is the money owed him for his work. He has nothing against the president. Viewers learn the money and his love of killing are the only things he is interested in.

Because of Sinatra’s close association with President Kennedy, his performance in this film most likely passed through his mind in the days after November 22, 1963.

This HD version adds an element of starkness to the story. It’s still in black and white, yet the restoration to high definition makes everything pop.

Suddenly was released the year after Sinatra won an Academy Award for his performance in From Here to Eternity. The singer/actor combined musicals with dramatic films during his career. He was good at both and never failed to entertain his fans.

Suddenly, the restored classic, is now available from The Film Detective.

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‘Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital’ on DVD

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital is a collection of episodes from the popular Disney Junior series. This collection looks at the McStuffins family adoption of a new baby and Doc’s introduction to the world of McStuffinsville.

In these stories, viewers learn about the McStuffins magic – their ability to bring toys to life through their special stethoscopes. This magic was passed down to Doc by her grandmother. The special ability skips a generation. Her grandmother got it from her grandfather. So now it’s Doc’s turn. Viewers also learn how Lambie became Doc’s first toy and best friend for life.

Now that Doc has shown her ability to care for the toys, Grandma gives her another gift. This time it’s a Toysponder, a special bracelet that magically transports them to the world of McStuffinsville, named for their family. Only toys inhabit this enchanting place.

Doc takes over duties in the hospital. Lambie is put in charge of the nursery, Stuffy is in charge of pets, Chilly becomes the receptionist, Rosie is in charge of the ambulance, and Hallie is Doc’s head nurse. They all have some great new adventures in this special place named for the McStuffins family. How cool is that? What is cooler? Being able to bring toys to life or being able to transport into a whole new town inhabited only by toys?

Besides the introduction to McStuffinsville, this disc focuses on the adoption of the new baby. Both Doc and Donny are excited to have a new baby sister or brother. They learn about responsibility and caring for another human. Doc is anxious to be a good big sister and a responsible baby sitter. She also wants to find the perfect first toy for the baby. This leads her to select a little koala named Lala. Lala will be to the new baby what Lambie is to Doc – her first toy and friend for life.

Once the baby is bought home, the task for the family is selecting a name for this little girl. While Donny wants to call her Apple Pie, the family settles on Maya – thanks to some input by little Lala.

Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital is filled with a collection of stories to enchant and delight the entire family. It’s colorful, musical, and has plenty of stories for the entire family to enjoy together. Included in the box is a toysponder for your child. While it won’t magically transport him or her to McStuffinsville, it will inspire plenty of imagination in his/her own bedroom.

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Download Free Doc McStuffins Toy Hospital Activities

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

The Science Behind Pixar Exhibition at the California Science Center

Posted on October 14, 2016October 14, 2016 by Francine Brokaw

Visitors to the California Science Center in Los Angeles have a special treat. From October 15, 2016 through April 9, 2017 The Science Behind Pixar Exhibition will entertain and educate visitors young and old. Not only will they come face to face with many of their Pixar favorites, but there are also plenty of interactive exhibits that demonstrate the intricacies of making animation come to life.

“The art challenges the technology…and the technology inspires the art,” said John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer at Pixar/Disney. As visitors quickly realize, making an animated movie requires a lot of creativity as well as science. This is where artistic ability merges with science. Art, science, and math are all necessary ingredients in making animated films these days.

This 12,000 square foot interactive exhibit shows everything from lighting to layout, textures to surfaces, and sets to camera angles. For instance, have you ever heart of Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Functions? BRDF, as it’s known in the industry, is an important element in the process. Once you learn about this, you won’t take lighting for granted. While you probably never thought about the lighting functions in any particular scene, other than to say “that’s pretty,” you’ll soon learn exactly how lighting and reflections create the frames that make the movie come to life.

If you think you’ll never use the math you learn in school, think again. If you want to work in animation, you’ll need to know about algorithms. Science and math are part of the process and if you have enjoyed Dory, Sulley, Merida, and the other characters, you have enjoyed having science and math put to good use. For instance, using math made Lightning McQueen look like real metal. So yes, math is important for things other than balancing a checkbook or counting change.

For those who are not aware how a frame comes to the big screen, it goes through several steps: modeling, rigging, surfaces, sets & cameras, animation, simulation, lighting, and rendering. By watching the screens visitors to this exhibit learn exactly what each of these steps do to finally come up with the completed frame we see on film.

With 40 interactive exhibits, along with plenty of models and places for great photo ops, this exhibition is definitely something for the entire family. This is not only a fun exhibition, it is also eye-opening. Once you leave you will have a greater understanding of how your favorite Pixar films came to be, and you’ll definitely have a greater appreciation for all the people who work at the studio. Today’s animation is extremely technical. Art is important, but there are so many other things that go into making modern animation.

Did you know Sulley has 2.3 million hairs on his fluffy blue body? And for Finding Nemo, they had to find ways of making water look real from all angels. It’s no easy task.

Besides having fun, what most visitors will take away from “The Science Behind Pixar Exhibition” is the amount of work that goes into making Wall-E, Joy, Merida, Russell, Nemo, Dory, and everyone else. The story is one thing but once that is ready, the real work begins.

About the Authors

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel.

Roy Brokaw writes about interesting things to do and places to see. He is also an accomplished travel photographer.