In Star Wars: The Force Awakens the force awakens in a young woman and the dark force awakens in a young men. The Blu-ray combo pack is filled with plenty of interesting and fun bonus features.

The little star of the film is the newest droid, BB-8. A bonus feature looks at how the filmmakers brought him to life, so to speak. They built several configurations of the little droid: one worked by a puppeteer, one that wiggled, one on a carrier, and on a trike. It’s interesting to see how imaginative they were in creating him. Besides this adorable little droid, there were 105 various creatures in the film, some were animatronic, puppets, and some were completely CG.

The folks at ILM discuss how they used “restraint” in their creativity and created the “grand illusion” in the film. The effects, they say, were only meant to “fill in” the story.

Training, choreography, and cardio buildup were part of the preparation by the actors for their grueling scenes. They discuss their pre-filming training and the filmmakers discuss the epic and visually striking light saber scene, which takes place at night in a snowy forest.

John Williams returned to create the magnificent score for this seventh film in the franchise. He knew he needed to keep the flavor of the franchise while adding to the new characters and paying homage to the returning characters.

The first table read of the script was documented and all the actors and filmmakers remark on this memorable and historic day. The script was read aloud by Mark Hamill. This was the first time the cast gathered together, bringing the original actors together with the new generation. Harrison Ford said that the casting choices were “audacious” and viewers see how they all reacted to their first meeting.

“Secrets of The Force Awakens” is an in-depth feature looking at the entire production, from the time George Lucas handed over the helm of LucasFilm to Kathleen Kennedy. Director J.J. Abrams and writer Lawrence Kasdan talk about their involvement in this film, and the actors discuss their contributions and experiences. For instance, filming in 120 degrees in the Abu Dhabi desert was daunting. And working with BB-8 was a delight. Other interesting tidbits in this educational and enlightening feature look at motion capture and the Skellig Island location for the final scene. Harrison Ford also recounts how he felt about his character of Han Solo and how in this film “his destiny is resolved.”

Deleted scenes and a feature about how the filmmakers are using the Star Wars franchise for a “Force for Change” by giving back to various charities and working with UNICEF round out the remaining features on the bonus disc in the combo pack. Needless to say, there are plenty of interesting aspects of creating this movie that are explained in all the additional features included in this pack.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 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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Wish Me Luck is a British drama series ran from 1987-1990. To be honest, I had never heard about it until recently. I got the set of the three seasons and began watching. The first 20 minutes were not too engrossing but I kept watching. Then it all changed. This series quickly got under my skin and I was completely engrossed in the stories and the characters.

The basis of the story is that during World War II, just after the Nazis took over France, a group of women were recruited to go behind enemy lines and retrieve information. These operatives were put through a tough training in Britain, to see if they had the right stuff. Their work was strictly voluntary. Knowing the dangers that awaited them and willing to risk their lives for their country and to free France from the Germans, the enthusiasm of the women was incredible.

The two main secret agents in the first part of the series are Liz (Kate Buffery) and Mathilde (Suzanna Hamilton). Liz is a woman whose husband is fighting in Egypt. She is living with her four-year-old daughter and her mother in the country. Liz’s brother was recently killed in action. She is torn between doing something to help her country and staying with her daughter. She spent a lot of time in France and is fluent in the language. She also knows the lay of the land, which makes her a great asset.

Then there is Mathilde, a single woman who loves to party, perhaps a little too much. She is half French and longs to return to France to help Britain. But does she have what it takes to be a secret agent? She convinces the powers that be that she certainly does.

The women are taught how to act if they are caught and tortured, how to spin their stories, how to face difficulties in the wild, and generally, how to survive. Before leaving for France, they are given cyanide pills. After all, this is war!

As the time goes by, the stress starts to take a toll on the women. Faith (Jane Asher) is part of the main corps of agents, and supervises the recruits. Later on her role expands as the war progresses.

The emotional tugs of war that inhabit the women are evident through the three seasons. Yet it is heartening to see the strong patriotism that has infected not only the agents but also the entire country. Winning the war is everyone’s priority, and doing his or her jobs in this effort is imperative.

This is an addicting series. Once you start you won’t want to stop watching. Their interactions with their families, with the military, and with each other make this fascinating and engrossing.

Because of its age, the quality of the video isn’t what we are used to in modern shows. It does show its age, however once you get past that and get into the story, you really won’t think about it. This is simply a good drama series. If you’re looking to be engrossed in a rich British drama, check out Wish Me Luck.

About the Author

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

A New Leaf is a fun little comedy written by and starring Elaine May. May is responsible for writing other memorable comedies including The Birdcage (1996), Ishtar (1987), Tootsie (1982), and Heaven Can Wait (1978). In this film she stars alongside Walter Matthau, who turns in his typical performance with dry-humor and plenty of amusing expressions.

Henry Graham (Matthau) is a rich, spoiled, single man living the high life. A sports car, drinks at the club, polo, and all the activities associated with the lifestyle of the rich and famous are at his disposal. Then he discovers he is flat broke. His only option, if he wants to keep his lifestyle, is to marry a rich woman. The thought disgusts him however he sets out to find someone to fit the bill. And he does find someone.

Henrietta Lowell (May) is a geeky, gawky, clumsy, science teacher whose family fortune is irresistible to Graham. And she has no other suitors. After all, who would want such a woman? The answer is Henry. Well, let’s just say he wants her money.

Henrietta is awkward, to say the least, which infuriates Henry. He is impeccable and runs a tidy house. Her house is a mess. He takes good manners to the heights. She is too clumsy to even keep a cup of tea from spilling onto the rug. How will these two get along?

Theirs is a match that offers them both something. She gets companionship and he gets to keep his lifestyle and call the shots in every aspect of the household, which is something he thoroughly enjoys. Life for Henry would only be better if Henrietta were out of the picture. But can he find a way to kill her without anyone knowing?

What he doesn’t know is that he and Henrietta are a good pair. It takes him awhile to figure that out. Between the time they meet and the endearing ending, there are some fun scenes, especially the one in the river.

This 1971 film is a good role for Matthau. He has played this type of character before and always with his trademark dry humor. May is fun to watch as the inept woman with a heart of gold.

A New Leaf is part of the Olive Films collection celebrating Women’s History month. “Despite their often limited exposure and notoriety, women have a long and excellent history of filmmaking. Many of these films have been unfortunately overlooked, but we believe that the brilliance of films created from the minds of women should never be understated,” said Marketing Director Bradley Powell. “It is because of the combined creative efforts of the talented female directors, writers, and crew that these films’ power endures, never in spite of it.”


A New Leaf is rated G.

About the Author

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