The latest and greatest from Disney Home Entertainment is their Signature Collection, and launching this new collection is Disney’s first animated feature film – and Disney’s first princess – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Along with the classic movie in which the young princess meets a group of seven little fellows and ultimately goes off to live with the love of her life, there are plenty of bonus features that add to the understanding of this great undertaking.

The new Disney princess Moana is about to be introduced later this year and join the list of cherished characters that are beloved by all ages. Snow White was the first Disney Princess and all aspects that went into designing this animated character are examined. Another featurette looks at the men behind the legendary “nine old men” who were instrumental in the character development. There is also a look at an exposure sheet, which is “a treasure map” to how a scene is put together. This is interesting film history, even for those who aren’t into animation.

There’s a look at “iconography” which shows how pop culture and art have been affected by this movie, as well as an alternate scene in which Disney himself talks about how he envisioned a scene to play out. There is also a little feature containing seven facts you might not know about the making of the movie, two deleted scenes, and two vocal reenactments from story meeting transcripts.

Working for Walt Disney looks like a fun place to be and in the Hyperion Studio Tour, viewers see the fun as well as the work that employees of the studio encountered on a daily basis. The success of Snow White enabled Disney to build the Walt Disney studio.

“In Walt’s Words” is an amazing bonus that looks at the entire movie through the eyes and words of Walt Disney. The silent movie Snow White was the first big feature film he saw as a boy. The story remained with him throughout his life. He knew making a full-length animated feature of the story would not be a mistake and, as he says, he had to “train” his people to make it exactly as he envisioned. “With every laugh there must be a tear.”

Perhaps the most enlightening and fun bonus feature is “Snow White Returns.” While researching for this new edition, something wonderful was uncovered in the Disney research library. It was the proposal for another Snow White story. It might have been plans for a sequel or simply an animated short. People were clamoring for more with the beloved characters. What was discovered was an outline utilizing the two deleted scenes and incorporating them into a story where Snow White returns to the forest for her annual visit with the dwarfs. It would be nice to see something like this come to fruition fleshed out a little more completely.

Additional bonus features add to the background and wonder of this iconic film.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Signature Edition 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.

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Meryl Streep is the quintessential “boss from hell” in this hit 2006 movie. Anne Hathaway is wonderful as the wide-eyed college graduate with dreams of being a journalist. Together they make The Devil Wears Prada a memorable film.

Andy (Hathaway) is the girl next door. She isn’t into fashion at all. She is just trying to get her first job in journalism. So when she is hired by Runway magazine to be the assistant to the no-nonsense editor Miranda (Streep), she sees this as a step to her ultimate goal. Little does she know that her life will be turned upside down as she goes from a fish out of water to the perfect assistant whose knowledge of fashion and designers would rival any A-lister.

Andy initially scoffs at all the hubbub about fashion. After all, her goal is to write about things that matter to the world. But Miranda insists fashion matters just as much as a garbage strike or any such thing. After getting off to a rocky start, Andy decides to dig in for the long haul and transforms herself into the typical Runway employee, complete with a new hairstyle and a wardrobe that would turn any fashionista green. Actually, it does. Emily (Emily Blunt) lives and breathes fashion and is Miranda’s first assistant. She is exasperated by Andy but soon becomes an ally of this woman who is learning about the fashion journalism field from the bottom up.

The question Andy must ultimately face is whether she is compromising herself and her dreams to prove herself. Yes, she enjoys looking fabulous. Yes she has mastered the job of being an assistant to the boss from hell. Yes she is learning everything about fashion journalism. But is she following her dream?

Bonus features on this DVD include a look at how the screenplay was reimagined from the book on which it was based. The book was a rather comical look at the fashion industry and the filmmakers wanted it to be “more respectful” to the characters. Another featurette looks at fashion in NYC. Anyone who knows Sex and the City knows fashion is important in this city. There is a look at the costume designer on this film, Patricia Field, who was also responsible for the fashion on that popular series.

The movie has a cameo by legendary designer Valentino, and a featurette discusses this coup for the filmmakers. His appearance “legitimized” the movie. And the final featurette focuses on how demanding bosses can be, and how many hoops they put their assistants through.

Ten years ago The Devil Wears Prada infatuated fashionistas everywhere with the amazing wardrobe, and also brought up the theme of demanding bosses. Streep, Hathaway, and Blunt proved to be an entertaining cast. It is just as entertaining, funny, and enjoyable today.

The Devil Wears Prada 10th Anniversary Edition is rated PG-13 for some sensuality. It is also available on Blu-ray.

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

Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley star in this story of two people from different backgrounds who help each other through difficult times. Learning to Drive is an interesting movie combining cultures.

Wendy (Clarkson) just learned her husband is leaving her. This confrontation takes place in the back of Darwan’s (Kingsley) cab. When he sees she has left something in the car, the next day he delivers it to her Manhattan home. It’s there that she learns he is not only a taxi driver but also a driving instructor. Wendy doesn’t drive. She has left that to her husband. Now that he is gone and her daughter is living in Vermont, she feels it is time to learn to drive. Although hesitant, she undertakes the lessons.

Darwan is a religious Sikh from India who is now an American citizen. He has patience and compassion for his new student and although she freaks out from time to time, he insists she continue driving.

Throughout this period of learning to drive, the two become friends and the trust that grows between them helps each of them to get back on the road, no pun intended.

Darwan has just married a woman from India that he had never met until the night before their wedding. She is shy and refuses to leave their apartment, although he encourages her to do so. He is a bit frustrated when he learns she is uneducated. He has enjoyed being with Wendy, an intelligent writer. He is unable to discuss poetry and other things with his wife.

Wendy is intimidated by driving the streets of Manhattan, and decides to quit. But when she changes her mind, Darwan is there to help her back on track.

Their friendship is exactly what each of them needs at this time in their lives. Wendy gets the courage to continue driving and continue living her life anew without her husband, and Darwan gives his wife the courage to start living her new life in America. While their marriages are at different points – hers is ending and his is just beginning – together they give strength to each other.

This is a rather sweet story of kindness, compassion, courage, and learning to take charge of your own life. It is also a look at the complexities of life and of two different cultures. Learning to Drive is rated R for language and sexual content.

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

Matt Damon won a Golden Globe for his performance in this film and was just nominated for an Academy Award. The Martian is a story of survival and humanity.

The story begins on Mars. There is a crew from NASA that has been working on the red planet. When a super storm approaches, they prepare to abandon their mission and take off but in the midst of the storm, Astronaut Mark Watney is injured. The rest of the crew think he is dead and must launch to get out of danger. Even though she is hesitant to leave a crewmate behind, Commander Lewis (Jessica Chastain) gives the order to go.

What follows is the heart of the story, which takes place mainly on Mars where Watney is very much alive. He is injured, but alive. When he regains consciousness the enormity of what is happening hits him. He is all alone on a distant planet. He has no communications with Earth. No one knows he is alone. He doesn’t have enough food to last until the next scheduled mission lands on the planet.

Watney is a botanist, which gives him additional skills in this situation. He devises a plan to grow potatoes. It’s genius. Although it has never been done before, Watney dives right into the plan and sets out to create a garden, which will sustain him for months and years.

Back on earth NASA discovers something is moving on Mars. They conclude Watney is alive. Through some very ingenious maneuvers, Watney manages to set up communications with earth. Finally he has some contact with other humans. What a relief.

While NASA tries to figure out how to get a supply ship up to Mars ASAP, Watney encounters one difficulty after another. His sense of humor is endearing and is what sustains him throughout the ordeal. Then when his fellow crewmates learn their colleague is alive, they decide to risk their own lives to rescue him.

Back on earth the entire world is watching this heroic mission, and praying for Watney’s safe return. This is an episode that brings the entire planet together.

Damon is amazing in this role and deserves his awards and nominations. He carries the film and everyone who watches will feel his courage, disappointment, frustration, and hope. Every emotion is captured in this one man as he manages to stay alive all alone on the desolate planet.

A bonus feature on the Blu-ray examines the original story and how it became a popular book and then how the book was produced into this dramatic, intense, and entertaining film. Other bonuses add plenty of additional entertainment to the film. They’re definitely worth watching.

The movie co-stars Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, and Sebastian Stan. It’s another space story of survival similar to that of Apollo 13 only much more dramatic. This is more a story of courage and strength as well as intelligence. Watney has them all. The science behind what unfolds in the movie is plausible. It will definitely amaze viewers as they see what a human being can accomplish.

The Martian is rated PG-13 for some strong language injury images, and brief nudity.

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