Author: Francine Brokaw

Good Witch 2-Hour Sneak Peek Halloween Episode

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Something Wicked

The popular Hallmark Channel series Good Witch returns for its second season on October 24, 2015 with a special 2-hour opening episode. Halloween is front and center, of course, in this fall season premier with the entire cast returning for more Middleton fun.

With the annual Halloween Fall Festival approaching, Middleton is getting Halloween fever. Cassie (Catherine Bell) is busy getting Grey House ready for the holiday while her daughter Grace (Bailee Madison) is coping with bullies at school. Martha (Catherine Disher) is commanding as ever as she doles out the assignments for the festival.

Sparks fly when an unexpected contestant for the Fall Festival Queen throws in her bid. Abigail (Sarah Power) decides to take on the reigning queen Stephanie (Kylee Evans). But that is secondary to the mystery of the new guest at Grey House. Who is this man and why is he snooping around the house? While everyone is eager to condemn him and evict him from the B&B, Cassie gives him the benefit of the doubt. There must be something redeeming about him in order for her not to feel any evil emanating from his aura. Right?

While everything is going on, Sam (James Denton) is still trying to connect with his son Nick (Rhys Matthew Bond). It seems these two are always on different wavelengths. But things are about to change.

Everything viewers love about this endearing Hallmark Channel series with its variety of characters is front and center in this two-hour sneak peek. With Halloween, there is an extra touch of Cassie Nightingale’s talent, of course.

Tune in Saturday, October 24, 2015 for this special Halloween-themed Good Witch. Make sure you have plenty of caramel apples and hot chocolate handy. Good Witch is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit. Enjoy!

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. 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

Tower to the People: Tesla’s Dream at Wardenclyffe Continues

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

20150226182448-tttp_photo1

Do you know who Nikola Tesla was? Have you ever heard of Nikola Tesla? You probably think of the Tesla electric car when you hear the name Tesla. “Tower to the People: Tesla’s Dream at Wardenclyffe Continues” is an amazing documentary that explores the genius and humanity of this man whose impact on our lives today is incalculable.

Did you see the movie “Tomorrowland” starring George Clooney? If so, then you know that Tesla is an important figure in science. He was one of the great minds at the top of the Eiffel Tower in that sci-fi film, along with Eiffel, Thomas Edison, and Jules Verne. So why did they include Nikola Tesla in this? This new documentary lays out Tesla’s creativity, imagination, and dedication to his vision of the future.

While Thomas Edison is the man we all study in school and the most famous of the inventors of his time, it was in fact Nikola Tesla who had an even greater idea for the world. He wanted to create wireless energy using the earth’s magnetism and natural forces and distribute it for free to all the corners of the world. He also had a vision of the entire world living in harmony and peace.

tower
Initially Tesla went to Colorado Springs to create his project that did indeed produce energy. It was so strong the energy on the ground could be measured when he unleashed his forces. He produced artificial lightening and lightening balls. When he knew for certain his invention was viable, he joined with J.P. Morgan (for funding) to build a tower on Long Island, which he called Wardenclyffe. This was the time of Edison, Marconi, Westinghouse, and others. The turn of the century was filled with endless possibilities, yet most people wanted to use their inventions for financial gain, especially Morgan who ultimately caused the end of the Tesla dream at Wardenclyffe.

Born in Croatia in 1856, Tesla became a U.S. citizen in 1891. He has not been given the credit he deserves. Without him our modern day computers wouldn’t exist. He developed the bladeless turbine engine among his many inventions and had a vision for an alternating current system that would power the world. Imagine no power lines. Imagine being able to get electricity from the earth’s natural current. Imagine streets that were pulsing with natural energy so your car would never need any other power source. Imagine.

Tesla is underrated and ignored in our history, and unjustly so. His genius was immeasurable. He was definitely a man whose ideas were ahead of his time. Or were they?

After his lab and tower at Wardenclyffe was sold then fell into disrepair, a group of Tesla supporters decided to turn the facility into a science museum. Then they decided to recreate Tesla’s dream and through the help of the Internet and crowd funding they were able to purchase the facility and the land. Now they are working toward Tesla’s dream.

This documentary is an important look at Nikola Tesla, a humanitarian scientist and inventor who was responsible for many things we take for granted today. Through recreations, interviews, and photographs, Nikola Tesla’s dream comes to life for viewers as they realize what this man contributed and could have contributed if the greed of J. P. Morgan hadn’t stopped him.

Be prepared to be amazed with this film. For more information about “Tower to the People: Tesla’s Dream at Wardenclyffe Continues” and how to get a copy for yourself, click here. It is an electrifying story, no pun intended.

Most of the film is dedicated to Nikola Tesla, however the last part delves into the power of the Internet and crowd funding. While it is interesting to see how the money was raised for the project, perhaps the film could have been just a little shorter on this aspect. Otherwise, it is truly fascinating to finally learn about this man.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. 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

Doc McStuffins Pet Vet DVD GIVEAWAY

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

DocMcStuffinsPetVetSM

Doc McStuffins opens a new veterinary practice in her backyard clinic where she treats stuffed animals and toys in Doc McStuffins: Pet Vet. Including 5 themed episodes of the Peabody Award-winning animated series Doc McStuffins, each highlighting lessons about care and responsibility for pets, the DVD also comes with a FREE exclusive pet collar. Doc McStuffins: Pet Vet is a must own for any little one!

We have some copies to giveaway

To be eligible to win a copy of Doc McStuffins Pet Vet, email us at [email protected] with “Doc McStuffins” 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 6, 2015.

Truth – Movie Review

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

truth

In 1976 Robert Redford played journalist Bob Woodward in the film All the President’s Men. That story was about the investigative journalism spearheaded by Woodward and Carl Bernstein who uncovered the Watergate cover-up which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. In Truth, Redford again takes on the role of a journalist when he plays Dan Rather in an incident that eventually led to Rather’s resignation from CBS.

This film delves into the television reporting of a story about President George W. Bush and his absence from the National Guard when he was supposed to be on duty. It also looks at the way the National Guard was used by those who wanted to escape the Vietnam War by serving in a local capacity.

Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) was the producer on this story and she was adamant about bringing this incident to the public via the CBS show 60 Minutes. Her relationship with Rather was friendly and collaborative. How she handled herself and the investigation is what comes into question in this movie, which is based on Mapes’ book Truth and Duty: The President, and the Privilege of Power.

If you are looking for a good movie about journalism the old-fashioned way with fact checking and credentials, this is not the movie for you. It is mired with personal divergence and doesn’t get into the nitty gritty that All the President’s Men does. It is, however, a reflection of the television news industry.

The one shining aspect of the film is Redford’s portrayal of Rather. He does a good imitation of the iconic newsman and the makeup department did a fabulous job in transforming the actor into the news anchor. Every once in awhile at certain angles Redford does look like Rather. That is enough to put viewers into the story. Otherwise, this is not an engaging or even appealing film.

Besides Redford and Blanchett, the film costars Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid, Elisabeth Moss, Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach, and Dermot Mulroney. Unfortunately, the great cast is not enough to make this an absorbing film. It has some merits though, by showing the importance of good journalism. “You stop asking questions and that’s when the American people lose.” A free press is the salvation of any democracy.

Truth is rated R for language and a brief nude photo.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. 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

‘Torah Codes: End to Darkness’ DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

torahcodes

The Torah is the first five books of the Bible. Torah Codes: End to Darkness examines the possible hidden codes within the text with alarming results.

Watching this film is eye opening, to say the least. Scholars dissect what they believe to be hidden codes within the Bible and what is revealed is astounding. How could things happening today be part of this three thousand year-old text?

Even before Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code hit the shelves and then the big screen, people have been looking at hidden codes within ancient texts and paintings. The Knights Templar seemed to be ground zero for ancient codes. But in the 1970s the Torah Codes revealed that thousands of years ago prophecies were written and they have and are coming true.

The film looks at several incidents including 9/11. Were there clues in the codes? And what about life in Israel today? This film closely examines how Hamas and Hezbollah are threatening the country and how much of this is foreseen in the Bible through the Torah Codes.

“End to Darkness” symbolizes the beginning of understanding and unlocking the Torah Codes. Prior to modern computers it was difficult to see everything laid out in the texts. Now, with our technical advancements, it is easier to dissect the hidden codes and unravel the messages.

Exhaustive studies have gone into the Torah Codes. Not only does the film describe the history of studying the codes, it also looks at some pretty amazing incidents that have occurred in Israel in recent years. The story of the missing field is enough to make anyone believe in miracles. And then add the story of how a rocket was heading straight for Israel and at the last minute a gust of wind blew it into the Mediterranean. Was it coincidence or a miracle?

The Torah Codes are encoded with hidden information about life in today’s world. How is that possible?

The Torah, or first five books of the Bible, from Genesis to Deuteronomy, is filled with miracles. Does it really include hidden codes? And if so, why do they basically begin in the 1970s? Could it be that those who encoded the text knew that was when our technology would be advanced enough to decode it?

The Torah is not a crystal ball nor should it be considered one…at this time. More information and study is needed. However, it is amazing to see what has been discovered within the text and opens the world to more discoveries.

Torah Codes: End to Darkness is truly and amazing documentary that opens up a new world within the Bible.

‘Please Believe Me’ on DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

please
From the Warner Bros. Archive Collection comes a madcap story starring Deborah Kerr, Robert Walker, Mark Stevens, and Peter Lawford. This 1950 black and white movie came three years before Kerr’s classic movie From Here to Eternity, and six years before her endearing performance in the musical The King and I, and seven years before the film for which she is most favorably remembered, An Affair to Remember. Please Believe Me is an old-fashioned film with a lovable cast.

Alison Kirbe (Kerr) is a Londoner who has been a pen pal to an American soldier she met during the war. This man embellishes everything in his writings, and she believes his Texas ranch is filled with cattle and rolling hills. In actuality it is a desert property not worth anything. But this is something she doesn’t know.

When this man dies, he leaves his “estate” to her. Thinking she is worth millions, Alison sets off for America to claim her inheritance. On the ship to America she meets a rich playboy (Lawford), his attorney who is trying to keep him out of trouble (Stevens), and a gambler who wants to seduce her for her money (Walker). Everyone, including Alison, believes she is wealthy.

But along the way all the plans get snarled and as schemes are revealed, relationships get more complicated. Once they arrive in America everything gets even more out of control. Lawford’s character doesn’t mind that Alison might be interested in him only for his money. His attorney, however, is insistent on getting to the bottom of this woman’s real motives, and the gambler is sure he can get her to marry him so he can finally pay off his debts.

Is this a corny story? Yes. Is this outdated? Yes. But there’s something endearing about the characters that keeps viewers watching.

Please Believe Me is part of the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered from their site at www.wbshop.com.