It’s that time again. Happy Lunar New Year! Celebrate at the Disneyland Resort with food, shows, activities, and fun with Mickey, Minnie, and the gang.
For those who enjoy sampling the resort’s various food designed for this festival, once again they offer their Sip and Savor Pass with 6 digital coupons. These can be exchanged at the Lunar New Year Market kiosks around Disney California Adventure and various dining locations there as well.
This year there are over 40 new food and drinks designed to celebrate Asian cuisine. The Lunar New Year festival celebrates Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean traditions.
Make sure to check out “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession” that takes place at various times in the park. It’s filled with colorful costumes, Asian music, and of course Mulan and Mushu. This bright and beautiful parade offers daytime guest a fun experience.
Photo: Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort
One of my favorite activities is always the Lunar New Year Wishing Wall. This is where guests can write their wishes for the year on special cards and add them to the wall along with all the other wishes of health and happiness for the coming year.
In the evening there is a pre-show of the World of Color – One, which features Mulan and others in a tribute to Asian culture. This “Hurry Home” water show runs nightly.
There are crafts for children to do where they can color and draw. These activities are available from 10 am to 6:30 pm every day.
Mickey and Minnie have their celebratory Lunar New Year outfits inspired by Korean culture.
Turning Red fans can meet Meilin Lee and her mom, Ming Lee who are available to chat and for photo ops at specific times throughout the day.
Photo: Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort
This is the Year of the Snake. Can you think of snakes from Disney movies? Of course, the first one that comes to mind is Kaa from The Jungle Book. Don’t forget about Juju from The Princess and the Frog. Sir Hiss appeared in Robin Hood. This is the perfect opportunity to rewatch those movies during the Year of the Snake.
Celebrate the Lunar New Year from January 17 through February 16, 2025 at Disney California Adventure. As always, check the Disneyland app for specific times for performances, parades, and activities as they might vary from day to day.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry and travel for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
It’s hard to believe that there have been 18 seasons of the hit detective series Murdoch Mysteries. The characters still entertain viewers in this milestone 300th episode titled “The Men Who Sold the World”.
William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) and his wife Dr. Julia Ogden (Helene Joy) retreat to an upscale English countryside inn. This place is not only picturesque but also provides the backdrop for a sinister case for Detective Murdoch.
While Julia was hoping for a romantic getaway with her husband, she is disappointed when on their first day he meets one of his idols, American detective Ronald Perle (Donal Logue) , who he claims is the world’s greatest detective. He is completely enamored by the man and his instincts tell him Perle is there on a case, which Perle denies. But Murdoch knows better.
Meanwhile, Julia runs into a man whom she took care of years ago when he was just a child. Wendell Stewart is now grown and at the inn to join a secret society of rich businessmen where he will take the place of his deceased father left. But what is really going on with these rich and powerful men and what does the society really do?
With Julia happy to be reacquainted with her former charge and William excited to be in the presence of his idol, things back home in Toronto continue as usual. Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) is planning a surprise birthday party for his wife Margaret (Arwen Humphreys) but things don’t go according to plan.
Back in England, a woman is found dead in the pond at the inn. Both Murdoch and Perle think she did not drown but was murdered. Murdoch is in heaven when he and Perle team up to solve the murder, with the help of Julia, of course.
So, there are several things going on in this 300th episode. The birthday party in Toronto brings viewers a taste of the series back at Station House 4, but the main storyline is in England with the murder mystery at the inn which has Murdoch, Perle, and Ogden uncovering a very sinister plot that might have viewers wondering just how fictional this story really is. It’s food for thought.
This is the 10th episode of the 22 in this 18th season.
“The Men Who Sold the World” premieres January 20, 2025 on Ovation TV. Murdoch Mysteries hits #300 and is still going strong as there is season 19 on the horizon. How many seasons will this last? Only time will tell.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
Photos by Stephen Scott for Shaftesbury. Copyright: Shaftesbury
Kino Lorber just released three classic comedies on Blu-ray starring some of Hollywood’s greatest actors. Teacher’s Pet (1958), Houseboat (1958), and That Funny Feeling (1965) are good for laughs, some fun moments, and pretty wholesome stories. Even though none of them is rated, they are approved for the whole family.
Teacher’s Pet stars Doris Day and Clark Gable, yes, the Clark Gable of Rhett Butler/Gone with the Wind fame. This is a cute comedy that shows Gable’s fun side as well as Day’s dramedy side, as she went on to star with Rock Hudson in several classic and memorable rom-coms of the day.
Day is Erica Stone who’s father had been a Pulitzer Prize winning editor of a small town newspaper. She holds him in high regard and teaches journalism at night school to help and guide prospective journalists in the vane of her late father. When it comes to her dad, she is blinded. She feels he was one of the very greatest journalists in the country and could do no wrong when it came to writing and editing.
Now enter James Gannon (Gable), a hard-nosed editor of a big-time newspaper. When Erica invites him to lecture at her class, he replies with a stern letter. To ease the tension his boss insists he smooths things over with her so he appears in her class.
With mistaken identity, she thinks he is a new student and before long he is enrolled in her class. And yes, he is the star student.
Erica thinks he has a great future ahead of him in journalism, completely unaware that he already has a notable career in the field. Their relationship grows and soon, as he is wooing her, he discovers who her father was.
Unfortunately, he points out the fact that her father’s paper, the one she holds up as one of the best in the country, was not as good as she thinks. With that, Erica decides to take a good look at the newspapers her father put out during his illustrious career. Lo and behold she realizes that James is right.
With the complication of his pretending to be a student and then his derogatory remarks about her father’s paper, their relationship comes to a halt. But wait, neither of them is too big to acknowledge their errors and yes, they do get together in the end. It’s really not a spoiler because everyone knows that will be the ending.
Houseboat
Houseboat stars Cary Grant as Tom Winters, a widower with three young children. When his sister-in-law decides to take the kids he finally turns into the dad he has never been. He insists they remain with him and ends up moving them all onto a rickety houseboat.
The kids are a handful, with David (Paul Petersen) being a trouble-maker, Robert (Charles Herbert) being a lonely bereaved little boy, and Elizabeth (Mimi Gibson) taking on the mother role to her brothers, as well as trying to help her dad learn how to take care of kids.
When Robert takes off and meets Cinzia (Sophia Loren), he brings her back to their houseboat.The kids insist she stays on as their caretaker and maid. Well, Cinzia is happy to do so but she is no maid. Her father is a professional orchestra leader in town for a concert and Cinzia sees this as an opportunity to get away from the life of fancy parties and people fawning over her dad.
Things get pretty whacky on that little houseboat. Soon Tom finds himself leaning on his sister-in-law Carolyn (Martha Hyer) however their future is not to be. As in any good rom-com, the two main characters fall in love and this is no different.
Thanks to Cinzia’s interference though, Tom has become a great dad. The family is once again a happy one with the addition of Cinzia who brings some lighthearted spirit to the entire group.
There is a touching scene on the back of the boat where David is depressed about the loss of his mother and his life being disrupted. Tom tells him that nothing is ever gone, and as they discuss how pouring water into the river isn’t the end of the water, it joins the river then evaporates and becomes rain and returns to the earth. It’s a sentimental scene and on a personal note, when I was having coffee with Paul Petersen several years ago, he informed me that Cary Grant told him this was his (Paul’s) scene and to make it his own. He was very impressed with Grant’s professionalism and helpfulness to all the children in the cast.
Although it is said that Bobby Darin was not overly enthusiastic about the rom-coms he made with his wife Sandra Dee, That Funny Feeling is one that really brings a lot of fun and entertainment to viewers. The show co-stars Donald O’Connor, Nita Talbot, Larry Storch, and Leo G. Carroll.
Joan (Dee) lives with Audrey (Talbot) in a teeny tiny apartment. They are maids for hire and one of Joan’s apartments she cleans belongs to Tom (Darin). He’s a partying fool and her work is always more intense after one of his big parties.
She is happy when he informs her via a note that he will be away for a couple weeks. That means she has one less apartment to clean, and this one is a doozy.
Joan bumps into Tom literally on the street and they start a friendship. When he asks to see her apartment, she can’t very well take him to her cramped little hovel so she takes him to Tom’s place knowing he is out of town. Because she always cleans when he is at work, they have never met. So when he goes to her place which is really his place, he is confused.
To spruce up the place and make it less “manly,” Joan and her friends get some girly items to place in the apartment. By hocking Tom’s expensive suits they get the money to rent some cute chintzy items. And why stop there? They decide to move into this big place while Tom is away. After all, no one is using it so what’s the harm?
To say things get crazy is an understatement. But it’s a very cute story with some adorable situations and some funny lines.
So with the Blu-ray releases of these three entertaining movies, there are some fun hours in store for viewers. All three will be available January 28, 2025 and are available to preorder. Enjoy! (I do!)
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
The digital version of the hit movie Wicked is now available and the Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD versions will be available for purchase on February 4, 2025. The film, which debuted in theaters November 22, 2024, has captured the hearts and minds of audiences of all ages.
The story of OZ before Dorothy visited that amazing place with Munchkinland and the Emerald City, is played out on a grand scale. It was a massive hit as a stage play but on screen everything is larger and more amazing than what could be accomplished on a stage.
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba, who people know as The Wicked Witch of the West due to the iconic 1939 movie that brought Dorothy to OZ. Ariana Grande is Galinda – later changed to Glinda – who we all know as the Good Witch from the 1939 film.
In this story Galinda is a self-centered girl who wants desperately to enhance any magical powers she might have, but mainly she wants to be the most popular student at Shiz University. It’s here where she meets Elphaba who becomes a student at the school merely by chance.
Elphaba tells her personal history to Galinda when they become best friends. Elphaba is a very kind girl who thinks more about others than about herself, in direct contrast to her roommate Galinda. But when Galinda realizes how kind she is, her animosity changes and she embraces Elphaba. Because of this, Elphaba, who has been an outcast at the school, suddenly becomes popular too.
There are many intricacies that happen in the school, and Elphaba becomes aware of the treatment of animals in the land. One by one they are disappearing and their usefulness is taken away. At one time animals were great teachers and helpful to all, but someone is changing this and Elphaba wants to go to the Emerald City to get the Wizard to help the animals.
Wicked is part one of the franchise. The story will be continued when Wicked 2 comes out in theaters this November. In the meantime, Wicked is available for those who have not seen it or those who have and want to see it again, and maybe many times before the continuation of the story of Elphaba and Glinda comes to audiences this fall.
There are additional features on the discs and digital versions. Ten deleted scenes as well as some little featurettes add to the background of the story and the film. “Welcome to Shiz” is an eight-minute featurette all about the school.
A really cute featurette titled “The Wonderful Wizard” has Jeff Goldblum looking at his character of the Wizard.
“A Wicked Legacy” has the cast discussing their experiences with the stage play and their memories of Kristin Chenoweth and Irina Menzel who originated the characters on Broadway. By the way, they make a brief cameo in this film.
A45-minute “Making of” feature is entertaining and educational for those who want to deep-dive into the filmmaking process. It describes how a wide net was cast to find the perfect actors to bring the characters to the screen. They also talk about when the idea of making it a musical instead of a drama was floated, creators and producers were eager and anxious to bring Wicked to the stage. And the rest is history.
There is a “sing-along” version so those who absolutely love the songs will be able to join in the fun.
It is touted as the best movie of 2024. You be the judge and watch it in the comfort of your own home, or maybe have a wicked party, or Wicked party!
This is a highly produced and colorful film with amazing sets and song after song. Even though it is a fantasy there are a few elements that might be upsetting to young viewers – especially the aspects concerning the treatment of animals.
Wicked is rated PG for some scary action, thematic material, and brief suggestive material.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
If you’re a Disney fan you know this is the 70th anniversary of Disneyland. Yes, 70 years ago Walt Disney proclaimed “Disneyland is your land.” Since then the resort has changed dramatically, especially with the addition of Disney California Adventure, which, when Walt opened the park was actually a parking lot. Walt would be surprised if he were to come back today to check on his beloved Disneyland. It’s thriving and continuing to bring wonder and happiness to families – young and old.
Disneyland fans also know there are special events throughout the year and plan on attending them annually. There is no Princess Night this year but there are several other popular events that will please guests who plan their vacations accordingly.
Below is the complete event calendar for 2025. Pick your favorite or favorites and make your reservations soon. The separately ticketed events sell out quickly!! Have fun!!
The latest original movie for the Hallmark+ streaming service combines a fun story with beautiful scenery. Love of the Irish was filmed in Ireland in the southern part of the country in County Cork, which is absolutely beautiful and provides a wonder backdrop for the two stories weaving through the film.
Shenae Grimes-Beech is Fiona, an aspiring ballet dancer who never gets a break. Her auditions prove she is a good dancer but her luck never holds when it comes to the final casting. She has moved back in with her parents while she figures out what her next move will be and while she is waiting for her big break. She insists she has bad luck and is absolutely tired of it!
Moira Kelly is Helen, Fiona’s mother who is keeping a secret. She was adopted, which is not the secret. She is hiding the fact that her birth mother has contacted her and Helen is apprehensive about responding.
After a disastrous audition, Fiona discovers her mom’s secret an urges her to get in touch with her birth mom, who happens to live in Ireland. Fiona surprises her mom with a mother/daughter trip to Ireland to search out the woman. It’s the perfect time for this trip as Fiona is unemployed, her father is out of town on business, and Helen’s antique shop is closed for a couple weeks for repairs.
Fiona and Helen book a quaint little cottage in an even quainter little village. It’s here where they hope to find MJ, Helen’s biological mother.
They meet Liam (Stephen Hagan) who own the local pub. Fiona and Liam get off to a rocky start but soon they forge a nice friendship. Fiona says she needs to find the Luck of the Irish because she has nothing but bad luck.
Liam leads her on a quest to find the luck, taking her to various locations and doing various tasks that local people do to improve their luck and cast out their dreams into the universe with hopefully good outcomes.
Fiona is a bit of a klutz. It’s cute to see her try to do some of the tasks with varying degrees of competence, or incompetence.
Meanwhile, they locate MJ who is a tour guide at an historical manor. It takes some time and courage but soon Helen makes herself known to MJ and their relationship begins with an emotional hug.
While Helen and MJ are bonding, so are Fiona and Liam. It seems Fiona’s bad luck has changed. She now has the luck of the Irish, and with Liam, she has the love of the Irish as well.
Fiona finally realizes what it is she wants from her life. It’s not dancing in Giselle or The Nutcracker. She found another outlet for her love of dance. She found her true professional calling in Ireland, and as a bonus, her personal future with Liam.
Love of the Irish is a nice little film with beautiful – and green – scenery. It’s streaming on Hallmark+.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
The southwest if filled with great Mexican restaurants. So what makes Franco’s Famous stand out among some of the other delicious restaurants serving up Mexican delights?
Let’s start with their chips and salsa. They have some of the most delicious chips and salsa. The chips themselves are addicting. Then add some special salsa and wow. It’s really easy to get filled up on these before your entree arrives, so pace yourself!
One of the most requested entree is their fajitas. There are plenty of options, however you can’t go wrong with just the simple veggie fajitas. Of course, you can add chicken, steak, shrimp, or any combination. And you get your choice of corn or flour tortillas. The sizzling dish comes alongside a plate of tortillas, cheese, rice, beans, lettuce, and guacamole.
They also offer several burritos, enchiladas, Chile Rellenos, and tacos among many other entrees.
Taco Tuesdays is always a popular day to visit Franco’s Famous.
They have a full bar with margaritas being their specialty, and there are several varieties of this yummy libation, including the Franco’s Famous Margarita. If you want something different, perhaps the Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita would be of interest. Or just a plain blended fruit margarita is always a safe option. With a full bar they have several specialty crafted cocktails, so if you love to try new things, read through their specialty options: High Hopes, Shipwrecked, Lavender Dreams, FF Sangria, Yours Truly, etc.
Franco’s Famous has a happy hour for cocktails and food specialties, and they also have several vegan dishes.
Southern California has plenty of Mexican restaurants. If you are in the area of San Clemente or Laguna Hills you and you enjoy fresh, delicious Mexican food, by all means, check out Franco’s Famous. It is a local favorite.
One tip: If you are ordering the fajitas or another large entree, consider splitting it with someone because the chips and salsa are too good to skip and you will most likely fill up a little bit on those before your entree is delivered.
About the Reviewer
Francine Brokaw writes about travel, products, books, and all aspects of 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, and is a contributor on Good Day Orange County.
This is a new year and people are making their resolutions. Many resolutions are to read more or to join a book club. There’s something comforting about actually holding a book and flipping the pages as opposed to looking at a screen and reading a digital book. Book clubs are also great places to exchange ideas and meet new people.
Hallmark Channel’s popular stars Erin Krakow and Robert Buckley combine in a story about finding what it is that brings you joy and happiness. Blind Date Book Club is a fun story that is perfect for a wintry day.
Set in picturesque Nantucket, Meg (Krakow) has taken over her mother’s book store, Mimi’s Book Corner, after her mom passed away. She left her own real estate career to care for her mother’s dream.
When her aunt wants to sell her own share of the store in which she is a silent partner, Meg is at a crossroads. Should she sell the whole store and go back to her old life or is she happier in Nantucket running the book store?
Meg has created something fun and unique in the store. The “Blind Date with a Book Club” connects prospective couples while at the same time introducing them and the club to new books. Another interesting thing she comes up with is covering books and writing only a small blurb about the story so readers must discover the whole story for themselves and return to the club to discuss it. It’s a double-blind, so to speak – a blind book and a blind date.
When bestselling author Graham Sterling (Buckley) hears about the store and the club, he decides to investigate. He has written a successful series of Young Adult novels but is anxious to spread his wings and write a historical romance. Unfortunately his publisher disagrees with that decisions and tries to point him back on the YA path where he has a loyal following.
Not deterred by his publisher, Graham self-publishes his new novel under a pseudonym and decides to have Meg and her book club review the book. This is risky and as soon as Meg discovers who the author is she wonders if they should go ahead with the reviews.
While this is taking place, Meg and Graham form a close relationship. And yes, they do fall in love. But could Graham’s plot to have his new novel out in the public be the end of his new career. And also, if people find out Meg is promoting her boyfriend’s book could it be the end of the popular club?
The story comes to a climax when both Meg and Graham must decide in which direction they want their lives and careers to go. Should she sell the store or has her heart settled there with her books and clients? And Graham has an awakening about which direction his writing should go.
Although this movie was released last spring, it is a nice way to start the new year. And it might even inspire viewers to search out a book club where they can meet new people and enjoy new books.
Blind Date Book Club streams on Hallmark+.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County and YouTube. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
Two of BritBox’s beloved mysteries return in 2025 however they both have holiday episodes this month to whet your appetite for the upcoming season of Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise.
Beyond Paradise
On December 25th BritBox will begin streaming the Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2024. All of the cast has returned for this third season: Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman, Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd, Zahra Ahmadi as DE Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford, Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd, and Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins.
The Christmas special has two main storylines running through the show. First, Humphrey and Martha are fostering a teenager. Fostering a child is not as easy as they originally hoped, and a teenager adds even more difficulties. As they try to forge a connection with Jaiden, Humphrey has another problems.
The Shipton Abbott police force has their hands full with a missing Virgin Mary mannequin that has been stolen from the church. Kelby is assigned “Virgin Mary” detail and goes off in search of the mannequin.
Meanwhile, Humphrey and Ester are mystified by a man who keeps seeing his dead wife. And not only that, there are traces of the woman around the house. Could it be a spirit? Most likely not, as Humphrey uses his intelligence to add up clues to discover what is happening to that poor old man and who is tormenting him.
Both mysteries are solved by the end of the episode, as is the relationship between Martha and Jaiden.
Beyond Paradise returns for season 3 next spring.
Death in Paradise
Photo credit: Lou Denim
The Death in Paradise Christmas Special 2024 premieres December 27, 2024 and it’s like a homecoming for fans of the show who have been anxiously awaiting the return of this colorful cast. The show takes place on the tropical island of Saint Marie with all the beauty of that island front and center. Even the wardrobes are colorful and tropical.
As fans of the series know, the show premiered in 2011 and has had a steady fanbase through the years even though the main Detective Inspector has changed several times. At the end of last season DI Neville Parker left the island so the police department in Honore is now down to DS Naomi Thomas (Shantou Jackson), Officer Darlene Curtis (Ginny Holder), Officer Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules), and Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington).
They are desperately in need of a Detective Inspector when multiple Santas are murdered seemingly by the same gun at the same time. How could this be?
Enter DI Melvin Wilson (Don Gilet), who is on the island on his vacation from his job in London. He is a city boy and cannot adjust to the slower island life. He’s anxious to return to his beloved London but is asked by his supervisor to remain on Saint Marie to help them solve this strange case. Wilson is the only character not donning tropical attire as he refuses to get any more involved there than necessary.
Needless to say, DI Wilson ruffles a few feathers and definitely gets on everyone’s nerves. He does not want to associate with his fellow officers or the people in the town. He just wants to solve the crime and get back to London.
It’s not like fans of the show aren’t used to a new DI coming in and being rather strange or unusual. There have been four DIs that have come to Honore, and each one has had his own quirks. (Humphrey Goodman is the only one to have a spinoff – Beyond Paradise.)
With the town on edge, it’s not a festive holiday season on the island until the mystery is finally solved.
With Wilson entering the scene, viewers start the season with a new character who really doesn’t fit into the island at all, but it looks like it just might be where he belongs. And Dwayne is considering leaving the department. He’s a colorful character inside and out.
Also returning are Elizabeth Bourgnine as Catherine Borday, Mayor of Honore and owner of the local pub/restaurant, and of course Harry, the adorable lizard who lives at the beach shack given to the current DI.
Season 14 of Death in Paradise returns with new episodes in February 2025.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.
This is the season when kids and adults look forward to attending The Nutcracker Ballet in cities and towns across the country. For many families it is a holiday tradition. So having a Christmas movie focused on ballet is a treat. A Royal Ballet is filled with plenty of ballet sequences, Nutcracker and holiday music, and a fairytale storyline.
Brittany Underwood and Jonathan Stoddard star in this story of royalty, romance, and revelations. Underwood is Carrie, a retired ballerina who is now the creative director of a local dance company. Stoddard is Prince William who is asked by his mother the Queen, or rather requested by her, to accompany Medea (Daniela Couso), a ballerina from their country to America. She is going to perform in Carrie’s production as part of an arts exchange program between the two countries.
Medea is talented but she is also a snob and has her heart set on being Prince William’s girlfriend, although he is not interested in her that way. Medea jealousy of Carrie has her conniving and she tries various tricks to keep William’s attention while they are in America, however once William meets Carrie his attention is diverted and she is the object of his concentration, and affection.
There is an instant connection between Carrie and Prince William.
The prince’s aid, Colin (Allen Guy Wilcox), sees the attraction but stays out of the way of all three characters. His duty is to the prince.
While Carrie and William get to know each other, their attraction grows. She takes him to a tree farm where he has the unique job of chopping down a Christmas tree for the school. This is something new to him.Also among the experiences Carrie introduces William to is the joy of riding on a carousel, something he has never been able to do. Of course he has, as he admits, cut ribbons and visited them, however William has never actually ridden on a carousel.
While Carrie entices everyone with all the baked goodies from her mother, she indulges in some sweets herself. And when she is disappointed when William has to break a dinner date – thanks to Medea’s interference – Carrie orders all the desserts in the restaurant. Who among us has had that idea at some time or another? Why order an entree when you can eat all the desserts?
As with all the sweet (no pun intended) and heartfelt stories this time of year, A Royal Christmas Ballet does not disappoint. It ends exactly as we expect and want.
A Royal Christmas Ballet premieres December 22, 2024 on Great American Family.
About the Reviewer
Francine Brokaw writes about books, products, travel, and all aspects of entertainment for over 30 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, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County.
For those who enjoy sampling the resort’s various food designed for this festival, once again they offer their Sip and Savor Pass with 6 digital coupons. These can be exchanged at the Lunar New Year Market kiosks around Disney California Adventure and various dining locations there as well.
This year there are over 40 new food and drinks designed to celebrate Asian cuisine. The Lunar New Year festival celebrates Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean traditions. 
There are crafts for children to do where they can color and draw. These activities are available from 10 am to 6:30 pm every day.
