It’s Halloween time 2024 at Disneyland Resort

Posted on August 23, 2024August 13, 2025 by Francine Brokaw

(Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

Yes, it is early but people absolutely love all the Halloween activities and experiences at the Disneyland Resort. The usual Halloween festivities and decorations again greet guests of all ages at the resort. And, let’s not forget about all the delicious food concocted by the fabulous chefs at the resort.

(Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)

Families will especially enjoy the Plaza de la Familia at Disney California Adventure. There are things to do and see, and little guests have plenty of fun with the activities, especially with Miguel from Coco.

The spirit of the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebrates our family members who are no longer with us. This is a sentimental yet inspirational tradition.

(Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)

Guests get a photo opportunity with Miguel, experience live Mexican entertainment as well as storytelling. With colorful costumes, décor, music, dining options, and crafts, this area of Disney California Adventure is alive with the spirit of the holiday. And don’t forget to pick up a special souvenir of the event.

“The Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate The Musical World of Coco!” perform songs from the show including “Remember Me” and “The World Es Mi Familia,” as well as the classic Mexican folk song, “La Llorona.”

(Artist Concept/Disneyland Resort)

The traveling group of storytellers bring the bonds of family to guests through music and dance. This is indeed a family activity that will be remembered long after leaving the resort.

(Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)

Crafts for the entire family provide a nice way for kids and parents to celebrate the season, and there are plenty of photo-opportunities, not lease of which is the Árbol de la Vida (Tree of Life) with its artistic branches. And, like years past, the Memory Wall lets guest pass notes to their loved ones who have passed on.

Guests also get the opportunity to design their own paper mask of Pepita or Dante. And when they are ready to explore other areas of the resort, guests can stop by the “Remember Me” mural for a photo with little Miguel.

Cars Land is also decorated for the season as are the streets and buildings over in Disneyland itself.

Click below for a brief glimpse at the festivities that greet guests at the Disneyland Resort.

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.

Crown Royal Black Cherry Whisky Sour – review FOR ADULTS ONLY

Posted on August 22, 2024August 24, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Note: This is a product for adults only

The Crown Royal Black Cherry Whisky Sour ready-to-serve cocktail is the latest offering from Diageo’s “The Cocktail Collection”.

According to the company, the libation is crafted with blended Canadian whisky, lemon juice, and natural black cherry flavors. So, what does it taste like? Well, for someone who has never had a whisky sour, I did not know what to expect. So, after being offered a complimentary bottle, I decided to check it out.

 I definitely taste the black cherry (which I like), and the alcoholic taste is minimal. I thought it might be strong, but it isn’t. It is not too overpowering so I can see this being a nice addition to a party perhaps along with some of the other ready-to-pour cocktails.
The bottles are to be chilled then poured over ice. Everything is already mixed in the bottle so there’s no need to purchase any other ingredients.   For those who like fruity cocktails, this fits the bill.

The other ready-to-pour cocktails they offer are: Ketel One Espresso Martini, Ketel One Cosmopolitan (perfect for those who enjoyed Sex and the City), Astral Margarita (great for taco nights), Tanqueray Negroni, Bulleit Old Fashioned, and a Bulleit Manhattan.

Not having sampled the other flavors, I cannot comment on their taste, however they seem to be representative of the cocktails mixed by professional bartenders.

If you want to be sneaky, hide the bottles and then offer a variety of options to your guests. They will be impressed when you come out of the kitchen with glasses of their desired cocktails. Or, you can simply have them ready to serve on a table with glasses so your guests can pour their own drink.

The bottles are available in 350 mL (SRP: $13.99) and 750 mL (SRP: $25.99) sizes, each bottle serves four or eight cocktails, respectively, with an average ABV of 20%. The product is on shelves now at liquor stores and on ReserveBar.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, 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, 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.

Bring home ‘Inside Out 2’

Posted on August 22, 2024August 22, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Inside Out 2 is the highest grossing animated film of all time and the movie event of the year. It is now available on digital and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD beginning September 10. The sequel to the 2015 animated hit and introduced viewers to Riley and five of her emotions: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear. It also brought Bing Bong to the attention of viewers who brought laughs and tears to this sentimental story. This sequel focuses on Riley who is now becoming a teenager, and that means plenty of new emotions.

Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui add new emotions inside Riley’s brain as Joy attempts to bring back the old Riley who was fun loving and a delight. But puberty has changed her and Anxiety has taken over the controls of the little girl’s brain.

The original emotions are banished and the story focuses on how they attempt to get back in control of Riley. The question is can they all get along and combine to make Riley a nice, well-intended girl who has to now deal with new emotions that might be with her the rest of her life? That’s something viewers deal with as well.

The bottom line of this film, for kids as well as adults, is that emotions all work together to make us who we are and we cannot let one emotion rule our lives. The nine emotions finally see that Riley is made up of both good and bad memories and thoughts and keeping her on the straight and narrow is up to her, with a little help from the nine.

One emotion that makes a brief appearance is Nostalgia. She could come into play later on in the franchise.

BONUS FEATURES

There are plenty of additional bonus features on the home entertainment versions.

New Emotions

This featurette looks at the characters and the situations facing Riley as she begins puberty. Cast, filmmakers, and consultants weigh in on these aspects of young life and how the film portrays how young teens feel and navigate their new situation of growing up. As they say, the film is “an emotional experience of a teenager.”

Originally there were nine new emotions, however that was a bit much to take on in one film, so they narrowed it down to the four that appear in the final film. The emotions are discussed, and filmmakers describe the film as both Riley’s and Joy’s stories.

Anxiety wants to help Riley but does it in a different kind of way than Joy. Envy is described as “almost birdlike,” The different designs for Embarrassment and Envy are shown so viewers see how the characters evolved from the initial concepts. And Ennui is based on the French aristocrats that look bored in all their paintings, with nothing to do.

Unlocking the Vault

This little featurette explores the filmmakers’ reasons for putting the original emotions in a jar. It also describes how the character of Bloofy is portrayed and introduced preschool characters Riley had seen in her past.

Deleted Scenes

There are 23 minutes worth of deleted scenes that either didn’t work or didn’t move the story along in a way the filmmakers wanted.

Cold Open looks at the talent show in which Riley took part, with all the stress that comes with it. Broken Joy explores Joy’s issues. Pool Party shows the awkwardness of teenage, Puberty Park is a teenage based amusement park with “mood swings” and the like. And Shame Spiral explores the feeling that a person is not good enough when Riley plays the game “never have I ever” with a group of older kids.

This is another emotional story filled with colorful and enjoyable animation. It is perfect for family night viewing. And don’t forget about all the merchandise available to go along with the story: plush emotions, books, and more.

It’s time to bring all the emotions into your home for more fun, and with the plush, kids can add an additional element to the pleasure of viewing this major hit of the year.

Digital version is now available on Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango.

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SEDONA, AZ – El Rincon for Mexican dining in Sedona, Arizona

Posted on August 21, 2024August 20, 2026 by Francine Brokaw

Sedona, Arizona is a popular vacation destination with plenty of artistic shops and restaurants. At the edge of town is the quaint old-world Mexican style Tlaquepaque outside shopping village. And in that village is El Rincon, a delicious and atmospheric dining restaurant with a wide variety of Mexican food. El Rincon prides itself on “Arizona Style Mexican Cuisine, blending traditional Mexican and Navajo-Hopi influences.” The atmosphere is typical Mexican style inside with a nice outside patio for dining as well. This family-friendly locale is not only a great choice for visitors but residents as well.

Their selection is large and unique. For instance, they offer a scrumptious spinach and cream cheese enchilada, either ala carte or as a combo with a taco, rice, and beans. This enchilada is flavorful and possibly addicting as it’s taste is delicious and something not often offered in the usual Mexican restaurants.

Adults can select one of their specialty margaritas or other libations.

And for dessert, their Sopapilla is not the usual delicacy offered in Mexican restaurants. Instead, it is a flat, pizza-style cinnamon flavored dough and is served with honey to drizzle on top. The usual sopapilla is more like a French beignet however this one is quite different. It does taste delicious, though.

This is a restaurant often frequented by not only residents of Sedona, but also surrounding cities and towns as it offers so much for a modest amount of money. The selection is large as is the amount of food. And every table automatically gets a basket of chips and salsa. And for the more adventurous, ask for the spicier salsa at no additional charge.

Tlaquepaque is a nice place to walk off your dinner with plenty of shops to peruse in an atmosphere of an old Mexican town. Its walkways, architecture, statues, and fountains offer old-world charm.

While traveling to or through northern Arizona, check out Tlaquepaque and definitely El Rincon. Sedona is 15 miles from Flagstaff and 35 miles from Williams, both of which are also vacation destinations.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about travel, products, 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 the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County.

‘Angry Birds Mystery Island’ part two now available to stream

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

When three teenage hatchlings and a piglet get stranded on a deserted island, Mia, Buddy, Rosie and Hamylton must overcome their differences and supernatural phenomena in order to make it back home. Each day, the gang hatches a plan to get off the island, but is thwarted by unexpected twists and turns. They face extreme weather, challenging adventures and newfound creatures along the way, often solving one mystery only to reveal another. The island tests Mia, Buddy, Rosie and Hamylton constantly, but only by passing these tests and going deep into the heart of darkness can our heroes find a way back to the life they once knew.

The next eight episodes are now available to stream on Amazon Kids+ and Prime Video.

Check out the Amazon Kids website. website

‘Love in Zion National : A National Park Romance’ streams on HMN

Posted on August 19, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Love in Zion National is a love letter to the National Park and the Anasazi Native people who lived there generations ago. Now called the Pueblo Nation, the Anasazi’s history is rooted in the land now called Zion National Park. In 1919 the land was declared a national park. Located in Southern Utah, this is one of the “Big Five” national parks in the state.

Lauren (Cindy Busby) works at the Denver Natural History Museum. When three vases are donated to the museum, Lauren figures out there is a fourth vase that is missing from the group. Unfortunately, the nephew of the woman who left the vases to the museum is contesting the will and wants to keep the vases. If she can find the fourth vase, Lauren might be able to convince the judge that the vases belong to the Anasazi people and should be returned to them.

This headstrong woman heads down to Zion to look for the missing vase. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, but with the help of Park Ranger Adam (David Gridley), an Anasazi, she might be able to save this piece of their heritage. Decoding the images on the vases gives them clues along with the diary left to the museum by the woman who donated them. Her diary leads them to a rarely seen area of the park.

There is a bit of drama as the nephew hires people to get to the vase first, but thanks to Lauren’s ingenuity, she still might succeed in returning the entire set of four vases to the Anasazi people.
The scenery is magnificent, and for viewers who have never been to this park, it might just be the impetus to make this their next vacation destination. It is a beautiful park filled with all kinds of history, nature, animals, and yes, snakes.

The only problem with the story is the pronunciation of the word Zion. Lauren pronounces it Zi-On, but it is really pronounced Zy-en. People who live in the Southwest will undoubtedly know her pronunciation is wrong, but just let it go and enjoy the scenery that has a sweet story threading through. And yes, this is a Hallmark movie so you know there will be a romantic aspect, which happens at the end.

Love in Zion streams on Hallmark Movies Now, soon to be Hallmark+.

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Image courtesy Hallmark media

‘A Costa Rican Wedding’ on Hallmark Channel

Posted on August 16, 2024August 19, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

What happens when everything that can go wrong does go wrong when planning the perfect wedding? That’s the story of A Costa Rican Wedding, premiering August 17 on Hallmark Channel. So jet down to Costa Rica to find out what happened in this whacky tale of old friends, snooty parents, and monkeys. Yes, monkeys.

Emily (Rhiannon Fish) is the maid of honor for her best friend Phoebe (Brittany Carel). They’ve been best friends since childhood. Emily is clumsy but very thoughtful. She’s excited about Phoebe’s nuptials to Jamal (CJ Hammond) and their beautifully planned tropical wedding on the beach. But things don’t go exactly the way they all planned.

First of all, Emily meets up with Ryan (Christopher Russell) who is now a tour guide in Costa Rica. They are arch nemeses, at least that is what they think. As the story unwinds they discover they were wrong about each other and well, they turn out to be great friends, and more, by the end of the film.

Emily, as maid of honor, is tasked with bringing Phoebe’s family’s heirloom wedding rings, which she does with great care. However, when they are all on the beach, Emily hangs her backpack (which has the rings inside) on a tree branch. Within seconds some wild monkeys grab the bag and take off.

The rest of the film has Emily and Ryan frantically searching the jungle for the backpack while the rest of the wedding party is back at the hotel oblivious about the loss of the rings. They think Emily simply wants her phone back, and no one knows that the cherished rings are inside the missing backpack.

When it’s time for the nuptials, Emily and Ryan are still gone, and Phoebe discovers she made a mistake with the date of the ceremony. Her snooty mother reminds her that she should have had a lavish wedding at the local country club instead of coming all the way down to Costa Rica. So, no one is in the wedding mood.

The ending is typical Hallmark Channel, giving viewers a feel-good finale that warms hearts and minds.

The beauty of the island comes into play in this film, with its lush jungle, stunning waterfalls, volcanos and gorgeous flowers. This looks like a wonderful location for a wedding, when everything goes right. And in the end, even though it is not the wedding Phoebe originally planned, it turns out to be even better.

The movie is now streaming on Hallmark Movies Now, son to be Hallmark+.

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image credit: Hallmark Media

‘My Penguin Friend’ is charming and endearing

Posted on August 14, 2024January 13, 2025 by Francine Brokaw

Based on a true story, My Penguin Friend is an endearing tale about one little penguin who heals a lonely fisherman and delights an entire town. This is the story of DinDim, a smart, intuitive, and amazing penguin that proved animals are indeed deserving of our attention and love.

Jean Reno stars as João, a father, husband, and fisherman. When his young son is killed in a boating mishap during a storm, João feels responsible because even though he did not feel it was safe to go out on the water due to the looming storm, his son Miguel really wanted to go so as a loving father he acquiesced to his son’s wishes and took him out for his birthday.

Years later João is still a broken man. His hopes and dreams are gone. He still mourns the death of his son. Then one day he sees a little penguin covered in oil from a spill. He takes him home, cleans him up, feeds him, and clothes him. Yes, he put a make shift sweater on the little guy to keep him warm while he was regaining his strength.

Up until this point João had nothing to live for. But this little flightless bird changed everything. A local girl named him DinDim, and the entire town delighted in seeing João walking through the streets with his new friend. For the longest time the man had been despondent and kept to himself, but DinDim brought life back to him, and eventually his wife (Adriana Barraza) became just as attached to the little fellow.

Then one day DinDim was gone. He traveled thousands of miles through the ocean to return to his nesting beach with all the other penguins. João thought he would never see his friend again, but about six months later DinDim returned to João and the home he adopted.

This went on for eight years. DinDim traveled five thousand miles from Argentina to Brazil to spend about six months with his human friend and back to Argentina to spend the next months amongst his penguin friends.

(Photo credit: Adriano Vizoni/Pivô Audiovisual)

Meanwhile, on the beach where the penguins are nesting, a marine biologist and her team are studying the birds. DinDim is different than the others. He is not afraid of them but is friendly towards them. The little guy is tagged for study and when he disappears from the beach and returns to Brazil, they learn about his travels. DinDim becomes famous, and the world learns just how intelligent these birds are. Their inner GPS is so strong they instinctively know where to go.

Unfortunately, one group of scientists want to take DinDim to their facility to study him further. Thankfully, DinDim escapes and returns to João, a little worse for wear, but alive.

DinDim has his two homes for eight incredible years. When he finally disappears for the last time, it is presumed he started his own family back in Argentina. Nevertheless, he made an old man love again, and the world realize how intelligent these birds, especially little DinDim, are.

“I was amazed that it was a true story,” Reno says, “because it felt almost like a fairytale that a penguin was able to evoke so much love from this lonely fisherman who had turned his face away from the world. It was beautiful and moving to read. And I feel that we really need more stories like this one today, stories that are touching, funny and very human.”

The movie was filmed on location in Brazil and Argentina with all the wonders and beauty of nature. It is truly a delightful story for the whole family.

My Penguin Friend is rated PG for thematic content. The film hits theaters August 16, 2024. Even though there is some sadness in the story, it is worthy of family viewing. It is a remarkable tale of love and life.

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‘Love in Translation’ is a light little film just for fun

Posted on August 11, 2024August 11, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

As someone who used to be fluent in a second and almost a third language, this story caught my eye. Love in Translation focuses on Julie (Michelle Argyris), a PhD. candidate who is fluent in 6, 8, or more languages, including some extinct ones. She has one problem. Well, actually two problems. She has a difficult time finding a date who can live up to her standards. The second one is that she needs to make enough money to pay for her final semester of grad school.

To earn her money she begins teaching languages. It doesn’t matter which language. She teaches Italian to a senior couple who are planning their trip to Italy, and she teaches French to their son who is having a problem with his girlfriend who lives in Paris. Dan (Corey Sevier) is a smart guy but doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body. Learning some French words and phrases just might help his relationship grow.

And speaking of bones, Dan just happens to work in the museum where Julie has always wanted to work. Her dream job is translating artifacts. But first she needs to pay her final tuition and get her Doctorate.

This is a typical rom/com but add in Julie’s sister Lu (Elise Bauman) and that brings the fun to the table. Literally. Lu owns a coffee shop and that’s where Julie teaches her clients.

When she realizes Dan is not getting much from the lessons, Julie decides to take a different direction. By immersing Dan in the real world instead of simply teaching across a table, he begins to pick up words and phrases. And, in typical rom/com fashion, he begins to fall in love with Julie and vice versa. There’s just one problem, and that would be his long-time French girlfriend.

This is a simple little film that will brighten up a dark day. It’s not a “must see” however there are some cute moments and it fills in all the checkmarks for a light streaming rom/com.

Love in Translation is streaming on UP Faith and Family. It’s rated TV-G.

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Image courtesy UP Faith and Family

‘The Engagement Plan’ mixes city people with country folk and is a fun story for the whole family

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Francine Brokaw

Wade (Jack Schumacher) is a structured man. He has his days and life perfectly set out, day by day, and often hour by hour. His plan for proposing to his girlfriend Kayla (Mia Pollini) is all set and things couldn’t be better. Then everything gets changed. Instead of both of their families spending the week together at the Waldorf, getting to know each other, they are going to be spending it at Maggie’s family’s farm in the country. Will Jack’s proposal still go off without a hitch? The Engagement Plan is still on, but a little different than originally planned.

Jack and his father Dash (Judd Nelson) and mother Margot (Eva LaRue) are city folks. Jack has been groomed to join the family business which brings structure to their clients. Will they fit into the farm life out in the country?

Kayla’s folks are religious and rely on God’s guidance for everything in their lives. Mama Marilyn (Faith Ford) is kind and understanding however her husband Ed (Ted McGinley) is a little wary of Jack. He knows his daughter and simply wants to make sure she is taking the right path in her life. While her old boyfriend Cam (Eric Lutz) is working on the farm alongside Ed, things could get a little complicated. Actually, that’s putting it mildly. But as they allude to in the show, God will lead them in the right direction.

Jack’s first day on the farm, trying to impress Ed, is a doozy. His first step is right into a pile of poo, to put it mildly. Then being electrocuted by a fence doesn’t make the day any better. The best part, however, is calving a cow. That he manages to do to perfection without any help from anyone. This one act impresses Ed. And the icing on the cake is when Ed overhears a private conversation between Jack and Kayla. It’s then when he knows Jack is the right match for his daughter.

But that isn’t the end of the story. Don’t forget about Cam who still loves Kayla and wants her back. His involvement with the couple could derail everything.

This is a fun comedy with charm as Jack faces many trials and tribulations on the way to proposing. The film is faith-based and the characters are endearing, fun, and always looking out for one another.

With Jack, Kayla’s family gets an education in structure, and with Kayla’s family Jack gets an education in life, nature, and just letting life happen naturally. Can he let go of his “plans” and give his life less rigidity? That’s the question.

This is a “feel good” movie for the entire family. The perfect diamond, the perfect plan at the Waldorf, the perfect setting (for both the diamond and the location) might get bungled, but if the couple are meant to be together, they will find a way.

The Engagement Plan has it’s Original World Premiere on Great American Pure Flix August 29, 2024 and on Great American Family on September 7, 2024. The movie was filmed on location in South Carolina, in all its splendor with its beautiful natural settings. The film is appropriate for all ages.

Images courtesy Great American Media 2024.

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