The winner of the 2023 International Christian Film Festival for Best Screenplay for a Feature Film, A Marriage Made in Heaven will have viewers smiling and crying. Make sure to have some tissues nearby when you watch this movie.

Demetri Chicopoulos (Robert Krantz) is a troubled man. In a moment of sadness he prays at the grave of his mother and brother. When he rises he is met by Johnny Angel (Tom Arnold) who professes to be his guardian angel. 

The movie asks, “If God let you relive one week of your life, which week would you choose?”  That is the question put to Demetri by Johnny Angel. Well, for Demetri the decision was easy. He wanted to go back ten years to when his marriage and life started falling apart. With the help of Johnny Angel, Demetri is magically transported back in time to the week he requested to relive. 

With Johnny Angel guiding him through the days, and pointing out things he could do to change his circumstances, Demetri discovers that a second chance is a blessing, even if it is only for one week. He learns to see how his life was taking the wrong path, but he was too busy to understand it at the time. As Johnny Angel tells him, when your suitcase is too full to close, you simply have to repack it to fit everything in. And that is what Demetri does. 

A successful talk show host, this man has put work before family. The resentment of his wife and kids was not evident to him until he was able to look at their lives with a different perspective. He sees how his work was getting in the way of time with his family and in this one week he changes that behavior.

Seeing his mother again touched his heart. She had been dead for awhile and just being with her again was something to cherish. 

As the days go by, Demetri realizes how and where he went wrong all those years ago. He sees why his wife divorced him and why he doesn’t have a real relationship with his kids. In this one week he has a chance to change that and live the best life he can with his family. But when it comes time to say goodbye, when his week is over, it is heart wrenching. How do you say goodbye to your mother for the last time? How do you leave your family that has grown so close over the last week? What will happen when he wakes up the next morning? Will he even remember any of this?

No spoiler alerts here. To get the answers to these questions you have to watch the movie. 

There are nods to It’s a Wonderful Life in this film. Getting to see our past through our eyes of today is a powerful thing.

A Marriage Made in Heaven is now streaming on UP Faith and Family. Just remember to have those tissues handy.

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.

There have been countless documentaries about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis and now, on the 30th anniversary of her death, The CW is airing “I Am Jackie O.” Jackie lived an extraordinary life. This film documents her early life, her life with JFK, her life with Aristotle Onassis, and her life as a book editor, with thoughts from her sister, cousin, biographers, and friends. 

Even though most people know about this iconic woman, there are still little tidbits woven throughout the film that help paint a broader picture of the woman who was, at the time, the most famous woman in the world. She was brought up to create her own image and persona, which she did with flair. She shaped the perception others had of her, yet even though she was perceived as a docile woman of her time, she was quite the opposite. She was tough, intelligent, and thoughtful. 

Jackie was, in truth, the equal of JFK when it came to intelligence. With Jackie he was able to have brilliant conversations and gain intelligent insight and advice. They were a formidable duo yet she often disagreed with some of his decisions, like the way he handled the Bay of Pigs. They shared a deep love for each other, even though he was a womanizer. She knew about his dalliances, yet stayed with him, kept him on the right track emotionally, and loved him.

Her glamor, sophistication, and charm won over the entire world, and she knew the power she had. Jackie desired to leave her mark on the world in a positive way, and she certainly did that.

After Dallas, depression set in. This was more than just depression. Jackie suffered from PTSD and continually, or rather constantly, relived that horrible day. She suffered greatly and wanted to kill herself. The only thing that kept her alive was her role as mother to Caroline and John, Jr. They were the reason she survived, although she stated she hoped her years on earth would not be long. 

Through her letters and interviews as well as newscasts, viewers hear her thoughts. She was meticulous about keeping letters, and to maintain her privacy, when she knew she was dying, she burned each one, one at a time.

The marriage between Jackie Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis was controversial in many ways. Many people think she only married him for his money and security. But there was a real affection between them, and he adored her children. 

Jackie was the First Lady for only three and a half years. She was a book editor for nearly 20 years. During her time as First Lady she brought history and art to the forefront and to the White House, along with her special glamor. After returning to New York after the death of Onassis, Jackie helped save and restore many of the city’s monuments and buildings. She had a strong sense of history, along with her sense of style. 

This enigmatic woman is more than a footnote in American history. Her contributions to the country are countless and they were selfless. She saw what had to be done and did everything she could to do it. Many quotes attributed to JFK were actually written by her. This was a woman who wanted to contribute but was content to stay on the sidelines and let others shine, although she did get a special Emmy for her White House tour TV show that was the most watched show of the time.

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis died on May 19, 1994. For someone who only lived 64 years, she left a remarkable legacy. I am Jackie O airs on The CW on March 3, 2024. It is part of the “I am” series of films.

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.

Camila Mendes stars as Ana in the Prime Video film Upgraded. Let’s face it, we all want to be upgraded when we travel. Sitting in the economy seats leaves a lot to be desired. But that is where Ana was supposed to sit on her flight to London from New York. Never mind that her boss and two underlings are in first class and on an earlier flight, leaving Ana several hours to fiddle her thumbs at the airport. But things are about to change.

Ana’s boss Claire (Marisa Tomei) and her two smug underlings, aka assistants, are akin to those in The Devil Wears Prada. Or maybe they’re worse. But Ana desperately needs to keep her internship with this art agency because so she can fulfill her dream of opening her own art gallery. She is proficient in art of all ages. 

When a kind ticket agent sees the torment Claire’s assistants pile on Ana, she takes pity on her and upgrades her to first class. This includes the first class lounge which also includes, besides the champagne and food, a spa. A spa?! Well, Ana takes advantage of this wonderful surprise and in the lounge meets Well (Archie Renaux) on whom she accidentally spills her Bloody Mary. 

On the flight it turns out Will is sitting next to her, and to keep up her first-class image, she divulges she is the head of a prestigious art agency. Her lies begin to pile up when Will is met at the airport by his famous mother Catherine (Lena Olin) who takes an immediate liking to Ana. 

As Ana’s time in London goes on and she happily undertakes the tedious tasks she is given, her spare time is spent with Catherine, Will, and their VIP friends. What could be the problem with living it up – albeit under a lie – for a few days? No one will know and she will have the time of her life. But once again, things change. Oh what a tangles web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

And yes, romance blossoms between Will and Ana. But will it survive the truth?

Writer Christine Lenig said, “”I wrote Upgraded because I like stories that explore how life can turn on a dime. We all want to believe we are just one random event away from upgrading our otherwise dull lives. Like winning the lottery, meeting our soul mate, or, in Ana’s case, getting upgraded to first class. For Ana’s character, it’s not just a better seat; it’s a chance at a better life.” 

About Renaux, director Carlson Young stated, “Archie to me felt like the nod that we wanted to the classic heroes from 90s and 2000s rom coms. I love him as a human being so much and in this character he’s fantastic. He brings this airy lightness to the world that’s really needed in our story. Will may come from privilege and a U.K. famous mother, but he’s grounded and I think Archie grounds our story in a really lovely way.”

According to Young, ”The relationship between Ana and Will is a sort of meet-cute that we’ve seen before, but I think our writers did an incredible job of infusing a lot of contemporary elements to their banter and their chemistry,” she says. “I think it really comes across as something fun and playful, it was lovely to find that relationship between them.” 

Upgraded is a bit of The Devil Wears Prada combined with Maid to Order. It’s a cute rom-com for today’s viewers. 

Upgraded is rated R for language and some nude art images.

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.

From DreamWorks Animation, Megamind vs The Doom Syndicate has a big switch from the 2010 original film. Now Megamind decides it is better to be a superhero than a supervillain. He begins saving Metro City while trying to learn how to be a hero instead of a villain. It’s a tough job and a big change for this former bad guy, but he is intent on doing it and keeping on the good side. Superheroes get accolades and fans, and this intrigues him.

Things are going well for the new superhero. He even gets the key to the city, but his former group of villains, The Doom Syndicate, see this as a sign and break out of prison. What they expect is that Megamind is just pretending to be a hero until the rest of the gang joins him and they will return to being the scourge of Metro City as a team. 

Megamind has honestly changed but in order to keep the city safe, he must pretend to be pretending to be good. Follow that? He must convince his former villains that he is still the supervillain he was, while trying to undermine their plans. 

Keith Ferguson is the voice of Megamind. This challenge for the new superhero is intense as he maneuvers his way through both the hero and villain worlds. His only chance of proving to the city that he is truly a hero is to eliminate the Doom Syndicate and yes, save Metro City as his former mates have designed a plan to launch the entire city to the moon.  

Joining the cast is an adorable little girl, Keiko (Maya Aoki Tuttle), who proclaims herself the President of the Megamind fan club and wants to be a crime fighter just like her new hero. She’s hard-nosed and loves the new direction Megamind has chosen for himself. And Laura Post voices Roxanne Ritchie, taking over from Tina Fey who voiced the character in the original film. She is a news reporter who joins the new hero team, along with Megamind’s sidekick Ol’ Chum (Josh Brewer). Each one of these characters is tough and together they make a formidable new crime solving team.

The original 2010 film introduced the intelligent alien who was eager to fight any and all heroes. Megamind (originally voiced by Will Ferrell) was a true Supervillain in that film. Now he has seen the light and as a Superhero he has much to do to fight against new villains.

Megamind vs The Doom Syndicate  streams on Peacock and Megamind and his new team keep going in the companion series Megamind Rules!. 

So, what do we learn from this new version of Megamind? That good is much better than evil. We didn’t need this alien to teach us that, however kids now have a fun and intelligent superhero to admire.

Megamind vs The Doom Syndicate is rated TV-G.

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.