From DreamWorks and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment comes the delightful animated mother/daughter film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Featuring the voice talents of Lana Condor as Ruby, Toni Collette as her mother Agatha, and Jane Fonda as her “grandmamah,” this Collector’s Edition Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code is filled with a fun story as well as plenty of bonus material.

So, what, you might be wondering, is a Kraken? It’s a long story. Kraken’s have been protectors of the sea but have a reputation among humans as being monsters. Ruby’s parents moved to the town of Oceanside to live their lives on land and raise Ruby and her brother among the humans. Even though they are blue, they have blended in with the town, just telling everyone they are from Canada. Yep, that explanation is enough to satisfy the people of Oceanside. Everything was fine until Ruby accidentally went into the water, which was forbidden by her parents.

The ocean made her into a giant Kraken, and once she was back to her normal size, Ruby learned the truth about her family. Her grandmother, aka grandmamah, is the Queen Kraken and Ruby is royalty. Contrary to human beliefs, Krakens are the good guys and mermaids are the evil ones. 

Ruby made friends with a mermaid who told her a lie about why the mermaids and Krakens were at war and together they hatched a plan to set everything straight and bring peace to the inhabitants of the seas. 

Well, things didn’t go according to plan, although Ruby’s intentions were good. The war escalated leaving it up to Ruby, her mother, and grandmother to work together to fight the evil mermaid queen.

So, while Ruby is stressing about going to the school prom and asking a boy to be her date, she is confronted with a bigger problem. She now has to be the savior of the land and sea – along with her family. Teenagers have a lot to deal with, and now Ruby has the added problem of coming out as a Kraken. 

This is a magical story filled with teen angst but at the core is a story of mothers and daughters. Ruby’s mother and grandmother had their own issues as did Ruby and her mother once she learned about her heritage. But blood is thicker than water, no pun intended, and family bonds are the strongest bonds. 

There are some fun bonus features including a look at the human cast who voiced the characters, a look at some real prom stories from the cast, and a feature all about the “mythical beasts” of the sea. There are instructions for creating your own aquarium and how to draw the characters. Deleted scenes and trailers make up there remaining bonus features.

All in all, this is a fun story filled with magic, mystery, and mothers! 

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is rated PG for some action, rude humor, and thematic elements. Dive deep into the sea with Ruby Gillman in this animated family adventure.

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. Follow her on Twitter.

Throughout history people have been fascinated by the idea of extra terrestrials. A couple generations ago people thought that the idea of aliens was pure fiction. The next generation realized that this could definitely be a possibility. And the new generation is being brought up with the fact that yes, there are and have been aliens on Earth. We Are Not Alone is a new documentary about sightings, interactions, and ideas dealing with visitors from other worlds.

Serena DC brings this interesting documentary to DVD and Digital for viewers to understand about alien crafts and existences. She includes conversations with leading ufologists who discuss their experiences and explanations about certain events that have occurred on Earth. After all, Earth is just a teeny, tiny speck in the universe, so why would it be reasonable to believe that this planet is the only one with conscience life?

Military officials have recently admitted to seeing alien crafts, and although “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “ET,” and other films have peaked our interest in alien existence, it hasn’t been until the past decade when high-level officials have confessed to the fact that yes, this planet has been visited, and is being visited, by other beings.

Is Sasquatch an alien? Some think so. And what about the event in Roswell? Was that made up or covered up? 

There is one theory that the atomic testing in the 1940s opened a window to other worlds and that beings from other planets are trying to stop humans from the horrific and catastrophic consequences of atomic warfare.

So, why we are not exactly sure about why they are here, at least their reasons have not been exposed to the public, there is clear evidence that we are not alone. 

“ET phone home” might not be as far-fetched as we originally thought. Contact with other worlds is happening. 

The documentary will be available on digital and DVD beginning October 3, 2023. 

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. Follow her on Twitter.

Twenty years ago a little comedy that was meant for both kids and adults took audiences by surprise. School of Rock was a hit and now Paramount Home Entertainment is commemorating this adorable film with a limited edition Blu-ray SteelBook that includes a Digital code as well as plenty of fun bonus features.

The story is about an out-of-work rock musician, Dewey Finn (Jack Black) who pretends to be his friend Ned Schneebly, a substitute teacher at a prestigious private school. It’s outrageously funny. Not knowing about anything except rock and roll, Finn turns his students from attentive scholastic kids into a rock band. Of course, all of this is a secret to their parents and even the school’s administer. The kids really get involved in their  “school project” with costumes, music, a band logo, and everything that a proper band needs. 

The fun begins the first time Finn enters the classroom and doesn’t end until the final credits roll. This is truly a cute movie for the entire family. 

Bonus features include commentaries by Jack Black, director Richard Linklater, and the kids. Being a show about rock and roll, it was important to include a Led Zeppelin song and to get their approval, Black taped a plea to them. After all, what is a film about rock music without Led Zeppelin?

Another adorable featurette is “Lessons Learned on School of Rock.” This is basically an fun look behind the scenes of the creation of the movie with the cast and Linklater. The kids tell their stories about how they were cast and they also talk about working with Black. Black describes his wackiness during the filming and said it was the most fun he has ever had making a film. He took his job seriously even though his character did not. He also took time to bond with the kids, which was an important element in making this the hit that it became.

Black acknowledged he had to brush up on the electric guitar for his reel life as he played acoustic guitar in real life. He also said this was a hard movie to make but was great fun. Rehearsing all the funny scenes over and over was daunting because when it came time to film everyone hoped the scenes would come across as fresh and funny as they did all the times they were rehearsed. And they did. There was no need to worry on that front. 

There is also a feature about the premiere of the film at the Toronto Film Festival, which, for the kids, was the first film festival they had ever attended. It’s evident they had the time of their lives being on the red carpet and in a press conference. 

A music video and a few other additions complete the bonus features. 

Going behind the scenes of the film and the film festival adds a lot of enjoyment to the already enjoyable movie. This limited edition Blu-ray is a must-have for fans of the film and of Jack Black.

When it premiered in theaters on October 3, 2003, it hit the top of the charts and remained the number one film in the U.S.A. for ten weeks. 

On a side note: having reviewed the film when it first came out (sheesh – has it been 20 years already?) and having interviewed Black and the kids, I can say they were all great about speaking with the press and thoroughly enjoyed making the movie. The respect they had for Black and each other was clear. Their off-screen relationships helped make their on-screen relationships work great for the camera. 

School of Rock is rated PG-13 for some rude humor and drug references.

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. Follow her on Twitter.

“I feel the need, the need for speed.” Those words were famously uttered in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Let’s face it. Speed has been an important element in human history. Think of the Olympics. So, when one young man, Philip Vincent, often referred to as an eccentric engineer, decided to build the world’s fastest motorcycle, he put everything he had into that project. Lo and behold, he did it.  Speed is Expensive tells the story of Vincent, his life, dedication, and his motorcycles.

In 1955 he finally achieved his goal of breaking the world speed record. At 185 mph, his Vincent topped the charts. Now, if you haven’t heard of the Vincent motorcycles, don’t feel left out. They are not as prevalent as BMWs or Harley Davidsons. But in the day they were the cycles to have.

His story is remarkable and shows the dedication and perseverance embodied by Vincent and his team. Today motorcycle aficionados like Jay Leno, Ryan Reynolds, and even Brad Pitt enjoy their Vincent bikes.

Motorcycles are often featured in American films: Easy Rider, The World’s Fastest Indian, Wild Hogs, The Wild One, Ghost Rider, and more highlight the riders’ affection with their bikes. On any Sunday in many cities and towns around the country, bikers take off on their carefree excursions to get away from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. Today’s bikers are not gang-type portrayed in the 1950s films. Rather they are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who simply enjoy the freedom of riding.

While these weekend riders enjoy their bikes, non of them enjoy the sheer speed encountered by those who race at places like the Bonneville Salt Flats. It is there where many land speed records have been broken, including by the Vincent.

Now, think of how much money people put into their beloved bikes then compare that number to the $1.2 million paid by an Australian collector who bought a Vincent Black Lightning, making it the most expensive motorcycle ever sold.

Motorcycle enthusiasts will be entertained with this documentary. And for those who never heard of a Vincent motorcycle, it is an education.

Speed is Expensive, narrated by Ewen McGregor, will be released on DVD and Digital September 26, 2023. Rev up your engine for a look at this historic enterprise and dedicated engineer.

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. Follow her on Twitter.