He’s back for his last (hopefully) adventure. Indiana Jones has been an electrifying hero for decades, ever since he appeared in the first film Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark in 1981.  Since then he has gone on to other incredible and daring adventures including Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). It’s about time this octogenarian hang up his hat for good. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sets the scene for his final adventure, one which he hesitantly undertakes with his Goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) who at first is on the side of evil, but thanks to the kind heart of Indy, turns to see the light.

The story is a bit weak as the majority of the film is one chase after another. Whether in cars, trains, motorcycles, on foot, in other kinds of transportation, on horse, and in planes, there always seems to be a chase going on. So why are these people always chasing each other?

It started back during the last days of WWII when the Nazis came across a valuable piece of history. They found what was considered to be half of Archimedes’ invention that sought out wormholes in time. (Think: Stargate) Now it was up to Helena, Indy, and their young companion Teddy (Ethan Isidore) to put together clues to locate the other piece of the device. (Think: National Treasure)

While traversing through Africa and Italy, with the Nazis on their tails, Indy, Helena, and Teddy put the clues together to find where the missing piece of the artifact lies. And lo and behold, they do. What else would you expect from Indiana Jones?

The story does not stop there. With the Nazis on the same path, and with bigger guns, they ultimately take over the machine. But what are their intentions once they learn how to control the time fissures? Where will they go and what evil damage will they create?

That’s for viewers to discover. 

John Rhys-Davies, Antonio Banderas and Karen Allen make have brief appearances. With Indy’s body aging – and failing – at times he is incredible for someone with a broken down body, but at the end it is evident he cannot hold out any longer. Time has ravaged his body so he is permanently in retirement.  

The film is now available on Digital for your home entertainment.

Bonus features are many “making of” features about how the filmmaker recreated various locations, the stunts, the characters, etc. 

Fans of Indiana Jones will want this final film to complete their collection.

photos: ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

If you had a Beanie Baby, raise your hand. Actually, my hand is down. I’m one of the few people who never had a Beanie Baby. But back in the day they were the talk of the town. The Beanie Bubble tells the story of Ty Warner and his toy empire – the rise and the fall!

The movie is about Ty (Zach Galifianakis) and his relationships (business and personal) with three women: Robbie (Elizabeth Banks), Sheila (Sarah Snook), and Maya (Geraldine Viswanathan). It paints Ty Warner as an egotistical, maniacal, scheming, cheating man who only wanted to make billions of dollars and be famous. That is something he achieved.  However, in truth, it was the three women who were the foundation of his company, in different ways and at different times. But did he acknowledge that? No. Did he cheat them out of their due? Yes. 

It is an interesting story of how a small toy company that produced floppy plush cats became a gigantic empire with countless stuffed animals that were money makers for not only Ty but also for the owners of the toys because the secondary market flourished.

This was the time when the Internet was an infant. It was Maya who took the company online and raised its profile. It was Robbie who managed the business deals. And it was Sheila who stood by Ty, along with her two daughters, until it was clear he was a good-for-nothing cheating liar. And that’s putting it mildly.

The movie is intriguing. It is a lesson in business,  capitalism, and greed. It is a blast to the past looking at the various Beanie Babies. Although I never had one myself, I saw them everywhere and they are still around. So, fess up – how many did you have?

The Beanie Bubble is streaming on Apple TV+. The movie is rated R for language (lots of F bombs). 

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.

Marcie is often overlooked when it comes to the Peanuts gang. She’s the loyal friend of Peppermint Patty and always has some words of advice for all the gang. In this new special, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, Marcie finds herself in an uncomfortable situation. Will her own words of advice help her make it through?

To begin with, Peppermint Patty is relying on Marcie’s keen abilities to help win the school golf championship. Marcie doesn’t play golf but has an uncanny sense of how to swing and where to aim. She’s like a golf savant.

The school cafeteria finally offers pizza to the kids. But when Marcie and others get through the line, there is no pizza left. After a few days of not getting pizza, Marcie comes up with the solution to help the whole school. 

And the school hallways are always a mess with kids cramming and scurrying to get to their classes. It’s like a mob scene, especially for the littlest kids. Leave it to Marcie to come up with the solution.

But this self-proclaimed introvert finds herself in a sticky situation. She is a shy girl who has a great mind but not a lot of self-confidence. Her shyness precludes her from doing things, yet she is happy being alone and reading a book. She loves being on the sideline and has no desire to be the center of attention. Unfortunately, due to her kindness and problem-solving abilities, that’s exactly where she winds up.

This is a sweet film focusing on little Marcie, one of the Peanuts gang that rarely gets a starring role. It also introduces a new group of younger kids. These little kids look up to Marcie and give her some much needed encouragement. 

Besides the new little kids, the usual group of Peanuts characters are included: Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Patty, Peppermint Patty, Violet, Shermy, PigPen, Franklin, Snoopy, Frieda, and the rest. It’s a veritable who’s who of Peanuts kids. But at the center of this sweet story is little Marcie, the girl with great ideas, is caring, has a kind heart, and is always willing to help others. She’s adorable and finally has a story dedicated to her. Way to go, Marcie.

Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie premieres Friday, August 18, 2023 on Apple TV+.

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.

Puppy Love shows that opposites really do attract. Take Nicole (Lucy Hale), a wild laissez faire kind of girl whose apartment is a mess and who, although she has a good heart, is a personal mess. Now take Max (Grant Gustin), a paranoid, hypochondriac who has self isolated for two years because he is afraid of getting Covid again. He cannot even show up to work but is, thankfully, able to work from home in the IT business. To say they are mismatched is an understatement.

Max’s therapist (with whom he converses via the computer because he cannot bring himself to go out of this apartment) thinks he would benefit from the companion of a dog. So on a whim he adopts an adorable spaniel who he names Chloe. Lo and behold Max begins to come out of his shell.

Now there’s Nicole, who finds a stray dog living near the dumpsters by her apartment building. She takes him in and names him Channing Tatum. Nicole has been told she is closed off so perhaps Channing will help her open up a bit.

Well, yes, Channing and Chloe are the catalysts for their “parents” forging a relationship. The story is definitely predictable but the little pooches are what make it adorable. Viewers have seen this story over and over again, where the animals bring their human parents together. It’s always cute to see the four interact and this show is no different. But can Nicole reign in her wildness and can Max unwind a little for them to create a loving relationship for the foursome? What do you think?

The dogs are super cute, even if their parents are often not. Canine lovers will enjoy this sweet story that begins streaming on Freevee August 14, 2023. Woof, woof.