Mark your calendars if you’re a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem is coming to theaters August 2, 2023.
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
When San Fransokyo Square opens August 31, 2023, a new dimension to the wharf area of Disney California Adventure will bring plenty of joy to guests. As it is being reimagined from Pacific Wharf to San Fransokyo Square, guests in the park are privy to the update. Unlike past changes and additions, there is no barricade to hide the construction. As Michael Dobrzycki, art director at Walt Disney Imagineering, said, the square is “Coming to life in front of everybody at Pacific Wharf.”
Once the area is opened to the public, they will see “the Pacific Wharf with a twist,” explained Dobrzycki. It will be like stepping into the film Big Hero 6, which delighted audiences when it was produced in 2014, and later made into a series for Disney Plus. The Port of San Fransokyo will contain the Coy fish turbines that powered the city in the film and in the evening the wharf will light up the night.
There will be a meet and greet with Baymax, the delightful blowup robot, a store for merchandise, and background music from J-pop, the Japanese pop band. As Dobrzycki said, the square “recreates movie moments.”
The Makers Market store will sell T-shirts for adults, children, and dogs. Yes, dogs. There will be four different medallions honoring the film and characters, phone accessories, an adorable Baymax sipper, pins, a cuddly Baymax, and more.
Chef Jeremiah Balogh said they had to “stretch their knowledge” to create food that combined cultures to bring the flavor of Asia to the guests.
So what kind of new delicacies will be offered in San Fransokyo Square? First of all, to quench your thirst and refresh your spirit, the Honey Lemon-Ade: Minute Maid Lemonade Zero Sugar and yuzu purée with passion fruit and strawberry popping spheres is Non-alcoholic and very tasty. (It was so good I had 2 during the media sampling event.) To eat try the Soba Noodle Salad with tofu, cabbage, edamame, carrots, roasted corn, scallions, and cilantro topped with crispy shallots and sesame ginger dressing. It’s plant-based, tangy, sweet, tart, and yummy. (Psst….don’t tell anyone but I had two of these as well.) And this being Disneyland Resort, they had to create a special macaron and for the first time a macaron will be available all the time and not just during a festival. This Baymax macaron has a chocolate-hazelnut spread and buttercream center. It’s decadent and delicious. 
The Japanese-style fluffy cheesecake is different than what Americans are used to when it comes to this dessert. It is actually more akin to a sponge cake with tart cherry topping. Yummy.
Forget the old-fashioned thinking that burgers, fries, and pizza were all you could get at a theme park. Not when it comes to Disney. To get yourself inspired for all the new tasty treats in San Fransokyo Square, here is a list of what the talented chefs at Disney have created:
The locations in which these items will be available are the new Aunt Cass Cafe, Port of San Fransokyo Cerveceria, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, and Rita’s Turbine Blenders. As you can see from the list above, most of the new items have a Japanese or Asian flair.
Beginning August 31, 2023 the entirety of San Fransokyo Square will open to the public. It will be like stepping through the screen right into the Big Hero 6 movie, much like Cars Land is like stepping right into Radiator Springs. With the 54 foot Gateway Bridge welcoming guests, the new square is a fun addition to Disney California 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.
This summer (2023) guests to Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort can enjoy the new live-action show Rogers: The Musical. Through August 31 the Hyperion Theater will be the location where this musical Broadway-style is performed.
(Sean Teegarden/Disneyland Resort)
This is the story of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. Super hero fans will finally get treated to a musical play about heroism, self-discovery, and a little romance as the story plays out on the stage complete with musical numbers and fun choreography.
It’s an upbeat show with peppy songs. The story introduces Steve Rogers and show how he became Captain America. It starts at the beginning of World War II and Rogers attempt to join the army. Unfortunately, he is too small and has asthma along with other problems. But soon his desire to save his country comes to fruition due to a special life-altering device. As he travels through time, he ends up in today’s world filled with plenty of woe. It’s here he meets up with the rest of the Avengers and they become a crime-fighting group ready to jump into action at the slightest sign of trouble.
(Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)
The Hyperion is a comfortable theater and quite frankly there are no really bad seats for viewing this show. It also provides a cool respite from the heat of the sun.
For guests who are not into superheroes, don’t worry. This story will fill you in on the background of the Avengers. While many of us (yes, I said “us”) might prefer watching Disney Princess shows, this is still a fun show and the quality of the actors/singers is up there with the best of them. As mentioned earlier, this is a Broadway-quality show, and to think guests can experience it in a theme park. Wow.
Each day guests can sign in for the complimentary virtual queue, which begins at 10:30 a.m. PT for the first two show times of the day and 2 p.m. PT for the remaining show times of the day. Check with disneyland.com for details.
Besides the fun musical play, there are plenty of limited patriotic and hero-themed food and beverage items. To get the full line-up of the limited treats, check out @DisneyEats where you can find out the locations where the items are sold. The limited popcorn bucket features the logo from the musical and is filled with red, white, and blue popcorn. 
For those with a sweet tooth (and you know who you are) there is a cherry, vanilla, and blue raspberry shake. Patriotic and delicious. For savory meals try the sausage and pepperoni wrap or the pastrami pretzel dog. And if you are just thirsty, try the Patriotic Punch, a non-alcoholic concoction of sprite with white cranberry juice, blue raspberry and cherry syrup, topped with whipped cream.
This is Disney, so you know what is coming next. Yep, merchandise. There are some hero-themed items to coincide with this play. Collectible merch includes T-shirts, ornaments, and magnets.
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.
Streaming on HULU is a cute animated movie called Pil’s Adventures. Produced in 2021, this is the story of a cute and cunning little orphan girl who has made a pretty nice life for herself on top of a turret, along with some furry friends. They work together to procure food from the village all the while trying to evade Graubart, a wannabe knight who feels it is duty to keep the village safe.
Pil is befriended by a court jester named Giggler who is a bumbling fellow with a sock puppet for his friend, and for his act. He’s actually a great ventriloquist but people don’t appreciate his talent.
When Pil overhears something about a hidden treasure in the kingdom, she is ready to do whatever it takes to get that for herself. She also finds herself, and her furry companions, smack dab in the middle of a plot to kill the prince who is going to have his coronation to be elevated from Prince to King. One thing leads to another and soon Pil makes a deal with the prince who has been turned into an animal – actually a chick-cat, half chicken and half cat – that she will help him get his body back if he gives her the treasure.
It’s not as easy as she thinks. She dresses as a princess and introduces herself as such, so Graubart thinks she is in fact a princess and not the “sprite” he has been hoping to catch to rid the village of this dirty little girl. Soon Pil, her little furry pals, Giggler, and Graubart are off to save the prince.
Pil is a fun-loving, spunky girl with determination and wisdom. She has managed to keep herself alive for a long time without any help of others. When she joins with her new friends to help the prince, she finds that working alone is not always the answer.
Pil is a fun character and viewers will be hoping for a happy ending for this little girl. Will she get it or will she return to her lonely life on top of a turret?
Pil’s Adventures is a cute film for the entire family. It is rated PG for violence, peril, and rude humor (typical of action/adventures).
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.
The film Chevalier has been acclaimed by critics and audiences. It has also been touted as a little dull by others. It is a dramatized biographical film about Joseph Bologna, a contemporary of Mozart whose musical talent was praised by the world. There was a little hitch, however, when it came to his life. The fact that he was mixed race played a role in his upbringing and his adulthood, which plays out on the screen.
Bologne’s mother was a slave and his father her owner on the island of Guadeloupe. When he was small his father took him away from his mother and enrolled him in a boarding school in Paris. There he honed his musical skills, both playing the violin and composing music, and his fencing abilities were beyond compare. He excelled in almost everything he attempted.
The film shows his cockiness and stubbornness as he rises to fame in France. Bologne (played beautifully by Kevin Harrison, Jr.) was taken under the wing of Queen Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) who elevated him to the rank of Chevalier de Saint Georges. Thereafter he was known as either Chevalier, St. Georges, or simply Joseph by his friends.
This was the mid 1700s when there was plenty of political and social strife in the country. Being black brought him plenty of enemies who did not look kindly on blacks living in France. He also made enemies with his amorous lifestyle with white women.
His goal was to become the head of the Paris Opera and soon found himself in a contest. The winning composer who wrote the best opera would be proclaimed the new maestro of the Paris Opera.
Things were looking good for Joseph. He soon had his mother living with him in Paris and his life was pleasurable, both personally and professionally. But the political outrage encroached on both. This was, after all, the time just prior to the French Revolution.
The costumes in the film are beautiful and the atmosphere adds to the mood of the scenes. The music is outstanding and music lovers will undoubtedly enjoy the score. Unfortunately, when Napoleon Bonaparte came to power and reinstated slavery most of Joseph’s compositions were destroyed. The composer was a major player in aiding the revolution and speaking up for justice and “liberty.” He led an all-black regiment in the French Revolution.
There has been a renaissance of his life and work with new discoveries of his compositions. This film brings his life and work to audiences in an entertaining way that stresses the injustices of the time but also the talent of Bologne. Maybe not as talented as his contemporary Mozart, he definitely composed some beautiful music.
Chevalier is rated PG-13.
Click below to see a bonus about the film, “Chevalier: Note by Note”
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 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.
Can you believe it? We’re halfway through the year and that means halfway to the holiday season. As always, the holiday destination every year for fun and fantasy is the Disneyland Resort. Just to whet your appetite for what’s to come later this year, here are some images to peak your interest and get you in the Disneyland holiday mood.
The attraction transformation of “it’s a small world” Holiday will take place at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., in the 2023 holiday season. “it’s a small world” Holiday takes guests around the world as dolls and toys representing children enjoy the distinctive holiday traditions of their respective countries. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)
William Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March, and Mickey Rooney star in The Bridges at Toko-Ri, a tense story taken from the novel by James A. Michner. This 1954 release won the Academy Award for Best Special Effects.
The story takes place during the Korean War and features the camaraderie as well as heroics of the men on a Navy ship. Holden is Lt. Harry Brubaker, an attorney from Colorado who has no idea why he was called up for this war. He has a wife (Kelly) and two daughters, as well as a thriving law practice. He continually wonders how he ended up in the middle of a brutal war.
As a fighter pilot, Brubaker is stationed on a Navy ship along with Mike Forney (Rooney), and Nestor Gambidge (Earl Holliman), and Rear Adm. George Tarrant (March), Commanded Wayne Lee (Charles McGraw), and Captain Evans (Willis Bouchey). Forney and Gambidge are rescue personnel, with Forney piloting a helicopter and Gambidge assisting and once in awhile jumping into the ocean to save downed pilots. That was the case when Brubaker crashed his plane into the sea. In minutes Forney and Gambidge were there to rescue him. That was life on the ship and in the war.
Although they had had a somewhat pretty uneventful tour, things changed when they were given the assignment to bomb several Korean bridges. These bridges at Toko-Ri were defended to the max. The mission would not be easy, and they all knew it.
Brubaker had his misgivings about going on the mission. Should he remove himself from the line of attack or accept his fate? His ambivalence was seen by others on board the ship, yet he decided to take on the challenge.
Before this mission was undertaken, the crew had leave in Japan, and Brubaker met up with his wife Nancy and their daughters where they spent a nice family vacation. But when she discovered what her husband was going to undertake once he returned to his ship, she grew increasingly uneasy. Not letting her husband see her fear, they continued with their little family reunion.
Once back on the ship, the mood of the movie changes drastically. There is a tenseness permeating throughout the ship. With a difficult and dangerous mission in front of them, they continue with their daily activities.
The final part of the film is filled with tension and tragedy. It is a statement on the very act of war. By the time the credits roll, viewers will be feeling loss and sadness. That is what war is all about.
The Bridges at Toko-Ri is not rated. It is not for children as it contains war action. This new Blu-ray release is from the Kino Lorber Studio Classics collection.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 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.
When a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, it gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The MIGHTY PUPS! For Skye, the smallest member of the team, her new powers are a dream come true. But things take a turn for the worse when the pups’ archrival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with Victoria Vance, a meteor-obsessed mad scientist, to steal the superpowers and turn themselves into supervillains. With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pups have to stop the supervillains before it’s too late, and Skye will need to learn that even the smallest pup can make the biggest difference.
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie comes to theaters September 29, 2023.
From 1974, Juggernaut is one of the many disaster films that were entertaining audiences in that decade. This particular story is set in the mid-Atlantic ocean as a luxury liner is making its way from England to New York. What starts out as a rocky voyage, thanks to the rough seas, turns into a rougher voyage thanks to several bombs that have been stored on the ship.
Juggernaut is the name the terrorist uses when speaking to one of the heads of the liner. He says he wants $500,000 pounds in exchange for remotely diffusing the bombs. But will the company negotiate and give in to a terrorist? The government is firmly against it. But with 1200 lives on the line, it is a decision that is difficult. Weighing the option of giving into a terrorist or letting all the innocent people die is as rough as the seas.
Onboard the ship, Captain Brunel (Omar Sharif) is hoping the ransom is paid, while Police Superintendent McCleod (Anthony Hopkins) is torn between the government’s stand and giving in. His wife and two children are on the ship.
Lt. Commander Anthony Fallon (Richard Harris), a bomb expert with a good track record, is flown out to the ship along with his team. Fallon is easy-going and optimistic he will be able to stop the bombs from going off. As he sucks on his pipe while looking over the situation, he knows he and his team will be successful. Unfortunately, some of his optimism begins to fade the more they learn about the bombs.
With the personal stories playing out on and off the ship, the majority of the story is aboard this luxury liner. The Social Director (Roy Kinnear) does everything in his power to keep the passengers upbeat while they are waiting for whatever comes. Their fates rest with Fallon and the powers that be.
It’s interesting to see the credits rolling in the beginning as Hopkins, a great actor by any standards, is not given a high billing.
The 1970s was a time when disaster films filled the theaters. The Poseidon Adventure, Airport, The Andromeda Strain, The Towering Inferno, and The China Syndrome all captivated audiences. Juggernaut is not as well known and watching it viewers can see from the get-go that it is dated. Yet the cast is wonderful and even though it lacks a lot of action, the tense drama is what drives the film.
Juggernaut is rated PG and is now available on Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 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.
The new Disney/Pixar animated film Elemental takes audiences into a colorful world where Fire, Water, Earth, and Air live together in Element City. The Art of Elemental book adds additional magic and fun to the story while delving into the background, the characters, and the art that make this film fun and enjoyable for all ages. Even the cover art of the book is immediately engaging, delightful, and magical.
The story of Elemental is about family, love, and being able to join the two. Taken from director Peter Sohn’s memories of his South Korean family melding with other immigrant families of different backgrounds is what drove him to this particular story.
This book takes readers into the story and the story of how the artists took on this challenge of creating elements that were worthy of emotions for both themselves and the audiences. There are hundreds of images in the pages that will definitely put a smile on readers’ faces. Just looking at the characters and their expressions even without knowing their stories is endearing.
Element City is filled with color and a variety of shapes. It is the quintessential magical location. It is where all the elements live together. The small touches might not be immediately visible to audiences when they see the film, but the book points out several cute touches that make the film adorable: The Chemis-Tree plant shop, ION IT eyeglass shop, etc.
While the images in the book are beautiful and educational for readers to see the progression of the film over time, the information presented gives readers a complete background into how the characters, scenes, and places were created.
Quite frankly, even without knowing the storyline, the images are adorable to look at and learning about the background of them makes them all the more interesting. Take the “Wetro,” which is Element City’s metro, or subway. All aspects of a real city are included in Element City. After all, it’s where the elements live.
The artists had real challenges with the characters. How do you create a water character, a fire character, an air character, and an earth character. Alice Lemma, a character designer on the film, said, “When I first started working on Elemental, I tried making an Air character out of cotton.” (pg. 122) She worked with that mock-up for awhile. That was only one challenge met by the talented artists.
Elemental connects Sohn’s New York experience “to a world similar to New York – a world where Fire, Earth, Air, and Water all live on top of each other, mixing and not mixing, and trying to create a life for themselves.” (pg. 9)
Just flipping through the pages enforces the hard work that went into creating this magical film. This is a work of art.
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.
