Zac Efron stars in The Greatest Beer Run Ever, a whacky tale based on a true story. The film takes place in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War when Americans began turning on their government and protesting to end the war. With body bags being shown nightly on TV, LBJ began losing the support of the country. But there were still those who believed wholeheartedly in what the country was doing and in stopping communism in the region.

If you want a strange story, this is it. John “Chickie” Donohue (Efron) and his pals in New Your City were gung-ho Americans and supported the troops. Chickie was on a break from the Merchant Marines and spend his days drinking beer and sleeping. Then when he began hearing about his friends from the neighborhood being sent to fight, he came up with a brilliant idea. He would travel to Vietnam and hand-deliver beers to them along with encouragement from the neighborhood.

Chickie had no idea what he was in for. He was completely naïve and simply thought he would take a job on a merchant marine ship, get off in Vietnam, and hunt down his friends to have a friendly chat over a can of beer. Believe it or not, his stupidity and naivety actually helped him in this endeavor.

When Chickie met up with his childhood friends, they were in the heat of battle and thought he was out of his mind. While dodging bullets and MPs, Chickie managed to deliver his Pabst Blue Ribbons (plenty of product placement in this film) to several of his buddies.

When he met up with a group of foreign correspondents (Russell Crowe is one), Chickie could not believe they were not reporting on the bravery of the soldiers but instead dwelling on the horrors of the war. His sole mission, besides doling out the beer, was to raise the spirits of the soldiers and he firmly thought that was what the journalists should be doing too.

This was a rather far-fetched idea but Chickie actually managed to pull it off, and in the meantime learn a thing or two about the realities of war while maintaining some of his naivety.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is an interesting film and worth checking out. It is streaming on Apple TV+. The movie is rated R for language and some war violence.

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.

Courtesy photos.

Inspired by President Kennedy’s “Moonshot” challenge, Prince William founded the “Earthshot Prize” encourages people around the globe to share their ideas for environmental concerns. Every year for a decade The Prince of Wales will honor five recipients with a financial award in recognition of their dedication to save the planet. Every year, The Earthshot Prize will find and reward solutions to five “Earthshot” goals – Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build A Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate. These winning solutions will have the greatest impact on the biggest environmental challenges facing our planet and winners and finalists will have access to a global support network to scale their work.

The presenters and hosts for the 2022 program include natural historian and Member of The Earthshot Prize Council Sir David Attenborough; award-winning broadcaster, podcaster and television presenter Clara Amfo; actor, producer and director Daniel Dae Kim; Academy Award-Winning actor Rami Malek; actor, screenwriter and comedian Catherine O’Hara; and actor and advocate Shailene Woodley.

Daniel Dae Kim said: “I’m honored to be co-hosting this year’s Earthshot Prize. The groundbreaking, innovative work of the 2022 Finalists leaves me inspired and hopeful that we can solve the significant challenges facing us today. Whether it’s taking care of our planet or healing our communities, each of us can and must step up to do our part. Thank you to this year’s Finalists for leading the way.”

Catherine O’Hara said: “Repairing our planet is one of the most important things we can do in our lifetimes. The passion and ambition of this year’s Earthshot Finalists is much needed in a world of such turmoil, and I am truly honored to play a role in helping them share their work with the world.”

The ceremony will begin streaming at 2:00pm EST on Monday, December 5 on PBS.org and the PBS App and at 8:00pm EST on the PBS YouTube channel. PBS will also broadcast the event on Wednesday, December 14 at 8:00pm EST (check local listings).

See How They Run is a blast from the past. It’s a mystery within a mystery – a murder within a murder. This is an old-fashioned who-done-it story starring Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan in a tale that weaves mystery, sarcasm, and intrigue.

The film takes place in the 1950s in London’s West End theater district. An elegant theater is putting on the play The Mousetrap, which is being considered for a Hollywood movie. The Agatha Christie story has captured the attention of audiences with its twists and turns, which is exactly what this movie does as well. It is as though Christie wrote the story of See How They Run.

When a crewmember is murdered, Inspector Stoppard (Rockwell) is assigned the case. He is also assigned rookie officer Constable Stalker (Ronan) who is eager to solve the case. Her enthusiasm is over-the-top and she sees the culprit in everyone. Her eagerness is somewhat disheartening to the veteran inspector. The best part about the film is the relationship between these two very-different officers. “Stoppard is pretty broken when we meet him,” says Ronan. She describes her character as “very, very green, new to the job and eager, that’s really where the story begins.” Ronan adds, “They change each other unexpectedly, he helps her grow up a little bit, and she helps him find some of his vivacity and the energy he used to have.”

The play, The Mousetrap, ran for 68 years. The who-done-it weaves intricate stories in a way that involves viewers (and audiences) as everyone is invested in solving the murder.

Screenwriter Mark Chappell said, “What is so great about this type of mystery story is that you feel you know this world without having seen it all.  You can rely on an audience coming to the table with the knowledge to properly enjoy a murder mystery”.

“It’s a pretty zany plot with some poignant moments,” said Rockwell. And that statement encapsulates the feeling of the movie. “It’s a satirical and farcical look at the murder mystery genre. I hope audiences will love the play on the theatre world, that’s what Britain is known for,” stated co-star Ruth Wilson.

See How They Run is now available on demand. It’s a retro story about a retro story and a mystery within a mystery. And Ronan said, “The film is a celebration of London, too, and how rich a city it is and has always been, and how there’s so much grit but also grand beauty.”

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 documentary streaming on Disney+, Mickey: The Story of a Mouse, traces the evolution of the famous character from his inception to where he is today. Walt Disney built his empire beginning with Mickey and he always reminded people “It all began with a mouse.”

Mickey is a beloved character that has grown and changed with the world, yet he always remained the beacon of joy and love and innocence he was when Walt first imagined him while on a train heading to California. His initial success of Oswald the rabbit had to be jettisoned by Walt due to the fact he was not the owner of the character, even though it was his. So, when Mickey came to light, Walt did things differently and made sure the mouse was truly owned by the Disney Company and no one else. As a matter of fact, the little fellow is trademarked so it is illegal to use his likeness unless allowed by the company.

Mickey’s first film, Steamboat Willie, was a major step forward for Disney. By combining audio with the animation, he began the empire we know today.

As the country changed, so did the Disney Company and Mickey Mouse. The depression affected everyone including the animated characters. But Mickey and his friends managed to bring joy and hope to kids who could only afford a ticket to the movies. Lifting spirits is what Mickey does so well. Just watch kids run to him in Disneyland. He is the symbol of youth, love, happiness, wonder, and innocence.

World War II was another time when Mickey and his pals had to change to boost the spirits of the country. They all supported the war bonds effort, rationing, and helping the armed forces. Mickey became a symbol of the United States and was ultimately banned from Germany and Japan, who were enemies of the U.S.A. during the war.

Through drawings by animators, a look at the ink and paint process, the various shapes Mickey has taken over the years, and the history of his character as well as his friends, this documentary provides a well-rounded look at how one little mouse has captured the hearts and imaginations all around the world.

The corporate symbol of the Walt Disney Company as well as the icon of happiness and joy, Mickey Mouse continues to be a beloved character. And rightly so. He is loveable, funny, sometimes a little clumsy, but always enjoyable.

Today the Walt Disney Company is huge. But as Walt himself said, “I only hope we never lose sight of one thing — that it was all started by a mouse.”

This documentary is rated TV-PG V

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.

Courtesy photo