Prime Video and William Shatner today announced that Shatner in Space, a one-hour special, will premiere on Prime Video on Wednesday, December 15 in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, with additional territories launching in early 2022. The announcement was first made by Mr. Shatner during a virtual panel for CCXP Worlds, the virtual version of the world’s largest fan convention in São Paulo, Brazil.
The special details the events before, during, and after Shatner’s life-changing flight—which made him the oldest person to ever travel to the cosmos—and the growing friendship between the Star Trek icon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, whose dreams of space travel, like many, were inspired by the original Star Trek series.
“My time in space was the most profound experience I could have ever imagined,” said Shatner. “This special documenting my journey gives a dramatic view of that experience, and my hope is that it inspires the world to see we must go to space to save Earth.”
SNEAK PEEK CLIP FROM THE ALL-NEW HOLIDAY SPECIAL FROM PEANUTS, “FOR AULD LANG SYNE,” PREMIERING GLOBALLY ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 ON APPLE TV.
In the special, after the Peanuts gang experience a disappointing Christmas because Grandma can’t visit, Lucy resolves to throw herself the best New Year’s Eve party ever, while Charlie Brown struggles to accomplish just one of his resolutions before the clock strikes twelve.
Set 1,300 years after the events of How To Train Your Dragon, dragons are now just a legend to the modern world. When a geological anomaly opens up an immense, miles-deep fissure in the Earth’s surface, scientists from all over the world gather at a new research facility to study the mysterious phenomenon. Soon a group of misfit kids, brought to the site by their parents, uncover the truth about dragons and where they’ve been hiding — a secret they must keep to themselves to protect what they’ve discovered.
6 all-new episodes soar onto Hulu and Peacock December 23, 2021.
Connect your kids to their favorite Power Rangers this holiday season! For a limited time only, dial 1-833-DNOFURY (1-833-366-3879) with your child to contact the Ranger Hotline.
Call the hotline before 12/31/21, to report a Sporix beast spotting, get tips on what makes a great Ranger, hear morphenomenal music, and more!
And tune in to Season 1 of Power Rangers Dino Fury, currently available to stream on Netflix.
They are so popular the gang from Hotel Transylvania are returning for another movie. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will be available beginning January 14, 2022 on Prime Video. This movie is touted as the final chapter in the movie franchise.
Drac and the Pack are back, like you’ve never seen them before in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac (Brian Hull) with his most terrifying task yet. When Van Helsing’s (Jim Gaffigan) mysterious invention, the ‘Monsterification Ray,’ goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny (Andy Samberg) becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis (Selena Gomez) and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.
MASTERPIECE on PBS has announced that it will broadcast the first Downton Abbey movie on Christmas Day, and again on January 2 following the premiere of Around the World in 80 Days starring David Tennant.
“We are so happy to offer our viewers the chance to spend the holidays with the Crawleys,” said MASTERPIECE EP Susanne Simpson. “For Downton Abbey fans, this movie is the perfect treat everyone can enjoy.”
“We are so happy to offer our viewers the chance to spend the holidays with the Crawleys,” said MASTERPIECE EP Susanne Simpson. “For Downton Abbey fans, this movie is the perfect treat everyone can enjoy.” MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.
“PBS is proud to have been the home of Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE for six incredible award-winning seasons,” said Maria Bruno Ruiz, Vice President of Program Scheduling at PBS. “Since its debut in 2011, Downton Abbey has been a runaway hit with fans, and we are thrilled to welcome the Crawley family back to PBS.”
The film Off the Rails was the final film role for Kelly Preston who passed away last year. The story is kind of a blend of The First Wives Club mixed with The Big Chill.
Cassie (Preston), Liz (Sally Phillips), Kate (Jenny Seagrove), and Anna (Andrea Corr) were best friends in college. Their graduation trip to Europe to see the light shine in a cathedral in Palma Spain was derailed. The light shines through the stained glass only two days a year. So when, after many years, Cassie, Liz, and Kate get together again for Anna’s funeral, they are in for a surprise. Anna’s final wish was for the three friends to take her 18-year-old daughter Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips), retrace their post-collegiate trip and finally see the light through the stained glass, which was something they never got to do.
The story takes on many emotional journeys as the three friends – along with Maddie – trek to Paris then to Italy and Spain to fulfill Anna’s last wish. But will they make it in time? There are plenty of derailments (literally and figuratively) in their journey. Each woman is experiencing personal struggles and mid-life regrets. But Maddie is determined to see her mother’s final wish granted.
The film takes on an added emotional aspect being it was the final film role for Preston, who died of cancer. In the film, Anna’s death was due to her bought with cancer. Viewers will undoubtedly see through the façade Preston puts on screen, as she was most likely aware of her impending demise.
The women face one debacle after another as they travel through Europe. But is their friendship strong enough to survive the personal struggles and interpersonal skirmishes?
In the end, viewers will have a sense of how strong the friendship between these women is and how life, although short, is meant for friends, love, and adventure.
Off the Rails is rated R for some language. It opens in theaters and on demand December 10, 2021.
For more information about the Cathedral and the amazing light show through the rose window, visit this site.
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, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.
One of the many interesting documentaries on the True Royalty TV streaming channel that does not focus on the British Monarchy is the show about the Japanese Imperial Family. This is the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world. Having begun in the 600s with Emperor Jimmu, the line of succession has been passed to the male members of the family and even today it does not look like that will change.
The Emperor Hirohito, who was in power during World War II and to this day still blamed and shamed for Japan’s involvement in that war, was the last true ruling emperor, having overseen the invasion of China and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, not to mention the peace treaty at the end of the war and the occupation of Japan. Hirohito was allowed to remain as Emperor as long as the country changed to a constitutional monarchy, like that of Great Britain. This took away much of his power, yet he did not lose his title – or his head.
Upon his death, his eldest son, Akihito, who was actually his fifth child, succeeded Hirohito. Remember, only male members of the family can hold the title of Emperor. When Akihito abdicated, his successor was Naruhito. A crisis came over the country when Naruhito and his wife had only one child, a daughter named Aiko, Princess Toshi. With Japan being a male-dominated country and a male-dominated hierarchy (primogeniture), this became a problem for not only the country but also caused stress for Naruhito’s wife. Things calmed down when his brother produced a male heir. When will Japan join the modern age and allow women their rightful place in society and the monarchy?
Watching this film is interesting because there is a divide within the country. There are those who still pay tribute to the war dead at a special shrine, but there are those who blame Hirohito for all the strife the country endured during and after the war, and because of this turmoil the royal family has stopped their visits to the shrine. As they must feel, it is time to move on.
This educational and interesting documentary is available to stream on True Royalty TV, along with other documentaries about other royals around the world.
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, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.
Jack Lemmon was a great comic actor as well as an excellent dramatic actor. He combines a little bit of his comedy ability with his award-winning dramatic talent in the 1984 film Mass Appeal.
Lemmon is Father Tim Farley, a beloved Parish Priest. He combines humor with his sermons and enjoys the attention of his parishioners. He also loves it when they give him bottles of wine. He’s an easy-going fellow who has earned the love and affection of his congregation.
Monsignor Thomas Burke (Charles Durning) is a no-nonsense, by-the-book man who does not want any change in the church. Although he oversees the seminary where young men are being groomed for the priesthood, he is always suspicious about those who are a little off-book.
Now enter Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek), a young man who desperately wants to be a priest. After graduating the first part of the seminary his next step is to be a Deacon. But the monsignor does not feel he is ready for that. The lad is a rebel and although the church is modernizing, the Monsignor doesn’t want it to modernize as much as Dolson does.
On a whim the Monsignor agrees to give Dolson a shot at being a Deacon. The caveat is that Farley must be his mentor and he only has one month in which to straighten out the younger man or else he will be expelled from the seminary for good.
Deacon Dolson is unaware of the time limits on his trial, and Farley does everything in his power to help him learn how to connect with the congregation. Unfortunately, Dolson manages to alienate the congregation causing trouble for Farley. How can Farley get through to Dolson when the younger man refuses to budge?
Dolson sees Farley’s sermons as a show whereas he wants his sermons to be more condemnation of people and their actions in order to bring them closer to the church. This does not go over well with the people. But when Dolson’s career is in jeopardy, it is up to Farley to decide which is more important: saving his own career or standing up for a man he believes will make a good priest?
As ever, Lemmon turns in an amazing performance. This man can do it all, and his facial expressions are priceless.
Mass Appeal is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. It is rated PG.
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, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.
In 1981 a star-studded cast joined together for a fun comedy. The Four Seasons is funny, sensitive, and endearing. The story of three couples that spend their vacations together is interspersed with the music from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to enhance the opening of each season as the six people trek to different parts of the world.
Alan Alda is Jack and Carol Burnett is his wife Kate. Jack Weston is Danny and Rita Moreno is his wife Claudia. Len Cariou is Nick and Sandy Dennis is his wife Anne. Bess Armstrong enters the scene after the first season in the story.
The couples are unique. Jack and Kate are professionals with a sense of purpose and an equal sense of family. Danny is a hypochondriac and Claudia always says what she thinks without any filter. Nick is having a mid-life crisis and is frustrated with his wife who is always indecisive.
In spring the couples travel to upstate New York. The thing about these vacations is the food they always prepare. They pair their outings with special dinners and the planning begins months prior to their vacations.
In the summer they go to the Virgin Islands for a cruise. This time Anne is not among them. Instead, Nick has brought his new girlfriend Ginny (Armstrong), a young, nubile woman who brings out the ire in the women and the virility in the men. While sailing is not their best endeavor, they manage the boat nevertheless, seasickness and all.
In the autumn they travel to New England to visit their daughters at college. Alda’s real-life daughters Beatrice and Elizabeth play the girls. Jack and Kate’s daughter is an outgoing young woman with a lot of pep. Nick and Anne’s daughter is the opposite. She is morose and never able to smile. While the adults try to deal with their own personal issues, the girls add additional strain to the vacation.
And finally in the winter the three couples go to a ski lodge in Vermont. It’s a cozy atmosphere but they all seem to explode in emotional outbursts. Broken and sprained bones, neuroses and more add to the fun of this season.
For these forty-something adults, their seasonal vacations together add up to some humorous times and some whacky endeavors. It’s definitely a cute movie with the seven different personalities meshing together most of the time. On many occasions they do get on each other’s nerves with plenty of underlying hostility and even outright vengeance. Viewers will undoubtedly enjoy at least one of the couples as they maneuver their way through a year of trials and tribulations.
Each of the couples has their own charm, however Burnett and Alda are especially delightful to watch. Their interplay is priceless.
The Four Seasons was written and directed by Alan Alda. It is rated PG and is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber
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, was a longstanding member of the Los Angeles Press Club, and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.
Prime Video and William Shatner today announced that Shatner in Space, a one-hour special, will premiere on Prime Video on Wednesday, December 15 in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, with additional territories launching in early 2022. The announcement was first made by Mr. Shatner during a virtual panel for CCXP Worlds, the virtual version of the world’s largest fan convention in São Paulo, Brazil.
